Bible Readings and Devotion for December 1, 2020

Here are the references for the readings.  Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible.

Luke 21:25-28

Revelation 9:13-21

Psalm 78:41-72, & 80

Isaiah 36

Devotion for December 1, 2020

By Pastor David Tinker

Psalm 78 is one of several psalms with a similar theme.  These psalms present a summary of the history of Israel up to that point.  These psalms often present both the uplifting and difficult parts of Israel’s history.

The life of the people of Israel was one of sin, judgment, and grace.  The foundation of their life was and is always the goodness of God.  Even so, they sinned and turned from God’s way.  There was often some form of judgment against them to call them back to a relationship with the Lord.  Then God also provided something or someone to restore them to that relationship.  The cycle often repeated over time for the people.

In the book of Judges, we can read how God provided a summary of this situation.  Read Judges 2:11-23 to get that pattern in full.  The people sinned and turned from God.  Something bad happened as a judgment, often from attack by their enemies.  God raised up a judge, a special leader for the people, and this led to restoration and peace. Sometime after the judge died the people would sin and restart the cycle.

In our individual faith lives we have up and down times with the Lord.  We sometime sin and bring harm to ourselves, others, and always to our relationship with God.  God reminds us of his love and mercy and leads us back to fellowship with him. What matters most is that God loves us and is seeking to restore us to fellowship with him. Even when we harm our connection with God, the Lord has plenty of grace to lead us home.  He takes us where we are and calls us to live his most excellent way.

Prayer

O God, full of compassion, we commit and commend ourselves to you, in whom we live and move and have our being. Be the goal of our pilgrimage, and our rest by the way. Give us refuge from the turmoil of worldly distractions beneath the shadow of your wings. Let our hearts, so often a sea of restless waves, find peace in you, O God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayer from Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Copyright © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.