'COVID-19' Tagged Posts (Page 2)
Daily Devotions
But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” vs. 9 1 Corinthians 8:7-13 Jesus came proclaiming liberty to the oppressed and for generations believers have embraced that good news with enthusiasm. It fits our notion of the American dream where life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the highest aspirations. Some carry this to an extreme and say that there is nothing that can be forbidden to them–they’re inclined…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 62:5-8 “For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.” vss. 5-6 Psalm 62:5-8 We don’t know what was going on in the psalmist’s life–we can only imagine and then guess that his journey was not that different from ours. There are times when words fail us, those moments when the things we hold dear seem to be disintegrating.…
Daily Devotions
‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything. vs. 12 1 Corinthians 6:12-14 Paul had asserted that in Christ believers had been set free from the law, and naturally the folks in Corinth had misinterpreted his words. They began doing the things that had been forbidden, particularly in the area of sexuality. The new freedom felt wonderful to them–but when Paul got…
Daily Devotions
Jeremiah 31:10-14 “Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.” vs. 13 The picture of hope that Jeremiah painted for the people of Israel included return to the land and an amazing celebration. Their mourning would be turned into joy, and their sorrow transformed into gladness. There would be dancing and merriment…
Daily Devotions
Luke 1:34-38 “Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then angel departed from her.” vs. 38 Mary’s act of trust has been a model for believers since the beginning, and is one of the reasons that millions of followers hold her in such esteem. “Let it be with me according to your word,” she responded and she became the mother of Jesus the Christ, a child whose…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 89:19-24 “Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance;” vs. 15 Only a week or so until Christmas–three candles are lit on our Advent wreaths and final plans are being made. For some the cancelling of family gatherings will accent the already present pandemic loneliness. Others will find it strange not to be able to sing carols in a crowded sanctuary on Christmas Eve. Nominal churchgoers are being…
Daily Devotions
1 Thessalonians 5:6-15 “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.” vs. 11 As we move through these shortening days of December, in reality time seems to be stretching out. We’re tired of travel restrictions and bothered by the continued spread of the virus in our country. So many have been worn down by the isolation and daily conflicting reports about vaccines and quarantine. And since we can’t seem to get words of encouragement…
Daily Devotions
Luke 17:11-19 “As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’” vss. 12-13 Some of us may feel like lepers this Thanksgiving Day. Because of COVID we’ve been told that it would be best if we limited our contacts and continue to keep our distance, even in our own homes. Naturally we’ve seen this as a huge bummer. Thanksgiving is a time for gathering as friends and…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 80:1-7, 15-17 “O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.” vss. 4-5 Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and because family gatherings have been shown to be “superspreaders” in the COVID pandemic, many are choosing to forego traditional celebratory dinners with friends and relatives. For them it’s one more negative effect of these last nine months of…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 64:1-5 “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence…to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!” vs. 1 The prophet was impatient with the hiddenness of God! He had a deep and abiding faith; he was convinced that God had acted in mighty ways in Israel’s past. But now there was no sign of God’s presence, at least…
Daily Devotions
Romans 14:7-12 … “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister?” v. 10 The issue Paul was addressing had to do with choices people were making about being vegetarians–such persons were disparaged as being weak in faith. Paul may have felt that way himself but he tells others to refrain from passing judgment. It should be possible for people of varying convictions to be a part of the…
Daily Devotions: August 2, 2020
August 2, 2020 Matthew 14:17-21 … “Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” vs. 19 The story of the feeding of the multitudes was a favorite among early Christians and shows up in all of the gospels at least once. It reminded them…