Corona Devotionals

The truth is: We don't face today alone. God is with us and He will never leave us. That's the truth. But we must be willing to accept and receive His truth , even when the crowds (in our mind or in our lives) are shouting otherwise. The conversation that Jesus had with His disciples soon before He was crucified is one that He wants to have with us today: “ If you love me, obey my commandments. ~John 14:15 We do love Him (Jesus), don't we? We love His acceptance of us. We love His forgiveness of our sin. We love His promise of salvation to those who believe in Him, and we love the sacrifice He made for us to receive that gift. Yes, we love Him. So... “If you love me, obey my commandments . ~John 14:15 Read through God's Word. The Bible is long, but we have every day of the rest of our lives to chew on it in bite-size pieces. God doesn't expect us to swallow the whole thing at once. Read a verse , choose a chapter, and read God's Word today. ...

I got off the phone with a family member the other day and closed my eyes.  My mind darted in and out of prayer as I let the reality of his situation settle over me.  He's dying.   He knows it, and I do too.   Our 15-year old son walked in on my closed-eye/somber state.  He came over slowly and asked what was wrong.  I told him what I knew, and he grasped my hands and sat down next to me.   And sat. It's rare for a teen to be still. It's even more rare for a teen to be quiet.   But God knew what I needed: Companionship without conversation.  Presence without inquiry.  Support in silence.  Not a solution, a fix or advice.  At that moment I was ever-so-grateful to have someone just sitting there with me. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort ...

The people who owned our house before us left a big broom-handled squeegee hanging on the wall in the garage. Like something you might use to clean windows, but with a long handle and it's for floors. I had never seen one before, but I thought it was very kind of them and that it looked like a nice house-tool to have "just in case". The first winter in our home I realized exactly why the squeegee hung ready in the garage. Our garage floor has a central drain, but it must not have had a level base when they poured the concrete floor, and so any slush or snow melting off a parked car settles and spreads throughout the garage. You need a squeegee to push the water out. Or, as was the case this morning: if a water pipe freezes on the back wall of your garage in the negative-2 degree freezing temperatures of Northeast Ohio and causes a pipe to burst and you step out into an inch of water covering your garage floor.... You need a squeegee to push the water out. I've ne...

No, O people, the  Lord  has told you what is good,  and this is what he requires of you:  to do what is right, to love mercy,  and to walk humbly with your God.  ~Micah 6:8 So many people are angry  about things today.  At times I am too.  We become so angry, disgruntled, and upset about issues, differences, and views that we spurn others ( reject with disdain or contempt/ tread sharply or heavily upon...  Merriam-Webster Dictionary ).   Our dissatisfaction , disunity, or (if we're honest) our pride  moves us from spurning others to scorning  them ( the feeling or belief that someone or something is worthless or despicable; contempt... Oxford Languages Dictionary ).   But feeling these ways, behaving these ways and justifying these ways are not just and right  in God's eyes or if we are seeking to emulate Jesus. Jesus said,  “If you love me, obey  my commandments" (John 14:15),  but it's...

King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated… ~2 Samuel 8:11 King David was a man's man. We've all been given different gifts, talents, and abilities from the Lord, and one of David's was military courage and strength. God gives us our gifts, not for our glory, but for His. And David fought hard in the name of the Lord. The list of David's victories and spoils over God's enemies was long and filled many graves (for example, see 2 Samuel 8:1-6 ). But David was doing what God created him to do . And he was dedicating His gifts to the Lord. Military strength might not be our gift, but something is , and most likely, we have a variety of areas that God has "gifted" us in so that we might glorify His name, and dedicate our gifts to the Lord . The question I hear scripture asking today is, "Are we dedicating all these gifts to the Lord ?" ( 2 Samuel 8:11). Lord,...

2 Samuel 7:18--29 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ( 19) ... D o you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord? ~2 Samuel 7:18-19 David was right-- " Who are we, Sovereign Lord, and what are our families, that you have brought us this far?" ~2 Samuel 7:18 We are nothing special.  We are just-as-sinful.  And yet...Your promises of forgiveness and a meaningful life ring out for us, all of us and any of us...that bring our hearts to You.   ( 19) ... D o you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord? He does. Everyone comes to God on equal ground. We may "see" others as better-than-us or worse, but God deals with everyone this way ...this forgiven if we ask-for-forgiveness way. This follow-me-and-I-will-make-you-fishers-of-men way ( Mark 1:17 ). This pick-up-your-cross-and-follow-me way (Matthew 16:24). “What more can I say to you? You kn...

If you have ever had the privilege of serving on missions in a third-world country or in Appalachia America, then you "know the feeling". And oppositely--but equally--if you have vacationed or cruised in a tropical but (in places) impoverished land, then you also "know the feeling"... The feeling of self-riches. The humility and (even) guilt of "having", when faced with those who "have not". It moves us and our hearts. David came from humble beginnings. He once tended sheep and did battle with wild animals for their safety. But God called him out of that and into a different "service" for Him. That of doing battle with armies and enemies of God, and because of David's leadership and obedience to God, many came to follow and believe in him and his God (our God!). After many (emotional/physical/spiritual) battles and victories in God's name, King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the sur...