ICS Daily Devotions
Rest In His Love
Isaiah 43:1-2 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: ” Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
Proverbs 23:7a For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ” For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
These two passages talked about the faithfulness of God and His everlasting love for His people, the Jews and the Christians. God was faithful to His covenant partners, the Jews and delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians, their oppressor. He dealt with Pharaoh, did all kinds of miracles and journeyed with them day and night through the pillar of fire and cloud. He opened up the Red Sea for them when they were being pursued by the Egyptians and fought for them when they abided by His laws and statutes. He is a personal God who knows us by name and has redeemed both Israel and the people of the world. It gives us great security in life when we know that God is with us! He assured them that He will be with them in all situation and environment. He didn’t change.
If God is such a faithful God to the Israelites based on an old covenant with flaws, how much more God will be with us when we are in a new covenant established on better promises? He has already assured us that He will never leave us or forsake us. His love for us will never change. God is our redeemer. It is very assuring when He has gone to the extent of establishing the Abraham covenant and the Mosaic covenant with the Jews. If He has gone to such extent to show forth His love for us and sending His only begotten son to die for us, He will not allow His love to depart from us in all kinds of circumstances regardless whether it is tribulation, trials, nakedness, needs, famines, sicknesses or any form of danger. In fact, He has dealt with the sin issue by nailing Jesus on the cross that neither death nor life will be able to separate us because we will spend eternity with Him even though we die! This has to be our conviction in the face of danger or any kinds of challenges in life!
Therefore, we deal with the cares and anxieties by meditating on the word of truth so that peace that guards our heart and mind will remain with us! We have to guard the seed, water it and trust that it will grow in our hearts.
Philippians 4:6-9 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
This is a good teaching by the Apostle Paul on how to deal with anxiety. Paul emphasized on practicing what we have learnt, heard and received which is the same as hearing, receiving and accepting the truth. We need to pray and make known to God regarding whatever we are going through in life. Thereafter the key to experiencing the thirty, sixty and hundred-fold of God’s peace in our lives is to meditate on His word.
Choose to praise God based on Isaiah 43 and Romans 8 that He is a faithful and loving God. Meditate on this that He is faithful and good. Meditate that God has no favorites. If He has journeyed with the Israelites when they cried out to Him during their time of oppression by delivering and redeeming them, He will do the same thing for you! Meditate on the truth that nothing will separate you from God’s love and that His eyes are on the righteous. These are of good report, true, pure, lovely and just. When we begin to meditate and keep the word that has been sown into our hearts, the devil cannot steal anything from us using tribulation and persecution. We will rest in God’s love, peace and joy!
Sermon series: There Is Power In The Seed
