Satisfied
Read: Psalm 107:4-9 For he satisfies the longing soul. (v. 9) The Irish rock band U2 had a hit in 1987 with the song “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” It labels the soul-searching despair for meaning that so many know too well. The redeemed in our verses today knew both the longing […]
Who Are the Redeemed?
Read: Psalm 107:1-3 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. (v. 2) Harvest season brings prayers of thanksgiving. These prayers often focus on the what of thanksgiving: harvest, health, family, etc. Psalm 107 affirms the what but emphasizes the who of thanksgiving. Who were those called to “give thanks to the Lord” (v. 1)? […]
Mary at the Cross
Read: John 19:25-27 But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (v. 25) They say it is the worst thing a mother can endure—to watch her child die. Mary, whose life had been dedicated to keeping Jesus safe and alive in […]
Woman at the Well
Read: John 4:7-30 Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ? (v. 29) “They say she can’t keep a husband.” “They say she’s not even married to the man she’s got now.” “Best to stay far away from that one.” The woman at the well was […]
Mary and Martha
Read: John 11:17-44 Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. (v. 32) Again in this passage, Jesus was the one journeying—this time to the home of Mary and Martha. These women were in a wilderness of dashed hopes, as their Rabbi had failed to show up in time to heal […]
Syrophoenician Woman
Read: Mark 7:24-30 . . . yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs. (v. 28) The Syrophoenician woman was not on a journey. Jesus was the one journeying this time—he came straight to her hometown. However, this woman was experiencing a wilderness of despair. Her daughter had been overcome by demons. […]
Mary, the Mother of Jesus
Read: Luke 1:26-38 Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. (v. 38) From the moment her “let it be” left her lips, Mary walked a blessed yet lonely path. These words were a step into the wilderness of the unknown—the choosing of a life that […]
Ruth
Read: Ruth 3:1-13 As the Lord lives, I will redeem you. (v. 13) Ruth’s almost reckless desire to stay with Naomi had led her to a quite vulnerable situation. As widows, Ruth and Naomi were destitute and had to rely on the gleaning laws given by God to ensure that nobody went hungry. When landowners […]
Ruth and Naomi
Read: Ruth 1:15-18 For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. (v. 16) Sometimes our deep desires don’t make sense. They might even take us into desert spaces or into foreign territory. Yet often, we feel an inner […]