Isaiah 58:11
The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)
True Confession and Full Disclosure. I began to write this devotion 3 days ago, but due to frustration and anger over the news and our world today, I truly felt like we were living in a sun-scorched land. Because of that frustration and anger, I wasn’t ready to continue, and decided it best to set my writing aside. While my life and situation is not directly affected by a number of the challenges/issues we’re facing in the United States, and pales in comparison to the suffering those around the world in countries such as Ukraine, Gaza and Africa are experiencing, “life” is still weighing heavily on me some days.
Apparently God was sending a message to wait, as today’s Devotion from The Bible app spoke to me on Friday the 13th.
Portions of the Bible app Devotion state well, the challenge I/we face daily.
“We are living between two kingdoms. When Jesus came to earth, He brought a new kingdom which included a new way of life. This means that rather than being held captive to darkness, we can walk in the light. We are made new by the power of Jesus within our lives. Paul says that this new reality comes through believing in Jesus and the forgiveness of sins.
Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He has opened up a way for us to have a relationship with Him, and experience this new life. Having been forgiven, we are now part of the kingdom of God.
But even though we are part of Jesus’ kingdom, we are still awaiting Jesus’ return when He will make all things new. This means we are living between two kingdoms: We are made new in the kingdom of God, and yet we are still living in an imperfect world.
As members of God’s kingdom, we should always be thinking about the ways God wants to work within us. You play an important role in God’s Kingdom. Think about how you can be bold in sharing that message with others.
I thought this 4 ½ minute clip from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, where Yoda is training Luke, provides a common theme of the challenges we face living between two kingdoms. https://youtu.be/E3-CpzZJl8w?si=O75eHH1ZGPr-FlbK
If you’re not interested in watching the clip, some of Yoda’s key statements/lessons are:
- You must unlearn, what you have learned.
- Do or Do Not! There is no try.
- The Force’s energy surrounds us. You must feel the Force around you.
As Yoda states, I must unlearn, what I’ve learned, and as Romans 12:2 (NIV) states: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Questions for Reflection:
- Unlike The Force, which could be used for Good or Evil, the Holy Spirit is solely Good. With God and the Holy Spirit being omnipresent (always with us and like The Force, surrounding us), do you “speak” to them in prayer for strength to follow in Jesus' path in this imperfect world?
- Have you considered your own role within God’s plan to bring the message of hope to those around you?
- Like Luke stated, after failing to raise the X-Wing Fighter from the swamp, I feel at times it’s impossible to love my neighbor. How do you overcome times when you don’t believe you can love your neighbor, and do you pray for them?
Prayer:
Father in heaven, “Thank You for being my help in times of trouble. Right now there are things going on around me that are outside of my control. Please help me and strengthen me.” Guide me through prayer to rely on Your love and grace, and through my actions and words to show that love and grace to my “neighbors.” I believe it is a commitment that I must make and act upon daily, to Do or Do Not! “Through every challenge I face, I ask that You will free me from worry and fear and bring me Your peace.”
In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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