With all the noise in the world, do you hear the voice of God? Your calendar tells you what to do, but do you remember who you are? Being comes before doing. This is a call to put first things first. Return to the Lord with this daily pattern of prayer and devotion. Set aside this time as a sanctuary. Find a space free of distraction and follow this pattern.
Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation
Risen Christ, by your death and resurrection you brought dawn to darkness. You have made a new way, from death to life, cross to crown, grave to glory. We are frail creatures in a world of change and decay. Rule over us in your resurrection power. Subdue sin and evil, disease and destruction. We have nothing apart from you, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, Amen.
Confession
O Lord, I live a world of dead ends. There is always an end. An end to my energy. My time. My love. My patience. My money. My very life. I am trapped by limits. I am burdened by my frail, finite limits. I have exhausted all other options. Nothing else satisfies. You burst forth from the grave to give me life beyond the horizon. You are my singular hope, my only prayer. Risen Savior, have mercy on my dead ends.
Word: Revelation 21:3
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them and they will be his people.”
Meditation: Walking with God
Today’s meditation is written by Allison Lewis.
I don’t know about you, but oftentimes, my Christian faith makes me feel separate from the rest of the world. Not in a haughty I’m-better-than-you sort of way, but more like an I-feel-like-a-complete-outsider kind of way. An exile, to be more specific.
Over the years, in different seasons of life, this theme has stuck out to me. It was first noticeable in college, when my assigned freshman roommate was a non-Christian. I felt this exile again while I lived abroad for a semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina, my junior year of college. It became a constant, daily presence when I moved to Boca Raton, South Florida, a primarily affluent Jewish community, for my first magazine job. Even today, I feel this exile in my workplace—a Christan workplace, nonetheless.
In our world today, any difference, however minute, causes others to turn away, leaving us feeling lonely and out of place. Some days are tougher than others. But this isn’t what God intended for his people.
Remember that in Genesis 1 and 2, God created Adam and Eve. We read that: “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). Before the Fall, the Lord dwelled among his people, Adam and Eve. They walked with God, they tended the garden, and everyone lived together in perfect harmony.
Just imagine that for a minute—walking with God, step by step, together. No sin, no sorrow, no disease, no death—nothing to separate you from him. Isn’t that an amazing thought?!
Friends, the truth is that one day we will again dwell with the Lord. Revelation 21:3 records this promise for us. John writes, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them and they will be his people.”
You see, God never wanted to be separated from his children. He never, ever planned it that way. But when sin entered the world, it separated us from God. That is, until Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose again from the tomb three days later.
Christ became the ultimate exile so that we could be reunited with our Lord.
May you find hope in this truth, peace in God’s promise, and power to continue living as an exile until our King returns to take us home.
Lord, thank you for sending Jesus to take my place as an exile. Give me patience as I wait for your return, and hope in the resurrection of your son, Jesus. Amen.
Benediction
The God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (I Pet. 5:10-11)