Corona Devotionals

When David arrived at Mahanaim, he was warmly greeted by Shobi son of Nahash...and by Makir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and by Barzillai of Gilead from Rogelim. (28) They brought sleeping mats, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans, lentils, (29) honey, butter, sheep, goats, and cheese for David and those who were with him. For they said, “You must all be very hungry and tired and thirsty after your long march through the wilderness.”  ~2 Samuel 17:27-29 King David and a group of his loyal followers were (literally) fleeing-for-their lives from David's son, Absalom. Their trip had already been stressful and long, and it was nowhere near over. But the Lord provided respite for David and his crew in the warm greeting and provision of friends. Three men met them at Mahanaim and the supplies, food and kindness that they shared with David humbles me. May it also move us to greet someone (warmly!) at their " Mahanaim" today. We kn...

Whose side are you on, anyway? Actually, sometimes we need to be shrewd enough to be on both sides. ~~~~~~ King David had gotten ousted from his city and his reign by his (bad-seed) son, Absalom, and now David was "on the run". Along the way, people who respected David as a man and king continued to show their loyalty to him, but in wisdom, David knew that he needed friends "on both sides" of his son's new rule. When David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, Hushai the Arkite was waiting there for him. Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning. ( 33) But David told him, “If you go with me, you will only be a burden. ( 34) Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice. ( 35) Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in...

Jesus answered,  “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”  ~John 18:36 ~~~~~ What does Jesus mean here?   Pilate is grilling Him about whether He is a "king" or not, and Jesus answers Pilate with this "riddle":  “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”  ~John 18:36 And even though His kingdom is not earthly, I still wish that someone had stood up and stood out to  fight  to keep (Jesus) from being handed over to the Jewish leaders that day in Jerusalem.  Jesus was going to die (and be resurrected) for our sake , but I wish He would have had the support of someone (anyone!), for His sake. I realize that the betrayal, abuse and crucifixion of Jesus had  to happen for our sa...

Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor.  His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover.    ~John 18:28 These verses detail some of the last moments Christ would spend on earth.  But they also detail how " His accusers " missed-the-mark in recognizing Who was before them.  I think these verses also detail how we "miss" Jesus right before us too.   His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover.    ~John 18:28 " His accusers " were " Jewish leaders " (John 18:31) and if they entered  the headquarters of the Roman governor , Jewish law said that they would "become ceremonially unclean" and thus  they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover.   (Bible backstory:)  Are we familiar with wha...

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you...   ~Deuteronomy 31:8 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. ~Psalm 139:5 Not sure if you've ever heard the old story about two angels who stop by a rich guy's house for the night.  The rich guy makes them stay in the basement instead of the guest room, and he's not kind at all.  The older angel patches a hole in their basement wall for him.  When the younger angel questions it, the older angel simply says, "Things aren't always what they seem."   The next night they stay at a poor couple's farm.  The sweet and kind farmer-couple give the angels their bed to sleep in and a nice meal from what little they have.  But when they all wake in the morning, the farmers are in tears because their only milk cow has died.  The younger angel questions it, but the older angel replies,  "Things aren't always what they seem."  Then the older angel then explains that h...

We drove through driving rain for five hours today. T here was almost no visibility and spray from semi-trucks kept our windshield in an odd "fog" much of the way. There were hidden pockets of standing water in every lane and we slowed (and stopped) for hydroplaning accidents often. I was a wreck. And I wasn't even driving! My husband is the best driver I know, and he calmly took each mile slow and steady. But I was praying, bracing myself, asking him nervously if he'd like to listen to music/a sermon/a book/or anything to pass the time and miles and get our minds and worries off the road and weather. But he was fine. Focused and careful, he told me that he was "reviewing Bible verses in his head", and then he very politely asked me if I wanted to go in the back seat to "help our daughter study". I am pretty sure my nervousness was the worst part of his drive, and so I climbed to the back of the van. The rain still came down in sheets, the ...

Do we know our real  friends?  Those that know the truth about us (the real story) and love us  anyway?   Those are true friends.  (Are we  those friends?) Each season of life brings opportunity for us to be true friends and also for us to experience the loyalty of our true friends.  King David had different life-scenarios happening 2,000 years ago than we do today, but his "friends" and enemies played out in many of the same loyal and disloyal ways that ours do today.  David had a son named Absalom  that wasn't such a great guy, and the next card up his not-so-good sleeve was to overthrow his dad (King David) for the throne, and when the time came, David knew it was best to leave.   “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”  (15)  “We are with you,” his...

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. ~Psalm 46:1 Need refuge and strength? Yes. Times of trouble ? Yes. God is our go to. He is always ready to help. When the problems and pressures of the world have encased us in an icy prison, God reminds us that His  voice thunders, and the earth melts! (Psalm 46:6). So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. ~Psalm 46:2 Yes, He knows that earthquakes come and strike our foundations, and that our mountains made of people, positions, and dreams that have been a part our lives for a long time will crumble into the sea. But God says, "Let them." Let the oceans roar and foam.  Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! ~Psalm 46:3 God is not shaken when we are, and His warmth melts the ice in our lives. We might be in a snowstorm, but He sees the rainbow behind the heavy clouds. He made both , and God's got joy to bring to every heart that He dwells...