Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. (Mark 13:31-33)
Douglas Mayor, a fifteen year old boy who lived in Missouri, had been feeling bad for several days. His mother, Donna, took him to the emergency room where blood tests revealed one of the most agonizing things a parent can learn about a child. Douglas was diagnosed as having leukemia.
During the next forty-eight hours, Douglas endured blood transfusions, spinal and bone marrow tests and chemotherapy. For five days his mother stayed in his hospital room. Douglas became depressed.
During the first day in the hospital, Douglas said to his mother, “I thought you get flowers when you’re in the hospital.” One of his aunts called Brix Florist in St. Louis. His aunt wanted the sales clerk to be aware of the flower arrangement’s significance. “I want the planter to be especially attractive. It’s for my teenage nephew who has leukemia,” she told the clerk. “Oh,” said the salesclerk. “Let’s add some fresh-cut flowers to brighten it up.”
When the floral arrangement arrived Douglas opened the envelope and read the card from his aunt. Then he saw another card. The second card read: “Douglas–I took your order. I work at Brix Florist. I had leukemia when I was seven years old. I’m 22 years old now. Good luck. My heart goes out to you. Sincerely, Laura Bradley.” Douglas’ face lit up.
Often it is the little extra things that we do that make a big difference. Loving things, encouraging things. Whether the world comes to an end today or billions of years from now, we want to be found not sitting on a roof-top looking crazily into the sky, but helping God’s people.
Heavenly Father, it is so easy to get busy and forget about the important work you called me to do. May I use the blessing of you in my life to be a blessing to others. In Jesus name, Amen.
For darkness shall cover the earth and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. (Isaiah 60:2)
Isaiah was trying to remind the Israelites that they were God’s people, even though they were an exiled people. They were scattered in many parts of the world, but they were still God’s people.
Just like the Israelites, we too are a chosen people, because God sent Jesus Christ into the world to be our Savior. We are God’s people. Christ died for us.
I may be young; I may be old,
But I am somebody, For I am God’s Child.
I may be educated; I may be unlettered,
But I am somebody, For I am God’s Child.
I may be black; I may be white,
But I am somebody, For I am God’s Child.
I may be rich; I may be poor,
But I am somebody, For I am God’s Child.
I may be fat; I may be thin,
But I am somebody, For I am God’s Child.
I may be married; I may be divorced or single,
But I am somebody, For I am God’s Child.
I may be successful; I may be a failure,
But I am somebody, For I am God’s Child.
I may be a sinner; I may be a saint,
But I am somebody, For Jesus is my Savior.
I am God’s Child.
Loving God, help me to more fully understand my purpose of being your child. In Jesus name, Amen.
Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” (Mark 1:15)
A battered old man got up one night during a revival meeting and said: “Brothers and sisters, you know and I know that I ain’t been what I ought to of been. I’ve stolen hogs and told lies, and got drunk, and was always getting in fights, and shooting craps, and playing poker, and I’ve cussed and swore; but I thank the Lord there’s one thing I ain’t never done: I ain’t never lost my religion.”
It is true that we won’t lose our religion when we have done something wrong if we seek God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness is important to restoring relationships. Frederick Buechner, a well known Christian writer, said, “To repent is to come to our senses. It is not so much something you do as something that happens. True repentance spends less time looking at the past and saying ‘I’m sorry,’ than to the future and saying ‘Wow!’
We have all heard many criminals say they were sorry for the crime they committed, but many of them continue to be criminals. Did you know that by far most of the people in our jails today are repeat offenders. They may feel sorry for their sins and crimes, but no real change has taken place. You see, true repentance is a matter of changing directions.
The most important change of direction we can make is becoming a faithful disciple of God and Jesus Christ moment by moment and day by day.
Heavenly Father, may I follow you everyday so that my life will be the best possible example of faithfulness. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1)
Isaiah says, “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” He was calling his people to let the light of God shine in and through them. We, too, should look at the possibilities of how God’s light can shine through us.
It is easy to look at our limitations to keep God’s light from shining through us. We may say I’ve had a rough time and I cannot go forward right now. We may say we are too old or too young. We can make up a lot of excuses, but we do have the power to let God’s light shine.
As we look at our lives, it will not always appear easy; but we can truly be our best with God’s help.
Success cannot always be measured. If our efforts bring us closer to God and closer to our family and friends, then we will experience the life desires for us; a life of many possibilities and successes.
Dear God, may all of my possibilities come by growing closer to you. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us. (Ephesians 5.1-2)
Paul writes, “Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us.” But what does this mean, to be “imitators of God”? How are we to live in love?
Well, in a very practical way this teaching reminds us to treat other people, the everyday people we come in contact with throughout our lives, in the same way that God treats them. It means treating others fairly, and being honest in all of our relationships, whether personal or professional. And most importantly, we must be as forgiving of others as God is of us.
Tony Campolo had a hard time sleeping one night, so he got up at three thirty in the morning and went searching for an all-night coffee shop. He had found one and had ordered a donut and a cup of coffee when two prostitutes came in. They were loud and crude, and quite disagreeable company. Tony was ready to leave when he overheard one of the women say that the next day was her birthday.
Her friend sneered, “So what do you want from me? a birthday party?” To which the woman replied, “Why should you give me a birthday party? I’ve never had a birthday party in my whole life.” Now when Tony heard that, something clicked inside. He went over to the waiter and asked if the women came in every night, which they did. Then he asked if he could hold a birthday party for the one woman, Agnes. Well, the waiter thought it was a wonderful idea, and agreed.
Tony was back at the diner the next morning at two-thirty to decorate. He brought some crepe paper decorations and made a big birthday sign out of pieces of cardboard. He covered that diner from one end to the other. Somehow word of the party must have gotten out, because pretty soon the diner began to fill up with Agnes’ friends.
At three thirty, Agnes and the other woman entered the diner. Everyone shouted, “Happy Birthday, Agnes!” and began singing happy birthday. Well, she was stunned. Her mouth fell wide open. By the time the waiter brought in the cake she was crying.
A little later Tony Campolo led the group in prayer. He prayed for Agnes and her salvation, and her friends. He prayed that her life would be changed and that God would be good to her. Do you want to know the worst part about this whole story? No one had ever treated that woman like a child of God before.
And when Tony accepted that woman, when he accepted her for the sake of her soul, he made a difference in her life. A real difference.
God of love, with your holy love, may I labor to make a real difference. In Jesus Name,Amen.
I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother. (Philemon 1.7)
Writer Norman Mailer entered Harvard as an engineering student because his mother, who had been through the Great Depression, wanted her son to have a marketable degree. But in his freshman year, Mailer took English 101, a basic course in which students were expected to learn how to write well. A number of well-known writers taught at Harvard at the time. Mailer found the atmosphere stimulating. Although he was an engineering student, he spent many hours reading and writing fiction.
For the final exam in English that semester, the students had to write a novella, and Mailer received an A+, a grade seldom given and one that made his name known all over campus. That one grade was the real beginning of his career as a writer, giving him both the self-confidence and the recognition that he needed. To please his mother, Mailer finished his degree in engineering, but from his freshman days Mailer pursued a life of writing.
Sometimes one positive word of encouragement can make all the difference. And the whole purpose of Christianity is to lead others to spiritual success.
Give a word of encouragement today.
Heavenly Father, you have encouraged me with many words of love. May I share those words of encouragement to those who need it today. In Jesus Name, Amen.
And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25.40)
Walt Whitman once said, “In the faces of men and women I see God.” In the face of every forsaken pilgrim stranded along the side of life’s road, we perceive the presence of our Lord. Thus, mere acquaintances are turned into friends. Why? Because a man from Nazareth once befriended us.
Frederick Douglass approached the front door of the White House, seeking admission into Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Ball. Just as Douglass was about to knock on the door, two policemen seized him, barring the black man’s entrance. Douglass, a large, powerful man, brushed the officers aside and stepped into the foyer. Once inside, two more officers grabbed the uninvited guest, all the while uttering racial slurs.
As Douglass was being dragged from the hall, he cried to a nearby patron, “Just say to Mr. Lincoln that Fred Douglass is at the door!” Confusion ensued. Then suddenly the officers received orders to usher Douglass into the East Room. In that beautiful room, the great abolitionist stood in the presence of the esteemed President. The place quieted as Lincoln approached his newly arrived guest, hand outstretched in greeting, and speaking in a voice loud enough so none could mistake his intent, the President announced, “Here comes my friend Douglass.”
The President had called Frederick Douglass friend. Who dared demean Douglass if he was a friend of the President?
Jesus Christ, the Lord of the universe, has called us his brothers and his sisters. God has called us His own children. But not only us. Also the person who lies stripped and beaten by the side of the road. He–or she–is our friend, our neighbor. So we pause and we help, because once there was a man who paused on a cross for us.
Dear God, may I pause as your Son has paused for me. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1.27)
Mother Teresa once said, “The biggest disease today is not leprosy or cancer. It’s the feeling of being uncared for or unwanted, of being deserted and alone. The greatest evil is the lack of love and charity, and an indifference toward one’s neighbor who may be the victim of poverty or disease or exploited and at the end of his or her life, left at a roadside.”
God of love, may I offer my hand to help and love, as you have helped and loved me. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. (Hebrews 12.1)
If you are going to compete in the race of life, run to win. And that means committing yourself to a life of discipline. It means seeking to be all God has created you to be. It means knowing where you are going–focusing in on the tasks at hand. It means avoiding distractions. It means getting rid of any sin in your life that may serve as a hindrance. And it means running your race with the anticipation that you’re not headed down a dead end street. You’re running to cross God’s finish line. Keep these rules in mind and you will finish a winner in everything you do.
Dear God, help me keep my focus on you, so that I can win the challenges of life for your honor and glory. In Jesus name, Amen.
For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. (Col. 1.9)
Virtuoso violinist Pinchas Zukerman was giving a master class to a group of young artists who had come to the Aspen Music Festival. The young artists were being observed by a large audience of their peers and distinguished teachers and performers. The atmosphere was electric. To each of the talented performers Zukerman offered friendly advice and encouragement. He discussed their playing in detail, and would pick up his own violin to demonstrate finer points of technique and interpretation. Finally came the turn of a young musician who performed brilliantly. When the applause subsided, Zukerman complimented the artist. Then he walked over to his own violin, caressed it, tucked it under his chin, and paused a long moment. Then, without playing a note or uttering a word, he placed it back in its case. This time the applause was deafening, in recognition of a master, who could pay so gracious a compliment.
We all know it’s true. The person who is constantly puffing himself or herself up bragging about exploits, showing off trophies, buying bigger and better things to stay one step ahead of the Jones is at heart very insecure and fearful. Such a person is deathly afraid that he or she really does not measure up. The greater the emptiness on the inside, the greater the need to surround ourselves with the trappings of success on the outside. The more unsure we are about our own self‑worth, the more we need the envy of others. The less sure we are of ourselves, the greater our need to lord it over others. Yet someday we realize it is all a sham. True stature is not measured by how much we puff ourselves up, but by how willing we are to humble ourselves before God and God’s people.
Heavenly Father, help me to be humble and put YOU first. Fill my emptiness with your love and hope. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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