Recent Devotions
“A man named Ananias lived there. He was a godly man, deeply devoted to the law, and well regarded by all the Jews of Damascus. He came and stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And that very moment I could see him!” (Acts 22:12-13, NLT) The apostle Paul lived a remarkable life. Born in Tarsus as a Roman citizen, Paul’s lineage was through the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1). As a young man, he trained under Gamaliel, a prominent rabbi and leader of the Sanhedrin (Acts 22:3). Although we don’t know Saul’s exact date of…
“A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families.” (Psalm 68:5-6, NKJV). More than once I’ve heard an acquaintance declare he would be happy to live as a hermit. He enjoys spending time alone out in the country—a great…
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act . . . Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.” (Psalm 37:5, 7, ESV) Patience seems in short supply these days with many people. They resent waiting in line, expect service in mere seconds, and…
Readers Loved
The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. (Luke 16:10, New English Translation) Some people I just know I can count on at any time—day, night, holidays, in the middle of a storm. They will drop whatever they are doing to come to my rescue if I have a need. (I have and they did.) I remember the friend who spent part of Christmas Eve unstopping my kitchen sink so I could prepare Christmas dinner. And the friend who…
“Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox” (Proverbs 14:4, English Standard Version) For some reason, the above verse in Proverbs has always intrigued me. I’m not sure why. My knowledge of animals and agriculture is limited at best. As a city gal, the biggest animals I see are the squirrels in my tree and the neighbor’s dog. To understand this verse, I decided to do a little research on oxen. Oxen, I learned, are really cattle who are selected to work as draft animals. Since around 4,000 BC,…
“We love because he first loved us.” (I John 4:19, ESV) In many countries around the world, today is a day to celebrate love. Valentine customs may vary, but love is the key ingredient. We may think of roses, chocolate, and romantic dinners, but love can also be shown by a child’s drawing, a construction paper cutout of a heart, or a big hug. Expressions of love come in many forms. One of my most memorable Valentines (but not for the reason you might think) came from Gary, a fourth-grade classmate. At that time, it was traditional to bring a…
“When Moses’s hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down.” (Exodus 17:12, Christian Standard Bible) Flying alone is exhausting. I’m not talking about taking a commercial flight (although that’s exhausting too these days) but about flying solo through life. We need each other for strength and support. Otherwise, we may crash. Flying Together Have you ever wondered why geese fly in that V…
