GALATIANS 6:1-10 Anzac Day is remembered on April 25. Every year, both Australia and New Zealand commemorate the ANZACs—the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps—who fought alongside one another in World War I. They recall a moment when neither nation had to face the dangers of war on its own; soldiers from both nations joined … [Read more…]
1 PETER 2:9; Psalm 100 Corrie ten Boom wrote in her autobiography about the horrible time she and her sister Betsie spent in a Nazi concentration camp in the early 1940s. On one occasion, they were compelled to strip off for an inspection. Corrie felt defiled and abandoned as she stood in line. She suddenly recalled … [Read more…]
MATTHEW 5:14-16 Rjukan, Norway, does not receive direct sunshine from October to March because of its northern latitude, which is combined with its placement among cliff-faced mountains. Large mirrors were built on the mountaintop by the locals to reflect the sun’s rays and direct light into the town square in order to brighten it up. … [Read more…]
GENESIS 3:5-13,22-24 At the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, huge crowds came in August 2013 to see the tropical plant known as the corpse flower bloom. Its flowering is a spectacle because the flower is indigenous to Indonesia and only blooms sometimes over a number of years. The enormous, spiky, gorgeous crimson bloom stinks like … [Read more…]
DANIEL 6:10-23 Despite being extremely busy, a friend found time to stop by my family for a quick meal for a half-hour. We appreciated having him visit, but as I was eating, I reflected, “We only got the crumbs of his time.” Then I realised how frequently God only receives the crumbs of our time. Daniel had a … [Read more…]
PHILIPPIANS 3:7-14 One prize is regarded as the pinnacle of achievement in every field of endeavour. Among “the big prizes” are an Olympic gold medal, a Grammy, an Oscar, or a Nobel Prize. However, there is a greater prize available to everyone. The first-century athletic competitions in which participants gave their all to earn the prize … [Read more…]
PSALM 107:23–32; NAHUM 1:7 The largest island in Saginaw Bay, in the Lake Huron waters of Michigan, is Charity Island. The island has long offered seafarers a safe harbour and a lighthouse for navigation. The island was given its name because sailors thought it was there “through the charity of God.” We occasionally have to make our … [Read more…]
PROVERBS 1 10:19–21 Someone made the lovely observation that “shallow streams make the most noise,” a delightful twist on the adage “Still waters run deep.” In fact, he meant that loudmouths typically lack much to say. The book of Proverbs makes the speech its centerpiece (Proverbs 10:19–21; 15:1-4,23,28; 16:24, 27–28; 18:7-8; 21:23). According to Ecclesiastes 3:7, “a time … [Read more…]
ACTS 4:5-20 A church organisation asked a speaker to address their gathering. “Talk about God,” the coordinator told him, “but leave out Jesus.” “Why?” the man questioned, startled. “Well,” the coordinator added, “some of our prominent members feel uncomfortable with Jesus. Just use God, and we shall be fine.” Accepting such directions, however, was a difficulty for the … [Read more…]
GENESIS 29:14-30; PSALM 37:34 Perhaps you have seen the video of the young child finding out he has a new sister. He laments, “It is always girls, girls, girls, girls!” in the midst of his meltdown. Although the story provides a humorous peek into human expectations, disappointment is not amusing. It is all around us. One particular … [Read more…]
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