Scripture:
Matthew 22:34-38; John 21:15-19
Tue, 30 August 2022

Do You Love Me?

Observation:

What is the common theme in the two passages? What is really important to God?

Deeper Reflection
IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE GREATEST commandment is mentioned in all three of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark34 and Luke35), but is absent from John’s account of the Gospel. One wonders why the Apostle John chose not to include it in his account. Yet the theme of loving God totally is surely not missing from John’s account. As a matter of fact, John ends his Gospel with the restoration of the Lord’s call upon the Apostle Peter’s life in chapter 21. It reveals Jesus’ gracious love that does not depend on how well we “perform”. More importantly, we see that Jesus’ primary focus was not whether Peter could do anything for Him (hence, Jesus does not start by asking Peter to do something for Him). Rather Jesus’ first concern – and therefore repeated question to Peter – was simply this one thing: “Do you love Me?” (Jn 21:15-17). In other words, amid our failures, God’s primary concern is not what we might be doing for Him in the future (important as that may be), but at the heart of it all, do we really love Him?We are on Day Two of trying to “perceive” what the Lord may have been revealing to us in the course of the past two pandemic years. Certainly, we believe that He has spoken in different ways to different ones. Yet today we see that His primary concern was: How has the pandemic revealed the quality of your love for Him?
34 Mark 12:28-30. 35 Luke 10:25-27.
Application:

Reflect on how the events of the past two years might have revealed your love (or perhaps the lack of it) for the Lord Jesus. Then respond to Him in prayer.

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for pastors and staff: A fresh outpouring of God’s love over the full-time church staff and their families, and that they will grow to love the Lord with their whole being
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 5:7-17
Wed, 31 May 2023

Answering God’s Call in Vocation

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about Daniel?

Deeper Reflection
Daniel did not choose to serve Babylonian kings in Babylon. It was circumstances – a national crisis of his country – that compelled Daniel to be where he was and doing what he was doing. Daniel did not have the privilege, opportunity or freedom to pursue a career of his own desire. However, it was out of these adverse circumstances, that Daniel discovered God’s call for him: To serve God through serving Babylonian kings. And God gave him the specific competency to fulfil God’s call (Dan 1:17). After Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar about his dream and the interpretation, he was “promoted” to be “ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon” (Dan 2:48).When Belshazzar gathered his wise men to interpret for him the inscription on the wall, Daniel was not among them. Daniel was not unknown to Belshazzar.59 He knew him as “one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah” and “appointed him chief ” over all the wise men of Babylon (vv.11-12). It was only when the queen mentioned Daniel to him, that Belshazzar called for him (vv.10-11). Belshazzar “deliberately ignored Daniel”60 . Daniel was sidelined. How do you respond to being sidelined? For Daniel, he felt secure. Daniel was secure because he had no ambition to climb the corporate ladder. He had no interest in rewards and promotion. Daniel said to Belshazzar, “Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else” (vv.16-17). But Daniel interpreted the inscription for Belshazzar. Daniel was answering God’s call for him.
59 Ernest C. Lucas, 131 60 Ernest C. Lucas, 131
Application:

What positive attitudes do I need to cultivate in my workplace?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for leaders
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for the Generations: To view their vocation as answering God’s call for their lives
  • Pray for self
 

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