Daily devotional, May 29, 2024 The outcast
"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13
One of the reasons why most people find themselves anxious during the first days of school, work, or meeting with a new organization is the fear of being an outcast. We always want to belong. We may not exactly want to be a part of the popular group, but at the very least we want to have a group. Outcasts on the other hand find themselves alone, or in the company of fellow outcasts.
As followers of Jesus Christ, being an outcast should be the least of our concerns. Our Lord and Savior does not distinguish between the popular and the lone wolf and He looks beyond our group associations or stereotypes.
"The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”
Isaiah 56:8
For instance, Jesus was criticized for associating himself with considered sinners of the society. He dined with tax collectors, not because they were rich but because they were poor in spirit.
"And the scribes ofthe Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eatwith tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Mark 2:16-17
Our Messiah even afforded respect to those being shunned by society like the adulteress and the woman with five husbands. In biblical times, such women are placed in the lowest rung of the society and detested by the community. But Jesus did not condemn them. Instead, He drew near them when they tried to reach out to Him.
"Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”“No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
John 8:10-11
Same goes with the lepers, who even during the days of Moses are asked to live outside the city walls. Jesus drew near them, touched them, and healed them of their affliction (Matthew 8:3).
God even chose to first announce the birth of Jesus to another group of outcasts of the society — the shepherds. During biblical times, people looked down on shepherds because of their livelihood, how they looked and how they smelled. But still, the Lord’s angel appeared to them to bring the best news about the Savior’s birth.
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people."
Luke 2:8-10
So what do these stories mean for us? Whenever we feel like we do not belong, we should take heart that we are never alone. Whether our feelings of isolation is because of unfortunate yet uncontrollable circumstances or due to a sinful lifestyle, we should take heart that nothing can separate us from the Love of God. There is no sin that is beyond His forgiveness, if only we will ask for His forgiveness and repent.
Again whatever our circumstance, God sees us, and His presence is always with us. Before He died, Jesus promised us that when we abide in Him, the Holy Spirit will be with us and guide us.
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18
But what if we do not feel His presence? What if we feel like He is far away or distant? What if we have yet to have a personal encounter with Him? Well, we can always claim His promise to be near us when we call on to Him with a repentant heart:
"Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
James 4:8
All we need is to come to Jesus through earnest prayer that involves:
ADORATION — Praising God for who He is and how He revealed Himself to you in the past. For example: God of heavens, Heavenly Father, the God who heals, the God of Mercy, the God who protects and provides.
CONFESSION — Tell Him the sins that weigh your heart down, and bring you guilt and shame. Promise to step away from the sins, and ask for help to avoid the temptation to sin again. Ask for help to endure whatever natural consequences of the said sins, and the strength to live a godly life.
THANKSGIVING — Thank God for both the small and big blessings you received in your life.
SUPPLICATION — Tell God about the deepest prayers of your heart. You can also tell Him how you feel and how you want him to help you. Ask as well for guidance not just for the day but for the rest of your life.
After praying, you can read and reflect on the bible either through the help of a devotional book, or by choosing a chapter in the bible and reading a passage every day. Take a moment to reflect on what it means to your life, and how best to apply the lesson in your everyday living.
"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13
When we feel alone, we can always turn to Jesus. We can always bring everything to His feet as He is more than willing to listen. We then wait on Him to respond to us.
In the meantime, we should continue nourishing a relationship with Him by praying daily, and reading His words day after day. We should also intentionally study and reflect on His words. Of course, we should worship Him with other believers every Sunday, and live our faith every day of our life. We should also endeavor to share the gospel to others, so that they too will no longer feel like an outcast.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 27 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: What do you do when you feel that you are alone? Whom do you reach out to?
Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you that I do not feel alone because You are always with me. Thank you for Your abiding presence, and for promising that you will never abandon me. Amen.
