Posts from August 2022

Posts from August 2022

Daily Devotions

They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.” vs. 1 Psalm 1 The very first psalm clearly states the conviction of Jewish religious leaders that there are two ways to live in this world. We can either walk in the way of the Lord or follow the path of sinners. It’s a distinction that is sometimes lost among people…

Daily Devotions

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live…” vs. 19 Deuteronomy 30:19-20 Those who have drunk deeply from the gospel of grace sometimes don’t quite know what to do with the emphasis on choice that is found in Deuteronomy. We imagine that since salvation is in Christ and not dependent on our works it really doesn’t…

Daily Devotions

If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord … then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess.” vs. 16 Deuteronomy 30:15-18 Our faith ancestors cherished the book of Deuteronomy, and rightly so! It was carefully crafted to describe how Israel should behave as a nation–it was like their constitution. In this section…

Daily Devotions

But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” vss. 13-14 Luke 14:12-14 Most of us take pains to maintain a kind of social equilibrium in our relationships. We track the interactions that we have with our friends and relatives and make sure that they don’t become one-sided. No matter what it…

Daily Devotions

For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” vs. 11  Luke 14:1, 7-11 When Jesus went to the house of the leader of the Pharisees on the sabbath, Luke says that they were watching him closely–and he was watching them! And their behavior in choosing a place at the table triggered some choice comments from him about self-exaltation. Their culture, like ours, placed a huge premium on honor and people would go…

Daily Devotions

Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” vs. 7 Hebrews 13:6-8, 15-16 We like to imagine that we make our own decisions about life without any outside influences, but the truth is that all of us are strongly influenced by leaders, both inside and outside of the church. The writer of Hebrews has in mind faith leaders, those who have been our guides…

Daily Devotions

Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’” vs. 5 Hebrews 13:1-5 The writer of Hebrews concludes his letter to early believers with some words of encouragement and advice. His admonitions are consistent with the words of Jesus and the testimony of scripture, but still we seem reluctant to accept what he has to say about money. There are some…

Daily Devotions

For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever. They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.” vss. 6-7 Psalm 112:5-10 It’s easy to get discouraged at times like this. There is a constant barrage of warnings about climate change and “breaking news” of threats from all parts of the globe. Nations are competing to perfect missiles that cannot be defended against, and we wonder if more attacks will soon…

Daily Devotions

They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.” vs. 4 Psalm 112:1-4 Even though the world seems to be overrun with greedy and deceptive liars and rascals, the psalmist insisted that there was another side to the picture. He observed that there was a vast cadre of folks who lived according to the precepts of the law and who brought light to dark places. On our better days, when our eyes…

Daily Devotions

Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great; for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.” vss. 6-7 Proverbs 25:6-7    Through the centuries, protocols have evolved to give guidance for behavior when in the presence of the great. As a result anyone even remotely connected to a royal court would have agreed with the wisdom offered in these…

Daily Devotions

But the Lord answered him and said, ‘You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water?’” vs. 15 Luke 13:14-17 The Jews had spent centuries discussing the sabbath and had rigidly defined the activities that could be done. Leading your donkey to water was permitted; healing was not. Jesus knew the rules, but it didn’t stop him from healing the woman who…