enchante 4,542 Posted February 4, 2019 Share Posted February 4, 2019 our 21 day reading plan begins today! PART 1 DEVOTIONAL Devotional The Winter is Past In these verses, we see the lover coming to His beloved. He comes to rouse her from sleep, perhaps, or her inactivity, and to “arise†and “come awayâ€. He describes a beautiful scene of a fresh season – the winter is past, the cold rains have come and gone, the earth is bursting with new life. This is a beautiful picture of Jesus, the Lover of our souls, who comes to invite us, His beloved, into the new season that is upon us. He is bringing back to life the things that have gone to sleep and filling our hearts with the sounds of renewal just like when the cold barrenness of winter gives way to spring. It is a call to arise. The lover calls his beloved to stir from her passivity, leave cosy familiarity, and step out into something new. In the same way, we need to respond as God calls us, to be willing to stir ourselves from passivity, and to leave the familiar behind, and be willing to step out into something new. It is a call to let Him lead. The fruitfulness the lover describes to his beloved – the new season, the rains are gone, the blooming flowers, the chorus of birdsong, fruitful fig trees, fragrant grape vines – were experiences waiting outside her door. Yet, she would not experience any of it unless she responded and allowed Him to lead her out. In the same way, as we follow the Lord into the new season, we can trust that He is moving us on to better things. It is a call to intimacy. The lover wanted to spend time with his beloved, He wanted her to enjoy him. Let us respond to this divine invitation to grow deeper in love with Jesus, to lean closer into Him and to know Him more. Let’s begin this new season by returning to our first love and to the Lover of our souls. Reflection In what areas of your life do you sense that God is doing a new thing? Or do you desire for Him to do a new thing? What are some things that you need to leave behind – old habits, ways of thinking, preferences or relationships – in order to experience something new? Prayer Dear Lord, I say ‘yes’ to Your invitation to arise and follow You. Help me to leave behind my comforts and earthly securities. I choose to start this new season by returning to my first love for You. VERSES SONG OF SONGS 2:10-13 10 My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. 11See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. 12Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. 13The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.†GALATIANS 1 1Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2and all the brothers and sisters 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15; 4:12, 28, 31; 5:11, 13; 6:1, 18. with me, To the churches in Galatia: 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. No Other Gospel 6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! 10Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Paul Called by God 11I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. 13For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus. 18Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas1:18 That is, Peterand stayed with him fifteen days. 19I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. 20I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. 21Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.†24And they praised God because of me. make sure you come join us in the official thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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