July 17 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

By God’s Word and Spirit the world was made, and he uses the same tools to rebuild the creaking cosmos. God does not save some souls from the wreckage of the planet; instead, the whole groaning creation must be delivered from bondage by the love and power of God.

Bible Reading:

Revelation 21:1–5

Bible Text:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had pased away, and the sea was no more (Rev. 21:1, NRSV).

Devotional:

Our world is one step removed from chaos. The powers of destruction, violence, and anarchy are always present. We sense them beneath the veneer of civilization. We know them as the tidal waves, earthquakes, and tornadoes that destroy in a moment what took generations to build. Our existence is always threatened.

In Israel's religious experience, the threat is in the water. To this day, the presence of water, wind, and waves remains a test of our faith and a threat to our security. God established dry land, but if he didn't protect the earth continuously, we would be in great trouble. Three-fourths of the globe is covered with water, and the waves are always lapping at the shores, nibbling the edges of our habitat. It's a good thing God has assigned a place for the waters above and controls the dark masses of the deep. "You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth" (Ps. 104:9).

In the end, all things will be new. When John—an Israelite with a clear understanding of what water often symbolized in the Old Testament—saw a vision of the new heaven and the new earth, he exclaimed with relief, "and the sea was no more." This means that the powers of chaos are conquered. The last threat has been removed. The land has everlasting peace.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.