Prayer for Saturday: Lord God, I praise and magnify Your name and thank You for setting Your seal upon my inmost being, not leaving me to my own poor selfishness and sin, but calling me to be an heir of Your eternal Kingdom. I bless You for that knocking at my heart's door that warns me of Your waiting presence. I bless You for Your hand upon my life, and for the sure knowledge that, however I may falter and fail, yet underneath are Your everlasting arms. Grant that in every hour of today I may stay close to You. Let me be in the world, yet not of it. Let me use this world without abusing it. If I buy, let me be as though I possessed not. If I have nothing, let me be as though possessing all things. Let me today embark on no undertaking that is not in line with Your will for my life, nor shrink from any sacrifice which Your will may demand. Suggest, direct, control every movement of my mind; for my Lord Christ's sake. Amen.
Scripture Reading for Saturday: Genesis 12-15
Scripture Reflection for Saturday: Today's journey in God's word visits Genesis 12-15.
In Genesis 12, we see that God’s covenant motivates missions. God called Abram to receive His blessing in order to be a blessing to all nations. How much more the new covenant in Christ’s blood calls the church to make disciples of all nations. God’s covenant people must be willing to give themselves away to reach the world for Christ.
In Genesis 13, we realize that God’s promises to multiply Abram’s offspring and give them dominion over the land found partial fulfillment in the days of Solomon. But they point further to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Those who follow in the footsteps of Abram’s faith are being multiplied in every nation and will one day inherit the earth. Christians may therefore claim these promises and be optimistic about the church’s future. Following Christ may result in worldly losses and suffering injustice, but one day a great multitude that no one can number will reign with Christ in the new heavens and earth.
In Genesis 14, we realize that the church faces overwhelming odds but overcomes. How? First, our God is the Most High, the Creator and Possessor of all things. His power guarantees our victory. Second, believers have a Priest and King to bless us, Jesus Christ, after the order of Melchizedek. His intercession guarantees that God will bless His people despite their sins and not curse them as they deserve. This makes them more than overcomers in Christ Jesus.
In Genesis 15, we see that God’s promise of salvation comes to us in our hopeless inability to save ourselves. In our own strength, we are as spiritually barren as Abram and Sarai. But, by the Spirit’s grace, if we trust in the promise of Christ in the gospel, the righteous Judge will declare us righteous in His sight. You have warrant to trust Christ, for the Lord has established His promise in a covenant. It depends not on your worthiness—not even on how strong your faith and deep your repentance is—but on the Lord alone, who shed His own blood to save the church.
Daily Teaching (Catechism) for Saturday:
(8.5) The Lord Jesus has fully satisfied the justice of God, obtained reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those given to him by the Father. He has accomplished these things by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he once for all offered up to God through the eternal Spirit (John 17:2; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:14; Romans 3:25, 26).
May God help you to grow in Christ today,
