We’ve got your daily encouragement, written by Jenny Jones.
Bible Reading:
“Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”
Exodus 15:11
“The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’”
Luke 1:35
Word:
Have you experienced something good in the moment, to only realize later that it was actually better than good, it was great, phenomenal even? If you are having a hard time thinking of a moment like that, then let me help you out with a few examples.
- Example 1 – The CrossFit Open: Now I have never had this experience, but I know some of you have…Have you ever finished a CrossFit Open work out on top of the leaderboard for your gym and thought to yourself, “Man, that went really well!” Only to then find out, after all scores have been entered by all the athletes around the globe, that you not only did “really well” you finished in the top 50 for your age group and division. You did phenomenal!
- Example 2 – Marriage/Parenting: I also know this is not everyone’s story, but I pray that it is a lot of spouses’ and parents’ story. The day you get married or bring a child into your family, you can’t possibly wrap your mind around loving this human being any more than you do in the moment or life being any happier than it is right then. But, the reality is, you just scratched the surface. You don’t even really know the depths of that person and you can’t possibly foresee all the different ways you will fall in love with them. Meaning that day is great, but even with life’s ups and downs, you can’t possibly understand how much more you are going to love them over the years.
This is exactly what is happening in our passage today from Exodus 15. Moses is in the middle of leading the Israelites in a song of celebration after the parting of the Red Sea and complete destruction of their enemy. But that is not all that Exodus 15 is saying. Think about this for a minute, the Israelites just witnessed God literally control the laws of nature and science in order to deliver them from slavery and protect them from an encroaching enemy. There is no other appropriate response to an act like that than to say, “Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” I am sure they were thinking in that moment, “How could God get any better than this? How could God ever love us more?”
Yet, while they were singing out words of celebration and praise to the character of God in that moment, little did they know, that God was just getting started on his rescue mission. Little did they know, they were also prophesying a coming Savior. Little did they know, God was about to come to earth and physically live out in the flesh, majestic holiness, awesome glory, and wondrous works.
Look at our other scripture for today:
“The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the HOLY ONE to be born will be called the Son of God.’” Luke 1:35
Listen, deliverance of the Israelites through the parting of the Red Sea was great! But deliverance of all humanity. Forever. That is phenomenal.
Here is the promise for us today: even if you don’t see God moving in a situation in your life or He isn’t moving in the way (or speed) in which you want him to, hold tight to the promise that the same God that delivered the Israelites is the same God that came to earth as a baby and through his death on a cross will not only deliver your current situation (which is good news) but is the same God that already has delivered your past, present and future (and that is phenomenal news).
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your HOLY SERVANT JESUS, whom you anointed.
Acts 4:27
Sometimes it is hard to find joy in your circumstances, or you are simply ignorant to the level of joy that situation is going to bring you one day, but even in those times we can still choose joy because of the promise of Moses all those years ago fulfilled in the promise of who Jesus is and will always be.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for the steadfastness of your character. For truly being a living, breathing illustration to us of the God that Moses and the Israelites sang about so long ago. This Christmas season would you give us the strength to choose joy in any circumstance, knowing that your character has never changed and we can trust you in our time of need because you are the only one that sees the whole picture of our life. We love you, Jesus. Amen.
Skillwork:
Take some time to reflect on these questions:
- How has Jesus shown up in your life in the past?
- How has God done immeasurably more in your life that you ever imagined?
Next time you are having a hard time finding joy, remember the answers to these questions and know that if God did it before He will do it again. He always has, He always will, it is just who He is.
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