'love' Tagged Posts (Page 3)
Daily Devotions
Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away…No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.” vss. 11, 14 Deuteronomy 30:9-14 There are a lot of rules, commandments, and ordinances in the Hebrew scriptures. It can be mind-boggling to try to keep track of them all. Indeed, at times people were driven to distraction in…
Daily Devotions
He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.’” vs. 2-3 Luke 10:1-7 Paul closes his letter to the Galatians by pointing to the cross of Jesus Christ and affirming that cross as the center of his life. Nothing else mattered–even the debate over circumcision…
Daily Devotions
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!” vs. 7 Psalm 25:6-10 Even as the psalmist affirmed his trust that God was full of mercy and had been that way from the beginning, he knows that his behaviors have not always been proper or prudent. Perhaps he even fears that the record of his deeds and words is disqualifying. At any rate he launches…
Daily Devotions
As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” vs. 13 Isaiah 66:13-14 When a child falls and sustains some sort of injury, often the first impulse is to run for mama! A mother’s hug and embrace have amazing healing qualities, and if a crying boy or girl can somehow snuggle for some extra moments and be held close, the tears will often subside. The prophet was familiar with that sort of…
Daily Devotions
Daily Devotions
Daily Devotions
Daily Devotions
Daily Devotions
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” vss. 3-4 Psalm 8:3-9 Some might think that, of course, the psalmist would be in awe of the creation, he lived well over 2000 years ago and had a relatively primitive understanding of the universe and how it worked. He’d be bound to have…
Daily Devotions
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” vs. 14 Romans 8:14-17 When we read Paul’s letter to the Romans it’s not easy to understand his carefully reasoned arguments and admonitions. Even when we engage in serious study there are some things that we miss–the words he uses are not familiar to us and we may not even care much about the things he’s passionate about. In general, what he wanted his readers to…
Daily Devotions
When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.” vs. 30 Psalm 104:27-34, 35b From the beginning believers have associated the gift of life with the breath of God. Certainly, that’s the central theme of the creation story in Genesis 2, where the Lord, having formed the man from the dust of the earth, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. The psalmist goes further and credits that same breath or…
Daily Devotions
O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all, the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great.” vss. 24-26 Psalm 104:24-26 The psalmist believed that he could glimpse the Divine Presence by observing the creation and he’s right. Even the most jaded among us can’t help but be amazed at the variety and surprises the earth offers every…
Daily Devotions
The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” vs. 17 Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 The book of Revelation ends with a warning and an invitation. Typically, the warning, found in verse 18 of chapter 22, is not included when this lesson is read in our congregations. It’s a kind of boiler plate warning that most…
Daily Devotions
Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!” vss. 11-12 Psalm 97:8-12 Jesus wasn’t comfortable with people being labelled as being either “sinners” or “righteous.” In fact, when people insisted on using those terms, he showed by his actions that he preferred the company of sinners, which is one of the reasons people of faith really love Jesus. But even if we…