Blog (Page 23)
Daily Devotions
The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens—wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.” vs. 4 Isaiah 50:4-9a Isaiah recognized that his primary function as a prophet was to teach people the way they could live God-pleasing lives. But beyond that he also realized that he had been uniquely gifted – he’d been given the tongue of a teacher.…
Daily Devotions
As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’” vs. 33 Luke 19:28-40 When Jesus was approaching Jerusalem for the last time he made a conscious decision to enter the city riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey. That image has taken hold of our imagination almost as completely as that of the cross. His mode of transport made abundantly clear that he was coming…
Daily Devotions
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” vs. 8 John 12:4-8 Jesus was of course right. We always have the poor with us, and as even Judas understood, we have a responsibility to use our resources to lift them out of poverty and enable them to experience the material blessings of life in this world. Many believers have been faithful to that ministry of caring and are currently supporting relief and charity work…
Daily Devotions
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” vs. 3 John 12:1-3 John, after telling how Lazarus received new life at the hands of Jesus, goes on to share a story about Mary and Martha that reminds us of Luke’s story of the sisters. Again, Martha is the one given to serving, and she takes charge of the…
Daily Devotions
Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” vss. 13-14 Philippians 3:9-14 Paul knew that the best was yet to come and he was determined to press forward in the Way of Christ Jesus. He uses some sports talk to illustrate…
Daily Devotions
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” vss. 7-8a Philippians 3:4b-8 Sometimes it’s interesting to look back at our lives from time to time, and if we look way back most of us can point to some achievements along the way. There may have been academic excellence or athletic awards, maybe even…
Daily Devotions
Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.” vs. 6 Psalm 126 We don’t know what was going on for the people of Israel, but the psalmist tells us that tears were flowing freely. It might have been some personal illness or tragedy or more likely some communal disaster, but prayers were being offered for restoration. The Lord had heard their pleas in the past and there were…
Daily Devotions
The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people…” vs. 20 Isaiah 43:19b-21 The Israelites lived in a land where the seasonal rains were crucial for their survival. Twice a year the heavens would open and the land would be watered and crops could be planted and harvested. But it wasn’t only the people who needed the rains – animals…
Daily Devotions
Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” vss. 18-19a Isaiah 43:16-19a Isaiah knew that Israel’s past did not define its future. What had happened in the wilderness and in their captivity was simply a part of history. Obviously their God-connection would continue but from now on everything was going to be new. In fact, if they opened their…
Daily Devotions
But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” vs. 30 Luke 15:11-32 The parable of the prodigal son is one of Jesus’ best known and most loved stories. In it God is compared to a generous, long-suffering, and compassionate father, one who welcomes his wayward son with a kiss and a hug even before the boy has a chance to speak. And to celebrate the son’s return,…
Daily Devotions
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” Luke 15:1-2 It wasn’t that Jesus was ghosting the Pharisees and the scribes. He appreciated their devotion to the law, and periodically he’d join them for meals in their homes. We can imagine that there were some fine conversations over the fine points of scriptural interpretation. They may…
Daily Devotions
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” vs. 18 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 It gave Paul great joy to announce the good news of the new life in Christ to the Corinthians, and he delights to write about the salvation that is ours by grace. But he then moves quickly to remind his readers that this great gift of grace is also an invitation and a call to…