July 30, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional || ODB Today Message For Saturday
July 30, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional || ODB Today
READ SATURDAY ODB DEVOTIONAL, OUR DAILY BREAD 30TH JULY 2022 WRITTEN BY DAVE BRANON (OUR DAILY BREAD MINISTRIES)
TOPIC: Puddles of Sunshine
KEY VERSE: On those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. – Matthew 4:16
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: John 1:1–5
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psalms 51–53; Romans 2
July 30, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional INSIGHT
The first eighteen verses of John, known as the Prologue, are theologically rich and weighty. Verses 1–5 focus on the existence and activity of the Word before His entrance into the world as a human being (v. 14). Verse 1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In a very succinct way, John noted that before anything came into being, the Word existed with God and as God.
Verses 3–5 shift from the preexistence of the Word to the activity of the Word before the incarnation: “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (v. 3). The Word of God (see Genesis 1) is the source of life and light (John 1:4) and is credited with the creation of all things.
July 30, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional MESSAGE
It was a warm summer day and my four-year-old granddaughter Mollie and I were taking a break from playing ball. As we sat on the porch with our glasses of water, Mollie looked out at the yard and said, “Look at the puddles of sunshine.” The sunlight was filtering through the thick foliage to create a pattern of light amid the dark shadows.
Puddles of sunshine. Isn’t this a beautiful image for finding hope in dark days? In the midst of what can often be challenging times—when good news seems in short supply—instead of concentrating on the shadows, we can focus on the light.
The Light has a name—Jesus. Matthew quoted Isaiah to describe the brightness that came into the world when Jesus arrived: “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned” (Matthew 4:16; see also Isaiah 9:2). The effects of sin are all around us as we live in the “land of the shadow of death.” But shining through that shadow is Jesus, the grand and glorious light of the world (John 1:4–5).
The sunshine of Jesus’ love and compassion breaks through the shadow—giving us “puddles of sunshine” to illuminate our day and brighten our hearts with hope.
July 30, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional | ODB Today
REFLECT: What darkness is clouding your day? How can you allow the light of Jesus’ presence and love to bring you joy and hope?
PRAY: Jesus, while we struggle through a world full of trouble, I need Your presence. I need Your uplifting love to take me out of the shadows and help me stand in the light of Your magnificence.
Our Daily Bread Devotional 30th July 2022 || ODB Today Message . Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread booklet.