Sean Curran presents a 5-day devotional plan based on his album, ‘Basic Faith’. Join Sean Curran as he shares the meaning and verses behind his record.
Capitol CMG Label Group
Day 1
Scripture: Matthew 13:31-32
BASIC FAITH
Faith touches everything. It is the thread that stitches together life and God. It is the whisper that dares us to take the step. It is the wind that fans the embers of our souls. It is the fuel of belief. As followers of Jesus, we are not meant to live without it, but time and time again, that is exactly what we try to do. I know this to be true even in my own life. It is a joy for me to say that I’ve been walking with the Lord now for longer than I haven’t been. Much longer, in fact. You could say we have some history together. And, it is certainly true that over all this time, my life of faith has deepened in wisdom and spirit. But, I have also noticed that there are a great many things that I have over complicated and in doing so, have ripped them out of God’s hands; thinking they are better off on my own. As we grow older, if we are not careful, we tend to grow out of some things we shouldn’t. Things like trust. And what is trust if not… faith?
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Matthew 13:31-32
Jesus talked about faith all the time. But, like almost everything, Jesus sees faith differently than we tend to see it. On two occasions He likens faith to a mustard seed. Isn’t it curious that He doesn’t compare it to something more dazzling and spectacular? Or possibly something more persuasive or immediate. Nope, in the eyes of God, real faith is slow, steady, and stable. It grows deeper and wider before it grows taller. It is transforming day by day. A step at a time. You can’t force a tree to grow. You have to let it. Are there things your hands are clasping a little too tightly? I know I have some. Maybe it’s time to hand them back to God. Real faith is the journey of a lifetime. We can trust Him, even if it’s just one step at a time. As it turns out, that’s His specialty. Don’t over complicate it. God does the growing. We do the trusting. This is Basic Faith.
“I’m getting back to the basics. Don’t need a clever way to say it. No more fancy ways of praying. A simple yes. An honest amen. Yes and amen.”
Day 2
Scripture: Job 1:20-21
ALWAYS ALWAYS YOURS
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.
Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
Job 1:20-21
“Always Always Yours” is a song that interrogates motives. I know, I know, it’s a bit of a tough topic for a morning devotional, but that’s the point! Take a sip of coffee and let’s dive in. In many ways, this song is a meditation on the book of Job. It asks the questions that keep me up at night. It says the things that haunt me. Questions like:
- If everything was taken from me, would I still bless the Lord?
- Am I in love with God or am I simply in love with the blessings of God?
- Would I still trust God if my life does not go as I’ve planned?
“If the fires of this world steal all that I have
I wonder what I would do
Would I still call you Lord from the ruins and ash
Would my heart still burn for you?”
On our most honest days, we can all relate to these questions. Even Job asks them, but Job also helps us understand what to do with them. The book of Job is wild. For those of us who need to be reacquainted with this remarkable piece of scripture, it is a book about wisdom. God’s wisdom to be exact. You see, Job was a man blessed by God in every way imaginable, but then something happened. In an instant, he loses everything. He then goes on an emotional rollercoaster of grief and sorrow, fluctuating between two choices…to bless God or curse God. At the end of the story, a tortured and exhausted Job asks God to come explain himself in person, and that’s exactly what happens. But, God does something very different than give Job direct answers to all of his questions. Instead, God reminds Job of just how grand the universe is. He helps Job see all of the little details it takes to run such a universe, and Job is overwhelmed. The amount of precision, care, and wisdom needed for this task is beyond Job’s wildest imagination. This perspective brings him to a place of deep reverence and humility before God. Even though his questions are never answered, he learns to live in trust and peace. Eventually, the Lord restores to Job all that he had lost. And Job is now the kind of person that can trust and bless God, no matter what comes.
“It is always always yours. It is always always yours
This worship I bring, I lay at your feet.
It is always always yours.”
Day 3
Scripture: Revelation 4:1-8
ANOTHER GLIMPSE
There are a few moments in scripture where the Lord cracks the door open a little wider for us. It’s as if He is saying, “Come a little closer and peer inside. Let me show you how I see. Come perceive what I perceive.” This invitation is there for us in Revelation 4. Here, He shows us the Throne Room.
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits a of God. 6Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’ b
who was, and is, and is to come.”
Revelation 4:1-8
There are so many things about this passage that are quite simply beyond our understanding. Which by the way, is nothing to fret over. It is something to cherish. To serve a God who is incomprehensible is one of the best ways to know you haven’t made a God of yourself. But, we do know this: There is a throne in the center, The Lord is upon it, and His glory is radiating like that of 1000 suns. And, there are these majestic creatures with the wings of angels that seem capable of doing only one thing. They circle the throne and with every breath they have, they say “Holy, Holy, Holy”. You get the feeling that they couldn’t stop even if they tried.
Perhaps repetition is not redundant in the throne room. Perhaps with every lap around the throne they catch another glimpse of His glory, another part of his heart, a new piece of His smile, another portion of His power, and majesty, and beauty. Again and again and again, they are given another reason to sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” After all, the holiness of God is not a fickle or fragile thing. It is an eternal thing, and there is always more of it to behold.
The beautiful mystery doesn’t stop there. Jesus, our High Priest, has given us access to the throne room even now. The invitation is there for US to join that endless song. I can’t help but think we might sing something like this….
“With every lap around the throne I catch another glimpse, You’re Holy, Holy, Holy.
The longer I behold you I can’t help but say again, You’re Holy, Holy, Holy.”
Day 4
Scripture: Hebrews 13:5-8
SAME JESUS
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:5-8
The consistency of God is certainly one of the key characteristics we see throughout Scripture. Time and time again from the very first page, to the last, God makes a way. In the garden, through the sea, in the desert, on the cross, on the clouds: Every time darkness tries to derail the vision of God, darkness fails. That’s the thing about darkness; It can take on many forms and conjure up its best schemes, but in the end, it is still no match for the glorious light of God. No matter how hard it tries, darkness cannot overcome light.
Truly, this theme should be very hard to miss. In the scriptures, it’s everywhere you look. But the truth is, we miss it all the time. We have a tendency to lose perspective. It’s like zooming in too far on an image. Things get so blurry and pixelated that there is simply no way of knowing what we are actually looking at. When we lack perspective, we lose confidence. Without a true north, fear will try to tell us a different story; one of hopelessness, isolation, and loss. But God invites us to zoom out. He wants us to remember the hope we are actually standing on. He has shown us where we come from and where we are going. There may be new waters, fires, and giants, but they still have to face the same Jesus. They will meet their match every single time.
That’s why this song exists, to help us gain perspective. When we sing the promises of God, we start to believe them. Darkness is disruptive. We have seen it before and we will see it again. But we are held by a deeper truth…nothing can stop the Lord.
“Where there’s water, you can part it. Where there’s fire, you can walk right through. New giants, same Jesus. There’s no stopping you. Where there’s sickness, you can heal it. All those strongholds, you can break them too. New giants, same Jesus. There’s no stopping you.”
Day 5
Scripture: Revelation 21:1-6
HE WHO IS TO COME
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:1-6
There are many headlines these days; but hope, hope is rarely found in them. We have had a bumpy ride the past few years, that shouldn’t be understated. As a result, our culture is riddled with anger, fear, contempt, and despair. What we need is a little hope.
The good news is, because of Jesus, we have it! As followers of Jesus, we are to be the megaphone of hope to a hurting world. But, this is hard to do if we lose sight of His promises. So, let’s take a moment today to remember where we come from and where we are going. First, God made us to be with Him. This alone is quite remarkable. But, it doesn’t stop there. God became like us to free us from ourselves and went down into the deepest pit of darkness to pull us up from it. If you can believe it, there is actually more good news. Jesus makes us a promise. Not just to us, but to the whole earth and all of creation. He tells us He’s coming back. And when He does, He will set everything right. Every fear will be overturned. Every evil will be vanquished. Every pain will be lifted. Everything will be made new. EVERYTHING.
This is the story we are in. And our soul needs to be reminded of that story. Our truest reality. The kingdom of God is not under threat… God’s coming.
“The story has been written. We all know how it ends. My future has an anchor. My eyes are on the Savior. He’s coming back again.”