PrayerBits
A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church
Wednesday
Scripture lesson: Deuteronomy 4:31-39 A chosen people
Time to reflect: It was not unusual for a nation to feel they had a pet god to take care of them. Such gods were viewed as being limited to a particular geographical area. It was unusual if not unique for Israel to think that their god was the God of all people and all territories. They didn't just happen to live in a god's territory, but The God, had specifically chosen them for special attention. The implications of this they always struggled with. Some took it as a right of birth, others a privilege, others a responsibility. Isaiah and other felt it was so they would be a “light unto the nations” that this was a method for God to reach all humans everywhere by putting “agents” on the ground. Sometimes Israel were good agents and sometimes they weren't.
In Christian theology, we view the Church as God's new Chosen People (not supplanting, but in addition to) and new agents.
Moving through the day: What kind of agents of God is the Church of today? Pray that today you may be a good agent, representing God in the world.
For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.
The Lord Is God
Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created man on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived? 3Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by miraculous signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides him there is no other. From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. Because he loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength, to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.
Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.
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