Our next series will take us to Easter. In the congregation we have a Bible reading challenge going. We are reading a chapter a day leading up to Easter. The list of chapters is below... For our EmmDevs I'll be taking a reading from the day's chapter and reflecting on that. I do hope you'll enjoy it. Here's our first Devotion to get us going...
And it was Good!
Today is Shrove Tuesday - It's the day before the traditional fast of Lent begins...The practical purpose of Shrove Tuesday was to prepare for the season of fasting and so the luxuries in the house needed to be eaten and pancakes were the ideal way to do that. And so fasting began with feasting.
But this feast-before-the-fast began to have significance of its own: It drew attention to the bounty of Providence and Creation and led to Gratitude.
So, three simple challenges for you today:
- The beauty of God's Creation speaks of His glory, majesty and love. Try to think of a specific aspect of creation that you have experienced today and how it reminds you of God's glory, majesty and love.
- God has looked after us. Bringing us to where we are, sustaining and carrying us through trouble and blessing us with our opportunities and abundance. The Bible talks about "Ebenezer" (which means "thus far has the Lord brought us"). Which Ebenezer or act of Providence are you particularly aware of today?
- How will you express your Gratitude to your Creator/Provider? Take a moment to quieten your heart and say "Thank You". But maybe take it a step further... How could you take a moment to practically express your gratitude? Listen to a song of praise? Take a gratitude walk where you talk to God about your gratitude? Pay it forward by helping someone? Sharing a testimony of God's goodness? Arrange to have pancakes with your family and talking about God's goodness? You figure it out...
As we feast on celebrating God's Goodness revealed in Creation and Providence, let's also pray for the Ukraine and other situations of horror in the world. It's only when we embrace the light that we can reflect it into the darkness.
| Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground--everything that has the breath of life in it--I give every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day. (Genesis1:26-31) |
Tue 1 Mar God Creates: Genesis 1
Wed 2 Mar We Rebel: Genesis 3
Thu 3 Mar Our special place in God's heart: Psalm 8
Fri 4 Mar God the Liberator: Exodus 3
Sat 5 Mar God is Holy -- Blueprint for Society: Deuteronomy 5
Sun 6 Mar God keeps loving broken Israel: Hosea 11
Mon 7 Mar A new Covenant and a New Hope: Jeremiah 33
Tue 8 Mar A Promise of a Saviour: Isaiah 11
Wed 9 Mar A Suffering Messiah: Isaiah 53
Thu 10 Mar A Death Predicted: Psalm 22
Fri 11 Mar Resurrection brings hope: Psalm 16
Sat 12 Mar Looking to the One they pierced: Zechariah 12
Sun 13 Mar God gave what Abraham didn't have to: Genesis 22
Mon 14 Mar The Messiah is Coming: Luke 1
Tue 15 Mar The Messiah is Here! Luke 2
Wed 16 Mar What his arrival means: John 1
Thu 17 Mar The Start of His work: Matthew 4
Fri 18 Mar The Messiah calls: Luke 5
Sat 19 Mar A Rescuing Messiah: Mark 5
Sun 20 Mar A Teaching Messiah#1: Matthew 5
Mon 21 Mar A Teaching Messiah#2: Matthew 6
Tue 22 Mar A Teaching Messiah#3: Matthew 7
Wed 23 Mar The Messiah's Invitation: John 3
Thu 24 Mar The Messiah's Gentleness: John 4
Fri 25 Mar The Messiah teaches with Parables: Matthew 13
Sat 26 Mar Signs of the Messiah#1 -- Wine: John 2
Sun 27 Mar Signs of the Messiah#2 -- A Son: John 4
Mon 28 Mar Signs of the Messiah#3 -- Lame: John 5
Tue 29 Mar Signs of the Messiah#4 -- 5000: John 6
Wed 30 Mar Signs of the Messiah#5 -- Blind: John 9
Thu 31 Mar Signs of the Messiah#6 -- Lazarus: John 11
Fri 1 Apr Signs of the Messiah#7 -- Fish: John 21
Sat 2 Apr The Messiah Shepherd: John 10
Sun 3 Apr The Messiah serves: John 13
Mon 4 Apr The Messiah Vine: John 15
Tue 5 Apr The Messiah sends the Spirit: John 14
Wed 6 Apr The Messiah Prays: John 17
Thu 7 Apr Jesus example and our response: Philippians 2
Fri 8 Apr Persevering like Jesus did: Hebrews 12
Sat 9 Apr Heading to Jerusalem: Mark 10
Sun 10 Apr Arriving in Jerusalem: Mark 11
Mon 11 Apr Important Debates in Holy Week: Mark 12
Tue 12 Apr Why did Jesus have to die? Romans 5
Wed 13 Apr The Nature of Love: 1John 4
Thu 14 Apr A tough Thursday: Luke 22
Fri 15 Apr Jesus Dies: Luke 23
Sat 16 Apr Jesus Rises: Luke 24
Sun 17 Apr Jesus rises -- death dies! 1 Cor.15
