Fear Not
November 24, 2019 • Abigail Rose • Isaiah 41:8–10, Isaiah 43:1–3, 1 Peter 5:7
What’s your biggest fear? Heights? Spiders? Snakes? Death? Those are the common ones, but there are other fears that are a little too close for comfort. For example, teens (and adults) tend to get bombarded with a lot of social fears. There is so much pressure to have the perfect body, the perfect performance, the perfect “stuff”—or at the very least to look like your life is perfectly put together. There just doesn’t seem to be room for being human. . Society feeds into those fears because the world’s focus is not on pleasing God but on trying to make yourself or others happy. But guess what? Each person has a different idea of what makes them happy, so, ultimately, we’re all struggling with how elusive happiness is—but everyone is too afraid to admit it. And so, out of that fear, we as humans become so focused on superficial happiness that we become afraid of being open and honest with others about the deepest aspects of ourselves (including our fears). . As Christians, we don’t have to be wrapped up in and motivated by fear. God has made us in His image, and He has called us His children (Genesis 1:27; John 1:12). When we put our faith in Jesus, He gives us a new identity: His righteousness (Romans 3:21-22). In that identity, there is no fear—only true satisfaction and joy in knowing our Creator, even when our circumstances are less than happy. . I once read somewhere that the Bible says “do not fear” 365 times. Even if that number isn’t exact, it shows how much God cares about our fears. He knows our deepest thoughts, even before we know how to express them (Romans 8:26-27). He knows why we fear what we fear, and yet the Bible says He “has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). • Abigail Rose . • What are some fears you have, based on society’s pressures? . • What do you think God has to say about those specific fears? . • If you know Jesus, how can you live bravely knowing that God is always with you, even when you are fearful (Matthew 28:20)? . Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)
Serving the God of Life (Part 1)
November 16, 2019 • Taylor Eising • Isaiah 42:5, Mark 10:13–16, John 1:1–5
Editor’s Note: Today’s reading addresses abortion. . Our God loves life. Every creature on this planet is alive because of His incredible love. And He calls that life “very good” (Genesis 1:31). The natural consequence of God’s presence in the world is abundant life, but the natural consequence of sin’s presence in the world is death. One example of death in our world is abortion. . The Bible talks about life inside the womb several times. In Genesis 25:21-26, we hear about Jacob and Esau fighting before they are even born. In Luke 1:41, John the Baptist leaps in his mother’s womb when he meets the pre-born Jesus. God also makes it clear He knows and loves us before we are even born (Psalm 139:13-14; Jeremiah 1:5). . Although God loves life, sometimes people feel they have no choice but to abort their baby. Abortion is a heartbreaking decision to make. It comes from feeling alone, helpless, and hopeless. Satan loves to isolate us, insisting that there is no solution to the problems before us, so the only way out is death. . But that is a lie straight from the pit of hell. God, who is in absolute control over life and death, is with us in every circumstance. If He has created a life, however that life was created, He will provide a way to care for it. We are never, ever alone. God is with us, He loves us, and He is lavishing His incredible grace on us. . God loves life so much that He sent Jesus to defeat sin and death. He did that so all life, including ours, could be reconciled to Him in love and peace (Colossians 1:20). One day, He will come back to resurrect all His people from the dead, killing death once and for all (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). In the meantime, celebrate the God of Life. • Taylor Eising . • How can you show God’s love to people who have had or who are considering an abortion? . • How can living as a loving community of believers focused on Jesus make it easier for people with unexpected pregnancies to care for their babies? . He [God] created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. Isaiah 42:5 (NLT)
On God's Palms
November 11, 2019 • Cheryl Elton • Isaiah 49:15–16, Romans 8:35–39
Do you ever wonder, "Where is God now? Doesn’t He love me?" . Isaiah 49:15-16 presents one of the most beautiful expressions—in all of Scripture—of God’s everlasting love for His people. . Here God contrasts His love with perhaps the closest of human bonds: that of a mother with her nursing child. As unlikely as it is, a woman could forget her child. Yet God says He will never forget us. . He has inscribed—some translations even say “tattooed”—us on the palms of His hands! . Why is this significant? Because our palms contain some of the most sensitive areas of skin on our bodies. Getting a tattoo on your palm is not only extremely painful but can also take months to heal. . Yet when God says, “I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands,” He is using figurative language to say He would go to the excruciating pain of having our name tattooed on His palms so that we would ever be before His face. In Christ, we are His people, and He loves us so much that He has literally gone through great pain to be with us (Isaiah 53:5-6; John 3:16). . Your name inscribed on God’s palm represents all of you—your fears, loneliness, circumstances, desires, and dreams. Everything that concerns you is always before Him. . He loves you. •Cheryl Elton . • Our sin separates us from God, but because He loved us, Jesus—who is God—endured pain on the cross so that we could have a relationship with God through faith in Him. How could this truth change your perspective when God’s love feels distant? . • Read Psalm 42. Here David struggles with acknowledging God’s love while feeling far from it, even crying out to God, “Why have You forgotten me?” (verse 9). How can this psalm provide comfort to you? . See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. Isaiah 49:16 (NKJV)