Category: Devotion for Women

‘And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! ‘ 1 Kings 3:13(NLT)

‘Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. ‘ Matthew 19:23(NLT)

‘“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.’ Matthew 6:24(NLT)

‘When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.’ Matthew 8:5-13(NLT)

I believe that there is nothing wrong with being successful in the worldly sense. God may bless us with good grades, a promising career, wealth, and influence.

The Bible gives many examples of men who were richly blessed, literally. King Solomon enjoyed great wealth and a sterling reputation. God told him: “I will give you what you have not asked for–both wealth and honor–so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings” (1 Kings 3:13). So did Job, who had livestock in the thousands. They were the Warren Buffett and Bill Gates of their day.

But they kept their perspective. Solomon was blessed so much because he had asked only for wisdom, a request which pleased God greatly. Until he lost the plot later, he was known for his desire to love God and to be a just king. Job too didn’t base his faith in God on his wealth. Even when he lost it all, he continued to worship God. I believe that if God has given us the privilege of being successful, it is for a reason.

Perhaps it is to bless others in return. Perhaps we can use our position and influence to help others and be a light for God. And certainly, in leading a godly life, we would be an example to others. Solomon, for example, brought great honor to God with his wisdom (while he was still walking with God).

But if we are overly focused on building a good career, growing our wealth, or building our reputation, it gets very difficult to keep God at the center of our lives. We will start to trust in our hard work, our talents, and our intelligence, and not in God and His provision.

That’s why Jesus challenged the rich young man who sought eternal life to give up all his possessions. When the man couldn’t, Jesus told His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:23). Likewise, He stressed that we cannot serve both God and money at the same time, only one or the other (Matthew 6:24).

Jesus didn’t condemn wealth or power outright; He was looking at how much value we put on these. The Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant was a man of power. He commanded many well-armed soldiers. But he was fully aware of the limits of his power. He recognized Jesus’ power as even greater and sought His help with the greatest humility. It won the ultimate accolade from Jesus, who said, “I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith” (Matthew 8:5-13).

Perhaps you’re going through the same thing today. Maybe you’re successful by the world’s standards and enjoying its perks. Are you holding on dearly to it for its own sake? Or are you using it for God’s purpose, whether in business, school, or ministry?–Leslie Koh

from Question Life

‘“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’’ Matthew 25:14-20(NLT)

‘“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.’ Luke 12:32(NLT)

‘Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ‘ Ephesians 3:20(NLT)

‘Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10(NLT)

‘He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.’ Isaiah 40:29(NLT)

When I resigned from my reporting job, I was ready to also call it quits with writing. I did not want to go near anything that required writing, and I was quite happy to look for a career in accounting, which was the degree I graduated with.

However, God had other plans for me. At a leadership weekend at my church, I heard a sermon by American pastor John Bevere, which had me retracting my earlier decision. Pastor Bevere spoke on the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), which is about a group of servants who are entrusted with talents to look after while their master is away. A few tend to and grow their gifts, but one of the servants hides his talent. When his master discovers this, he reprimands the servant for being wicked and lazy, and takes his talent away from him.

The sermon reminded me to make use of my talents properly, and convicted me that I should really give writing another go. Sometimes, as we ask God to show us what steps to take next, we fail to take little steps of obedience now.

For me, I had to start writing again as an act of obedience to God.

I wish I could tell you that job offers came pouring in after I started writing for YMI. But they didn’t. The rejection emails continued to come. There were nights I would lie awake, worrying about my future and comparing my situation with friends who had fancy job titles.

Yet God has promised us that He will look after us and that He has our future in His hands. Luke 12:32 gave me a lot of comfort during this time. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”

I waited for what seemed like eternity before I was offered my current job. And you know what? It was so much better than what I could have ever hoped and prayed for. It came with an attractive pay, a better work environment, and regular work hours.

Perhaps you are in a similar situation. Maybe you have applied for so many jobs that you have lost count and you feel like you are about to buckle from parental and peer pressure. But take heart and know that God is a God of more than enough (Ephesians 3:20). He will uphold you with His right hand (Isaiah 41:10), and He will give strength to the weary (Isaiah 40:29).–Michele Ong

from Question Life

‘And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.’ Hebrews 11:9-10(NLT)

‘When Moses heard that, he fled the country and lived as a foreigner in the land of Midian. There his two sons were born. “Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush. ‘ Acts of the Apostles 7:29-30(NLT)

‘The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him. Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”’ Mark 1:12-15(NLT)

Sometime in high school, I decided I had to do something about the political troubles in my country. I spent hours poring over the news, trying to get fully acquainted with the political complexities and their social consequences. I was going to be a politician. No, an investigative journalist! No, definitely a human rights lawyer. No matter how the dream morphed, I always saw myself fighting for justice and hope for the country I called home.

One day, however, I had a disturbing thought: What if God had other plans? What if, for example, He should call me to settle down in a suburb elsewhere and live a boring life, severed from the country I love?

In short, it took many long, teary, angry nights for me to come to the point where I could grudgingly say, “Lord, I really, really don’t like this, but Your will be done–whatever it is–and give me the strength to follow.” I desperately hoped, however, that I would never have to make this choice between passion and obedience.

Fast forward to the present and guess what? My fears have indeed been realized. Today, I live with my husband and baby son in a sparsely populated town in another country for now, far from where I would have chosen to be.

But by God’s grace, my dreams have matured. I’ve come to see that my love and passion are, after all, gifts from God. He is rightly jealous when I prioritize the gift over the giver, but He grows me when I surrender to Him.

In the meantime, I am learning to apply my gifts through interacting and loving people who are quite different from me through church ministry. Though some days are difficult, I am learning to trust in God’s timing.

I take comfort in the lives of Abraham, Moses, and Christ. Abraham was promised a nation God would call His own, but lived in tents as a foreigner until the day he died (Hebrews 11:9-10). In the case of the young and passionate Moses who wanted to help the Israelites (to the extent that he even murdered an Egyptian), it took 40 years of chasing sheep before God called him from the burning bush (Acts 7:29-30).

Even Christ did not start His ministry until after a time in the wilderness (Mark 1:12-15), and He did so at the ripe old age of 30–by which time most of us would hope to get our careers off the ground. Yet, through their submission, God wrote the wonderful story of salvation that culminated in Christ and which continues to play out in our lives.

If this small corner of the earth is where God wants me to be right now, so be it. In moments when I am not so proud as to think that I know better, I am content and honored to play a small role in God’s grand design.–Christine Emmert

from Question Life

‘Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.’ Hebrews 10:24-25(NLT)

‘We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.’ 1 John 4:19-21(NLT)

‘Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.’ Ephesians 4:1-6(NLT)

‘And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”’ Acts of the Apostles 20:35(NLT)

Well, it wasn’t so much a day as it was years of feeling tired, but I did not get down to examining why I felt that way. Finally, one day in 2011, I decided to leave my cell group and my church.

When I stopped attending church, the church came to me. And although my church mates tried to gently encourage me to go for services with them, they didn’t push me beyond what I felt ready to do. They could see I was on my own journey and gave me space to work out my issues. I greatly appreciated that.

Each time we met up, however, I felt God’s presence through the love His people showed me. I felt embraced and accepted by them. Their friendship was a comfort to me, and when they shared their lives and walk with God with me, I experienced what the fellowship of the saints was all about (Hebrews 10:24-25).

On a particular day in 2014, I thought about going back to church. However, I wasn’t sure if I should go back to the same church I’d left, or if I should “start with a clean slate” in another church. As I was pondering on this, I seemed to hear God say, “Did I tell you to leave?” That same afternoon, the Holy Spirit convicted me to write an email to my cell group members to apologize for leaving the cell group abruptly and to initiate reconciliation with them.

Over the next few months, I slowly settled back into my cell group and church. The cell group welcomed me back and I began to feel more at home with them. I made a commitment in my heart to love and serve them; because they are the family God has called me to, I decided to be a blessing to them. I do this not because I want to earn God’s love, but because knowing He has first loved me enables me to love other–loving others is an expression of my love for Him (1 John 4:19-21). I don’t always do this perfectly, but this is something I have committed to grow in.

I’m understanding more and more that going to church and cell group gives us an opportunity to grasp the greatness of God’s love for us and to mature in our unity and love for one another (Ephesians 4:1-6). But I’ve learned through firsthand experience that it is possible to go to church and not grow in one’s relationship with God and with people. Therefore, rather than merely committing to go to church, let us remember that we are the church. This paradigm enables me to be a blessing to others with a joyful heart. As Jesus Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). I am blessed by giving to others as well.–Raphael Zhang

from Question Life

‘And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.’ Ephesians 5:21-33(NLT)

Because I am married, I get asked this question by many single friends: “How did you know Jason, your husband, is ‘the one’?”

So, how did I know?

Let me tell you this: I used to ask the same question. I strongly held the belief that God was preparing one guy for me. I was on a quest to find this guy. But I was also plagued with this question, “How do I know who he is?”

I wrestled with this question for a long time wondering how on earth will I ever know if the guy in front of me was the one I was supposed to marry. What kind of feeling was I supposed to have? What’s the sign I should look out for?

In trying to figure this out, I came face to face with how flawed my ideas of love and marriage were. I realized: There is no “the one.”

God never gave specific details in the Bible of what that person would look like. I believe that if you are in tune with God and walking in His path, He will lead you to several possible people who can be your spouse. Yes, that’s right. Several. Not one, but many.

Any guy or girl who is a true follower of Jesus can be your husband or wife because you already have Him as the common foundation to build your relationship on. What qualifies him or her to be your spouse is his or her real relationship with Jesus. But how that may look like differs from individual to individual.

Then God wants you to make a choice. You ask God if he or she is “the one” for you, while God is asking you if he or she is the one for you. That’s one of the beauty of being His child: He gave you the freedom to make choices. He is not a dictator who issues commands and you simply follow. God gave you the capacity to reason and to want. And as you walk with Him closely, you begin to reason along the lines of His will and to desire what He wants. So I dare say: Choose someone. Choose to love and to promise love. Don’t let the weight of finding “the one” overwhelm you into living a life of fear.

I encourage you to pray for a spouse, to ask God for wisdom as you make a decision. He desires for you–for us–to do that. But our more urgent prayer should be that we wholly comprehend that marriage is not about the person we marry or about the fulfillment of our happiness (not that God doesn’t want us to be happy). Marriage is, ultimately, about what God wants to do in our lives that we might be a reflection of His glory. Marriage is about God displaying His unrelenting love for us and for the church (Ephesians 5:21-33).–Kezia Lewis

from Question Life