The Joy of Glory

Today’s devotional is authored by SVCC intern Allison Davis

Joshua 24:16-18
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”

Reflection
Have you ever made a promise you knew you couldn’t keep? When I was in school, friends would share the latest gossip with me, saying, “Don’t tell anyone, but…”

I promised to keep a secret knowing full well I would run home and tell my mom, my confidant and closest friend, everything I was told. I made a promise I couldn’t keep.

I feel that is Israel’s situation in today’s reading. They are making a promise that is impossible to keep: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods.” If you know the history of Israel in the Old Testament, you know that they end up serving other gods! Quite often! Even Israel’s leaders, their kings, forsake the God that brought their people out of Egypt and worship foreign gods.

But before we point the finger at Israel, before we roll our eyes at their foolish optimism and shame them for their unfaithfulness to their promise…do we not do the same thing?

Our gods look a little different in the 21^st century. We may not literally bow down to idols made of gold or bronze, but we metaphorically “bow down” to our idols of money, power, and acceptance. We forsake the Lord and serve our own schedules and our own desires. We crave success and pleasure more than we crave holiness. Far be it from us that we should worship something else…but we do.

You may be saying, “well, Allison, you’re laying it on a little thick today. Is there any hope here for us?”

Yes. Of course there is hope. There is hope because “if we are faithless, he remains faithful –for he cannot deny himself” (2 Tim 2:13). In spite of Israel’s continued failure, past and future, God rescued them from slavery. He drove out the Canaanites so they would receive the promised land. He ultimately sent his Son into the world to save humanity from their sins. God in Christ is eager to forgive us when we come to him with repentant hearts.

God’s faithfulness in the past should give us the courage to press on into the future. You and I will mess up, but our God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from our unrighteousness. Is the enemy hounding you with shame over something you’ve already confessed to God and turned from? Are you believing the lie that you are too broken, too much of a failure for the Lord to love you? Remember today that God has preserved you in all the ways that you’ve gone. He’s not done with you. In light of his faithfulness to us, let us forsake those other “gods” that clamor for our attention. In the power of the Holy Spirit, who makes obedience possible, let us serve the Lord, for he is our God.

 
*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

A Corporate Call to Press On Toward Joy
Philippians 3:12-16 (click here to read the entire passage)
On Sundays during Lent, there will not be an email devotional because a sermon will actually be preached on the passage for that day. Today’s sermon will be posted soon, and you will be able to find it on iTunes by searching for “Shades Valley Community Church” or simply click here.

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

Deuteronomy 30:11-20 (click here to read the entire passage)
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

Reflection
Last night, Holly and I were talking in the kitchen when we heard Solomon, our 19-month-old son, cry out in pain from the living room. He immediately came running in our direction. Being the loving father that I am, I walked towards him with arms outstretched while I spoke inviting, comforting words.

He didn’t even slow down.

The kid pretty much shoved me to the side, blew right past me, and threw himself into the arms of his mother.

Typical.

In all seriousness, this is not out of the ordinary at all. The kid always prefers Holly over me. Why? It’s not for “no” reason at all. Indeed, it is for a great many reasons. She is the one who is ever-present in his life. She is the one who has held him the most, fed him the most, cared for him the most. So, even though she is also the one who has disciplined him the most, he still wants her… because he knows her goodness, her love, her heart. He knows her… and his wanting her is based on everything glorious he has seen and experienced about her. His wanting her glorifies her.

In Deuteronomy 30, God calls a new generation of Hebrews to be different than their forefathers who constantly turned away from him to seek solace in the “arms” of other gods. As these people are poised to enter the land God had promised them, he calls them to always be a people who run to him without even slowing down. This should be what is “typical” of God’s people.

Why?

It’s not for “no” reason at all. Indeed, it is for a great many reasons. They should run to the Lord, love him, obey him, and hold fast to him “FOR he is your life and length of days…”

He is our life! He sustains us, he holds us, he guides us, he pours out his covenant love upon us, and yes, that even means he disciplines us. The point is that there are real, objective reasons that we want him… because we know his goodness, his love, his heart. We know him! Our wanting him is based on everything glorious we have seen and experienced about God! Our wanting God glorifies him!

Our faith is not a leap into the dark! If it were, that would not glorify God! No! Our faith is a running into the arms of the one who’s glory we have seen, and we love, trust, and treasure him!

Today… who’s arms are you choosing to run into and why?

See the glory of the God who is your life and run into his loving arms! Don’t even slow down!

 
*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.