So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.

Ruth 2:3

She happened to come. Yes, it seemed nothing but an accident, but it was divinely ruled over! Ruth had gone out with her mother-in-law’s blessing, under the care of her mother-in-law’s God, to humble but honorable work, and the providence of God was guiding her every step. Little did she know that among the sheaves she would find a husband, that he would make her the joint owner of all those broad acres, and that she, a poor foreigner, would become one of the ancestors of the great Messiah. God is very good to those who trust in Him and often surprises them with unexpected blessings. Little do we know what may happen to us tomorrow, but this sweet fact may cheer us—that no good thing will be withheld. Chance is banished from the faith of Christians, for they see the hand of God in everything. The trivial events of today or tomorrow may involve consequences of the highest importance. O Lord, deal as graciously with Your servants now as You did with Ruth.

How blessed would it be if, in wandering in the field of meditation tonight, we should happen to find ourselves in the place where the Lord Jesus will reveal Himself to us!

O Spirit of God, guide us to Him. We would rather glean in His field than carry home the whole harvest from any other place. We would follow the footsteps of His flock, which would guide us to the green pastures where He dwells! This is a weary world when Jesus is away—we would survive easier without sun and moon than without Him—but how divinely fair all things become in the glory of His presence! Our souls know the virtue that lives in Jesus and can never be content without Him. We will wait in prayer tonight until we “happen” to come to a part of the field belonging to Jesus in which He will reveal Himself to us.

Family Reading Plan     Daniel 10      Psalm 120

Galatians 2:20

There’s a goal to the Christian life, which God expresses this way: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). This refining process is called sanctification. And there are several identifiable stages en route to this goal, but sadly, most believers are unfamiliar with them. Let me offer some definitions so you can identify where you are on the journey and understand what to expect.

Salvation is the first stage of the Christian life. This describes our redemption from sinfulness through Jesus’ atoning sacrifice. What results is forgiveness of sin, which lets us have a relationship with Almighty God.

Next, God gives us opportunity to serve (Eph. 2:10). We were created to do good works in Jesus’ name.

But at some point, we notice something isn’t working. This is the start to stage three: frustrated inadequacy. This unpleasant but necessary part of the journey can last varying amounts of time. Without it, we’d undoubtedly experience self-sufficiency and pride. But we should recognize this difficult phase as beautiful because it leads us into the best part of our spiritual lives: total dependency upon Jesus as Lord of our life. And we will be fulfilling our ultimate goal: becoming a reflection of Christ.

Sadly, many Christians don’t reach a point of complete reliance on the Lord. Pride, discouragement, and distraction can ruin focus and perseverance. Paul reminds us to fix our eyes on the goal of maturity in Christ (Phil. 3:14). Learning to die to self is painful, but ironically, it’s the only true way to life.

Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky once observed that when God is dead anything is possible. It is a most potent statement, sadly confirmed throughout history and the present. When God is dead, the fences of the good, the true, and the beautiful are merely suggestions, easily plowed over by a new suggestion.

A haunting book comes to mind, written about the Holocaust and the men who carried out its murderous plan. Suggestively titled Ordinary Men, the book conveys that these men were not the psychologically crazed bullies that we would like to imagine, but average, everyday, ordinary people. They were ordinary men, yet they were men who committed murder for Hitler. When God is dead anything is possible.

Ravi Zacharias tells a story about a man who approached him after he finished speaking. The man said bluntly, “If I told you all the horrible things I have done in my life you wouldn’t even want to be seen standing next to me. There is almost nothing I haven’t done. I am not sure even God can forgive me.” Ravi comments that at the time he had to wonder what all was couched between those words. Still, the words that came to his mind in response were those spoken by the prophet Isaiah long before him:

“Seek the Lord while he may be found,

call upon him while he is near;

let the wicked forsake their way,

and the unrighteous their thoughts;

let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).

When God is dead, the possibilities are unfathomable. This man’s life had been guided by the whims of that certainty. Fyodor Dostoyevsky was likewise one who saw the devastating reality of that truth lived out. But it was the reverse of this truth that changed his life forever. Dostoyevsky’s story is one which reminds us to wonder with all the depth of imagination. If anything is possible when God is dead, what then is possible when God is alive?

In prison and facing death, Dostoyevsky discovered the parable of the prodigal son. In that story of homecoming, God was resurrected in his mind. The parable of the prodigal son transformed Dostoyevsky’s mind, soul, and body. Having the parable read to him was the last request on his deathbed, and it was the story that touched every story that brilliant author ever wrote. He was sublimely aware that the story of this homecoming is our own.

In fact, his awareness would reach another soul who eventually saw the beauty of the prodigal son worked out in his own life. Describing his own quite reluctant conversion, C.S. Lewis exclaimed, “Who can duly adore that Love which will open the high gates to a prodigal who is brought in kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance to escape? The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation.”(1)

We live in a world where liberation is often thought of as the absence of any fence that might hold us back from wherever we would like to go. Ordinary men and women of history suggest the need for a far better liberation. If anything is possible when God is dead, what is possible when God is alive?

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy. New York:  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1955, p. 237

Morning “The trees of the Lord are full of sap.” / Psalm 104:16

Without sap the tree cannot flourish or even exist. Vitality is essential to a

Christian. There must be life–a vital principle infused into us by God the

Holy Ghost, or we cannot be trees of the Lord. The mere name of being a

Christian is but a dead thing, we must be filled with the spirit of divine

life. This life is mysterious. We do not understand the circulation of the

sap, by what force it rises, and by what power it descends again. So the life

within us is a sacred mystery. Regeneration is wrought by the Holy Ghost

entering into man and becoming man’s life; and this divine life in a believer

afterwards feeds upon the flesh and blood of Christ and is thus sustained by

divine food, but whence it cometh and whither it goeth who shall explain to

us? What a secret thing the sap is! The roots go searching through the soil

with their little spongioles, but we cannot see them suck out the various

gases, or transmute the mineral into the vegetable; this work is done down in

the dark. Our root is Christ Jesus, and our life is hid in him; this is the

secret of the Lord. The radix of the Christian life is as secret as the life

itself. How permanently active is the sap in the cedar! In the Christian the

divine life is always full of energy–not always in fruit- bearing, but in

inward operations. The believer’s graces are not every one of them in constant

motion, but his life never ceases to palpitate within. He is not always

working for God, but his heart is always living upon him. As the sap manifests

itself in producing the foliage and fruit of the tree, so with a truly healthy

Christian, his grace is externally manifested in his walk and conversation. If

you talk with him, he cannot help speaking about Jesus. If you notice his

actions you will see that he has been with Jesus. He has so much sap within,

that it must fill his conduct and conversation with life.

Evening “He began to wash the disciples’ feet.” / John 13:5

The Lord Jesus loves his people so much, that every day he is still doing for

them much that is analogous to washing their soiled feet. Their poorest

actions he accepts; their deepest sorrow he feels; their slenderest wish he

hears, and their every transgression he forgives. He is still their servant as

well as their Friend and Master. He not only performs majestic deeds for them,

as wearing the mitre on his brow, and the precious jewels glittering on his

breastplate, and standing up to plead for them, but humbly, patiently, he yet

goes about among his people with the basin and the towel. He does this when he

puts away from us day by day our constant infirmities and sins. Last night,

when you bowed the knee, you mournfully confessed that much of your conduct

was not worthy of your profession; and even tonight, you must mourn afresh

that you have fallen again into the selfsame folly and sin from which special

grace delivered you long ago; and yet Jesus will have great patience with you;

he will hear your confession of sin; he will say, “I will, be thou clean”; he

will again apply the blood of sprinkling, and speak peace to your conscience,

and remove every spot. It is a great act of eternal love when Christ once for

all absolves the sinner, and puts him into the family of God; but what

condescending patience there is when the Saviour with much long-suffering

bears the oft recurring follies of his wayward disciple; day by day, and hour

by hour, washing away the multiplied transgressions of his erring but yet

beloved child! To dry up a flood of rebellion is something marvellous, but to

endure the constant dropping of repeated offences–to bear with a perpetual

trying of patience, this is divine indeed! While we find comfort and peace in

our Lord’s daily cleansing, its legitimate influence upon us will be to

increase our watchfulness, and quicken our desire for holiness. Is it so?

He began to wash the disciples’ feet.   John 13:5

The Lord Jesus loves His people so much that every day He is still doing for them much that is analogous to washing their soiled feet. Their poorest actions He accepts; their deepest sorrow He feels; their slenderest wish He hears; and their every transgression He forgives. He is still their servant as well as their Friend and Master. He not only performs majestic deeds for them, when in all His priestly garb and function He stands up to plead for them, but He also humbly, patiently goes among His people with the basin and the towel. He does this when He puts away from us day by day our constant infirmities and sins.

Last night when you bowed the knee, you mournfully confessed that much of your conduct was not worthy of your profession; and even tonight you must grieve again that you have fallen into the selfsame folly and sin from which special grace delivered you long ago. And yet Jesus displays great patience with you. He will hear your confession of sin; He will say, “I will—be clean!” He will again apply the blood of sprinkling and speak peace to your conscience and remove every spot. It is a great act of eternal love when Christ once for all absolves the sinner and places him in the family of God; but what condescending patience it is when the Savior with much long-suffering bears the repetitive follies of His wayward disciple, day by day and hour by hour washing away the multiplied transgressions of His erring but still much-loved child! To dry up a flood of rebellion is something marvelous, but to endure the constant dripping of repeated offenses, to bear with a perpetual trying of patience, this is truly divine! While we find comfort and peace in our Lord’s daily cleansing, its legitimate influence upon us will be to increase our watchfulness and quicken our desire for holiness. Is that your experience?

Family Reading Plan    Daniel 9      Psalm 118

Proverbs 2:1-22

Although the temptation to compromise threatens every believer, we don’t have to give in. If we’re aware of the danger and understand the downward progression and ultimate consequences, we can determine to be vigilant in obedience to the Lord.

The first step in learning how to avoid compromise is understanding why it is so tempting. When others pressure us to take part in in what we know God has forbidden, it’s easy to give in because we don’t want to feel rejected. But anyone who’s committed to living a godly life must be willing to stand alone and face ridicule or even persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). At other times, we consent to activities that violate our conscience just to avoid conflict, but peace at any price means we have to sacrifice obedience to God.

However, the temptation to compromise doesn’t always originate with others. In fact, James 1:14 says we are tempted when we’re carried away by our own lusts. How many Christians have fallen into sexual immorality or pornography by desiring a second look? Greed is another motivation that drives us to compromise. If you fudge on your income tax or take a few things home from the office, you’ve stepped over the line of obedience to God. Our choices should be based on scriptural truth, not on our feelings and desires.

In order to stand firm against compromise, we must make God’s Word the standard for our conduct. If you begin each day with the Lord in His Word, He will guide your way. Then when the Spirit gives a warning, obey immediately, because giving consideration to the temptation opens a door for Satan.

 The prolific author F.W. Boreham was once described as a man who went about his life “scattering benedictions.” The description colorfully puts an image of the beloved minister in my mind.

 For some, the word “benediction” signals the end of a church service, the parting words of a pastor with lifted hands sending forth the congregation in the grace and love of Jesus Christ. The word comes from two Latin words meaning literally “good speaking” and is most often translated “blessing.” Benediction is the act or pronouncement of divine blessing upon another person.

 To pronounce a person or group of people blessed was in fact given as a commandment to Aaron and his sons, the tribe chosen to serve as priests among the Israelites. The book of Numbers recounts that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenanceupon you and give you peace’” (6:22-26). It is a sublime utterance, blessing as much as it teaches. The hearer is lifted in the name of the Lord, the keeper of creation, the giver of peace, the one who longs to bless us such that it was given as a command. As a father looks at his son and delights to find his own smile, so the Lord’s face is lifted in kind to those made in God’s own image, shining upon those God has called the “apple of his eye.” God’s name is exalted, for it to be upon us is a great blessing, and in it, God is glorified.

 But herein lies the potency of benediction. At the end of God’s instructions for the Aaronic blessing, God adds distinctly, “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them” (v. 27). Whereas doxology is ascribing praise to God, and prayer is expressing oneself to God, a benediction is a word of blessing on behalf of God. The former rise from the heart of the saint, the other overflows from the heart of God. As author Samuel Chadwick writes, “[T]he benediction does not approach the subject from the standpoint of theology but of experience. It is not concerned with definition, nor does it contemplate the glory of God in the absoluteness of his deity.” Rather, notes Chadwick, it sets God forth as God is realized in the soul.

 Scattering benedictions, it seems then, is a high calling. And I would add, it is a mysterious gift given to all made in God’s image. The putting of God’s name upon another soul as we go about life is our tongue’s greatest utterance. It is a hopeful command, a most uplifted effort. As God’s name is set forth, not only is it God who does the blessing, it is God who is the fulfillment of the words we offer. God is the blessing.

 Therefore, may the blessing of the LORD be upon you, and may you know the joy of putting the name of God upon others. For indeed, whether hiding or curious or seeking in earnest, blessed are those who rest in the light of God’s face.

 Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

 Morning “I will love them freely.” / Hosea 14:4

 This sentence is a body of divinity in miniature. He who understands its

meaning is a theologian, and he who can dive into its fulness is a true master

in Israel. It is a condensation of the glorious message of salvation which was

delivered to us in Christ Jesus our Redeemer. The sense hinges upon the word

“freely.” This is the glorious, the suitable, the divine way by which love

streams from heaven to earth, a spontaneous love flowing forth to those who

neither deserved it, purchased it, nor sought after it. It is, indeed, the

only way in which God can love such as we are. The text is a death-blow to all

sorts of fitness: “I will love them freely.” Now, if there were any fitness

necessary in us, then he would not love us freely; at least, this would be a

mitigation and a drawback to the freeness of it. But it stands, “I will love

you freely.” We complain, “Lord, my heart is so hard.” “I will love you

freely.” “But I do not feel my need of Christ as I could wish.” “I will not

love you because you feel your need; I will love you freely.” “But I do not

feel that softening of spirit which I could desire.” Remember, the softening

of spirit is not a condition, for there are no conditions; the covenant of

grace has no conditionality whatever; so that we without any fitness may

venture upon the promise of God which was made to us in Christ Jesus, when he

said, “He that believeth on him is not condemned.” It is blessed to know that

the grace of God is free to us at all times, without preparation, without

fitness, without money, and without price! “I will love them freely.” These

words invite backsliders to return: indeed, the text was specially written for

such–“I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely.” Backslider!

surely the generosity of the promise will at once break your heart, and you

will return, and seek your injured Father’s face.

Evening “He shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.” / John 16:15

 There are times when all the promises and doctrines of the Bible are of no

avail, unless a gracious hand shall apply them to us. We are thirsty, but too

faint to crawl to the water-brook. When a soldier is wounded in battle it is

of little use for him to know that there are those at the hospital who can

bind up his wounds, and medicines there to ease all the pains which he now

suffers: what he needs is to be carried thither, and to have the remedies

applied. It is thus with our souls, and to meet this need there is one, even

the Spirit of truth, who takes of the things of Jesus, and applies them to us.

Think not that Christ hath placed his joys on heavenly shelves that we may

climb up to them for ourselves, but he draws near, and sheds his peace abroad

in our hearts. O Christian, if thou art tonight labouring under deep

distresses, thy Father does not give thee promises and then leave thee to draw

them up from the Word like buckets from a well, but the promises he has

written in the Word he will write anew on your heart. He will manifest his

love to you, and by his blessed Spirit, dispel your cares and troubles. Be it

known unto thee, O mourner, that it is God’s prerogative to wipe every tear

from the eye of his people. The good Samaritan did not say, “Here is the wine,

and here is the oil for you;” he actually poured in the oil and the wine. So

Jesus not only gives you the sweet wine of the promise, but holds the golden

chalice to your lips, and pours the life-blood into your mouth. The poor,

sick, way-worn pilgrim is not merely strengthened to walk, but he is borne on

eagles’ wings. Glorious gospel! which provides everything for the helpless,

which draws nigh to us when we cannot reach after it–brings us grace before

we seek for grace! Here is as much glory in the giving as in the gift. Happy

people who have the Holy Ghost to bring Jesus to them.

He will take what is mine and declare it to you.    John 16:15

 There are times when all the promises and doctrines of the Bible are of no help unless a gracious hand applies them to us. We are thirsty but too faint to crawl to the water-brook. When a soldier is wounded in battle, it is of little use for him to know that there are those at the hospital who can bind up his wounds and medicines to ease all the pains that he now suffers: What he needs is to be carried there and to have the remedies applied. It is the same with our souls, and to meet this need there is one, even the Spirit of truth, who takes the things of Jesus and applies them to us.

Do not think that Christ has placed His joys on heavenly shelves so we may climb up and retrieve them for ourselves; rather He draws near and sheds His peace abroad in our hearts. Christian, if you are tonight struggling under deep distress, your Father does not give you promises and then leave you to draw them up from the Word like buckets from a well. The promises He has written in the Word He will write afresh on your heart. He will display His love to you and by His blessed Spirit dispel your cares and troubles.

Let it be known to you, if you mourn, that it is God’s prerogative to wipe every tear from the eyes of His people. The good Samaritan did not say, “Here is the wine, and here is the oil for you”; he actually poured in the oil and the wine. So Jesus not only gives you the sweet wine of His promise, but He holds the golden cup to your lips and pours the lifeblood into your mouth. The poor, sick, worn-out pilgrim is not merely strengthened to walk, but he is lifted up on eagles’ wings. Glorious Gospel that provides everything for the helpless, that draws near to us when we cannot reach it ourselves—it brings us grace before we seek grace! There is as much glory in the giving as in the gift. Happy people who have the Holy Spirit to bring Jesus to them!

Family Reading Plan  Daniel 7  Psalm 115

Ephesians 5:14-17

Our lives are governed by time. That’s why we’re surrounded by clocks and calendars that dictate our activities. As the minutes tick by, we wonder where the day went. When responsibilities and pressures mount, we complain, “I just don’t have time to get it all done!” But the reality is that God has given us enough time to do exactly what He’s planned for our lives. Perhaps the bigger issue is whether we are using our time to do our will or the Lord’s.

Time is a gift from God, and He has allotted each of us a measure in which to live and accomplish His purposes. We have only two options—to spend it temporally on our own interests or invest it eternally. Since time can never be retrieved or reversed, it’s critical that we make the most of every opportunity the Lord provides.

The key to investing in eternity is following God’s plan for your life, not just filling your days with activities. Jesus was allocated just thirty-three years of life on earth, but only the last three were spent in fulfilling His Messianic ministry. To us that seems like a waste of time. Yet Christ accomplished everything His Father gave Him to do. That’s why on the cross He could say, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Scripture compares earthly life to “a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14), but eternal life never ends. It’s foolish to spend your life on a vapor when you can reap everlasting benefits by following God’s will for your time here. Each day is an opportunity to choose.

Christianity is nothing more than a set of rules! Have you ever heard this before? The question or objection, depending on how it is phrased, comes from both Christians and skeptics. So what does Christianity have to say to this?

It is helpful first to acknowledge that the Bible is indeed full of commands and instructions. But the role that the rules play is often misunderstood. Rules, even going back to the Ten Commandments, were not meant simply to tell us what to do and what not to do. They were intended to be a means by which humanity could come close to God and relate to God. If we think of how rules are applied in other areas of life, it is quite easy to understand how this works. Discipline, guidelines or putting deadlines in place are not an end in themselves; they are the means by which we achieve what we want to accomplish.

While I was doing undergraduate studies in Toronto I worked for the Toronto Blue Jays ground crew. While working there I noticed that the elite players would always be the ones to arrive at the ballpark early and leave late. They would come in early for strength and conditioning purposes, then perhaps look over strategies or game plans. Then they would join the rest of the team once the normal daily routines began. This was hard work and made for long days. Here is the point: the discipline of getting to the stadium early, doing an extra work out, working over game plans were not the goal. These were the means by which this player would attain the ultimate goal: victory.

The rules set out in Scripture were never meant to inhibit pleasure or desire, but to do the exact opposite.  Desire gave birth to commands, but somehow we have understood it the other way around, as if the commands were meant to create desire.

There is actually a moment documented in the Old Testament in which the people of Israel say that they would like to follow God’s commandments. However, Joshua, their leader at the time, turns them down.  Effectively, he says, ‘You don’t have what it takes.  You will turn away from God.  So, please, don’t commit to it.’  They push back and insist that they truly want to follow God.  Joshua reluctantly gives in and grants them their desire to form a covenant binding them to follow God’s rules.

The rules and statutes implemented into the life of Israel stemmed from a desire to serve the Lord.  Rules were not put in place to prevent desire from finding its fulfillment.  Rather, the rules were put in place to fulfill desire and avoid destruction.

A question that we need to ask ourselves is, ‘Where do rules find their starting point?’ In the Christian sense, does obedience come from a sense of duty or from a desire for God? If the drive to live for God comes from a sense of duty, our faith will become one long arduous journey. But duty is not where the gospel asks us to begin. We begin with a love and desire for God.

Imagine that I have just been away from home on a long business trip. When I return home I decide to stop off at the florist’s near my home because I want to get flowers for my wife. I purchase the flowers, then walk up to the door with flowers behind my back and knock on the door. My wife opens the door and I reveal the flowers to her.  She says, ‘Nathan, you shouldn’t have done this!  Why did you get me these flowers?’  I reply, ‘Because it is my duty!’

What do you think her response will be after she hears this? What if I respond to her question by saying that I got her those flowers because I love her—that there is nothing more I love than the sweet fellowship I have with her.(1)

This gets at the heart of Christian discipleship. Christianity does not start with rules, but the rules do make sense. They are put in place to fulfill our desire for God; not to coerce us into loving God.

Nathan Betts is a member of the speaking team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Toronto, Canada.

(1) Story as told by Michael Ramsden, director for the European office of RZIM.

Morning   “Thy paths drop fatness.” / Psalm 65:11

Many are “the paths of the Lord” which “drop fatness,” but an especial one is

the path of prayer. No believer, who is much in the closet, will have need to

cry, “My leanness, my leanness; woe unto me.” Starving souls live at a

distance from the mercy- seat, and become like the parched fields in times of

drought. Prevalence with God in wrestling prayer is sure to make the believer

strong–if not happy. The nearest place to the gate of heaven is the throne of

the heavenly grace. Much alone, and you will have much assurance; little alone

with Jesus, your religion will be shallow, polluted with many doubts and

fears, and not sparkling with the joy of the Lord. Since the soul-enriching

path of prayer is open to the very weakest saint; since no high attainments

are required; since you are not bidden to come because you are an advanced

saint, but freely invited if you be a saint at all; see to it, dear reader,

that you are often in the way of private devotion. Be much on your knees, for

so Elijah drew the rain upon famished Israel’s fields.

There is another especial path dropping with fatness to those who walk

therein, it is the secret walk of communion. Oh! the delights of fellowship

with Jesus! Earth hath no words which can set forth the holy calm of a soul

leaning on Jesus’ bosom. Few Christians understand it, they live in the

lowlands and seldom climb to the top of Nebo: they live in the outer court,

they enter not the holy place, they take not up the privilege of priesthood.

At a distance they see the sacrifice, but they sit not down with the priest to

eat thereof, and to enjoy the fat of the burnt offering. But, reader, sit thou

ever under the shadow of Jesus; come up to that palm tree, and take hold of

the branches thereof; let thy beloved be unto thee as the apple-tree among the

trees of the wood, and thou shalt be satisfied as with marrow and fatness. O

Jesus, visit us with thy salvation!

Evening  “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” / 1 Samuel 15:22

Saul had been commanded to slay utterly all the Amalekites and their cattle.

Instead of doing so, he preserved the king, and suffered his people to take

the best of the oxen and of the sheep. When called to account for this, he

declared that he did it with a view of offering sacrifice to God; but Samuel

met him at once with the assurance that sacrifices were no excuse for an act

of direct rebellion. The sentence before us is worthy to be printed in letters

of gold, and to be hung up before the eyes of the present idolatrous

generation, who are very fond of the fineries of will-worship, but utterly

neglect the laws of God. Be it ever in your remembrance, that to keep strictly

in the path of your Saviour’s command is better than any outward form of

religion; and to hearken to his precept with an attentive ear is better than

to bring the fat of rams, or any other precious thing to lay upon his altar.

If you are failing to keep the least of Christ’s commands to his disciples, I

pray you be disobedient no longer. All the pretensions you make of attachment

to your Master, and all the devout actions which you may perform, are no

recompense for disobedience. “To obey,” even in the slightest and smallest

thing, “is better than sacrifice,” however pompous. Talk not of Gregorian

chants, sumptuous robes, incense, and banners; the first thing which God

requires of his child is obedience; and though you should give your body to be

burned, and all your goods to feed the poor, yet if you do not hearken to the

Lord’s precepts, all your formalities shall profit you nothing. It is a

blessed thing to be teachable as a little child, but it is a much more blessed

thing when one has been taught the lesson, to carry it out to the letter. How

many adorn their temples and decorate their priests, but refuse to obey the

word of the Lord! My soul, come not thou into their secret.

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.  1Samuel 15:22

Saul had been commanded to completely wipe out all the Amalekites and their cattle. Instead of doing so, he preserved the king and allowed his people to take the best of the oxen and of the sheep. When called to account for this, he declared that he did it with a view to offering sacrifice to God; but Samuel met him at once with the assurance that sacrifices were no excuse for an act of direct rebellion.

The sentence before us is worthy to be printed in letters of gold and to be displayed before the eyes of the present idolatrous generation, who are very fond of making a show of obedience but who utterly neglect the laws of God. Never forget that to keep strictly to the path of your Savior’s command is better than any outward form of religion; and to pay attention to His precept is better than to bring animals or other precious things to lay upon His altar.

If you are failing to keep the least of Christ’s commands to His disciples, I urge you to be disobedient no longer. All the pretensions you make of attachment to your Master and all the devout actions that you may perform are no substitute for disobedience. “To obey,” even in the slightest and smallest thing, “is better than sacrifice,” however pompous. Forget the Gregorian chants, sumptuous robes, incense, and banners; the first thing that God requires of His child is obedience; and even if you gave your body to be burned and all your goods to feed the poor, if you did not listen to the Lord’s commands, all your formalities would profit you nothing.

It is a blessed thing to be teachable as a little child, but it is a much more blessed thing, when one has been taught the lesson, to carry it out to the letter. How many adorn their temples and decorate their priests, but refuse to obey the word of the Lord! My soul, do not share in their deceit.

Family Reading Plan     Daniel 3     Psalm 107

Psalm 138:7-8

David was a man who walked through trouble on a regular basis. His psalms express the struggles and disappointments he faced, yet in the end, he always turned his focus back to God. The key to his victorious attitude was his strong faith in the Lord.

David was confident in God’s purpose. That’s why he could say, “The Lord will accomplish what concerns me” (v. 8). The only way we can walk through trouble and not be defeated is by keeping our focus on the Lord and His purpose. He has promised to do a good work in our lives, but sometimes the only way He can complete it is in valleys of hardship.

He relied on the Lord’s power. When troubles arise, we, too, can trust God to deliver us, but it may not be by escape. Sometimes He sustains us through the difficulty, walking with us every step of the way.

David believed the promises of God. Throughout these two verses, he repeatedly reminds himself what the Lord will do. We also need to have some specific promises from Scripture that will anchor us in times of trouble. The truths of the Bible are our most valuable possession when the storms of life assail us. Self-reliance or advice from others will never equal the help God’s Word offers us.

God assumes responsibility for accomplishing what concerns you in times of trouble. Your job is to believe that He will fulfill His purpose, His power is adequate, and He’ll keep every promise. When the trial has achieved His goal, He’ll remove it. Until then, keep walking with your eyes on Him.

With outstretched arms, Aaron blessed the people of Israel, putting the name of the Lord upon them: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”(1)

These were instructions from God, who told Moses to tell Aaron to bless the people of Israel. Benediction was to be an act of worship, a response of obedience to God’s instruction given to the priestly line. “Aaron was set apart,” we read. “He and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the LORD, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name forever.”(2) The Aaronic benediction was a command, given in order that God’s name be placed upon God’s people.

So Aaron spoke the benediction over a people frustrated and wandering, and his words reached beyond him. There are moments often unknown to us with which God does the same. Like a river whose source does not know the far places it reaches, God’s name moves before the world; we don’t always know where it has come or where it is going. Yet we know that God’s hand is not too short to save. In the desert or on the mountaintop, God’s blessing reaches those who will receive and be filled. It is this God “who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land.”(3)

Aaron’s blessings on behalf of God were heard by the people, and honored by God. And this duty, done in obedience, acting in worship, was passed down amongst the descendents of Aaron. Under oath, the priestly line vowed to keep the covenant of God before his people and the hope of God’s saving name upon them. Of course, the vow of people is prone to breaking and the service of the priest short-lived.

The writer of Hebrews expounds, “Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completelythose who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”(4) Through Christ, a better hope was introduced, by which the Holy Spirit moves the world that we can draw near to God. For as it is written, “Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” Whereas the Aaronic blessing was intermittent, Christ’s blessing is continual.

It is significant here to note Luke’s retelling of the last hours with Jesus on earth, for Christ’s departure is marked with the gesture his life epitomized. Luke writes of Jesus, “Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.  While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.  And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,and were continually in the temple blessing God.”(5) Near the place where he raised Lazarus from the dead, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father where he remains forever the High Priest. Before he left, pointedly, he offered the benediction. Hands and arms that days before were outstretched upon the Cross were lifted once more to bless the world.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) Numbers 6:22-26.

(2) 1 Chronicles 23:13.

(3) Amos 5:8.

(4) Hebrews 7:23-25.

(5) Luke 24:50-53.

Morning   “And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul.”   / 1 Samuel 27:1

The thought of David’s heart at this time was a false thought, because he

certainly had no ground for thinking that God’s anointing him by Samuel was

intended to be left as an empty unmeaning act. On no one occasion had the Lord

deserted his servant; he had been placed in perilous positions very often, but

not one instance had occurred in which divine interposition had not delivered

him. The trials to which he had been exposed had been varied; they had not

assumed one form only, but many–yet in every case he who sent the trial had

also graciously ordained a way of escape. David could not put his finger upon

any entry in his diary, and say of it, “Here is evidence that the Lord will

forsake me,” for the entire tenor of his past life proved the very reverse. He

should have argued from what God had done for him, that God would be his

defender still. But is it not just in the same way that we doubt God’s help?

Is it not mistrust without a cause? Have we ever had the shadow of a reason to

doubt our Father’s goodness? Have not his lovingkindnesses been marvellous?

Has he once failed to justify our trust? Ah, no! our God has not left us at

any time. We have had dark nights, but the star of love has shone forth amid

the blackness; we have been in stern conflicts, but over our head he has held

aloft the shield of our defence. We have gone through many trials, but never

to our detriment, always to our advantage; and the conclusion from our past

experience is, that he who has been with us in six troubles, will not forsake

us in the seventh. What we have known of our faithful God, proves that he will

keep us to the end. Let us not, then, reason contrary to evidence. How can we

ever be so ungenerous as to doubt our God? Lord, throw down the Jezebel of our

unbelief, and let the dogs devour it.

Evening  “He shall gather the lambs with his arm.” / Isaiah 40:11

Our good Shepherd has in his flock a variety of experiences, some are strong

in the Lord, and others are weak in faith, but he is impartial in his care for

all his sheep, and the weakest lamb is as dear to him as the most advanced of

the flock. Lambs are wont to lag behind, prone to wander, and apt to grow

weary, but from all the danger of these infirmities the Shepherd protects them

with his arm of power. He finds new-born souls, like young lambs, ready to

perish–he nourishes them till life becomes vigorous; he finds weak minds

ready to faint and die–he consoles them and renews their strength. All the

little ones he gathers, for it is not the will of our heavenly Father that one

of them should perish. What a quick eye he must have to see them all! What a

tender heart to care for them all! What a far- reaching and potent arm, to

gather them all! In his lifetime on earth he was a great gatherer of the

weaker sort, and now that he dwells in heaven, his loving heart yearns towards

the meek and contrite, the timid and feeble, the fearful and fainting here

below. How gently did he gather me to himself, to his truth, to his blood, to

his love, to his church! With what effectual grace did he compel me to come to

himself! Since my first conversion, how frequently has he restored me from my

wanderings, and once again folded me within the circle of his everlasting arm!

The best of all is, that he does it all himself personally, not delegating the

task of love, but condescending himself to rescue and preserve his most

unworthy servant. How shall I love him enough or serve him worthily? I would

fain make his name great unto the ends of the earth, but what can my

feebleness do for him? Great Shepherd, add to thy mercies this one other, a

heart to love thee more truly as I ought.

He will gather the lambs in his arms.   Isaiah 40:11

Our Good Shepherd has in His flock a variety of experiences. Some are strong in the Lord, and others are weak in faith; but He is impartial in His care for all His sheep, and the weakest lamb is as dear to Him as the strongest in the flock. Lambs are prone to lag behind, to wander, and are apt to grow weary; but from all the danger of these infirmities the Shepherd protects them with His arm of power. He finds newborn souls, like young lambs, ready to perish—He nourishes them until life becomes vigorous. He finds weak minds ready to faint and die—He consoles them and renews their strength. All the little ones He gathers, for it is not the will of our heavenly Father that one of them should perish.

What a quick eye He must have to see them all! What a tender heart to care for them all! What a far-reaching and powerful arm, to gather them all! In His lifetime on earth He was a great gatherer of the weaker sort, and now that He dwells in heaven, His loving heart extends to the meek and contrite, the timid and feeble, the fearful and fainting here below. How gently He gathered me to Himself, to His truth, to His blood, to His love, to His Church! With what effectual grace did He compel me to come to Himself!

Since my conversion, He has frequently restored me from my wanderings and once again gathered me within the circle of His everlasting arms! The best of all is that He does it all Himself. He does not delegate the task of love but condescends Himself to rescue and preserve His most unworthy servant. How will I love or serve Him enough? I long to make His name great to the ends of the earth, but what can my feebleness do for Him? Great Shepherd, add to Your mercies this humble request: Grant me a heart to love You more truly as I ought.

Family Reading Plan      Daniel 2    Psalm 106

 Luke 15:11-24

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the younger brother asked to receive his inheritance early so he might live as he chose. Once the father gave him his share, he made many unwise choices that led to hunger and destitution. What happened next illustrates the principles of godly repentance.

After squandering all his money, the young man found work feeding pigs, a bottom-of-the-barrel kind of job. One day he came to his senses and recognized his terrible plight. His repentance began with an awareness of his wrong choices and the fact that his bad situation was due to them.

Knowing that his difficulties came from his sinful behavior, the prodigal grieved over his mistakes and acknowledged that he had sinned against the Lord (v. 18). He declared he was no longer worthy to be his father’s son. Godly sorrow and confession led the young man to leave that place and go home. His repentance was made complete when he turned away from his old ways and returned to his father. The Lord likewise calls us to repent and return to Him.

What a welcome the prodigal son received. Upon seeing him, the father was filled with compassion and ran to embrace him. Forgiveness and acceptance were extended to the son. Both are blessings that God freely offers to whoever asks Him.

The prodigal son did not clean himself up before returning home. He simply left his old life, turned toward home, and trusted in his father’s mercy. The heavenly Father calls us to repent and offers us forgiveness when we turn away from our self-centered ways and move toward godliness (1 John 1:9).

Most of us recognize that there are forces at work in our world that make communicating more akin to communicating across cultures—even within our home countries. Twitter, texting and other forms of modern short-hand must be learned just as one would learn a new language. TTYL, LOL, and other combinations of letters are indiscernible to the tweeting and texting uninitiated.

In a similar way, trying to find ways to talk about matters of faith often feels like trying to cross a broken bridge. Even more than that, anyone who claims to present a clear language of faith speaks into a cacophony of spiritual and cultural languages. Is it any wonder, then, that blank stares are the all too often response to the particulars of the unique vocabulary of faith?

And yet, those who speak what seems to them a clear message are also informed and shaped by their own cultures. Speech embodies a whole world of language, experience, and ways of understanding that experience, which in turn shapes the way in which individuals speak about their faith.

here are, therefore, particular difficulties inherent in translation from within one’s own culture. An ancient Chinese proverb highlights this difficult task: “If you want a definition of water, don’t ask a fish.”(1) In other words, on what platform does one stand in order to speak into one’s own culture? We are products of the very culture into which we seek to communicate, and we can never completely stand outside our own culture. We are, in the words of the proverb, like fish trying to define water.

Notably, Christians affirm that the heart of the gospel message transcends culture and language, just as surely as it was originally proclaimed within a particular culture and language. After all, the good news of the gospel is about “the Word made flesh.” Missiologist Lesslie Newbigin explains the dialogical nature of the gospel as a product of culture and yet as a trans-cultural communication when he suggests: “Every statement of the gospel in words is conditioned by the culture of which those words are part, and every style of life that claims to embody the truth of the gospel is a culturally conditioned style of life. There can never be a culture-free gospel. Yet the gospel, which is from the beginning to the end embodied in culturally conditioned forms, calls into question all cultures, including the one in which it was originally embodied.”(2)

Newbigin uses the conversion and transformation of Saul into the apostle Paul as a case in point. His trial before King Agrippa, as recorded in Acts 26, illuminates this cultural dialogue. As Paul shares the story of his conversion with King Agrippa, he speaks the language of the Empire, Greek, and not his native Hebrew. Yet earlier, when he was blinded by “a light from heaven, brighter than the sun” and he heard a voice from heaven, it was not in the predominant Greek language. Paul tells Agrippa: “I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’” Paul then asked who was speaking to him, and the voice answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” Newbigin suggests that this passage provides a means by which we can understand the challenges and the opportunities for gospel communication and translation from within a given culture.(3)

First, just as Paul hears the as yet unnamed voice from heaven in his native tongue, the “voice” of the gospel must be offered in the language of the culture into which it is spoken. The gospel must be communicated in a way in which it can truly be heard, and we must accept that the way in which we present it will on some level embody that which is understood and experienced in a particular culture.

Truly communicating the gospel, however, means it will also call into question the way of understanding that is inherent in our own culture. Saul truly believed his actions against the Christians were in keeping with the God-ordained desire to preserve and protect Jewish identity and purity of belief. Yet, the voice from heaven revealed that this devotion of Saul was a form of persecution against the very God he claimed to serve.

Finally, while Christians must be diligent to clearly translate and communicate the gospel, ultimately conversion is the work of God. No human persuasion, no lofty speculation ever accomplishes the work of conversion. This is God’s work alone accomplished by the Holy Spirit, and those who bear witness in multiple cultural contexts can depend on the work of the Spirit to accomplish what God desires. “[I]n the mysterious providence of God, a word spoken comes with the kind of power of the word that was spoken to Saul on the road to Damascus…it causes the hearer to stop, turn around, and go in a new direction, to accept Jesus as Lord, Guide, and Savior.”(4)

The communication of the gospel into every culture is filled with challenges and opportunities. Without the work of careful translation, Christians can sound as if they are babbling in a foreign tongue. On the other hand, they may immerse themselves so much in cultural study and experience that they only seek “relevance” and lose the prophetic power of gospel proclamation. Indeed, as culture-bound people, there is always a risk of proclaiming a version of the gospel that is more cultural than Christian. Christians must always be willing to hear the radical call to conversion in their own proclamations. Yet, making room in these proclamations for the transformational work of the Spirit, there is hope that the unique message of God’s deliverance in Christ will not be lost either on the one who hears or the one who speaks.

Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington.

(1) Cited in Lesslie Newbigin, Foolishness to the Greeks (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986), 21

(2) Ibid., 4.

(3) Ibid., 5.

(4) Ibid., 7-8.

 Morning “Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.” / John 21:12

 In these words the believer is invited to a holy nearness to Jesus. “Come and

dine,” implies the same table, the same meat; aye, and sometimes it means to

sit side by side, and lean our head upon the Saviour’s bosom. It is being

brought into the banqueting-house, where waves the banner of redeeming love.

“Come and dine,” gives us a vision of union with Jesus, because the only food

that we can feast upon when we dine with Jesus is himself. Oh, what union is

this! It is a depth which reason cannot fathom, that we thus feed upon Jesus.

“He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in

him.” It is also an invitation to enjoy fellowship with the saints. Christians

may differ on a variety of points, but they have all one spiritual appetite;

and if we cannot all feel alike, we can all feed alike on the bread of life

sent down from heaven. At the table of fellowship with Jesus we are one bread

and one cup. As the loving cup goes round we pledge one another heartily

therein. Get nearer to Jesus, and you will find yourself linked more and more

in spirit to all who are like yourself, supported by the same heavenly manna.

If we were more near to Jesus we should be more near to one another. We

likewise see in these words the source of strength for every Christian. To

look at Christ is to live, but for strength to serve him you must “come and

dine.” We labour under much unnecessary weakness on account of neglecting this

precept of the Master. We none of us need to put ourselves on low diet; on the

contrary, we should fatten on the marrow and fatness of the gospel that we may

accumulate strength therein, and urge every power to its full tension in the

Master’s service. Thus, then, if you would realize nearness to Jesus, union

with Jesus, love to his people and strength from Jesus, “come and dine” with

him by faith.

Evening “With thee is the fountain of life.” / Psalm 36:9

 There are times in our spiritual experience when human counsel or sympathy, or

religious ordinances, fail to comfort or help us. Why does our gracious God

permit this? Perhaps it is because we have been living too much without him,

and he therefore takes away everything upon which we have been in the habit of

depending, that he may drive us to himself. It is a blessed thing to live at

the fountain head. While our skin- bottles are full, we are content, like

Hagar and Ishmael, to go into the wilderness; but when those are dry, nothing

will serve us but “Thou God seest me.” We are like the prodigal, we love the

swine-troughs and forget our Father’s house. Remember, we can make

swine-troughs and husks even out of the forms of religion; they are blessed

things, but we may put them in God’s place, and then they are of no value.

Anything becomes an idol when it keeps us away from God: even the brazen

serpent is to be despised as “Nehushtan,” if we worship it instead of God. The

prodigal was never safer than when he was driven to his father’s bosom,

because he could find sustenance nowhere else. Our Lord favours us with a

famine in the land that it may make us seek after himself the more. The best

position for a Christian is living wholly and directly on God’s grace–still

abiding where he stood at first–“Having nothing, and yet possessing all

things.” Let us never for a moment think that our standing is in our

sanctification, our mortification, our graces, or our feelings, but know that

because Christ offered a full atonement, therefore we are saved; for we are

complete in him. Having nothing of our own to trust to, but resting upon the

merits of Jesus–his passion and holy life furnish us with the only sure

ground of confidence. Beloved, when we are brought to a thirsting condition,

we are sure to turn to the fountain of life with eagerness.