From the Edges – The Great Reflection- Morning Devotional

From the Edges – The Great Reflection
Pastor Calvin Cook – September 12, 2024
Scripture focus – Psalm 22:22-24 NIV – 22 I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

Last evening in our Bible Study in Hebrews a reference was made in the writing of Hebrews 2:12 to refer to Psalm 22:22. As I have been thinking on these verses through the night it has caused me ask the question “what are we reflecting?”. I think this must take an individual approach, but more importantly in our marriages, in families, as a church and certainly as a community.

Again, asking the question what are we reflecting. I believe this is especially important for the present day and everything that is going on around us in social, political, and communal conversations and reflections. I admit it has made me tired and weary, even apprehensive about being in conversation with anyone.

The section of scripture from Hebrews reminds us of the need not only to make our relationship with Jesus’ priority but to move into the place where we understand God and more importantly where our hope and salvation comes from. I made a comment and have been trying to re-enforce this comment that when we make Jesus’ priority everything else will begin to fall in place.

Bringing us to Psalm 22:23-24. Though theologians believe this Psalm to be an individual lament it should speak to us as couples, families, communities, churches when we ask the question “What are we reflecting?” The writer of these verses reminds us to declare the name of God, (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to all people.

Declare it in the assembly – are we declaring the name of Jesus and praising Jesus anytime we gather with anyone, especially at home. Are we proclaiming and honoring Jesus even in our times of discord? These are verses that speak to receiving the abundance of grace from God. God doing for us, in us, around us, and through us that which we cannot do on our own.

But it once again comes down to the head on heart-to-heart collision with Jesus. Once your life has been changed – “What are you reflecting?”. If your stuck in answering this question, I think it is important that once again we as individuals, couples, families, communities, and churches fall down on our knees together in prayer and seek the will of God to turn back and experience the very best life possible.

From a concentration camp Dietrich Bonhoeffer said – “If all I have is Jesus, then I have everything.” May that be our reflection, the greatest reflection of all !