May 4 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

These readings focus on the Holy Spirit. In the Old Covenant (or Testament), the Spirit "anoints" one person here and one there to perform a special work for God. In the New Covenant, the Spirit is "poured out" like rain on the whole church of Christ.

Bible Reading:

1 Samuel 16:1–13

Bible Text:

Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him ... and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power (1 Sam. 16:13).

Devotional:

In the Old Testament kings and priests were anointed with oil.

The oil was a sign that God's Spirit had come upon them. An anointed person was (and is) one set apart and equipped for God's service.

Anyone who wants to do God's work needs God's Spirit. Christians today are not only called to do God's work in the world—they are also empowered by God's Spirit to do so.

Messiah is a Hebrew word that means 'Anointed One." The Jews were taught to expect the Messiah, the Son of David, on whom God's Spirit would rest in power. Jesus is the promised Messiah. At first only a few of his followers recognized him as such. Today more than a billion people confess that he is the Christ, the Messiah.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, he fulfilled—and continues to fulfill—his promise to baptize his people with the Spirit.

The presence of the Spirit became real in David's life as soon as his father and brothers could smell the fragrance of the anointing oil. In the same way, the presence of the Spirit is evident in us when Jesus the Messiah has breathed on us. By his Spirit, Christ empowers his followers to go where he leads and do what he commands.

May the fragrance of Christ's presence stay with you all day.

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.