You are my son

by Tatiana Overduin

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I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have become your father’ (Psalm 2:7).

Read Psalm 2

Wow! What more can be said in response to the defining message of Psalm 2? We see nations conspiring (verse 1) and kings and rulers colluding (verse 2).

Yet God shows us that he alone is sovereign over all. Enthroned in heaven, he laughs and scoffs at their plans and actions (verse 4), and he rebukes and terrifies them all.

Through this psalm, God reveals that there is only one true king who will inherit and possess the ends of the earth: his Son, Jesus.

Psalm 2 also brings a warning: be wise, you kings and rulers of the earth (verse 10). Serve the Lord with fear and trembling (verse 11). ‘Kiss the son’ (acknowledge him) lest he be angry and you perish in the way (verse 12).

To not acknowledge Jesus, the Son of God, as king of the world, is to stand under God’s judgement. Yet the psalm ends with a promise: ‘Blessed are all who take refuge in him’ (verse 12).

Heavenly Father, you sent your Son as the Saviour of the world. Help us in our distress as we witness world leaders pursuing paths of destruction. We pray that their hearts would be turned to you, so that your truth guides their decisions. May they ‘kiss the son’ and acknowledge him as king over all the earth. Protect and save your people, dear Lord, and have mercy on us for the sake of your Son. You are our Father, and we are your children. Guide and lead us in your ways. In Jesus’ holy name, we pray. Amen.

Tatiana is a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Adelaide, where she enjoys singing on the music roster. She is married and has two adult children and six grandchildren. Now retired from full-time secondary education, she pursues her creative interests in fibre arts, taking inspiration from God’s hand evident in the beauty of creation.

Soldier, athlete, farmer?

by Tatiana Overduin

Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.

Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this (2 Timothy 2:7).

Read 2 Timothy 2:1–8

Paul encourages us to be strong and reminds us that we are entrusted with teaching others.

We have seen recently many soldiers on the attack and others serving in defence, a difficult and courageous calling that requires strength to endure.

Earlier this year, we watched the Winter Olympics, where highly skilled and courageous athletes competed according to strict rules: a dedicated and disciplined calling requiring incredible strength.

Farmers in our own country battle against all kinds of weather elements and the constraints of daily farm work, providing the produce Australians need for basic survival: a challenging calling requiring sustaining strength.

Which vocation do you most identify with? One in particular? None?

Paul calls us to reflect more deeply and, in a sense, to identify with them all, for they share something in common. Each involves hardship, and we know that we, too, will suffer as Christians. ‘Join with me in suffering,’ he writes (verse 3).

We are called to suffer as soldiers of Christ, seeking to please our commanding officer; as a trained athlete, striving to win the victor’s crown; and as a hard-working farmer, looking forward to a share of the crop. Through all this, we are upheld by God’s grace and his eternal presence. Together with Paul, we embrace the gospel message of Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead – he who was, who is and who is to come (Revelation 1:4).

Dear Lord, grant us courage like a soldier, discipline like an athlete and stamina like a farmer, so that we may trust, follow and believe in you as Saviour of the world. In your holy name, we pray. Amen.

Tatiana is a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Adelaide, where she enjoys singing on the music roster. She is married and has two adult children and six grandchildren. Now retired from full-time secondary education, she pursues her creative interests in fibre arts, taking inspiration from God’s hand evident in the beauty of creation.

Mercy

by Tatiana Overduin

Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.

I was shown mercy … (1 Timothy 1:13b).

Read 1 Timothy 1:12–17

We all have skeletons in the closet. No one, other than Christ Jesus himself, can claim to be without sin. In light of this truth, our hope lies in today’s text, which pours out grace in abundance (verse 14), along with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (verse 15). A repentant heart acknowledges that we alone cannot save ourselves. We rely fully on the saving grace of Jesus, mercifully given to us.

Wow! Saving grace! Amazing saving grace! This is what is shown to us – positively radiating! Do we radiate that to others? Or, to use another buzzword, do we ‘glimmer’?

A glimmer is the opposite of a trigger. Glimmers are moments in your day that bring joy, peace and gratitude. There is a reason we can remember to glimmer this saving grace so mercifully given to us through Christ Jesus. It is a gift freely given to us. Do we freely share this hope with others?

In our current social and political world, often so lacking in hope, we are called to share the message of Christ Jesus with others. But not in a ‘hammer-hitting’, triggering way. We’ve seen the ‘trigger’ pulled too many times of late. Grumpiness doesn’t glimmer. Short-temperedness doesn’t glimmer. Complaining doesn’t glimmer. Annoyance and anger don’t glimmer. These behaviours discourage others. Right at this moment, I confess that I’m not glimmering.

Our text today proclaims that we have been shown mercy so that Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life (verse 16). Through the daily encouragement of God’s word and the power of prayer, may we also seek to show that same patience, as an example to others.

Dear Triune God, we pray together: ‘Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen’ (verse 17). Help us, Lord, to believe and live this. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Tatiana is a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Adelaide, where she enjoys singing on the music roster. She is married and has two adult children and six grandchildren. Now retired from full-time secondary education, she pursues her creative interests in fibre arts, taking inspiration from God’s hand evident in the beauty of creation.