Corona Devotionals

Here's a riddle for us:  Are we aware of something that boldly " proclaims " and " displays " God's craftsmanship , yet such "proclamations" are  non- verbal? Who or what do we know that " speaks " of God's glory  without a sound or word ?  Do we  do those things ?   Is it possible to be created by our Creator, and to proclaim  Him...to carry His message  throughout the earth without words, but in how we live, react, praise  and exist  in being who He made us to be? At the tutorial of Psalm 19 , I am taking a lesson from the heavens  today:   (1) The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.   (2) Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.   (3) They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.   (4) Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.  ~Psalm 19:1-4 That is not only some of the most beautiful poetry I have ev

I've been known to peruse the "produce markdowns" section in the grocery store. Many times, things "have life" left in them, even when they appear beat-up, damaged or even decaying. Although the exterior may portray one (worn) side of the story, look deeper for the live-culture of healthy life that is many-times still living within. Such was the case with a bag of four pomegranates that I found the other day that were marked down to one dollar (for all four!). And they were ugly. Their skin was scratched and bruised, and one of them was even seeping a little red juice...but for $1.00 , I had to give them a shot. And wouldn't-you-know-it... their fruit was perfect on the inside. Fresh, plump, vitamin-packed pomegranate tendrils amassed as my husband steadily peeled back the outer skin of one, two, three and four of them...picking and popping those beautiful little red beads out into a huge pile ready for eating. Tons of yummy, healthy, delicious lit

I had never met  Azariah son of Oded , but he went out to meet me today, and maybe you too. Azariah had a message for me from God, and if you are anything like me, it may have been for you too.   ~~~ Stale, distant, and detached from the Lord.   That's how I've been "feeling", and  I want to "blame" God, as if  He  isn't staying  with me.  I want to make the excuse that He  has abandoned me... but I know that is not the truth.  How do I know?  Because this isn't the first time that I've grown lax/cold/unintentional in seeking God, and then (surprise!) I find myself "unable to connect" with Him.   But, if we are going to "define this relationship flaw" with our Heavenly Father, l et's be honest-- it's never Him... it's us .  God never leaves us, but we all-to-often wander away from His side. The Lord is tired of my (our) hot-and-cold/up-and-down faith-swings for Him.  He laments for the brokenness we cause when we 

Are we outnumbered? Grossly. Do they have worldly sophistications over us? Absolutely. Will any victory on our side make "military" or logical sense? Nope. That's how I was feeling today as a soldier for Jesus.  As I surveyed the "landscape", the "enemy" forces, and their (growing) resources against us, I w as feeling powerless, intimidated and overwhelmed.  (Does this sense-of-desperation ever settle over you?)  I felt all of those things sitting on me, but I also felt God calling me...to His Word.  (The Bible is not for God's encouragement and hope... it is for ours!) I cracked open my Bible and cried out: “O  Lord , no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O  Lord  our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O  Lord , you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!”   ~2 Chronicles 14:11 ~~~ The Bible account on the pages before me highlighted King Asa wh

I received a holiday email update from my college alma mater (Go Muskies!), and the thrust of the message was to introduce the opening of a new building and wellness facility for students and staff on campus.  The president was clearly (and especially) proud of the initiative because donors and planners had decided to pursue construction in the Spring of 2020 when the Covid onset hit our world.   As everything stopped, they had made a decision  not to stop.   And today there is a beautiful,  fortified  building as a result. During a time of "rest", they did the simple but obedient work involved in moving forward.  As many made a decision to retreat, they inched forward.   I couldn't help but think of King  Asa  when I read the college email.   ~~~ In the historical accounts of the Bible, (then as now), there were good and evil leaders.  King Asa  was a good (God) guy, who (simply) did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the  Lord  his God ( 2 Chronicles 14:1) , an

I do love the turkey of Thanksgiving Day, but there is something I love even more than the meat carved from that bird: turkey noodle soup.   As you can guess from its name, it is just like chicken noodle soup, but I might argue that it is even better.   The overall idea of making soup from the Thanksgiving turkey remains after the meat has been carved came to me originally from my mother-in-law, who taught me to boil the cooked carcass, and then strain the broth...and you are left with a delicious base for turkey noodle soup.  There is quite a bit of meat that will soften up and fall off of the bones from the boil, and when you add some carrots and celery and serve hot over noodles... viola!   I love to make soups, but this is my favorite one all year. But not just because of the flavor and soul-warming effect that it gives...but also because I feel like I am being a good steward of the turkey when I stretch it into a big pot of soup. Just carving the meat and serving those gathered a

Thankful.   Giving thanks.  (Or the reversed-version: Thanksgiving. ) We might make a list of things today.  Count our blessings.   We might go around and share one thing at the table today.  Recite our blessings. We might pen an invisible-list in our hearts today.  Meditate on our blessings.   And (no matter how we do  it), when we review all of the "things" that we have to be grateful for: it's a lot. But many of those things that we are giving-of-thanks for today... are things.  Shelter-things, convenience-things, provision-things, comfort and surface-level "things".   What if we didn't have those "things" today?  Could we still give thanks ?    Would we?  Will we? Some of us don't  have "those things" today.  The money's gone, the loved one died, the sickness will not flee, the relationship is unmended, the table is empty.  The life feels empty, and not like "giving thanks" on Thanksgiving.   Can we still   give th

Sometimes, in some situations, for certain occasions  we know what to pray for.  Or, at least we think  we do, and there is great strength and hope in that.  God hears every word we utter, and there can also be healing  in our specific prayers. The newborn is fading...we pray for life! The mass is found...we pray for complete removal and remission. The person is wandering from God...we pray for them to come home to the Father's love and His plan/purposes for them. We've seen specific prayers , we've prayed  specific prayers , we've lived  specific prayers .  And there are times when the results do  come.   I've seen the "loophole" medical treatment that was effective.   You've seen the addicted person get sober  and change their ways .   We've seen people, occurrences, things  that we could not explain, but that explained our  specific prayers.   ... And yet we've all experienced (and prayed!) the  specific prayers, when we believed that we kne

What are we  smuggling today? Most of our connotations of  the word "smuggle" are negative: High schoolers might smuggle alcohol into the basement of a party, the  Prohibition Era  caused alcohol to be smuggled  into society, often through a speakeasy or illegal club during the 1920's. But smuggling can be a good thing, too: A (slightly) secretive way to perpetuate/further/spread something...in our case: The Gospel.   To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  ( 21)  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.  ( 22)  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.  ~I Corinthians 9:20-22 How are we   smuggling  the Gospel today? Ho