Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” Matthew 14:16

A young boy came home from church and announced with great excitement that the lesson had been about a boy who “loafed and fished all day.” He, of course, was thinking of the little boy who offered his loaves and fish to Jesus.

Jesus had been teaching the crowds all day, and the disciples suggested He send them into the village to buy bread. Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat” (Matthew 14:16). The disciples were perplexed for there were more than 5,000 to be fed!

You may know the rest of the story: a boy gave his lunch—five small loaves of bread and two fish—and with it Jesus fed the crowd (vv. 13–21). One school of thought contends that the boy’s generosity simply moved others in the crowd to share their lunches, but Matthew clearly intends us to understand that this was a miracle, and the story appears in all four gospels.

What can we learn? Family, neighbors, friends, colleagues, and others stand around us in varying degrees of need. Should we send them away to those who are more capable than we are? Certainly, some people’s needs exceed our ability to help them, but not always. Whatever you have—a hug, a kind word, a listening ear, a brief prayer, some wisdom you’ve gathered—give it to Jesus and see what He can do.

By:  David H. Roper

What’s one need of another person that you may be able to meet? What can you give to Jesus to be used to bless others?

Jesus, give us eyes to see the ways we can care for others. Lead us and use us.

This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name. Acts 9:15

I’ll never forget the time I took my future wife to meet my family. With a twinkle in their eyes, my two elder siblings asked her, “What exactly do you see in this guy?” She smiled and assured them that by God’s grace I had grown to be the man she loved.

I loved that clever reply because it also reflects how, in Christ, the Lord sees more than our past. In Acts 9, He directed Ananias to heal Saul, a known persecutor of the church whom God had blinded. Ananias was incredulous at receiving this mission, stating that Saul had been rounding up believers in Jesus for persecution and even execution. God told Ananias not to focus on who Saul had been but on who he had become: an evangelist who would bring the good news to all the known world, including to the gentiles (those who weren’t Jews) and to kings (v. 15). Ananias saw Saul the Pharisee and persecutor, but God saw Paul the apostle and evangelist.

We can sometimes view ourselves only as we have been—with all of our failures and shortcomings. But God sees us as new creations, not who we were but who we are in Jesus and who we’re becoming through the power of the Holy Spirit. O God, teach us to view ourselves and others in this way!

By:  Peter Chin

How can you begin to better view yourself and others in light of who you are in Christ today? How does it encourage you to know God isn’t through growing and refining you?

Heavenly Father, help me to find my full identity in You. Allow me to humbly see others through Your eyes of grace!

Scripture: Matthew 18: 1-4

Verse For Today: Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19: 14)

There are times when we simply do not know what to do, no matter how old we are of how mature we might be. In those moments, we want to trust in God, but it’s often difficult to actually step out in faith.

During World War II, the King of England ordered an evacuation of children from the bomb-torn areas of London. Since many of the youngsters had never been away from home before, they were upset. A mother and father put their young son and daughter aboard a crowded train and said good-bye.

The little girl began to cry. She told her brother she was scared because she didn’t know where they were going. Brushing his tears away, he put his arm around her to comfort her. “I don’t know where we’re going either,” he said. “But the King knows.”

Many of us feel uprooted, unwanted and alone. But though we may not always understand the feelings of our family, our peers or society in general, we can trust in the fact that God understands and knows where we are and where we are going. After all, if we trust, God is doing the leading. By trusting and loving God, we can be assured that someone knows where we are at all times and is watching over us.

Holy Parent, take my hand in the confusion of being lost, rejected, or just feeling like I’m floating alone. I’m confident that You know where I am!

He who finds his life shall lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it. (Matthew 10:39)

Justice happens when a criminal is found guilty and condemned for his actions or when one is found innocent who has done nothing wrong. Our society today places a high value on finding the truth of a situation and holding accountable the appropriate person and freeing the innocent one. In our culture and courts, judges, juries, lawyers and verdicts that attempt in the most scrutinizing way, to administer justice fairly.

Pontius Pilate said blatantly to the mob before him, “I find no fault in this man!” There would have been reason to conclude from this that the mob lacked sufficient evidence to prove that Jesus had done anything wrong or punishable and that the case was closed. But Pilate began to fear the mob and their demands. Therefore he relented and turned Jesus over to feel the administration of “justice” at the hands of those who hated and feared him. The mob condemned an innocent man and no power of persuasion within Pilate could deter them from the destruction they wanted to impart.

Our faith and trust in God is a positive judgment we make based on evidence around us. The affirmed Christian is one who has chosen to recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah and the Son of the Living God. On the basis of evidence and the administration of justice, the believer makes a commitment to follow Christ. It is not a judgment to condemn, but a judgment to live with and for Jesus Christ.

God of Justice, may the judgment of our hearts, in view of the evidence presented, lead us to our personal relationship with Christ!

He that reproves a scorner gathers to himself shame; and he that rebukes a wicked man gets himself a blot. (Proverbs 9:7)

When Charles Spurgeon was still a boy preacher, he was warned about a certain woman in the congregation who had a reputation for being extremely quarrelsome. He was informed that she was intending to give him a good tongue-lashing when she found him.

Spurgeon said, “All right! But that’s a game that two can play.”

Shortly after that, the woman met Spurgeon and began to assault him with a flood of verbal abuse. He simply smiled back at her and said, “Oh, yes. Thank you. I’m quite well, thanks. Thank you for asking. I hope all is well with you too.”

His remarks were followed by another tirade of know-it-all comments, this time with her voice at a higher volume. He again smiled and responded, “Yes, it does look rather like it might rain. I think I better be going now.”

The woman stood for a moment watching as he walked away. She threw her arms in the air and said, “Bless the man. What’s the use of storming at him. He’s deaf as a post!”

Never again did the woman confront Spurgeon, or even attempt to speak to him. And never did he tell her what he had done. Spurgeon’s lesson to us was that some people will argue for no reason, and it is better to walk away than attempt to converse with them.

Creator God, grant us the wisdom to hold our tongue, even when others around us are not holding theirs!

Rejoice evermore. In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5: 16, 18)

An old legend tells how a man once stumbled on a great red barn after wandering for days in a dark, overgrown forest. Seeking refuge from the howling winds of a storm that seemed to rage perpetually in the forest, he let his eyes grow accustomed to the dark and then, to his astonishment, he discovered that this was the barn where Satan kept his storehouse of seeds to be sown into the human hearts. More curious than fearful, he lit a match and began to explore the piles and bins of seeds around him. He couldn’t help but notice that the containers labeled “seeds of discouragement” far outnumbered any other type of seeds.

Just as the man had drawn this conclusion, one of Satan’s foremost demons arrived to pick up a fresh supply of seed. The man asked him why the great abundance of discouragement seeds. The demon laughed, “Because they are so effective and they take root so easily!” The man asked, “Do they grow everywhere?” At this the demon became sullen. He glared at the man and admitted in disgust, “No. They never seem to thrive in the heart of a grateful person.”

Be thankful for what you have today, and trust the Lord to take care of what you do not have!

Most Holy God, we are thankful to You for all that we have, even when we don’t realize we have it; may our gratitude keep us safe from the discouragements of the world around us!

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (1 John 4: 18)

A man had just buried his wife. His little daughter had lost her mother. Their hearts seemed to be breaking, and loneliness engulfed them as they came home to an empty house. At bedtime the father placed the little girl’s bed near his own. Then he turned out the light and lay down. After a while, through the darkness, came the little girl’s voice, “Daddy, are you there?”

And he answered, “Yes, Dear, I’m here. Now you go to sleep.”

After a period of silence, the little voice came again, “Daddy, are you still there?”

Once again he answered patiently, “Yes, Dear, I’m still here. Now go to sleep.”

After a long period of silence her voice came again, this time more confident, “Daddy, I can’t see you, but I know you’re there.”

Social pressures, abandonment of friends or family, misunderstanding and irrational fears - we live in a world where many strange gods compete for our loyalty. But even when we are trapped by our own fears or the fears of others, let us never forget the abiding love and security we can find in our Creator, even when we can’t see God.

Holy Parent, you are always there, even though we cannot see you. Hold our hand in the midst of our dark moments.

As Jesus was coming out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son whom I love—in You I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:10)

It must have been a captivating scene. Here was a man who was definitely not part of the inner religious circle. He was a “PK” (priest’s kid) who appeared to have rebelled against the conformed practices of the day, and he was preaching a new and strange message.

Scary…some may have thought—and probably he was. A wardrobe of camel’s hair and a diet of locust and wild honey? That seems a little much for any of us today to comprehend.

But crowds were flocking to him and responding to his strange, new message. How could he handle all this attention? Would it go to his head just like so many others? Would the fallacy of it all show up and just die away?

It didn’t. Why? The message remained pure. John, probably against strong temptation, kept his focus on the message he had been called to proclaim. He proclaimed Jesus Christ to the world he lived in.

When John’s disciples complained that everyone was abandoning him and turning to Jesus, he simply responded, “He must increase and I must decrease.” He knew who Jesus was and his message remained pure.

What is our main message today? Is it different from what the world around us is proclaiming? Is it pure? Is it, “Jesus Christ is the One?

God of Justice, may we proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ and not get caught up in our own importance!

I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord, the beginning and the end, Who is, and Was, and Who is yet to come-the Almighty. (Revelations 1:8)

Some things are known intuitively, and those things we know through our own intuition are based in our spirituality. Spirituality is involved in every aspect of our lives, whether we know it or not. In the human creature, it involves the emotional, physical and mental states of our being and connects the people of the world into oneness. Spirituality is the force of goodness and wholeness throughout the universe.

This is not just an opinion or thought. It is a truth that pervades the whole of humanity and runs deep within every human soul, even if it is not vocalized or acknowledged. God is alive and in control of God’s world and intended from the beginning of physical time that it be in oneness.

The end of one year and the beginning of another is a time for change and always has been. I can change for good or for bad. Each of us determines our own changes and the results that come about from them. I can get sober, I can quit smoking, I can lose weight–the list goes on indefinitely. I can be cheerful and creative or I can be negative and destructive. My attitude determines the results of my changing life.

Spirituality has been given freely, but it needs to be nurtured in every life. We need to surround ourselves with loving, caring, honest people in order to allow the gift of spirituality to grow within us. My continued willingness to be part of the “one” that God intended is essential if I am to make changes and be a part of a creative and uplifted humanity.

Blessed Creator, strengthen each of us to look at ourselves and see if what we are is what You intended. Help us to change so that we become truly Your creations in every detail!

The Gospel According To Luke

Skip Ewing

He was an old hand at living and making his way.

He smelled like old whiskey and he needed a shave.

His home was an alley of eighth avenue,

But if you had a minute, or an hour or two,

He'd tell you the Gospel according to Luke.

Luke carried his bible in a Crown Royal bag.

He wiped off his brow with an old dirty rag.

He'd tell you straight out just the way he believed,

“Faith in the Good Lord is all that you need.

I try hard to practice the words that I preach.

Give to your brother if he is in need.

Offer up thanks for the gifts you receive.

There's treasure in heaven for the generous few.”

That was the Gospel according to Luke.

So I bought him breakfast at the Daylight Cafe;

Biscuits and gravy, hot coffee and eggs.

He was hungry and ragged, hadn't eaten in days,

But I was the one there who felt out of place

When he folded his hands, bowed his head and said grace.

A week ago Wednesday I saw him again

Downtown at the Mission surrounded by friends

Passing out all the change he'd collected that week

Saying, “You boys might need this a lot more than me.

I try hard to practice the words that I preach.

Give to your brother his he is in need.

Offer up thanks for the gifts you receive.

There's treasure in heave for the generous few.”

That was the Gospel according to Luke.

He was an old hand at living and making his way.

He smelled like old whiskey and he needed a shave.

His home was an alley of eighth avenue,

But if you had a minute, or an hour or two,

He'd tell you the Gospel according to Luke.

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Mark 5:36

During the anxious moments that followed my mother-in-law’s heart attack, she was fortunate to receive immediate medical care. Later, her doctor told me that treatment within fifteen minutes of a heart attack results in a survival rate of 33 percent for critical patients. But just 5 percent survive if treated beyond that time frame.

On the way to heal Jairus’s desperately ill daughter (someone definitely needing immediate medical care), Jesus did the unthinkable: He paused (Mark 5:30). He stopped to identify who touched Him, and then spoke gently with the woman. You can imagine what Jairus was thinking: There’s no time for this, my daughter is dying! And then, his worst fears came true—Jesus appeared to have delayed too long and his daughter passed away (v. 35).

But Jesus turned to Jairus and offered a word of encouragement: “Don’t be afraid; just believe” (v. 36). Then, calmly ignoring the mockery of onlookers, Christ spoke to Jairus’s daughter and she came back to life! He revealed that He can never be too late. Time can’t limit what He’s able to do and when He chooses to do it.

How often do we feel like Jairus, thinking that God was simply too late to accomplish what we had hoped for. But with God, there’s no such thing. He’s never too late in fulfilling His good and merciful work in our lives.

By Peter Chin

Jesus, help me to remember that You’re sovereign even over time itself, and that You’re never too late to accomplish Your perfect plans.

Giles Kelmanson, a South African game ranger, described the incredible scene: two honey badgers battling a pride of six lions. Although outnumbered, the honey badgers refused to back down from ferocious predators ten times their size. The lions thought the kill would be simple, but video footage shows the badgers walking away with something like a swagger.

David and Goliath offer an even more improbable story. Young, inexperienced David confronted the fierce Philistine Goliath. Towering above his young combatant, Goliath possessed brute strength and unrivaled weaponry—bronze armor and a lethal, razor-edged javelin (1 Samuel 17:5–6). David, a fledgling shepherd, carried only a slingshot when he arrived at the battlefield with bread and cheeses for his brothers (vv. 17–18).

Goliath challenged Israel to engage in battle, but no one was willing to fight. King Saul and “all the Israelites were . . . terrified” (v. 11). Imagine the shock when David stepped into the fray. What gave him the courage none of Israel’s hardened warriors possessed? For most, Goliath dominated their vision. David, however, saw God. “The Lord will deliver [Goliath] into my hands,” he insisted (v. 46). While everyone else believed Goliath controlled the story, he believed God loomed larger. And, with a single stone to the giant’s forehead, David’s faith proved true.

We’re tempted to believe that “Goliath” (our troubles) directs the story. God is larger, however. He dominates the story of our lives.

By Winn Collier

My three-year-old grandson’s day was off to a rotten start. He couldn’t find his favorite shirt. The shoes he wanted to wear were too hot. He fussed and fumed at his grandmother and then sat down to cry.

“Why are you so upset?” I asked. We talked for a while and after he calmed down, I gently inquired, “Have you been good for Grandma?” He looked thoughtfully at his shoes and responded, “No, I was bad. I’m sorry.”

My heart went out to him. Instead of denying what he had done, he was honest. In the following moments we asked Jesus to forgive us when we do wrong and to help us do better.

In Isaiah 1, God confronts His people about wrongs they’d committed. Bribes and injustice were rampant in the courts, and orphans and widows were taken advantage of for material gain. Yet even then God responded mercifully, asking the people of Judah to confess what they’d done and turn from it: “Come now, let us settle the matter . . . . Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).

God longs for us to be open with Him about our sins. He meets honesty and repentance with loving forgiveness: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Because our God is merciful, new beginnings await!

By James Banks

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. (Philippians 2:3)

Although the North American Indians had no written alphabet before they met the white man, their language was anything but primitive. The vocabulary of many Indian languages was as large as that of their French and English conquerors. Often their expressions were far more eloquent. In an Indian tongue, for example, the concept for the word “friend” is beautifully stated as “one-who-carries-my-sorrow-on-his-back.”

A friend or family member who comes to you for solace...or even claiming to seek advice...very often wants nothing more than your presence, your listening ear, and your quiet caring of sorrows. A young man discovered that shortly after his marriage. His wife frequently came home from her job telling him of the woes of her day. His response was to offer suggestions and give solutions. His wife finally said to him, “I’ve already solved the problems of today.” Perplexed, the husband asked, “Then why are you telling me all this?” She replied, “I don’t need Mr. Fixit. I need a loving ear.”

The friend who provides both physical and emotional shelter is a true haven, one who helps another to weather the storms of life safely.

God of love and mercy, help us to be the support and loving ear for our friends and loved ones!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Jesus Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

This is from a writing by a friend, Paul R. Andrews:

My father died about six months before I was born. I grew up without ever knowing him personally. Or did I? I savored the apples from the trees he planted in the orchard and enjoyed the shade of the poplar trees he grew in our front yard. I lived my whole youthful life in the house he built with his own two hands. His presence and the legacy he left behind surrounded me. My older brothers and sisters told me how much Dad loved to decorate the house at Christmas time and how he would sit one of the children on his knee at dinner time. People outside my immediate family told me what a wonderful, loving man he was. I love my father, even though I have never personally seen him.

Even more importantly is what I have learned about my heavenly Parent. I heard that God cares for the tiny sparrow that falls to the ground, and even more-so, cares for me. I heard about the great gift of God’s Son, given freely by a loving parent. And I heard about the cross that built a bridge to eternity for me.

I had an earthly father and I also have a heavenly Father. I have never met either one face to face, but I love them both immensely, with all my heart. I look forward with joy to the day I will meet them both face to face.

Blessed Parent in Heaven, we wait with joy for the day we will see You face to face and be joined again with those we love!

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearer. (Ephesians 4:29)

A faculty member at a university once became very distraught over the weaknesses of a particular administrator with whom he had a negative relationship. He allowed himself to think about the man constantly. Hateful, negative thoughts so preoccupied him that it affected the quality of his relationships with his family, his church and his colleagues. He finally concluded that he needed to leave the university and find a teaching position somewhere else.

A friend asked him, “Wouldn’t you really prefer to teach at this university if the man were not here?” “Of course,” the teacher replied, “but as long as he is here, then my staying is too disruptive to everything in life. I have to go.”

The friend then asked, “Why have you made this administrator the center of your whole life?” As much as the teacher tried to deny the truth of this, he finally had to admit that he had allowed one individual and his weaknesses to distort his entire of view of life. Still, it was not the administrator’s doing–it was his own. From that day forward. He focused on his students and his teaching...and he found new joy in his “old job.”

When we focus on running down others, we are usually the ones who end up being run down.

Blessed Compassionate Creator, may we focus on You and the positives in our lives that You have given us, rather than the negative things we see around us!

I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)

My fourth grade teacher, Mr. Fanhauser, was a wonderful man. He taught me in public school on Monday through Friday, and on Sunday in church school. I remember how gentle and strong he was. He showed us how to live lives full of love and yet not be weak, an invaluable lesson for a nine-year-old boy.

Today I can recall only one specific thing this teacher said, a quote that stood out then and now: “Every day you live, you affect the life of someone else.”

Throughout my life, this creed has proven to be true. What my fourth grade teacher did not say, but implied, I came to learn: we seldom understand the lasting impact we have on the people around us.

Sometimes it feels like we labor in vain, spending our strength and energy for nothing. But when we keep Jesus Christ at the center of our lives, others will see the source of our strength and energy. Jesus’ light and warmth can be felt by those around us, even when we don’t realize it. I reflect on how Mr. Fanhauser’s light shone into my life and I give thanks. I want to be the kind of living witness to others that he was to me.

Thank You, Holy Creator, for Your greatest gift of all, Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to live our lives daily so that others will find the same love we have found!

...with God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

Rachel and Jim owned a commercial building, half of which Jim used for his dental practice. For fifteen years, they had experienced no difficulty in renting out the other half of their building. They counted on the extra income to help pay their bills. Then they lost their renter. A real estate agent told them, “Forget about advertising for awhile. The market is down and absolutely no on is renting.”

To ease her financial worries, Rachel started swimming laps at her local YMCA pool. One day when she was feeling especially anxious, she decided to pray as she swam, using the alphabet to keep track of her number of laps. She focused on adjectives to describe God, starting with the letter “A.” “You are almighty,” she prayed on lap one. “A benevolent God, a beautiful God,” she prayed on her second lap, then “... a caring God, a creative, can-do God,” on her third lap. By the time she had completed twenty-six laps, an hour had passed and her fears were gone. She knew that God would provide somehow.

A short time later, a physical therapist called to say that she had seen the “For Rent” sign in the window and asked to see the office. It was exactly what she wanted. So, she and her partner rented the space. Rachel still prays while swimming laps. She says that she discovered that God’s goodness stretches from A to Z, or, in the Greek, from Alpha to Omega!

Holy God of Love, help us to stay focused on You by our everyday language, culture and activities, that You might become the center of our thoughts!

Where there is no vision, the people perish... (Proverbs 29:18)

An unusual band of thirteen business and professional men in Toronto, Canada, respond in a unique way to multiple-alarm fires in their city. They have formed a volunteer firefighting unit, although they don’t directly fight fires. Dressed in their own rubber fire fighting uniforms, they are armed with police passes. The truck they drive in a red mobile canteen.

The firefighters appreciate their services–in fact the local firefighter’s union bought the red canteen truck for them, and also purchased all the supplies for the truck. When a fire alarm is received, a “must” call goes out to them.

These firefighters describe themselves as “middle-aged businessmen who never outgrew their childhood dream.”

What is it you dreamed of doing as a child?

In the most reflective moments of your life, do you still nurture that dream? Do you wonder “what might have been if only...?”

Dreams are not only a great source of hope and courage, they are often the windows to one’s destiny. Revisit your childhood dreams. Perhaps it’s time to give them expression.

Blessed Creator, remind me of the things I once dreamt and let me pursue lofty goals with Your guidance!

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, “Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there, for I have commanded a widow to feed you.” (1 Kings 17:8-9)

Giving is easy when we have abundance. When we have plenty of money, time, energy or material possessions, it is easier to give by “taking it off the top” than it is by sacrificing. Why do I need to trust God when I have plenty left over that can be shared with others?

The widow of Zarephath was faced with an entirely different situation. Elijah was asking for her last meal, which she planned to eat with her son before they both died of starvation. But Elijah assured her that God would provide for her if she would give up her last meal. She was called to trust that it would turn out for the best. She did trust–and as a result, God did provide.

It is difficult to give when we are needy, tired, or under stress. But God is still our provider, even when it seems illogical to give. It did not make sense for this starving widow to give up her last meal. But she chose to trust God rather than human logic.

God loves us and will not leave us without what we need. When we hear God’s call to us, we need only to trust and to obey with confidence that God will always provide.

Forgive me, Holy Savior, when I back away in doubt and fail to help others. Teach me that You care enough to always provide my needs, even when I am unable to see a solution through my own logic!

But love your enemies and do good to them, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest...(Luke 6:35)

In his book, Beneath the Cross of Jesus, A. Leonard Griffith tells the story of a young Korean exchange student, a leader in Christian circles at the University of Pennsylvania, who left his apartment on the evening of April 25, 1958, to mail a letter to his parents. As he turned from the mailbox, he was met by eleven leather-jacketed teenage boys. Without a word or any provocation, they beat him with a black-jack, a lead pipe, their shoes and their fists–then they turned and left him dead in street gutter.

All Philadelphia cried out for vengeance. The district attorney planned to seek the death penalty for the arrested boys. And then, this letter arrived, signed by the young man’s parents and twenty other relatives living in Korea: “Our family has met together and have decided to petition that the most generous treatment possible within the laws of your country be given to those who have committed this criminal action...In order to give evidence of our sincere hope contained in this petition, we have decided to save money to start a fund to be used for the religious, educational, vocational and social guidance of the boys when they are released. We have dared to express our hope with a spirit received from the gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins.”

When one forgives, they are transported from the place of the victim to the place of the victor.

God of mercy, may we be willing to forgive others even when the entire world is crying for vengeance. May we lead others to You through that example!

God satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. (Psalm 107:9)

Within each person lies a void that only God can fill. As a child, I believed that being rich guaranteed a happy, problem-free life. Growing up in poverty, I deeply desired the material wealth that seemed to make others happy. At twelve years old, I got my first job helping out at our landlord’s upholstery shop. I was elated at being able to purchase my clothes for school with my own hard-earned money. A feeling of pride and self-sufficiency swelled in me, and acquiring money and possessions became the focus of my life.

As I grew older, I was never content. Nothing I acquired filled the void. I grew miserable pursuing more than I was able to obtain. Finally I gave up pursuing riches, and I wanted to give up on my life. In desperation and depression I began to seek God with my heart, soul and mind. In the words of the Bible, I found the riches that satisfied the hunger I had carried for so long.

Now I understand why the spiritually grounded folks around me sang songs and praised God and were always content with so little.

Gentle Creator, may I always welcome the gifts You give, the ones that are so great yet the world thinks are so little!

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1: 17)

In today’s scripture, Jesus calls the twelve forward for special training in a unique ministry. The group was a motley bunch who came from all walks of life. Some were illiterate, others were called from allegiances to other walks and beliefs, and they were not only unsure of what they were being called to do, but they were not even sure who this carpenter character was. However, after walking with Him for a short while and watching what He did and hearing what He said, they became convinced within their own hearts that they were following the Messiah.

Whatever it was they had been doing when the call came, they laid down their work and got up and followed. Peter even said, “We have left everything to follow You!” Jesus told them that whatever they had left behind, family, positions, homes, siblings, parents, wives and children—for His sake, they would receive a hundred times as much in the eternal life to come.

Today many are called over the noise and confusion of the world. The same calling is received by many today, and the same requirements come with fulfilling that call. God demands no half-way measures—if we are called to minister to others, the fulfillment of that call may require us to “leave” our dreams and goals and priorities behind. But, just as was true with the original followers, if we leave behind that which is worldly and follow the calling of God, we will receive a hundred times as much in the eternity to come. God promises to make us no less than co-heirs with Christ and access to the eternal riches God has prepared for those who trust.

Holy God of Love, may our ears be open to the calling of Your voice and may we be willing to follow, no matter what cost is demanded!

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3: 10)

One night while the young boy, Samuel, was serving Eli in the Tabernacle at Shiloh, God called Samuel’s name three times. Each time Samuel thought it was Eli calling and hurried to the old man’s side. Finally, Eli told Samuel, “Go back and if the voice calls again, say, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” Samuel did as he was told. God then revealed to the young boy things that were going to happen in the near future. God gave Samuel a miraculous calling as a prophet—a call to anoint, and even rebuke, kings!

But God could not reveal any of these truths to Samuel until the lad responded, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” This brings us to a very important question for today’s living. Does God speak today?

Many of us complain that “God never speaks!” But a more worthwhile and pointed question might be, “How many people today are listening?” Scripture tells us that the Spirit of God is like a still, small voice. In the world today the noise of human nature simply living out life is a loud and disturbing sound throughout the universe. God is most probably more anxious to speak to us today than ever.

Is it that God doesn’t speak or is it that humanity does not listen? God does speak! God constantly speaks. If we quiet our lives and listen we will hear truths that are most remarkable and at a time when divine providence is more needed than ever before. Listen for the still, small voice.

Holy Creator, may our ears be turned away from the noise and bustle of the busy world of today and may we hear clearly and distinctly, the still small voice of Your calling.

But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me: “Go prophesy to my people Israel. (Amos 7: 15)

Amos was called by God to be a prophet to the Israel nation, but he did not brag about his calling. In fact, he only related the story in answer to the false prophet Amaziah who was telling Amos to get out of Israel and go back to Judah, because he was bringing unpleasant messages. In response to this, Amos revealed his credentials. “The Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me: Go prophesy to my people Israel.”

Originally Amos had been a shepherd and one who tended sycamore-fig trees. But God called him from his farming to deliver a message. It was not to the rich and famous, not to those living in palaces and wearing soft garments, that the Spirit of God came calling. It was to a simple shepherd, a precursor perhaps to the announcement of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

If Christ were here in today’s world as a human figure, His ministry would no doubt be to the street people, the humble beggars and ragged edges of society, the people who are on welfare. And among them the Spirit of God raises modern-day prophets. Within our own congregation is one who was called forth from the spirit of drugs and alcohol to the spirit of sharing God’s word and salvation with whoever will listen. Her calling, like Amos, is not something she brags about—it is simply something she does.

God delights in confounding the wise by calling forth farmers, shepherds, fishermen, tax collectors and the fringe of society to be the spokesperson for providence in today’s world. Why is this? Perhaps because these people, who are genuinely “poor in spirit,” are more likely to be attuned to the whispers of God. Being “poor in spirit,” being empty of the world, leaves a greater capacity within their souls for the grace and ministering of God. We all could use an emptying of the worldliness from our spirits to make room for the callings of God that are happening daily.

Holy God of love, thank You for the callings You give to those who are empty of the world. Help me empty my heart to make room for You!

He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child. (Acts 7: 5)

Stephen, in his sermon in the Book of Acts, states that Abraham was given no inheritance in the land of Canaan, not so much as a foot of land; but, rather, God promised that he and his descendants would later possess the land. One of the reasons stated in Genesis was that the Anchorites had control of the land and that their “cup of iniquity was not yet full (Genesis 15: 16).

Something happened at that point which is sometimes referred to as the “death of a vision.” First, God called Abraham forward to a new land, giving the vision to the patriarch that he would be led to a new land which would be his, then the vision is changed and seems to die. Abraham lived in the new land, but following his death, his grandson had to gather the family together because of famine and take them all to Egypt where the entire Hebrew race was enslaved. The vision seemed to die. It was, in fact, a temporary setback made necessary for the survival of the children of Israel.

Many times in our lives we feel strongly that God is calling us in a certain direction for a certain purpose and we experience the “death of a vision” when things go awry and everything appears to have been a waste of time. We often find ourselves angry at God, or at least mildly miffed. Often times God gives us a vision and, down the road, our faith and trust is tested when God appears to withdraw the vision and the promises attached to it. But God is faithful and true. If you have been given a vision by God, minor setbacks are a part of your testing period. God is faithful and visions will be fulfilled in God’s own time and place.

God of truth, may our way be strong and faithful, even in the times when You appear to withdraw. We know You are there and ever faithful!

Casting all your cares upon God, for God cares for you! (1 Peter 5:7)

Shortly after Mary Manachi’s second child, Marylou, was born, she was diagnosed with Cooley’s anemia, which requires a blood transfusion every two weeks and is usually fatal before the age of twenty. Assured by physicians that this condition was extremely rare, Mary and her husband had another baby. At six months, Rosemarie was also diagnosed with the same disorder, and later, her son, George, was also born with Cooley’s. Sadness gripped Mary and her husband.

One day, Mary walked into Rosemarie’s room and found her making a beautiful pin to sell at a craft show. “I’m going to earn all I can toward college,” Rosemarie remarked with excitement. Then a teacher phoned and told Mary that Rosemarie had written as the thing she was most thankful for: “Good health!”

Mary took another look at her children around her and discovered that each was embracing life to the fullest they could. George was talking of becoming a geologist. Marylou was earning a place on the honor roll and was diligently practicing her piano. Mary finally concluded, If they are going to love life so much...am I to love life less?

Sometimes our burdens seem great. It helps at those times to remember those with greater burdens who carry them as “being too small” to become worries.

Most Holy Creator, may our burdens be light as we enjoy and live out the life You have given each of us!

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every person that is among you, not to think of themselves more highly than they ought, but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every person the measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)

A little Swiss watch had been made with the smallest of parts and with great care and detail. It ran with the greatest of precision, to the delight of its owner. Still, the little watch was dissatisfied with its restricted sphere of influence as it traveled around strapped to a lady’s wrist. It envied the high and lofty position held by the clock on the tower of the City Hall.

One day as the little watch and its owner passed by the City Hall, the little watch said, “I sure wish I could be way up there. I could serve so many people instead of just one.” The owner of the little watch looked down and said, “I know someone who has a key to the tower. Little watch, you shall have your opportunity!”

The next day, a slender thread was let down from the tower and the little watch was tied to it, then was pulled up the side of the tower–higher and higher. Of course, when it finally reached the top, it was totally lost from view. “Oh my,” the little watch exclaimed. “My elevation has been the ruin of me and my usefulness.”

If you desire to trade your current sphere of limited influence for a larger and more prominent one...be wary. God will elevate those whom God chooses–in God’s appointed time.

Blessed Creator, may we be honored to serve You where You have placed us and use our energy for Your work, rather than seeking loftier places!

This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise of Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 3:6)

Some great gifts come into our lives quietly, even without awareness. They may not come because of our effort or planning; they simply happen and show up. Consider the gift of God’s love. This great gift may come to us in unexpected places or times, by surprising means.

I think of my neighbor, who enjoys gardening and grows lovely flowers in his backyard. Though a tall fence separates our yards, through a small hole a vine of dark green leaves has now overflowed into my side, bringing unexpected beauty to my own yard.

This vine has caused me to consider the sometimes subtle ways God comes into our lives. Though we may attempt to fence God out, the Spirit of God in Jesus Christ comes in through even the tiniest openings. Small tendrils of love come into our minds and souls, sharing God’s greatness and grace until we recognize God’s presence. Whether this love comes quietly or openly, it brings beauty and healing to make us whole on the inside, as much as we will allow.

Loving God, may the vines of Your love invade my space through every tiny opening that I am unaware of until I can stand in Your presence and know with all certainty that You are walking with me!

Many seek the favor of a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one gets justice. (Proverbs 29:26)

Many of us struggle with the command to forgive our enemies. We know that not to forgive invites bitterness and acts of vengeance, yet we cannot help feeling hurt and angry when we suffer injustice.

Early in my faith journey, I came across a passage in Proverbs that says it is okay to seek justice. Instantly I am reminded of Jesus’ parable about the widow who hounded the unjust judge until she got justice. Luke says the lesson is about perseverance in prayer, but I saw Jesus’ assurance that God would “...grant justice to the chosen ones who cry to God day and night.” Our God is a God of justice as well as mercy.

When I began to pray for justice, I found that God would often bring to mind my own shortcomings, as if to say, “Do you want justice, or forgiveness? Are you sure you want justice? You know that you are just as guilty.” It then became easier to turn a prayer for justice into a plea for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Slowly, my prayers for justice have become prayers for the oppressed. I have learned the hard lesson of forgiving because Jesus first allowed me to acknowledge my hurt and anger and seek justice. It is through this process that we are brought to the place of seeking forgiveness.

Holy Creator of mercy and justice, thank You for allowing us to approach You in our quest for justice and there find Your willingness to forgive us our trespasses.

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep; So shall they poverty come as one that travels...(Proverbs 24:33.34)

One day, a grandfather told his grandchildren about his coming to America. He told of the trains and ship that he took from his home in Eastern Europe. He told of being processed at Ellis Island and how he had gone to a cafeteria in lower Manhattan to get something to eat. There, he sat down at an empty table and waited quite some time for someone to take his order. Nobody came. Finally, a woman with a tray full of food sat down opposite him and explained to him how a cafeteria worked.

She said, “You start at the end”–pointing toward a stack of trays–“and then go along the food line and pick out what you want. At the other end, they’ll let you know how much you have to pay.”

The grandfather reflected a moment and then said, “I soon learned that’s how everything works in America. Life’s a cafeteria here. You can get anything you want–even very great success–if you are willing to pay the price. But you’ll never get what you want if you wait for someone else to bring it to you. You have to get up and get it yourself.”

The difference between where you are and where you want to be can often be summed up in one word: work!

God of mercy and love, give us the strength and wisdom to seek after that which is good in Your sight!

Make me to know Your ways, O God; teach me Your paths. (Psalm 25:4)

From a friend:

The other day as I was traveling on the subway, a girl got on the train with a seeing-eye dog and a guide-dog trainer. The trainer instructed the girl to go to the doorway on the opposite side of the car and to feel the barriers on either side of the door. Then he asked her to turn around and feel the barriers on either side of the door she had just entered. She used both hands.

As the train entered another station and they were about to exit, the trainer continued his instructions to the girl, “Now pick up the dog’s harness. He can’t lead you unless you stay in contact with him.”

I saw this as a metaphor for our journey through life. We are prone to stumble and fall, to make wrong turns, to be confused, and so it is important to stay in contact with God who has promised to guide us. We place our lives in God’s Hands. Through prayer, Bible study and meditation, we stay in contact with the One who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

Loving Creator, help us to keep in contact with You at all times that we might receive direction in our path through life!

“...forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us...” (From The Lord’s Prayer)

Archibald Hunter says that forgiveness is “surrendering my right to hurt you because you have hurt me.” Richard Smith, a missionary and counselor who has made a lifetime study of cultures and relationships, says it isn’t quite that simple. Forgiveness is not merely letting the offender off the hook. A lot of people mouth empty words of forgiveness, glossing over acts of wrongdoing, while holding on to bitterness in their hearts.

“Forgiveness means releasing the other person from your judgment and trusting God to handle it, even to the point of extending mercy instead of retribution, if that is God’s choice.”

We make statements like, “He’s only human,” or “It was as much my fault as it was yours.” Sometimes we ignore the problem, which continues to fester and grow. We decide not to talk about it, because every time we get into a discussion, we get angry and say things we shouldn’t say.

After I spoke once on the importance of forgiveness, a woman told me about the brutal murder of her son. He had been cut down in the prime of life, and she was angry. Even when the young man who had killed her son was sent to prison, her heart was filled with rage. As a Christian, she knew that she had to forgive, but she just couldn’t do it.

The more she thought and prayed about it, the more she began to see the issue from God’s perspective. What had happened was horrible. Not just to her son, but to her as well. Somehow, she began to realize that vengeance wasn’t her responsibility. It was God’s. And that’s when she began to realize that God would deal with the murderer.

“That kid in prison doesn’t know about God,” she thought. Eventually, she sent him a Bible along with a letter, explaining how she felt. She told him that God, the Author of forgiveness, would also forgive him.

“Don’t do this,” the warden of the prison urged. “You’re just wasting your time.” But she persisted, and when she did, the hatred and anger lifted from her own self.

Forgiveness is much more than giving up my right to hurt you because you hurt me. It involved allowing God to take control of the situation and turn everything that is wrong into something that is right. It is totally trusting that God will handle the situation. Nothing less will do!

God of Justice, when I feel wronged, please remind me to move on with my life and allow You the space to fix the situation properly!