Digging Deeper Devotional Week of May 20th

Digging Deeper Devotional Week of May 20th

Day 1

God’s goodness is evident in His provision and guidance for His people.

Read: Exodus 16:1-36 (Focus on verses 4, 8, 12)

Background:

In Exodus 16, the Israelites, having recently escaped from slavery in Egypt, find themselves journeying through the wilderness. As they grumble against Moses and Aaron due to the lack of food, God responds by promising to provide bread from heaven, known as manna, to sustain them. This passage highlights God’s faithfulness and goodness in meeting the needs of His people even in challenging circumstances.

Key Words:

1. Manna (H4478): “a portion received as food, i.e., a ration.”

2. Grumbled (H3885): “to murmur (in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative).”

Theological Truths:

1. Adam Clarke comments on Exodus 16:4, emphasizing God’s provision: “A constant supply of food was as necessary for the Israelites as their daily breath; and they received it as regularly as they did the air they breathed.”

2. Matthew Henry underscores God’s compassion in Exodus 16:8, stating, “He who provides for their need, lest they should perish for want, should be humbly applied to, and thankfully acknowledged.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. How does the provision of manna reflect God’s ongoing goodness and care for His people?

2. Despite God’s kindness, why do you think the Israelites struggled with gratitude?

3. In what ways can you recognize and appreciate God’s daily provision and goodness in your life?

Application:

Reflect on a specific instance when God provided for you unexpectedly, and thank Him for His continued goodness and provision.

Day 2

Jesus demonstrates God’s goodness through His healing ministry.

Read: Luke 7:11-17

Background:

In Luke 7, Jesus encounters a funeral procession in the town of Nain. The widow of Nain, mourning the loss of her only son, encounters Jesus, who is moved with compassion. He raises her son from the dead, showcasing His power over death and His compassion for those who are grieving. This miracle highlights Jesus’ authority and His mission to bring restoration and hope to those who are suffering.

Key Words:

1. Compassion (G4697): “to be moved as to one’s bowels, hence to be moved with compassion, have compassion (for the bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity).”

2. Widow (G5503): “a widow, one who has lost her husband.”

Theological Truths:

1. J.C. Ryle reflects on Jesus’ compassion in Luke 7:13, stating, “The tender compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ to those who are in trouble is here brought out in a striking manner.”

2. Albert Barnes comments on Luke 7:16, highlighting the divine authority of Jesus: “This was proof that he was more than a man; that he was the promised Messiah, with power to raise the dead.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. How does Jesus’ response to the widow’s situation demonstrate God’s goodness?

2. Why is compassion an essential aspect of demonstrating goodness to others?

3. How can you emulate Jesus’ example of compassion in your interactions with those who are suffering?

Application:

Identify someone in your life who is going through a difficult time, and demonstrate goodness and compassion to them through practical acts of support and encouragement.

Day 3

God’s goodness is revealed through the sacrificial love of Jesus.

Read: Ephesians 2:1-10 (Focus on verses 4-7)

Background:

In Ephesians 2, the apostle Paul emphasizes the transformative power of God’s grace in the lives of believers. Before coming to faith in Christ, we were spiritually dead in our sins, but God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ. This passage highlights the undeserved kindness and love of God toward sinners, demonstrated through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Key Words:

1. Mercy (G1656): “compassion, pity, mercy.”

2. Grace (G5485): “the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.”

Theological Truths:

1. Charles Hodge reflects on Ephesians 2:4, highlighting God’s initiative in salvation: “God is the efficient cause of our salvation. It is of His mercy, His own mere motion.”

2. John Stott comments on Ephesians 2:5, emphasizing the depth of God’s love: “God’s love is not just some vague sentiment, but an active, purposeful, and self-giving concern for His people.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. How does God’s mercy and grace displayed in Ephesians 2:4-7 impact your understanding of His goodness?

2. In what ways have you experienced God’s mercy and grace in your life?

3. How can you share the message of God’s goodness and grace with others?

Application:

Take time to thank God for His mercy and grace in your life, and ask Him to help you extend that same goodness to those around you.

Day 4

As recipients of God’s goodness, we are called to reflect His kindness to others.

Read: Matthew 5:38-48 (Focus on verses 43-48)

Background:

In Matthew 5, Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount, teaching His disciples about the principles of the Kingdom of God. In this passage, Jesus challenges conventional wisdom by instructing His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. By doing so, they reflect the character of God, who shows goodness and kindness even to those who oppose Him. This teaching emphasizes the radical nature of Christian love and the transformative power of God’s grace.

Key Words:

1. Love (G25): “agape (often used of God’s love), a love feasting.”

2. Neighbor (G4139): “a neighbor, especially as constituted by proximity.”

Theological Truths:

1. Adam Clarke reflects on Matthew 5:44, emphasizing the radical nature of Jesus’ command: “This was never prescribed under the law, and could never be enforced but under the Gospel.”

2. Charles Spurgeon comments on Matthew 5:48, highlighting the ultimate goal of Christian maturity: “The precept is not to be overlooked because it is difficult; but the difficulty should urge us to greater diligence in prayer and greater watchfulness in obedience.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. How does Jesus redefine the concept of loving your neighbor in Matthew 5:43-48?

2. Why is it challenging to love our enemies, and how does God’s goodness empower us to do so?

3. What practical steps can you take to show goodness and kindness to those who may not deserve it?

Application:

Identify someone whom you find it difficult to show kindness to, and intentionally demonstrate love and goodness to them this week, trusting in God’s grace to empower you.

Day 5

As recipients of God’s goodness, we are called to reflect His kindness to others.

Read: Colossians 3:12-17 (Focus on verse 12)

Background:

In Colossians 3, Paul exhorts believers to put on the new self, characterized by compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. As recipients of God’s goodness, Christians are called to reflect His kindness to others, bearing with one another and forgiving as the Lord has forgiven them. This passage emphasizes the transformative power of God’s goodness in the lives of believers and the importance of living out that goodness in their relationships with others.

Key Words:

1. Kindness (G5544): “usefulness, i.e., morally, excellence (in character or demeanor).”

2. Forgiving (G5483): “to grant as a favor, i.e., gratuitously, in kindness.”

Theological Truths:

1. Albert Barnes reflects on Colossians 3:12, emphasizing the believer’s obligation to imitate God’s goodness: “Christians should be like God, and should aim to imitate him in all things.”

2. John Calvin comments on Colossians 3:13, highlighting the importance of forgiveness in reflecting God’s goodness: “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man has a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. How does Colossians 3:12-17 challenge you to reflect God’s goodness in your relationships with others?

2. Why is forgiveness an essential aspect of demonstrating goodness to others?

3. What practical steps can you take to cultivate kindness and forgiveness in your interactions with those around you?

Application:

Reflect on a recent interaction where you could have shown more kindness or forgiveness, and commit to applying the principles of Colossians 3:12-17 in your relationships moving forward.