Open Heaven Daily Devotional 21 April 2022
TOPIC: Don’t Be Desperate For The Spotlight
MEMORISE:
“And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.” – (Mark 1:11-12)
Open Heaven Daily Devotional 21 April 2022 MESSAGE
The boy in the Bible reading who gave his lunch to Jesus Christ was not named. One would expect that a boy like that who was selfless enough to share his lunch, through which over 5,000 people were miraculously fed, would have been named in the Bible, but the Scriptures are silent about his name. Not only he; many of the vessels of honour in the Bible were not named.
For example, the slave girl in (2 Kings 5:1-3) who brought salvation to Syria was not named, the fellow who the disciples saw casting out demons in Jesus’ name in Luke 9:49 was also not named. This tells us that the work of God is not a popularity contest. You don’t have to be popular to be relevant and of great use to the Kingdom of God. When I see people struggling to be seen and recognised publicly while doing the work of God.
I wonder if they understand the nature of the assignment they are called to. That’s why in Mark 1:45, when the leper who Jesus healed went around telling everyone about his healing, Jesus could not enter the city openly again. Jesus knew that the spotlight was going to distract Him from the real work which He was to do, so He stayed in the desert to carry out His assignment.
When you read Mark 1:10-13, you will see one of the dangers of being publicly recognised. The moment God bragged about Jesus Christ to the hearing of the public, Satan heard and a season of trials and temptations began for Jesus immediately. In (1 Samuel 13:14), Samuel announced that God had found a man after His heart to replace Saul. Immediately Satan heard that, he began to look out for who that man was.
In (1 Samuel 16:11), when Samuel said nobody would sit until David arrived to be anointed, Satan knew it was David, so he raised Goliath against Israel so that David would not fulfil his God-given destiny. David killed Goliath and it became abundantly clear that David was loved and chosen by God, so the devil raised Saul against him and a season of trials began for David during which he resorted to hiding in caves.
The moment you are hailed in public, the devil marks you for trial. Be wise; one of the prayer points in the Lord’s prayer is, “Lead us not into temptation”. Don’t bother about public recognition. Just face the work that God wants you to do, not the spotlight.
KEY POINT: The spotlight attracts the attention of the devil; stay away from it as much as you can.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 11-14
HYMN 28 – WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD
1. When we walk with the Lord,
In the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
CHORUS:
Trust and obey!
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
2. Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear,
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
3. Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief nor a loss,
Nor a frown nor a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.
4. But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay,
For the favour He shows
And the joy He bestows
Are for them who will trust and obey.
5. Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way,
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.
