December 1, 2020 (Tuesday)
A Beautiful World
“The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
– Isaiah 11:6-9
Memory Verse: “They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9)
Jesus came to this world to give us peace and establish justice. The world Jesus envisioned was not the world where the powerful exploit the weak and thereby build the kingdom just for the powerful. The world Jesus envision was the world where the powerful and the powerless coexist and build a beautiful community for all people. Let us work together to build a beautiful world.
Lord, help me to see the beautiful world where people serve each other. Amen.
December 2, 2020 (Wednesday)
The Eternal Abundance
“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-matured wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death for ever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.”
– Isaiah 25:6-8
Memory Verse: “Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth.” (Isaiah 25:8)
God makes our life abundant. God has destroyed death for ever. Temporary abundance doesn’t mean much; it will only make us feel empty in the end. Abundance finds its meaning in eternity. God not only makes our life abundant but he has also given us the eternity by destroying death for ever. Let us enjoy life’s abundance in God.
Lord, I can find abundance only in you. Amen.
December 3, 2020 (Thursday)
The Rock of Life
“‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!’.”
– Matthew 7:24-27
Memory Verse: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” (Matthew 7:24)
Life should be built on the rock. When we hear the words of God and his words come into us, occupy our soul and control our life, that is when our life will be built on the rock. It is not by our will that we practice God’s words. It is by the power of the words of God within our soul that we can live out God’s words.
Lord, help me carve your words within my soul. Amen.
December 4, 2020 (Friday)
The One Thing I Desire
“‘One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.”
– Psalm 27:4-5
Memory Verse: “One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)
Our greed is for what we can see, touch, and feel. And the satisfaction we get from our greed is our illusion that is with us for a while and vanishes. Let us think about what we really desire. It is to be with God. When we are with God, we will be able to find true satisfaction.
Lord, when I seek you, please open the door and accept me. Amen.
December 5, 2020 (Saturday)
The One Thing I Desire
“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you.”
– Isaiah 30:18-19
Memory Verse: “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you.” (Isaiah 30:18)
Waiting means to desire deeply. God waits for us. God waits to be gracious to us. God waits for us to come back to him. Blessed are all those who wait for him. They will receive God’s grace and experience God’s mercy.
Lord, I wait for you today. Thank you for showing your mercy. Amen.
December 6, 2020 (Sunday)
God’s Time
“But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.”
– 2 Peter 3:8-9
Memory Verse: “With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)
God’s time is different from our time. We are controlled by time but time is in God’s control. God’s will be done not in our time but in God’s time. The reason God’s promise seems to be delayed is because it is good for us. God waits for the time when we are prepared.
Lord, I pray that everything will be completed in your time. Amen.
December 7, 2020 (Monday)
Do Not Fear
“Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.”
– Isaiah 35:3-4
Memory Verse: “Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear!’” (Isaiah 35:4)
Let us not fear. Let us not fear those who attack us. Let us not fear trials and challenges we face in life. God will fight for us and defend us. Fear makes us weak. God will strengthen our weak hands and make firm our feeble knees. So be strong and do not fear.
Lord, thank you for making me strong. Amen.
December 8, 2020 (Tuesday)
Compassionate Heart
“What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.”
– Matthew 18:12-14
Memory Verse: “So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’” (Matthew 18:14)
It is God’s will to save one of these little ones that is lost. God leaves the ninety-nine on the mountains and goes in search of the one that went astray. This is our God, God who has compassion for the one who is lost. This compassion of God is the essence of our salvation. It is God’s compassion that has saved us. Restoring this compassion within our heart is what we should do as people who are saved.
Lord, thank you for not leaving me alone but embracing me in your arms when I am lost. Amen.
December 9, 2020 (Wednesday)
Confidence
“Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God’? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
– Isaiah 40:27-31
Memory Verse: “He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.” (Isaiah 40:29)
God gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. People make us tired. The world exposes our weaknesses. With the strength God gives us, we can restore our relationship with people and overcome the challenges we face in this world. Then we can love people and see the beauty of the world. God’s strength gives us confidence, the confidence to keep calmness in the storm.
Lord, thank you for giving me confidence through your power. Amen.
December 10, 2020 (Thursday)
God Knows Us
“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust. As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.”
– Psalm 103:11-18
Memory Verse: “He knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:14)
God knows us. God knows that we are but dust. God knows our weaknesses, our darkness, and what is in our heart. There is nothing we can hide from God. God loves not because he doesn’t know us very well. He loves us because of his mercy, knowing all about us. Let us not take God’s love for granted. Let us always live with deep gratitude and respect for God’s unconditional love.
Lord, thank you for your mercy. Amen.
December 11, 2020 (Friday)
God Is Our Way
“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you for your own good, who leads you in the way you should go. O that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your prosperity would have been like a river, and your success like the waves of the sea; your offspring would have been like the sand, and your descendants like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me.”
– Isaiah 48:17-19
Memory Verse: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you for your own good, who leads you in the way you should go.” (Isaiah 48:17)
God leads our way. God leads us in the way we should go and shows us the way that makes our life abundant. People who live their lives, paying attention to God’s guidance will enjoy the abundance of life. When danger is in front of us, God will show us the way to escape the danger. When all our ways are blocked, God will open a new way for us. He will create a way in the wilderness and make a path in the ocean. Let God lead our lives.
Lord, thank you for leading my way. Amen.
December 12, 2020 (Saturday)
A Blessed Person
“Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”
– Psalm 1
Memory Verse: “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2)
Let us memorize Psalm 1 again. Let us think about what a blessed person is like and carve these words into our heart by meditating on them.
Lord, thank you for showing me the way to become a blessed person. Amen.
December 13, 2020 (Sunday)
Holiness
“May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24
Memory Verse: “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
It is God who sanctifies us and keeps us blameless. It is not something we can achieve on our own. Faithful God is with us and sanctifies us and keeps us blameless. God who began a good work within us will surely bring it to completion. Let us trust in God’s faithfulness. Let us leave ourselves in God’s hands.
Lord, thank you for sanctifying me and keeping me blameless. Amen.
December 14, 2020 (Monday)
God’s Guidance
“Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord! Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.”
– Psalm 25:4-8
Memory Verse: “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” (Psalm 25:4)
When we are young, we don’t receive God’s guidance, thinking that we know it all. When we are old, we don’t receive God’s guidance, thinking that we have experienced it all. But we all need God’s guidance. Let us humbly wait for God. God will show us his ways and teach us his paths. Blessed are those whose life is guided by God.
Lord, thank you for teaching me your paths. Amen.
December 15, 2020 (Tuesday)
Community
“But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labour among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15
Memory Verse: “See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
God gave us a community so that we can help each other. Through the community, we learn God’s words, pray and worship together, encourage, and challenge each other. Life of faith cannot be done in isolation. Through community, our faith grows. Through community, we learn to discipline ourselves to love others, practice patience, and seek to do good to all.
Lord, thank you for giving me a beautiful community. Amen.
December 16, 2020 (Wednesday)
When Life Is Entangled
“My eyes are ever towards the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.”
– Psalm 25:15-18
Memory Verse: “My eyes are ever towards the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.” (Psalm 25:15)
There are times when our life gets entangled. There are times when we are lonely and afflicted. When we experience troubles in life, our pride hits the ground. We confront that we are nothing but sinners. But that is also when our eyes turn towards the Lord. This desire is not something we can get when our life is comfortable. Only through suffering and hardship, this desire comes alive within us. Let us fix our eyes upon the Lord. He will untangle our entangled life.
Lord, thank you for forgiving me and breaking off the chains that bind me. Amen.
December 17, 2020 (Thursday)
A Righteous Life
“Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”
– Proverbs 10:2-4
Memory Verse: “Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.” (Proverbs 10:2)
It is not wise to gain treasures of life by greed. They will not make our life abundant. The treasures will not profit. It is important to be diligent. But let us always keep in mind to be righteous. God will not let the righteous go hungry and will provide them with the abundance of eternal treasures.
Lord, help me live my life with diligence and with righteousness on my mind. Amen.
December 18, 2020 (Friday)
Our Faults
“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice. Fools show their anger at once, but the prudent ignore an insult.”
– Proverbs 12:15-16
Memory Verse: “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15)
People who know their faults and yet are not consumed by them are strong people. We are afraid of seeing our own faults. We fear that they may oppress us and ultimately harm us. So we refuse to see them. Instead of trying to hide our faults, let us come to God with our faults. That is what God wants from us. When we do that, our faults will not have power over us. Then our faults will work for us and not against us, by making us humble and helping us be confident in spite of our weaknesses.
Lord, I come to you with my faults. Help me understand the depth of your forgiveness. Amen.
December 19, 2020 (Saturday)
Emmanuel
“‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.”
– Matthew 1:23-25
Memory Verse: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.” (Matthew 1:23)
Jesus’ birth is Emmanuel. It is a sign that God has not abandoned us but he is with us. When God is with us, we can persevere through any challenges. Not only do we persevere through them but also, we will be able to overcome them. Let us live with joy and confidence. God is with us.
Lord, thank you for being with me. Amen.
December 20, 2020 (Sunday)
Life’s Mystery
“‘For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from he.”
– Luke 1:37-38
Memory Verse: “Let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)
Nothing will be impossible with God. Mary believed that. That’s why she left her life in God’s hands. God makes the impossible possible. For those who believe in God and leave their life in God’s hands, everything is possible. Let us believe in God and experience life’s mystery.
Lord, I leave my life in your hands. Amen.
December 21, 2020 (Monday)
Faith and Blessings
“‘In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
– Luke 1:39-45
Memory Verse: “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” (Luke 1:45)
God’s blessings come upon those who believe that God’s words will be fulfilled. They will be able to see the wonderful works of God. God values our faith. We may be small but our faith has a key to open God’s blessings. Let us keep our faith in all situations.
Lord, thank you for granting me your grace so that I may be able to see your blessings through my faith. Amen.
December 22, 2020 (Tuesday)
Mary’s Magnificat
“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’ And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.”
– Luke 1:46-56
Memory Verse: “Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed.” (Luke 1:48)
Mary was inspired by God when she was pregnant with Jesus. Mary’s song described the life of the baby in his adult life. He would scatter the proud, bring down the powerful, lift up the lowly, fill the hungry with good things, and send the rich away empty. That is what God wants. God’ power is the power to help the weak. (Let us meditate on Mary’s Magnificat by reading a few times.)
Lord, humbly I receive the baby Jesus in my heart. Help me always to stand with the weak. Amen.
December 23, 2020 (Wednesday)
In the Midst of Silence
“Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’ Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.”
– Luke 1:57-66
Memory Verse: “All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.” (Luke 1:66)
Zechariah did not believe when the angel Gabriel spoke to him about the birth of John the Baptist. So, he became mute, unable to speak. Even though he could not speak, he saw everything that God was doing in his life. He had to only listen because he could not speak. Sometimes it is a blessing not to be able to speak. It allows us to see more clearly the wonderful works of God. Our difficult circumstances often allow us to see God more clearly.
Lord, help me listen to your words in silence. Amen.
December 24, 2020 (Thursday)
The Glory of God
“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
– Luke 2:8-20
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”
Memory Verse: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!” (Luke 2:14)
To the shepherds in the field, it was a lonely night. Suddenly, the glory of God shone around them. The angels of the Lord surrounded them. They experienced the glory of God. Jesus came to this world to shine God’s glory to all of us who are lonely. We pray and wish that the light of God’s glory shine in this dark world. When God’s glory fills this world, there will be peace. When God’s glory fills our heart, there will be peace.
Lord, we pray that your glory may shine in this world. Amen.
December 25, 2020 (Friday)
The Birth of Jesus
“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
– Matthew 1:18-25
‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.”
Memory Verse: “She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
Jesus is born today. Jesus did not come just for the time and place where he was born. His coming had the impact not only for those who lived in Judean and Roman territory 2,000 years ago, but for all humanity that exists beyond the limit of any specific time and space. Jesus came to save us from our sins. Now we are not slaves of our sins. We are freed from the power of sin. We are free from darkness and death sin brought to us. Bright light shines upon us. A new world is opened up for us.
Lord, thank you for saving me from my sin. Amen.
December 26, 2020 (Saturday)
Justification
“We know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law.”
– Galatians 2:16
Memory Verse: “A person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 2:16)
Righteousness is not what we can see on the surface. It is not about what we do and say. It is about our inner person. We cannot achieve justification by what we do. Only when we believe in Jesus Christ, God sees us as being justified. Only God’s grace can save us.
Lord, thank you for seeing me as being righteous. Amen.
December 27, 2020 (Sunday)
God the Light
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
– 1 John 1:5-10
Memory Verse: “God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)
God is the light. The light exposes everything. When we come before God, God of the light exposes everything about us, including our sins. If we say that we believe in God and do not recognize our own sins, we are deceiving ourselves. When we recognize our sins and confess them before God, God will forgive our sins.
O Lord of Light, I come before you. Forgive my sins. Amen.
December 28, 2020 (Monday)
God’s Call
“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.”
– 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Memory Verse: “God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:28, 29)
God did not call the rich, the powerful, and the privileged to do his work in this world. God chooses those who are poor, powerless and have no privilege to carry out his work. God wants to get rid of the prejudice and discrimination among people. He doesn’t want a situation where there are people who are oppressors and the oppressed. When people seek God’s power with humility, God will grant his power to them.
O Lord, I come before you with humility. Thank you for using me to carry on your work in this world. Amen.
December 29, 2020 (Tuesday)
Love
“Whoever says, ‘I am in the light’, while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.”
– 1 John 2:9-11
Memory Verse: “But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.” (1 Corinthians 1:28, 29)
Love is neither a feeling nor action. It is not something we can achieve by our will power or our efforts. We cannot demand it or command it. When we come to the light, it fills our heart. Darkness moves away along with hatred and anger, and love takes control of our life. People who are in darkness cannot let love take control of their lives because hatred and anger still have power over them.
O Lord, I come to the light. Please fill my heart with your love. Amen.
December 30, 2020 (Wednesday)
What Is Eternal
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live for ever.”
– 1 John 2:15-17
Memory Verse: “The world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live for ever.” (1 John 2:17)
It is foolish to love what is passing away. It only creates emptiness within us. The world and its desire are passing away. Let go of things that pass away. Trying to hold unto them is our greed and the greed takes away joy and satisfaction from us. Let us desire what is eternal and spend our time pursuing it.
O Lord, help me pursue what is eternal. Amen.
December 31, 2020 (Thursday)
The Word Became Flesh
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.”
– John 1:1-4
Memory Verse: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
Today is the last day of 2020. It was a difficult year. We saw many deaths and along with death, we saw many tears. To all of us who live in the flesh, death and sorrow are an inevitable reality. The gospel writer John tells us that the word was in the beginning and the word became flesh. Now people who live in the flesh have hope. We can have eternal life because the word dwells within us. The life is the light of all people. Let us welcome 2021 in light.
O Lord, thank you for dwelling within me, in my flesh. Amen.
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