Advent Devotions

Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7 So often in Sunday School the lesson of The Fall seems to be one of warning about disobedience, and of course that makes sense.  However, I also find myself struck by another aspect of the story: whether we were supposed to have done so or not,...

Philippians 2:5-11 If you could have any super power, what would you choose? Would it be the ability to time travel? To fly? What if you could do or achieve anything you wanted just at the snap of your fingers? Would you become famous? Rich? Popular? Omniscient? Would...

Luke 7:1-10 In our Scripture lesson for today, Luke records Jesus’ encounter with a centurion who was stationed in Capernaum near the Sea of Galilee. This leader of a group of eighty Roman soldiers was experiencing a problem he could not solve – a slave dear to him...

Psalm 130 Psalm 130 is one of the seven Penitential Psalms, typically used in liturgical prayers for the departed faithful been showed or been shown at funerals. The psalm can be broken into three sections – a plea, the trust, and the mercy. The first three verses are...

Psalm 22 Psalm 22 is a central text for understanding how the Gospels interpreted the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thirteen Old Testament passages appear in the passion narratives of the Gospels; five come from Psalm 22 including citations found in...

Psalm 46 Today is my 22nd wedding anniversary! (Happy anniversary, William!) In a culture where the divorce rate is about 50%, I've been asked, "What is your secret?" I say, don't ask me! We're still working on it. Truth is, there is no magic, no secret formula....

Matthew 18: 10-14 “He comes to us as one unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same words: "Follow thou me!" and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfill for our time….” (Albert Schweitzer) A...

Isaiah 1:10-20 During Lent we expect to deal with sins like greed, lust, laziness, and selfishness, so it is a great surprise to read in this passage that there are times when God finds our prayers to be repugnant, our worship to be abominable, and even our offerings...

Psalm 23 Psalm 23 has been a pillar in my life. It was one of the first Bible passages I committed to memory, I have sung it in many versions, and it was the last thing I said to my mother. For many of us this is probably the case. So, I thought I would share this...

Ephesians 5:8-14 The image of tightrope walkers is one that elicits awe, chills, breath-holding and fear from audiences. In our current time many people have joined the ranks of tightrope walkers as we seek to maintain a precarious balance of staying current, relevant...

Isaiah 58:1-12 God speaks clear words of condemnation to people who really believe they are being very righteous. In verses 1-5 the followers of false religion are described as those who outwardly seek God, who delight to know the ways of God, and who delight to draw...

John 4:5-30; 39-42 At the time of this writing, well-behaved women did not gather water from a public well alone in the heat of the day; this was usually performed in groups, early in the morning when it was still cool. Perhaps this Samaritan woman was a social...

I Corinthians 1:18-31 “In Christ alone, my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my song. This Cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.” (In Christ Alone) Today’s passage in Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians sets us up...

Jonah 3:1-10 God told Jonah a second time to go to Nineveh to give them a message from God. The first time God told Jonah to go, resulted in Jonah running away and having a rendezvous with a big fish. God wanted Jonah, a Jewish prophet, to go to a city of...

Psalm 121 The 121st Psalm gives us the strong assurance of God’s protection in all circumstances. It is a beautiful testimony of the steadfast love of the Lord. His love is everlasting. Our help comes from the powerful force of the One who made heaven and earth. He...

Micah 6:6-8 …"to act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” In this season of Lent, as we prepare ourselves for the death and resurrection of Christ, let us not get bogged down in a checklist of things and ways to praise God. He is not only...

Psalm 13 We often think of the Psalms as songs of joy, comfort, and praise, but the largest number of Psalms are laments expressing sorrow, anguish, and fear. Psalm 13 is a very good example of such a cry of desperation from one in a frightful situation. The psalmist...

II Timothy 1:3-14 Once Paul’s vision became clearer after his conversion on the road to Damascus, he carried out an extraordinary mission to spread the meaning of Christ’s life, crucifixion and resurrection to both Jews and gentiles. Paul knew younger followers like...

Psalm 71:1-14 We wanted to teach the word “refuge” to our grandchildren last year, so we sang the little song “Under His Wings” to them. When we got to the words, “Safe in the refuge hide thee,” they took off to hide wherever they thought they would be in a safe...

Romans 1:8-17 Romans 1 “14 For I have an obligation to all peoples, to the civilized and to the savage, to the educated and to the ignorant. 15 So then, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who live in Rome. 16 I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is...