Delores Liesner
Activating Faith in everyday life
Devotions – Past – Present – or Future?
Do you have daily devotions or journal your thoughts and prayers as you read God’s Word?
Many believers do, and I am no exception. A Christian friend and I were walking and sharing our devotions when a mutual friend who used to be a co-worker joined us and asked what on earth we were talking about and did she understand correctly but had we already done that this morning and why?
Lots of questions, that my walking partner answered well in that we spent a brief time with God dedicating the rest of our hours and efferts of the day to Him because it gave us peace, comfort and motivation for the day. Basically Devotions are times of focusing on God – usually through Bible reading and prayer.
We chatted later about the different ways people have of doing devotions.
Devotions can be past, present or future.
The present – prayers and petitions for this moment – this situation – this hope and need in my life.
The future – Prayers and petitions for unknown coming events, generations, issues, and solutions of a wider scope.
The past – Examining how I lived yesterday – according to directions and guidance that were God-given or in my own strengths (or weaknesses) – prayers and petition to make needed changes for today. (Often ending with prayer that I would do better the next day).
Studying Biblical names of God helps to focus on all three of these life/times in my devotional moments – here are two examples:
El: means God, great, mighty, strong, prominent – Genesis 28:3 “And may God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples.”
Almighty – Having absolute power; all-powerful
Actions of creation: Bless You – Make you (fruitful) – multiply you
Company of peoples: an assembly of people, for holy purposes, consisting of people from the same tribe – same generational purpose
The verse/thought in my words: God – the only absolute, all powerful, all mighty and strong one, is the only one with the right and power to bless me, by making me fruitful, and to multiply me, that my little light could multiply and become an entire tribe with the same holy purpose – to honor and glorify the Lord.
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Elohim
(a plural noun meaning more than two) God, three or more – creator, preserver
Genesis 17:7 “And I (Elohim) will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.
Covenant – A legally binding agreement; a compact. Everlasting.
Elohim WILL establish HIS covenant between Him and (me) and my descendants
The covenant: to be God to me and to my descendants
My email address (lovedliftedandled) reminds me daily that I am
Loved by the Father
Lifted by the Son and
Led by the Spirit
Elohim
The Father, Son and Spirit have established (instituted (as a law) permanently by enactment; made firm or stable ; to bring into existence : to put beyond doubt) an everlasting agreement with me to be God to me.
To be God to me… God – from Webster’s dictionary: the supreme or ultimate reality, the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe; a person or thing of supreme value.
From these thoughts I underline or highlight a challenge or encouragement for my day
My challenge for today and for all my life, really – do I (let) God be God in my life? Do I recognize Elohim as being perfect in power (if I do, why would I turn to any other power including my own?). Do I bow to Elohim’s wisdom and goodness as the ultimate (if I do, why do I seek other wisdom or offer my own ‘wisdom’ to others?). Do I worship Elohim as the creator and ruler of my universe – as one of supreme value to me?
All these questions have already been answered with one. Someone once said to look back at the end of the day your review reveals
‘the way you lived your life today IS the way you live your life.’ –
The question: Could others tell that I enjoy the permanent, firm, unwavering love of Elohim?
How about you? How do you do devotions? Past, Present, Future or All three? Is there a name of God that has special meaning for you?
Be the Miracle! – with journaling pages
Delores Liesner: Author
American Christian Fiction Writers Association
Delores Liesner 