CAC LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR JANUARY 21, 2024 : TOPIC – YOU AND YOUR ENVIRONMENT
READ PREVIOUS CAC DEVOTIONALS HERE
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH
THE LIVING WATER (January-December, 2024)
DATE : Sunday, January. 21, 2024
(Museum Selfie Day, National Squirrel Appreciation Day, World Snow Day)
TOPIC: YOU AND YOUR ENVIRONMENT
MEMORISE : And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the on the wood and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood” (1 Kings 18:33).
READ : Genesis 1:1-31
[1]. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
[2]. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
[3]. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
[4]. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
[5]. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
[6]. Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
[7]. Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.
[8]. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
[9]. Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so.
[10]. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
[11]. Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so.
[12]. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
[13]. So the evening and the morning were the third day.
[14]. Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;
[15]. and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.
[16]. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.
[17]. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth,
[18]. and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
[19]. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
[20]. Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.”
[21]. So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
[22]. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
[23]. So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
[24]. Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so.
[25]. And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
[26]. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
[27]. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
[28]. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
[29]. And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.
[30]. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so.
[31]. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
EXPOSITION
An organisation is not just an office but a place where it is expected that people are well organised in a logical manner. God doesn’t live in a disorderly environment. Thus, He established in the Creation story, a sample of how to run our daily lives in an orderly manner. We see how He did His work on a daily basis. Do you have plans/schedules for your activities? Why was man created last? Imagine that man was created first and the light was the last. This would result in man living in a dark world. Imagine that there was no daytime and night time. Imagine man living in a society where there is no separation between the waters and there is no dry land. Imagine everywhere being like there is a flood during the rainy season. Imagine there were no seasons, and imagine a society without vegetation. Imagine there are no animals of different habitats. Besides, some of these aquatic animals are also food for us. How would God have interrupted Jonah when he headed in the wrong direction (Jon. 1:17)? What about the role of the birds after the flood in the days of Noah (Gen. 8:7-11)?
Imagine a society with the absence of stars. What would have led the wise men to Bethlehem to meet the born Saviour (Matt 2:7)? How are you administering the God-given resources within your care, as today marks Museum Selfie Day, National Squirrel Appreciation Day and World Snow Day? Obviously, God created man last, but not least, because He is highly organised and works according to His plan. Are you organised, if you are truly His child?
SUGGESTED HYMN FOR TODAY:
CAC GHB: Var. 6
1. O thou who love us we shall serve for ever
Thou Lord and our goodness King
O Thou who save us from trials of the world
Holy’s Thy glorious honour.
Father only Thee we shall serve
Father we shall adore Thee
O Thou who love us we shall serve for ever
Holy’s Thy glorious honour.
2. Thou who bless’d all our planted crops in the world
The world has sufficient food
And all those who are prepared to be truthful
They all rejoice in Thy works.
3. Thou who gave children to barrens for message
In Thy high glorious honour
And all the barrens turn back to give Thee Thanks
For Thy honour, glorious work.
4. All that were hungry now have joy within them
In Thy great and mighty pow’r
And all those who look upon Thee for mercy.
And they rejoice in Thy work.
5. O Lord give peace to Thy Churches in the world.
And let Thy grace be abound
And let Thy people be joyful for ever
O Lord, In Thy glorious work.
Amen.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Thank God for other creatures that were created for our benefits.
2. Ask God for insight on how to be a beneficiary of your environment and other creatures.
3. Rebuke the spirit of disorderliness in our Church services and other activities.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
Exodus 8, 9, 10
AUTHOR.
CAC Worldwide
Remain blessed