'Redemption' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
Psalm 103:8-13..“As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him.” vs. 13 Scripture regularly uses the metaphor “father” to describe the relationship of God to humanity. And because most people have extensive experience with fathers, the metaphor is useful. Here the psalm describes God’s compassion as being like that of a father for his children, and, because we may have experienced a father’s compassion, we have a general sense of what…
Daily Devotions
Genesis 50:19-21..““Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” vs. 20 The whole cycle of the Hebrew ancestral stories comes to a warm and fuzzy end with Joseph’s words to his brothers. Not only does he offer them mercy and forgiveness, but he tells them that even the brokenness of their relationship has been used by God for good. Humans have long…
Daily Devotions
Ezekiel 33:7-11…“So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.” vs.7 Ezekiel had been taken to Babylon with the first group of captives in the early 6th century BCE. There he had been called to be a prophet to all those in exile. It was not a good job! Being a prophet seldom is! He understood himself as being compelled to…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 51:4-6…“Listen to me, my people, and give heed to me, my nation; for a teaching will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples.” vs. 4 The prophet knew that, even though the people were living in captivity, Israel had a purpose that went beyond the present circumstances. Some day a teaching would go forth that would transform the world, and God’s justice would be a light to the nations. And whatever we might…
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
Romans 8:18-25…“For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” vss. 24-25 The longer we live the more likely it is that we will experience the deaths of friends and family members. And when that happens we are always grateful to be able to offer words of comfort to those who grieve.…
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
Romans 7:15-20…“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” vs. 15 It’s not likely that the Apostle Paul played golf, yet his description of his own actions sounds very much like the lament of an addicted golfer. It’s probably one of the most frustrating sports ever invented, precisely because it mirrors the human experience. Even though we know exactly how life should be lived, we…
Daily Devotions
1 Peter 2:22-25…“For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.” vs. 25 According to the gospel of John the resurrected Jesus had told Peter three times, in a touching scene of love and restoration by the Sea of Galilee, to feed and care for his sheep. And three times Peter responds with a passionate “yes.” And that’s what Peter did! As he writes he tells his readers that,…
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…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 130…“Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!” vs. 1 We live in strange and bewildering times. On the one hand our country has been involved in an attack on Iran, the consequences of which are still to be seen. And yet, aside from an uptick in gasoline prices at the pump, it’s as though nothing has happened. We see videos and…
Daily Devotions
For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.” vs. 28 Romans 3:19-23 Paul believed that all people had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But he also held that they had all been justified by God’s grace as a gift, through the redemption that had occurred in Christ Jesus. He further adds that the benefits of this great gift are made effective in faith. Paul’s add-on has frequently…
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