Erhalten Sie Zugang zu diesem und mehr als 300000 Büchern ab EUR 5,99 monatlich.
- Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
- Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. Psalm 28:7 NIV Men face challenges to their faith at work and at home. Daily Strength for Men offers a daily dose of wisdom for men who seek to draw strength from God's Word. Each devotional covers two days, offering flexibility and freedom to contemplate the message in depth. You will find: - a reading that applies to your life - inspirational Bible verses from the Old Testament - contextual Bible passages and related Scriptures - questions for reflection and application, and - an uplifting prayer. Daily Strength for Men will equip you to walk faithfully with God—the source of your strength.
Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:
Seitenzahl: 633
Das E-Book (TTS) können Sie hören im Abo „Legimi Premium” in Legimi-Apps auf:
Ähnliche
Chris Bolinger has created an instrument that God will use to change men’s lives! Daily Strength for Men is a practical, powerful platform for leadership and life change. Nothing moves the heart of a man more than a deep dive into God’s Word, and that kind of intentionality is driven home on each and every page of the material. I highly recommend Daily Strength for every man, no matter what his particular season of life.
– Dr. Craig Fry, president, Christian Leadership Concepts
If our hearts are the heart of the matter to God, men will find Daily Strength to be the spiritual omega-3 they need to heed the admonition in Proverbs 4:23 to “guard your heart because from it flow the springs of life” (ISV).
– Doug Pollock, speaker and author of God Space
Daily Strength for Men helps the men in your church get spiritually healthy by pointing them to God’s Word every day.
– Charles Arn, president of Church Growth Inc. and author of Side Door
BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC
Savage, Minnesota, USA
BroadStreetPublishing.com
DAILY STRENGTH FOR MEN:A 365-DAY DEVOTIONAL
Copyright © 2018 Chris Bolinger
978-1-4245-5753-0 (faux leather)
978-1-4245-5754-7 (e-book)
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.
If not noted, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright © 2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ISV are taken from the International Standard Version, Copyright © 1995–2014 by ISV Foundation. All rights reserved internationally. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC. Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1972, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Lockman.org. Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Stock or custom editions of BroadStreet Publishing titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, ministry, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email [email protected].
Cover design by Chris Garborg at garborgdesign.com
Typesetting by Katherine Lloyd at theDESKonline.com
Printed in China
22 23 24 25 26 6 5 4 3 2
CONTENTS
Forword
Introduction
January 1
January 2
January 3
January 4
January 5
January 6
January 7
January 8
January 9
January 10
January 11
January 12
January 13
January 14
January 15
January 16
January 17
January 18
January 19
January 20
January 21
January 22
January 23
January 24
January 25
January 26
January 27
January 28
January 29
January 30
January 31
February 1
February 2
February 3
February 4
February 5
February 6
February 7
February 8
February 9
February 10
February 11
February 12
February 13
February 14
February 15
February 16
February 17
February 18
February 19
February 20
February 21
February 22
February 23
February 24
February 25
February 26
February 27
February 28
March 1
March 2
March 3
March 4
March 5
March 6
March 7
March 8
March 9
March 10
March 11
March 12
March 13
March 14
March 15
March 16
March 17
March 18
March 19
March 20
March 21
March 22
March 23
March 24
March 25
March 26
March 27
March 28
March 29
March 30
March 31
April 1
April 2
April 3
April 4
April 5
April 6
April 7
April 8
April 9
April 10
April 11
April 12
April 13
April 14
April 15
April 16
April 17
April 18
April 19
April 20
April 21
April 22
April 23
April 24
April 25
April 26
April 27
April 28
April 29
April 30
May 1
May 2
May 3
May 4
May 5
May 6
May 7
May 8
May 9
May 10
May 11
May 12
May 13
May 14
May 15
May 16
May 17
May 18
May 19
May 20
May 21
May 22
May 23
May 24
May 25
May 26
May 27
May 28
May 29
May 30
May 31
June 1
June 2
June 3
June 4
June 5
June 6
June 7
June 8
June 9
June 10
June 11
June 12
June 13
June 14
June 15
June 16
June 17
June 18
June 19
June 20
June 21
June 22
June 23
June 24
June 25
June 26
June 27
June 28
June 29
June 30
July 1
July 2
July 3
July 4
July 5
July 6
July 7
July 8
July 9
July 10
July 11
July 12
July 13
July 14
July 15
July 16
July 17
July 18
July 19
July 20
July 21
July 22
July 23
July 24
July 25
July 26
July 27
July 28
July 29
July 30
July 31
August 1
August 2
August 3
August 4
August 5
August 6
August 7
August 8
August 9
August 10
August 11
August 12
August 13
August 14
August 15
August 16
August 17
August 18
August 19
August 20
August 21
August 22
August 23
August 24
August 25
August 26
August 27
August 28
August 29
August 30
August 31
September 1
September 2
September 3
September 4
September 5
September 6
September 7
September 8
September 9
September 10
September 11
September 12
September 13
September 14
September 15
September 16
September 17
September 18
September 19
September 20
September 21
September 22
September 23
September 24
September 25
September 26
September 27
September 28
September 29
September 30
October 1
October 2
October 3
October 4
October 5
October 6
October 7
October 8
October 9
October 10
October 11
October 12
October 13
October 14
October 15
October 16
October 17
October 18
October 19
October 20
October 21
October 22
October 23
October 24
October 25
October 26
October 27
October 28
October 29
October 30
October 31
November 1
November 2
November 3
November 4
November 5
November 6
November 7
November 8
November 9
November 10
November 11
November 12
November 13
November 14
November 15
November 16
November 17
November 18
November 19
November 20
November 21
November 22
November 23
November 24
November 25
November 26
November 27
November 28
November 29
November 30
December 1
December 2
December 3
December 4
December 5
December 6
December 7
December 8
December 9
December 10
December 11
December 12
December 13
December 14
December 15
December 16
December 17
December 18
December 19
December 20
December 21
December 22
December 23
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 27
December 28
December 29
December 30
December 31
Notes
About the Author
FOREWORD
By David Murrow
Spending consistent time in the Bible can literally turn your life around. Research indicates that men who engage with the Bible at least four times a week are:
•57 percent less likely to abuse alcohol
•68 percent less likely to stray from their marriage vows
•61 percent less likely to view porn
•74 percent less likely to gamble
These men are also:
•More than twice as likely to share their faith and disciple others
•More than four times as likely to memorize Scripture
Obviously, the Bible is good for men. But how do we get men to read it? Chris Bolinger has written a devotional that guides men into God’s Word. Daily Strength for Men is unique in three ways:
1.Whereas most devotionals give readers a new passage each day, Daily Strength for Men camps out on a single passage for two days. Men read the same passage twice, which gives the “seed” a greater chance to take root in their hearts.
2.Bolinger mixes things up by focusing on devotions and prayer one day, Scripture reading and application the next. I appreciate the variety this brings to my devotional time.
3.Daily Strength for Men is drawn completely from the Old Testament. Bolinger mines these “forgotten books” and introduces men to the riches found there.
One more thing: I’m a bit of an odd duck. Most men read their devotions in the morning, but I’ve always been a “Bible-before-bed” kinda guy. I’ve found these devotions make great evening reading and serve as a guide for my bedtime prayers.
I hope you enjoy this collection as much as I have.
David Murrow
Director, Church for Men
Author, Why Men Hate Going to Church
INTRODUCTION
It was early on a cold Ohio morning in December, and I was meeting with my “CLC brothers,” as I did every Friday. We studied the Bible, shared our lives in our prayer requests and our discussions, and encouraged each other, often citing passages of Scripture. I had come to rely on the strength that I drew from these men, strength that I couldn’t seem to get on my own. Christian Leadership Concepts stresses the importance of having a daily quiet time, but I had found it difficult to get much out of my own Bible readings, and my devotions had been inconsistent at best.
As I left that December meeting, I decided to find a devotional that would give me a daily shot of strength from God’s Word. But I wanted more than that. I wanted to be challenged to go further in my walk with Christ. I wanted stories of men who had overcome obstacles, who had kept their faith under pressure. And I wanted encouragement, because I felt discouraged by the weight of the challenges and stress in my life and the lives of my friends and family members.
After my two-month search for a devotional came up empty, I decided to write my own. I started by listing Bible verses that I found encouraging. Once I had a good set of those, I considered how each verse struck me. Sometimes, a verse made me think of a person who had impacted me. Other times, a verse made me think of a film, a song, or a story.
My notes became devotions. After a few months of work, I stopped to see where I was and discovered two things. First, every verse that I had used was from the Old Testament, thirty-nine books on which I and many other Christian men focus little attention. Second, even though I had written the devotions, each still made me stop and think how I could apply the verse to my life.
I decided each verse needed two days of treatment. The first day would be my thoughts. The second day would include Scripture passages for context and enrichment, and questions for reflection and application.
The result is Daily Strength for Men. I pray that it strengthens you and brings you closer to God, the source of our strength.
Check out DAILYSTRENGTHFORMEN.COM for additional resources, including a toolkit, which will help you get the most out of this devotional.
JANUARY 1
Day 1
CREATED FOR YOU
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
GENESIS 1:1 ESV
When you read the first verse in the Bible, do you ask why? Why did God create the heavens? Why did God create the earth?
The answer to these “why” questions will astound you.
For decades, or even centuries, we have been told that there is nothing special about the earth. After all, there are 100 billion galaxies in the universe and 100 billion stars in our own galaxy, the Milky Way. Orbiting around many of these stars are planets.1
Our planet, therefore, is just one of trillions and trillions of planets in the universe. If there is intelligent life on our planet, then there has to be intelligent life on other planets. In fact, the universe must be teeming with intelligent life.
Earth is insignificant. We, the intelligent inhabitants of earth, are insignificant. In an interview with Lee Strobel, Dr. Guillermo Gonzales, who earned his PhD in astronomy at the University of Washington, paints a very different picture of our home planet:
We’ve found that our location in the universe, in our galaxy, in our solar system, as well as such things as the size and rotation of the Earth, the mass of the moon and sun and so forth—a whole range of factors—conspire together in an amazing way to make Earth a habitable planet. And even beyond that, we’ve found that the very same conditions that allow for intelligent life on Earth also make it strangely well-suited for viewing and analyzing the universe.
Dr. Jay Wesley Richards, who coauthored the book The Privileged Planet with Gonzales, tells Strobel, “And we suspect this is not an accident. In fact, we raise the question of whether the universe has been literally designed for discovery.”2
God created the heavens and the earth for us, the people of earth. He did it so that we could live and, just as importantly, so that we could study and appreciate every aspect of his creation.
JANUARY 2
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Genesis 1:1–2, 26–28 NRSV
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
Related Passage — Isaiah 45:18–19 NIV
This is what the LORD says—
he who created the heavens,
he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth,
he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,
but formed it to be inhabited-he says:
“I am the LORD,
and there is no other.
I have not spoken in secret,
from somewhere in a land of darkness;
I have not said to Jacob’s descendants,
‘Seek me in vain.’
I, the LORD, speak the truth;
I declare what is right.”
Questions for Reflection and Application
•Why did God create you?
•How do the verse, the passages, and the devotion change your views on God? On yourself?
•How do you demonstrate, to God and others, that you are a special creation, important to God? What are two changes you can make in your approach to life to show more honor to your Creator?
•Who are three people whom you can influence, through your words and actions, to realize that they, like you, are creations of a loving God?
Father, thank you for not only the “what” of Creation but also the “why.” Amen.
JANUARY 3
Day 1
“LET THERE BE LIGHT”
God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
GENESIS 1:3 NRSV
The first time that God speaks in the Bible, it is to create light. Light is essential to life. In the process of photosynthesis, green plants absorb energy from light and use this absorbed light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates. The carbohydrates feed the cells of the plant, thereby enabling the plant to live and grow. As a by-product of photosynthesis, plants give off oxygen, which people and animals need to survive.
Light, of course, is also essential to seeing. Of the five senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch—sight is dominant. We perceive up to 80 percent of all impressions by means of our sight.
In chapter 8 of the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (v. 12). That life is not just life in heaven after we die but fullness of life here on earth. Many other Bible verses mention light. In fact, the word “light” appears over 250 times in the Bible. Some verses that discuss light are:
•“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1a).
•“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).
•“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2).
•“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).
•“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
God gave us light so that we can live. He gave us the light of Christ so that we can understand and appreciate his goodness. In everything.
JANUARY 4
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Genesis 1:3–5 NRSV
God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Related Passage — John 1:1–10 NASB
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it. A man came, one sent from God, and his name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person. He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him.
Questions for Reflection and Application
•Why do you think that John refers to life as “the light of men”? Why does he refer to Jesus as the “true light”?
•Do you take the benefits of sunlight for granted? What are some other things that you take for granted?
•What strength can you draw from the reminder that God created everything, including light, without which there would be no life on earth?
•How is God calling you to live differently starting today?
God, you are the maker of light and, like light, you are essential in my life. Amen.
JANUARY 5
Day 1
THE IMAGE OF GOD
God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
GENESIS 1:27 NRSV
What does it mean to be made in the image of God? In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the third definition of the word “image” (exact likeness, or semblance) uses Genesis 1:27 as the example of the definition. So being made in the image of God means being made in the exact likeness or semblance of God. The Hebrew root of the Latin phrase for image of God, imago Dei, means shadow or likeness of God.
The word “semblance” usually refers to external appearance, but the Bible tells us that no one has seen God. (See Exodus 33:20, John 1:18, and 1 John 4:12.) When he spoke to the woman at the well in Samaria (John 4), Jesus said that God is “spirit”, and a spirit does not have physical attributes. The attributes of God that we bear, therefore, must be unseen qualities of God. In his book About You: Fully Human, Fully Alive, author Dick Staub lists some of those qualities:
•Creative: Every person has the desire and ability to make things.
•Spiritual: Every person has a spiritual nature that, while unseen, is just as real as our physical nature.
•Communicative: God spoke creation into existence, and our ability to communicate reflects God’s ability to communicate.
•Intelligent: Just as God has a logical, orderly mind, each of us has a mind that enables us to think and learn.
•Relational: In Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make man in our image.” This reveals a relational interaction in the very nature of God. We were created for relationship because it “is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18).
•Morally responsible: Just as there are natural laws that govern the universe, universal moral laws govern human behavior, and these laws are written on our hearts.
You are created in the image of a creative, spiritual, communicative, intelligent, relational, and moral God.
JANUARY 6
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Genesis 1:24–28, 31 NRSV
God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Questions for Reflection and Application
•Why did God make you in his image?
•What are some of your creative qualities? Relational qualities? How do these reflect the image of God?
•Do you think of yourself as a spiritual being? How are you strengthening that aspect of you?
•When are you most effective at communicating? Verbally or in writing? One-on-one or in a large group? Through music? Through visual arts? Do you leverage your communication strengths when you communicate with God?
•Do other people see you reflecting God’s image? What are some things you can do to make that happen more often?
Father, thank you for making me a quality creation by bestowing upon me your qualities. Amen.
JANUARY 7
Day 1
WORKING TO THRIVE
God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
GENESIS 1:31 NRSV
During the six days of creation recorded in the first chapter of Genesis, God creates, reflects on what he just created, and sees that each created thing is “good.” The last thing that God creates is people. After creating us, God reflects on his entire creation and sees that it is “very good.”
We are the pinnacle of God’s creation. God created the earth for us, so that we would not only survive but also thrive here. Thriving, however, requires effort on our part. It requires work. This is clear from what happened right after God created us.
God gave us a mandate to “fill the earth” and “subdue it” by exercising our dominion over all animals (v. 28). God created the earth to have everything that we need, but nature can be wild, harsh, and unforgiving. Unless we subdue the earth, we may not thrive or even survive.
Even though God put Adam and Eve in a paradise called the garden of Eden, he instructed them to work or cultivate it and to keep or preserve it. The garden had every tree that was good for food and, even with no effort by Adam and Eve, the garden probably could have sustained Adam and Eve and their children for years and years. So why did God instruct them to cultivate it? God foresaw that Adam and Eve would sin, and so their farming efforts in the garden would serve as good training for farming in less hospitable places in the future.
Just as God created the earth for us, he created work for us so that we would maintain the earth for our benefit and for the benefit of the other created beings who share the earth with us. We are not supposed to endure work but to enjoy it.
Work is a good gift from a very good God. He’s the best boss you’ll ever have.
JANUARY 8
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Genesis 1:28–31 NRSV
God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Related Passage — Genesis 2:15–17 NRSV
The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”
Questions for Reflection and Application
•Why did God want people to fill the earth and subdue it?
•Why did God make Adam work the garden of Eden and keep it? Wouldn’t the garden have thrived without Adam’s efforts?
•Do you feel that you are working to thrive or working to survive? If the latter, then what do you need to do to change your perspective on the work that you are doing?
•Do you think that you will work in heaven? If so, then what kind of work will you do? How are you training for that work now? How should you be?
Father, let my hands produce good work, glorifying the One whose work is good. Amen.
JANUARY 9
Day 1
A PERFECT MATCH
The LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.”
GENESIS 2:18 NRSV
Adam began his life in a paradise. The temperature was perfect. There was “every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food” (v. 9). There were animals galore, and none was a threat because, according to the first chapter of Genesis, all animals were vegetarians.
There was just one thing missing: a “helper” who was “fit” for Adam.
The Hebrew word translated as “helper” in this verse is ezer. While we may think of a “helper” as someone who is subordinate or inferior to the one helped, the word ezer in the Hebrew Bible is used only in reference to a superior or an equal. Nearly all uses of the word are in reference to God in his role as savior, rescuer, or protector.
The Hebrew word translated as “fit” is kenegdo. Its meaning is not entirely clear, primarily because it is not used elsewhere in the Bible. When it is used in Rabbinic texts, it applies to things that are like one another, so it means “similar.” It also can mean “according to,” “corresponding to,” or “suitable for,” as in an appropriate or complementary match.
Adam was created for relationship, but there was no being with whom he could have a suitable relationship. He needed someone who could rescue him from his life of solitude and complete him. Someone who was different but equal. Someone who had strengths where he had weaknesses and weaknesses where he had strengths. His ideal complement.
That someone was Eve. Like Adam, she was created in God’s image. (See Genesis 1:27.) She was of the same “kind” as Adam. Just as she completed Adam, he completed her.
When Adam laid eyes on Eve for the first time, he was overjoyed: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23).
It was the perfect match. A match made in heaven.
JANUARY 10
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Genesis 2:18–23 NRSV
The LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.”
Questions for Reflection and Application
•In general, what are the primary strengths of men? How do these strengths “fill in the gaps” for women and help women overcome their weaknesses?
•In general, what are the primary weaknesses of men? What strengths do women possess that “fill in the gaps” for men and help men overcome their weaknesses?
•If you are married, then what are some areas where you can do a better job of being your wife’s ezer, or helper? How can you make the team of your wife and you stronger and more effective?
•If you are not married, then what qualities would make a woman your ideal ezer? How can you determine if a woman possesses those qualities?
Father, I appreciate the order you have placed in creation, primarily in relationships. Amen.
JANUARY 11
Day 1
CLEAVING
“A man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
GENESIS 2:24 NRSV
The Hebrew verb dabaq, here translated as “hold fast,” can be translated as “cling” or “cleave.” The latter term is one that we don’t use much these days but, because “cleave” rhymes with “leave,” you may hear this verse referred to as the “leave and cleave” verse.
What does it mean for a man to hold fast or cling to his wife? It certainly can make for an interesting mental picture!
Let’s take a closer look at the Hebrew verb dabaq, which is used in fifty-two other Old Testament verses. Here are some examples (with the translation of dabaq in italics):
•“You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear” (Deuteronomy 10:20).
•“You shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day” (Joshua 23:8).
•“Do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women” (Ruth 2:8b).
•“My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death” (Psalm 22:15).
•“My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:8).
•“I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame!” (Psalm 119:31).
Sometimes holding fast or clinging is almost involuntary. At other times, it requires a decision or act of will. That certainly is true in marriage. Sometimes you are drawn to your wife and have a deep longing to feel the unity that only comes in marriage. At other times, holding fast to your wife requires a significant effort to drown out the din of voices telling you to leave.
There is beauty in all types of holding fast, from magnetic attraction to staying together because of a vow. In the end, it doesn’t matter why you cleave … only that you do.
JANUARY 12
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Genesis 2:21–25 NRSV
The LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.” Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.
Related Passage — Matthew 19:3–8 NRSV
Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?” And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no person is to separate.” They said to Him, “Why, then, did Moses command to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away?” He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.”
Questions for Reflection and Application
•What does it mean for a husband to cleave to his wife?
•Other than his father and mother, what are some other things that a man must leave so that he can cleave to his wife? If you are married, have you left all of those things completely? If not, what steps can you take to leave them?
•What are some of the reasons that Christian couples give for why they get divorced? Do you think these reasons are valid? Why or why not?
•What are three things that you can do to strengthen your marriage or, if you are not married, the marriages of those closest to you?
Father, even when I feel like leaving, help me to hold on. Amen.
JANUARY 13
Day 1
THE PROMISE OF THE RAINBOW
“When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.”
GENESIS 9:14–15 NRSV
Chapter 6 of Genesis records the fact that, because people everywhere were hopelessly wicked, God decided to destroy “all flesh” through “a flood of waters upon the earth.” Only one man, Noah, found favor with God, and so God decided to spare Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their son’s wives. To protect Noah’s family and every species of land animal from the flood that was to come, God instructed Noah to build a massive ark (450 feet x 75 feet x 45 feet) with three decks, a roof, and one door.
It took Noah and his family at least several decades to build the ark. When the task was finally complete, with Noah and his family, and all of the animals onboard, God shut the ark’s door and unleashed the flood. The “fountains of the great deep burst forth” (7:11), and rain fell for forty days and forty nights.
After the rain stopped, it took another 110 days before the waters subsided enough for the ark to come to rest “on the mountains of Ararat” (8:4). It took over seven additional months before the inhabitants of the ark were able to leave the ark and find homes on dry land.
It had been over a year since the flood began. God knew that Noah and his family were not just overwhelmed but also terrified. So God made them a promise: there would never be another flood. The sign of that promise was a rainbow.
The next time you see a rainbow, think about the promise that God made to Noah and his family, and the promises that God has made to you.
God keeps his promises.
JANUARY 14
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Genesis 9:1, 8–16 NRSV
God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
Questions for Reflection and Application
•Does the flood seem out of character for God? Why or why not?
•Have you ever seen something that you knew was a clear sign from God? If so, what was it? If not, do you think that you have missed signals from God, or do you think that God has not given you a sign?
•What promises has God made to you? What evidence do you have that God keeps the promises that he makes to you?
•In what situations is it difficult for you to feel that God is looking out for you? What should you do in those situations?
God, whether I’m in a flood or under a rainbow, help me to remember that you keep your promises always. Amen.
JANUARY 15
Day 1
PROMISING THE IMPOSSIBLE
He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.
GENESIS 15:5–6 NRSV
Have you ever been in a rural area or on a ship—anywhere far from city lights—and looked up at the sky on a clear night? How many stars could you see? Could you count them all? Probably not.
In Genesis 15, God’s message to Abraham—then called Abram—was clear: you’ll have more descendants, or offspring, than you can count. But Abraham had no children. And he and his wife, Sarah—then called Sarai—were getting old. Really old.
Abraham was seventy-five the first time God promised him that he would be the father of a “great nation” (see Genesis 12). Now when God reassured him by showing him the stars, he was eighty-five. Sarah was ten years younger. The couple had been trying for decades to have a child. It was becoming clear that, even if Sarah was not past her childbearing years, she was barren.
Yet Abraham believed God. Soon after that, Sarah convinced Abraham that because she was barren, he should have a child through her servant Hagar. He listened and Hagar bore a son, Ishmael. When Abraham was ninety-nine, however, God announced that the chosen son was not Ishmael but Isaac, whom Sarah would bear in the next year.
Abraham laughed at the news. And when it was repeated where Sarah could hear it, she laughed too. God knew they would laugh. That’s why God said that their son should be named Isaac, which means “laughter.”
Sometimes God promises the impossible. He knows that we will find it difficult to believe and trust that he will deliver. When Sarah laughed, God responded, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (18:14). The word translated as “hard” also may be translated as “wonderful.”
Is anything too wonderful for God? He keeps his promises … even the impossible ones.
JANUARY 16
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Genesis 15:1–6 NRSV
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O LORD God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.” But the word of the LORD came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Related Passage — Romans 4:18, 20–25 NASB
In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” Yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our wrongdoings, and was raised because of our justification.
Questions for Reflection and Application
•What promises has God made to you in the Bible? Think of three such promises that seem completely outlandish. Why does it seem ridiculous that God would keep those promises?
•Has God made you any promises outside of those recorded in the Bible? If so, what were they?
•Has God kept all the promises that he has made to you, or are you still waiting for some of them? How does it feel to wait? Do you ever doubt that God will come through?
•What do you have to do for God to fulfil the promises that he has made to you?
Father, I acknowledge that nothing is impossible when the task is placed in your hands. Amen.
JANUARY 17
Day 1
HAGGLING WITH GOD
Then he said, “Oh do not let the LORD be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”
GENESIS 18:32 NRSV
Haggling. Some people are really good at it. They always appear willing to walk away from the deal if it’s not to their liking, and they never let the other party know their bottom line.
As recorded in Genesis 18, God decided that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were so wicked that the two cities must be destroyed. The problem for Abraham was that his nephew, Lot, and Lot’s family, lived in Sodom. So Abraham decided to haggle with God over the fate of Sodom.
Abraham started with this statement: “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (vv. 23–25).
God responded that, if there were fifty righteous people in Sodom, then God would spare the city.
Abraham then repeated his request for forty-five righteous people. Then forty. Then thirty. Then twenty. And finally, ten. Each time God responded that he would spare Sodom if there were that many righteous people living in it.
Abraham probably walked away from the exchange thinking that he was a terrific haggler. But God knew Abraham’s bottom line: Abraham was concerned only about Lot and his family, who numbered around ten.
The audacity and effrontery of Abraham’s haggling is extraordinary. Why did God ignore it and play along?
God would rather have us be concerned and plead for others, even in an impertinent way, than to have us be silent because of fear or self-centeredness. God looks past our rudeness to see our love.
JANUARY 18
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Genesis 18:23–26, 28–32 NRSV
Then Abraham came near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Again he spoke to him, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh do not let the LORD be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to the LORD. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “Oh do not let the LORD be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”
Questions for Reflection and Application
•Think of the last time you tried to bargain with God. What were you trying to get? Was it for yourself or someone else?
•It is common practice to ask others to pray to God on your behalf or on behalf of someone else. Why do we do that? If we get more people to pray for something, then is God more likely to listen and respond?
•Can you change God’s mind, to get God to make a different decision or take a different action? Why or why not?
God, thank you for looking past my impertinence to see my heart. Help me to be obedient to your plan for my life rather than trying to negotiate my own plan. Amen.
JANUARY 19
Day 1
REDEEMING AN EVIL ACT
Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.
GENESIS 50:20 NRSV
Joseph’s ten older brothers hated him. Hated the fact that their father, Jacob, loved him more than each of them. Hated that he had dreams where they served him. Hated his arrogance in telling them his dreams.
Joseph’s brothers hated him enough to kill him. And the brothers were about to kill him when Reuben, the oldest, persuaded them to throw Joseph into a pit instead. Before Reuben could rescue Joseph however, the other brothers sold him into slavery.
Joseph’s next twenty years were quite an odyssey:
•He was purchased by Potiphar, the captain of the guard for Pharaoh.
•He was made the overseer of Potiphar’s house, in charge of everything.
•He was falsely accused of attempted rape by Potiphar’s wife and thrown in prison.
•He was put in charge of all the other prisoners.
•He interpreted the dreams of the king’s imprisoned cupbearer and baker. Once freed from prison, the cupbearer forgot to tell Pharaoh about Joseph.
•Two years later, when Pharaoh wanted his dreams interpreted, the cupbearer mentioned Joseph to Pharaoh. Joseph interpreted the dreams: after seven years of plenty, there would be seven years of famine.
•Pharaoh made Joseph second-in-command; Joseph oversaw preparations for the famine and then, when it struck, distribution of stored food.
Among those who came to Egypt for food during the famine were Joseph’s brothers; the ones who had sold him into slavery when he was seventeen; the ones who robbed him of twenty years with a father who adored him.
Joseph could have done anything to his brothers to punish them, but instead he forgave them, reconciled with them, and unified a dysfunctional family in the process. When Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers feared that Joseph would hate them and pay them back for all the evil that they did to him. Joseph’s response: God took your evil and made it good. God can redeem anything.
JANUARY 20
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Genesis 49:1–2, 26; 50:15–21 NRSV
Then Jacob called his sons, and said: “Gather around, that I may tell you what will happen to you in days to come. Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob; listen to Israel your father. The blessings of your father are stronger than the blessings of the eternal mountains, the bounties of the everlasting hills; may they be on the head of Joseph, on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers. Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?” So they approached Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this instruction before he died, ‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, “We are here as your slaves.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.
Questions for Reflection and Application
•Joseph’s life was a rollercoaster: apple of his father’s eye, then sold into slavery; head of Potiphar’s house, then imprisoned on false charges; on the verge of getting out, then stuck in prison indefinitely. How often does your life feel like a rollercoaster? Right now, is it on the upswing or heading down?
•Where was God when Joseph was sold into slavery? When Joseph was framed and imprisoned? Why didn’t God intervene and help Joseph? Or did he?
•Why do bad things happen to faithful followers of God?
•How was Joseph able to forgive his brothers for their evil act against him?
Lord God, whenever the enemy plans to harm one of your own, you transform the enemy’s tactics into something good. Amen.
JANUARY 21
Day 1
GOD COMES THROUGH
The LORD is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation.
EXODUS 15:2 NRSV
For hundreds of years, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—whom God renamed Israel—were slaves in Egypt.
It had started well enough. Israel, his children, and their families had moved to Egypt during the great famine, when Israel’s favorite son, Joseph, was second-in-command to the king of Egypt. After Joseph died, however, “there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph” (1:8). The king feared that the people of Israel would overwhelm Egypt, so he decreed that they would “work as slaves” (v. 13). And so they did—generation after generation.
Finally, God responded to the cries of the Israelites and selected Moses, a descendant of Levi, to “bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt” (3:10). Moses was a reluctant leader, so God promised Moses that his “wonders” would force Pharaoh to release the Israelites (v. 20).
God unleashed nine plagues on Egypt, but Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go. Then God sent a final plague that would kill the firstborn son in every non-Israelite household, including Pharaoh’s, and the king of Egypt finally relented. After the people of Israel left Egypt, Pharaoh changed his mind. He took his army, including six hundred chariots, and pursued the Israelites.
The Israelites panicked, but not Moses, who said, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today” (14:13).
And God came through. The people of Israel crossed through the Red Sea “on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left” (v. 22). When Pharaoh’s army tried to cross, the walls of water collapsed, and every man in the army drowned.
On the other side of the Red Sea, Moses and the people of Israel praised God for saving them from the Egyptian army. We can praise God every day for saving us from an even worse fate.
JANUARY 22
Day 2
Passage: Verse in Context — Exodus 14:26–29; 15:1–2, 4–7 NRSV
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD:
“I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he cast into the sea; his picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power—your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you overthrew your adversaries; you sent out your fury, it consumed them like stubble.”
Questions for Reflection and Application
•In what situations do you allow God to be your strength? When do you grab the steering wheel yourself?
•What does it mean for God to be your song, outside of singing songs and hymns in a Sunday worship service?
•In chapter 6 of Romans, Paul says that we’re either slaves to sin or slaves to obedience. Bob Dylan’s song “Gotta Serve Somebody” has a similar theme. Do you agree with this idea?
•What does it mean for Jesus to be your salvation? How do you live it out?
Almighty God, you freed the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, and you have freed me from bondage to sin. I praise you! Amen.
JANUARY 23
Day 1
SMASHING TABLETS
The LORD said to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets, which you broke.”
EXODUS 34:1 NRSV
God was really angry with the Israelites. So was Moses.
After God miraculously freed his people from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites responded by complaining. Endlessly. Some even said that they longed to go back to Egypt because, while they were slaves there, the food was really top-notch.
When they reached Mount Sinai, and Moses went up on the mountain to talk to God, the Israelites decided to make a new god to take the place of the one who hadn’t done much for them lately.
God gave the Law to Moses, including “two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God” (31:18). Then God told Moses that the Israelites had corrupted themselves by worshiping a golden calf and needed to feel God’s wrath. Moses begged God to reconsider and God agreed. But when Moses saw for himself what was going on in the camp, “his anger burned hot” (32:19). He burned the calf, ground it to powder, put the powder in water, and made the people drink it. Moses commanded the sons of Levi to kill anyone who was not on God’s side, and 3,000 men died.
But first Moses broke the stone tablets—the ones written with the finger of God.
Anger can make you do things that you regret, and anger can lead to sin. But anger is not bad, in and of itself. Even Jesus got angry. In Ephesians 4:26, Paul writes, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” The first two words are a command: Be angry! Just don’t sin in your anger.
God didn’t want Moses to break the tablets. But God understood why Moses was angry. So God made Moses and the people of Israel new tablets.
When you sin in anger, repent. God will take care of the rest.
