I recently came across Hebrews 13:15 in one of my devotional books.  I may have read this verse before, but this time it really grabbed my attention. This verse is a call to action: “… Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”  As I thought about how to Read more

I have been thinking about hope.  As our pandemic continues to drag on and on and on, hope sometimes seems in short supply.  All of us have suffered some kind of loss during the last few months. For some the losses have cut deep: loss of a loved one, loss of health, or loss of Read more

I suspect I am not the only one who is ready to see COVID in the rear-view mirror.  Unfortunately, it may be some time before that comes to pass.  So, what do we do in the meantime?  How do we cope with difficult times that seem to last forever? I have found that I have Read more

In the last few weeks the topics of racial tension and reconciliation have been front and center in the US.  Initially, I thought that I would not write a devotional about the issue.  It just seemed too hard.  God, however, gently pushed me to write this.  So here goes! Sadly, racial and ethnic discord is Read more

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” (Revelation 3:20 NLT).  I recently came across this familiar verse while reading a devotional. This passage has inspired artists for centuries and sure enough, I Read more

I recently stumbled across John 14:23. I’m sure that I have read that verse before but this time it packed a punch.  It caused me to reflect on a truth I often take for granted.  Jesus speaks in this verse saying, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and Read more

God is the definition of love. 1 John 4:8 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” In the Psalms God’s love is repeatedly described as “unfailing.” Another word for unfailing is perfect. In John 13:34 Jesus says, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” The human race has long Read more

I find that words about trusting in God and his providence fall off my tongue very easily.  I truly do believe that God is in control of everything, but somehow my actions don’t always reflect that truth.  It seems that in difficult situations both large and small, my first instinct is to leap into “fix Read more

Most of us want to experience joy in our lives.  I believe that God created a longing for joy within us, but we often find it elusive. The New Testament seems to indicate that joy is beyond mere emotion; it is more like a state of being.  It is something that we cannot conjure up Read more

I suspect I may not be the only one who has recently had thoughts of “How long?”.  How long will this COVID-19 virus plague this world?  How long will social distancing persist?  How long until a safe vaccine is available? Thoughts of how long are inevitable in times of trouble.  While waiting for God’s promised Read more