Mystery in the Star of David

Illustration in stained glass style with an abstract six-pointed blue star on a blue background

The star of David has two triangles, one interlocking with the other. It is the foundation of the Jewish and Christian faith.

When Israel was rescued from slavery, Moses commanded the Hebrew people to sacrifice a lamb and put the blood on the door posts–above and on the right and left sides. Consider each mark a point in a triangle that points upward, and that it represents man reaching up to God for redemption, to be saved from the Angel of Death (Passover is described in Exodus 12).

As Jesus was crucified, there were three points where His blood spilled, one at His right hand, one at His left hand and one at His feet. Consider each mark a point in a triangle that points downward, and that it represents God reaching down to men to give them the redemption they hunger for, the forgiveness of their sins and eternal life with Him. He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

THINK ABOUT IT

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Beloveds, let the beauty of God’s message of salvation penetrate your hearts that you may recognize His presence in your lives and experience His amazing love.

PRAY ABOUT IT

O Lord God Almighty, send your Spirit to shine into the darkness of this world and expose lies and deception, to bring about justice, to show compassion and mercy and forgiveness to those who desperately need it and may not even know it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Strength for the Weak

Photo by Arnold Smith on Pexels.com

Have you ever felt weak? Moses, one of the greatest prophets in the Bible, felt that way when God called him to rescue His people from the Egyptians. Moses told God that He had the wrong man, because he had a speech impediment. Yet, God empowered him with his brother’s help to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land.

God called Gideon, a mighty warrior, to save His people from Midian and the surrounding countries, but Gideon didn’t feel like a mighty warrior. He asked God to show him two signs to prove to him that what He said was true. First he said he would put out a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If the dew fell only on the fleece but nowhere else, then he would be convinced. God let the dew fall only on the fleece, and Gideon squeezed a bowl full of water out of the fleece. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. . . This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew.” God performed this sign too. Gideon gathered 12,000 men for battle, but God said that was too many. He reduced the army to 300 fighting men. Why would He do that? He did it to demonstrate that victory was by His strength alone (Judges 6:36-40).

THINK ABOUT IT

Are you facing something you think is impossible because of inferiority or suffering? Paul asked God to take away what he called his thorn in the flesh, but God said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Many times I’ve felt like Paul did, as if I couldn’t go on anymore. I discovered that when I got to the end of me, it was God’s opportunity to do things I never thought I could accomplish.

PRAY ABOUT IT

Holy Father, we need your help in times of weakness, and we pray for your help. As you strengthened Moses, Gideon and Paul, strengthen us too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.