'hope' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
Romans 8:26-30…“We know that all things work together for good, for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” vs. 28 This verse gets a lot of attention from believers, particularly at those times in life when things aren’t going particularly well. Sometimes we can’t figure out any reasons for the things that are happening and our best efforts at living the good life are being thwarted. Things like disease, divorce, job loss, and depression take a…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 119:133-136…“My eyes shed streams of tears because your law is not kept.” vs. 136 This psalmist was saddened by the wholesale disregard for the precepts of the Lord. People were not walking in the way of righteousness and his heart was broken. While we don’t know the psalmist or his situation we can surmise that the pain came, not because he was angry at sinners, but because he was seeing the consequences of careless and lawless living. Such behavior…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 86:14-17…“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” vs.15 Sometimes it’s hard to know how we could get so messed up in the way we think about God. Admittedly there are some verses in our scriptures that can be misleading or easily misinterpreted, but for the most part the testimony of the prophets and of Jesus echoes the teaching of this anonymous psalmist. Troubled and paranoid as…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 86:11-13…“Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.” vs. 11 The psalmist was aware that there was a way to live and that it was connected to God’s truth. The trick was to figure out exactly what that truth was. Indeed, that’s been the mystery of the ages, and humans have concocted a multitude of religions that purport to shine light on that path. Even…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 44:6-8…“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” vs. 6 As the prophet brought the word of the Lord to the exiles in Babylon, he was well aware that there was an abundance of visible gods for the people to choose among. There was a well established pantheon of deities with Marduk as their chief. Temples for…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 55:10-11…“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven…making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;” vss. 10 11a For the prophet Isaiah there was a kind of inevitability to the goodness and generosity of the Lord. At least that was the pattern that he saw in the creation. The natural forces that sustain life have been built…
Daily Devotions
Romans 7:21-25a…“Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” vss. 24-25a Paul had concluded that there was absolutely nothing that he could do to help himself. No matter how hard he tried, no matter what kind of self-talk he used, no matter how many self-help books he read, there was no way he could escape his addiction to sin. It was impossible! And after a…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 69:16-18…“Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.” vs. 17 This psalmist seems to have run out of patience with the Lord. His passion for the temple has gotten him a boatload of enemies, and they never tire of tormenting him. Through it all the psalmist has continued to trust in the Lord as a source of mercy and steadfast love! But at this moment he’s just not feeling it!…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 9:18-26…“Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well.” vs. 22 As Jesus had traveled through Galilee’s villages and towns in the course of his ministry he had developed a reputation as a healer. When word went out that he was in the area large crowds gathered, often to hear him speak, but also for the ill to receive his healing touch. And when that…
Daily Devotions
John 20:19-20…“Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” vss. 19b-20 The disciples, wracked by fear, had locked themselves away in a hidden upper room within the walled city of Jerusalem. Even though they had heard that Jesus had risen from the dead, they had no idea what to do. They didn’t even know if…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 22… “The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.” vss. 26-27 Psalm 22 is familiar to most believers because it begins with the words Jesus uttered from the cross, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” According to Mark and Matthew these…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 42:1-9…“He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.” vss. 2-3 After centuries of devastating wars and incompetent rulers, the prophet, residing in captivity, had a vision for a new nation, one that was modeled on the Suffering Servant. Now there would be a new governance, and Israel would be…