Devotional Thoughts on Matthew 1:18-25 December 15-21, 2014 Monday, December 15, 2014 “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place this way.” (Matthew 1:18a). My wife, Faye, and I moved to Arizona from the Mid-West. We have two granddaughters who live in Minneapolis—a fifteen hundred mile, three hour flight from us. We keep in […]
Devotional Thoughts
Devotions on Isaiah 42:1-9
Devotional Thoughts on Isaiah 42:1-9 December 8 – 14, 2014 Monday, December 8, 2014 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold my chosen, in whom my soul delights” (Isaiah 42:1a). It was a warm, sunny spring day. Baseball was in the air, at least for Austin’s PE class. The teacher gathered the class together and […]
Devotional Thoughts on Esther
Devotional Thoughts Esther 4:1-17 December 1-7, 2014 Monday, December 1, 2014 “Giving them orders to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews” (Esther 3:13). Injustice comes in all shapes and sizes. For Esther and Mordecai, the grave injustice that they faced was the edict to annihilate the Jews. We might face bullying at […]
Devotional Thoughts on Habukkuk
Devotional Thoughts on Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:2-4, 3:17-19 November 24-30, 2014 Monday, November 24, 2014 “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen” (Habakkuk 1:1)? Ken opened the letter. It began, “We regret to inform you …” Ken had been praying and looking for a job for months, and […]
Devotions on Jeremiah 1:4-10, 7:1-11
Devotional Thoughts – November 17-23 Jeremiah 1:4-10, 7:1-11 Monday, November 17, 2014 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:4). It was a mild night, with (mercifully) no mosquitoes nipping at any exposed area of my skin. The moon was new. The sky was black and the stars were dazzling white. […]
Thoughts on Isaiah 36:1-37:7
Devotions on Isaiah 36:1-3, 13-20, 37:1-7, 2:1-4 November 10-16, 2014 Monday, November 10, 2014 “King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them” (Isaiah 36:1). What do you do when tragedy strikes? The doctor walked into the hospital room and told Mike that Mike had cancer. It wasn’t […]
Devotions on Micah 5:2-4, 6:6-8
Devotional Thoughts for November 3-9, 2014 Micah 5:2-4, 6:6-8 Monday, November 3, 2014 “But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah” (Micah 5:2a). Have you ever noticed how often I use the small and the weak? It isn’t that I’m against rich and powerful. I use them on […]
Devotional Thoughts on 2 Kings 5:1-14
Devotional Thoughts – October 27-November 2, 2014 2 Kings 5:1-14 Monday, October 27, 2014 “The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy” (2 Kings 5:1). Naaman was a handsome, powerful, rich, successful man. I loved him dearly, but not for those reasons. I loved Naaman because he was part of my creation. Though he […]
Devotional Thoughts 1 Kings 3:4-18
These devotional thoughts are based on the Narrative Lectionary Reading for Sunday, October 26, 2014 1 Kings 3:4-9 (10-15) 16-28 Monday, October 20, 2014 “The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there” (1 Kings 3:4). Sacrifices come in all shapes and sizes. Sue sacrificed her time (and a good night’s sleep) chaperoning a lock-in for […]
Devotions on Joshua 24:1-15
October 6-12, 2014 Joshua 24:1-15 Monday, October 6, 2014 “I took your father Abraham” (Joshua 24:3a). A new day is about to begin, but before it does Joshua gathers the people and in a prophetic voice calls them to remember what God has done in their lives and in the lives of their ancestors. God’s […]