EmmDev 2025-10-09 [Partners in Mission (Month of Mission 2025)] He seeks ways to bring us to Him

He seeks ways to bring us to Him

And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us (Acts17:26-27)

Paul is addressing Areopagus in Athens and his audience is largely pagan philosophers. He appeals to their religious lifestyle, addresses their pagan worship and seeks to answer their question of his new doctrine. Rather than quoting scripture directly, he appeals to nature and creation, to show that God is distinct from idols and sovereign over all creation.

In the previous verses Paul settles matters of creation buy referring to God as the one who made the world and all that is in it (vs24). He further breaks down all barriers of racial and ethnic differences by pointing all men to one common ancestor Adam. By doing so he captures all humankind to one order of existence. He also points out to God as the one who orders times of existence and geographical settings. Paul presents the sovereignty of God which is his power and authority over the events of the earth both past and present.

Paul's argument suggests that God is intimately involved in the flow of history and directs it towards his predestined will. This predestined will is that humanity might seek him and find him.

This predestined will is God's plan of redemption for humankind through our Lord Jesus Christ. The creation plan and geographical arrangement by God is meant to prompt or create a desire in humankind to seek him. God initiates the relationship with humanity, the Greek word zētein used in verse 27 also implies to desire. The fall of humankind through the disobedient of Adam in Genesis 3 took away his desire for God but now Paul presents an idea of God's plan to bring humanity back to him.

Though our search for God is impaired by sin God is still accessible to us. Though the words "seek" and "find" might bring an idea of distance but Paul still present God as not far from us. The sovereignty of God includes his omnipresent, He is both transcendent and near; accessible to all who truly seek him (Jer.29:13).

Nations exist so that people might turn to God, not away from him. He is not distant or unknowable, but desires to be found as per his predestined will. This is a call for us to continually seek God and his perfect will.
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Rev M Hlela Drakensburg Presbytery

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EmmDev 2025-10-08 [Partners in Mission (Month of Mission 2025)] He is concerned about our Suffering.

He is concerned about our Suffering.

The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.... (Exodus3:7-8)

Saints, as from the creation narrative, God has always been concerned for humanity. When Adam and Eve got themselves entangled in sin of disobedience by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen2:17), and found themselves naked, God came looking for them. God's reason for asking "where are you?" was to cover their nakedness. God did not abandon them in their shame. God was looking for a relationship with them. He followed them until they could answer from where they were hiding.

In Egypt, God heard the cries of His people. Though they had been enslaved for 400 years, He had not forgotten His covenant. Exodus 3:7 says, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering." Again, God is concerned about suffering and moves toward His children. The mission begins with God hearing and seeing the affliction of humanity and coming down to deliver his people out. This month of mission I want you to know that God hears, and God sees, and He is concerned. God always takes the first step to save us - see His hand and hold unto it!

When God hears and sees our suffering, he always comes ready to cover the nakedness and to save us from the shame of sin. In verse 8 He says, "So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians..." God's mission has always started with His initiative. He takes the first step. And yet, He chooses to partner with us - just as He called Moses to be part of His rescue plan. Today, He calls us to join Him in His ongoing mission of redemption.

In Christ, God came down rather, "he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death--- even death on a cross!" (Phil 2:7-8). Saints, the Cross carried the suffering meant for humanity. The Cross that was a sign of a curse, pain, and suffering has been transformed into the sign of salvation by the One who hung on it, Jesus the Messiah.

In Christ, God invites us to be His partners in mission to tell the world that He has come. "...And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" (Rom 10:14). Saints, in this month of mission, may we remember: God still sees. God still hears. God still comes down. And God still calls. Will you answer?
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Lentikile Mashoko is a minister at SAINTS Presbyterian Church in Lyttelton, Centurion, within the bounds of Tshwane Presbytery. He is a husband and a father of three.

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EmmDev 2025-10-07 [Partners in Mission (Month of Mission 2025)] He cares about how we treat others...

He cares about how we treat others...

Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" (Genesis4:9)

Genesis 4:1 begins a narrative of the first family. God blessed Adam and Eve with two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain the elder brother was a farmer focusing on growing crops while Abel focused on keeping animals. Both Cain and Abel had an opportunity to present sacrifices before God their Maker. Cain gave sparingly while Abel gave freely and willingly. God accepted Abel's sacrifice. This did not sit well with Cain who lured his younger brother Abel and murdered him.

In Genesis 4:9 God is asking Cain a question, "Where is your brother?" In his response Cain answered, "I don't know, Am I my brother's keeper? God's question raises the issue of caring for each other.

Application
Created in his image, God expects us to care like he does.
God created man in his image and likeness (Gen1:26). One of God's characteristic is to care for his creation. Initially he instructed Adam - father to Cain, to look after (care) the garden of Eden (Gen2:15). So, when He asked Cain, "where is your brother?", God was raising the issue of caring for our brothers. God has a mission of caring for his creation especially humankind.

The UPCSA currently is focusing on a theme -- "Partners in Mission". This means as a church we are partnering with God in his mission of caring for his creation especially humanity. The question is what does it mean to care for our brothers? (While God is addressing Cain about his actual brother we can infer that what is meant and implied here by "brother" is "fellow human being".)

• Caring by being interested in your brother: Essentially this means being sensitive to your brother's well-being. Cain showed no interest in the pain and loss he would cause to his younger brother Abel. In fact, he answered God, "Am I my brother's keeper?" This is a disinterested attitude. If Cain showed interest he would have done everything not to kill his brother. Cain's behavior was a departure from the image and likeness of God.
• Caring by providing security for your brother: Cain being an elder brother, should have provided security for his younger brother. Looking after implies providing security and defense for your brother. Security is seen in different lights. Today, it even covers security in retirement and old age. Where is your brother in this light? In this mission month and as we are partnering with God in his mission, are we providing security?

Conclusion
Genesis 4:9 teaches us that God wants us to manifest his characteristic of caring for his creation especially our fellow human beings. Let us care for our brothers and sisters by being interested in them and providing security for them.

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Rev Edward Chirwa - I am married to Mary Kaluba for 27 years and together we are blessed with four girls and one boy. I specialized in Old Testament Theology in my masters and am passionate about mentoring and inspiring people on developing their God-given potential to glorify him.
My hobbies are reading books, talking to people, taking walks, gardening and caring for the environment.

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EmmDev 2025-10-06 [Partners in Mission (Month of Mission 2025)] He is looking for us!

Apologies for the delay in sending out today's devotion...

We move into week two of our Month of Mission as we reflect on
"What is God doing in the World? The Missio Dei."

He is looking for us!

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" (Genesis3:8-9)

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Moments after Adam and Eve had broken relationship with God, Genesis reveals God's love and pursuit of them, and a call for human self-reflection on sin, and a desire to restore fellowship.

God was walking in the garden when they heard him approaching. God wanted to be close to them but because of their sin they were afraid to show themselves. God placed in us a guilty conscience "I did wrong." Also God has given free will for us to choose: "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction (Dt.30:19).

Being tempted is not a sin until we give in to the temptation. Eve knew very well when Satan approached her that the tree's fruit was not to be eaten. However, she decided to eat the forbidden fruit and offered it to Adam. Adam knew that God had instructed but chose to listen to Eve. Joseph was faced with temptation by Potiphar's wife but resisted this temptation by running away.

Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Sin broke their close relationship with God. Our relationship is broken too. But God demonstrates His persistent love and desire to restore the broken relationship. God comes to Adam and Eve in their shame, and instead of driving them away, He draws them closer with love and mercy.

As we live in this world friends, living for God is not easy. We sin knowingly or unknowingly but we should strive everyday to be like Christ. Some of us because of what we went through we try to evade God's work because of guilty conscience that tells us we are unworthy in the presence of God. God calls us, just as He did to Adam and Eve, "Where are you?" Let us present ourselves to Him in sincerity and allow Him to transform us as we walk daily.

God is looking for us to partner with Him in the mission of proclaiming Good News of the Kingdom in every corner of this world. All of us have different shames before God because we have been moved by sin from our origin relationship with our God. Through Jesus Christ, God opens the way to renew our fellowship with Him. He offers us His unconditional love and God wants us to partner with Him in the "Missio Dei: The mission of God."

God's work involves many different individuals with a variety of gifts and abilities. There are no superiors in the task, only team members performing their own special roles. As Paul wrote "for we are co-workers in God's service" (1Cor3:9).

God is looking for us, let us come before Him and confess to our loving and forgiving God,the Holy Spirit will help us.
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Rev Anna Banda. Married to Moven. Mother to 4 beautiful ladies. Grandmother to 9 boys and girls. Serving at Robert Sinyoka & Khayelithsa Congregations in the Presbytery of Zimbabwe. Liverpool and Dynamos fan.

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EmmDev 2025-10-03 [Partners in Mission (Month of Mission 2025)] Grace: Salvation as God's Gift

Grace: Salvation as God's Gift

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians2:8-9)

To be Partners in Mission we need to recognize that we can only do it with God's Grace!

Grace is defined as the wholly undeserved favour of God the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. You and I are saved by the grace of God, we did not earn it because we fulfilled the law of God, or that we did all kinds of righteous deeds. We are saved because God, in the Person of Jesus Christ (God incarnate), paid the price of sin!

It is when we realise that we are wretched sinners, saved by the amazing grace of God that we in gratitude will seek to be partners in mission with God the Father, Son and Holy. We serve with God for the reason that we understand that His grace - is the gift of God.

John Newton was a wretched sinner who captained slave ships. He partook in the most evil enterprise crafted by the heart of humanity. But after a shipwreck he decided to follow Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. For the remainder of his earthly life, he dedicated each day to the Master of his soul. He became a partner in mission and penned one of the most well-known and used hymns in the world: Amazing Grace.

I conclude with the first verse of the hymn and encourage you through grace - the gift of God - to become a partner in mission:

    Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
    That saved a wretch; like me!
    I once was lost, but now am found,
    Was blind, but now I see.
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Wayne van Heerden, husband to Frances, father to David and Angela. Enjoys cycling. Serving at Gateway Presbyterian Church, Kempton Park.

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EmmDev 2025-10-02 [Partners in Mission (Month of Mission 2025)] Justice: God Gives Christ in Our Place

Justice: God Gives Christ in Our Place

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood, to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness... so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans3:23-26)

Have you ever looked at a coin? A coin always has two sides, and you cannot have one without the other. In the same way, God has two sides that always belong together: His justice and His love. If God only showed love and forgave sin without punishment, He would not be just. But if He only judged sin, no one could be saved. So how can God be both just and loving? Romans 3:25-26 gives the answer: God gave Jesus to take our place. On the cross, God punished sin (justice) and forgave sinners (love).

The Bible says God "presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood." In the Old Testament, once a year the high priest sprinkled blood on the mercy seat to show that sin needed a payment. But those sacrifices were only pictures pointing forward.

When Jesus came, He became the true and final sacrifice. His blood was the real payment for sin. Why? Because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). God is holy and cannot ignore sin. Yet God also loves us and wants to save us. So, He gave His Son to take our punishment. On the cross, Jesus carried the judgment we deserved. In this way, God's justice was satisfied and His love revealed. That is why Paul says God is both "just and the justifier."

This truth changes how we live every day:

• Rest in Jesus. When you feel guilty, remember He already paid for your sin.
• Be thankful. Salvation is by grace, not works. That should fill us with humility and joy.
• Share the message. As partners in God's mission, we tell others that forgiveness is found at the cross.
• Trust God's justice. Even when life feels unfair, God will deal with all wrongs - either through the cross or on the final day.

The cross is like the two sides of a coin: justice and love held together. God was fair because sin was punished. God was loving because sinners were forgiven. This is the glory of God shown most clearly in Jesus Christ. As partners in His mission, let us rest in this truth, share it with boldness, and bring hope to the world.
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Richard Mkandawire, married to Aretha, father to Khumbo, Mbawemi and Chimwemwe. A passionate supporter of soccer, serving at St. Columba's Presbyterian Church, Kabwe. Richard is the Convener of the Mission and Discipleship Committee.

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EmmDev 2025-10-01 [Partners in Mission (Month of Mission 2025)] The Prodigal Father

Welcome to our annual Month of Mission Devotions!

During this month, the devotions are written by members of the church across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the DRC.
(For those who usually receive Theo's "EmmDevs", these will resume in Nov.)

The theme for our Month of Mission is "Partners in Mission" which is the Moderatorial theme of the Right Rev Amon Kasambala who is our Moderator for 2025-2027.

You can read his opening devotion below...
GodBless!
The Mission and Discipleship Team

The Prodigal Father

"So he got and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him" (Luke15:20)

The Month of October 2025 has been set aside in the entire UPCSA as a Missions Month. This means that in our worship services as a body Christ, in our family and personal devotions, and in our daily work schedules; we should think about our commitment to missions.

What is interesting about mission(s) is that it was first and foremost initiated by God himself, who since the fall of humanity has been reaching out to us in his grace and mercy. Humans by nature are fugitives of themselves -- we try to run away from that which is meant to safeguard our lives just like we see in the prodigal son story. We want to be secure in ourselves without God just like the prodigal son did to his father. We do the same with God, we want to try and avoid him and "kick him out" of our priorities and programmes. However, just like the prodigal son's father, God is patient enough to wait until we reach to the end of ourselves and realize we can only fill that vacuum in our lives by getting back to him the creator.

What we should realize is that as long as we as human are prodigals, God becomes a prodigal with us. He does not run away from us, but he becomes the prodigal father who patiently awaits our return. And when we return, he shows us his compassion and mercy and welcomes us back to where we belong -- the family of believers (the Church)

As UPCSA, we should always bear in mind that the God we serve is the God of missions and when we get involved in missions, we in fact partner with him in the missions of God (Missio Dei). If God, as a Prodigal God, has reached out to us, it is time to think about others outside our Church buildings and our comfort zones who also need to hear the good news. God counts on us to reach out with grace, compassion and acts of mercy to a world that is calling for our help. May you make this month a special month of Missions.
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Rt Rev Dr Amon Kasambala, Moderator of the General Assembly (UPCSA), hubby to Tiba and father to Eddie and Victor, and serving as a Minister at Glenwood Presbyterian Church, Durban

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 Blog Overview and Links

Welcome to EmmDevs. This is a blog run by Theo Groeneveld, a Presbyterian Minister, serving at Emmanuel Presbyterian in Pretoria, South Africa.

Back in Jan 2002 Theo felt the need to put daily devotions into the inboxes of congregants for the week (weak) days. He did this Tue-Fri during government school terms, taking a break on Mondays and school hols. Years later these devotions are still running and people find them helpful.

They're called "EmmDevs" for "Emmanuel Devotions" and are meant to be a reminder that Jesus is "God-with-us" (Emmanuel) even on our weak days. 

When the broader denomination, the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, chose October to be the "Month of Mission", the Mission and Discipleship committee started publishing devotions for that month and so EmmDev readers get to hear a variety of other voices during that month. 

Subscription to EmmDevs and/or Month of Mission

You can read EmmDevs/Month of Mission here on the blog, or you can subscribe to email or whatsapp groups. The whatsapp invite links need to be tapped on your phone...

EmmDevs	Month of Mission (Oct)
Email:  https://tinyurl.com/EmmDevSub  Whatsapp Link:  https://chat.whatsapp.com/JMojiOcEewoDGdNWkxaZln	Email:  https://rb.gy/ppoxpx   Whatsapp Link:  https://rb.gy/batqp

About Theo

Theo is married to Brenda and their son Caleb was born in 2000. He loves God, his family and being pastor. He enjoys cycling, camping, road-tripping, working with his hands, and programming and tech.

EmmDev 2025-09-26 [Moments with Mark] Origins...

Origins...

They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to Him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?" Jesus replied, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism -- was it from heaven, or from men? Tell Me!" They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' But if we say, 'From men'..." (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.) So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." (Mark11:27-33)

Back at the temple, the Pharisees are angry and offended.
"How dare He cause a ruckus?
How dare He preach to them about prayer?
How dare He expose them?"

"By what authority are you doing this?"
It's a trick question and a pride question.
- Who do You think You are to oppose us? Do You know who we are?
- If Jesus claimed to act by God's authority, they could accuse Him of blasphemy or madness.

Jesus neatly exposes them by reflecting the question back at them.
"John's baptism - was it from God or human origin?"
Now bear in mind John claimed to be the forerunner of the Messiah and that Jesus was the Messiah.
- If they say "from God" then they would be compelled to honour his Messiah
- If they said "from humans" the crowd would be upset because John had baptised thousands.
So they stubbornly sit on the fence.

But this question implies a deeper question...
And it is THE ALL IMPORTANT QUESTION.
Who do you believe Jesus is?
- Is He from God - the Son of God?
- Or is He just some guru - maybe even a self-deluded one?

What authority does He have in our lives?
Figuring out who He is is crucial to this...
Or do we sit on the fence...?

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EmmDev 2025-09-25 [Moments with Mark] Choice and Prayer

Choice and Prayer

When evening came, they went out of the city. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!" "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." (Mark11:19-25)

Faith requires a response. It requires a choice. It requires action.
There are consequences when we fail to respond, to choose, and to act.
This is one of the things that makes Christianity unpopular.

Bear in mind that it's Holy Week. It began with the Triumphal Entry, will end with the Crucifixion, and something new will begin with the Resurrection. On Holy Week Monday Jesus cursed the fig tree and cleansed the temple. Now it's Tuesday morning and Jesus and the disciples are walking to the temple from Bethany as they did on Monday.
But this time, they reach the fig tree, it is completely withered.

Peter is amazed.
Why? He'd seen plenty of miracles. Even storms stilled and Lazarus raised.
Maybe he's amazed because this time the miracle is a warning. The fig tree withered in about 33AD. In 70AD the temple, which had banned the Christians and persecuted them, was destroyed...

But now Jesus turns the conversation to faith and prayer. The idea of prayer is appropriate here because Jesus had wanted the temple to be a "house of prayer" and it was not.
It's important to recognise that all the second person pronouns are in plural...
"Truly I tell youse, if anyone says to this mountain... Therefore I tell you, whatever youse ask for in prayer..."
So He isn't just answering Peter, but the disciples and us...

And so He teaches His disciples about prayer because the church became the place of prayer.
Think about the Book of Acts.
Every time the church gathered for prayer something happened:

• In Acts 4:31 the disciples prayed together and the place they prayed was shaken.
• In Acts 12:5 the church was praying for Peter in Prison and an angel set him free.
• In Acts 10 Cornelius and Peter were praying in separate places and they received the same calling - and the Gospel went to Gentiles.
• In Acts 13:2 the church was praying and Paul & Barnabas were set apart for the first missionary journey.
• In Acts 16:25-26 - Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns in prison when a great earthquake shook the prison.

And so Jesus emphasises the importance of prayer.
But He's also talking about faith.
He uses a dramatic image - A mountain will throw itself into the sea.
But He's talking about trusting in God, believing in God.
And the examples I mentioned earlier are incredible instances of the amazing things that happen when God's people pray.

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