Scripture:
Psalm 8:5; Ephesians 1:3-10
Wed, 19 April 2023

Man: Valued in God’s Eyes

Observation:

What do verse 5 and Ephesians 1:3-10 tell us about what God has done for us,
because He values and loves us?

Deeper Reflection
Psalm 8:5-8 gives us two wondrous truths about our place in God’s creation. We will cover the first truth today and the second tomorrow. The first truth is: our value is given by God. Verse 5a tells us that God has made humanity a little lower than the “heavenly beings” (or “angels”, NIV). The Hebrew noun translated into these two terms is elohim, which can also be translated as “God”. Thus, one reading of verse 5a is that humanity was made a little lower than God Himself! By God’s design, we are closer to God than anything else in the created order.28 God, the King of all, graciously crowns us with the glory and honour that only He has the right to bestow!When we deeply understand that we are worth that much to God, it profoundly changes the way we live. We can stop being insecure about ourselves and envious of others. We can cease trying to shore up our selfworth in all kinds of unhelpful ways, such as through worldly achievement, the accumulation of wealth or looking for love in all the wrong places.Also, we can be empowered to love and honour other people, regardless of whether the world deems them lovely or honourable, because they too are wonderfully created by God. We can value those whom society despises or marginalises. We can love and serve others out of the reservoir of God’s redemptive love. For God has forgiven our sins and redeemed us in Christ from everything that makes us unworthy of God; through faith in Christ, we have become God’s sons and daughters (Eph 1:5-7)! Hallelujah!
28 Longman, T., III. (2014). Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary. (D. G. Firth, Ed.) (Vol. 15–16, p. 81). Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press.
Application:

How does my tremendous value in God’s sight impact the way I view myself
and others?

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 Nations: That people from every nation, language and tongue will come to know the God who loves us more than we can imagine
  • Pray for self
 

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
John 20:19-21; Luke 4:14-21
Mon, 2 October 2023

Sent by the Lord

Observation:

What is the analogy that Jesus used in sending forth His disciples (v.21)?

Deeper Reflection
As we enter the month of October with our upcoming two Missions Sundays, let us focus our attention and prayers on Covenant EFC’s third Faith Exploit, “Disciple the Nations”. In today’s Scripture, verse 21 is a very significant statement that Jesus said to His disciples after His resurrection. And it applies equally to all those who are Jesus’ disciples today. There are three key observations we can make.First, the analogy that Jesus used – His having been sent by the Father – points us to Jesus’ foundational teachings that He came to accomplish the very will and works of the Father (Jn 4:34; 5:30, 36; cf. Lk 4:14-21). Second, the idea of Jesus’ disciples being “sent” reminds us that world missions is not a result of human initiative, but is God-initiated and God-directed. It is God’s mission in the world. Third, verse 21 reminds us that Jesus is not merely calling us to join God in His mission, but to relate to Him as our heavenly Father – in love, obedience and dependence.1Therefore, the more fundamental question is not “Are we being sent?” or “What must we do?”. Rather, it is “To what extent do we understand and treasure our sonship in relation to God our Father (Jn 20:17)?” So that, as beloved children of God, we will respond rightly to our heavenly Father who created us in His image, redeemed us in Jesus Christ, and called us to join Him in His mission. Out of gratitude and love towards God, we joyfully walk in the Lord’s will for us, and fully rely on His resources as we faithfully serve Him.
1 This is consistent with John’s emphasis in his writings on the Father-Son relationship that anchored and motivated Jesus in all that He did in submission and obedience to the Father’s will.
Application:

How do the purposes for which Jesus sends forth His disciples impact the
way I plan and live out the years of my life?

Prayer:
Dear Father in heaven, what manner of love You have bestowed on me that I should be called Your child! Every opportunity given to me to carry out Your will is a privilege for me to participate in Your glorious purposes. Help me to clearly discern the things that You want me to accomplish and to faithfully work at them with a heart that loves and depends on You and always seeks Your glory. Amen.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for leaders
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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