Posts from July 2020
Daily Devotions: July 31, 2020
July 31, 2020 Romans 9:3-5 … “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.” vs. 3 When Paul was encountered by the Risen Christ he spent a number of years in meditation and study. He pored over the scriptures in earnest, revisiting his old convictions and commitments. He emerged fully convinced that God, in Christ Jesus, had done a new thing…
Daily Devotions: July 30, 2020
July 30, 2020 Romans 9:1-2 … “I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.” vss. 1-2 Paul has just told his readers that there is absolutely nothing in all of creation, not even death, that can separate us from the love of God. It is without a doubt one of the most reassuring and grace-filled passages in all of scripture–most…
Daily Devotions: July 29, 2020
July 29, 2020 Psalm 145:14-21 “The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings…The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.” vss. 17, 20 The Psalmist is effusive in his praise of our Lord’s love and constant care. He says that there’s generosity rooted in the nature of God and no adjectives are spared in describing God’s goodness. But then there’s this little disclaimer. Not everyone is included…
Daily Devotions: July 28, 2020
July 28, 2020 Psalm 145:8-9 … “The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.” vs. 9 Obviously the bible can be used to support any number of theologies or random ideas–people have been using it as a proof-text for centuries. Sometimes its verses even present opposing or uncomfortable points of view and we have a hard time figuring out which message to take to heart. But there’s no doubt about what the…
Daily Devotions: July 27, 2020
July 27, 2020 Isaiah 55:1-5 … “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” vs. 1 The prophet is ecstatic about the good news that he has for Israel. The country had virtually ceased to exist–Jerusalem had been destroyed–everything people had held dear was gone. Even the temple lay in ruins! And he’s so overflowing with joy and excitement that…
Daily Devotions: July 26, 2020
July 26, 2020 Matthew 13:44-52 … “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” vs.44 All the riches that God has for us–the peace and joy, the forgiveness and hope–all those blessings are present for us all the time! But too many of us don’t even sense their nearness. We pass through life, oblivious to the…
Daily Devotions: July 25, 2020
July 25, 2020 Matthew 13:31-33… “He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’” vs. 33 From time to time we’re blessed to get a glimpse of how other people live in our world. It could happen in the course of travel but most of the time it happens randomly as we navigate between television, social media, movies, and…
Daily Devotions: July 24, 2020
July 24, 2020 Romans 8:33-39… “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” vss. 38-39 As the days begin to blur together and we continue to be confused and frightened by contradictory reports of how long COVID-19 will impact our…
Daily Devotions: July 23, 2020
July 23, 2020 Romans 8:26-32… “Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” vs. 26 There are times when prayer seems easy. We know exactly what is on our minds and find no difficulty in laying out our petitions of joy and thanksgiving, while also letting God know what we’d like to have happen. But on other occasions…
Daily Devotions: July 22, 2020
July 22, 2020 Psalm 119:133-136 … “My eyes shed streams of tears because your law is not kept.” vs. 136 As the psalmist surveyed the lives of those around him, his heart often overflowed with sadness at the mess some folks were making of the precious days that God had given them. We know that feeling! Sometimes it’s members of our own families who continually make wrong choices and who regularly experience brokenness in daily living. Sometimes those choices have…
Daily Devotions: July 21, 2020
July 21, 2020 Psalm 119:129-132 … “With open mouth I pant, because I long for your commandments.” vs. 132 The psalmist loved the law and was ecstatic as he pored over its commandments and savored its precepts. We who have been raised on a diet of grace and forgiveness might have some difficulty understanding that unabashed, almost amorous, delight in the law of the Lord. Often that’s because we think of law in terms of judgment rather than instruction. Paul…
Daily Devotions: July 20, 2020
July 20, 2020 1 Kings 3:1-12 … “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” vs. 9 Solomon’s biographer described him as the wealthiest king on earth. His armies were undefeated, his building projects unmatched, and he spared no expense in providing for himself and his wives. Even the Queen of Sheba came to see him and he lavished her with gifts.…