Joni And Friends 9 January 2024 Devotional Message
Joni and Friends 9 January 2024 Devotional Tuesday Message. As you study today’s devotional, remember this; “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)
TOPIC: Acts of God
“Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?” – Lamentations 3:38
As I write, a fierce winter ice storm has hit the Northeast and parts of Canada. Televised reports show a winter wonderland, but a closer look reveals power lines sagging under heavy ice. Tree limbs have snapped, wires are down, and the entire city of Montreal has been plunged into darkness. Some say parts of Canada will be without power for a week. “Mother Nature has pulled a fast one,” reporters are saying.
The Bible says otherwise. When it comes to the physical world, God’s working is so discreet, so regular, that normally we cannot tell he’s involved. In fact, the so-called laws of nature are merely people’s descriptions of his usual dealings. When an ice storm strikes, it’s not irreligious for the Weather Channel to give a scientific explanation. Yet at the same time, today’s verse indicates that God has his hands on everything from the upper-atmospheric jet stream to the low-pressure systems that are creating havoc across Canada today.
Is it Mother Nature? An act of God? The Lord answers in Isaiah 45:7: “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.” When the death toll rises from a devastating tornado or a hurricane, people call such tragedies “acts of God.” The term is even used in insurance contracts for house damage caused by floods or fires. If we are quick to attribute weather calamities to God, let’s be fair and also credit him for beautiful breezes and balmy days. Remember, God forms not only darkness and disaster but light and prosperity.
Weather calamities make us feel out of control. This isn’t bad. Larger-than-life insecurities force people to wonder: “My life is so fragile. I’m confused when props are kicked out from under me. Maybe God is bigger and more awesome than I realized!”
What’s the weather like outside your window today? Use the weather report to jump-start a prayer to God about his awesome power over nature.
When I feel the cold—or the warmth—today, may I praise you, Lord, for all your acts in nature.
READ MORE TOPICS: OPEN HEAVENS, OUR DAILY BREAD, IN TOUCH, SEEDS OF DESTINY, STREAMS OF JOY, JOEL OSTEEN, MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE, DCLM DAILY MANNA, UCB WORD FOR TODAY