'Brokenness' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.” vss. 11-12 Psalm 51:6-11 For a couple of generations these verses were regularly sung as a part of liturgical worship in many congregations. We probably didn’t intentionally memorize them, but they became embedded in our brains nonetheless. For many they were a reminder that one of the main…
Daily Devotions
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” vs. 8 Isaiah 64:1-9 The prophet was no fool. He knew that the people of Israel had not been living up to divine standards. In fact, no one was even praying anymore and even good deeds were no more than filthy rags. So he recognizes that the Lord has a right to indignation, and may be…
Daily Devotions
For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.” vs. 32 Romans 11:29-32 Paul knew that the Jews and Gentiles had nothing in common on the basis of their heritage or religious background. But what they did have in common was disobedience. All people are created good and are in the image of God, and all people are broken. To put it bluntly, all people are sinners! That’s what we have in common with…
Daily Devotions
But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” vs. 8 Romans 5:6-8 It’s easy to slide into believing that God’s love is conditional, mostly because that’s generally the nature of human love. Even the best of us will ultimately run out of patience when friends and family let us down. As we’re quick to tell one another, “Forgiveness has its limits!” It’s just too hard to keep on letting…
Daily Devotions
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” vs. 5 Psalm 100:4-5 In the midst of the current tumult regarding war, nuclear weapons, climate disaster, and the resurgence of hate speech, we can find amazing consolation in the words of this 2500 year-old psalm. The psalmist, inspired by the Spirit, knew the core of what humans need to flourish. First is a firm conviction that God is good and so is the…
Daily Devotions
And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” vs. 46 Matthew 27:33-54 For some people, this saying of Jesus’ from the cross is arguably the most reassuring and hopeful thing that he ever said. For in these few words, Matthew lets us know that Jesus was fully human and at the tortuous end of his life felt totally alienated from God. He felt…
Daily Devotions: March 30, 2019
March 30, 2019 For full passage click: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-19 …“But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger!’” vs. 17 The parable of the Prodigal Son is perhaps one of Jesus’ most loved and often preached upon stories, probably because it touches on universal themes that most of us can identify with. We know all about rebellious children and leaving…