'God’s presence' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him…He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.” vss. 10a, 11 Isaiah 40:9-11 When our faith ancestors were in a tough spot they eagerly looked for the coming of the Lord, so it’s not surprising that the prophet assured the people that the Lord was on the way,…
Daily Devotions
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” vss. 38-39 Romans 8:31-39 Paul began this ending paragraph of chapter 8 in his letter to the Romans by writing “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Martin Luther…
Daily Devotions
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” vs. 10 Romans 8:6-11 Through the centuries, humans all over the world have celebrated God’s indwelling presence in their various religions and have developed whole systems of thought devoted to the accessing of that Divine Spirit. Paul taught that this indwelling presence was Christ, and his words are a source of enormous good news to all who take them…
Daily Devotions
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” vs. 13 Isaiah 55:12-13 The myrtle is a fragrant flowering shrub, common to the mountains of Lebanon and Judea, that had enormous significance for the prophet. He told the returning exiles that it would be an everlasting sign of God’s favor and…
Daily Devotions
Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.” vs. 17 Psalm 69:16-18 Whenever we’re feeling isolated and alienated, for whatever reason, the only thing that will restore serenity in our hearts is the assurance of God’s presence. One of the by-products of our isolation is a perception that God has deserted us, that the Omnipresent One has purposely decided to leave us on our own. Of course it’s impossible for that…
Daily Devotions
…so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’…” vss. 27-28a Acts. 17:26-31 Paul believed that God had brought all people into existence and that it was human nature to search for God, and that occasionally our groping would be successful. Since God is not far from any of us, how could it…
Daily Devotions
Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’” vs. 40 John 11:33-41 Martha had confessed her faith in Jesus as the messiah, but she really didn’t have a clue about what a blessing that would ultimately be for her. Jesus was able to do for her far more than she had ever expected–she hadn’t dreamed that she would ever see her brother again. She had sold her faith…
Daily Devotions
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and for evermore.” vs. 8 Psalm 121 Life is an ongoing cycle of going out and coming in. We know the pattern–up in the morning, out during the day, and then a coming home at night. Day after day, year after year, during good times and bad, from the time of our youth until the arrival of the golden years, the rhythm continues. And through…
Daily Devotions
Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!” vs. 9 Psalm 27:6-9 People of faith find it hard to remain steadfast through tough times. Even the psalmist’s fine words turned accusatory when the light of the Lord seemed to dim. When there was no response to his prayers for help, he immediately assumed…
Daily Devotions
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” vs. 1 Psalm 27:1, 4-5 The psalmist was in one of those periods in his life when the Lord seemed very near and he had supreme confidence in the direction of his days. He knew that all was right in his world and that he had nothing to fear. The Lord was the stronghold…
Daily Devotions
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.” vs. 14 Isaiah 7:10-16 During the years Isaiah was an advisor to King Ahaz of Judah, Israel and Syria had joined forces and launched an attack against Jerusalem, hoping to overthrow Ahaz. In the midst of the siege Isaiah goes to Ahaz, and when Ahaz refuses to ask God for a sign, gives him…
Daily Devotions
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” vs. 13 Romans 15:7-13 One of the signs of God’s presence in our lives is the appearance of hope in the most unlikely times. Hope confounds us with its elusiveness. It comes and goes with maddening irregularity and resists our most determined manipulation. Paul tells us that hope has a connection with…