Bible Verses to Help Us Through the Week
The message of “GO” is woven throughout the Bible’s 66 books so that providing one week of devotions will leave out important verses. You might have selected God’s command to Abram (renamed Abraham) to leave his home for Canaan or His command to Moses to confront Egypt’s pharaoh on behalf of the Jewish slaves. More important than the verses we select is how we respond to God’s command in our lives to “go.” Meditate on these verses—and your personal favorites—and spend time with God this week, asking him: “Where do You want me to go?”
MONDAY — Deuteronomy 1:6-7 (TLB) “It was forty years ago, at Mount Horeb, that Jehovah our God told us, ‘You have stayed here long enough. Now go and occupy the hill country of the Amorites, the valley of the Arabah, and the Negeb, and all the land of Canaan and Lebanon—the entire area from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River.”
MEDITATION: God commands us to go. Three thousand years ago, during the late Bronze Age, the Israelites were camped at Mount Horeb, just
recently liberated from slavery in Egypt. Although they were undoubtedly comfortable there, enjoying the peace of liberty, their God said there was more work for them to do. They were to “go” and conquer the pagans living in Canaan and occupy that land.
PRAYER: Lord, help us to hear your voice and obey, even if it means leaving the comfort of the known for the uncertainty of the unknown because one thing is known—You will be with us every step of the way. Amen
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TUESDAY — 1 Kings 19:9-11 (TLB) “But the Lord said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He replied, ‘I have worked very hard for the Lord God of the heavens; but the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you and torn down your alters and killed your prophets, and only I am left; and now they are trying to kill me too.’ ‘Go out and stand before me on the mountain,’ the Lord told him.”
MEDITATION: If anyone had a reason to hide, it was Elijah. Fearful of his own life, he was trying to preserve it, not by following the Lord’s lead but by the only means he knew, to hide in a cave, where the Lord found him. The Lord gave Elijah comfort and then ordered him to leave the cave and “go.”
PRAYER: Lord, we know You will find us no matter where we hide. Forgive our cowardice and find ways to use us to further your kingdom. Amen
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WEDNESDAY — Jonah 3:1-2 (TLB) “Then the Lord spoke to Jonah again: ‘Go to that great city, Nineveh,’ he said, ‘and warn them of their doom, as I told you to before!’”
MEDITATION: God tells us to “go” even when we’ve been disobedient. This was not the first time Jonah was ordered to “go” and testify to the Lord’s displeasure with a city’s sin. Whereas Jonah had to learn that God is sovereign in all situations, he also needed to realize that serving him meant being obedient.
PRAYER: Lord, forgive our disobedience, even our reluctance to follow You and your commands to us. So often we are afraid we have not heard You correctly or You are asking us to do more than we feel we can do. You remain faithful, and will give us the strength to accomplish your will. Amen
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THURSDAY — Matthew 28:18-20 (TLB) “He told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. Therefore GO and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.’”
MEDITATION: Jesus has paid the price for our sin by dying on the Cross, and then has defeated death through His resurrection.
He does not forsake the disciples — or us — because He makes himself known to them. He assures them of His love for them and that He will send the Holy Spirit to be their counselor. … Then He tells them to “go” and spread the word of salvation and all of his commandments, chief among them is to love one another.
PRAYER: O merciful and magnificent Father, You have shown such overwhelming love for us that we can barely understand it. Empower us with your Holy Spirit to proclaim the Good News to those You place in our path. Amen
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FRIDAY — Romans 10:14-15 (TLB) “But how shall they ask him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them unless someone sends him? That is what the Scriptures are talking about when they say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel of peace with God and bring glad tidings of good things.’ In other words, how welcome are those who come preaching God’s Good News!’”
MEDITATION: The Lord calls us to spread the message of His Good News, that salvation is a gift of His grace. It’s available to anyone who calls on His name! (Joel 2:32; Roms. 10:13) How will they know unless someone tells them! We need to be ready at all times to explain the joy in our hearts and to do so in a loving and gentle manner (1 Peter 3:15).
PRAYER: Our Father, help us to step out in boldness to proclaim our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, which is a gift of His grace and not of our own doing. Help us to tell a world in pain that God’s grace is waiting for them, too. Help us to ask those we meet, ‘Would you like me to pray with you?’ Amen
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SATURDAY — Acts 1:8 (TLB) “But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power to testify about me with great effect, to the people in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, about my death and resurrection.”
MEDITATION: Jesus said he would send a new Counselor when He left and assured us He would not leave us to fend for ourselves (John 14:26). That counselor, the Holy Spirit, would work with the community of believers to empower us to serve the Father’s will.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, help us to hear your voice and obey, even when it means leaving the comfort of the known for the uncertainty of the unknown because one thing is known — You will be with us every step of the way. Amen
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SUNDAY — Isaiah 6:8 (TLB) “Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom shall I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go?’ And I said, ‘Lord, I’ll go! Send me.’”
MEDITATION: What is our response? God calls, and we answer. Are we like Gideon (Judges 6:15) or Moses (Exodus 3:11), each of whom found a reason to question God’s judgment in choosing him for God’s purpose, or are we later-day Isaiahs, who hear the call and boldly step in line to serve?
PRAYER: Lord, help us to hear your voice today and obey, even if it means leaving the comfort of the known for the uncertainty of the unknown. One thing is certain — You will be with us every step of the way. Lord, we lift these prayers in Jesus’ name. Amen
LoveAndGrace 