Christian Daily Devotionals

By Roderick Marshall

And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 
Matthew 14:28-29(ESV)

My wife Caroline says sometimes I am too soft with Zoë, my 18 month old, which in truth I am. However, it has been demonstrated, when Caroline has gently said: no, Zoë stops straight away - almost, once she has realised there is not going to be a change in the final outcome! Zoe is growing in trusting our judgment. OK, so there may be the occasional episode of a head-bang on the floor to show frustration – and Zoë does the same sometimes too!  !:>)}

She can now shuffle down the stairs, with the aid of a helping parent to keep her safe. However, I am not averse to offering a “carry” every now and then, despite her weight, just for the joy of having a bundle of love and friendship up close for a moment before she runs away again.

I beckoned to her the other day that I would carry her, so she ran out of the bathroom, straight across the landing, and out into the fresh air above the second step of the stairs, and straight into my arms. She was so fast that I had to use all my strength; I guess she dropped three or four inches, trusting in my embrace, as I reached out for the fulcrum of her out-stretched arms. I was a little taken aback, but she knew nothing of my alarm! She only knew with certainty: dad would catch her, and he did.

I believe Jesus delights in us today, especially those who come to Him with the same childlike faith rushing forward with determination. Whatever our situation, He will always receive us as we run towards Him.

If He commands it today, are we confident enough in our relationship with Jesus to step out - in body, mind, and spirit - to take that all important first step?

PRAYER: LORD, Your love for us is more than we comprehend: despite worldly appearances and lies from the Devil, because bad things happen to us here on earth. Your Love for us is eternal.
Forgive us when we doubt Your love for us, or the capacity that You have to catch us when we fall, hold us close when we are down, or lift us up when no one else will, in Jesus’ name, amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/03/11/rm_catching/

by Rod Marshall

“And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.” Revelation 8:3-4 (ESV)

I have been very ill recently and there is no doubt that God has been, and is, with me through this experience, traumatic as it has been.

I had become jaundiced and infected, very ill, and was admitted to hospital. The upshot was, as I got sicker, so my mental faculties left me; until eventually all was stripped away except God. There was no room for anything else because I was so ill. For a big baby like me who avoids hospitals,  needles, and endless blood-sampling, it was great. I had no space for fear or apprehension. There was just God and me together.

Now you could put all this down to kind of euphoria from the state I was in. However, I had a picture given to me whilst in this state to explain what was happening. This is the picture:

As I looked into darkness I could see something like an assembly line of a tinned product. This was a single line of tins encased by four open sides of bright metal. Rather than going horizontally, this assembly line came up from the darkness and then turned at an angle into a horizontal fixed point on a transparent wall where light was shining. As the many “tins” rolled up and entered into the light of the expanse, they immediately burst forth into a shimmering gold dust that spread out and drifted gently downwards into the darkness towards me.

I understood these were the many prayers of the saints being sent up from earth into the heavenly realms. As they reached into heaven they were blessed by God, and returned to earth to accomplish their mission. It was these very prayers, as an act of God’s grace shown towards me, which I believe took away all my fears and anxieties.

PRAYER: LORD, thank you so much for Your peace which passes all understanding and the fellowship of prayer. Your desire for us to be intimately involved in Your purposes for us here on earth, through prayer and action. We thank you for the faithfulness of the saints and your desire to answer prayers.

Please forgive us when we doubt You hear our prayers, and enable us to trust in Your love for us, even when we cannot see it, to know that it is there. For which we rejoice and give You thanks and praise in Jesus’ name, amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/01/22/rm_conveyor/

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by Rod Marshall

"Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no handles'? Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?' or to a woman, 'With what are you in labor?'"
Isaiah 45:9-10 (ESV)

I went into town the other day and was attracted by the sound of a woman's voice reverberating off the surrounding buildings. As I came closer to the point of origin, I found a very smart woman speaking on her mobile phone. By her tone of voice, I could tell she was not happy with the other person. She walked this way and then that: back and forth looking. Not wishing to get a firm rebuke, I passed by and continued on my errand.

On my way back from this chore, I was surprised to find the same person still talking on the telephone. This time her voice was almost into the supersonic sound range as her frustration discharged into the street. To me she sounded reminiscent of a gaggle of tropical fruit bats chattering away as they fight over their food. Reflecting on personal experience, I thought it best to leave well alone because she seemed not to be dismayed, just emotionally aggressive. I presume someone was in for trouble when they finally met up. I hoped for his sake, it was not a first date!

As I wandered off and I realised that this had to be written down.

No amount of remonstrating was going to make any difference. I believe she needed to be still, listen to an understanding voice and clear directions.

Lately, I have allowed the inner little boy to get the better of me, in my talk with God. I have remonstrated with God about my personal circumstances. I have been presumptuous and proud, like the clay telling the potter how it wants to be formed. Now I have confessed my error and so I have been forgiven. What a joy it is to find my way into His presence! Jesus said: "follow me".

Luke 9:23:- And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (ESV)

PRAYER: LORD, please quieten our hearts and minds, enable us to let you have your way in our lives, and guide our path today, in Jesus' name. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/12/04/rm_where-are-you/

by Roderick Marshall
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“For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness�? Psalm 95:7-8 (ESV)

I hope to reach the terminus of my Bible journey as I read from the book of Genesis towards Revelation. It has been a familiar task in the past, though, if I am honest, perhaps not so familiar to me now as it once was. Sporadically, I have shed some of the enthusiasm I once had when I first discovered that the prayerful reading of the pages of scripture revealed glimpses of God's nature.

Last night was one of those occasions. My problem was that I was not truly focused on the task: reading the Bible. My lack of prayerful preparation had prevented me from going deeper into the Word.

I can imagine the order ringing out from below: "Christian without prayer or preparation reading the Bible - send out the befuddlers!" They were to build on my folly by speaking a disparaging word or two to tell me that it was all a waste of my time.

In a reaction, a word from God rose up to the surface of my being. Found in Revelation 3:15, it was originally spoken to the Church of Laodicea, stored in my mind from an earlier reading. I was like them in danger, too cool in my attitude towards my God. Like them possibly no longer worthy of his Loving embrace. They had tolerated compromise and indifference in their relationship with God. Quickly, I went back into God's presence to offer a more focused heart and mind. There I found Him waiting.

I would like to think that He smiled approvingly, as a father, who sees in the action of his child, evidence they have heard and understood His call to Wisdom.

Psalm 95:7-8 (ESV) - Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts..

If unwittingly, like me, you find yourself with some apathy, hear the call to wisdom.

PRAYER: Lord, we rejoice that You are not the distant and indifferent God some would tempt us to believe in. Guide us, as we travel through today, encourage us to be whole-hearted for Your Kingdom trusting in Your Love. May Your Fragrance fill our being. Please promote in us a pleasing desire for Your Word today. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/09/25/rm_listening/