Glory Seed Devotional’s, 2017: Anticipating and Experiencing God...
Shadows and nomads…
Shalom!
Chapter 11 of Hebrews is noted for its powerful insight on people who displayed verse 13 a little sampling of the inner power faith accomplished in their lives. “All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.” (Hebrews 11:13, NLT)
Yesterday we discovered that we are merely moving shadows, Hebrews 11:13 strongly hints that we are “foreigners and nomads here on earth” just passing through headed for the Promised Land better known as heaven. When we think of Psalm 39:4-7 and Hebrews 11:13 together we can begin to see they offer us insight into Hope (Psalm 39) and Faith (Hebrews 11).
There are two things that with the help of the Holy Spirit become apparent when we “read between the lines.” First wherever there is a shadow there is a light creating it. When the Light of Jesus shines on us it not only illuminates the path in front of us but creates out of our lives a moving shadow. The second thing that becomes apparent deals with a promise not received. There are three major promises given us by God one promise tells us God loves us unconditionally, we are promised God will never leave us alone, we are also promised we will inherit eternal life if we truly believe and accept Jesus as our Savior. I am sure we can add to the list for now those three will suffice.
On the other side of the promises made to me are the things God has NOT promised me. And at the top of that list is God never promised me a trouble/storm free life. It has been a while since I’ve heard the song “I never promised you a rose garden” sung my Lynn Anderson but when I do I always think maybe God is the writer of that song.
Yet just when I think about all the troubles/storms has not prevented the Holy Spirit also reminds me God loves me unconditionally, I am promised God will never leave me alone, and I am also promised because I have truly accepted and believe in Jesus I am destined for the Promised Land after this life. One of my favorite songs “The Road to Zion” contains some words I cling to like a shipwrecked survivor clings to a piece of floating debris. “Sometimes it’s good to look back down, we’ve come so far, we’ve gained such ground, but joy in not in where we’ve been joy is who’s waiting at the end.”
“May God be merciful and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us.” **
Grace and PEACE,
Gary
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“Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.”
**Psalm 67:1, New Living Translation
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