TheRoadtoEmmaus

AdailydevotionalfortheForestdaleCommunityChurch

October24-28,2016

ThisweekinStillness&SilenceOurScripturethisweekisabout“theAngeloftheLORD,”whowentandfoundHagarinherdistress,andspoketoherofafutureandahope.HagarthengavethisnametotheLordwhospoketoher:“TheGodwhoseesme.”(“ElRoi”inHebrew)Inyourmomentsofstillnessandsilencethisweek,restintheGodwhoseesyou:

• Sitdownandtakeafewdeepbreathstosettleintosilence.• SaytotheLordinfaith:“YouaretheGodwhoseesme.”• Repeatthatlineasyoubreatheinandout.• Restinthetruthofthatstatementforaminute.• OpenyourlifetoGod’ssight.WelcomeHimin.

Nowyouarereadytobegin.

Monday: MakingtheConnection

BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Scripture Genesis16:7-8TheangeloftheLORDfoundHagarnearaspringinthedesert;itwasthespringthatisbesidetheroadtoShur.Andhesaid,“Hagar,servantofSarai,wherehaveyoucomefrom,andwhereareyougoing?”

DevotionalThisisthefirstmentionof“theangeloftheLord”intheBible.

Theword“angel”means“messenger.”TheangeloftheLordcarriesaspecialrevelation&theveryPresenceofGod.ItisbecausetheangelisbothdifferentfromGod,yetmanifestsGod’sword&Presence,thatourfaithseesthisspecialangelasa“prefigured”Christ.

JustasJesusengagedtheoutcastSamaritan“womanatthewell”withasimplequestion(“Willyougivemeadrink?”),theangeloftheLordaskstheoutcastEgyptianmaidservantwhereshe’sbeen&isheaded…Inbothcasesthesesimplequestionsleadtospecialrevelations.JesusrevealsHistrueidentitytotheoutcastatthewell,andtheangelrevealsHagar’struedestiny,beginningwiththecommandtoreturn&submittoSarai.

After10yearsinthePromisedLandwithoutthepromisedchild,Sarai&Abramhadfalteredintheirfaith.TheyconspiredwithHagartotaketheinitiativeratherthanpersevere.Hostility,blaming,resentmentandbetrayalwerebornwithIshmaelandcontinueamonghisposterity&God’speopletothisveryday.Nevertheless,inGod’snamingthechildIshmael(“Godhears”)andinHagar’snamingtheangel(“theGodwhoseesme”)weareremindedthatwhileourfaithsometimesfalters,GodalwayspersevereswithusandcommandsustodothesamewithHim. Question:HasGodstayedwithyouwhenyourfaithfaltered?

BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Prayer: LordJesus,IbelieveYouknowme&loveme,yethelpmeinmyunbelief!Amen.

Tuesday: PrayerBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture Genesis16:1

NowSarai,Abram’swife,hadbornehimnochildren.ButshehadanEgyptianmaidservantnamedHagar,soshesaidtoAbram,“TheLordhaskeptmefromhavingchildrenGo,sleepwithmymaidservant,perhapsIcanbuildafamilythroughher.”

DevotionalIfthiswereaTVshow,you’dbeshakingyourheadrightnowand

yellingatthecharacter,“No!Don’tdoit!!Youareheadedfortrouble!”Andasyoureadon,youseethatSarai’splandoesn’tmeetherneedslikeshethoughtitwould.Alltheplayersinthisdramaendupmiserable.Butwhy?Whatwentwrong?

Saraitookmattersintoherownhands.ShesawGod’slackofactionasaroadblocktoherhappiness–andinsteadofgoingtoGodinprayeraboutit,shedecidedtomakethingshappen!HadshethoughttoprayandwaitontheLordforhistiming,somuchpaincouldhavebeenavoided.Question:Haveyoueverwantedsomethingsobadlythatyouweredeterminedtomakeithappen,ignoringthecostsandjustpushingforward?BeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)Prayer:Lord,IadmitthatIamoftenimpatient.Iknowyouhaveaplanforme,aplanforgoodandnotforharm….yetsometimesmydesiretohavethingshappenasIwishthemto,becomestheloudestthoughtinmyhead.Inthosemoments,Lord,savemefrommyself.CallmebacktoYou.Remindmetopray.Andindoingso,letmeprayerfullylaymywillatyourfeet.Amen.

Wednesday: RestBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture Gen:16:7,8and13

7”ThentheangeloftheLordfoundHagarnearaspringinthedesert;itwasthespringthatisbesidetheroadtoShur.”TheangeloftheLordaskedher,8b”…whereareyougoing?‘I’mrunningawayfrommymistressSarai,’sheanswered.”HagarspeakstoGodagaininverse13.Shesays,13"YouaretheGodwhoseesme…IhavenowseentheOnewhoseesme.”

Devotional

Let’sfirstnoticewherethistakesplace.Ilovetheclarityofthelocation:“besidetheroadtoShur.”Thesescripturesarefactualaccounts,notfairytales.

WhatdidHagarexperiencethere?AftersheconceivedachildwithAbram,Hagarwasfrantic,runningtogetawayfromhermistressSarah.Butthenthingschanged.HagarmeetsGod.Thescripturesays,“TheangeloftheLordfoundher.”ThatmeansGodAlmightyfoundHagar!

Justlikethewomanatthewell,HagarrecognizestheGodwhoseesher.SheknowsHeseeseverythingsheisgoingthrough.SheobeysGod’scommandsandnameshersonIshmael(whichmeans‘Godhears’).AndwhensheheardthevoiceofherHeavenlyFather,HagarrealizedthatshecouldtrulyrestinHisfaithfulnessandguidance,andfeelHisunconditionallove.Question:Nomatterwhatyouaregoingthrough,canyourestinyourHeavenlyFather?WhatdoyouneedtotrustGodwithtoday?BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Prayer: LordGod,helpmebeevermindfulthatyouaretheGodwhoreallyseesme.Thankyouformakingitplaintosee“theOnewhoseesme.”HelpmefindrestbyallowingYoursovereignpowertoguidemypath.HelpmetrustYourwisdomandbethankfulbecauseYourloveisgreat,higherthantheheavens.Amen.

Thursday:RelationshipBeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)Scripture:Genesis16:7&16:9

TheangeloftheLordfoundHagarnearaspringinthedesert;itwasthespringthatisbesidetheroadtoShur.ThentheangeloftheLordtoldher,‘Gobacktoyourmistressandsubmittoher.”

DevotionalWhatstandsoutinverse7arethewords,“TheangeloftheLordfoundHagar.”Beforethisappearance,HagarhadbeenusedasasolutiontoSaraiandAbram’sproblemofhavingnoheirs.NextshebecamethescapegoatforallofSarai’sangertowardherhusband,aswellasherownjealousy.Nowshehasrunaway,pregnant,tothedesert.

ThisappearanceisshowingusGod’scharacterinaphysicalform.Jesus,likethisangeloftheLord,wentoutandfoundthosewhowerehurtorrejectedandgavethemhope.YettheangeloftheLorddidn’tstopthere,hegivesHagarsomesurprisinginstructions.HetellshertogobacktoSarai.

InJesusweare“found,”accepted,andforgiven.Whenweopenourheartstohimdaily,wefindhewillinstructus,too,andsometimesitcanbedifficult.Hemayaskyoutoforgivesomeonewhohashurtyou.Hemayaskyoutoapologizeforthewayinwhichyou’vehurtsomeoneelse.Oritcouldbehe’scallingyoutoshareyourstruggleswithsomeone.Question:HasJesusbeenputtingacertainpersonorsituationonyourheart?Areyouafraidtotakethosefirststeps?BeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)Prayer:ThankyouLordJesusforcomingtoseekandsavethelost(me).Ineedyourhelpandguidanceinmyrelationships.PleaseshowmethenextstepsIneedtotake.Amen

Friday:WorkBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture:Genesis16:9

9ThentheangeloftheLORDtoldher,“Gobacktoyourmistressandsubmittoher.”10Theangeladded,“Iwillincreaseyourdescendantssomuchthattheywillbetoonumeroustocount.”

Devotional IntheHebrewlanguage,theword‘angel’meansmessenger.WhenHagarspoketotheangel,shemadethisreply,“YouaretheGodwhoseesme,”forshesaid,“IhavenowseentheOnewhoseesme.”Hagarseemstorefertotheangelinthesepassagesasif“themessenger”wasGodHimself.Couldthis“angel”beapre-incarnateappearanceofJesus?

WhenJesusdoesappearintheNewTestament,HeisconstantlyteachingaboutGod.HewasalwaysworkingtospreadHismessageofsalvation.HeistheperfectrolemodelinworkingasamessengerfortheFather,HimselfandtheHolySpirit.HesetthetoneforourworkashesendsusoutasmessengerswiththeGreatCommission:“Thereforegoandmakedisciplesofallnations,baptizingtheminthenameoftheFatherandoftheSonandoftheHolySpirit,andteachingthemtoobeyeverythingIhavecommandedyou.”

Itisn’talwaysaneasytask,butJesushasgivenustheHolySpirittoguideus,prayforus,andspeakforuswhenneeded.Salvationinvolvesmorethanjustbeingagoodperson,andwithoutmessengers,thosewhodon’tknowaboutJesus,willneverfindout.Question:HowcanyouworkatbecomingamessengerofJesussoeveryoneyouencountercanknowHislove,mercy,andgrace?BeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)Prayer:LordJesus,Youaretheperfectrolemodelforeveryaspectofourlives.Helpustobeawareofyourpresenceasweworkonbecomingbettermessengersforyou.Amen.

Thisdevotionalwritersthisweekare:

Monday:BradEdgerlyTuesday:BethGovoni

Wednesday:NancyMcLaughlinThursday:SusanMatos

Friday:ChristineBartholomew