As this day unfolds, Lord God, Your love unfolds like an opening flower; revealing ever more depths of colour, hue and saturation. May we not benefit from a mere snapshot of Your faithful loving-kindness, but from a high-definition movie of Your magnificent grace! Through Jesus Christ we pray, AMEN
Use these for group work, or to assist your personal reflection.
- In this passage, what do the ‘darkness’ and the ‘thick clouds’ suggest to you, and what might they mean today?
- Is it possible to see the church as something admired by the nations of the world? Why do we doubt the church, the Body of Christ so much today?
- Why should the wealth of the nations be ‘brought to you’? What should the church do with the wealth of the nations if it possessed it?
Topis covered by this text
- The victory of God’s redemption
- The effective witness of God’s people over all the earth
- The light of God’s work in the world
Personal comments by author:
There are times when I need to stop thinking, writing, reading and doing all the things which the Lord has for me to do in a day. At such times, I need to take in something of the glory of God by which I am enabled to do what I do and be the person that I am. From time to time, each of us must stop and receive of God and we will all do this in different ways. As for me, when this happens, I like to turn to a great passage of scripture and let it feed my soul. This is one such great passage of scripture.
Ideas for exploring discipleship
- Give thanks to God for the amazing work done by many Christian organisations and people for the good of others and the good of the world. Much of it is never known, never trumpeted or broadcast. It is nevertheless vital to the world as God’s glorious work, seen by some, and not others.
- Read through some other versions of this text, and read them carefully to spot the differences. You may not be able to know why they are different, but if you accept that each has been honestly translated, ask yourself, what do they each reveal about this text?
Please refer to the general advice on the page ‘discipleship challenges’
The notes below are offered to help you think about the challenges of God’s Word. Read the notes and suggestions below, but don’t try to follow through any more than one thing at any one time!