Daily Devotional – November 26, 2022

Daily Devotional – November 26, 2022
November 21, 2022 Lighthouse Network

REFOCUS

Begin with two minutes of silence. Breathe deeply and slowly while you focus on the words from Psalm 56.3 – “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.”
Say the first part of the phrase while you breathe in, the second on the exhale.

READ

Ephesians 2.1-6 (MSG)
It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat.
It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us!
Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

Colossians 3.1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Ephesians. 1:18-19
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

REFLECT

Parasailing
Several years ago, Chris and I decided to do what at the time seemed like a daring adventure. While on vacation at the beach, we watched as a speedboat equipped with parasailing regalia took one set of tourists after another for their special ride.

The sport was relatively new at that point and, although neither of us is fond of heights nor thrills, we knew that the view would be spectacular.

So, putting away our apprehension, we decided to give it a try. As we boarded the boat and strapped on the harness that would lift us into the air, we talked about how we would handle the fear we anticipated from being suspended several hundred feet above.

We were in for a surprise! Instead of frightening, the ride was incredibly relaxing. As we floated upward, the boat pulling us and the people on it grew smaller and smaller to our eyes.

Soon the sounds of Earth – the roar of the boat, the sound of talking and laughter gave way to a beautiful silence. The parasail provided a feeling of weightlessness that moved through our bodies and into our soul.

Even the smells of diesel and sea were replaced by the smell of crisp, fresh air. But most importantly, instead of the anticipated fear, there was peace.

Just those few hundred feet were enough to bring a different perspective. And with that new perspective came a new emotion.

In Paul’s letters to the churches, he shows that he is very aware of how much a difference perspective makes. He encourages them to rise above their circumstances and worldly perspective to see things from the vantage point of Heaven itself.

The possibility of a new view is brought to us courtesy of the resurrection, the ultimate example of Heaven overcoming Earth.

Recent studies on the characteristics of people who can face great tragedies and not only overcome them, but rebound to a more fulfilling life, repeatedly show that faith in something “greater than ourselves” is one of the factors of their success.

Faith allows people to step out of old ways of thinking and step up to a new way of seeing their lives – even, and especially the difficulties and pain.

It allows them to rise above the limits of their minds, the worlds’ pollution, and the chatter of neigh-sayers, cynics, blamers and shammers.

From Heaven vantage point, earthly events become dwarfed as they are placed in their proper perspective of eternal significance and purpose. God, in all the majesty and power of His love, comes more closely into focus.

It is easy to see why the Apostle’s prayer for these dearly loved ones is not that he or they would be delivered from the struggles of this life, but rather that the “eyes of their hearts” would be “enlightened.”

He knows what science now confirms; that “enlightened eyes” will provide what we need to face a broken world.

RESPOND

Questions to Consider

  1. What is one concern that has been “weighing me down?”
  2. If I looked at them from above, how might my fears look?”
  3. How might my needs look?
  4. How might I see my motivations?

Prayer

Risen Christ, give me “enlightened eyes” for this situation that I may see it from above. Bring me close to you so that I continue to live with a bigger picture of you and a smaller one of the struggles I am encountering.

Chris Tomlin’s song, “I will Rise” expresses the thought of rising above our circumstances and connects it to the resurrection of Jesus. Here are the lyrics so you can sing it to yourself (or sing it aloud):

I will Rise
There’s a peace I’ve come to know,
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There’s an anchor for my soul,
I can say “It is well”
Jesus has overcome,
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won,
He is risen from the dead
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow,
no more pain I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God fall on my knees.
And rise… I will rise

There’s a day that’s drawing near,
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear,
And my faith shall be my eyes
Jesus has overcome,
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won,
He is risen from the dead
And I will rise when
He calls my name
No more sorrow,
no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God, fall on my knees.
And rise … I will rise.

Blessings,
The Rev. James R. Needham, PhD, MDiv

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