Self Denial reflection 1: In this quiet moment
Self Denial reflection 1: In this quiet moment
24 February 2022
This year’s Self Denial Appeal theme, ‘The Ripple Effect’, reminds us that small actions taken in Christ’s name can become big, life-transforming outcomes for the Kingdom of God.
The Self Denial Appeal started in 1886 when General William Booth called Salvationists to give sacrificially and to deny themselves so that they could offer God’s love to a hurting world.
This is the first of a six-week devotional series accompanying the appeal, written by Lieutenant-Colonel Graham Durston, to encourage us to see how God can use us to create a ripple effect of his love throughout the world. The devotions reflect on the words of the Apostle Paul, who penned this prayer to the believers in Christ, “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 chapter 3, verse 20).
In this quiet moment, still, before your throne,
Conscious of your presence, knowing I am known.
In this quiet moment, set my spirit free.
In this quiet moment, make a better me!
– John Gowans
1 Corinthians chapter 1, verses 18-25
18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” 20 So, where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from Heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. 24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.
Reflection
When a stone is thrown into a calm pool, the water is immediately given a burst of energy because its molecules move up and down and drag other molecules with them. Peaks and troughs appear on the surface and form ripples that travel away from the stone until all the energy is expended. The heavier the stone, the greater the energy.
We use the ripple effect as a metaphor to describe how the Spirit of God energises individual Christians to carry out acts of compassion and generosity that multiply and result in amazing outcomes in the Kingdom of God. It is founded on the faith that “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). Like most metaphors from the physical world, this comparison falls short because, in the realm of the Spirit, the power of God at work in us can never be expended. It is a limitless supply that can be renewed daily through prayer and obedience.
Today’s Scripture in 1 Corinthians 1 takes us to the origin of God’s power in the life of the believer. It commences with a person coming to faith and repentance, having been deeply moved by the unconditional love of God shown by Jesus in giving his life for them on a Roman cross, the death of a slave. This was God’s plan to redeem and reconcile humankind. The Jews and Greeks thought it was foolish and weak (verse 22), but to those who have faith, it constitutes the power and wisdom of God (verse 24). In fact, it is “wiser than the wisest of human plans” and “stronger than the greatest of human strength.”
Jesus fulfilled God’s purposes completely. He was raised to life and exalted to the right hand of the Father, where he intercedes for us. One wonderful consequence of this plan is that all believers have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit as our guide and energiser.
The world-changing Christ event, symbolised by the cross, commenced a ripple effect that spread the Gospel to every part of the world in every generation throughout history. Human wisdom and power could never have achieved such a result (verse 21).
General Albert Orsborn captured the essence of the ripple effect in his song, ‘We Worship Thee O Crucified’ in the lines, “For from thy cross irradiates, A power that saves and recreates.” (The Salvation Army Songbook No. 205)
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