Tag Archive for God of All People

From Every Nation

2019-09-06 Devotional with Hymn, Magnificent God No comments

[Jesus said:] “People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places…in the kingdom of God. (Luke 13:29, NIV)

We were at the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, which commemorates the place where the angel announced to Mary that Messiah would be born of her.

I was struck by the many languages, nationalities, and religious traditions that filled the church. They were like children on their first day in heaven, rushing from place to place, bubbling with excitement. Most had traveled long distances at great expense to be there.

What a vivid reminder that people come to faith in Christ through many avenues. Those avenues are as varied as the cultures and personalities of all the people of all the ages.

With each of us, our understanding of God is so partial and so marred by ignorance. But God’s goodness comes in many flavors, and His incarnation has so many beautiful faces.

Father,
You don’t rank individuals by
importance or
respectability, and
neither should we.
Each one is Your dearly-loved child, and
we should treat each one as such.

Hymn: God of All People
Recording
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Be His Praise

2018-04-26 Devotional Companion to Revelation, Devotional with Hymn No comments

A reflection on Revelation 4,
John’s vision of the throne room of God.

Look at John’s vision of the throne room of God and
see who you were created to be.

See the twenty-four elders.
They are honored ones,
respected leaders,
perhaps priests.
They are royal,
each wearing a crown of gold.
They are holy,
dressed in white.
They worship God Almighty with
word and
posture and
action.
They joyfully return to Him
all the honor and glory He has shared with them.
They know that all their crowns truly, only belong to Him.
The twenty-four elders are what God’s people were redeemed to be.

See the four living creatures.
They surround the throne of the Sovereign Lord of all.
Each is wisely and lovingly fashioned by his Creator.
Each is unique
yet one with all He has made.
Each is full of eyes in front and behind and is
fully aware of all reality,
fully attentive to their God.
Each has six wings and
is ready to move immediately at His command.
Each ceaselessly responds to God in all His
holiness,
power, and
eternity.
The four living creatures are what we were created to be.

Like the elders,
like the living creatures,
we exalt God most clearly and beautifully,
not just by what we say,
but by what we do and
who we are.

The infinite Spirit God, unlimited by a physical body,
incarnates Himself in partial ways
in each of His creatures.
He shares Himself and His qualities
through us
so that the whole universe might glimpse just how
great and
holy and
gracious He is.

Child of God,
be His praise!
Be His glory!
In Jesus Christ, be the incarnation of
His life,
His love, and
His holy beauty.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: God of All People
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

From Every Nation

2014-07-01 Devotional with Hymn No comments

[Jesus said:] “People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places…in the kingdom of God. (Luke 13:29, NIV)

At the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, I was struck by the many languages, nationalities, and religious traditions that filled the church. They were like children on their first day in heaven, rushing from place to place, bubbling with excitement. Most had traveled long distances at great expense to be there.

What a vivid reminder that people come to faith in Christ through many avenues. Those avenues are as varied as the cultures and personalities of all the people of all the ages.

With each of us, our understanding of God is so partial and so marred by ignorance. But God’s goodness comes in many flavors, and His incarnation has so many beautiful faces.

Listen…and sing if you want:
Hymn: God of All People
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics