Recent Devotions
“Noah built an altar to God. He selected clean animals and birds from every species and offered them as burnt offerings on the altar. God smelled the sweet fragrance and thought to himself, “I’ll never again curse the ground because of people. I know they have this bent toward evil from an early age, but I’ll never again kill off everything living as I’ve just done.” Genesis 8:20-21 MSG In studying the story of Noah and the ark, I was struck by these verses. Now, I’ve read this story numerous times as have you most likely. What stood out most to…
From a Nobody to a Somebody “And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of…
“So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.” Ruth 4:13 I love to read, and I like books that have a happy ending. Romance stories usually begin with two people meeting, getting to…
Readers Loved
“I lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.” (Psalm 102:7, ESV) Today, July 11, is “Cheer Up the Lonely Day.” I’ll admit I had not heard of this observance until I read about it in a magazine. I did a little research, and yes, there is such an unofficial holiday. It’s easy to celebrate—just let someone feel loved and appreciated. We can do this by visiting in person, reaching out by phone (especially to those not living nearby), or just giving a big hug when appropriate. Aloneness and loneliness are not the same. When we are…
“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:15 What a friend we have in Jesus All our sins and griefs to bear What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit O what needless pain we bear All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer What is a friend? The answer to this question in Google is: “A friend…
“After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” Nehemiah 4:14 There will always be people who want you to fail. I don’t understand it myself, but some people just hate to see others succeed, and this was the case in the fourth chapter of Nehemiah. They were working tirelessly to complete the wall, and at every turn, they had…
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven . . . a time to keep, and a time to cast away” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 6). It’s so easy to procrastinate when I know I need to clear out old papers, clothing items I never wear, and things I no longer need or use. Tomorrow always sounds like a better day to clear out the clutter than to do it right now. I made some progress a few days ago, but truthfully—it’s just not fun! I still have clutter to clear. Clutter is…
