A Devotional Life

Psalm 107:4-9. The Psalm continues by telling us four stories to inspire thanksgiving: the wanderers, the prisoners, the sick, and the seafarers (vv 4, 10, 17, 23). And as with most stories, we are to see a bit of ourselves in them—especially since these are the stories of the redeemed (v2a). Above all, we are to see God’s wonderful deeds and respond with thankful praise. So what can I be thankful for from the wanderer’s story ? That when we wander and cry out to God, He satisfies us . The hunger of the wanderer. The wanderers are searching for a place to settle, but they cannot find it (v4). Rather, the farther they wander, the hungrier, thirstier, and fainter they become (v5). That’s what wandering does. It exposes our hunger. And spiritually, we can do the same. We can wander from God and look to things such as success, relationships, or possessions to satisfy us...

Psalm 107:1-3. The Bible constantly encourages us to live in a habit of thanksgiving. But it’s not all the time we feel like singing or feel like being thankful. And certainly it’s not all the time our environment and reality present a reason to be thankful. So what motivates thanksgiving always, even in suffering? The revelation of God’s character. The Psalmist says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good.” The Psalmist is thankful that God is good; a character of God he has come to know. The revelation of God’s character births thanksgiving in us. The foundation of thanksgiving is knowing who God is. That’s it. If we don’t know who God is, we can never truly be thankful. And the reverse is also the case. The more we know, the more we’re thankful. The more He is revealed to our hearts, the more we’re thankful for who He is. ...

Genesis 1:21b-22, 27-28; 2:1-3. Amid the daily grind and challenges of life, it’s easy to lose sight of how life was originally designed to function. By that, I mean, it’s actually easy to lose sight of the fact that we are an inherently blessed creation. The creation story shows us that God has blessed his creation. He did not create and leave us to figure things out on our own. He has blessed His creation, and His blessing reveals His design for it. He blessed us to replenish, rule and rest in Him. Replenish. “And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number…’” (vv. 21b-22, 28a). On the fifth and sixth days, God blessed His good creation, fish, birds, and humans alike, with the ability to replenish the earth. Whatever God created, he saw that it was good. He then blessed them to expand and create m...

Genesis 1:4-31. One common question often sneaks into our minds when we face the uncertainties of life: “Is this it? Is this the final fate of our world or of my situation?” The creation story gives us a definitive antidote to those fears. As God forms the world over six days, He models His definition of “done.” What we see is a masterpiece of perfect order, wholeness, and goodness. While this reflects the universe before the fall, God is unchanging. Therefore, these truths help us understand how He works in our lives today. His work is ordered. Throughout the creation week, God separates light from darkness, sky from sea, and land from water (vv. 4, 7, 9, 14, 18). He takes the chaotic, formless void and establishes perfect peace and order. If your life or your circumstances feel chaotic, messy, or completely out of sequence right now, take heart. God is an...

Genesis 1:1-3. Amid all the uncertainties and strange news headlines, we can find encouragement in God’s word. The creation story in Genesis is a wonderful reminder of God’s intention for His creation and His eternal sovereignty over it. The story reminds us that life doesn’t just “happen”; it is authored by the all-powerful all-sufficient God. We will see this more clearly as we journey through the creation story of chapters 1 and 2. In Genesis 1, the world begins formless, empty, and shrouded in darkness. It is a picture of total chaos, yet the Spirit of God is already hovering over the waters. Even before He speaks, His presence is the foundation of our hope. In this opening scene, we see what His all-powerful all-sufficiency looks like: God is above and beyond all. “In the beginning, God...” (v1). These four words are the anchor of the...

Jonah 4:1-11. Whenever I ref kids’ football, every argument over a foul sounds exactly the same. If one player falls, it’s obviously the other team’s fault… free kick, no question. But if it’s the other way round? “He’s tripped over the ball… that’s a handball!” I played football like that as a kid, too. But this is not just a kids’ football issue; the human heart just works that way. We are naturally conditioned to justify ourselves and judge others. And that’s exactly where Jonah finds himself in chapter 4, which reveals the nature of man vs that of God in His mercy. The fundamental truth… Jonah is selfish (v1–3, 5–7). Jonah’s anger exposes more than frustration; it reveals resistance. He admits he ran because he knew God would be merciful. His issue isn’t injustice; it’s that ...

Jonah 3:1-10. Through God’s insistent command to Jonah (1:1-3; 3:1-2), He invites Jonah and us to the truth that His salvation is not just for one nation (Israel) but for all nations, not just for a particular people but for all people (Isa. 52:15). How does God’s mercy seek all people? Through… a Going people (v1-3). God’s mercy begins with God sending. Jonah receives God’s command a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh” (v1-2). Yet through Jonah’s reluctant obedience, Nineveh finds mercy. Jonah points beyond himself to Jesus, the selfless, obedient servant who willingly offered up His life to secure salvation for all (Matt. 12:40). Now Jesus commands His disciples to go and make disciples (Matt. 28:19). In various capacities, God’s covenant people are a going people with a go command; for Jonah, it was Nine...

Jonah 1:17-2:10. How does God respond to someone who once knew Him (2 Kings 14:23–29) but has now turned away (1:3)? Our passage shows that, like a satnav that never stops rerouting, God moves toward Jonah in mercy, determined to restore him even if it takes a dramatic intervention. And this is what God does! God routed a great fish to Jonah. When Jonah chose to drown rather than obey (1:12), God had a plan. Before Jonah ever prayed, God acted. He sent a great fish to Jonah’s exact location as a strange but merciful provision (1:17). What felt like the depths of chaos, a life-ebbing experience (2:2-6), was in fact God’s deliberate rescue plan. The fish became the very place where Jonah could no longer run and could finally look up. In mercy, God allowed distress to become the pathway back to Himself. God revealed Himself to Jonah. In the dep...

Jonah 1:1-16. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas break. Happy New Year! Have you ever had one of those sat-nav moments where no matter how far off course you go, it keeps rerouting and repeating “make a u-turn.” That’s the story of Jonah. God sends him north-east to Nineveh, but Jonah heads west to Joppa instead. And the book shows us something remarkable: God’s response to people on the wrong route isn’t abandonment, but mercy. Like a sat-nav, He keeps rerouting and calling us back to Himself. Jonah takes us on a journey into the nature of God’s mercy. In today’s passage, as we see the striking stubbornness of Jonah toward God, we begin to see the saving sovereignty of God’s mercy. In spite of Jonah’s refusal of God’s directive, God is still in control. He commands and can change all things (Ps 148:5, Jer 32:17). ...

Luke 2:10-15. (The message of the angel to the shepherds). When a baby is born, people celebrate, send gifts, and travel from all over to see the baby. And it can be pretty expensive for those of us with siblings all over. Often, when we see the baby, we make physical remarks like: “Oh, she’s got a round head like her dad”, or “his eyes are like his mum’s,” or “the baby’s so cute”, or “isn’t it lovely that she sleeps a lot”. All these remarks are not remarks of expectation. We’re not expecting anything from the baby for ourselves, let alone for everyone; that would be odd. But many years ago, a baby was born, and an angel appeared to some shepherds, informing them that this birth had implications for all people (v10). This birth affects everyone, you and me, both in this life and in the next. What did th...

Matthew 13:44-46, 51-52. (The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price). It’s easy to overlook, but God calls you a treasure. Do you trust His view of you? In these parables, Jesus describes the kingdom as a treasure discovered by a man, and then as a merchant searching for fine pearls. In both stories, something priceless is found, and everything else becomes worth giving up to have it. From the thread of all parables in the chapter so far the man or owner is the Son of Man, Christ (Matthew 13:37), but in regard to treasures He says the man or owner is also his disciples, us (Matthew 13:51-52; 6:33). Through these parables, Jesus reveals not only that He is our treasure but also that we are His. Christ is our treasure. In the parable, when the man finds the hidden treasure, his discovery fills him with joy (v44) and a sense of infinite wor...

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-50. (The Parables of the Weeds and Net). What would your future look like? The first time I was asked that, I knew I had to take my Maths and Science seriously. Although quite direct and sometimes uncomfortable, that simple question challenges one to plan today for the life they hope for tomorrow. And this is what Jesus does in today’s parables. In today’s parables, Jesus speaks about a future that affects everyone: the end of the age or God’s judgment. He also addresses a problem that affects everyone: the problem of evil, or the coexistence of good and bad. The purpose of presenting these two realities together (in juxtaposition using the same parables) is to make the point that you cannot believe or experience one without the certainty of the other. In other words, just as real and inescapable as is the problem of evil in our world ...

Luke 13:10-21. (The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast). One time, I was leading a service in our Church in London, and a homeless man walked in and sat at a seat we had reserved for our Senior Pastor. Somehow, he had slipped past the welcome team. One of the trainee pastors stared at me to do something, but I didn’t. Then I stared back at him to do something, but he didn’t. So, to avoid further awkwardness during worship, we let him sit there. What a situation! In today’s passage, a similar situation occurs, but this time the religious leaders respond in a way that prompts a rebuke from Jesus. In the passage today, Jesus heals a woman who was crippled for eighteen years on a Sabbath day. How transformative. She began to praise God, and the people rejoiced, but the religious leaders were upset that it wasn’t done their way (v10-14). So Jesus rebuked them, us...

Matthew 25. (The Parables of the Ten Virgins, the Talents, and the Sheep and the Goats). Before the parables, Jesus in Matthew 24:36-51 describes His return as happening on an ordinary day, while people go about their daily routines. It will be sudden, like a thief in the night. So how can we live wisely? Jesus says by being ready (24:44). Jesus uses three parables to show what being ready looks like... Guarding what you have In Jewish culture, well-oiled lamps were needed to complete nighttime weddings. Losing oil and heading off to buy some is like losing the rings and heading off to buy some during your ceremony. Therefore, readiness, as shown by the wise virgins (v10), looks like guarding what you have. Notice where they are called wise: V4      “The wise took oil” V8-9   “The foolish asked the wise for oil, and ...

Luke 15. (The Parables of the Lost…Sheep, Coin and Son). The three parables were Jesus’ response to a criticism from the Pharisees. They saw that tax collectors and sinners gathered around Jesus, and that He welcomed and ate with them (v1-2). And Jesus likened the tax collectors and sinners who had gathered around Him to something important that was lost (v3-32). Can you recall a time you lost something important? I once arrived at the airport and realised my passport wasn’t in my jacket. I thought, could I have forgotten it? In the middle of the check-in area, with everyone stirring, I emptied my hand luggage; my clothes, bank cards, documents, laptop, and everything else were scattered all over the place. I finally found my passport, which I had hurriedly packed with my clothes. Out of excitement, I yelled, “Yes, found it!” A few people began ...

Mark 4:1-20, 26-29. (The Parables of the Sower and Growing Seed). How do you respond to God’s word? Jesus shows that the continuous experience of true life only comes from accepting the word of God. Anything short, at its best, only yields momentary joy. In teaching about the Kingdom of God (v11, 26), Jesus speaks of a farmer who goes to sow seeds and scatters them on all kinds of soils, with the good soil truly yielding life (v1-8, 26). The seed is the word of God (v14), and the soils are how we respond to the word. But there is only one right response. Accept it The parable shows that just as the kind of soil affects the yield, the kind of response affects the experience of the Kingdom of God. It’s like signing up for an online service, say Amazon; there are terms and conditions open to all. You can either ignore it, tiptoe around it, cons...

Mark 1:9-11, 14-15. What do you expect a time of God’s reign to look like? Perhaps the end of oppression, or a better economy, or an increase in morality. In biblical times, there were similar expectations of God’s kingdom, including the end of Roman oppression (Luke 24:21, Acts 1:6), the formalisation of moral traditions (Mark 7:6-9), and others, all conveying the longing for a better life—one of peace, justice, and happiness. Why is this? Because of a promise! The promise… When God anointed David as King of Israel, He promised David peace and an everlasting kingdom through his offspring (2 Samuel 7:11, 16). The first partial fulfilment of this promise was with David’s son, Solomon, who is also called Jedidiah, which means “the beloved of the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:25, 1 Kings 2:46). What was the impact of Solomon’s reign? It ...

Ruth 4:1-22. In today’s passage, Boaz follows up on his promise to Ruth (in 3:12-13) to redeem her. From Boaz’s redemption of Ruth, we get a peek into the pattern of God’s redemption through Jesus. So what does this redemption look like? It is selfless—a costly act, no other redeemer could pay, v1-12 When Boaz met with the closer guardian-redeemer, whom we called Bob, he asked Bob if he would redeem his kinsman’s properties. Bob said yes, then declined when he realised that this included his kinsman’s widow, which would affect his estate. This shows the inevitable selfish motive of any redemption act which is outside of God’s provision. However, Boaz, motivated by love, acquired Ruth, notwithstanding the cost. This costly and selfless act points us to God’s act of redemption through Jesus, our Redeemer, who, out of love, gav...

Ruth 3:1-18. We recall from chapter 1 that Naomi prayed that her bereaved daughters-in-law “will find rest in the home of another husband” in Moab (1:9). Still, Ruth followed Naomi to Bethlehem where she was favoured to glean from the field of a kind guardian-redeemer, Boaz (2:3). But there is another guardian-redeemer (3:12) who is closer to Ruth and Naomi’s family than Boaz. Imagine the sense of uncertainty! So, amid such uncertainty, how would Ruth be assured of finding that rest? And like Ruth, how are we assured of rest, whatever our life’s journey? In today’s passage, Ruth is assured by Naomi’s counsel and Boaz’s promise. Naomi counseled Ruth… Bethlehem is a tiny town where everyone knows everyone (1:19), so Naomi must have known the other guardian-redeemer, especially as he was the more closely related one (3:12). Le...