'Blessing' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” vs. 3 1 Corinthians 1:3-6 Paul began his letters to the congregations by wishing them God’s grace and peace and his words have found their way into worship liturgies as an ultra-familiar part of the ritual. Preachers frequently begin their sermons in the same way, almost as a signal to folks in the pews to settle down and start listening because the homily is about to…
Daily Devotions
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan.” vss. 15-16 Luke 17:11-19 The ten lepers were not healed instantaneously. Jesus had only told them to go and show themselves to the priests, and it was as they were on the way that healing came. And then only one of them came back to give thanks…
Daily Devotions
After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.” vs. 19 Matthew 25:14-19 Most of us have at least a passing familiarity with what is known as the Parable of the Talents. It’s the story of a rich man going on a journey who entrusts his property to his slaves. One gets five talents, another two, and the third receives just one. When the master returned, he summoned his slaves and settled accounts with…
Daily Devotions
So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.” vs. 12 Psalm 90:7-8, 12 To be alive in this spectacular universe is a great blessing no matter how long or how short our lives may be. But it is also acknowledged that there is value in having a long life. In fact, some people adopt healthy lifestyles in order to increase their odds of living longer. They’ll willingly give up artificial sweeteners and carbs in…
Daily Devotions
Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’” vss. 14-15 Matthew 20:8-16 In this delightfully composed parable Jesus describes how the owner of the vineyard pays the same daily wage to all the workers that he had hired, whether they had worked twelve hours or…
Daily Devotions
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God…” vss.15-16 Romans 8:12-18 When we, by the grace of God, begin to lead lives that bring us joy and that are a blessing to others, it’s not because we have somehow found the strength in ourselves to…
Daily Devotions
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.” vss. 2-3a Psalm 23:1-3 For some these words from Psalm 23 call to mind a tranquil day on the golf course, minus the traps and the out-of-bounds. For them, golf is exactly what the psalmist is describing–a restful day on beautifully contoured green fairways with calming water features always at hand. It’s a beautiful experience! Of course for most, these verses are…
Daily Devotions
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.” vss. 1-3 Psalm 23 When Samuel’s one-person pastoral search committee led him to select the boy-shepherd, David, as the next king of Israel, he established a job description for godly leaders that will persist for all time. The prophets regularly described the kings…
Daily Devotions
I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” vs. 2 Genesis 12:1-4a Israel’s ancient origin story begins with Abram and Sarai, the intrepid pair who left home and family in favor of a wandering nomadic life that took them all the way from Mesopotamia to Egypt. They became revered, not because of their wealth or station, but because they lived by faith–they trusted…
Daily Devotions
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” vss. 24-26 Numbers 6:22-27 In most of our congregations the pastor’s last words to the gathered people are some form of the Aaronic Benediction. And while for some this is a welcome signal that the end is in sight, most worshippers are touched by this familiar blessing.…
Daily Devotions
Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.” vss. 27-28 Romans 3:25b-28 We know that our salvation is by the grace of God and not through our works, but Paul also says that we are justified by faith, and sometimes that gets confusing. Some folks focus on faith and…
Daily Devotions
As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” vss.6-7 2 Timothy 4:6-8 The timing and the circumstances of our birthing are presumably out of our control. One day, in the fullness of time, we plop out into the world with a resounding cry, and from that point on it’s one adventure after…
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