Daily devotional, January 31, 2024 Fine print
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:27
One of the usual complaints received by service companies is due to the failure of most customers to read through the fine print. The fine print is literally written in fine print, that it is almost obscure to the eye. It contains details or conditions that may not be as attractive as the unique selling point of the item or the service. Nevertheless, it is an important detail of the service contract.
Examples of these include getting tied to the contract for X number of months or years, and the requirement to pay for an earlier disconnection. Or that such food should be consumed within X number of days, lest it will not be as fresh anymore, or that the item cannot be returned for money.
The Christian Life on the other hand does not give us false hopes nor confidence. Our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ is always upfront to us when it comes to following Him. He tells us that we will indeed have a hard time in our journey towards the Eternal life that He has promised, but He vows to be with us all the way. The Gospel of Matthew clearly stated Jesus’ declaration for those who want to be his disciple:
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
Matthew 16:24
Jesus Christ does not sugarcoat things. He tells us what following Him will entail. And He encourages us that we, too can endure, because He has gone through the same troubles, and He came out victorious. And that with Him, no matter how difficult it may seem to navigate the current season of our life, we can conquer the challenges if we walk hand in hand with him.
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
In the Old Testament, Moses recalled how defeating the nations the Lord has called the Israelites to dispossess, seem insurmountable. He described their enemies and the battle that lies ahead with all honesty, but assures them that the Lord will be true to His covenant to give them the Promised Land.
“Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’ Know therefore today that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the Lord your God. He will destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the Lord has promised you."
Deuteronomy 9:1-3
That same honesty remains true for all of us today. God does not promise that if we follow Him, we will never experience trouble or hardship. What He promises is that He will be with us, WHEN we experience those, and not IF we experience those.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."
Isaiah 43:1-2
He tells us that we will certainly go through deep and dark valleys in our journey, but He will be there to deliver, guide and protect us if we will only follow Him as the Shepherd of our lives. That through it all, His covenant will remain and all we need to do is to fix our eyes on Him.
This is the exact same message of St. Paul the Apostle to the Roman Church as he encouraged them to continue living in the spirit so that they can continue to endure their current difficulties.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
Romans 8:18
So as we walk our journey of faith, we should live out on a daily basis habits that will bring us closer to the Lord. Habits that allow us to continue to dwell in His presence. We should seek Him first thing in the morning through our quiet time and prayer. Read His words, and live out what we have learned. His truth should shine on us every single day, and throughout each of everyday. And as He pours into our cup, we should make sure that we pour Him out into others too, especially to those who have yet to know Him.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 and Matthew 16:24-28 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you count on Jesus to help you endure your sufferings or do you still rely on your own strength?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for setting our expectations as we decide to follow you. Your deliverance and love are enough for us because we want to be with you for eternity. Amen.