January 24

Morning

Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague. — Ps 91:3 BSB

God rescues His people from the traps of the enemy in two ways: either from or out of the snare.

First, He delivers us from the snare—preventing us from even falling into it.

Second, if we do fall into the trap, He delivers us out of it.

The first kind of rescue is the most precious to some; the second, to others.

“He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler.” How does He do this?

Sometimes, trouble itself is the means by which God rescues us. He knows our wandering would lead to destruction, so in His mercy, He sends hardship. We may ask, “Lord, why is this happening?” not realizing that our trouble is actually saving us from something far worse. Many have been saved from spiritual ruin through their struggles. These hardships have scared them away from the snare of the enemy.

Other times, God gives His people spiritual strength so that when temptation comes, they respond, “How could I do this evil and sin against God?”

But what a comfort to know that even if a believer is caught in the snare, God will bring them out! O backslider, you may be downcast, but don’t despair. Though you’ve wandered far, hear what your Redeemer says: “Return, O backsliding children; I will have mercy on you.” You may feel trapped, but listen to the promise: “He will surely deliver you out of the snare of the fowler!” You will be brought out of every evil into which you’ve fallen. Though you will never stop repenting for your mistakes, He who loves you will not cast you away. He will restore your joy, and you will once again rejoice in His mercy. No child of God will perish in the enemy’s snare!

Evening

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!” — Luke 10:40 BSB

Martha’s fault wasn’t that she served—it’s fitting for every Christian to serve. “I serve” should be the motto of all the members of the heavenly kingdom. Nor was her fault that she served a lot. We can never do too much for God. Let every part of us—mind, heart, and hands—be devoted to the Master’s service. It wasn’t even wrong for her to be busy preparing a meal for Jesus. How blessed Martha was to have the chance to host such a guest, and how wonderful that she poured herself into her work so completely! Her fault was in becoming “distracted by much serving,” to the point that she forgot about Jesus Himself and focused only on the tasks. She allowed her service to overshadow her relationship with Him, presenting one duty at the expense of another.

We should strive to be both Martha and Mary in one—to serve a lot, but also to spend time in communion with Jesus. This takes great grace. It’s easier to serve than to spend quiet time with God. Joshua didn’t grow tired of fighting the Amalekites, but Moses needed help keeping his hands raised in prayer. The more spiritual the work, the quicker we tire. The finest fruits of grace are often the hardest to grow.

Beloved, while we must not neglect outward duties, we should ensure that we maintain personal fellowship with Jesus. Don’t let sitting at His feet be neglected, even if you’re busy serving Him. The most important thing for our soul’s health, for His glory, and for our usefulness, is to stay in constant communion with Jesus. We must make sure that the vitality of our spiritual life is maintained, above all else.