DAILY DEVOTIONS
Thursday, August 1, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Exodus 13:21 — The Lord
went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way,
and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light.
2 Timothy 2:13 — If we are
faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
It was the campers’ usual
“lights out” when we started the hike. We walked single file on the narrow path
that led all the way around the 72 acres of the island on Bay Lake, located
near Alexandria, Minnesota. The church had inherited the island and turned it
into a church camp. I was on the island as camp director for about 100 city
kids, grades four through six. The path became difficult about a third of the
way around the island, and the giggly chatter got quiet. Some counselors had
spread rumors of a dangerous wild cat living in this tangled part of the
island. With my big flashlight, I became very popular for the remainder of the
journey. The campers were not so sure about some of the other counselors. One
camper had come to trust me with his life and soul, clinging to my hand for
dear life because his counselor had told some of the scariest stories. I had
led morning devotions and evening campfire, telling stories of how God had
protected His people from Pharaoh, from poisonous snakes, from dangerous enemies,
and starvation. My stories of faith contributed to feelings of confidence,
security, and, yes, growing faith. I wish I could say I was always the source
of faith-building stories. Sometimes, I need to remember Darin and his trusting
hand. Do your stories of God’s love inspire those needing assurance, or have
you failed to tell stories of faith?
PRAYER
You have led me through
all sorts of trails and dangers, dear Lord. Thank You for Your love and Your
closeness. I ask that You use me today to inspire someone else in their time of
need. In the name of my Savior, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Friday, August 2, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Leviticus 19:2 — You shall
be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
Romans 6:19 — Present your
members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
My parents, grandparents, and
teachers made me feel special when I was young. They reminded me of my good
qualities and encouraged me when I did well. They corrected me and did their
best to shape me into the person they believed I could become. Some of my
brothers and sisters, younger aunts and uncles, and several cousins kept me
from getting a “big head” about it, rubbing off many jagged edges. My precious
helpmate has helped to do both encouraging and refining. God uses others to
mold and refine us in the same way. God knows what we are - special, “set aside
for a special purpose,” HOLY! Because that is how He made us. God
also has a plan and an image of what we can become if we allow ourselves to
grow and develop in God’s Way. Every aspect of our lives and every member of
our body goes into making the whole of us. There are two possibilities: either
we allow God to mold us into the holy, special, “set aside” person He wants us
to be, or we turn our backs on God’s plan (sin) and follow our undisciplined appetites
and pleasures. You were created in God’s holy image! Are you presenting every
part of yourself for God to sanctify (make holy)? What must you do to live up
to God’s calling you “holy” and “special”?
PRAYER
Set me aside for Your
purpose, dear God, and make me holy. Inspire me to be more Christ-like in
dealing with others in everything I say and in all my actions. Thank You for Your
great mercy and grace upon me as I struggle to be faithful to You. In the name
of Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Saturday, August 3, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 33:10 — The Lord
brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the
people.
1 Peter 3:14 — Even if you
do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear,
and do not be intimidated.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Animals can be incredibly
frustrating. Yes, well-trained pets can be a source of joy and comfort, but
when you work with many animals on the farm, it isn’t always very pretty! More
than one 4-H “baby” beef has drug me through the mud and the muck when I was
trying to train it to follow me. When I was ten, I spent an entire hot August
day fixing a fence around the pigpen, only to have several of the younger pigs
practically waltz through a hole I thought was too small. One of them was hit
and killed by a passing truck before I could round them up and fix the hole. I
wouldn’t want to count the number of chickens killed by wild animals because
they refused to stay in their pens. It seems like a pretty good analogy for
God’s efforts to keep His people safe and close to Him. Pastors and other
leaders are sent to “fix fences” and “teach them to follow,” but the temptation
to run free and do their own thing is too enticing. We don’t have to look far
to see that the world around us prefers to follow a “different drummer,” one
whose path will lead to destruction. As God’s called and chosen, we may even
suffer rejection for not following that same path, but we have the assurance of
one who walked “through the valley of the shadow of death” and who promises
those who follow Him that He will lead us safely HOME! Whose counsel will you
follow?
PRAYER
Forgive me, O Lord, when I
think running free is much better than following You. Help me to choose Your
path and not the one that leads me away from You. Thank You for being my
Immanuel, who is always with me. In the name of the Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Sunday, August 4, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Deuteronomy 3:24 — What
god in heaven or on earth can perform deeds and mighty acts like Yours!
2 Corinthians 5:11 —
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
We raised ducks for several
years. We allowed several of them to keep their eggs and hatch out their
ducklings to increase the duck population. A setting hen found one of the nests
a perfect place to lay eggs, too. When the little chick hatched about the same
time as the ducklings, it thought it was a duck. That wasn’t a problem until it
came time to swim! The ducklings took to the water with great joy. The chicks,
thinking they were ducks, tried to do the same, but drowned. Knowing who we are
and Whose we are is important. Too many people think of themselves as children
of the world instead of children of God. The world is happy to lead them into
their favorite “watering hole” and allow them to drown in pursuit of earthly
pleasures. On the other hand, we need to remind ourselves that we have a
different Mother/Father who is God alone! It is our joy to know that He will
lead us into “green pastures” and beside “still waters.” Our responsibility is
to remind our neighbors Whose they are and encourage and persuade them to
follow the true Savior who will lead them into eternal life rather than those
who can only lead them to eternal death. Is there anything or anyone claiming
to be more important to you than your Creator, Savior, and Redeemer? If there
is, be warned! You may be the chick that thinks it is a duck!
PRAYER
Thank You, O God, for
placing me into this family called Your church and that I belong to You. I
praise You when they remind me that I am Your child and encourage me to follow You.
Use me this day to encourage others I meet. I pray this in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Monday, August 5, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 26:9 — My soul
yearns for You in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks You.
Philippians 3:20 — Our
citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
It was a cold, rainy spring
day. I must have been about five years old. I was waiting for Mom and Dad to
pick my sister and me up at my grandparents. I loved staying with my
grandparents, but I missed my home, family, and toys. I stood at the big bay
window facing the road, wondering if they would ever come. Before going home,
we would shop in town because it might be several weeks before we could get out
of our lane once we got back home. The mailman lifted my sagging spirit until I
saw that his car was not the old brown car Dad drove. The hands on the big
clock on the wall seemed to creep around so slowly - about as slowly as the
drizzle falling from the sky. Several times, I had to wipe the fog we created
off the window so we could see. We were tired of drawing pictures in it. Then
my heart began to pound! I saw a car coming over the gravel road from the
south! It was them!!! As much as we love life and the people around us, there
is something in us that yearns for something more. God has placed within us a
homing device that causes our souls to gravitate toward our heavenly Home. Like
E.T., the “extra-terrestrial” in the movie, we too want to go “Home!” Is there
a longing for something more in your life? Have you considered how good it is
to know Who placed it there and where it is drawing you?
PRAYER
You have created and given
me great joy by giving me life, O Holy One. Even amid this life, I yearn to see
Your face. When my time has come to be welcomed to my heavenly home, take me
there gently in Your arms. I pray this in the name of Jesus, who has given me
these promises. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 12:3 — With joy,
you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
John 7:37 — Jesus cried
out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Water is good for us. Without
it, crops wither and die. Without it, we, too, wither and die. One of my
ongoing problems is that I do not realize that I’m thirsty until I’m
dehydrated. The resulting headaches, allergy symptoms, and numerous other
health problems which result remind me too late that I need to drink more
water. When I’m thirsty, I’m already in trouble. I don’t have that problem with
food - I’m always hungry. However, I knew a young man who couldn’t tell when he
was hungry, thirsty, tired, or had to go to the bathroom. He had to regulate
most of his life with an alarm clock. Many people suffer from a similar
spiritual ailment. They don’t know when they are spiritually in need of the
“Water of Life.” Sometimes, with my physical thirst, I discover that I’m
thirsty when I take my first sip of water and want to “drink the well dry.”
That is how it is for many people looking in the wrong place to satisfy a need,
an itch, a hunger, or a thirst they cannot identify. Worship centered on the
Word of God provides that “first sip” for a thirsty world. The problem is
getting the world to take that first sip. Are you willing to lead them to the
“wells of salvation”? How about a nice cool glass of Water - right now? Jesus
offers it to you for free!
PRAYER
O Water of Life, how I
thirst for You! Sometimes, I wait until my thirst overwhelms me before going to
Your well. Forgive me and remind me how wonderful it is to be refreshed by the
coolness of Your life-giving water. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Wednesday, August 7, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 30:3 — O Lord, You brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life.
2 Corinthians 4:10 — We
are always carrying in the body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus
may also be made visible in our bodies.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I visited a woman who
survived a tornado. The tornado struck so suddenly that she had no time to get
to shelter. The sirens had failed. In terrifying seconds she was sucked up into
the funnel. Mercifully, she lost consciousness and was found two miles from
where the whirling beast had picked her up. Amazingly, she was alive with no
broken bones. She was severely bruised, and her skin was pitted with small
stones and seeds of every kind. She described the endless, painful hours spent
by doctors and nurses attempting to rid her of the things embedded in her skin.
Finally, the doctors sent her home with instructions to return frequently to
have more removed. The seeds had to literally die and begin to sprout inside
her flesh before they could be found and removed! As the cells of our bodies
die daily by the millions, new cells are created. Daily, we are renewed. For
those who are in Christ, our sins die daily with Christ when we remember our
baptism, when we confess our sins and repent, and when we turn around to return
to the Lord. As the old dies, the new life in Christ lives. If we are a new
creation in Christ, our lives will reflect it. We are the body of Christ -
living in the world. We are the body of Christ, witnessing to God’s amazing
grace. Do the seeds of grace live in you? Do your friends and neighbors notice?
PRAYER
Renew me again this day
and plant Your seed of grace within me, Heavenly Father. Let it grow to give me
new life. Let others see this grace and praise You for Your love when they
witness it in me. All this I ask in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Thursday, August 8, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Exodus 15:2 — The Lord is
my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation.
Ephesians 6:10 — Be strong
in the Lord and in the strength of his power.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
During my high school years,
I traded my “skinny” look for that of a more muscled teenager. I was never a
weight-lifter or athlete, but wrestling squealing pigs, toting five-gallon
buckets of feed, hoisting 80-pound bales of hay over my head with a pitchfork,
and strong-arming reluctant 1500 pound baby-beefs helped to create and sculpt
muscles I didn’t know I had. I felt good about my strength but was always awed
by my father’s strength. During that stage of my maturity, I saw my nearly 50-year-old
father as “ancient”! Yet, he could out-muscle me in any activity. He kept going
like the “Ever-Ready” bunny when I got tired and my muscles ached. He was up
and dressed for work in the morning before I was, and he ensured we were in bed
at night before he went to bed. There seemed to be nothing requiring strength
that he couldn’t do. He did not inspire fear of his strength, but he did
inspire my best efforts. The Psalmist recognized those qualities in the Lord.
The strength of the Lord, which created all things, shook the earth, parted
waters, and shaped the tiniest baby and the mightiest mountains - this strength
was dependable. The Lord is our strength when “we are weak and heavy laden.”
Where does your strength come from?
PRAYER
I am truly in awe when I
think of Your mighty power and strength and all that You created, dear God.
Give me faith to know that Your strength will always be there when I need it.
Come to me now because my best efforts are so puny compared to what You can do.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Friday, August 9, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 96:1 — O sing to the
Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Revelation 19:6-7 —
Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Until I was eight or nine,
the only musical instruments we had were the radio and an assortment of sticks
and spoons with which I was accused of denting numerous pots, pans, and
discarded cans and buckets. I have loved music as far back as I can remember.
Even now, I love to make up new songs about any subject. I’ve written songs of
love, patriotic songs, spiritual songs, songs about herbs, and even songs about
frogs, worms, and spiders. No doubt some people think I take the Psalmist’s
instruction to “sing to the Lord a new song” a bit too seriously, but it’s
almost as if the words or the music, or both, want to bust forth, and if I
don’t sing them, I will burst! I believe they are songs from the Lord for the
worship of the Lord - no matter the subject. However, I have also discovered
many ways to sing praises to God, even if there is no instrument and a person
has no voice to sing. I believe God hears a “new song” in the smile of
encouragement, in the helping hand of compassion, in the job well done, in the caring
companionship of a cup of coffee or tea with a neighbor, and in the stewardship
of the resources God has placed in our care. How will you “sing a new song to
the Lord” today?
PRAYER
I sing Your praises, O
Lord, because of everything that You have done for me and because that is my
purpose in life. Hear my voice of gladness and praise in everything that I do
today. Let my music be pleasing to You. I sing this song in the name of my
Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Saturday, August 10, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 104:1-2 — O Lord my
God, You are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty wrapped in
light as with a garment.
John 11:40 — Jesus said to
Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of
God?”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
In the country, away from the
city’s light pollution, we could see the lights of the Milky Way as a broad
ribbon of stars, made to look “milky” by the sheer number of stars and the
gaseous clouds and vapors between them. As a child, it was an incredible sight.
When I was six, I had no fundamental concept of sizes or distance as I lay on
the grassy slope beside the storm cellar. My sister and I often made up our own
stories regarding the stars. In those “pre-television days,” we didn’t know
about Star Trek or even Flash Gordon. All we had were the stars and our
imaginations. One of our stories involved God checking up on the creation. The
Milky Way was the sash of God’s uniform, like that we had seen in a picture of
a foreign king, but this sash was made up of stars that acted like big
flashlights God could shine on specific people. It was magnificent! Several
years ago, I baptized a pre-mature infant in an incubator and discovered that
the magnificence of God’s glory is not limited to the grand showcase of space.
God’s garment of glory is also wrapped around the tiniest infants, clinging to
the life God breathes into them. Indeed, it is a different kind of glory but
equally majestic and breathtaking! Have you opened your eyes to God’s presence
in your life? Have you been awe-struck by the glimpse of God’s greatness given
to you? “Open our eyes, Lord....”
PRAYER
Help me see the wonder of You
around me, O Creator. Open my eyes so that I may see You in the smallness of a
baby or the wrinkled face of an older person. When I study Your creation, let
me view Your greatness. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Sunday, August 11, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Ezekiel 36:26 — A new
heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you.
2 Corinthians 5:17 — If
anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away;
see, everything has become new!
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
As a kid, I noticed that
“love” did strange things to people. Several of my aunts and uncles were only a
few years older than I. I occasionally stayed with them at my city grandparents;
we played and often joked around. We had a great time. But it wasn’t the same
when they got boyfriends or girlfriends. Something changed. They didn’t have
time to play the games we used to play. Their hearts weren’t in it like they
used to be. They didn’t want me around as much. They had other interests and a
new “someone” with whom they preferred to spend time. Similar transformations occur
in people who fall in love with Christ. Some of their old activities aren’t as
important anymore. Many of their friendships change. How they spend their time
and money takes them in different directions. They may look like the same
people on the outside, but inside, they are a “new creation.” For some, the
change is gradual. For others, the change is dramatic and sudden. When the Lord
enters our lives, our words, actions, friendships, time, and stewardship (the
management of the gifts God places in our care) all begin to reflect His
presence. It is not just a Sunday morning kind of “religion” anymore. It is an
everyday experience. Have you noticed your life becoming a “new creation”? If
not, have you invited Christ into every part of your life?
PRAYER
Stir Your Spirit within me,
O God, that my love for You might be awakened and renewed. Let others see my
great love for You in everything I do, in how I talk, smile, share, and give of
myself. Thank You for Your great love for me, which You showed through Jesus
Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Monday, August 12, 2024
SCRIPTURE
1 Samuel 2:3 — The Lord
declares, “Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be
treated with contempt.”
Luke 10:16 — Jesus says,
“Whoever listens to you listens to me.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
One of the advantages I had
attending a one-room school from kindergarten through eighth grade was that I
got to “overhear” the lessons of all the other grades. In addition, any time
one of us had trouble with a subject, our teacher would assign one of the “big
kids” to help us. Listening to them was like listening to the teacher;
sometimes, it was even better. Margaret Petersen helped me with long division
when the teacher’s instructions didn’t make sense to me. When I became one of
the “big kids,” the teacher had me work with one of the fourth graders who
wasn’t reading very well. Passing on what I had learned from the teacher was a
tremendous responsibility. Listening to and passing on the Good News of God’s
love are also tremendous responsibilities. When we speak, we speak as
representatives of the Lord! Like the prophets of the past, we are obligated to
listen carefully and to speak the truth in love so that those who hear will
know that they are listening to the Lord. Nathan spoke to King David, and David
listened and repented as if God Himself had spoken. When Jeremiah the prophet
was imprisoned, beaten, put in stocks, and had his message to the king ripped
and burned, Jeremiah let it be known that failure to heed the word he passed on
was equal to turning a deaf ear to God. We hear, sing, read, and pray God’s
word in worship. We don’t always listen and pay attention, especially when “the
shoe pinches”. But God’s word, even if it is not perfectly spoken, is still
God’s word. Jesus declares, “Those who have ears to hear, let them listen.”
What has God been trying to tell you lately? How well have you been passing on
the Word of the Lord?
PRAYER
Help me listen to Your
word, O Lord, by giving me the ears to hear, even if I find them uncomfortable.
Let my words this day be Your words, and let others hear of Your love through
them. In the name of Christ, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 81:13 — O that my
people would listen to me!
John 15:12 — Christ says, “This is my commandment, that you
love one another as I have loved you.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
“Follow the Leader” was a
game we played, both inside and outside our country school. The rules were
simple: “Follow the leader. You are out of the game if you don’t move or act
exactly as the leader did.” Everyone could play, but not everyone followed the
rules. When the younger kids were the leaders, they had fun getting the “big
kids” to do silly things. It became more complicated when the “big kids” were
in the lead. They made things difficult to eliminate as many people as
possible. The shepherds of the Bible led their sheep to good water, good
grazing, good rest, and safety. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, called disciples to
follow Him. He led them through storms at sea. He led them through illness and
disease. He led them through hunger and thirst. He led them through opposition
and rejection. He even led them through denial, rejection, suffering, death,
and the grave. Wherever Jesus led the way, His living example of love was to be
the model and the command. He loved enough to forgive His betrayers, deniers,
tormentors, accusers, torturers, and
even those who put Him to death on the cross. Are you ready to follow His
example and model and love as He loved you?
PRAYER
Jesus, I proclaim that I
am Your disciple. With Your help, I intend to follow You and do what You want
me to do. Give me the ability to love as You love and to forgive those who do
not follow Your lead. In Your name, Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 44:24 — Thus says
the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb, “I am the Lord, who made
all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by myself spread out the
earth.”
1 Corinthians 8:6 — For us,
there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we
exist.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
After my grandmother died, we
moved to the “home place” to live with Grandpa. I was seven then and didn’t
understand what all that meant. Since Dad was doing most of the farming, it
made sense for our family to be closer to the largest part of the farm. The
problems came with three generations living under the same roof. Grandpa sometimes
told us to do things one way, but Mom or Dad wanted them done another way.
Since it was Grandpa’s house, he expected to rule. Battle lines were drawn when
my parents had other ideas. It was sometimes confusing for us as children,
pulled this way and that between the two forces. We can find ourselves in a
similar dilemma living in this world with all its demands and expectations if
we lose sight of Who our Creator, Father, and Lord is. Political parties didn’t
cause us to exist. Even religious denominations are human constructs created by
God for God’s purposes. It is essential to keep our priorities straight and remember
that “rendering to Caesar” does not exempt us from “rendering to God” and
giving God first place in our lives, decisions, and obedience. Who or what
determines how you live your life?
PRAYER
Help me put my priorities
in order of what is the most important to me, O Lord. I pledge to You my
allegiance and promise to put You first above all things. Let me then love
others as You have loved me and treat them as You have. Through Christ, my
Lord. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Thursday, August 15, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Exodus 15:11 — Who is like
You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in
splendor, doing wonders?
1 Corinthians 12:6 — There
are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them
in everyone.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
It was early morning as I
wrote. I was on vacation at the Lake. The evening before, we sat in lawn chairs
watching the golden setting sun, making the lake appear like a sea of gold and
casting shadows through the tree. Sitting in silence with Sue, I didn’t need a
radio, a TV, or a telephone. With such glorious images etched in my mind from
the day before, I listened to the morning sounds of crickets singing love songs
to one another, of the gentle morning breeze rustling through the cottonwood
trees, of the chirping of early birds waking one another, and of the faint
sound of the distant water flowing over the dam. Each sight and each sound add
to a symphony for which I gave God credit. Buffy, the happy hound from next
door, joined us on our morning walks, romped through the dew-covered grass,
splashed through the lake, exciting the lazy ducks bobbing there, and rushed to
examine everything we stopped to admire. Little Daniel, with his Dad in tow,
came to watch the gas man fill our propane tank and expressed his child-like
joy at his own “magic” tricks. This morning, I marvel at all that God has done
in creation. I marvel at all God continues to do through the love of my life,
Sue, Buffy, Daniel, and sunsets and sunrises. It’s good to be on vacation and
to notice the finger of God touching our senses. Why not take ten minutes
sometime today to pay attention to what God is doing in your life?!
PRAYER
When I truly stop and pay
attention, O God, I am at peace with all You have done for me. Help me to take
time this day to discover all You have given me through Your creation and the
love of others. In Jesus, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Friday, August 16, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 95:7-8 — O that
today you would listen to his voice! Do not harden your hearts.
John 10:27 — My sheep hear
my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I have heard many times that
sheep know the voice of their shepherd and follow it. But sheep aren’t the only
ones who know the voice of their masters or parents. One of our friends in Iowa
had a farm pond that he had stocked with catfish. Every day, he went out in his
old pickup and fed them a special catfish food. Some of the fish were huge!
When he drove along the shore, the fish would follow the sound of the pickup
and gather wherever he stopped to feed them. Others could drive by the same
area without getting the same swirling mass of catfish bobbing up, looking for
feed. Somehow, they came to know the vibrations of his rickety old pickup. I
have seen similar reactions in many animals on the farm. Clanging a milk bucket
would bring one of Grandma’s cows to the barn to be milked. (The others ignored
her music.) We had some pigs that would completely ignore any calls I tried to
make but would come running when Dad said, “Soooie!” If catfish, sheep, pigs,
and cows know their master’s voice, shouldn’t we know our Master’s voice too?
These “dumb” animals weren’t born knowing the vibration of a pickup or the
sound that brought them to their masters. It was something they learned from
infancy. The sound of our Master’s voice is much the same. We need to learn to
listen to it from infancy. How well attuned to it are you? Have you helped some
younger people listen so that they will hear and follow the true Master?
PRAYER
Open my ears, Lord, so
that I might truly hear the sound of Your voice and listen and then follow.
Help me to ignore the words of those who are not of You and speak for You. Use
me to help someone younger listen to Your voice so they might follow. In the
name of Jesus. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Sunday, August 17, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Joshua 1:9 — I hereby
command you: Be strong and courageous.
Acts 23:11 — The Lord
stood near Paul and said, “Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified
for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
“Be strong! Be bold! For the
Lord your God is with you!” With the words of that song, church campers were
encouraged to remember they were never alone. I wish I had that song when I
started my first day in high school - in town. I knew some of the kids because
I started playing in the band the year before, and my uncle was a senior when I
was a freshman. However, it was a big school (probably 120 students, 9-12), and
it was in town. I was out of my element. I knew that a lot of other “country
hicks” were as nervous as I was, so I took a deep breath and entered the halls
of higher education. I can only imagine how terrifying it must have been for
missionary children to start school in a room where they were the obvious
outsiders and had to learn to speak, read, and write an unfamiliar language to
communicate! But “the Lord our God was with us!” as the song declared. Aside
from the occasional “freshman hazing,” life went on. We grew up, learned, and
became part of our new world. Each transition - from high school to junior
college, from junior college to college, from college to seminary, from
seminary to the parish, and even with each parish change, had its fears of the
unknown. God doesn’t ask us to go bungling into the lion’s jaws, but He
encourages us to meet each challenge with faith and confidence that He will
never leave us without the resources we need. So... “Be strong! Be Bold! For
the Lord your God is with you!”
Are you ready?
PRAYER
Help me not to be afraid,
heavenly Father, as I make new transitions through life and as I move toward my
final life transition. The unknown and new are scary, and I don’t know what the
future will bring. Thank You for being by my side through it all. In the name
of Jesus the Immanuel. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Sunday, August 18, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Daniel 6:26-27 — The
living God delivers and rescues.
John 12:47 — Christ says,
“I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
We were trapped in an
abandoned mine shaft by a band of ruthless robbers, cutthroats, and murderers
who wanted the gold we were delivering to the bank. They had ambushed us and
would have killed us all had we not made it, wounded and bleeding, to the mine
entrance. After three of them died trying to follow us in, they decided to wait
us out. There was no way out except the way in. Our supplies were low. We had
run out of sandwiches and juice an hour before the big battle. We had used up
all of our hand grenades, and we weren’t sure how long our bullets would last.
Fortunately for us, my uncle, who had been mortally wounded, had also made it
into the mine shaft, and when the standard 15 minutes was up, his wounds were
healed, and he came to the rescue. He discovered an unguarded exit (our mine
shaft was his neighbor’s hay storage shed). We escaped the trap and arrived at
headquarters before the enemy knew we were gone! The battles we fight in the
real world may not be as dramatic and exciting, but some are ruthless,
dishonest, cutthroats, murderers, liars, and/or any combination - people who do
not have our best interests in mind. Moses had Pharaoh, David had Goliath,
Daniel had the lions, and Christ had the cross. God allowed each to face their
enemy and gave each the power to defeat them. That is God’s promise and God’s
intention for each of us. Are you willing to trust God to lead you through the
maze of traps and dangers of your world to the certain security of His?
PRAYER
Defend me, gracious Lord,
from those who wish to harm me by their gossip and words. Lead me through all
this world’s mazes, traps, and dangers. Help me to be more like You so that I
never become the one who harms others by my words or actions. In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Monday, August 19, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 40:1 — I waited
patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
Mark 4:30-32 — Jesus said,
“The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed which, when sown upon the ground, is
the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown, it grows up and
becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches so that the
birds of the air can make nest in its shade.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
One of my first jobs on the
farm at planting time was to help Grandma Roenfeldt cut up potatoes for
planting. She showed me how to cut them so there were at least two “eyes.” The
puzzle to me at age five was that something that small could produce anything.
Once the potatoes were cut and planted, we waited and watched. Sure enough, the
plants came to the surface and, with a little more time, produced a bountiful
harvest. At a later age, I was entrusted with planting even smaller seeds. My
biggest mistake (even as an adult) is to plant the little buggers too close
together. Given the space, I know they will increase their growing potential.
Jesus understood gardeners and farmers. As a “Good Gardener,” He starts the
Kingdom of God like a tiny seed in each of us. Jesus is aware of the different
soils, kinds of weeds, amounts of moisture, and all of the other variables. But
Jesus also knows that the seed He plants is an imperishable seed which, given
any encouragement, will grow and produce a rich harvest of righteousness with
God. Like the tiny seeds I plant in my garden, the seeds of the Kingdom take
time to mature. Are you nurturing the seeds God has planted in you with
worship, Bible study, and prayer? If you are, you are guaranteed a perfect
harvest! If you are not, why not?
PRAYER
Grow the seed of faith
that You have planted within me, O God, so that I may become a mature
Christian. Nurture me when I raise my voice in worship, study Your word with
others, and in my prayer time. Make me a rich harvest of Your love. In the name
of my Christ, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Jeremiah 18:14-15 — Do
cool waters from distant sources ever cease to flow? Yet my people have
forgotten me.
2 Timothy 4:2-3 — Proclaim
the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable;
convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the
time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
One of the many lessons I
learned growing up was that “persistence pays.” Waiting for root crops to
mature got better results than constantly harvesting the immature plants.
Waiting for one of the big kids to help me learn to ride his bicycle was far
less painful than trying to do it myself. Persistently walking through the fields
each year (before chemicals were the rage)
reduced the number of weeds we had to chop or pull each year. Teaching a
1200-pound animal to follow was far more effective with patience and daily
doses than trying to give it a crash course on the subject. Teaching people is
a lot the same. My seventh-grade teacher had the patience of Job in teaching me
to diagram sentences! I have discovered the importance of watching for those
“teaching moments” in working with younger people. I may have tried a dozen
times to get the point across, but nothing seemed to sink in until that one
“Aha!” moment when it all fell into place for them. When it does, we both
rejoice! As God’s messengers and evangelists, every baptized Christian has been
enlisted in the persistent and patient proclamation ministry. Missionaries tell
of working for decades before Christianity finally took hold in some villages.
In our instant society, it is hard to think of what God is asking us to do!
“Hang in there!” “Don’t give up or water down the message!” The Word of God will
produce the harvest God wants at the proper time. Are you ready to “Keep on
keeping on!”?
PRAYER
I know You will try my
patience, dear Lord, so I become patient. I pray that I may develop patience so
that Your word may be spread to those You have given me to teach. Let me be
willing to wait for the harvest even if I don’t see it in my lifetime. In the
name of Jesus. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Exodus 13:18 — So God led
the people by the roundabout way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.
Mark 1:13-14 — Jesus was
in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild
beasts; and the angels waited on him. Then Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming
the good news of God.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
My flight instructor told me
the story of one of his previous students. The young man liked to take
shortcuts and make up his own rules. Sadly, he was killed on his girlfriend’s
birthday, right before her eyes, as he tried to show off. There is a reason for
taking time to learn the basics of flying, math, scripture, and life. If anyone
had a reason to want to jump right in and get busy, it was Jesus. He was
already thirty - an older man in those days. He was God’s Son, after all. What
more did He need to learn?!! But Jesus was obedient, taking the time to learn
temptation firsthand! Then, when He had learned what it meant to be human, He
began His work with humans as one of them, sharing the good news of God and
knowing in His heart just how truly GOOD it is! There are no shortcuts to
spiritual growth and maturity. The ingredients haven’t changed: regular
worship, frequent communion, prayer without ceasing, and daily Bible study. If
even Jesus needed these important ingredients, what about us? Are any of us better
than Jesus? Can we get by without them? Are you ready to redouble your
efforts?
PRAYER
Thank You for the example
of Your Son, O Father. Make me more like him by nurturing me through worship, Your
body and blood, prayer, and studying Your word. I can only do these things with
Your help and guidance. I pray this in His name. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Thursday, August 22, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 12:5 — “Because the
poor are despoiled, because the needy groan, I will now rise up,” says the
Lord; “I will place them in the safety for which they long.”
Revelation 7:17 — John
wrote: The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will
guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear
from their eyes.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Growing up, there weren’t
many “poor” people around. In one sense, most of us were poor. We just didn’t
know it. Many of the farm families in our area were “sharecroppers.” They did
all the work of farming for a share of the crop. In a good year, that wasn’t so
bad, but in a bad year, it was tough on the sharecroppers, driving them deeper
into debt to pay for feed, fuel, and the necessities of life they couldn’t
raise. In these days of travel and mass media, we discover rampant poverty from
small towns to big cities in every state of the union, as well as in almost all
developing countries. On the outside, some blame people experiencing poverty
for their own condition, while others blame society as a whole. Both are right.
Now that we know who to blame, the poor still go to bed hungry, die from
exposure and disease, and cry for the bare necessities so many of us take for
granted. God has provided a solution, but we don’t like hearing it. The simple
solution is you and me. If we have one extra shirt, coat, or dime to our name,
we cannot turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to the needs of people with low or no
incomes. Jesus loves them as much as He loves us. He died for them as much as
He died for us. When God wipes away their tears, will He be wiping away our
tears also - tears shed because we feel their pain and poverty as much as they
do? Will we share our wealth with them on that Day in Jesus’ name?
PRAYER
I am so sorry, Heavenly
Father, that I have become so stingy with the marvelous wealth You have given
me. I consider myself poor when I can’t afford new clothing, but my closet is
full of things I couldn’t use. Open my heart so that I may willingly share with
all my brothers and sisters. In the name of Christ Jesus. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Friday, August 23, 2024
SCRIPTURE
1 Chronicles 22:19 — Now
set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God.
Matthew 13:45-46 — The
kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one
pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Choices! Choices! Choices!
Should I explore the darkest Africa or climb the tallest mountain in the world?
Should I go fishing with my uncle (always a treat) or visit one of the
neighbors (also a treat because they had kids my age)? Should I continue to
play in the dirt by the side of the road or find out why Mom was calling for
me? Should I major in music, sociology, or psychology? Should I become a
professional musician, a farmer, or a pastor? Should I join the drinking crowd
and party, or maintain a friendship with the good friends who had already
proven to be friends? Should I stay out all night playing in a dance band or
get to bed at a reasonable hour so that I could play the organ for church on
Sunday? Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! As tough as some of those decisions
may be, we are always forced, consciously or unconsciously, to ask what we
really want. Our spiritual choices confront us every hour of every day. We may
claim our ultimate goal, our ultimate purpose, and our ultimate desire is to be
with the Lord and to inherit the Kingdom of God with Christ. However, are we
willing to pay the price for that one pearl of great value? Are we willing to
let go of some other interesting and exciting gods attempting to entertain us?
Are you ready to set your mind and heart entirely on seeking the
Lord your God?
PRAYER
I am sorry for my lack of
strength and resolve, dear Lord. I sometimes make the right choices but then
slip into a pattern of choosing wrongly. Give me the fortitude and the
willingness to give up other things for this pearl of great price. In the name
of Jesus. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Saturday, August 24, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 39:4 — Lord, let me
know my end, and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting my
life is.
Luke 12:20 — God said to
the rich man, “You fool! This very night, your life is being demanded of you.
And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I grew up with the knowledge
that death happens. People and things don’t live forever. Grass, trees,
flowers, and weeds died in their season. Cows, pigs, and chickens died or were
killed for food. Even people died. I knew that. I walked past a cemetery on my
way to and from school. Older adults and grandparents died. I knew the pain of
that loss, too. But it never really came home to me that death could happen to
someone my age until Marlene Neitzke died. I heard about other young people
dying, but those had been just stories until Marlene. She was one of the girls
in my country school. She was always sick and missed a lot of school. I think
she had leukemia, but no one talked about those kinds of things with kids back
then. For me, it meant that people as young as me really could die - and do
die! We will not live in this world forever! “So,” I asked myself, “what should
I do with the rest of my life? I was healthy. I wasn’t accident-prone. But how
long would I live? What did God want me to do with the time I had left!?” As
happens all too often, I got busy with my busyness, and those thoughts faded
into history. Now, as I write, I dredge them back to the surface. How about
you? How long do you think you will live? What are you doing with the precious
gift of time God has given you? Will you be rich in things of this world but
poor in the spiritual and eternal things? May God help you know “how fleeting
(your) life is.”
PRAYER
I don’t know how long
until I meet You face-to-face, dear Lord. Let me live each day as my last and
have a sense of urgency in my spiritual growth and serving You. I pray that I
will be eager to be with You because I have felt You as a companion in my life.
All this I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Sunday, August 25, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 68:20 — Our God is a
God of salvation, and to our God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
2 Corinthians 5:1 — For we
know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from
God, a house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I was digging a tunnel to
China. I was almost there when my shovel hit a dead chicken my Dad had buried.
I took a closer look, seeing and smelling the effects of death. I didn’t finish
digging to China that day. Instead, I re-buried the body and built a marker for
the poor dead chicken. I didn’t bother with a funeral because I figured Dad had
done that when he buried it the first time. Like many five or six-year-olds, I
had a ton of questions for Mom and Dad about death and dying. They reminded me
of Jesus and Easter. They told me about Lazarus rising from the dead. “But what
about that chicken,” I asked. I remember being very worried about that chicken,
which made me think about the cow that died the month before, the rabbit, and
the people in the cemetery! Their answers were like salve on my wound and have
stayed with me ever since. “Don’t worry about dead bodies. God will give them
new bodies in heaven. Remember when you were sick at Grandma’s house and went
to sleep in your dirty overalls, and when you woke up, you were in nice, clean
clothes? That’s what it will be like for the dead. They don’t need that old
skin and bones anymore. That’s why we bury them.” (As a five-year-old, I didn’t
worry about the theology of animals in heaven. I just assumed it!) If you know Jesus, He knows you, and He
already has your new “tent” and your new rooms prepared. May you be prepared
for Him!
PRAYER
Help me not to worry about
death and dying, dear Father. Help me not to be needlessly concerned about my
body growing older and that I am
aging. In the meantime, prepare me for my new home and body, which are awaiting
me. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Monday, August 26, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 38:9 — O Lord, all
my longing is known to You; my sighing is not hidden from You.
Luke 15:20 — While the son
was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran
and put his arms around him and kissed him.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I never really understood why
my parents would get so upset if one of us didn’t come home at the appointed
hour - until I had my children. Then I began to appreciate what my parents went
through for me and, in a larger sense, what God, our Father, goes through for
us, His sinful, wayward children. I have sat up past curfew time, waiting for a
late arrival. I have waited impatiently for a telephone call or a note long
overdue. I know the father’s feelings, “filled with compassion,” running to
meet his son. No matter where he has been or what he has done, he is my son,
and I love him! I may be angry with him, but he is my son! It is hard to
believe, but that is truly God’s attitude toward us. If you read the whole
story in Luke’s gospel, note how the father stands at the door waiting, scanning
the horizon, hoping, longing, and praying for his son’s return. His past, separation,
lifestyle, and differences are no longer important. All he cares about is his
son’s return. Read on and discover that this son is not made a second-rate
slave but returned to full son-ship. He is justified!
(Just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned!) God wants - more than wants - God longs for that
relationship with you and me so much. He came in the form of Jesus to absorb
the full punishment for us so that we could return to Him - pure and holy. What
are you waiting for? Have you returned HOME lately?
PRAYER
Forgive me, my Father,
when I forget about You and Your love. Forgive me when I don’t constantly wish
for Your presence and embrace. Thank You for the absolute grace You shower upon
me, just as if I had never sinned. In the name of Your Son. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 38:22 — Make haste
to help me, O Lord, my salvation.
John 11:21-23 — Martha
said to Jesus, “Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But
even now, I know that God will give You whatever You ask of him.” Jesus said to
her, “Your brother will rise again.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I don’t remember my Uncle
John very well. What I remember about him and admired was his slow, patient way
of getting things done. He never seemed to be in a hurry. It was slow and
deliberate, even when he talked as if he needed to measure every word. Every
reply began with a slow vocal, which, as a kid, I thought sounded like a drawn-out
“Meow.” Uncle John was not into the “instant age.” He seemed to take things
slow and easy. Many of us could take a lesson from him. Often, our prayer is,
“Give me patience, but do it NOW!” Amid troubles and problems, we fail to
remember that the people Moses led out of slavery wanted to have their promised
land NOW! God, in His infinite wisdom, knew they weren’t ready for it and kept
them wandering for another 40 years. God’s wristwatch keeps time in a way that
is different than ours. Like my Uncle John (or should it be the other way), God
is patient and deliberate in all things. To us, that may mean SLOOOOW! But
consider how much more of a miracle Jesus could perform and how much greater a
lesson He could teach about resurrection by delaying His arrival!!! When we are
in a hurry to have God answer our requests and demands, it may be good for us
to consider “how much more” God is doing and has already started in His answer!
PRAYER
To You, dear Lord, a
thousand years is but a day, yet for me, sometimes an hour is like a day. When You
bring events or people into my life that try my patience, help me remember that
You are patient with me. Thank You for working within me even when I don’t see
it. In Your Son’s name, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
SCRIPTURE
2 Kings 19:30 — The
surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear
fruit upward.
2 Peter 3:15 — Regard the
patience of our Lord as salvation.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I tried to transplant some
wildflowers near a lake in the Nebraska Sandhills. Watering daily helped some,
but they needed something besides sand in which to grow. One of my transplants
looked as if it had already died. The only thing I could do was build up the
sand so that it resembled soil where their roots could take hold; that takes
time. God knows my frustration - literally. He took a wild bunch of Judeans out
of slavery in Egypt and transplanted them into a very promising land. He
watered and nurtured them, but many died before they took root in the land.
Many who took root forgot their gardener, returned to their “wild, untamed”
nature, and lost their usefulness in God’s garden plan. But God is so patient!
He sent prophets and preachers to prune them and train them, to feed them and
nurture them, to baptize (wash) them and cleanse them. If we wonder if God is
answering our prayers of: “How long, O Lord!”, imagine God’s cry: “How long,
shall I have patience, my children?!” We are the survivors - the remnant God
has transplanted into this wild world. One Day, the Master Gardener will bring
us back HOME! Until that day, may we have God’s patience and “Bloom where we
are planted,” “producing the fruits of righteousness” in His name. How deep are
your roots?
PRAYER
O, my creator, plant me
where I am needed. Prune me with Your word, water me in the waters of my
baptism, and nurture me at Your table. Help me to bloom into the wonderful
creation You intended for me. In the name of Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Thursday, August 29, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Jeremiah 30:20 — Their
congregation shall be established before me.
Acts 9:31 — Meanwhile, the
church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up.
Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it
increased in numbers.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I belonged to a club that
grew in size and dedication. I was president of the group for several of those
years as we grew. Then we had some growing pains, and some members started
getting on one another’s nerves. Sadly, they didn’t keep it to themselves or
attempt to create harmony but spread dissension in the group. Instead of
continuing to grow, the group began to shrink and eventually died. I have seen
the same thing happen in churches and other groups. The Devil loves dissension
and fighting. But I have also been blessed to see people torn apart by
dissension who refused to let the Devil have his way. Like the church in
Gentile territory divided by many things, they removed the obstacles to peace
and were built up. Peace does not just happen. It takes work and sacrifice on
both sides. We can be confident the Devil is at work when there is no desire to
reconcile or cooperate with those with whom we have differences. We can be sure
that the Holy Spirit is at work when peace returns and there is an “increase in
numbers.” We know what Jesus said about forgiveness - even on the cross. We
know how much God was willing to suffer on our behalf so that “we might be one
in Him.” We know what God wants. The question for us in whatever group or
church we belong to is: “Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to nurture
reconciliation, cooperation, peace, and growth?” or “Am I allowing the Devil to
use me to foster unforgiveness, unrest, and dissension?”
PRAYER
I am sorry, dear Lord when
my words and actions cause dissension between others and me. I pray that
instead, I may be Your agent to work for peace, harmony, and growth. Stir Your
Holy Spirit within me so that I may resist the Devil who would have Your church
be torn apart. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Friday, August 30, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Exodus 23:25 — You shall
worship the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water.
Mark 1:31 — He came and
took Simon’s mother-in-law by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left
her, and she began to serve them.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Dad fixed my coaster wagon.
It had taken a nasty spill down our long lane, which was gouged with deep ruts.
Fortunately, I had filled it with bricks to make a test run before getting in
myself. Once it was fixed, Dad suggested a better and safer route, avoiding the
deep ruts. Immediately, I had a sister and two brothers wanting to try it out.
I wanted it all to myself, but Dad reminded me that he hadn’t fixed the wagon,
so that I would be selfish. He fixed it so that we could all enjoy it. So,
reluctantly, we all took turns, and I had a lot more fun than I would have by
myself. Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law. She could have marveled at her
healing and maybe even sat in an easy chair to let the neighbors see the new
and improved “her.” But instead, she got up and began carrying out her
household responsibilities - serving. God blesses us every day in so many ways.
Moses saw the importance of remembering where those blessings came from when he
urged his people to “worship the Lord your God.” That is our ultimate mission.
We are blessed so that we may use all of our blessings to worship the Lord, and
“he will bless your bread and your water.” In other words, “You will never be
in need!” Blessings are appreciated and used as intended, opening the floodgates
of more blessings! How have you been blessed? How have you shared those
blessings? How have you worshiped the Lord?
PRAYER
Sometimes, I cannot help
but shout Your praises, great God! You have blessed me in countless ways and numerous
times. Thank You for creating me so I can worship You in everything I say and
do. Bless me in Jesus’ name. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Saturday, August 31, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 48:18 — If only you
had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river,
your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
1 Corinthians 14:33 — God
is a God not of disorder but of peace.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I sat in the middle of a
mess. The erector set I had gotten for Christmas was all over the living room
floor. I wanted to build a windmill but couldn’t find all the parts. Dad told
me to put all the parts that were alike in piles, but I was in a hurry. At nine,
I had important things to do - I guess. Instead of following Dad’s advice, I tried
to pick out the parts I needed and then build. Unfortunately, one of the legs
was shorter than the others, one of the braces was missing, and I couldn’t find
two fins for the wheel. Dad must have read Isaiah: “If you’d listen to me, you
would not have a mess all over the floor, and your windmill would be pumping
lots of water.” (OK! So I reworded what Isaiah said!) With Dad’s help, I sorted
and then rebuilt my windmill. He was right! It worked! The truth Isaiah and my
father proclaimed is valid in every area of our lives, even today. God is not a
God of disorder. In the beginning, there was chaos and disorder. God put it in
order and brought unity and peace. When there is disorder, we often use the
wrong ingredients or parts, blame the wrong person or thing, and spend more
time and energy searching for the correct answers in all the wrong places. How do
the pieces of your erector set (your life, family, work, community, or even
friendships) fit together? Do you need to invite God to help you sort them to
bring order out of disorder? God can take the pieces and make peace flow “like
a river” for you, too.
PRAYER
I must admit, dear Lord,
that there are many times when I do not listen to You, and I try to do things
my way. Forgive me for those times, and help me listen more carefully to Your
instructions. Help me to study Your word and then to live by them. In Jesus’
name. Amen.
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