Our Daily Bread Podcast | Our Daily Bread

In late spring each year, I plant cucumber seeds in our garden. The seeds produce leaves quickly, but it takes time to see the fruit. In fact, one summer after I watered the seeds and waited, I questioned whether I’d get any cucumbers at all. I thought, Did I put too many seeds too close together or was the ground not warm enough when I planted them? But one day, I spotted a green bulb. The next week, I spotted another. Then another. Within a few weeks, we moved from only vines to almost enough fruit to make salad for a week. Spiritual growth looks like that sometimes. We don’t always see the things we’ve been praying for: patience, self-control, being gentle and loving (see Galatians 5:22-23). But, if we ask God to help us create the conditions needed for growth—prayer, studying the Scriptures, worship, serving others—the Holy Spirit will produce the growth. This is the crux of the parable Jesus shares in Luke 8. “A farmer went out to sow seed” (v. 5). “The birds ate” some of the seeds that fell on the path (v. 5). Others landed on rocky ground, where they received no moisture and withered (v. 6). Some more fell among thorns and were choked before they could grow (v. 7). But the seed that was planted on good soil yielded a crop that was “a hundred times more than was sown” (v. 8). As God helps us, let’s cultivate good soil and grow in Him.

In 1962, Joanne Shetler and Anne Fetzer made an arduous trek by bus and foot into the rugged mountains of the Philippines to share the gospel with people who’d never heard of Jesus. For five years, they translated Scripture into the people’s language, but the Balangao villagers weren’t receptive. They did, however, help build a primitive landing strip so new supplies could be flown in. One day, a plane dubbed “magic from another world” by the people arrived. The pilot then flew a pregnant but deathly ill village woman to a faraway clinic. When the plane later returned with the recovered woman and her healthy newborn, the people began asking about “this God” they’d been told about. Soon the village had a church full of believers in Christ. All of us who share the story of Jesus have times of discouragement when our listeners don’t seem to hear. The apostle Paul knew that can happen. After explaining to the Galatians the importance of planting and harvesting the gospel, he recognized that a sower may grow tired. So, he challenged his listeners not to “become weary in doing good” (6:9). The first five years of Joanne and Anne’s work was surely discouraging. But they kept sowing, and eventually they reaped a harvest. Let’s not “give up” (v. 9). Surely, the message of salvation will “reap eternal life” (v. 8).

As soon as I jumped into the pool, my goggles filled with water, and I could barely see. Despite having no formal swimming instruction, I slowly persevered for the two laps of a race I had entered on a whim. As a teenager, it was an embarrassing experience. But years later, after taking lessons and learning the proper breathing and swimming techniques, I enjoyed learning all four strokes. What a difference it makes when we have the proper training. The same is true with our knowledge of the Bible. When we understand the context and meaning of what we’re reading in Scripture, we can grow in our faith and properly apply it to our lives. The apostle Paul wanted Timothy to stand firm in his faith, avoid quarrels, and not be deceived by false teachers. In his final letter, Paul urged Timothy to study the Scriptures. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). I realized that the more I learned and practiced proper swimming techniques, the better swimmer I became. In our spiritual walk, as we learn and understand the words and concepts in the Bible, we grow in our knowledge of God—enabling us to distinguish truth from falsehood. As we read the Bible, let’s continue to grow “so that [we] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (3:17).

In the early 1900s, successful steel businessman Charles Schwab decided to build perhaps the most lavish mansion in New York City. Completed in 1906, his Riverside Drive estate took its inspiration from French chateaus and spanned an entire city block with lush gardens, grand halls, and opulent interiors. It stood in stark contrast to the rising apartment buildings that would soon define Manhattan. Despite its grandeur, the estate struggled to find a buyer after Schwab’s death. The mansion was too large, too costly, and out of step with real estate trends. Riverside Drive estate was demolished in 1948. Both the mansion and the man faded away. It’s easy for us to point to earthly realities like wealth, ambition, and mansions as destined to fade away. The words of Isaiah 40 remind us, “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field” (v. 6). Isaiah wrote to people enduring God’s discipline for their faithlessness. After He had corrected them, God would comfort them (vv. 1-2). People are like grass and flowers, and yes, “grass withers” and “flowers fall” (v. 8). But the truth of God Himself? It will outlast men and mansions and wealth and ambition and accolades. Yes, the word of our God endures forever (v. 8). It’s good to keep in mind how fragile we are. And it’s wise to remember God’s word is everlasting.

After Joni Eareckson Tada’s mother died, Joni thought about Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians where he described how our bodies are like “jars of clay” that hold the treasure of Christ’s presence. She mused about a twenty-first century equivalent to describe our earthly bodies—a cardboard box. She knew her mother’s “box” with its worn-out corners and bends was now empty but, she reflected, it was a box they’d treasured, “the vessel in which the treasure of the Spirit of Christ had dwelt.” As Joni notes, those who follow Jesus let Him shine through them, often in spectacular ways through the creases and holes as their boxes falter and begin to collapse with age. In this she followed Paul’s words about the treasure appearing in jars of clay because it would reveal that “this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). Although Paul was “hard pressed” and “perplexed” with what he suffered, he was not “crushed” or “destroyed” (vv. 8–9). Through his sufferings in his body he knew that Christ’s life would be revealed. How’s your cardboard box? You might feel the creases grow larger as you groan under the weight of pain or disease. Know, however, that Jesus is being revealed in your body (v. 10). As you submit to Him, He’ll shine His light through you, that those who are in darkness may receive His love and His life.

Nafi and Kamran joined a military coup. They fought for years, and when their side won, were given desk jobs in the capital. It’s not going well. There’s little to do so they go online. Nafi says that many of his comrades, “including me, are addicted to the internet, especially Twitter.” Kamran adds, “The real test and challenge was not during the [war]. Rather, it’s now. At that time, it was simple, but now things are much more complicated.” Citing the various temptations he found on the Web, he added, “Many . . . have fallen into these seemingly sweet, but actually bitter traps.” Kamran’s right that we’re most vulnerable to let down our guard when we’re at ease, as he was after a war. In Scripture we find a similar caution in the story of David’s adultery with Bathsheba. It all began when he sent others off to war but remained behind in the capital. Like an undisciplined man scrolling the internet, David “got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace” (2 Samuel 11:2). He put himself in harm’s way. And when “he saw a woman bathing,” he didn’t turn away (v. 3). We avoid the postwar letdown by remembering we’re still at war. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but . . . against the spiritual forces of evil.” So, as He helps us, we “put on the full armor of God” and prepare to “stand our ground” (Ephesians 6:12–13).

In 1905 a scruffy young man holed up in his apartment in Bern, Switzerland, engaging in complex thought experiments regarding the nature of the universe. With frenzied focus, the physicist worked and reworked his calculations. Four mind-crunching months later, this man had rewritten much of what was known about how the world works. The man was Albert Einstein. He was twenty-six. The year 1905 is now famously called “the miracle year,” the moment Einstein peered into God’s design of the universe. Yet despite possessing a great scientific mind, Einstein said, “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” The Bible frequently points to the majesty of God reflected in His creation: “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1), and Job predated Einstein’s words: “Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens” (Job 11:7–8). But God’s creation glory is even greater than the expanse of universes: “In the beginning was the Word. . . .The Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). There are no mathematical calculations that can explain God’s extraordinary act of entering humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. God is not just “out there” in a universe we cannot begin to know, but He’s here alongside us, the Word among us, the light of life (1:4) whom we can know personally and intimately. When Christ was born in Bethlehem, that was the true “miracle year.”

After great-grandma Clara passed away, her ten-foot-long prayer list became a family heirloom. On the long roll of paper were typewritten names of people for whom she prayed regularly. There were many extended family members, her friends, and people her friends were praying for, and the names of high-profile evangelists, pastors, and ministries. New family members and specific prayer requests are handwritten in the margins. I became emotional seeing my mother’s name on the list, added when she was just a child. The apostle Paul wrote to the early church, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). In his letter, Paul exhorted believers to do many things that displayed love in action—hating evil and loving good (v. 9), honoring others above yourself (v. 10), passionately serving God (v. 11), and practicing hospitality (v. 13). All these good works would be empty without the love of Christ working in us. That’s where faithful prayer comes in. Paul called his friends to “join [him] in [his] struggle by praying to God for [him]” (15:30). Specific requests for safety from opposers and a favorable reception in Jerusalem (v. 32) were on Paul’s list. I wonder if they ended up on the private prayer list of a great-grandma in Rome too. Prayer empowers us to live in a way that “overcomes evil with good” (12:21). Though we may not always see the outcome, it creates a legacy of faithfulness for generations to come.

J.D. witnessed amazing sights on his trip to several African nations. His text messages to us from Eastern Zambia included several pictures of faith-filled women who presented their three-year gospel ministry plan. “It is one of the most powerful strategic plan presentations I’ve ever heard in my life. Instead of a whiteboard, they drew in the dirt. Instead of handing out nice copies of what they were going to do, they displayed their plan on poster-sized crumpled paper held up by two of them. It was just incredible!” They were demonstrating the kind of faith that Jesus values. Matthew 15:21-28 records another example. A daughter’s condition drove a woman to seek Him. “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly” (v. 22). Her “great faith” (v. 28) in Jesus contrasted with the faithlessness of the Jewish leadership whose hearts were far from God (v. 8). While Christ recognized the outward pedigree of those belonging to Abraham, His commendation was for a gentile woman who possessed “the faith of Abraham.” What compels you to look to Jesus today? A personal, family or community need? Whatever prompts you to go to Jesus, go even if you feel that you’re limping. Go to Him because it’s not the size of your faith that matters. What matters it’s the object of your faith: Jesus and Jesus alone.

Besides attending ceremonies and signing policies after taking the oath of office, new US presidents are greeted with a cold reality: they start making their own funeral plans. That way the country will be prepared to celebrate their lives when they die. George H. W. Bush was asked if it was “weird” to be planning his own memorial. He replied, “You kind of get used to it.” Historians will write about their legacies, but presidents get to plan the personal and traditional parts of their services and the ways they will be remembered. Death is a sobering reality we all must face. King Solomon, who searched for the meaning of life in pleasure, work, and knowledge, and came up empty, said, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting” (Ecclesiastes 7:2). Negative situations give more perspective than happy times. If we face the reality of death, we can better prepare for what comes after. Verse 2 adds, “Death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.” We should ponder it and plan on it. Preparation comes from receiving forgiveness of sin from Jesus, who died for us and rose again. Everyone dies because death came when the first man, Adam, disobeyed God, and we have followed his ways. But “everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life” (1 Corinthians 15:22 nlt).

In 1859, the largest solar storm in recorded history took place. Known as the Carrington Event, it produced a massive geomagnetic disturbance blamed for disrupting the telegraph system. The website Space.com says, “It’s been conjectured that a storm on the scale of the Carrington event, if it happened today, could cause an internet apocalypse.” The ominous word apocalypse intrigues us. It’s the Greek title of the book of Revelation (apokalupsis). But the word doesn’t only mean a catastrophe or the end of the world. As the title Revelation implies, it also refers to an unveiling, a revealing. The book opens, “The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1). Revelation reveals Jesus as the Lamb of God, a term John uses more than twenty-five times in Revelation to describe Him. The book also reveals Christ as one whose “eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters” (vv. 14-15). When John first saw the Lamb of God, he “fell at his feet as though dead” (v. 17). But this Lamb touched him and said, “Do not be afraid. . . . I am alive for ever and ever!” (v. 18). Rather than fearing any apocalypse, we can embrace Revelation for showing us the glorified, resurrected Christ. He’s the one we worship.

“We wave until they’re out of sight. It’s a way of showing that we love them.” Those words from my mother when I was a boy explained a habit she and my father had when a family member left our home after a visit. Mom and Dad stood outside and waved to the ones leaving until they disappeared in the distance. Sometimes they stood there a long time, but that didn’t matter. When I left home myself, I understood why. Seeing them waving in the rearview mirror touched my heart, and I felt loved and cared for. I still say goodbye to our family visitors that way to show love for them. It’s a habit I hope my children will continue. Another way we can express love for our families is to communicate God’s love shared in Scripture. As the Israelites prepared to cross the Jordan into the promised land, God taught them with these instructions for life: “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds. . . . Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 11:18-19). These are words that would one day find fulfillment in the perfect love of Jesus, who promised, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). As we share His truth and kindness, we can trust that His love is able to overcome every distance.

On the basketball court, our grandson’s seventh-grade team did their best to score. Offense was their passion. But after each basket, their coach urged them to hurry back downcourt and play defense, which they were sometimes reluctant to do. Everyone wanted to score, but no one seemed eager to put in the hard work of defending. The key to the game, the coach taught them, was in anticipating the movements of the opposing players. Stepping in front of a pass or shot would thwart the other team’s scoring and help the team win the game. A defensive strategy that anticipates the moves of our enemy can also help in our spiritual lives. And who is that enemy? Peter’s letter to believers in Jesus reminds us. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). So “be alert and of sober mind,” Peter wrote. Indeed, we’re called to “resist” our spiritual enemy, “standing firm in the faith” (v. 9). Living out an active defense leads us as believers in Jesus to be more effective in our lives and in the productive work we seek to do for His kingdom. Then, if we have spiritual setbacks, the God of all grace “will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (v. 10). He is the One who establishes us, and who builds our strong defense—in Him.

After a company couldn’t meet the specifications for ink pens use in some US government offices in the 1960s, the General Services Administration asked National Industries for the Blind (NIB) to make 70 million pens—despite NIB having never made pens before. They accepted the challenge and met all the specifications. Since 1967 blind factory workers have assembled these writing instruments used extensively by military personnel. The pens can be used to write upside down, make a mile-long line, and withstand extreme temperatures. Genesis 1:27 reminds us that each human being has been made to God’s perfect specifications: “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” How we’re created reflects God’s character and nature. Being created in His image means everyone has inherent dignity and worth. God said that each person’s story begins with being made “in [His] image, in [His] likeness” (v. 26). This truth provides the foundation for understanding human dignity, identity, and relationships with others. Just as those pens serve a vital role, so do we! Though we might feel unimpressive, each of us holds intrinsic value and purpose crafted by God. Today, may we embrace our story, knowing our Creator treasures us and calls us “very good” (v. 31).

Ken avoided the migrant workers in his building. Their habits and way of life, so different from his, annoyed him. One day, however, while Ken was praying, a thought pierced him: They’ve been your neighbors for years, yet not once have you shared the gospel with them. Think carefully about your attitude towards them. Scripture tells us of when God confronted the Israelites with a similar warning: “Give careful thought to your ways” (Haggai 1:7). After their captivity in Babylon, His people returned to Jerusalem, tasked to rebuild the temple. God had “moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia” (Ezra 1:1) to order the construction and provide funds (vv. 2-4). But after the people laid the foundation, opposition grew (4:1-5), so they neglected the project for fourteen years. Through the prophet Haggai, God told them: “Give careful thought to your ways. . . . My house . . . remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house” (Haggai 1:7, 9). God was saying, “Think carefully about how you’re living. Are you doing what I want you to do?” God disciplined His people (vv. 5-11), but when they resumed construction, He encouraged them: “I am with you . . . . Do not fear” (2:4-5). And the temple was completed in less than five years. In what area of life do we need to “give careful thought to [our] ways”? Let’s ask God to show us and help us follow His correction.

After the horrors of Auschwitz, Elie Wiesel lost his faith. “Where were you, God of kindness?” he asked, recalling the evil he and others suffered. “In my childhood I did not expect much from human beings. But I expected everything from you.” And yet, Wiesel realized later that his faith had never really left him. “It is because I believed in God that I was angry at God,” he told a journalist, “and still am.” You don’t get angry at someone you don’t believe exists. We might feel uncomfortable expressing anger at God, but biblical characters did. “You deceived me, Lord” Jeremiah cried (20:7). “Will you forget me forever?” David wrote (Psalm 13:1). “God has wronged me,” Job said (19:6). Unaware of Satan’s role in his misfortune, Job accused God of being cruel (10:3) and even subpoenaed Him to court (31:35)! While Job later discovered that his understanding was limited (42:3), it’s important to note God never rebukes his feelings. Despite his questions, Elie Wiesel prayed, “Let us make up. It is unbearable to be divorced from you so long.” We too might be angry at God for not limiting the suffering in our world, but our expressing it to Him can become prayer in disguise—keeping us close to the God who wants us to bring not just our praise, but our anger to Him too.

Trina received a free ticket to a sold-out event and tucked it into her Bible. Later, her son saw her frantically searching through the pantry. When she explained that she’d lost her Bible, he asked why she was looking in the food cupboard. “Because I’ve looked everywhere else, and the event starts in thirty minutes,” she said. “I don’t want to miss one moment.” Her son chuckled. “Breathe, Mom,” he said. “I think you’re suffering from FOMO, the fear of missing out.” She laughed. As her son joined the search, Trina’s husband entered. “You left this in the car,” he said, holding up the Bible. While it’s not wrong to enjoy unexpected blessings, big breaks, or once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, a desire for enjoyment can easily turn into a fear of missing out. We can even be tempted to think God holds out on us or loses sight of us. However, the “Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2) is our ever-watchful and never-sleeping provider and protector (vv. 3-7). So, we don’t have to fret over detours, delays, or even missed opportunities. God will watch over our “coming and going both now and forevermore” (v. 8). During times of affliction, seasons of abundance, and in every mundane moment God plans for us in-between, we’re always in His line of sight. We won’t miss out on anything God has planned for us to experience.

Not much is known about Adelaide Pollard, and that’s sort of the point. She was a humble servant of God who wanted no recognition for herself. At the age of forty, she felt a strong calling to be a missionary to Africa, but that door was closed to her, leaving her greatly discouraged. Yet Adelaide was reminded of a verse: “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand” (Jeremiah 18:6). Later, she penned a hymn with these lyrics: “Thou art the potter, I am the clay.” The image in Jeremiah has much to speak into our lives today: “The pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him” (Jeremiah 18:4). This is a picture of how God reshapes us into His better purpose. Whatever we think we should do and be, God may have another shape for our lives: “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand” (v. 6). Eventually Adelaide did go to Africa, but it may be that God’s shape for her life had more to do with other things—perhaps writing that hymn, “Have Thine Own Way,” which has inspired millions in the years since. When we feel “on hold” in what we want to do, we might think about how God is shaping us in the meantime. We do well to let God have His own way and wait, “yielded and still,” for His greater purpose.

In April 2019, a fire broke out in Notre-Dame de Paris—the city’s famed medieval cathedral—destroying the spire and a “forest” of oak beams supporting the lead roof. Almost immediately, plans formed to restore the cathedral. Donations poured in from across the globe and craftsman have undertaken restoration using the same building techniques and the same types of timber and stone employed in the original structure. When Nebuchadnezzar instructed his armies to set fire to God’s temple in 586 bc as part of his siege on Jerusalem, the structure was decimated (2 Kings 25:9). When the people returned to Jerusalem after decades in captivity in Babylon, they “gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God” (Ezra 2:68). After tending first to the altar, they “gave money to the masons and carpenters” and secured “cedar logs by sea from Lebanon” to lay the temple’s foundation (3:7). Though their rebuilding efforts were opposed and even sabotaged, the task was finally completed, and God’s people once again worshiped Him in His temple (6:14-22). As believers in Jesus, we—together—are God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). God equips us to continuously restore fellow believers and “build each other up,” not with wood or stone, but with encouraging words, prayer, and spiritual gifts (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

As I visited a patient in the hospital, I was struck by the actions of a young doctor standing with a team of other inexperienced physicians. The group listened as a more seasoned doctor explained about the patient’s health. Suddenly, the patient anxiously announced that she needed to use the bathroom and couldn’t get up. In fact, she couldn’t wait for a nurse’s aide to be summoned to the room. Amid the frantic scene, the young doctor got a bed pan off the shelf and assisted the patient. When the nurse’s aide arrived, she was shocked to find someone had already assisted the patient. The lead physician proudly acknowledged the assistance of the young doctor. Jesus didn’t cling to His divinity and refuse to assist humanity. Though He was “in very nature God, [He] did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage” (Philippians 2:6). As a human, Christ was able to become our sin offering and sacrifice Himself for us. He saw our need for help and salvation, and He humbly laid down His life (v. 8). Paul wrote, “He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” (v. 7). We’re called to imitate Jesus’ attitude and sacrificial ways in our relationships with others. As He helps us, let’s humbly serve them no matter how lowly the job may seem.

When Chris McCandless wandered off the grid and into the Alaskan wilderness, he expected to return. But he crossed the Teklanika in April, well before summer ice-melt would swell that river into an impassable torrent. Months later, out of food, McCandless couldn’t get back. His tragic death is memorialized in book and film. The people of ancient Israel faced a crucial river crossing in order to enter the promised land. However, “the Jordan [was] at flood stage” (Joshua 3:15), a challenge that would grow their faith. God told Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses” (v. 7). Joshua told the people, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you” (v. 11). Taking the ark, the priests stepped into the Jordan (v. 15), and “the water from upstream stopped flowing” (v. 16). The entire nation stepped across on a dry riverbed (v. 17). From time to time we’ll face “river crossings”—impossible situations that can grow our faith if we’ll turn to the one who makes the way across. The greatest of these crossings is from this life into the next. No matter what it is, the God who was with Moses, Joshua, and the Israelites also makes a way for us.

Lillian Colón, who grew up in an orphanage, beat out four hundred dancers to win a coveted spot on a world-renowned dance team. She performed with that group, with its tightly ordered synchronized choreography, until her mid-forties. Now teaching dance at age seventy, she imparts to students her greatest lesson from precision artistry: work together. “On and off the stage, our lives are deeply intertwined,” she said, “and we all fare better when we support and care for one another.” The apostle Paul knew the importance of this principle. Harmony in Christ points praise to its true purpose—glorifying God. Paul taught this lesson to believers in Rome, both Jewish and gentile, to encourage their unity. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,” he wrote (Romans 15:5). This was “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6). Competing voices won’t produce this result. Joining together to praise God, with no one person or group discounting another, gives unity in Christ its true purpose. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you,” wrote Paul, “in order to bring praise to God” (v. 7). When we seek God’s help to do this, He inspires our common voice as we step together and give Him glory.

As the Taliban swiftly overran the Afghanistan government in 2021, and tens of thousands were trapped with no way to escape, many were isolated and desperate. Ordinary citizens jumped to action, including one young man who launched an Instagram campaign, raising $7 million to pay for chartered evacuation flights. “We’ve shed the political divisions in this situation,” he told a news outlet, “and really come together from all walks of life to rally together and save these people.” They chose to jump into the fray. It’s not just Afghanistan. From skyscrapers to villages around the world, so many people are alone—enduring crushing sorrows. It’s stunning, however, to see God’s attention turned toward these places of suffering and hopelessness. Somehow, ultimately, in His own way and time, He will “deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help” (72:12). And remarkably, one way God’s help arrives is through us. Psalm 72 refers to both King Solomon’s work and God’s work—and it’s not always easy to disentangle which is which. God is the rescuer, but He calls us to move with Him. When we encounter injustice or suffering, we can join Him, moving right into the middle of the ruin. We can follow God and go into the places where no one else is there to help.

When I visited Ecuador’s Amazon region with my father many years ago, we took a fun speed boat ride to a small village to take in the sights and learn about the local tribes. My dear dad bought me handmade jewelry, including a set of earrings. I only wore those earrings on special occasions, including when I went to visit my sister for my birthday. When I came back from my trip, I was horrified to discover I’d lost one of my earrings. I looked everywhere. It was just an earring, but I’d have to travel all the way back to the Amazon jungle to replace it. Amazingly, when my sister returned to the restaurant we had visited for my birthday, she spotted my missing earring in their lost and found. I was overjoyed! Jesus told a parable about a woman who’d lost her silver coin. She wouldn’t rest while her valuable coin was missing. “Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?” Jesus asked (Luke 15:8). And when she found her coin, she greatly rejoiced (v. 9). Jesus told this story to demonstrate how precious we are to God. He “came to seek and to save” those who are lost (19:10). Although we were once lost, heaven rejoiced when we were found.

A pilot and his two daughters took off from Soldotna, Alaska, on a sightseeing trip. Their small plane, however, never made it to its destination. After several local pilots began searching for the missing aircraft, one named Terry Godes finally spied its nearly submerged wreckage on a partially frozen lake. The three family members were standing on its wings as they had been for hours. Thankfully, the trio was soon rescued by the National Guard. Godes humbly sacrificed his time and resources for others—leading to lives being saved. In humility, he said of his efforts, “I was just the guy that saw the plane first.” King David sacrificed much for the people of Israel, including battling to save them from their enemies (1 Chronicles 14:8-17). And when he heard from the prophet Nathan that through his bloodline a throne would be “established forever” (v. 14; as fulfilled in Christ, see Luke 1:30-33), he said in humility, “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” (1 Chronicles 17:16). He knew that his life was established by God and His will (v. 19) and that He had ultimately done the work of rescue and redemption for David and his people (vv. 20-22). Jesus “humbled himself” and made the ultimate sacrifice for us (Philippians 2:8). As He helps us, let’s humbly sacrifice our lives for others.

A judge used a unique approach to address shoplifting—sentencing offenders to wash cars in a local store’s parking lot as part of their community service. He hoped it would deter future thefts and serve as a vivid reminder of the consequences of wrongdoing. He emphasized that actions have consequences and accountability matters. The judge’s sentence reflects the instruction in Numbers 5:6-7: “[A person] who wrongs another . . . must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution.” In these verses, we see the importance God places on acknowledging wrongdoing, confessing sin, and seeking restoration. And they underscore a profound truth: every offense revealed disloyalty to the ideals of Israel’s society and showed that the offender was “unfaithful to the Lord” (v. 6). Just as washing cars in public serves as a humbling consequence that encourages reflection and responsibility, God called Israel to recognize their sins honestly—confessing them and seeking forgiveness. True freedom came when they confronted their actions, made amends, and embraced God’s grace. Today, let’s take a moment to reflect sincerely on our lives before God. As we seek reconciliation and restitution where necessary (see Matthew 5:23-24; Luke 19:8-10), His mercy and forgiveness will restore us to wholeness.

Kiribati, an island country in the Pacific Ocean, is the only nation in the world that exists in all four hemispheres of the globe. The thirty-three islands of Kiribati straddle both the equator and the 180th meridian. It’s also one of the most remote nations in the world. We serve a God who cares about these remote places. As Jesus prepared His disciples for His return to heaven, He told them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “To the ends of the earth” is a call to take the message of the gospel to the world’s most isolated spots. But the call wasn’t limited to remote places only. It included their current location of Jerusalem and the nearby regions of Judea and Samaria. After Jesus gave these parting words to His disciples, “He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight” (v. 9). Two angels appeared and said, “This same Jesus . . . will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (v. 11). The gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important news anyone can ever hear. The challenge for us as His ambassadors is to share that news. With the Holy Spirit’s help, we can see that everyone—near and far—gets a chance to hear.

Mark—a marathoner and a dedicated pastor who served two churches over the span of thirty-five years—recently retired. One gift presented to him was a pair of new running shoes. I ran with Mark once over twenty years ago, but throughout his life, he’s run the 26.2-mile race in numerous cities across the country. At his retirement celebration, people from the community and the churches he served also expressed their appreciation for Mark’s faithfulness. Because of God’s power and grace, Mark finished well. Life’s more like a marathon than a sprint. At times we experience fatigue and we feel like giving up. Yet God’s grace and strength are unending for those who trust Him. As the imprisoned apostle Paul neared the finish line of life (2 Timothy 4:6), he encouraged his protégé Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (v. 7). Life’s paths take us to different places. But regardless of where we are on life’s journey, it’s always good to remember that faith-filled endurance is essential and rewarding (v. 8); that God is the source of our strength (v. 17); and that, by His grace, he “will bring [us] safely to his heavenly kingdom” (v. 18).

When explaining how valuable he found time with an older advisor who regularly listened to his concerns, Tomáš said, “He is my hollow willow.” When I looked at him blankly, Tomáš explained that the phrase is a Slovak expression signifying someone who keeps your secrets. In essence, the person is like a willow tree holding confidential information safely within its trunk. It’s a treasure to have someone to whom we can confide our deepest fears and longings. Perhaps speaking from his own experience, in a section of Proverbs highlighting the power of our words, Solomon commended the individual who displays discretion or can “[hold] their tongue” (Proverbs 11:12). He also contrasted two people: “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret” (v. 13). The comparison is a helpful reminder to carefully steward private conversations, though we shouldn’t remain silent if we’re genuinely concerned for someone’s safety. In our digital world where we can quickly spread information, it can be tempting (and easy) to share juicy details that might generate reactions. But gossip not only hurts the individual who trusted you enough to share, it also causes significant damage to relationships when confidences are broken. We can all aspire to be “hollow willows,” people of integrity who can be trusted to keep a confidence.

Anna and her husband lived in Argentina with their two children. They kept to themselves and spoke only fluent Spanish. But they weren’t Argentines. They were sleeper agents, spies who’d been born in another country. They’d mastered blending into their host culture, down to how to hold their forks. But a change in their civil registry aroused suspicion, and eventually the couple was caught. As the family was being flown to their true homeland, Anna looked at her eleven-year-old daughter. How would she break the news that they weren’t who her daughter thought? Believers in Jesus have a citizenship even more vital. We’re agents of a higher king, for “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). The citizens of Philippi were proud of their Roman citizenship; they loyally served Rome as they lived in Philippi. Paul said their loyalty stretched even further. Their highest allegiance was to Jesus, who ruled Rome and Philippi from heaven. Unlike Anna and her husband, we’re not working secretly against our host country. We’re openly working for its good. Our loyalty to Jesus prompts us to serve our neighbors and pray for “all those in authority, that we may live . . . in all godliness” (1 Timothy 2:2). With God’s help we will “seek the peace and prosperity” of our city. We will “pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers,” we “too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7).

Alan is a fifth-generation fruit farmer who manages his family’s cherry, peach, and apple orchard. Over the years, his family has perfected growing trees with maximum yield. They’ve carefully planted saplings for the future, put up a deer fence, and invested in special fans that help keep the air warm when frost threatens their crops. Even so, they’re never assured of a good harvest. Factors like weather, pollinators, and disease are beyond their control. All of nature is under God’s control. He knows we need physical provision like healthy crops, but He encourages us to look even higher to the ultimate good—Himself. The book of Leviticus contains decrees that God gave the Israelites governing everything from sacrifice and worship to relationships and criminal justice. Obeying His direction would lead to blessing, including provision of a bountiful harvest (26:3-4), but disobedience would result in a curse, where their enemies would enjoy the fruit of their labor (v. 16). More than just plentiful crops (v. 10), God’s blessing included a promise to dwell with His people (v. 11) and look on them “with favor” (v. 9). The Israelites messed up again and again. So will we. But we can repent, submit, and turn back again to enjoy the gift of His presence (vv. 40-42), manifested in Jesus and now expressed through the Holy Spirit.

When Mark was pulled over by an officer for driving while intoxicated, he was afraid his college football career was over. He was sure he was going to jail. But the policeman instead dropped him off at his college. When Mark asked why, he said, “I’m giving you grace.” Still, the young man was certain his coach would find out, and he’d lose his scholarship. So when his coach asked to see Mark after practice the next day, he was very apprehensive. Surprisingly, the coach said, “I know what happened last night, but I’m giving you grace.” He then suggested that Mark consider attending church the next Sunday. He went. And guess what the pastor talked about: the grace of Jesus in offering us salvation when we don’t deserve it. Mark got the message. That day, he trusted Jesus as Savior, and he spent the rest of his life serving Him. He even started a ranch for boys who need a second chance—who need grace. It’s by God’s grace that believers in Jesus “have been saved” (Ephesians 2:8). Grace does what good works can’t do (v. 9; Romans 11:6). It’s a gift provided by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The burden of our sin doesn’t have to weigh us down. As Mark discovered, God’s grace can free us and give us life “to the full” (John 10:10). And as we trust Jesus as Savior, the power of grace sets us free (Ephesians 2:4–5).

Slow Television is the term used to describe marathon coverage of an event, typically shown in real-time. The genre gained popularity in 2009 after the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation broadcast a seven-hour train journey. Yes, seven hours, on a train. Sounds—boring. But it’s gained an audience that finds the scenic ride mesmerizing. The concept behind Slow TV is to show something at the rate it’s experienced instead of the speed with which a narrative drama is told. It’s built around transition and movement instead of tension and plot. Slow TV is a step toward savoring life’s minutes as opposed to counting them. The poet Francis Thompson wrote of God’s “unperturbed pace.” Thompson meant that God moves methodically, patiently, with steps measured and intentional. We see this slowness even with God’s emotions. In Scripture, the prophet Joel’s call for the people of Judah to repent is grounded in the reality that our God is “slow to anger” (Joel 2:13). Unlike our dramatic narratives, fueled by tempers and flying-off-the-handle selfishness, God takes a different approach. His anger arrives slowly. To a people who had rebelled against Him, God says, “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God” (v. 13). God’s anger isn’t like ours. He’s slow to anger, a reality that allows us to return to Him with all our heart.

As I write these words, our Lhasa apso dog, Winston, lies curled up at my feet. He’d watched me move from where I had been—the chair next to him—to the dining room table. That extra ten feet had been too far away from me. I’ve been traveling for work a lot lately, and I think it’s getting to him. If I even hint that I’m leaving, or use the word “go,” he’s right on top of me. Practically clinging to me. In human relationships, someone being “clingy” isn’t normally a compliment. But I see in my dog’s clinginess a vivid portrait of trusting dependence—one that’s mirrored in Psalm 63. Here, David paints a picture of loving dependence upon God: “You, God, are my God,” he begins in verse 1. “Earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you.” In verse 3, he adds, “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.” Near the end, we read, “I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (v. 8). Like David—and maybe even a bit like my dog depends on me—I want to depend on God with my whole being, earnestly seeking Him. Sometimes, I do. Other times, my heart may be cooler, less trusting. But when I repent of my fickle mistrust and return to Him, I remember that He alone fills me. He alone is the one who will leave me “fully satisfied as with the richest of foods” (v. 5).

I shut my eyes as the amusement park ride creeped higher—trying to ignore all the creaking coming from this wildly popular ride I was on. When it stopped for a moment, I made the mistake of peeking and was horrified to see the plunge we were about to take. I closed my eyes again and screamed the whole way down. That childhood memory still makes me shudder. Sometimes in life it can feel like we’re falling further and further with no one to catch us. But when life seems chaotic and out of control, we can find comfort in knowing that God is with us. As believers, we know that God dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. We can speak to Him and be guided by Scripture. God wanted to assure the Israelites that He would “catch” them even in the midst of their fall and rebellion. He said through the prophet Isaiah, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). God wanted them to know He would help them through their trials (v. 13). How encouraging it must’ve been for the Israelites to know that God hadn’t abandoned them even while they were living as prisoners in a foreign land. When our life feels like it’s out of control, we can take courage knowing that God is there to help us. We’re safe in His loving and mighty hands.

Emily Kenward walked down Lavender Street in Brighton, England. Having recently become a believer in Jesus, she now saw the street differently. She noticed how many homes had their curtains drawn in the daytime, and how few older people were about, despite the area’s high elderly population. It spurred an idea. Emily found out where Brighton’s elderly lived and invited them to an afternoon tea. Those who came told a similar story. Now living alone, they often went months without seeing anyone. What they longed for, they said, was a visitor. Believing in Jesus changes how we respond to the world and its needs. We see this happening to the Thessalonians. Having turned to God (1 Thessalonians 1:9), they had become a model of faith to others by their transformed lives (vv. 6-7). The apostle Paul noted their “work produced by faith” and their “ ” (v. 3). True faith had moved them to acts of service that brought honor to Jesus. Emily was so moved by what she heard at that afternoon tea, she started a charity linking Brighton’s elderly with volunteer visitors. She remembers one woman hugging her tightly, sobbing, grateful for finally feeling seen and heard. The work grew, inspiring others to do the same. It makes me wonder what labors prompted by love the Holy Spirit might inspire you and me to do today.

In 2024, teenager Keegan happily reeled in a two-foot barramundi. But his happiness became elation when his little sister pointed out a tag on the fish. His catch was worth one million dollars as part of an Australian fishing competition. The annual event had been held since 2015; Keegan was the first to win the coveted top cash prize. However slim the odds of catching that fish, the odds were far lower that a fish caught at random would have a coin in its mouth. But in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus instructed His disciple Peter to “go to the lake and . . . take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin” (17:27). The context of this unlikely catch was a question whether Jesus paid the temple tax (v. 24). The irony of insisting that Jesus—God’s Son—pay a tax to support God’s temple, wasn’t lost on Jesus. He pointed out that the king’s children don’t pay taxes to the king! (vv. 25-26). But there was no need to “cause offense” and distract others from His teaching by being perceived as a tax evader (v. 27). So Jesus instructed Peter to catch that fish, which had the exact amount to pay both His and Peter’s tax! Perhaps in part it was a reminder to Peter—and to us—that God is a provider who is always with His children as they follow Him.

On my desk is a memo board of reminders. Pinned on it is a list, “10 Habits for Great Health” that I cut out of a nutrition magazine years ago. Recently, I was stunned that even though I see this list every day, I could only remember four items. The list was such a familiar part of my daily surroundings that I’d glance at it without really seeing it or following what it said. James describes something similar in the attitude of many believers toward the Scriptures: “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and . . . goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (James 1:23-24). Many followers of Christ are aware of what the Bible says. However, we may “merely listen to the word” (v. 22), but the extent to which we submit to it ends there. In this way, we deceive ourselves about the power and authority of Scripture, failing to see it as providing the “perfect law that gives [us] freedom” (v. 25). James tells us to be “doers of the word” (v. 22 NASB). We’re to look “intently into” Scripture and to “[continue] in it” (v. 25), to keep doing “what it says” (v. 22). Obeying God should be not just something we do, but flow from who we are. By His strength, we can live out His Word in our world.

“It’s not my fault!” So says Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back when his ship is attacked and there seems to be no escape, only because a repair was not made. When he says it, you wonder if he bears at least some responsibility for his predicament but doesn’t want to admit it. I’ve been there. Sometimes it’s easier to find someone (or something) else to blame rather than accept responsibility myself. Scripture shows us that this tendency is as old as sin. Adam and Eve both did it (Genesis 3:11-13), and so did Aaron. When Moses was with God on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, God told him that the people He’d just released from slavery had turned away to worship an idol. When Moses returned and confronted Aaron (whom he’d left in charge), Aaron responded, “You know how prone these people are to evil” (Exodus 32:22). Then he rationalized about the idol he himself cast, saying, “They gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” (v. 24). Despite our willfulness, God offers us forgiveness when we admit to Him we’ve done wrong. He assures us that He’s “faithful and just and will forgive us” (1 John 1:9). Forgiven and received by Him, we can be open about our brokenness to the God who took our blame on Himself on the cross, all because of His perfect, sacrificial love.

When I broke my upper arm, my friend Rex surprised me by shipping a care box of frozen soups with a beautiful silver ladle. I was deeply touched and kept the ladle long after consuming the soup. My arm has healed and dear Rex has since passed away but his gesture of love continues to express God’s love for me. Every time I lift the ladle, I thank God for His love to me through my friend. Jesus gave us a tangible gift in the celebration of communion to help us remember His incomparable love for us (Luke 22:19). The apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians how Jesus broke bread saying, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). Then Christ “took the cup, saying, ‘The cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me’” (v. 25). God’s lavish love is remembered again and again as we take the bread and lift the cup as believers in Christ. Rex showed his love through the tangible gift of a care box, leaving a ladle to remind me month after month. Jesus loved us in the life-altering gift of His body sacrificed on the cross for our sins. He left us the practice of communion to remind us of His unchanging love.

At a job interview, Carol was asked repeatedly, “Why did you leave your previous job?” The interviewer had an inkling of the conflict she’d had with her former employer and wanted to know what had happened. While acknowledging “differences in working style,” Carol refused to divulge her opinion of her former boss, believing that it would be wrong to speak ill of him. Later, after she was hired, her new boss revealed that the hiring personnel liked her response: “We were impressed by your integrity. We wouldn’t want you to bad-mouth your boss—or us next time—either.” As a new believer in Jesus, Carol had always wondered how to live in a “godly” and “right” way, practically. She realized the answer could be simple: show integrity and be honorable, honest, and ethical. First Peter 2:12 points to the importance of honesty and integrity in everything: “Live such good lives among the pagans that . . . they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” This includes practical things like submitting to lawful authorities (vv. 13-14); doing good (v. 15); showing an attitude of humility and service (v. 16); and respecting and loving others (v. 17). As God helps us, let’s serve Him in a way that brings honor to His name.

Hudson Taylor was troubled. He’d left England to share the gospel about Christ in China, and ministry—though challenging—had gone well. But in 1865, as he considered sending more people to minister to a more dangerous part of the country, without protection, he felt “intense conflict.” Later, after wrestling with God in prayer, he wrote: “The Lord conquered my unbelief, and I surrendered myself to God . . . [recognizing] that all responsibility . . . and consequences must rest with him.” Moses received a call from God that likely left him troubled. As he was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, God said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea” (Exodus 14:2). This meant they were trapped between Pharaoh and a vast body of water! The Israelites trembled as “Pharaoh approached”(v. 10). Panic-stricken, they told Moses, “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (v. 12). But Moses replied, “Do not be afraid” (v. 13). And he was right. God provided rescue and victory for His people as they rested in Him (vv. 15-31). At times, we won’t understand what God’s doing in our lives because we don’t have His view. It was during such a moment that Hudson Taylor wrote, “As his servant it was [my responsibility] to obey and to follow him.” We too can rest in God’s view and plans.