BEFORE THE CALL

PSALM 18:1-6 As a mother of young children, she was occasionally susceptible to anxiety. Her initial inclination was to contact her mum on the phone and ask her what to do about her children. Parents can be a great resource, but when we read the Psalms, we are reminded of how often we need the type of … [Read more…]

HE WILL REPLY

PSALM 91 Most of the people we admire are quite busy and may not have our time. Thankfully, we know that God responds to us. According to an ancient story, a monarch paid weavers to manufacture tapestries and clothing for him. He instructed them to seek his assistance immediately if they encountered any difficulties. One young … [Read more…]

AS CLOSE AS THE MENTION OF HIS NAME

JOHN 16:17-24 All of us have experienced the loss of loved ones. Children get married and move abroad. For professional or health reasons, our parents are no longer with us. A child leaves home to attend school in another state or country. It is true that we have SMS, email, and WhatsApp. But we are here, … [Read more…]

HIS NAME IS HOLY

EXODUS 20:1-7 I was talking to a friend about misusing God’s name one afternoon. We might believe that this only applies to invoking God’s name in a casual or disrespectful manner or by adding it to a swear word. But my friend never missed a chance to share with me the meaning of true faith. … [Read more…]

THE REST DAY

MATTHEW 11:28–12:8 He used to deliver newspapers as a youngster to make money. Since it was a morning publication, he had to rise at 3:00 am every morning, seven days a week, in order to deliver all 140 of his papers to their correct residences by 6:00 am. But every year had a unique day. The … [Read more…]

PRAISE THAT IS MORE EXPRESSIVE

PSALM 150 Asamoah Gyan of Ghana and his teammates performed a coordinated dance step following Asamoah Gyan’s goal against Germany during the 2014 World Cup. A few minutes later, Germany’s Miroslav Klose scored and performed a running front flip. According to Clint Mathis, a US World Cup goal scorer, “soccer celebrations are so appealing because … [Read more…]

PAX ROMANA

ISAIAH 9:1-7 The cost of war is beyond anyone’s capabilities. 64 countries in the world were reportedly engaged in war at one point, according to a website. When will they end, and how? While we desire peace, justice must not be sacrificed. Jesus was born during a period of apparent “peace,” but it was actually marked … [Read more…]

PARADOGS

PSALM 143:7-12 The Allied troops during World War II needed the sharp senses of dogs to smell their way through minefields and to warn troops of impending danger as they prepared for D-Day (June 6, 1944). And a parachute was the only method to convey these animals to troops hidden behind enemy lines. However, dogs … [Read more…]

AKIN TO SHOOTING A FLY

2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-6; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:14 The rescue of the 33 Chilean miners trapped after an explosion in October 2010 was significantly aided by Macarena Valdes’ expertise in mapping underground mines. Drilling to pinpoint the precise location of the men was like “trying to shoot a fly from 700 meters away,” she claimed. Valdes’ mining knowledge … [Read more…]

THE BOOSTER SEAT

EPHESIANS 1:1-10 Because her little child was riding in a car without the necessary booster seat, a police officer stopped the woman. He could have issued her a ticket for a traffic violation. Instead, he requested the mother and child meet him at a nearby store, where he bought the required car seat. The mother … [Read more…]