December 13 – Grace and Truth

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NASB)

The signs of Christmas are all around us. Drive through Christmas themed parks, popular movies, even the commercials and advertisements which push the common Christmas message which began two months ago. We've seen the lights for some time and are now hearing the music of Christmas carols and seasonal holiday songs.  The true meaning of this celebration is found in today's verse from the first chapter of the Gospel of John. It tells us what those who saw Jesus when He was here on earth understood of the event that we celebrate at Christmas.  As a disciple who knew and walked with Jesus, John says that they got to see His glory. John was not with the shepherds near Bethlehem who saw God's glory the night Jesus was born. The glory Peter, James and John saw when Jesus was transfigured and his glory was manifest, and the glory other disciples saw was in His person because He was God in human form. This Christmas season, remember the promise of grace and truth and that Jesus is with us today we we can see His glory in the things He does for us because He lives in us.  

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August 15 – No shifting Shadows and Stable Source

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.  James 1:17 (ESV)

Have you ever noticed how if you remain long enough in one place, the shadows around you do move? Perhaps on a hot day you find the perfect shady spot to park your car and when you come back it is in direct sunlight.  The longer we live in this world, the more we realize that things are constantly changing. Some changes can be predicted and prepared for. Other changes are not so easy to predict. Our verse today reminds us of shifting shadows we have seen. We realize that as shadows change it is because the source of light casting them is constantly changing – or the object, like a light fixture casting the shadow is being moved.  To keep a shadow from moving we need to stabilize the source of light and the object as well. This verse identifies our Father God as the Father of lights.  His light shining on us is constant and unchangeable. He will always love us. Things around us may change but He remains and His goodness will always be there for us. Let's stand firm in His light and our shadow will not be shifting.

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January 8 – No Shadow Shifting

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”  -James 1:17  (NASB)

We have been finding and pondering promises from the letter James wrote.  Today’s promise is one of certainty about the gift Giver.  Every truly good thing, and all the perfect gifts we receive come from God.  When it comes to God’s Word there is no such thing “individual truth” or “truth the way I see it.”  Our personal opinion and faulty understanding can only produce various shadows of what we want the truth to be.  The result is that kind varies from one to another.  Believing this kind of truth is like trying to keep our shadow. It is constantly changing and it comes and goes depending on our surroundings.  God’s truth is one of the perfect gifts that comes from above and it is always without variation.  It is has no shifting shadows because Truth only comes from the Father of lights. There is only one light shining on it and that light is the Word of God as given in the Bible.  

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August 15 – Stable Source

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 (NIV)

The longer we live in this world, the more we realize that things are constantly changing. Our verse today reminds us of shifting shadows and we can think of shadows like that which we have seen. We realize that when shadows continually change is is because the source of light causing them is constantly changing – or the object casting the shadow is being moved.  To keep a shadow from moving we need to stabilize the source of light and the object as well. This verse likens the source of light to the Father of heavenly lights and that source is stable. His light shining on us is constant. He will always be the same. He will always love us. Things around us may change but He remains and His goodness will always be there for us. Let's stand firm in His light and our shadow will not be shifting.

February 25

“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God.” Isaiah 50:10 (NIV)

What should we do when the way seems dark ahead of us and we wonder how things will end? Isaiah gives an answer. If we were to read on, in the next verse we would hear the prophet warning people against looking for their own lights, lighting their own torches when it got dark. Our verse reminds us what to do. Trust the Lord and depend upon Him to show us the way. That’s better than trying to do it by ourselves. I’m so glad we have a God who will be with us in times of need.