Corona Devotionals

When I think of the word " cling ", one of the images that comes to my mind is of a kitten. Tiny and unsure with his developing claws latched onto a blanket or the shirt of someone holding him. Clinging on for dear life. I also have a raggedy-looking comic strip taped to the inside of one of my kitchen cupboard doors. It has been there for about 14 years. It is a bedraggled mom with one child on her hip and dragging another on her ankle as she moves through her tasks. Her children are literally clinging to her. I hung it originally because it's how you feel sometimes when you have little ones. Children need direction, protection, comfort and safety and they cling to their parents for it. This is exactly the image that God conjured up in my mind with today's scripture. We must cling to God and His word for our direction, protection, comfort and safety in this world. And somedays we have to cling on for dear life! You must fear the Lord your God and worship him...

When we've been hoping and praying for something and it comes through/it happens/we-receive-the-blessing, there is a rush of gratitude and a boost of faith. In this demonstration of faith, God is good! However, when necessary, God's word can also jostle our hearts into conviction as He reveals our stubbornness , which can be the root cause of what is keeping us from moving forward in what God has around the bend for us. In this demonstration of faith (also), God is good! The Lord created the world and everything in it all belongs to Him. But out of all of it, we are His prized possession, the beings that He chose to favor. But what is blocking our way to Him today? Perhaps our stubbornness. “Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God. (15) Yet the Lord chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all other nations, as is evident today. (16) Therefore, change your hearts and s...

Have you ever had the privilege of being a part of the "inner circle"?   Maybe at work the boss confided in you about upcoming plans or asked your advice on the next initiative. Or maybe you are in weekly Bible Study with the pastor and/or his wife.  In "Hamilton" the play, Aaron Burr was often frustrated because Alexander Hamilton always seemed to win out and wind up a member of the "inner circle"  with George Washington and others that that made decisions, and Burr lamented that all he wanted was (just once!) "to be in the room where it happened".  Burr desperately wanted to be invited to the inner circle.   We all have some level of desperation (whether surface or buried) to be invited to the "inner circle". Many times we feel like we are on the outside of a closed (social/emotional/intellectual/physical) circle.  And how about a show-of-hands for any of us that have felt "on the outside" spiritually?  Mine is raised high. ...

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” ~Matthew 28:19-20 We know this verse and we are challenged to live it out with our lives--" making disciples " by whatever means of influence the Lord has given us with others. We get it. We want to step up to it. And in our own circles of people and situations, we have and we do teach them to obey everything (God) has commanded.. . We do it silently and by example as we make Biblically-based choices in our days and lives. We do it as parents, coaches, teachers, bosses, family-members, employees and friends. I do it through these devotionals each day. You do it when you share Jesus with anyone seeking Him. But God reminds us today about the sob riety ( seriousness/gravity )  a nd importance of our task in "m...

Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, (2) along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; (3) Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. ~Luke 8:1-3 Following Jesus is a gift, an adventure, a challenge-to-accept, and a life-long journey. Jesus invites us into relationship and to "tour" with Him, and then we are tasked with the mission of how we can contribute from (our) own resources (that He has blessed us with!) to support Jesus and his disciples. How can we serve Him? Those of us that follow Jesus today seek the same relief-from-guilt and renewed-purpose-for-our-lives that the disciples and some women did as they followed Je...

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. ( 37) When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. ( 38) Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. (39) When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” (40) Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.” “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied. (41) Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. ( 42) But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him m...

What are we most proud of today?   The desk, office, title, and nameplate that we've earned? Our kid as they hit the ball, score the goal, swing the club, score highest in their class or land the lead in the play? Our fine home  and its furnishings? Our 401(k), retirement nest egg, bank account, or the wad-of-bills filling our pocket? Our toy collection, car collection, or jewelry collection? Beware! We strive for these "trophies" and working-hard in life is a good and Biblical teaching, but God reminds us today that our efforts are not the main  thing that contribute to all that we have.   God is the source of all that we have. Our fleshly pride will argue with this, and our sense-of-entitlement will spar with this, but God's Word and Biblical truth will persist in teaching us this Truth .  God is the source. Enjoy the fruits of your labor, God says, but we must not forget where our fruits have ultimately come from: Him .     When...