The Light of Hope
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Posted:Dec 21, 2023 3:57 am
Last Updated:May 30, 2024 10:22 am 6860 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Psalm 42
Bible in a Year: Micah 4–5; Revelation 12
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11
My mother’s shiny red cross should have been hanging next to her bed at the cancer care center. And I should have been preparing for holiday visits between her scheduled treatments. All I wanted for Christmas was another day with my mom. Instead, I was home . . . hanging her cross on a fake tree.
When my Xavier plugged in the lights, I whispered, “Thank You.” He said, “You’re welcome.” My didn’t know I was thanking God for using the flickering bulbs to turn my eyes toward the ever-enduring Light of Hope—Jesus.
The writer of Psalm 42 expressed his raw emotions to God (vv. 1–4). He acknowledged his “downcast” and “disturbed” soul before encouraging readers: “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (v. 5). Though he was overcome with waves of sorrow and suffering, the psalmist’s hope shone through the remembrance of God’s past faithfulness (vv. 6–10). He ended by questioning his doubts and affirming the resilience of his refined faith: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (v. 11).
For many of us, the Christmas season stirs up both joy and sorrow. Thankfully, even these mixed emotions can be reconciled and redeemed through the promises of the true Light of Hope—Jesus.
How has Jesus helped you process grief while celebrating Christmas? How can you support someone who’s grieving this season?
Dear Jesus, thank You for carrying me through times of grief and joy all year round.
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Forgiveness and Forgetting
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Posted:Dec 20, 2023 12:56 am
Last Updated:May 30, 2024 10:22 am 7034 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Isaiah 43:18–25
Bible in a Year: Micah 1–3; Revelation 11
I am he who blots out your transgressions . . . and remembers your sins no more. Isaiah 43:25
Jill Price was born with the condition of hyperthymesia: the ability to remember in extraordinary detail everything that ever happened to her. She can replay in her mind the exact occurrence of any event she’s experienced in her lifetime.
The TV show Unforgettable was premised on a female police officer with hyperthymesia—to her a great advantage in trivia games and in solving crimes. For Jill Price, however, the condition isn’t so much fun. She can’t forget the moments of life when she was criticized, experienced loss, or did something she deeply regretted. She replays those scenes in her head over and over again.
Our God is omniscient (perhaps a kind of divine hyperthymesia): the Bible tells us that His understanding has no limit. And yet we discover in Isaiah a most reassuring thing: “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions . . . and remembers your sins no more” (43:25). The book of Hebrews reinforces this: “We have been made holy through . . . Jesus Christ . . . [and our] sins and lawless acts [God] will remember no more” (Hebrews 10:10, 17).
As we confess our sins to God, we can stop playing them over and over in our minds. We need to let them go, just as He does: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past” (Isaiah 43:18. In His great love, God chooses to not remember our sins against us. Let’s remember that.
What regrets do you harbor in your memory and play over and over again? How can you give them to God and release the past?
Dear God, thank You for forgiving and forgetting my sins.
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Learning from Scars
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Posted:Dec 19, 2023 3:29 am
Last Updated:May 30, 2024 10:22 am 6955 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Genesis 32:22–32
Bible in a Year: Jonah 1–4; Revelation 10
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and [Jacob] was limping because of his hip. Genesis 32:31
Faye touched the scars on her abdomen. She had endured another surgery to remove esophageal-stomach cancer. This time doctors had taken part of her stomach and left a jagged scar that revealed the extent of their work. She told her husband, “Scars represent either the pain of cancer or the start of healing. I choose my scars to be symbols of healing.”
Jacob faced a similar choice after his all-night wrestling match with God. The divine assailant wrenched Jacob’s hip out of socket, so that Jacob was left exhausted and with a noticeable limp. Months later, when Jacob massaged his tender hip, I wonder what he reflected on?
Was he filled with regret for his years of deceit that forced this fateful match? The divine messenger had wrestled the truth out of him, refusing to bless him until Jacob owned up to who he was. He confessed he was Jacob, the “heel grabber”
( Genesis 25:26). He’d played tricks on his brother Esau and father-in-law Laban, tripping them to gain advantage. The divine wrestler said Jacob’s new name would be “Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome” (32:28.
Jacob’s limp represented the death of his old life of deceit and the beginning of his new life with God. The end of Jacob and the start of Israel. His limp led him to lean on God, who now moved powerfully in and through him.
What spiritual scars do you have? How might they symbolize the end of something bad and the start of something new?
Father, my limp is a sign of Your love.
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My God Is Near
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Posted:Dec 18, 2023 12:03 am
Last Updated:Dec 18, 2023 12:04 am 6894 Views
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Bible in a Year :
Obadiah
Revelation 9
The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but . . . present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:5–6
Philippians 4:4–7
For more than thirty years, Lourdes, a voice teacher in Manila, had taught students face to face. When she was asked to conduct classes online, she was anxious. “I’m not good with computers,” she recounted. “My laptop is old, and I’m not familiar with video conferencing platforms.”
While it may seem a small thing to some, it was a real stressor for her. “I live alone, so there is no one to help,” she said. “I’m concerned that my students will quit, and I need the income.”
Before each class, Lourdes would pray for her laptop to work properly. “Philippians 4:5–6 was the wallpaper on my screen,” she said. “How I clung to those words.”
Paul exhorts us to not be anxious about anything, because “the Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5). God’s promise of His presence is ours to hold on to. As we rest in His nearness and commit everything to Him in prayer—both big and small—His peace guards our “hearts and . . . minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7).
“God led me to websites about fixing computer glitches,” Lourdes said. “He also gave me patient students who understood my technological limitations.” God’s presence, help, and peace are ours to enjoy as we seek to follow Him all the days of our life. We can say with confidence: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (v. 4).
Reflect & Pray
How can knowing that God is near change your reaction of worry to one of peace? What specific requests can you present to Him?
Dear God, thank You for being near me. Because of Your loving presence, help, and peace, I don’t have to be anxious.
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Christmas Dilemma
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Posted:Dec 17, 2023 6:35 am
Last Updated:Dec 17, 2023 6:36 am 6847 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Proverbs 3:5–18
Bible in a Year: Amos 7–9; Revelation 8
For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. Proverbs 3:32
David and Angie had felt called to move overseas, and the fruitful ministry that followed seemed to confirm it. But there was one downside to their move. David’s elderly parents would now spend Christmases alone.
David and Angie tried to mitigate his parents’ Christmas Day loneliness by posting gifts early and calling on Christmas morning. But what his parents really wanted was them. With David’s income only permitting an occasional trip home, what else could they do? David needed wisdom.
Proverbs 3 is a crash course in wisdom-seeking, showing us how to receive it by taking our situations to God (vv. 5–6), describing its various qualities such as love and faithfulness (vv. 3–4, 7–12), and its benefits as peace and longevity (vv. 13–18. In a touching note, it adds that God gives such wisdom by taking us “into his confidence” (v. 32). He whispers His solutions to those who are close to Him.
Praying about his problem one night, David had an idea. Next Christmas Day, he and Angie put on their best clothes, decorated the table with tinsel, and brought in the roast dinner. David’s parents did the same. Then, placing a laptop on each table, they ate together via video link. It almost felt like they were in the same room. It’s become a family tradition ever since.
God took David into His confidence and gave him wisdom. He loves to whisper creative solutions to our problems.
What dilemma are you facing? What loving solution might God have for you?
Father God, please whisper to my heart Your creative solution to my problem.
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Community in Christ
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Posted:Dec 16, 2023 7:02 am
Last Updated:May 30, 2024 10:22 am 6836 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Acts 2:38–47
Bible in a Year: Amos 4–6; Revelation 7
They devoted themselves . . . to fellowship. Acts 2:42
In the southern Bahamas lies a small piece of land called Ragged Island. In the nineteenth century, it had an active salt industry, but because of a decline in that industry, many people emigrated to nearby islands. In 2016, when fewer than eighty people lived there, the island featured three religious denominations, yet the people all gathered together in one place for worship and fellowship each week. With so few residents, a sense of community was especially vital for them.
The people of the early church felt a crucial need and desire for community as well. They were excited about their newfound faith that was made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection. But they also knew He was no longer physically with them, so they knew they needed each other. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings, to fellowship, and to sharing Communion together (Acts 2:42). They gathered in homes for worship and meals and cared for others’ needs. The church is described in this way: “All the believers were one in heart and mind” (4:32). Filled with the Holy Spirit, they praised God continually and brought the church’s needs to Him in prayer.
Community is essential for our growth and support. Don’t try to go it alone. God will develop that sense of community as you share your struggles and joys with others and draw near to Him together.
How might you commit to spending time with fellow believers? Where and when will you do this?
I need You and Your people, God, to help me live the fullest life for You.
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Equal Before God
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Posted:Dec 15, 2023 5:42 am
Last Updated:May 30, 2024 10:22 am 6869 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Romans 3:21–26
Bible in a Year: Amos 1–3; Revelation 6
Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.
Proverbs 22:2
While on vacation, my wife and I enjoyed some early morning bike rides. One route took us through a neighborhood of multi-million-dollar homes. We saw a variety of people—residents walking their dogs, fellow bike riders, and numerous workers building new homes or tending well-kept landscapes. It was a mixture of people from all walks of life, and I was reminded of a valuable reality. There was no true distinction among us. Rich or poor. Wealthy or working-class. Known or unknown. All of us on that street that morning were the same. “Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2). Regardless of differences, we were all made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27).
But there’s more. Being equal before God also means that no matter our economic, social, or ethnic situation, we’re all born with a sin condition: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We’re all disobedient and equally guilty before Him, and we need Jesus.
We often divide people into groups for a variety of reasons. But, in reality, we’re all part of the human race. And though we’re all in the same situation—sinners in need of a Savior—we can be “justified freely” (made right with God) by His grace
(v. 24).
How does it help you to love others better by recognizing we’re all equal before God? How has Jesus met your deepest need?
Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to earth to live a perfect life and to willingly give His life as a sacrifice for my sins.
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Appetite for Distraction
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Posted:Dec 14, 2023 4:23 am
Last Updated:May 30, 2024 10:22 am 6833 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Psalm 131
Bible in a Year: Joel 1–3; Revelation 5
I have calmed and quieted myself, . . . I am content. Psalm 131:2
I set my phone down, weary of the constant bombardment of images, ideas, and notifications that the little screen broadcasted. Then, I picked it up and turned it on again. Why?
In his book The Shallows, Nicholas Carr describes how the internet has shaped our relationship with stillness: “What the net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. Whether I’m online or not, my mind now expects to take in information the way the net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles. Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski.”
Living life on a mental jet ski doesn’t sound healthy. But how do we begin to slow down, to dive deeply into still spiritual waters?
In Psalm 131, David writes, “I have calmed and quieted myself” (v. 2). David’s words remind me that I have responsibility. Changing habits starts with my choice to be still—even if I must make that choice over and over again. Slowly, though, we experience God’s satisfying goodness. Like a little , we rest in contentment, remembering that He alone offers hope (v. 3)—soul-satisfaction that no smartphone app can touch and no social media site can deliver.
How does technology influence your ability to rest quietly before God? Does your phone contribute to your contentment? Why or why not?
Father, the world is awash in distraction that doesn’t satisfy my soul. Please help me trust You to fill me with genuine contentment.
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Overcoming Trials
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Posted:Dec 13, 2023 5:33 am
Last Updated:May 30, 2024 10:22 am 6734 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Genesis 50:15–21
Bible in a Year: Hosea 12–14; Revelation 4
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good . . . the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20
Anne grew up in poverty and pain. Two of her siblings died in infancy. At five, an eye disease left her partially blind and unable to read or write. When Anne was eight, her mother died from tuberculosis. Shortly after, her abusive father abandoned his three surviving . The youngest was sent to live with relatives, but Anne and her brother, Jimmie, went to Tewksbury Almshouse, a dilapidated, overcrowded poorhouse. A few months later, Jimmie died.
At age fourteen, Anne’s circumstances brightened. She was sent to a school for the blind, where she underwent surgery to improve her vision and learned to read and write. Though she struggled to fit in, she excelled academically and graduated valedictorian. Today we know her best as Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller’s teacher and companion. Through effort, patience, and love, Anne taught blind and deaf Helen to speak, to read Braille, and to graduate from college.
Joseph too had to overcome extreme trials: at seventeen, he was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and was later wrongly imprisoned (Genesis 37; 39–41). Yet God used him to save Egypt and his family from famine (50:20).
We all face trials and troubles. But just as God helped Joseph and Anne to overcome and to deeply impact the lives of others, He can help and use us. Seek Him for help and guidance. He sees and hears.
How has God helped you through a trial? How have you been able to help another in their struggle?
Dear God, thank You! You helped me come through a trial. Please help me to be a helper to others.
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Lean on God
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Posted:Dec 12, 2023 6:10 am
Last Updated:May 30, 2024 10:22 am 6511 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Proverbs 18:10–15 | Bible in a Year: Hosea 9–11; Revelation 3
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10
While at a water park with some friends, we attempted to navigate a floating obstacle course made of inflatable platforms. The bouncy, slippery platforms made walking straight almost impossible. As we wobbled our way across ramps, cliffs, and bridges, we found ourselves yelping as we fell unceremoniously into the water. After completing one course, my friend, completely exhausted, leaned on one of the “towers” to catch her breath. Almost immediately, it buckled under her weight, sending her hurtling into the water.
Unlike the flimsy towers at the water park, in Bible times, a tower was a stronghold for defense and protection. Judges 9:50–51 describes how the people of Thebez fled to “a strong tower” to hide from Abimelek’s attack on their city. In Proverbs 18:10, the writer used the image of a strong tower to describe who God is—the One who saves those who trust Him.
Sometimes, however, rather than lean on the strong tower of God when we’re tired or beaten down, we seek other things for safety and support—a career, relationships, or physical comforts. We’re no different from the rich man who looked for strength in his wealth (v. 11). But just as the inflatable tower couldn’t support my friend, these things can’t give us what we really need. God—who’s all-powerful and in control of all situations—provides true comfort and security.
What “towers” do you lean on? How can you remind yourself to run to God, the strong tower?
Dear God, help me to run to You instead of turning to other things for comfort and security.
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