Dec 27 2024

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

In this verse, Paul reminds the Ephesians that while they used to be far away from God, salvation through Jesus has made them near to Him. They were once separated from the Lord by their sin. Their unholiness meant that they could not approach Him. But now that their sins are covered by the perfect sacrifice, they are able to boldly come before the Lord.

Jesus has covered us in grace and removed the stain of sin from us once and for all. This means God no longer holds us at a distance. Much to the contrary, He opens His arms to us. We live under the New Covenant of grace and can enjoy the privileges of unhindered access to the Lord.

Do you take advantage of the fact that we can talk to the Lord at any time during the day? Before Jesus, the Hebrews had to take a sacrifice to a priest, who would then offer it to the Lord, and only then could they petition the Lord for forgiveness. Today, we only have to call on the name of Jesus and the Lord hears us.

The Lord wants us to talk to Him constantly. He is not a distant God relegated to only morning or evening prayers. Rather, He is active in our everyday lives. When we're facing a decision, we should consult Him first. When something happens that upsets us, we should go to Him first. When we rejoice, we should express our gratitude to Him first.

Turning to the Lord first in every circumstance shows our belief that He is the primary filler of all our needs. He is the only one who knows exactly what we need and the only one who can truly satisfy us. When we turn to Him, we give Him the opportunity to move in our lives and change us in ways that only He can.

Dear Lord, I thank you for Jesus, whose blood makes me near to you. I thank you, Lord, for the transformative work of salvation that has set me free from a life of sin and shame and bondage. I thank you Lord, for always listening to me and changing my life on an everyday level. Help me to walk in you with greater awareness of your presence. In Jesus' name, amen.

Dec 26 2024

The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us. :

In the eighth chapter of Kings, the Ark of the Covenant has just been brought into the temple. King Solomon is rejoicing and prays with thanksgiving to the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness to them. After kneeling before the altar, he stands and proclaims this verse to the Israelites. He asks the Lord to be with them as He was with their ancestors and that He would never leave or forsake them. King Solomon knew that the success of Israel as a nation depended entirely on the presence of the Lord.

In the same way, our lives depend on the consistent presence of the Lord. We are not able to do anything without His help, and when we begin to make a habit of acknowledging our need for His presence, we will be able to walk in greater communion with Him. Knowing and remembering His nearness will help us to honor at all moments of our lives.

Recognizing His nearness will help us remember to be holy in everything. He sees everything we do, and sin is not enticing when we remember that the Lord is right next to us. The Lord's nearness also reminds us that we can turn to Him when we are struggling with sin. When temptations are too great, we can call out for help and know that He will come to our aid immediately.

His nearness is also a great comfort. When we are upset about something, anything, we can turn to Him and ask Him to remind us of His love. When we need direction or courage or strength, He is quick to provide and to help us see the next step.

Indeed, as we recognize the Lord's nearness to each of us, we begin to realize that we depend on Him for everything. Just as Solomon knew of Israel's need for the Lord, so we recognize our own.

Dear Lord, I thank you for your sweet nearness to me. I thank you for helping me in my moments of need and for guiding me in all of your ways. Your goodness and kindness to me are precious, and I am so grateful that I can call you my God. I love you, Jesus. In your name, amen.