Isaiah 40:3-8 (NRSV)

A voice cries out:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

and the rough places a plain.

Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

and all people shall see it together,

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

A voice says, “Cry out!”

And I said, “What shall I cry?”

All people are grass,

their constancy is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades,

when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;

surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades;

but the word of our God will stand forever.

Explanation:

During the time period in which Isaiah was written, if a monarch was heading out to travel, a group of people would be sent ahead to “prepare the way.” These individuals would open up difficult passages, level out roads, and do anything they possibly could to make the monarch’s travel as quick, easy, straight, and safe as possible. And as we see in this passage, Isaiah is declaring a prophecy that someone is coming who will prepare the way for the Lord, the King of Kings, the person we know now to be Jesus. The person Isaiah is referring to is John the Baptist.

John the Baptist came to live out these words. He went ahead, before Jesus, to prepare the hearts of people. He spoke of the coming King, the one who would forgive sins, and help people turn from their evil ways to follow Him instead. He spoke these words to encourage them to repent and be prepared for the Messiah was coming. He was calling them to straighten out their lives, be made new, so they would be ready.

This message is still the same message for us today. Just as the people in the Old Testament prepared the way for the monarch, and John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, we too must be prepared for the coming of our King, Jesus. One day He will come again to win the war, to make all things new, and claim the final victory. But will you be ready? Are you walking in a manner that is preparing for His second coming? We have to repent and turn from our evil ways. To cut off anything that would lead us astray and continue to walk the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. This earth and everything in it will fade away, but the Lord will stand forever. Be purposed to be prepared and prepare the way for Christ’s return.

Application:

1. What are some of the things you do when preparing for a big trip, life event, or occasion? (Make a list, get in shape, buy necessary items, etc)

2. Why is good preparation so important?

3. What are you doing to “prepare the way” for God?

4. What needs to change in your life so you are better prepared for the coming of the Lord?

Devo Plus:

Read Luke 3:4-18 to see this prophecies fulfilled in the person of John the Baptist.

Prayer:

God, I want to be prepared and ready for Your return. I know my time on this earth is short in comparison to heaven, and I want to live it out well. I ask that you lead and guide my heart, my thoughts, and my steps so that I’m not only prepared for your return, but that I also can continue to walk on the straight and narrow path before me. I know this is only possible with Your help and leading. Amen.

Malachi 2:17 – 3:5 (ESV)

You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Explanation:

I would not consider myself to be a clumsy person, but I do occasionally misjudge steps. Steps are my nemesis. I constantly have mishaps on stairs, like hitting my head on stairwell doorways, slipping going up and down steps, or completely misjudging the number of steps. It can be quite frustrating, especially the hitting the head part. Seems like nothing can take me to rage monster mode faster than hitting my head.

This isn’t the only thing that I misjudge. It’s sad to say, but I do occasionally misjudge God. I think you can probably relate, but let me explain. In arrogance I can find myself thinking that God is doing something wrong. That He has mistimed something, that He has forgotten about something altogether, or even that He has done something that is entirely not the way I would have done it. That is tomfoolery on my part. Who am I to judge what God is doing?

This is somewhat of the frustration that was being expressed by the prophet in our reading today. The people of God were looking to the world and entirely misreading the way that God was operating. They saw all these men prospering in their evil ways and just determined that it was God was mishandling it. That He was not harsh enough in His judgements of evil. Therefore, they almost demanded that God respond.

What they did not consider is the evilness of all men, their own hearts included. Therefore, God informs the people that He will in fact respond. In His graciousness He will send a messenger in Jesus and John the Baptist prior to Jesus, who will call for repentance. He will look, however, to Israel first to respond. They are the privileged ones who have a relationship with God and should be more aware of their sins than any.

God humbles them in their arrogance to not forget the depth of their own evil and sins. They are not any less at fault for not walking in the ways of God. If they truly want justice, they will get it. If they continue in their evil ways and not “purify” themselves first, judgement will come on them in the same way that it will fall on all people who choose to not follow God. This is a clear reminder for all of us to look inward before we judge outward.

Application:

1. In what ways have you found yourself misjudging others at times?

2. What do these misjudgments tell you about your heart?

3. Why must we first look to the evilness/sins of our own lives before look to others?

4. What does repentance look like for you right now in this season?

Devo Plus:

Read Matthew 7:1-5. How is the message of Jesus in these verses similar to that of our reading in Malachi today?

Prayer:

Jesus, You came to give us a way to purify ourselves before God. I know this requires me to humble myself and repent from the sins of my life. I can find myself misjudging others and even You at times, God. Holy Spirit, help me not to see my sins as any less offensive to You than others. I am sorry if I have wearied You in any way. Jesus, thank You for Your love and preparing a way for us to be pure before the Father again.

Luke 9:23-25 (NLT)

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

Explanation:

How do you follow Jesus?

✔️You look for Him.

✔️You willingly renounce your right to design your own life.

✔️You honor His Lordship in every area of your life.

✔️You are deliberate in choosing to hear Him and respond.

To identify completely with Jesus’s message and be willing to suffer for His cause will include the opposition of friends and relatives, learning dependence on God, complete obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit, proclamation of an unpopular message, and pouring out your life for others. It also involves grasping a hold of life that is life indeed with an eternal reward. There are no small print exceptions, clauses, or hidden expiration dates. Jesus is clear about what He needs from you to change the world, and it is personal. Jesus is calling you to follow Him.

If you resist, you are essentially dancing an intricate life waltz with no partner.

Skip and I took dance lessons for some fun, and the first thing I learned was to release myself into Skip’s leading. If two people try to lead while dancing, it becomes an awkward, clumsy spectacle. I now watch beautiful choreography on TV and marvel at the synchronicity, all because one person chooses to follow.

With our surrender to Jesus, we are saying, “I choose to let you lead, and I will follow because I trust you know how and where to lead me, for the very best results in any area of my life.”

Accomplished dancers get to a point where they don’t have to have planned choreography. The one following knows just by certain movements what the lead is getting ready to do next. Their bodies are so in tune that the smallest movement signals the next response. How lovely it is when we feel Jesus nudge, and we know exactly what our response will be…an excited YES!

If not, we lead vacant, hollow lives of superficial lip service.

Jesus is like the wise parent who trades a toddler a toy for the dangerous thing in their hand. It’s a happy exchange as the child releases their grip to grab what the parent is offering.

Jesus regularly practices this with us as He holds out His will while we hold onto ours. Once we get a glimpse of His will, releasing floods our reflexes, and we can take hold of His will, His way, and His want.

Application:

1. The best life hack I can give you is to assure you that you will make better decisions when He is leading.

2. What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul?

3. Leading your own life is exhausting. Are you tired?

4. He has already told us that He is the one who is hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned (Matthew 25). When you care about what He cares about, you see Him. How do you follow Him to where He has so plainly told us He is?

Devo Plus:

I realize “taking up our cross” may sound strange or vague at first,

but for me it’s meant breaking old habits to create space in my heart for new growth. It’s meant moving beyond a plastic Christian checklist … Go to church. Read the Bible. Don’t cuss. Be nice. Pray… and letting God mess with

any and every area of my life.

Lysa TerKeurst

Prayer:

Jesus, I believe. Help my unbelief.

Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV)

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Explanation:

As Jesus nears the end of the Sermon on the Mount in the beginning of Matthew, He gives a series of ways in which His followers should live. Specifically, Jesus is pointing to himself and His teachings as the narrow gate. In describing the wide gate, He says it is easy and leads to destruction. The wide gate is able to be taken by many people and has opportunity for many different choices. When talking about the narrow path, He says that the way is difficult and leads to life, emphasizing that from a worldly perspective it will be more difficult, but ultimately is the path to eternity with Christ.

It is so important to look at this scripture and see the difference between a gospel worldview and a worldly perspective. We need to be able to look at life through the eyes of Christ, with the mentality that what we do on Earth is important but is not the final destination or the goal. As we go about our lives, Jesus’ words call us to pursue a life of righteousness in Him even though it may lead to difficulty here on Earth. When this world seems to pull us down the same wide path as others, we must shift our focus and our gaze upon Him.

Application:

1. Why is it so easy to want to go down the wide path even when we know the narrow path is greater?

2. What are ways you can change your perspective to view difficulties in light of the Gospel?

3. What are some areas in your life you can challenge yourself to change the path you are on?

4. What are some practical ways you can encourage yourself in a season of difficulty?

Devo Plus:

And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’

Luke 13:23-25 (ESV)

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for loving us enough to offer us eternal life, for walking alongside us and showing us the way of life and righteousness. We ask that You continue to challenge our hearts to look more like You and to lead us in our decisions. Thank You for being a God of love, grace, and correction. God, we pray that You would continue to teach us, and that You would move supernaturally in our lives. Thank You for what You have done, what You are doing, and what You will do. Amen.

Matthew 19:3-9 (NLT)

Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

“Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked.

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery-unless his wife has been unfaithful.”

Explanation:

Understatement of the week: divorce is hard to talk about. For anyone but Jesus. In this passage, Jesus had finished teaching in Galilee and was headed to Jerusalem when the Pharisees (who considered themselves the religious experts of the day) tried to test Him with a loaded question about divorce. Jesus saw this as a teachable moment, even if His listeners weren’t that open to actually listening. He responds to them in a conversational manner, and attributes the quotes within the quotes directly to God. How’s that for an authoritative source?

At first look, it’s a fair question. If divorce is not acceptable in God’s eyes, why then did Moses, God’s chosen leader of the Israelites, allow for a procedure whereby a person could prove their marriage ended justifiably?

Once again, Jesus looks past the question at hand and speaks right to the heart of the matter: divorce is a man-made solution to deal with something that God never intended to happen. It came along with all other sin that entered His perfect world with Adam and Eve’s original sin; however, nothing less than absolute unity and oneness was God’s standard for marriage at Creation. God designed the spiritual, emotional, and physical changes that take place when one leaves their parents’ household to last for the earthly life of those making the commitment, and none of that original intention was changed by Moses’ decree.

Jesus uses marriage to explain to us that He is after our hearts, both individually and once we join together in “holy matrimony.” God changes the status of the relationship from single to married, but also from two to one. This is no longer just another human relationship; it is a covenant between a husband and a wife, and made jointly with God Himself. Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms that this union is broken when divorce occurs.

Does He still love us when divorce has affected our lives? Of course! But as a loving Father always does, He wants better for His kids. He wants us to know that marriage for life was His original plan for us, and when we choose to submit our marriages, former and current, to Him, He alone can lead to healing like no other human attempt can.

Application:

1. This passage acknowledges that the presence of sin in the world means that some marriages will be irreparably damaged. We also know the impact of divorce reaches far beyond just the individuals divorcing, to their families, their friends, and their communities. Have you seen divorce affect lives in this way? Knowing what Jesus says about divorce, can you reconcile how a good and loving God would want His people to avoid it at all costs?

2. I so wish I would have truly read and understood this Scripture when I got married. Not that I was thinking about divorce on my wedding day, but despite being married in a church and having all of the outward appearances of a Christian wedding, I still selfishly thought that day was all about us. Maybe this is the case for you also; if so, thank God right in this moment for His great forgiveness and commitment to changing our lives to reflect Him, even if it takes a lifetime. How does it make you feel that God is never finished working in our hearts?

3. Once again, we see that the goal of God’s confrontation in our lives is always redemption. Sin is easier than obedience, but blessing follows obedience every time with God. This will always be His Way for our lives, no matter the subject matter!

Devo Plus:

For a more complete understanding of Jesus’s words in Matthew, read the Old Testament scriptures He references:

Matthew 19:4-Genesis 1:27 (God created man and woman)

Matthew 19:5-Genesis 2:24 (words of God pertaining to marriage)

Matthew 19:7-Deuteronomy 24:1 (law requiring a written notice of divorce)

First Peter 3:7 says that a marriage must be in good standing, or a couple’s prayers will be hindered. One of the most powerful things a married couple can do is pray together. Bringing God to the forefront of your marriage changes things on a supernatural level. Not only does it allow God to guide you toward what He already knows is best for you, but you are jointly acknowledging His Sovereignty in your life and in your marriage. I encourage you to pray with your spouse daily, but especially when big decisions are to be made; God will bless this unity!

Prayer:

Father God, once again, You show us clearly in Your word how big and beautiful and perfect Your original plans were for our lives. On behalf of all humanity, we are so sorry for our part in messing that up. Help us to repent and move away from that which once defined us. Your redemption is a gift that is so great, we will never fully understand or appreciate it. Thank You also for Your Son, the perfect, straightforward answer to all that we need in this life. Please remind us this week that Your grace truly is enough for us. In His Precious Name. Amen.

Deuteronomy 30:11-20 (NKJV)

“For this commandment which I command you today is [a]not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

Explanation:

Growing up in the church, as a child, I always heard of people seeking revival in different parts of the country. They would speak about a move of God on the east coast, and people would seek God's blessings over their lives by traveling hundreds of miles to be a part of some movement. The same thing would happen in different parts of the country, and the same sort of spiritual migration would happen in these other parts of the country.

It wasn't this way for everyone, but some people were sometimes too caught up with the move of God in certain parts of the country that they forgot to focus on the move of God that was supposed to be happening in their own living rooms in their own houses.

God's commandments and God's promises are not far from us. Too many times, people go through life searching for faith in all the wrong places. They visit place after place in search of revival by the presence of the Most High God, but they forget to visit the very throne room of God, the Spirit of whom should have been resting on the mercy seats of their very own hearts.

They might have felt as if God's presence was out of reach, or that His commands over their lives were too far away. The word has been made very near and dear to us; His commandments have been made accessible to us. We are commanded to be obedient to His word with our whole minds and beings (Deuteronomy 30:2). Along with those commandments come all of His abundant blessings in turn for our obedience, as well as His curses in turn for our disobedience to Him. We are at a fork in the road, and we need to make a decision to follow in Christ's footsteps.

Application:

1. Read the Ten Commandments in the Bible this week at least once to refresh your memory of them.

2. Think about the most important commandments, which Christ reminded us of.

A. Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

B. Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Devo Plus:

Make God's word a part of your daily routine. Get an easy-to-understand version of the Bible. Set an easy goal, maybe 15 minutes a day, and read through it. You can sacrifice 15 minutes of TV a day for God's presence. He is closer than a brother to you, even now. Start loving Him with all of your being. Start applying His precepts that you find throughout your reading of the scriptures.

Prayer:

Most High God, Your presence is very near to me. Lord, Your blessings are abundant, and You love me more than I can comprehend. I choose this day to obey Your commandments. I will meditate upon Your precepts. I will seek Your presence in the morning and I will give You thanks in the evening. I want to be close to You. I want to be obedient to You, Lord…above all. Help me follow You above all else, Lord. Amen.

1 Kings 11:1-11 (NLT)

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.

In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he refused to follow the Lord completely, as his father, David, had done.

On the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, he even built a pagan shrine for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and another for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. Solomon built such shrines for all his foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods.

The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command. So now the Lord said to him, “Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants.”

Explanation:

Oh, Solomon. If you could see what we see when we read about you, you’d know why we shake our heads. You were a man who had so much potential and promise. You started out strong, and then got derailed. Let’s start with bad relationship decisions. God told the people of Israel not to marry the crazy women outside of Israel because they would lead you away from God and into worship of false gods. You couldn’t resist, though. You went after the “bad girls,” and the enemy knew how to get to you. You turned your heart away from God, and your misplaced love was given to false gods.

Now let’s talk about us. Have you ever made a bad decision that caused you to misdirect the love that should have been directed to God? Your priorities get mis-aligned because something “important” came up during the time when you usually read your Bible, attend church, or just spend time with God. Suddenly, that “priority” becomes an idol, and you are turning your heart, little by little, away from God. We may not worship “false gods” in the sense that Solomon did, but what about those things that we make a priority over God in our lives today? They are the false gods of our time.

Application:

1. What can you do to make sure that false gods don’t steal your heart from God?

2. What are you making a priority in your life today?

Devo Plus:

Read the story below and reflect on how decisions you’ve made in your life reflect the ones made by both Solomon and the woman in the story. How can you relate this to the times that you’ve tried to make an exception “for something important” in your life? Do you think Solomon had a similar mindset when he chose to pursue the women that God forbade?

A lady kept a raccoon as a pet, and unknown to her, they go through a glandular change at about 24 months. After that they often attack their owners. Since a 30-pound raccoon can be the same as a 100-pound dog in a fight, her friend, who happened to be a zookeeper, felt compelled to tell her of the coming change. She listened politely and simply said, "It will be different for me, Bandit would never hurt me, he just wouldn’t." Three months later the lady underwent plastic surgery for facial lacerations sustained when her adult raccoon attacked her for no apparent reason. She had to learn the hard way to listen to wise counsel.

Prayer:

Lord, I ask today for You to remind me of my focus. Help me always put You as the priority, and not allow false gods to creep into my life. Teach me to always look to You, regardless of what I believe is important, and remind me that You are the primary God of my life. Thank You for being God of my heart

Exodus 34:10-16 (NLT)

The LORD replied, “Listen, I am making a covenant with you in the presence of all your people. I will perform miracles that have never been performed anywhere in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people around you will see the power of the LORD—the awesome power I will display for you. But listen carefully to everything I command you today. Then I will go ahead of you and drive out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

“Be very careful never to make a treaty with the people who live in the land where you are going. If you do, you will follow their evil ways and be trapped. Instead, you must break down their pagan altars, smash their sacred pillars, and cut down their Asherah poles. You must worship no other gods, for the LORD, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.

“You must not make a treaty of any kind with the people living in the land. They lust after their gods, offering sacrifices to them. They will invite you to join them in their sacrificial meals, and you will go with them. Then you will accept their daughters, who sacrifice to other gods, as wives for your sons. And they will seduce your sons to commit adultery against me by worshiping other gods.

Explanation:

Jealousy is a double-edged sword that can cause destruction or preservation, depending on the intent of the heart. If focused outwardly, as we see in this passage, jealousy can defend and protect what we hold precious in our lives. The Apostle Paul speaks of a “godly jealousy” he has for believers, that they would not be lured away by false teachings (2 Corinthians 11:2-3).

Contrast this with the inward jealousy described in Galatians 5:20, which is lumped in with selfishness and all manner of evil that God condemns. Jealousy, like anger, is an emotion we can use for good or evil, and the only way to discern the difference is to walk so closely with God that we can hear when He checks the heart. Too often, the attractions of this world keep us from spending enough time with God to hear Him clearly when He speaks.

To that end, it’s worth noting that God went beyond simply warning the Israelites not to worship false gods; He commanded them to destroy every article associated with idol worship. Today, our nation ignores this command, but only because the people ignore it. Even among Christ followers, think about how close to the edge we dance with our worldly pleasures and pursuits. Some of us like to keep one foot planted in the thing God wants us to destroy.

Application:

1. Do you have any idols in your life?

2. Would your loved ones agree with your answer?

3. Is it possible to have true peace with God if He is not first place in your life?

Devo Plus:

Along with jealousy, the Bible also condemns envy and covetousness. How do these three emotions differ, and why does only jealousy have a component that could be biblically justifiable?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, search my heart today and reveal to me anything I am putting ahead of You with my time, attention, and finances. I want the perfect peace that comes with keeping my life devoted to You first. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Malachi 2:10-16 (NLT)

Are we not all children of the same Father? Are we not all created by the same God? Then why do we betray each other, violating the covenant of our ancestors? Judah has been unfaithful, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. The men of Judah have defiled the Lord’s beloved sanctuary by marrying women who worship idols. May the Lord cut off from the nation of Israel every last man who has done this and yet brings an offering to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Here is another thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, weeping and groaning because he pays no attention to your offerings and doesn’t accept them with pleasure. You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.

Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.”

Explanation:

I heard Oprah say in an interview once that the reason she doesn’t follow the God of the Bible is because when He described Himself as a “jealous God,” she looked around and said, “What kind of a God would be jealous of me?” It made me sad to know she had fundamentally misunderstood that God wasn’t referring to being jealous of anything she owned, He was referring to her heart! He is the One God, God Almighty, and will not share His worship or glory with anyone or any thing else.

I began to understand this concept on a whole new level when I married my husband. I am a giving person, and love to make special gifts for others, to share of my time and my energy and finances. But the one thing on earth I am not willing to share...is my husband! I am inherently jealous for his heart, not only because I want to remain the sole object of his affections, but also because I know that loving me and investing in our marriage can only end in his blessing and betterment! We try to share what is on our hearts with each other first before we speak with anyone else, and to guard our emotions and hearts diligently. To celebrate each other’s victories big and small, to hold each other up through sorrows, to speak forth life and not foster our fears. To never complain or speak badly of each other to a third person, but to be patient with each other’s shortcomings and pull each other up again when we fall. To offer grace and not choose judgment. To be the truest reflection of the heart of God to each other.

God calls us to faithfulness in marriage, all the while knowing that marriage wouldn’t be easy, and would reveal just how flawed we really are to each other! No one else sees our repeated blunders, experiences our selfish natures firsthand, has to put up with our shortcomings, and sees how we look first thing in the morning quite like our spouse! But God asks for our faithfulness to each other as a reflection of His relentless faithfulness to us even in light of our sin, flaws, and many mistakes. Just like in marriage, He asks for our hearts to hold only Him on the throne of our affections, and to not share our worship with anyone or anything else. We are in a covenant relationship with the One, God Almighty! And His grace will cover all our sins and mistakes through the blood of Jesus Christ, but He is asking for our loyalty and our faithfulness to Him, our spouses, and our families in return.

Application:

1. Have you ever made the decision to give your heart completely to Jesus Christ, and Him alone? If not, all you need to do is pray right now, with faith in your heart, letting God know you are trusting in His Son Jesus Christ. Ask God to take the throne in your life!

2. Unfaithfulness often starts small, in our thoughts and emotions, before they manifest in our actions. Are there any seeds of unfaithfulness trying to take root in your heart, to your spouse or in your relationship with God?

3. Today, choose one way to invest in your spouse (or in God, if you’re not married) and increase the outward evidence of your internal faithfulness.

Devo Plus:

Are you giving God any reasons not to accept your worship? Spend some time in prayer today, searching your heart to see if there is anything the Holy Spirit is asking you to change.

Prayer:

Lord God, thank You that You are so perfectly faithful to me. You show me how to be faithful by how You love me every day. Help me, God, to guard my heart diligently, and remain wholly loyal to You and to my spouse. Show me how to be more like You! In Jesus’s name. Amen.

1 Peter 2:4-10 (ESV)

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious,

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone,”

and

“A stone of stumbling,

and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Explanation:

Peter places emphasis on the intentionality of the Gospel, that Jesus Himself was chosen by God, and held a high value like a precious stone. But even more precious is that He is a “living stone,” unique in that He was rejected by man, put to death, and rose from the dead, fully alive. This was setting the cornerstone to the perfect foundation needed to build the house of Christ followers. Jesus laid the example and then left the Holy Spirit within us, making us the chosen living stones to continue the foundation, building a spiritually strong house of the Lord. But those who disobey and reject the foundation being laid before them find Christ, the cornerstone, to be a stumbling block on their pathway. Their plans are futile and will perish.

As Christians, we are chosen to build upon Christ’s work on the cross, setting a solid spiritual pathway directly to God, living a spiritual eternity in His praise. He has chosen you, even from darkness, to reflect His marvelous light.

I absolutely love the unity that Peter introduces by declaring we “are a chosen race.” He didn’t mean race as in skin color, ethnicity, country of origin, or family; he was labeling the church, the body of believers, as a chosen people. Together, we are a living stone, a piece of His kingdom foundation, illuminating the way to bring others from their darkness.

Application:

1. Thinking about Jesus as a cornerstone, do you find yourself connected to His start of a firm foundation? Or do you find yourself stumbling over it because your sights are set where He isn’t calling you?

2. Does knowing that God has chosen you to be a part of building His kingdom give you a different perspective of the path you are currently on?

3. What action steps do you need to be obedient to today that will help strengthen this foundation, keeping you from stumbling over Jesus in disobedience?

Devo Plus:

Here is a blog about several times God has chosen certain people or nations throughout the Old Testament, and how that is connected with Jesus loving and choosing all people and nations in the New Testament and why. You are chosen, too!

https://bibleproject.com/blog/who-has-god-chosen/?utm_source=web_social_share&medium=shared_blog

Prayer:

Jesus, I put my trust and faith in the work You did on the cross. You set a way for me to live a full life on earth and an eternity in heaven. May You continue to cause me to stumble over You when my eyes are overlooking the foundation You have set before me. Help me to recognize that You have chosen me to be a part of eternity with You. Amen.