Wednesday, November 3, 2010

GOD SHINES FORTH!

Psalm 50 (NRSV)

A sacrifice of thanksgiving

The mighty one, God the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.

Our God comes and does not keep silence,
before him is a devouring fire,
and a mighty tempest all around him.
He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
"Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!"
The heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge.
Selah

"Hear, O my people, and I will speak,
O Israel, I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
your burnt offerings are continually before me.
I will not accept a bull from your house,
or goats from your folds.
For every wild animal of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the air,
and all that moves in the field is mine.

"If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and all that is in it is mine.
Do I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and pay your vows to the Most High.
Call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."

But to the wicked God says:
"What right have you to recite my statutes,
or take my covenant on your lips?
For you hate discipline,
and you cast my words behind you.
You make friends with a thief when you see one,
and you keep company with adulterers.

"You give your mouth free rein for evil,
and your tongue frames deceit.
You sit and speak against your kin;
you slander your own mother's child.
These things you have done and I have been silent;
you thought that I was one just like yourself.
But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you.

"Mark this, then, you who forget God,
or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to deliver.
Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me;
to those who go the right way
I will show the salvation of God."


DEVOTION

The mighty one, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

Yesterday in Bible study we talked about the moon's relationship to the sun. Although it appears that the moon "shines" in the night, it actually has no light of its own. Rather, the moon simply reflects the light of the sun.

God is our Light and Jesus is the SON/SUN.

Today's scripture reminds us that God shines forth...

As God shines in darkness, as Christians we are called to reflect God's light so that people can see him.

We are not the Light, rather we bare witness to the Light, Jesus, who is the Light of the world!

Isn't it an honor to shine for Jesus?

As we shine for Jesus, we will remember to give God a sacrifice of thanksgiving! The willingness to share our thanksgiving testimonies with others, is what will cause them to hear and heed the good news.

Indeed, we have much to be thankful for, most notably, the fact that Jesus died on the cross to make atonement for our sin and gift us with eternal life!

Today--and every day--I pray that we will shine for Jesus!


Let's pray: Oh God, thank you for the Light of the world, Jesus! Truly he is my Lord and Savior and I love you. Please help me to shine radiantly for you in all that I do. I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.


INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta

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