Caribbean Moravian Devotions

Isaiah 29:15 –Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, ‘Who sees us? Who will know?

This text is written against the background of the prophet observing a people who seem to have given the impression that God does not know or see. The picture of God as the potter and the people as clay has also been presented. The clay is critical of, and displays a negative attitude of the potterÂ’s abilities (verse 16). They also displayed attitudes in which:
(a) The people reacted through apathy (vv9-10).
(b) Disbelief in the relevance of the prophetic word for the time (vv11-12).
(c) Formalism and hypocrisy was a norm (vv13-14).
(d) They depended on human scheme, planning for themselves instead of allowing God to be their guide (vv15-16). Continue reading "GIVE IT ALL TO JESUS"

Proverbs 10:28a – The hope of the righteous ends in gladness.

In the LASB-This verse is translated ‘The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked are in vain’.

The text is contrasting the blessings experienced by the godly as opposed to the ungodly. There is also the concept of the criteria that can be used to assess when a person is blessed or prosperous. For instance when God permits or bestows riches on someone, the recipient should be expected to view it as GodÂ’s gift. If by itself, riches is seen as the indicator of GodÂ’s approval, then it would bring into question the fairness of God. If riches represent divine blessing then one can accept it joyfully without guilt or embarrassment. If it is obtained in an ill gotten or corrupt means, then it ought to haunt the receiver. It was common in the times that this was being written that many merchants were dishonest. There was no uniform standard or equity in measurements. They unscrupously defrauded their customers. Some level of equity was attempted to regulate this situation in Israel when God prescribed the sanctuary shekel as a standard of weight for religious purposes. The law demanded the use of correct scales and weights (Lev.19: 35-36). For theÂ’ Redeemer of Israel was not only mighty, but also delighted in justice and honest dealings among his people. Continue reading "THE JUST GOD"

Psalm 90:4 –A thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night.

This Psalm is attributed to Moses, which would make it several years older than many other Psalms.

The first two verses acknowledge God as the eternal God and creator of the world and sustain this character from age to age, from the start to the end, from eternity to eternityÂ’. He is the everlasting refuge for humanity. He is the source of all our needs.

A NOTE - ‘A watch in the night’ (verse 4)–A watch for the Israelites were four hours and the night was divided into three watches. The reference to watches in the New Testament may differ since it might have been influenced by Roman determination, with four scheduled watches in the night. Continue reading "IN GOD’S HANDS"

Isaiah 45: 17 Israel is saved by the LORD
with everlasting salvation;
you shall not be put to shame or confounded
to all eternity.
The people of Israel knew all along that the Messiah would come one day and that He would save them as a nation. They looked forward to this time when their captivity by other nations would come to an end, when their being taken advantage of by other nations would come to an end, when indeed, they would be established as GodÂ’s chosen people among the nations and would take their rightful place as rulers of the kingdoms of this world. How far they were from the whole truth!

Continue reading "Unashamed!"

2 Chronicles 15:7 – But you take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded

ASA -This passage takes context in Jerusalem-with Asa as king of Judah.
Asa means physician, he brought religious reform to the kingdom.
He obeyed God and walked right for the first ten years of his reign
In the battle with the Assyrians he recognized that he had to depend on God inspite of the odds that he faced
He recognized that obedience was the key to success –and this spurred the king and the people for many years of right living.
His accomplishments included: carried out a partially successful effort to abolish idolatry, deposed his idolatrous grandmother, Maacah, and defeated EthiopiaÂ’s mighty army Continue reading "Never Be Weary In Well Doing"

Lamentations 1:20-See, O Lord, how distressed I am; because I have been very rebellious

BACKGROUND: The book of Lamentations is a collection of five poems lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem in 586.B.C, and it’s aftermath of ruin and exile. This passage is from the first poem-entitled ‘The sorrows of Jerusalem’. These poems are used by the Jews in worship at annual days of fasting and mourning. The triumph of the enemies over Jerusalem is noted and the writing acknowledges that God has brought this destruction on Judah because of her sins. The city had been captured and burnt and attacked by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. There is also the absence of a comforter. Continue reading "Confusion And Confession"

Job 12:4-If (God) tears down, no one can rebuild, if he shuts someone in, no one can open up.

In this chapter Job is pouring out his resentment against his ‘comforters’. He tells them that they seem to think they have the authority to speak for everyone and they are the only ones who have wisdom that matters. He lets them know in no uncertain terms that he too has much knowledge as well, and he is not inferior to them. Job sees them as rejecting him and are indicating that his suffering is due to God’s rejection of him. Job certainly knows differently and is relating to his challenges on a more mature basis and a higher plane. God is the author and finisher of all things; no one can alter his Divine plan. Job said his three friends need not explain of God to him. Everything they would have attempted to say to him .he already knows. In fact from their arguments it would show clearly that it was they who had a misunderstanding of how God works. His friends obviously misunderstood the reasons for his suffering. Although in a sense Job would not have grasped the full meaning of the experience he was going through fully as yet, they had no moral authority to advise him. Continue reading "The Matchless Plans Of God"

I canÂ’t say that I know what it is to be evicted or being forcefully REMOVED from somewhere. Some persons can relate to the feelings that come with being given a deadline by which to REMOVE themselves and their belongings. I do know though what it is to have to REMOVE yourself from a place because of the risks involved. Every day we all do some sort of REMOVING. It may be the simple REMOVING of garbage from the kitchen. Or we may more serious like having to REMOVE a cancerous growth from our bodies. It is so easy to always focus on what needs to be REMOVED that we pay little attention to the things that REMAIN. Our FF for today is this question: REMOVE OR REMAIN? Is it either or both?

Continue reading "REMOVE OR REMAIN?"

Jeremiah 31:34- No longer shall they teach one another,or say to each other ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord….

THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT BOMBARD US DAILY:
• To whom are we accountable when we go wrong?
• Are we responsible for what we do, or why should we be any way?
• Is there communal responsibility as opposed to individual responsibity or do both exist?
• Should responsibility be taught?
• Why should I be held accountable for the wrongs of a whole community? Continue reading "Accountability And Responsibility"

Psalm 69:13a-But I pray to you, O Lord, in the time of my favour; in your great love, O God, answer me with your salvation.

David was always going through many challenges. They seem all so familiar to our human conditions, feelings and emotions. He cried until he was physically exhausted .I can personally identify with these times when you become so low in spirit, that it affects you mentally and physically. He even had a parched throat and swollen eyes. How distressing! When the source of mental distress is caused by members of the household of faith .it is even more distressing.

David had faced periods of mocking, insults, became the object of city-wide gossips. He never gave up none-the-less. So often when we are beaten down we may be tempted to turn away from God. We feel like quitting and giving up. Continue reading "Tears - A Language That God Understands"

Zechariah 13: 9 - I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them.

GodÂ’s new kingdom will begin, but for this to happen, there must be a cleansing. All evil must be abolished. It is in this process that the one third is mentioned. This one third is a remnant from the LordÂ’s striking out the evil among the people. In v. 8 of the same chapter He says, In the whole land," declares the LORD, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it.

Continue reading "GodÂ’s Remnant"

For some of us living in the Caribbean our concept of TIME is not always defined what the clock or watch says. Visitors to our shores soon realize that there is such a thing called island TIME. For those who live by that, it simply means that the given TIME is only a guide not to be always followed. So you don’t have to get to the party exactly at the TIME printed on the invitation. When you live by island TIME you’re surprised when our airline is on TIME because it is always said that they leave island any TIME! However, once in a while such persons are guided by what’s on the clock and when they show up on TIME it may cause others who know their reputation to wonder if all is well. Each day you and I are driven by TIME be it the one that’s on our watches or the one that driven by our local cultural expectations. I want us to add to that duo today a third factor of TIME – GOD’s TIME. Our FF is IN GOD’S TIME!

Continue reading "IN GOD'S TIME!"

Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God, and
wander about for lack of food? Job 38:41

As I dropped off my children at school this morning, they drew my attention to a nightingale that was eating a grasshopper. They stood in amazement watching the spectacle. Reading todayÂ’s text my mind goes right back to that scene and I am thinking of the bounteous provision of our God for all His creatures. A hungry bird will always see a grasshopper, or a worm, or some seeds to satisfy its hunger. God provides for all of His creatures.


Continue reading "See and Believe!"

Psalm 48:9 – We ponder your steadfast love O God, in the midst of the temple.
The temple was based in Jerusalem, the ‘mountain city’. Its height is of significance. All can look up and see it. Can you imagine the impression to those who view it from the plains?

Those in Galilee can look up. It is primarily Gods city. He is present there and he defends it. We hear so much in the Psalms about GodÂ’s defence of Zion.

There must be a great spiritual significance for us: for we too must find a place where worship fills our being. This must be found in our daily relationship with God. Continue reading "His Steadfast Love Lasts Forever"

1 Kings 8:61a – Devote yourselves completely to the Lord our God

This text is written within the context of the dedication of the temple. In verses 12-21 of this chapter Solomon blesses the people. In verses 22—53 he says the prayer of dedication.

The dedication of the temple is recorded in verses 54 – 66. This was a momentous time in his life – and must have been a spiritual high point for him and the people. He had accomplished what his father David had postponed. It was like an overwhelming experience for the people too. In reading the entire text there are some other things that cannot be missed. Continue reading "Devote Yourselves To The Lord"