Our devotion this week, Awake, comes from the YouVersion Bible App. It was provided by Hillsong Worship.
In the darkness we were waiting
King of Kings, Hillsong Worship
Without hope, without light
Till from heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
Words and Music by Brooke Ligertwood, Scott Ligertwood & Jason Ingram
© 2019 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia & Fellow Ships Music/So Essential Tunes (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com)
There is no doubt – we all began in darkness. In fact, the earth itself was covered in darkness, until the Creator came and spoke light and breathed life into His creation.
Today, God is still breathing life into dead things. Our kind Saviour is still bringing light to dark places, hope to hopeless situations, possibility to impossible circumstances. But before we entered His light, we were in darkness. And before we knew true life, we were destined for death. And before coming awake, we were asleep. The Bible puts it like this: “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.” Colossians 2.13 (NIV)
Earlier this year our Senior Pastor, Bobbie Houston, asked the question “Do you remember the day the lights went on?” What about you? Do you remember the day you found salvation, and the weight of sin lifted off you? The day that from heaven, Jesus came running with mercy in His eyes? Ready to awaken you to all of the hope, grace, peace and joy that is life with Jesus Christ.
It is our prayer that you would remember that moment. That as you listen to the songs from this new album, the lyrics would remind you that you were once in darkness but have been brought into the light – illuminated now to illuminate others.
Let’s pray.
Dear Heavenly Father, through Your Holy Spirit – remind me again of that moment when the lights went on. Remind me today of Your kindness and compassion towards me, and may I walk in the mercy and grace bestowed on me in order to bestow it upon others. Thank You for the gift of Your light.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
Read Matthew 4:16.
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
Read John 1:5-9.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
Read John 12:35-36.
35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Read Colossians 2:9-15.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
