Posts

November 5 — His Loving Devotion Endures Forever

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” — Psalm 107:1–2     Some expressions of gratitude arise from a particular moment. We thank someone for a kindness, an unexpected gift, or help during a difficult situation. Other expressions of gratitude reach much deeper. They arise from recognizing a relationship that has remained faithful through the changing circumstances of life. Psalm 107 begins with that deeper kind of thanksgiving. The psalmist does not simply say that God has done something good. He declares that God is good, and that His loving devotion endures forever. This distinction matters. If our gratitude depends entirely upon favorable circumstances, it will rise and fall with the events of each day. But when our thanksgiving is grounded in God's character, we have a reason to trust Him even when life is uncertain. The phrase “His loving devotio...
Post a Comment
Read more

November 4 — New Mercies Every Morning

“Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!” — Lamentations 3:22–23     There is something quietly reassuring about the beginning of a new day. Whatever happened yesterday, morning brings another opportunity to begin. The circumstances of our lives may not have changed overnight, and yesterday's concerns may still be waiting for us. Yet the rising sun reminds us that life continues and that we have been given another day in which to experience God's presence. The writer of Lamentations understood that hope does not always arise from pleasant circumstances. These words were written amid profound sorrow following the destruction of Jerusalem. The people had experienced suffering, loss, displacement, and the consequences of national disaster. The book does not minimize their grief. Its pages contain honest expressions of anguish, confusion, and lament. Yet in the middle of tha...
Post a Comment
Read more

November 3 — Forget Not His Benefits

“Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds—He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion, who satisfies you with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” — Psalm 103:1–5     There are many things we remember without making any particular effort. We remember disappointments, mistakes, unfinished responsibilities, and words that have wounded us. Sometimes these memories return repeatedly, even when we would rather release them. Yet the blessings we have received can gradually fade from our awareness. What once filled us with gratitude may become so familiar that we scarcely notice it. Psalm 103 invites us to practice a different kind of remembering. David begins by speaking to his own soul: “Bless the LORD, O my soul.” He is calling his entire being to praise God....
Post a Comment
Read more

November 2 — Every Good and Perfect Gift

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.” —     James 1:17     We receive gifts throughout our lives, although we do not always recognize them as such. Some arrive in memorable ways: an unexpected opportunity, a new friendship, the birth of a child, an answered prayer, or help offered during a difficult time. Others are so familiar that we scarcely notice them: another sunrise, a comfortable place to rest, a meal, the ability to learn, or the simple pleasure of sharing a conversation. James reminds us that behind every genuinely good gift stands the goodness of God. “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” These words invite us to recognize God as the ultimate source of the blessings we experience. They do not suggest that everything that happens to us is good or that suffering should be regarded as a gift. Rather, James directs our attention toward the ge...
Post a Comment
Read more

November 1 — Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving

“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and bless His name. For the LORD is good, and His loving devotion endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations.” — Psalm 100:1-5     There is something beautiful about beginning a new month with an invitation to give thanks. Psalm 100 calls God's people to approach Him with joy, gladness, praise, and gratitude. The psalmist does not begin by asking us to consider what we lack or what we hope to receive. Instead, we are invited to recognize who God is and what He has already done. “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” These words reflect the worship of ancient Israel, when people gathered to approach God's presence in the te...
Post a Comment
Read more

October 31 — A Life Offered to God

“Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” — Romans 12:1     For an entire month, we have considered what it means to be called to serve. We have thought about the gifts God gives us, the needs of people around us, the example of Jesus, the importance of generosity, the pursuit of justice and mercy, and the quiet faithfulness that makes a lifetime of service possible. On this final day, Paul brings all of those ideas together in one sweeping invitation: “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices.” In other words, offer God your life. The word “therefore” at the beginning of Romans 12 is important. Paul has spent the first eleven chapters of Romans describing the grace and mercy of God. He has written about sin and forgiveness, faith and justification, life in the Spirit, the love of God, and the astonishing mercy through which God welcomes us. Then P...
Post a Comment
Read more

October 30, 2026 — Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’” — Matthew 25:21     There are many things we might hope will be said about our lives. We may want to be remembered as successful, accomplished, generous, wise, loving, or influential. Yet for a follower of Jesus, few words could be more meaningful than these: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Jesus speaks these words in the Parable of the Talents. A master prepares to leave on a journey and entrusts his property to three servants. One receives five talents, another receives two, and another receives one. In the ancient world, a talent was a very large amount of money, so Jesus is describing significant responsibility. Each servant receives something entrusted by the master and must decide what to do with it. An important detail appears near the beginning of the story: the master gives “to each ...
Post a Comment
Read more