Walk With Me - Devotionals

Walking In God's Faithfulness

Reader: Angus Macdonald

Date: 20th July 2022

Passage: Psalm 26:3

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Some of the greatest adventure stories through the centuries have involved people walking over such dangerous terrain as scorching deserts, high mountains, dense and sinister forests. The Bible itself tells of many adventurous journeys, very especially the journey of the children of Israel from Egypt to the promised land of Canaan.

David, the writer of Psalm 26 pictured himself on a journey, walking with God. He uses interesting words to tell us about his life. As he travels with God, David wants to be like God — God's steadfast committed love to him is the kind of love he aims to have in his own life. He wants his character to reflect the character of God.

David is also very aware of God's presence in his life, as if God were directing his footsteps all his journey through. "I walk in your faithfulness" he said. We read the same thing earlier in the Bible when God told Abraham to walk with him. There was to be a definite close relationship between the two of them. David was conscious of this too. God, the faithful God, the loving God walked with him to direct him in the way he should go. By his Holy Spirit in us as Christians God has that guiding help for us as well.

Dear Lord, may I rejoice in your steadfast love and faithful guidance each day of my life. Amen.

They Have Their Reward

Reader: Miriam Montgomery

Date: 19th July 2022

Passage: Matthew 6:2

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The Lord Jesus really disliked hypocrites, very especially those who tried hard to give people the impression they were very good and holy people.

Obviously Jesus had often seen people like that. Indeed that was what such people wanted — they were keen for people to see how they prayed, how they fasted and how they gave alms to the poor — they were very public 'holy' people. But Jesus called them hypocrites. And, said Jesus, if it is public praise they are looking for they will receive it - "they have received their reward", but they will receive no reward from God.

Of course the day of religious hypocrites is not past. We too can fall into the trap of being outwardly 'holy' people, putting on a good show in church or among Christian people while our hearts may be cold and indifferent towards God. But that cuts no ice with God. When Jesus says such people have their reward he is using quite serious language. It means the reward is full payment but for what? - an outward show which is of no value to God. God is interested in the serious business of what is going on in our hearts, the secret life of the true believer in Jesus.

Dear Lord Jesus, forgive me when I try to appear before people as a much deeper Christian than I am in secret before you. Amen.

Silence In Heaven

Reader: Tom Muir

Date: 18th July 2022

Passage: Revelation 8:1

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Heaven is not used to silence. The sound of music is everywhere as the heavenly crowds — angels and God's redeemed people sing the praises of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. So what happened to bring about this tense silence? It was as if heaven itself was holding its breath for some momentous event. And it was right, for this was the beginning of God's final judgement of an evil world. The Old Testament foretold this as two of the prophets, Zephaniah and Zechariah both said that people should be silent as the great day of the Lord's judgment was approaching.

God's judgment seems something strange to us, something we just read about but don't take seriously — it feels far away and does not feel as if it all applies to us. But that is a false hope. God's judgment is real and the silence in heaven shows us what an awesome thing God's judgment is. And it is Christ who is in charge of the judgment of God upon the wicked world. It is the Lamb who is at the centre of all that is happening in this part of the Bible. The Lamb was put to death by the wicked people in the world and they still hate him. But one day all his enemies will be put under his feet. Jesus Christ is Lord and all heaven will declare his glory. Will we be among those who praise him and follow him ?

Dear Lord, Help me to see just how serious and real your judgment is and to be ready for it by your grace. Amen.

More Precious Than Rubies

Reader: Angus Macdonald

Date: 17th July 2022

Passage: Proverbs 3:15

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People are fascinated by jewels. Crowns and coronets are often full of precious stones set in gold and silver to make them especially valuable. Rubies often go with diamonds to give contrasting colour to the sheer brightness of the diamonds. To the writer of the book of Proverbs, precious jewels were the best way he could use to describe wisdom. Wisdom is not the same as cleverness or smartness — some very clever people may be very bad people! But the wise person is a good person. The book of Proverbs gives lots of examples of what a wise person looks like. The wise person is careful, discerning, humble and above all loves God and trusts God with his very life.

The New Testament shows us that Jesus Christ is the ideal of godly wisdom and it is from him that we receive the wisdom to love and follow God. And all of this is very precious — like rubies. It is precious because it shows us the good life that is pleasing to God and also makes us truly satisfied.

Don't be fooled into thinking that being wise is just keeping up with the times, thinking like the people around you. The path of true wisdom is liking the things God likes and doing the things God wants you to do . God wants you to be wise, so he is ready to help you to be wise; to become more like Jesus - the wisest person who ever lived. That really is precious.

Dear Lord, give me the wisdom that is from above, pure, peaceable, gentle and open to reason (James 3:15). Amen.

A Great Shoulder To Lean On

Reader: Miriam Montgomery

Date: 16th July 2022

Passage: 2 Corinthians 1:3

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We all need someone we can go to in our times of distress, whether this may be physical suffering and illness, discouragement at work, or perhaps the loss of someone we love. We all need a shoulder to lean on, indeed to cry on. We need someone we can trust, someone who cares for us, who will comfort and encourage us in those dark times.

Paul had to contend with more problems than most of us will ever face and he knew the value of trusted friends who could share his burdens. He knew one friend above all others who cared, comforted and encouraged him. That friend was God - 'the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort'. Nine times in a very few verses Paul speaks about comfort; God comforting us, and we in turn comforting one another in the name of the Lord Jesus.

The word comfort itself is a many-sided word. It not only acts like a friendly arm put round us in a warm embrace to share our sorrow and pain. It is a word to help us pick ourselves up and get going again when we have been floored by life's hard knocks. Paul experienced such help from God and used this to assure others God will do the same for them. And now he is urging us both to put our trust in God when we are feeling low and then to share the good Lord's comfort and encouragement with our friends.

Thank you Lord that you are the God of all comfort. Amen.

The King Of Glory

Reader: Tom Muir

Date: 15th July 2022

Passage: Psalm 24:8

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Too often our thoughts about what God is like are much too small. Maybe we think, "I wonder if God can do something or other for me?" Psalm 24 reminds us that God can do whatever he wants to do — he is the King of Glory, strong and mighty.

This psalm is a glorious acknowledgement of who God is and why it is absolutely right that we should praise him. Indeed the way the psalm is written in its original language stressed the point that God, the King of Glory is the rightful and fit ruler of the world which he has made. God is great, the almighty warrior King — and he is good!

The psalm is the celebration of several things but I want us just to concentrate on this one point about the glory of God. The glory of God is seen supremely in his holiness and his goodness as well as in his power and wisdom and his love. He is the God of creation and also the God of grace and salvation. So it is fitting that we should praise and honour God not only with our lips but with our obedience and our thankfulness. Even in times when suffering and sorrow come to us we can still be thankful to God because we know that nothing is beyond his control, nothing is beyond his love. He is the King of Glory.

King of my life, I crown you now, yours shall the glory be Amen. (Hymn by J. E. Hussey)

The Storms Of Life

Reader: Angus Macdonald

Date: 14th July 2022

Passage: Acts 27:14

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July can give us hot sunny days and warm winds. But in winter we can have a period of storms. So often during such times the cold, wind and rain, sleet or snow get people moaning about the terrible weather. The warm sunny days of summer are soon forgotten!

Nowadays names are often given to big rough storms. The wind mentioned in the verse at the top of the page also had a name which is described as 'the north-easter', but was name Eurakylon. Even today sailors in the region where Paul was in a ship know that they must be careful of this wind.

Storms are often described in the Bible and they can be pictures of what sometimes happens to us in our lives — storms of illness, sorrow, disappointment can overwhelm us and we need help comfort and encouragement so that we don't get shipwrecked, as happened to Paul on three occasions.

The Gospels tell us of a severe storm on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus was in a boat with his disciples. The disciples, most of them fishermen, thought they were going to drown until Jesus rose and 'rebuked' the wind and the waves and there was a great calm. That is a wonderful picture for us in our storms of life. Ask Jesus to help, share your burden with him and look for guidance and comfort in the Bible, the Word of God. He care for you and he loves you.

Dear Lord, help me to commit my way to you when I feel bruised by the storms in my life. Amen.

Who Would Have Thought It?

Reader: Miriam Montgomery

Date: 13th July 2022

Passage: Matthew 13:3

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Who would have thought that a tiny grain of mustard seed, when planted, would grow up to be one of the largest of bushes that even birds could come and nest in it?

Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is just like that. From the smallest of beginnings the kingdom of heaven has spread out into all the world with millions and millions of people who are' citizens' of that kingdom.

The phrase 'the kingdom of heaven' was a well-known way of describing the way in which the authority and word of God is being followed. Satan the devil has set up a rival kingdom and when Jesus came into the world he came to destroy Satan's kingdom and rescue people from it and take them into his kingdom.

In order to destroy Satan's kingdom and save his people the Lord Jesus had to go to the cross and die. But now through that death and his resurrection Jesus is establishing his kingdom, bringing a life of goodness, peace and joy to all who come to follow him. The day will come when all of Satan's kingdom will be destroyed and the kingdom of our Lord will be shown to all in its world-wide glory. As we enjoy worshipping God in church we experience something of what it means to live in the kingdom of heaven.

Dear Lord I pray you will help me to live as a true citizen of your kingdom. Amen.

The Shepherd And The Host

Reader: Tom Muir

Date: 12th July 2022

Passage: Psalm 23:1

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This is the best known psalm of all the 150 psalms. Most of us have learned it from childhood and have loved it ever since then. It is a Psalm in two pictures, both of which show the perfect goodness of God. God is both the good Shepherd of his people and he is also the perfect Host, treating those who trust him as honoured guests in his house. Isn't that truly wonderful?

As the good Shepherd, God takes such care of his people that they are satisfied, guided, cared for when wounded, encouraged, and given courage to face the hard times in life; yes and they are disciplined gently to help them back on to the right road. Like sheep we can too easily go astray.

As the perfect Host, God treats us in such a special way that we are filled with wonder that the Lord of heaven should lavish such attention on us.

What does all this mean? It means that for those of us who are Christians, God has a special relationship with us. We are special to him. The almighty eternal God is a God of tenderness — caring and patient with those who are his children through faith in Jesus. It is both humbling and also wonderful that God loves us!

Dear Lord, I am lost in wonder, love and praise as I think of all you are to your children. Amen.

Migratory Birds And Stubborn People

Reader: Angus Macdonald

Date: 11th July 2022

Passage: Jeremiah 8:7

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Twitchers are very keen bird-watchers. They will flock to any place where they can get a sighting of a strange-looking bird which may have got blown off its migratory course. Jeremiah certainly knew the habits of the storks, the turtledoves, the swallows and the cranes. These birds all flew over Jeremiah's land on their migration to the north and then to the south again. They knew just when it was time to do this.

Bird watching was one thing, but watching how God's people in Jeremiah's time were living showed a very sad picture. They stubbornly 'ran down the path of sin' (Verse 6). Our verse at the top of the page says 'they did not know what the Lord requires of them'. Of course they could tell you what God's laws were but they had no intimate concern for them — they stubbornly turned their backs on God. They listened to false prophets instead.

When people do that they end up disastrously. Sin is a very poor paymaster "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:2). Jeremiah warned the people about this; he pleaded, he wept and still they ignored him as he spoke God's call to sinners who kept running away from God. They didn't know what they were missing — the free gift of God's eternal life and the wonder of his grace and love.

Dear Lord, I too have a stubborn heart. Turn me to yourself and to your ways. Amen.