Blog (Page 126)
Daily Devotions: May 8, 2020
May 8, 2020 1 Peter 2:6-10 … “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” vs. 10 Peter was writing to the scattered Christians of Asia and Galatia, and reminding them that, though they were few in number, they possessed a power and presence that came directly from God. He wanted them to know that, even lacking the credentials of race or heritage, they…
Daily Devotions: May 7, 2020
May 7, 2020 1 Peter 2:1-5 … “like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” vs. 5 There have been some who have railed against the closing of churches in this time of quarantine, claiming that it is an aggressive act by an oppressive government. Others have laughed at the notion that any agency could have the power to close the church,…
Daily Devotions: May 6, 2020
May 6, 2020 Psalm 31:15-16 … “My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.” vs. 15 One of the great truths of human existence is that we are not in control. While that may seem self-evident to those who are wise, it still comes as a shock to many. In our youth we are regularly told wonderful lies by those who love us, aphorisms like “You can do anything,” or an old…
Daily Devotions: May 5, 2020
May 5, 2020 Psalm 31:1-5 … “Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.” vs. 2 Many of us have been fervent in our prayers over the last months, offering up petitions for ourselves and our families, praying both for protection and for healing. It’s a natural response to the rapid spread of disease and aligns with what the Psalmist was feeling. But there’s been an added…
Daily Devotions: May 4, 2020
May 4, 2020 Acts 7:55-60 … “But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him…” vss. 57-58a The crowd didn’t care what Stephen had to say, they only wanted to kill him–and so they did; and made Stephen famous as our faith’s first martyr. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the last! There is within certain segments of humanity a deep aversion to kindness…
Daily Devotions: May 3, 2020
May 3, 2020 John 10:6-10 … “I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.” vs. 9 For the people of Israel, the Shema prayer “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone” was the core of their faith and was to be recited every morning and evening. Many put a parchment containing this verse from Deuteronomy 6:1 in a little cylinder called a mezuzah…
2020_Spiritual Practices for Times of Crisis
Spiritual Practices for Times of Crisis Grief, pain, isolation, fear, worry, and loss can upend our normal spiritual rhythms of life and our faith life as a whole. As Christians, what do we do? Do we grit our teeth, fake it ‘til we make it, and carry on regardless? Aren’t we supposed to be “thankful in all circumstances” and happy all the time? Should we just turn away from God until we feel better? These are all valid questions and…
Daily Devotions: May 2, 2020
May 2, 2020 John 10:1-5 … “When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.” vs. 4 We don’t particularly like to think of ourselves as sheep. We would prefer to believe that we are well-informed, intelligent individuals, who are perfectly capable of making up our own minds about matters of consequence. But in truth, we’re really sheep, and mostly dependent on the leadership of others…
Daily Devotions: May 1, 2020
May 1, 2020 1 Peter 2:22-25 … “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” vs. 24 In recent years there are many who have become uncomfortable with the traditional atonement theories. In particular, they don’t like the notion that Jesus took our punishment upon himself by dying on the cross, that somehow his death was the payment required for…
Daily Devotions: April 30, 2020
April 30, 2020 1 Peter 2:19-21 … “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.” vs. 21 The people to whom Peter was writing had a few big faith questions, and the big one is obvious: “Since they were living lives pleasing to God, why in the world were they suffering?” It’s a question we’re still living with some 2000 years later. When…
Daily Devotions: April 29, 2020
April 29, 2020 Psalm 23 … “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” vs. 5 If nothing else, our experiences over the last couple of months have taught us that we live in a dangerous world and, no matter how good our intentions, we can’t always control outcomes. Life is hard, and problems can come from most any direction at any time—some would even say…
Daily Devotions: April 28, 2020
April 28, 2020 Acts 2:46-47 … “Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.” vss. 46-47a Initially, the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem did not imagine that they would be considered the founders of a new religion. They were very content within Judaism and made temple worship a part of their daily…