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 […]
Faith
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. […]
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 […]
Devotional Thoughts–Genesis 12:1-9
Monday, September 8, 2014 “Now the Lord said to Abram” (Genesis 12:1a). Do you know of anyone who has sent his or her resume to God? “Hey God, I see you’ve got an opening in regional management that I think would be a perfect fit for me.” No, life in the kingdom doesn’t work […]
The Wonders of Vacations
Vacations are fantastic! Don’t you agree? My wife, Faye, and I recently spent a week in Southern California. The weather was great–nice and cool when compared to Arizona. The ocean and beaches couldn’t have been better. It was the ideal place to get away from it all–a time for rest and renewal. One of the […]