Day 2–“Immanuel”–God with us.
Scripture reading for June 2: Matthew 1:20-23 “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel.”
God’s promise of His presence with His people and giving them rest was faithfully reinforced over time by prophets like Isaiah who spoke plainly about a virgin conceiving and bearing a son. (Isaiah 7:14) This Son would be given the Name “Immanuel” which means “God with us.” Not only would God be present with His people, but He would save them from their sins. The angel visiting Joseph, the betrothed husband of the virgin Mary, clearly instructed Joseph to act in faith to take Mary as his wife. The Child she was carrying was conceived through the Holy Spirit. The angel gave Joseph the Name “Jesus” for this unique Child, Who would save His people from their sins. Joseph, at first fearful, believed God’s messenger and took Mary as his wife and raised Jesus as a son.
Now, instead of a visible cloud of glory or pillar of fire, God the Father sends His Holy Spirit to dwell in believers in His Son, Jesus. Believing in Jesus saves us from the penalty and power of our sins. Jesus give us rest from guilt and shame and working for acceptance. His Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. His Spirit marks us as belonging to God and distinct among all people. The Holy Spirit brings gifts and graces empowering His people to share God’s love and desire to see all saved from their sins and adopted in His family. Since God has placed us as first responders in a role of serving hurting people, we should eagerly seek to receive the Father’s Gift of the Holy Spirit. We should ask for the Gift as we believe in Jesus.
Father God, thank You for being true to Your promise to Moses, Isaiah, and through Your Son Jesus Who is “Immanuel,” God with us! I believe in Jesus Christ as God’s Son. Fill me again with Your Holy Spirit that I might reflect Jesus to those I serve. Amen.
Week 23–Day 1–God Go With Us!
Scripture reading for June 1: Exodus 33:13-16 “Now therefore, if I have found favor in Your sight, please show me now Your ways, that I may know You in order to find favor in Your sight. Consider too that this nation is Your people.” And He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to Him, “If Your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people: Is it not in Your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and Your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?””
As responders it is comforting for us to know that we are not alone as we go out to serve others. First, we almost always serve in pairs or teams so that we have back-up and help to get the job done. There is accountability and the strength of teamwork that makes the job more enjoyable. The sight of multiple helpers also brings comfort to those being helped. It is an assurance that they are not alone and that many hands are tending to their trouble.
Moses was interceding to God for the nation that God called him to lead. These were difficult and sometimes rebellious people and God had threatened to leave them on their own, with just angelic support. Moses knew that God’s presence with them was a difference-maker. He asked God to show him His ways and to teach him how to lead God’s people. In response, God promised that His presence would go with them and that He would give them rest. This rest was not just sleep or recreation, but the comfort of God’s immediate presence and protection. It would take the form of a cloud of covering by day and a pillar of fire by night.
Moses then stated emphatically, that without God’s presence, he did not want to move forward from that place. He reasoned that God’s presence would mark them uniquely among all of earth’s peoples. God’s presence alone would bring provision, guidance, deliverance from enemies, and blessing eternally.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your amazing presence marking us who believe in Jesus Christ! It is comforting to us as responders to know that we are not alone, even though we have team members. May Your presence mark us as Your people and empower us with excellence to serve. Amen.
Week 22–Video Responder Highlight–Jeff Danker–Retired Sheriff Pott. Co. Ia.
Scripture reading for May 30: “I will say to the Lord, “My Refuge and my Fortress, my God in Whom I trust.”
jkilough@comcast.net
Day 5–“Because He Knows My Name”
Scripture reading for May 29: Psalm 91:14-16“”Because he holds fast to Me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows My Name. When He calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.””
Up to this point in the psalm, which was a song sung by God’s people in worship, the psalmist has been declaring his personal knowledge of God’s Name and his steadfast trust in God Most High as His Almighty, Refuge, and Fortress. The people have answered with the benefits of trusting God and how God would bless and protect them. But now God, Himself, boldly declares His will and plans to reveal to the people eternal life and full salvation. This is God’s sovereign decree, bringing this worship song to an amazing climax.
Because His people have a relationship with God Almighty, they cling to Him in love and respect. They call out to Him when in need or trouble. They invoke His Name, revealing their love and faith, honoring Him. God promises He will deliver him who holds fast to Him in love. Note the personal nature of this promise–made to the individual in relationship, but implied to all who hold relationship in love. God promises He will answer him when called upon. He promises His presence with him in any trouble and promises rescue and honor to the trusting one. His final promise is a ‘long life’ that satisfies. This surely isn’t just for our earthly life alone, but implies eternal life which is the essence of full salvation! All God’s “I will” statements are directed at the person who is holding fast in love to God’s Name.
The logical application for all individuals is to say ‘Amen!’ to God’s promises and claim them confidently in loving trust. First responders who know God’s Names, can work without fear. Even if life presently is less than satisfying, we trust God’s promise to fully satisfy us with answers, protection, rescue and honor in the end.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your divine and precious promises which give us faith and eternal hope as we await our full salvation. We love You and call on You in worship and adoration! Amen.
Day 4–Angel Guards!
Scripture reading for May 28: Psalm 91:11-13 “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.”
God was revealed to the psalmist as the “Almighty”. Another description in Scripture is the “Lord of Hosts”, referring to His supreme authority over the angel armies faithful to our Lord. They willingly serve Him and minister to those who are heirs of salvation at His direction. The psalmist wrote confidently of God’s command of His angels, giving them specific instructions to guard individual believers in ‘all their ways’ as they journey through the wilderness of this world to their eternal home in the City of God.
These verses remind us of the greater invisible realm of God’s kingdom where there is a spiritual conflict taking place. Before we were saved, we were dead in trespasses and sins and walked under the control of the prince of the powers of the air, Satan. (Ephesians 2:1-2) We were under God’s wrath and judgment because our rebellious association with the fallen angels. But God’s mercy flowed when we put our trust in Jesus Christ. When we allow God to rule our lives, He commands His angels to guard His people. They are unseen, but there protecting us from harm and evil. They enable us to confront the ‘lion’ and the ‘adder’, powerful foes seeking to kill or destroy us. Instead, we trample them underfoot because God’s angel army stands guard.
As first responders, we are involved in the daily warfare with the forces of darkness that are often invisible. It is encouraging and comforting to know that God is commanding His angel army concerning our protection and empowerment. We are working for the Commander Himself and we are safe in Him. In Christ Jesus, all our enemies are under our feet! (Psalm 110:1) (Matthew 22:44)
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your amazing power and the unseen armies of angels that watch over those who trust You. Protect all responders who are attacked by the prince of the power of the air and empower them to walk confidently. Amen.
Day 3–Good News for ‘Tent-Dwellers’!
Scripture reading for May 27: Psalm 91:7-10 “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place–the Most High, Who is my Refuge–no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.”
In Scripture, our bodies are likened to ‘tents’ that we live in while on earth. John 1:14 states that ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. . ‘, referring to Jesus coming to earth to live among His people and reveal the heart of the Father God. The word ‘dwell’ actually means to ‘tabernacle’ or pitch a tent. If you remember, the Israelites had a ‘tent’ for God, the Tabernacle, that they carried and pitched for God to dwell in their midst. The cloud of God’s glory would rest over it until it led them in their journey. It was a fire by night bringing light and the comfort of God’s presence. They also had a yearly feast of Tabernacles where they lived in temporary dwellings remembering their journey through the wilderness. (Leviticus 23:33-36)
The psalmist wrote to encourage those who know God by Name and trust in Him as their Refuge and Fortress. Thousands may fall close to you, but the plagues and satanic attacks of this life will not come near you. You will observe the recompense of the wicked only. The psalmist King David wrote in Psalm 37:34 that those waiting on God will look on when the wicked are cut off. If the Lord Most High is your ‘dwelling place’, if His ‘Tabernacle’ is your refuge or secret place, no harm or evil will come near your ‘tent’!
What good news the psalmist brings to first responders on their missions to help the hurting and diseased! These ancient confessions of faith in the Most High God give us comfort and courage to face danger with calm and trust. No plague or evil can harm us as God abides in our ‘tent’.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for these ancient words written down to encourage and teach Your people faith and trust. Help us as faith responders to remember that You dwell in our ‘tent’ by the Holy Spirit. You give us power and courage to share the Good News with those You send us to. Amen.
Day 2–Blessings of Abiding
Scripture reading for May 26: Psalm 91:3-6 “For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.”
The psalmist made personal declarations of his choice to abide in God Almighty and Most High for his refuge and fortress. He claimed a personal possession of relationship with ‘my God.’ In this next section of the psalm, it is a more corporate declaration of the blessing of abiding. Here the psalmist refers to God’s protection as a person or people being covered with an eagle’s wing feathers. God is faithful in all He promises. His faithfulness is a ‘shield and buckler’ to those who are depending on Him. God’s faithfulness covers His trusting people like what is described in the New Testament as a shield of faith. (Ephesians 6:16)
The protection of God covers seen and unseen enemies. The snare of the fowler refers to a trap set to catch birds. They are enticed to the trap, and then suddenly caught by the fowler. A pestilence is an unseen disease or plague whose germs are invisible. They are inadvertently picked up and infect the body bringing disease and death. They are like demonic forces that attack in darkness and then destroy. The arrow by day is likened to an attack of an enemy or demonic force aimed particularly at a person or nation that is known to be coming. Our Almighty God will be a refuge for us to shelter in. He will by His power defeat attacks in darkness and defend us from the arrows of Satan aiming to take us out.
We can see how this psalm applies particularly to us as first responders and those facing dangers that are seen and unseen. God’s faithfulness to do what He has promised is our shield and buckler. We simply and humbly declare our trust and claim by faith His covering and defense. No pestilence can take us out. No weapon formed against us shall succeed! (Isaiah 54:17)
Prayer: Father God, the Most High and Almighty, I take refuge under Your wings today. I trust You to keep me from snares, arrows, pestilence and disease. Your faithfulness is my shield. Amen.
Week 22–Day 1–Declaring God’s Names
Scripture reading for May 25: Psalm 91: 1-2 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My Refuge and my Fortress, my God in Whom I trust.”
For many years, Psalm 91 has been a favorite of those in the military and those involved in the first responder network. It is held in reverence by believers who regularly face danger and enemies, seen and unseen. It is a personal declaration of faith and trust in God, naming God in these first two verses with four names that reveal Who God is to this psalmist. The first thirteen verses are faith statements and declarations of God’s overcoming grace towards those who trust in Him personally and communally. The last three verses are a prophetic declaration by God of His provision for those who humbly cling to Him in faith and trust.
Today we will consider these first two verses and the names ascribed to God by this psalmist. The psalmist encourages everyone to dwell in the shelter of the Most High. This term exalts God to the highest place of honor, above all powers and thrones, in heaven and on earth. Taking refuge in God Himself places the one needing shelter in a totally secure place. In fact, it is described as ‘abiding’ in the shadow of the Almighty. To abide is to chose to dwell in a continual relationship in close proximity to the One Who has all power and authority.
The psalmist personally confesses to the Lord that he is declaring Him as his personal refuge and fortress. A place of refuge is a hiding place where one can be secure against any attack of their enemies. A fortress signifies a walled enclosure providing safety and security. The psalmist declares it is ‘my God’ Who is this Refuge and Fortress. He places full trust in his God Alone, the Almighty and Most High God, abiding in Him in humble trust and faith.
As responders, we would do well to read and meditate on this psalm regularly. We will bless our God to declare our Him as our Refuge and Fortress on a daily basis. Abiding requires us to stay close so His shadow will cover us.
Prayer: Father God, I declare that You are the Most High God, the Almighty One. You are my Refuge and Fortress, My God in Whom I place my trust. Amen.
Day 5–Jesus made House Calls!
Scripture reading for May 22: Matthew 8:14-17 “And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve Him. That evening they brought to Him many who were oppressed by demons, and He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.””
Jesus loved to go where the hurting people were and bring healing to their souls and bodies. In this account, Jesus entered the home of Peter, one of the disciples, in the town of Capernaum. Jesus and His disciples had been ministering to the sick and healing people most of that day. In the house was Peter’s mother-in-law was lying sick. It is unclear if this was just a hospitality visit or if Peter had asked Jesus to come specifically to bring healing. Jesus, in compassion, reached out to touch the sick mother and her fever left immediately. Later that evening, many other people crowded around the house to seek healing and deliverance. Jesus reached out and spoke healing words to them and all were healed. Matthew states that in doing this, Jesus fulfilled prophetic Scripture from Isaiah 53:4.
As first responders and especially EMT’s and paramedics, we are often called to homes of hurting people. Sometimes we have a brief description of what is happening and other times the problem must be diagnosed through questions or deduction at the scene. Human touch is required and we must not act in fear, but faith to help the hurting. We must be gentle and caring, helping calm the emotions and facilitate timely treatment. As believers, it should comfort us to know that Jesus is with us and as we touch our patient, He is touching them too. Like Jesus, our goal is to see them raised up and able to serve again.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for sending Your Son to demonstrate to us Your love and care for the diseased and sick. Thank You for meeting us where we live and reaching out to touch us when we are diseased. Thank You for the privilege of serving others where they work and live as You work with me. Amen.
Day 4–God Personally Cares!
Scripture reading for May 21: Ezekiel 34:15-16“I Myself will be the Shepherd of My sheep, and I Myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them justice.” John 10:14 “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”
In this passage of Scripture, the Israelites are in Babylonian captivity because the leaders (shepherds) of their nation had failed them and many were sick, injured, and strayed. These lazy shepherds had been feeding themselves and not the sheep entrusted to their care. (Ezekiel 34:2-3) These shepherds had not strengthened the weak or healed the sick sheep. They had not bound up the wounds of the injured or rounded up those who had strayed into enemy territory. Instead of gentle care and correction, they had been harsh and mean. God’s people had become like sheep with no shepherd, and food for wild beasts. (Ezekiel 34:4-5)
God had raised up Ezekiel to speak to the people about this breakdown in leadership and His own plan to shepherd His people in righteousness. This passage reminds us of Psalm 23, where David calls God ‘my Shepherd.’ God would lead His people to green pastures and they would lie down in peace. He would seek the lost and bind up the injured and strengthen the weak. In justice, He would also deal with the leaders, here referred to as ‘fat and strong.’
As those charged with responding to people in need and often weak and injured, we must follow the example of our ‘Good Shepherd’ Jesus Christ. We are called to set aside our own agenda and plans and respond to the call for help from our community members. We use our skills and equipment to care for the hurting. We seek out those lost in a crisis and bring them to better pastures, medical treatment, and connect them with skilled assistance.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for sending Your Son as the Good Shepherd to care for the hurting and wounded. Thank You for calling me and others to represent Your great mercy and love to those who are hurting. Amen.