OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 23RD JANUARY 2022.
THEME: LET THERE BE LIGHT VII.
MEMORISE:
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:6
READ: Esther 2:5-9
5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
MESSAGE:
Let there be light could mean “Let there be shining beauty”. Darkness is ugly, and beauty is neither shown nor appreciated in it. For example, when darkness envelops a beautiful woman, no one can appreciate her beauty. Conversely, when the light of God shines upon the same person, her beauty would be seen and appreciated by all.
In our Bible reading today, we read of God’s light shining upon a slave girl Esther who later became Queen. The secret is the light of God that shown upon her- nothing more. Nobody appreciates beauty in darkness. For example, in the daytime, Jacob admired Rachel so much that he opted for her instead of her elder sister. However, when darkness came and Leah was presented, he did not know who was who until the following morning (Genesis 29:16-19, 23-26).
An adage says that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. What many fail to know is that beauty is synonymous with light. It is she who has the light of God on her that looks beautiful. There was a woman who was beautiful not only to behold but also to be desired as a wife. However, the husband turned her to a punching bag! She appeared repulsive to the husband, despite her beauty and accomplishments. The truth of the matter was that darkness so beclouded her beauty that her husband could not appreciate it. The conclusion of the matter is found in our memory verse of today.
Do you want all forms of darkness and evil to depart from you? Do you want the light of God to beam and radiate His glory all over you?
Make up your mind to surrender all to the Light- Jesus Christ, and the light of God would shine upon you. Surrender all to the Father of lights today and every darkness beclouding your vision from seeing and experiencing His glory will flee, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Father, please let Your light shine upon me and reveal Your glory upon my life in Jesus’s name.
Click here for TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS PRAYER POINTS.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EXODUS 18-21.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE.
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!
May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!
While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.
When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!
Amen and Amen
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