Corona Devotionals

Sometimes God has plans that we would have never expected or imagined.  And sometimes, even when we feel that we are doing the right thing, or the Godly thing...God may reveal to us that (even so)...it is not His thing. And so, we must remain open and vulnerable to the Lord's leading and teaching over our lives and hearts each day.  And--it doesn't hurt to keep one eye open for the  Lord's angels , too.  You never know...   In major decisions and minor ones, we absolutely should allow the Bible to be our roadmap and guardrail as we navigate the daily life-choices that face us.   But, we must always remain malleable (able to be shaped and formed) by the hands of our Heavenly Father, too. Take Joseph for example: He tried to do the right thing.   He was engaged to be married to  Mary , and in Bible days, that betrothed-stage was just as serious and binding as marriage.  He had committed to Mary . And Mary had committed to h...

Who was your great-granddaddy?  How about your great- great- granddad?  Mine was a hardworking man who started a coal delivery company in Bedford, Ohio in 1892.  Horse and cart would deliver coal to people's homes and businesses, so that they could keep their lives running and advance them. Coal turned into concrete.  (Not literally!)  But over time and industrial evolution, our family (five generations later) now delivers concrete to people's homes and businesses, so that they can keep their lives running and advance them. My family started somewhere, and I have to climb back up our family tree to reveal my lineage and where I came from, because there is an order and purpose to it. The Gospel of Matthew begins with the family tree of Jesus, because before we get to the birth of the Messiah on Christmas, God wants us to climb back up the family tree of Jesus to witness His earthly lineage because there is a (holy) order and purpose to it.   Thus there ...

Up until the (approximately) 3 years of Jesus' public ministry, Pharisees were the authorities on God's Word and His ways.  Pharisees were the most learned men in religion, and they memorized, studied, and taught the Holy Scriptures first to themselves, and then to God's people.  They were learned men, and they were disciplined in the continued study of God's Word.  Pharisees were smart and they were religious, and they believed what they read and learned in the first five Books of the Bible (the Torah) and in the writings of the Prophets. But one of these educated Pharisees stole away under the curtain of night's darkness to find Jesus and to try to understand this new message that He was bringing.  Nicodemus was his name, and the Bible says that he   was a member of the Jewish ruling council .  He was very smart, but Nicodemis could not grasp the teachings that Jesus was proclaiming to the crowds in the city or on the hillside.   Nicodemus ...

Quick!  Holiday hymn check: What's your favorite one?   Okay, so picking a favorite Christmas carol or hymn is almost impossible for many of us (there are so many great ones!).  When we hear "Silent Night"...our favorite Christmas song is "Silent Night".   And then when we hear "Mary, Did You Know?", ( boom! ) our favorite is  "Mary, Did You Know?".  And so it goes: it is difficult to choose just one favorite Christmas song. But have you heard "Go Tell it on the Mountain" lately?  It's my (current) favorite!  Can you guess why?   Well, the title gives it away.  The title shouts it out.  The title of the song tell s  it. Go tell it on the mountain Over the hills and everywhere Go tell it on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born! If you know me, then you know that I like to tell it when it comes to many things...but especially when it comes to Jesus Christ. And this song gives us (happy) permission, and a melod...

Oh goodness.   Some days are just so heavy.  ...Like there is a darkness all around us.  It hangs over us like a low, stifling ceiling, and it creeps into us like a rotting-smell into our nostrils--wrecking our moods, our thoughts, our attitudes.  What creates the darkness around us, I can't say, and...I'll have my days of  darkness  and you'll have yours.  But this I do  know--the darkness does come and there are days and seasons that we are forced to walk in it. But I do know something else...there is also light .  A great light .  And those of us who have walked in the darkness  but who believe in the  great light ...we appreciate that Beacon, and we have come to know and love and yearn for that great light .   The people walking in darkness  have seen a great light;  on those living in the land of deep darkness  a light has dawned...  ~Isaiah 9:2 Deep darkness .   I don't want t...

How beautiful on the mountains  are the feet of those who bring good news,  who proclaim peace,  who bring good tidings,  who proclaim salvation,  who say to Zion,  “Your God reigns!”  ~Isaiah 52:7 Christmas parties!  Christmas Eve gatherings.  Christmas Day brunches and lunches and suppers.  Friends-mas!  New Year's Eve get-togethers!  New Year's Day celebrations!  And every holiday-gathering in between... The holidays mean people.  And people mean personalities and conversations and connections, and opinions, and opposites and sometimes opposition.   People can mean gossip and hearsay and negativity.  Or, people can mean love, and words-of-encouragement, and life. There will be many gatherings in the coming days.  What will our verbal role and attitude be like? How beautiful on the mountains  are the feet of those who bring good news,  who proclaim peace,  who bring good tidings,...

There is so much to look forward to and engage-in during the Christmas season.  For children, Santa is the big draw.  At shopping malls, and breakfast events...children wait in long lines to sit with Santa.  He asks them if they have been "naughty or nice", and they tell him what they want for Christmas.   Have you seen the lines for Santa?  Right about now in the season....they are  long . But (have you heard the song or read the children's story book?)... Where's the Line for Jesus?    (Song by Becky Kelley, and book by Albert Porter.) I've read the historical connections regarding cultural figures such as St. Nicholas, Kris Kringle,  Sinterklaas  and Father Christmas...all having possible roots to our today "Santa Claus".  But you and I both know that  Christmas began with Christ , not a kindly plump bearded man bearing gifts.   But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that wil...