'suffering' Tagged Posts (Page 3)
Daily Devotions
For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.” vs. 24 Psalm 22:23-26 We’ve heard the voices of the afflicted big time during this last year. Every country in the world has been affected, and millions of families have suffered pain and loss. Jobs have disappeared and the education system has been stressed to the max. Some have even echoed the psalmist…
Daily Devotions
Is not this the fast that I choose: to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them…? vss. 6a-7 Isaiah 58:1-12 The prophet imagines a conversation between God and Israelites who are wondering why their prayers aren’t being heard when they have been so faithful in making their temple sacrifices and keeping their ritual fasts. In the prophet’s estimation, God has a different agenda for them–they’ve…
Daily Devotions
Mark 13:24-31 “But in those days, after that suffering…Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory.” vss. 24a, 26 It’s hard to believe that Advent is upon us. Four Sundays of preparing and then comes Christmas! And somehow Mark’s words seem particularly appropriate this year. They’re a part of Jesus’ apocalyptic message, and most years we don’t know quite what to do with them. All the symbolism seems dated, and besides, most…
Daily Devotions
Amos 5:21-24 “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” vs. 24 Amos had been sent to proclaim the word of the Lord to Israel and he was not happy with what he saw. While people continued to practice the externals of religion, gathering on festival days for the singing of hymns and the offering of sacrifices, it was all a facade. While the rich were growing ever richer, and had multiple homes with ornate…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 126:4-6 … “Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.” vs. 6 The psalmist had amazing insights about the journey of life, and he didn’t even have access to Dr. Laura or self-help books. There weren’t theologians or psychologists available for consultation–he had only the stories of his people and assorted wisdom sayings gleaned from various Hebrew sages. But those sources and his own observations inspired his…
Daily Devotions: July 16, 2020
July 16, 2020 Romans 8:12-18 … “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.” vs. 18 Unlike many Christians of our day. the early followers of Jesus expected that there would be suffering along the Way. That’s what had happened to Christ Jesus and there was no reason to expect that it wouldn’t also happen for them. It isn’t that they enjoyed the suffering or looked…
Daily Devotions: June 11, 2020
June 11, 2020 Romans 5:1-5 … “And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…” vss. 3-4 Most of us can’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Africans to have been sold into slavery and hauled across the seas to spend their lives in hard labor on American plantations. Not only were beatings and abuse common, husbands, wives, and children…
Daily Devotions: April 5, 2020
April 5, 2020 Matthew 27:45-54 … “And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” vs. 46 Matthew and Mark report that Jesus’ only words from the cross echoed Psalm 22 and reflected his deep distress and sense of alienation. He felt deserted by God, a deep irony given his identification as the Good Shepherd, the one who leads us through the valley of…
Daily Devotions: January 30, 2020
January 30, 2020 For full passage click: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 … “For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…” vss. 22-23 For many decades, the followers of Jesus struggled to put together a coherent testimony for what they had experienced. They were agreed that Jesus was the Messiah, but their message didn’t make any sense to outsiders. The expectation had been that the Messiah would be…
Daily Devotions: December 28, 2019
December 28, 2019 For full passage click: Hebrews 2:10-18 … “Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.” vs. 18 Suffering is one of the realities of life in the world. No matter how much we might want to avoid it, sooner or later it’s going to come to us or someone we love. We might even know that it’s coming, and still find ourselves totally unprepared for the…
Daily Devotions: June 14, 2019
June 14, 2019 For full passage click: Romans 5:1-5 …“and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” vs. 5 Paul is able to tell the Romans that people of faith can even boast in their sufferings, not because they are masochists, but because God’s love, the very presence of God, has been poured into their hearts. His insight has stood the test of…
Daily Devotions: May 18, 2019
May 18, 2019 For full passage click: John 13:31-33 …“When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.’” vs. 31 Typically, the word “glorified” is used to describe something that has been elevated beyond its natural state. To achieve glory, to be honored and acclaimed in the sight of our peers, and is something that many of us seek. John tells us that Jesus was glorified by…