anglican devotional

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 15 December 2022 – Surrender

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TOPIC: Surrender

READ: Nahum 1:1-13 (NKJV)

  1. The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
  2. God [is] jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and [is] furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves [wrath] for His enemies;
  3. The LORD [is] slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit [the wicked.] The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds [are] the dust of His feet.
  4. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts.
  5. The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it.
  6. Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.
  7. The LORD [is] good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.
  8. But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies.
  9. What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end [of it.] Affliction will not rise up a second time.
  10. For while tangled [like] thorns, And while drunken [like] drunkards, They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried.
  11. From you comes forth [one] Who plots evil against the LORD, A wicked counselor.
  12. Thus says the LORD: “Though [they are] safe, and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down When he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more;
  13. For now I will break off his yoke from you, And burst your bonds apart.”

THE MESSAGE:

God used the prophet Nahum to announce the fall of Nineveh, signaling the complete overthrow of Assyria. This was the same people the prophet Jonah had preached to. To Jonah’s preaching, and much to his dismay, they repented. But apparently this repentance was short-lived; they returned to their sins. Nineveh had become the leading military power in the Near East, and as is usual with success, is now filled with pride; they no longer trembled at God’s word as they did when Jonah preached. Now Nahum warns: “What do you conspire against the LORD?” (verse 9). Sin is a futile conspiracy against God’s commands and purpose. But note that God also will make a complete end. And God truly did. Nineveh fell in 612 B.C.

We must never lose sight of the fact that God will judge sin. No one can stand before His indignation; no one can endure the heat of His anger for His wrath against sin is poured out like fire (verse 6). What sin might you repent of today? On the contrary, the Lord is good and is a stronghold in the day of trouble; but this is only for those who take refuge in Him (verse 7). The only safe place against the rage of sin is God. Are you in Him? Have you taken refuge in the Rock of Ages? Are you born again? Do not wait to face His wrath; surrender to His grace today.

PRAYER: Rock of Ages, cleft for me; let me hide myself in Thee.