OUR DAILY BREAD 3 AUGUST 2024 DEVOTIONAL, SATURDAY ODB MESSAGE
Our Daily Bread 3 August 2024 Devotional TOPIC: Being Finishers in Christ
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 19:14-21
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KEY VERSE: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psalms 63-65; Romans 6
TODAY’S INSIGHT
In response to Elijah’s discouragement (1 Kings 19:10), he’s promised a divine revelation of God (v. 11). He experiences wind, earthquake, and fire (vv. 11-12), which we might have expected given other appearances of God in Scripture (Judges 5:4-5; Psalm 18:7-15). But this time, Elijah senses God’s presence only in “a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12).
This may have encouraged him that God doesn’t just reveal Himself through magnificent wonders but through the faithfulness of those who quietly listen to and share His words. This revelation encourages Elijah to continue his work as well as appoint his successor, Elisha.
Our Daily Bread 3 August 2024 Devotional MESSAGE
Barbara passed away before she could finish a sweater she was knitting for her great-grandson, Ethan. The sweater was entrusted to the hands of another avid knitter to be completed thanks to an organization that connects volunteer crafters—“finishers”—with those whose loved ones have departed this life before finishing their projects. The “finishers” lovingly invest their time and skill to bring closure to a task that provides comfort to those who are grieving.
God appointed a “finisher” for Elijah’s work too. The prophet was lonely and discouraged at how the Israelites were rejecting God’s covenant and killing prophets. In response, God instructed Elijah to “anoint Elisha . . . to succeed [him] as prophet” (1 Kings 19:16). This ensured that the labor of proclaiming God’s truth would continue long past Elijah’s death.
To show Elisha that God had called him to succeed Elijah as God’s prophet, Elijah “threw his cloak around [Elisha]” (v. 19). Since a prophet’s cloak was used to indicate one’s authority as God’s chosen spokesman (see 2 Kings 2:8), this act made Elisha’s prophetic call clear.
As believers in Jesus, we’ve been called to share God’s love with others and “declare [his] praises” (1 Peter 2:9). Though the task may outlive us too, we can be assured that He’ll sustain the work and will continue to call other “finishers” to the sacred work of making Him known.
REFLECT: Who proclaimed God’s truth to you? How can you be part of making Him known to the world?
PRAY: Father, please use me to accomplish Your work in the world.
Our Daily Bread 3 August 2024 Devotional, Saturday ODB 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 devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet.
