PSALM 37:1–6, 23–27 For forty years, John F. Burns covered international news for The New York Times. In a post-retirement piece from 2015, Burns quoted a close friend and fellow journalist who was terminally ill with cancer. His colleague said, “Never forget, it is not how far you have travelled; it is what you have brought back.” … [Read more…]
JOHN 14:15–26 An old woman in an elderly home did not say anything or ask for anything. She appeared to be doing little more than rocking in her rickety chair. One young nurse used to frequently visit her room during her breaks because she did not have many visitors. She just pulled up another chair … [Read more…]
1 JOHN 1:1-10; PSALM 119:176 A friend of mine occasionally surprises his family as he comes in after work. He would yell, “You are forgiven!” as he entered through the front door. It was not that he needed to forgive family members for wrongdoing. He was telling them that even though they had probably sinned during … [Read more…]
ROMANS 6:15–23; ROMANS 8:2 Olaf Wiig, a New Zealand news cameraman, declared, beaming broadly, that he felt more alive than he had in his entire life after being abducted, held captive for thirteen days, and then freed. Olaf’s joy serves as a reminder of the easy forgetfulness of our spiritual blessings. Christians often forget the pain of … [Read more…]
HEBREWS 12:18–24 The replica of the tabernacle in southern Israel, built to exact specifications from Exodus 25–27, stands tall in the Negev desert. During a tour, some participants were hesitant to enter the “Holy Place” and “Most Holy Place” to see the “ark,” feeling it was too holy to enter casually. The Israelites must have experienced … [Read more…]
JOSHUA 7:1–12 I was battling with a writing deadline and a disagreement with my wife. I realised she was wrong. As my computer screen went black, I noticed that the unacknowledged wrongs were not only hindering my work but also causing me distress. All I needed to do was work towards reconciling our differences. Like Achan, we do … [Read more…]
PSALM 145:1–13 Opinions differ among generations on a wide range of topics! Life experiences and ideals vary greatly between generations. Among Jesus’ followers, this is also true. Still, our spiritual bond transcends all material differences, including how we dress and the music we listen to. Psalm 145, a powerful praise song, symbolises our shared faith. It encourages … [Read more…]
LUKE 9:23, 57–62 Some shortcuts are beneficial, but others can harm our spirits and lives. We desire romance without the challenges, greatness without the risks, and pleasing God without inconvenience. Jesus talked of the importance of surrendering our lives to Him, warning that no one can serve in the kingdom of God if they look back (Luke … [Read more…]
COLOSSIANS 1:3–14, 23 A group of teenagers visited an elderly home and noticed a lonely man on a bed, which he could not move from due to his disability. A teen shared God’s love story and read Bible passages, causing the man’s eagerness to learn more. She explained Jesus’s sacrificial death, which was difficult for him to … [Read more…]
1 PETER 1:22-2:5 With the intention of starting over, I rearranged my room. Bags of goods waiting to be recycled, distributed, or thrown away were waiting outside the front door after hours of cleaning and sorting. However, the result of this tiresome effort was a stunning space that I could not wait to use. The housecleaning project … [Read more…]
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