Savor the Good
Read: Isaiah 25:1-9 Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (v. 9) I love a feast. We mark the holidays by gathering with friends and family to share a […]
Our Past, Present, and Future God
Read: Revelation 1:1-8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (v. 8) After my woman’s Bible study group spent a year studying the book of Revelation, we came away convinced that God gave his people this book to be […]
How Reckless, How Amazing
Read: Matthew 18:1-14 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. (v. 13) Imagine that you are a shepherd with 100 sheep, and after counting you realize that one of them is missing. You don’t know where that sheep went, […]
Foreshadowing
Read: Hebrews 2:10-18 . . . he, for whom and by whom all things exist . . . (v. 10) Even after four decades, I still remember when I learned in college about foreshadowing. We were reading John Steinbeck’s classic novel Of Mice and Men, and our professor showed us how the story’s tragic conclusion […]
What Shall I Render?
Read: Psalm 116 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? (v. 12) This psalm reflects on a narrow escape from death. An illness (maybe a disease as deadly as COVID-19) almost slayed the psalmist. The sting of death was felt, the victory of the grave imminent. Through every restless […]
The Coming of the Lord
Read: Luke 2:1-21; Zechariah 2:10-13 And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. (v. 11) The day is here. Christmas. During Advent, we’ve longed for […]
The Joy of Restoration
Read: Isaiah 35:1-10 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! . . . everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (vv. 4, 10) During the third week of Michigan’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order of the COVID-19 […]
Trustworthy and True
Read: Revelation 22:6-11, 18-20 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in […]
Unrestricted
Read: Revelation 21:22–22:5 I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. (21:22) The unseasonably warm winter day was remarkable. Enjoying a sunny walk through the dunes along the Lake Michigan shoreline, I stuffed my hands deep into my coat pockets and looked up to […]