15 January 2021
Devotion
No matter who you are and where you were living, you probably felt isolated and alone at some point in the last year. The News all over the world was filled with talk about self isolation, social distancing, quarantine, iso.. so no wonder we felt that way. We weren’t designed to live separated from people. In fact, the second chapter of the bible says that it isn’t good for man to be alone. We were created for relationship with God and each other - there’s an old school world that describes this and it’s called fellowship. God’s designed us for this- to share our lives with His people- the JC Squad. The scripture today from 1 Peter talks about how the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Lions isolate their prey from the pack before attacking them.. And this scripture shows us that this is what the enemy does too! We can learn from this that anything that comes to isolate or divide or separate us is not God’s plan.. It’s the enemy trying to separate us from others so that we become vulnerable to His attack.
The moment we begin to feel alone, and isolated is the moment that we need to reach out, and be honest and real with people in the JC Squad. Who could you reach out to and encourage and be honest with today? They need you and you need them.. That’s how God’s made us! Don’t let the enemy isolate you any longer.
Scripture
1 Peter 5:8-10 (NLT)
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
