Category: Devotional

  • Redemptive Rhythms of Rest

    Redemptive Rhythms of Rest

    When we walk in step with Jesus, learning from Him, we find rest in the rhythm of our work.

    In our fast-paced world, the concept of rest often feels elusive and even peculiar. We are so ingrained in the “hustle” that productivity has become a modern idol, making a minute of doing nothing feel like an eternity wasted, or even immoral. Studies reveal that many full-time employees frequently skip lunch breaks or experience interruptions, leading to health complaints, even in countries where breaks are mandatory. Even high school students report feeling guilty about taking long breaks, indicating a widespread prevalence of hustle culture. This relentless pace leaves little room for the regular rhythms of rest, often making us feel awkward and out of place when we try to pause.

    However, the problem is not work itself. Work is a pre-fall construction, part of God’s original design for humanity. After creation, God blessed humans with the work of subduing the earth and having dominion over it. This work, exemplified by Adam naming creatures, wasn’t about God needing assistance, but about relational connection – God desiring to “Be with me, walk with me, do as I do”. Interestingly, rest was also introduced at the very beginning, with God modeling a rhythm of refreshment by resting on the seventh day from all His work. In both work and rest, God desired to be with His people.

    But sin entered the picture, distorting this beautiful design. Work, once a joyful connection, became about survival, cursed with pain, thorns, and thistles, requiring “the sweat of your face”. Similarly, rest was distorted; it was no longer for refreshment and connection but merely for recovery from cursed work, leaving us burnt out and weary.

    Recognizing this distortion, God introduced the Sabbath to His chosen people, Israel, after rescuing them from Egypt. The Sabbath was a taste of His pre-sin rhythm of rest and work, a day where all work ceased. This was not a secondary command; God took it very seriously, even making it a sign between Him and Israel that He sanctifies them, setting them apart. Beyond the weekly Sabbath, God structured their entire nation around elaborate rhythms, including yearly high sabbaths, sabbath years where the literal land would rest, and even a jubilee year for debt forgiveness and freedom. All these sabbaths were opportunities to escape sin-distorted work and reconnect with their Creator – to “be with Him, walk with Him, and do as he does”.

    However, the Israelites, influenced by the sin within them, often failed to enter this rest, desiring to have their own way rather than depending on God. They missed out on the true rest, as sin tempts us with the lie that we can be God, making us feel that we cannot stop working when there is so much to be done. Observance of Sabbath rest requires reliance and dependence on God, trusting that His work is finished.

    The good news is that there “remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God”. This rest is found in Jesus. He invites, “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”. Jesus fulfills the law, including the Sabbath, by doing what the law, weakened by our flesh, could not do. He finished His work on the cross, declaring “it is finished,” ushering in this Sabbath rest for us.

    When we accept Jesus’ invitation, we are yoked with Him. Just as a younger ox would be yoked with a seasoned one, with the older carrying the majority of the weight, Jesus bears the brunt of our burdens. His yoke is “easy” not because the load disappears, but because it fits perfectly and doesn’t chafe our neck. When we walk in step with Jesus, learning from Him, we find rest in the rhythm of our work.

    So, how do we incorporate this rhythm of rest into our lives? Don’t overthink it. The peculiarity others should notice in us is not just that we observe a particular day, but the perpetual rhythm of refreshment we walk in because we have “been with Jesus”. Pick a time – daily, weekly, monthly – make it regular, put it in your calendar, and go be with Jesus, walk with Him, and do as He does.

    Reflect:

    1. How do you personally feel about taking intentional time to do nothing, and what societal pressures contribute to those feelings?
    2. God’s original design for work was centered on relational connection, not just productivity. How might viewing your daily tasks or work through this lens change your approach or perspective?
    3. What practical steps can you take to “bake” spaces of reconnection with God into the fabric of your own daily or weekly calendar?
    4. Sin makes us desire to “be God” rather than “be with God,” leading to a struggle with stopping work and relying on Him. Can you identify times in your life when this desire for self-reliance has made true rest difficult?
    5. What does “taking Jesus up on his offer to be with him, walk with him and do as he does” practically look like in your life, especially when facing heavy burdens?

    What practical next step can you take based on this?

    Closing Prayer:

    Heavenly Father, we confess that we often get caught in the hustle of this world, allowing productivity to become an idol and rest to feel elusive. Forgive us for striving in our own strength and for forgetting Your original design for work as relational connection and rest as refreshment. Thank You for Jesus, our ultimate Sabbath rest, who bore the full weight of our burdens on the cross and now invites us to take His easy yoke. Help us to accept His invitation daily – to be with Him, walk with Him, and do as He does. May our lives reflect a peculiar, perpetual rhythm of refreshment that points others to You. Amen.

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  • Peculiar People: A Christ-like Walk of Love

    Peculiar People: A Christ-like Walk of Love

    Our greatest achievement as Christians is not merely obeying verses, but “living a life that most reflects the way he would live if he were you”. This means transforming our hearts to “become lovers of others,” rather than simply conforming to information.

    As followers of Jesus, we are called to be a “peculiar people”. This “peculiar” walk often means that our faith and life choices may appear “foolish” when viewed through the lens of popular culture. Our walk is not merely about adhering to a static set of rules, but about believing what Jesus says about who we are, who He is, and about others, profoundly shaping how we interact with the world.

    There is a distinction between living a “biblical life” and a “Christ-like life”. A biblical life, as exemplified by the Pharisees, often focuses on obeying rules and preserving identity through “boundary markers of purity and law”. They were deeply committed and biblically literate, believing their unwavering pursuit of obedience to the Torah would trigger God’s promised resurrection and restoration. However, their interpretation of scripture (Deuteronomy 21:22-23) led them to believe Jesus was cursed by God because he was hung on a tree, and his followers were seen as idolatrous sinners preventing God from saving the nation. This outlook, based on Scriptural reasoning, sometimes led to coercive power and even violence.

    The Apostle Paul, then known as Saul, was once a Pharisee deeply convinced he was serving God’s will by persecuting early Christians, even giving permission for the stoning of Stephen. He believed that the presence of “sinners” among God’s people was the main obstacle to salvation. This demonstrates how a deep understanding of scripture, when applied as a “static text without its broader context,” can lead to actions contrary to God’s ultimate will.

    Paul’s life took a radical turn when he had an intimate encounter with God’s presence on the road to Damascus. This encounter transformed him from a man living a “biblical life” to one pursuing a “Christ-like life,” motivated by love rather than the perfect preservation of biblical law. The irony is that Paul, who once despised foreign cultures and sought to purify Israel, was now sent by God to preach salvation to those very nations.

    It was this transformed Paul who later wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:1-6, declaring that even if one possesses spiritual gifts, knowledge, or performs great deeds, “but do not have love, I am nothing” and “I gain nothing”. This reveals that “all actions and beliefs are secondary to the command to love sacrificially”. Paul understood that “Jesus had become the ultimate revelation of all truth in the bible through the life he lived,” and following Him meant being “driven by love,” not just pursuing perfect obedience to law.

    Jesus Himself lived out this peculiar love, often appearing “peculiar and even improper” to those focused on the law. He didn’t let “theological problems in the lives of others become more important than a person to love”. Where the law condemned, Jesus showed grace: healing on the Sabbath, dining with prostitutes and tax collectors, and protecting a woman caught in adultery from stoning, while the Pharisees cited the law. He also ministered to a Samaritan woman, breaking traditional lines of separation.

    C.S. Lewis stated, “It is Christ Himself, not the Bible, who is the true word of God,” and that the Bible should not be used “as a sort of encyclopaedia out of which texts can be taken for use as weapons”. Our greatest achievement as Christians is not merely obeying verses, but “living a life that most reflects the way he would live if he were you”. This means transforming our hearts to “become lovers of others,” rather than simply conforming to information. The most important thing is “who you become,” as Dallas Willard believed. When we respond with love like Jesus, seeking to understand instead of judging like the Pharisees, we begin to “heal the root, not just the reaction”.

    Reflective Questions:

    1. Does my faith walk appear peculiar to popular culture?
    2. Where might my focus on rules hinder loving others?
    3. Am I pursuing a “biblical life” or a “Christ-like life”?
    4. How can I prioritize people over their theological problems or behaviors?
    5. What next step can I take to treat people as though Jesus died for them?

    What personal next step can you take?

    Closing Prayer:

    Heavenly Father, thank you for calling us to be a peculiar people, transformed by Your love. Forgive us for the times we have prioritized law over love, and judgment over grace. Just as You transformed Paul, we pray for transformed hearts, that we may truly become lovers of others, not just conform to Your word. Help us to filter all scripture through the life of Jesus and to walk as He walked, demonstrating His love and grace to everyone we encounter. May our lives reflect the way Jesus would live if He were us, seeing hearts, healing roots, and extending Your unfailing love. Amen.

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  • Peculiar People – Walking by Faith

    Peculiar People – Walking by Faith

    the miracle you want to see may be determined by the words you’re walking on. The royal official didn’t wait for a miracle he could see; he walked into it by faith on what Jesus had said, because “no word from God will ever fail”. You may fail, but He won’t, so keep walking.

    The Bible describes Christians as a “peculiar people”. This designation isn’t about being strange for its own sake, but about living in a way that often appears foolish or illogical to the popular culture around us. This is because “God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish”. Our faith walk is unique, directed by divine wisdom rather than what makes sense to the world.

    Consider the story of a royal official from John’s gospel, chapter 4, whose son was critically ill in Capernaum. Hearing that Jesus had arrived, he desperately sought Him out, begging Jesus to come and heal his son who was “close to death”. Given his political status, his association with Jesus would have been highly noticeable, and perhaps even negatively perceived due to royal officers’ connections with Herod. His desperate pursuit of Jesus for his child’s healing might have been understandable to observers.

    However, Jesus’ response was direct and peculiar: “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”. And here begins the truly peculiar walk: “The man took Jesus at his word and departed”. Imagine the scene: he had come seeking a healer to bring back to his home, but he returned “empty handed as though his son no longer needed intervention”. People might have assumed Jesus rejected him or that he simply gave up. Yet, the truth was, he was choosing to walk in what Jesus said.

    His initial journey towards Jesus was driven by what he saw—his dying son and Jesus’ proven ability to heal others. But his walk home was directed by what Jesus said, even though it might have seemed “foolish” to those watching. Observers would likely question, “How do you trust someone’s words over and above what you’ve seen with your own eyes!”. This walk seemed “weird” because he wasn’t being directed by the situation he saw, but by the words Jesus spoke. This illustrates a profound truth: the opposite of faith is not fear, it’s control. When we can “make sense of things,” it often creates the illusion that we have a level of control. Walking by faith, therefore, means taking Jesus “at his word”—walking with “what he said” steps, not steps dictated by what we see, assume, or can logically comprehend.

    The royal official’s belief in Jesus’ words meant he walked home without expecting Jesus to be physically present for his son’s healing. His peculiar, faith-filled steps led him to the miraculous news that his “boy was living”. It’s important to recognize that his faith wasn’t necessarily a simple, unwavering confidence; he may have struggled and “clung to with every step” to a “thinning grasp” of hope. Even a “mustard seed of faith” that allows us to “continue to walk on what Jesus said” is enough, because “For no word from God will ever fail”.

    Often, the “abundant life in Christ” we are “waiting for, may actually require us walking into it”. This isn’t just about external practices, but about our internal posture. Do we truly walk as though we believe what Jesus says about who He is, who we are, and about others?. The royal official had to walk home with an “intentional posture of expectation,” even when it felt “unnatural to his own default beliefs and perceptions”. He walked “in between a bad situation he could see, and a miracle of healing he had only heard spoken”. Yet, the reward for walking in faith was a miracle he could see.

    In the scientific world, “gait analyses” study what a person’s walk reveals about them, linking it to personality, emotional state, and confidence. This prompts us to ask: “What would your spiritual stride say to someone about your faith if they were able to analyse it?”. Are we walking with a “what I see” stride, or a “He said” step?. For instance, do we walk seeing ourselves as a “broken mess,” or as “His beloved masterpiece” as He said?. Do we perceive God as a “disapproving parent,” or do we take steps in line with His word that “whoever comes to me I will never drive away”?. Do we see others as “dark forces” and seek vengeance, or do we step in line with His command to “love our enemy”?.

    What needs to change in your walk today? What “attitudes, false beliefs and negative narratives” need to stop directing your spiritual posture, and what “life-giving words from Jesus need to be paved walked on as the next step in your stride”?. Remember, the miracle you want to see may be determined by the words you’re walking on. The royal official didn’t wait for a miracle he could see; he walked into it by faith on what Jesus had said, because “no word from God will ever fail”. You may fail, but He won’t, so keep walking.

    Reflect:

    1. How does my daily “faith walk” presently appear to those “indifferent to Jesus” in my world, and does it reflect the “peculiar” nature described in 1 Peter 2:9?
    2. In what specific areas of my life am I currently directing my steps based on what I see (my circumstances, popular culture’s wisdom, or my own assumptions) rather than explicitly on “what He said”?
    3. Where do I need to release the “illusion of control” in a situation and choose to trust Jesus’ words, even when it feels “foolish” or “unnatural” to my default perceptions?
    4. Considering the “gait analyses” analogy, what might my current “spiritual stride” be communicating about my faith, especially regarding how I see myself, God, and others?
    5. What “life-giving words from Jesus” do I need to intentionally “walk on” as my next step, believing that the “miracle I want to see may be determined by the words I’m walking on” rather than waiting for it to appear first?

    What next step do you personally need to take?

    Closing Prayer:

    Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your unfailing Word. Grant us the courage to be a “peculiar people,” walking by faith and not by sight. Help us to take You at Your word, to step forward with a posture of expectation, even when our circumstances scream otherwise. Guide our “spiritual stride” so that it reflects our belief in who You are, who we are in You, and how we are to love others. May we always choose to walk on “what He said,” trusting that the miracles we long for may be waiting for us to walk into them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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  • Mary – A Faith for the Real World

    Mary – A Faith for the Real World

    Our lives are a puzzle, and down here, we only see “imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror”. Faith is trusting that the pieces we cannot fit together now will one day form a beautiful, complete picture.

    The life of Mary was filled with “once off” circumstances we can never imitate. A virgin birth, angelic visitations, shepherds and Magi at her doorstep, and the profound mystery of raising a child who would never sin—these events set her apart. It’s easy to place her on a pedestal, seeing her as inaccessible. Yet, the core question her story poses is, “How does it relate to us?”. The answer lies not in her unique circumstances, but in her deeply human and relatable faith as she navigated a life of unimaginable divine purpose. Her journey is a profound example of real, unwavering trust in the face of the unknown.

    At the very heart of her story is a simple, yet world-changing “yes.” The angel Gabriel appeared to a girl of perhaps only thirteen or fourteen with a message that defied all logic. She was betrothed, a legally binding arrangement, meaning a pregnancy outside of her union with Joseph would be considered adultery—a crime punishable by stoning. She was “greatly troubled” and afraid, yet her response was immediate and resolute: “I am the Lord’s servant… May your word to me be fulfilled”. This was not a blind leap but an act of profound trust in the character of God, a choice to embrace His disruptive plan despite the immense personal risk and the certainty of scandal.

    Her journey immediately shows us that God does not leave us alone in our obedience. God’s kindness: “God knew Mary’s going to need a friend now”. Because who would believe her story? So the angel pointed her to her relative, Elizabeth. The moment Mary walked in the door, Elizabeth shouted in confirmation, “How privileged I am that the mother of my Lord has come to visit me!”. In that moment, God provided the comfort, confirmation, and community she desperately needed. This pattern of provision continued, as the Magi’s gifts of gold would later fund her family’s flight to Egypt, fulfilling scripture and keeping her son safe.

    However, faith does not exempt us from confusion or pain. Mary had to learn that while she was Jesus’ mother, she also had to become his disciple, a “big transition to make”. Imagine the panic of losing the twelve-year-old Son of God for three days, only to find Him in the temple. Her worried cry, “Didn’t you know we were worried about you?” was met with his perplexing response about being in his “Father’s business.” The scripture says she “did not understand,” but she “treasured everything in her heart”. This treasuring of mysteries would culminate in the ultimate pain, a pain foretold thirty-three years earlier when Simeon prophesied that “a sword would pierce her soul”. This prophecy became her reality as she stood at the cross, watching her son become a “bloody pulp, unrecognizable”.

    This is where her story intersects most powerfully with our own: the reality of suffering. It is often “totally inexplicable” and not something we deserve. When we suffer, it is not because “God is mad at you”. Rather, God uses it.

    “When he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold”.

    Job 23:10

    Suffering has a purifying effect. In a stunning paradox, the Bible says that even Jesus, who was perfect, “learned obedience through the things that he suffered”. If He did, how much more do we? Our lives are a puzzle, and down here, we only see “imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror”. Faith is trusting that the pieces we cannot fit together now will one day form a beautiful, complete picture.

    Ultimately, Mary is not a model we are called to imitate in detail, but an “example of a real person who trusted God as an individual”. The challenge is to ask, “What can I learn from Mary about living in faith in my real world?”. If she were here, she would tell us: “You can trust Him, even though life doesn’t turn out as expected. He is good and faithful, and He keeps His promises”. He knows your name, He holds you in His hands, and He will bring you safely home.

    Reflect:

    1. Mary said “yes” to God despite knowing the potential consequences. When have you felt God asking you to do something that felt frightening or uncertain? What can you learn from Mary’s immediate trust?
    2. God provided Mary with a supportive friend and confirmation in Elizabeth just when she needed it. Who has God placed in your life to encourage and support your faith during a difficult season? Take a moment to thank God for them.
    3. Mary experienced the deep pain of watching her son suffer, a pain foretold as a “sword” piercing her soul. Reflect on a time of suffering in your own life. How does the idea that suffering can have a “purifying effect” change your perspective on that experience?
    4. The sermon uses the analogy of life being a puzzle where we only see some pieces now. What parts of your life feel like confusing “puzzle pieces” right now? How can you practice trusting that “one day all those puzzle pieces are going to be filled in”?
    5. The final challenge is not to ask “How can I be like Mary?” but “What can I learn from Mary about living in faith in my real world?”. What is one practical lesson from her trust in God that you can apply to your own unique life this week?

    What personal next step can you take?

    Closing Prayer

    Father, we thank you for the example of Mary—for her courage, her trust, and her faithfulness in a life that did not turn out as she might have expected. Help us to trust you as she did.

    Now unto You, who is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the presence of Your glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

    Watch the sermon on Youtube.