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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Saturday, August 2, 2003 "Steady Streams" |
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Frontline Devotion for Saturday, August 2, 2003 by Pastor Dave Sonnenberg
One of the lessons that I looked at recently as I was preparing a devotion was the story of Jesus’ temptation. In that story, Jesus is in the wilderness for 40 days where he is tempted by Satan in a variety of ways. At each point, Jesus rejects Satan’s advance. I read the story in several versions of the Bible, but the one that grabbed hold of me was from Eugene Peterson’s contemporary translation of the Bible, called the MESSAGE.
In that version, Jesus refuses to turn stones to bread and says, “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.” (Matthew 4 in “The Message”)
I found that passage jumping out at me because it was an image I could connect to. When I think of steady streams, my first image is that of a stream. My father in law taught me to fly fish a few years back. While fly fishing, 90% of the time you are standing in the water or slowly moving upstream. The water would look very peaceful and slow moving, but when standing in it you recognize how truly powerful it is. A steady stream simply can’t be stopped. Like the energizer bunny, it keeps going and going and going.
In this culture, we have steady streams of things that are powerful, yet not always helpful. As a 21st century Christian, it is imperative that we learn to recognize the steady streams in our world. There are steady streams of: 1) violence; 2) sexuality for profit or entertainment; 3) self gratification messages; 4) despair; 5) fear and skepticism; 6) gossip; 7) victory at all costs; 8) scandal.
As I say those things, I recognize that a lot of you will be able to add to the list of things that are steady streams for you. We can be formed by the steady streams that I mentioned in the preceding paragraph or we can be formed by the steady stream of God. Like a good fly fisherman, you and I need to learn to plant our feet in the Word of God. To plant our feet in the word of God requires more than simply saying “I’m a Christian”. It requires us to be intentional in the way we live our life. I find that the more I take time to live intentionally by worshipping with an open heart, reading scripture, trying to grow in prayer, trying to grow as a giver- I find that slowly but surely God reveals his purposes. Like water in a stream, when you are planted in God’s path- you realize that it is a powerful force that can’t be stopped.
The other thing I believe is that when we learn to live in the steady streams of God’s word, we have answers and hope to stand against the alternative steady streams of God’s word.
Plant yourself in the steady stream of God’s Word.
Teach us to live in the midst of that path. Help us to immerse ourselves in your Words. Help us to immerse ourselves in conversation with you. Teach us to immerse ourselves in your ways. Reveal to us the joys that overcome the steady streams in our culture that fail to nourish the heart and soul. Amen
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry. Pastor Dave welcomes and appreciates feedback. pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org.