Today's Devotion
“When the Israelites set up camp, each tribe will be assigned its own area. The tribal divisions will camp beneath their family banners on all four sides of the Tabernacle, but at some distance from it.” (Numbers 2:2, NLT) In my Bible reading, one of the things I have noticed is the precision, the attention to detail, in everything God does. The pieces all fit together in a well-designed and orderly plan. Every element matters. We see an example of this in Numbers 2. There is nothing haphazard or random in the way God instructed the Israelites to set up their…
“…I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5. This week in Maryland has been wonderful; there is a gentle zephyr that invites warm weather, buds are forming on the ends of barren branches, and green shoots are rising from the ground—all promising a change in seasons. We have shining yellow daffodils blooming in our front yard, giving hope for what is to come; Spring. My husband and I took our daughter and son on a walk a few days ago and it felt so good to have the warmth of the sun beam down on our faces. The wonderment in their…
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6. About two years ago, I began praying that the Lord would show me when it was time to give up my car and quit driving. For the last few months, I have felt strongly that the time had come to do so. The lease on my apartment will renew on May 1, so it was a good time to give up my parking space in the garage. Today, I went through…
Shame is a worldwide issue; it creeps into people’s minds at midnight, during a happy moment with family, or even when we sit in a pew at church. Shame is a device of the enemy that hinders us from running after God because it oftentimes causes us to run from Him. Today, you may feel encumbered by the shame of your past or missed opportunities due to uncontrollable circumstances. What is one thing that will combat shame? Forgiveness. The word forgive means to release. What do you need to release into God’s hands today? 1 John 1:9 states, If we…
“The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.” (Acts 27:20, NLT) First Century travel was nothing like travel today. When we plan a trip, we have numerous options. We can drive, take a train, book a flight, or, for some locations, take a ship. When Paul and his companions traveled, not for vacations but for evangelism, their two primary modes of travel were walking and cargo ships. (Passenger ships as we know them did not exist.) It is estimated that Paul traveled over 10,000 miles during his…
