Corona Devotionals

33  After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples,  “What were you discussing out on the road?”   34  But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.   35  He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said,  “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”  ~Mark 9:33-35 It seems laughable and so immature as I picture the disciples  arguing about which of them was the greatest  and then being too embarrassed to admit it to Jesus. And then  I recall the dream I woke up from at my alarm this morning.  I was trying to show someone up.  I can't remember if we were arguing out loud or if I was silently stewing in my prideful thoughts, but I distinctly remember waking up, remembering the dream, and then feeling guilty.   I had gone to bed having an internal argument with this person, and I woke up (not only) with it still on my mind, but  arguing about which o

  “For everyone will be tested with fire. ( 50)  Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.”  ~Mark 9:49-50 Lord, it sure feels as though we are being tested.   And some of us more than others.   I have always admired the story of Mike Lindell, founder of "MyPillow".  His story of success contains temptation, failure, hard work and a huge portion of God's grace, just like yours and mine.   Have you tried one of these pillows?  My "My Pillow"  certainly helps  me  sleep in heavenly peace but  I also love the inspiration, testimony and hard work behind how the product came to be.   "You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves...” (Mark 9:50).   This Christian persevering and succeeding encourages me.  “For everyone will be tested with fire.   ~Mark 9:49 But Mr. Lindell has been tested with fire lately.  Initially becaus

God is love.  God is patient.  God is soft/flexible/adjustable with our sin. You might agree with all of these, but I don't think God does.   We like to rationalize our wanderings or justify our temptations, but God's stance on sin is staunch.  We often choose to defend or explain-sin-away, but avoiding sin is God's answer and preemptive move every time.  Just cut it off. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  ~Mark 9:43 What are our "hands" up to?  Are we typing and posting opinions and accusations that God do not reflect Jesus?   Cut it off.   Are we stealing from someone?  Printing personal things at work or taking "supplies" home for personal use?  Have we shifted a line in the ledger or has our hand shifted into touching something or someone that is none-of-our-business?   Cut it off.       If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.   ~Mark 9:45 Where are we headed today?  What direction are we taking and why?  Is God leading our steps, or is

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.  ~Isaiah 61:3 Have you experienced the shock and sorrow of losing someone close to you?  So stifling is the grief and pain that you can't breathe and although life proceeds around you like a live-action play, it all seems muted and far away.      Ashes have long been associated with grieving, and not only do they represent something that has "gone away", but they symbolize ruin and desolation, which is how we feel with loss.  When we are broken in sorrow, we may not physically be sitting or rolling in ashes like the Israelites did when grieving, but we relate emotionally and spiritually to the idea.   All of us will mourn at times during our lives.  The cycle of life and death ensures this.   If you have recently experienced a loss, then you are covered in the ashes of grief today.  The sorrow is hollowing and today's verses

(3) Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me.   Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. (4) There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy.  ~Psalm 43:3-4 Disheveled. Unorganized. Messy. Discontent. Distracted. Chaotic. Do any of these words describe your mental, physical, or spiritual landscape today? There seems to be so much clutter in my mind, my home, and even in my relationships lately that I cannot concentrate!   When the stacks pile up around us (mail/laundry/bills/shoes/dishes) they seem to suck the joy from us.  We feel like a hummingbird buzzing from mess to mess, but they never disappear!  Instead we just get exhausted.   (3) Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me.   Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. (4) There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy.  ~Psalm 43:3-4 Or perhaps our dishevelment is health-related.  The treatments continue.  T

The other day we got an impromptu invite to meet some friends at an indoor arcade and bowling alley.  Have you been to one of these types of places?  They entice kids and adults alike with their entertainment options.  There is a game (video/air hockey/skee ball/claw/laser tag) or bowling lane (bumpers up or down?), or menu item (bavarian soft pretzel with cheese dip or 1/2 pound burger?) to fit everyone's taste.  The only catch is you get what you pay for.   These places are lots of fun, but also cost lots of money.   We had a (short) family caucus and the vote was unanimous that we would each (kids included) use money we had saved to enjoy a day of "special" fun with friends that we hadn't seen in a long time.   However, upon arrival, we learned that our hosts had graciously paid for our bowling games and shoes, and loaded up the kids' gaming cards with tokens.  They had begun a running tab with fries and mozzerella sticks on the table waiting to be nibbled.  It

  22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” 24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” 25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.  ~Mark 8:22-25 Sometimes faith is a process.  Sometimes healing takes time.  And Jesus knows what He is doing during the stages. This is an interesting story from the Book of Mark.  It's the only time (that I know of) that the healing of Jesus did not happen instantaneously.  This one took time.   We can't be sure why, but I have a few inferences. Jesus can do anything, but things go more smoothly when we

Have you cleaned anything out lately?  A closet, a cupboard...your pantry? Our pantry shelves had been getting crowded and the floor was no longer visible.  I knew there were potatoes somewhere in there, not because I could see them but because I could smell them.  What started off as a hunt for a bag of Russets grew into a full-blown pantry clean-out... and it was time.   Who knew I had 5 boxes of brownie mix?  (Don´t you?) And were the cans of baked beans reproducing under the cover of darkness?  How did we get so many? What an adventure (and chore) I had going through the cans, boxes, shelves and stacks.  There were stale crackers and rubbery chips.  Onions sprouting wings and cereal that had lost it's luster.  It was time for a clean out. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:   The old has gone, the new is here!   Corinthians 5:17 Our pantry isn't the only place in need of a clean out.  God knows that we have some rotten feelings festering in our he

Why am I discouraged?   Why is my heart so sad? (Psalm 42:5) Is anyone else trapped today?   Muted and almost-buried under the heaviness/the sorrow/the stress/the worry/the binding.   What suffocates me differs from what stifles you, and right now I cannot even identify it, because it is everything.  And I am shriveling up without God.  Psalm 42 1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.   ~Psalm 42:1 The defenseless deer needs water to keep on living  and our souls pant for You in the same way, Lord.  We are defenseless against the pressures, fears and realities surrounding us today.  They have parched our hope and strength, but You alone quench our spiritual and emotional dryness.   2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God? ~Psalm 42:2 I am searching for You, Lord, but there seems to be a shroud separating me.  Nothing is right.  I want to find You.  I seek to meet You, but how do I break this barrier that is bl

 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? (Mark 8:36) What does " the whole world " look like to us?  Would it be gaining a lot of money?  Status?  Cool friends?  Good kids?  A great job?  Not having to have  a job?   If someone were to ask what your greatest heart's desire would be--what would it be?  Would we forfeit "our soul" to attain it?   Are we forfeiting our souls to attain it? The path of a Christ-seeker is a circular one, and I don't think we ever (quite) get off the merry-go-round of:  Yearning-for-more/Seeking-Christ/Doing-God's-will/Getting-tripped-up-in-our-own-self-focus...   Yearning-for-more/Seeking-Christ/Doing-God's-will/Getting-tripped-up-in-our-own-self-focus...   Yearning-for-more/Seeking-Christ/Doing-God's-will/Getting-tripped-up-in-our-own-self-focus.. . It's a cycle and journey.   If we are serious about chasing after Christ, we gain wisdom as we work through the cycle, but we are a

Sometimes God has us "camp-out" and spend extra time with certain Bible verses, and He always has purpose in doing so.  But let me kick off by saying that I (as a generally modest person),  would not be calling our attention to today's Chapter in Leviticus unless I had to, as it crosses  way over from the propriety of encouraging one to "Love thy neighbor" (Matthew 22:39).   In fact, one of the commands in Leviticus 18 pertains to our "neighbor", but would you expect God to have to tell us " Do not defile yourself by having sexual intercourse with your neighbor’s wife" (Leviticus 18:20)?   Shocking, isn't it?  Crass and vulgar. Why would God say that  to the Israelites, and to us today?   Because God walks right in to sin-filled cities and sin-filled hearts.  He had a plan for the Israelites to be lights in the dark places, and He has one for us today.  He is taking us somewhere today, and we are not going to be in Kansas anymore. God was