By: Erin M Diericx
A devotion given on Isaiah 64:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, and Mark 13:24-37.
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
May the mediation of my heart and the words of my mouth be acceptable to you, O Lord.
As Isaiah laments, as people lament for their dying family members and friends alone, as individuals and families struggle financially, as the world cries out for some relief, it feels as though God has hidden himself from us for we have sinned and turned away from him (Isaiah 64:5).
As human beings, we cannot deny we have sinned, because it is apart of the human condition. Since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, all human beings are born into sin and are unable to be in prefect union with God; their relationship with God is broken, yet it still exists, because each human being is created according to imago Dei. The relationship between the Triune God and human beings still exists, because God the Father sent his begotten son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins.
According to Apostle Paul, we receive grace through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:4), which allows us to know God, to feel his presence in the world, to feel and know his peace that is within us. Apostle Paul prays the testimony of Christ to be strengthen within the Corinthians, within us, so they and we could receive spiritual gifts as they and we wait for Jesus Christ to be revealed (1 Corinthians 1:6-7). The spiritual gifts are the work of God through us, though not everyone uses them to further the good news. Nevertheless, the spiritual gifts are what unites all Christians together since God gives each individual different spiritual gifts to be used together in order to benefit of the whole Christian fellowship. As Isaiah writes, “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isaiah 64:8 NRSV). God molds us by giving us the spiritual gifts we need to serve our community in order to further his work in the world.
With the strength and grace through Jesus, we are able to face the pending end (1 Corinthians 1:8); the pending end where the battle between the good and the evil, between God and Satan will come to a head, and where the Triune God will triumph over Satan for one last time and there will be a new Jerusalem, which all disciples of Jesus Christ will enter and worship the one true God.
However, the battle between God and Satan first has to be endured. As long as we are still in the world where Satan reigns, we still have to endure the attacks of Satan—death, illness, war, stress, poverty—being without the essentials of food, clothes, and shelter, feeling alone, and more.
Being a Christian is not easy; it comes with responsibility to do God’s work in the world by using our spiritual gifts and sacrificing ourselves at times. When Satan attacks, we must not fall of his traps but counterattack with God’s love, wisdom, peace, and grace.
Therefore, Jesus commands us to “keep alert,” because “Heaven and earth will passed away, but my words will not passed away” (Mark 13:31, 33 NRSV). To illustrate his point, Jesus tells a parable of how a master leaves his slaves in charge of an estate and tells the doorkeeper to keep watch, because he does not know when he will return (Mark 13:34, 36). Since we, like the doorkeeper, do not know when Jesus will return, we must keep alert; we must stay faithful to God, even when the enemy attacks; we must continue to use our spiritual gifts to further God’s work in the world, so we will be ready for Jesus Christ’s return, ready to enter the new Jerusalem, ready to receive eternal life, ready to worship the Triune God in his kingdom.
With the pandemic, with families loosing members, with individuals and families struggling financially, with the nation struggling to come together, it would be easy to loose hope, to loose your faith. The struggles are real; the fears are real; the worrying with its sleepless nights are real; there is no denying these things. What is also true is the hope found in God, in Jesus Christ, his begotten son and our Lord and Savior. God is with us. God still gives us spiritual gifts to overcome these struggles; he holds us when we feel defeated; he hears us when cry out. Draw upon God’s wisdom, peace, and love in the coming days, months, years, decades as you continue to live in the light. Now let me do what God calls me to do daily, even hourly: to pray with anyone who comes to me with laments and praises, because at times praying only seems the adequate thing to do; because my owns words of comfort will fall short; because praying reminds people to turn to God.
O Lord, we are struggling as individuals, as communities, as nations, as your children. We come to you with heavy burdens that only you can contend with.
We lift up the sick and dying. May they feel your comfort and peace, and grant those who have died entrance into your heavenly kingdom.
We lift up those who are struggling to provide the essentials of food, shelter, and clothes for their loved ones and themselves. Grant the individuals and families the courage to ask for help, and for others to answer the call.
We come together, although physically apart, as one voice, one body, because we are never truly alone, especially when we turn to you. Please continue to call upon us to do your will in the world by blessing us with spiritual gifts, through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, with the Holy Spirit now and always. Amen.