Category: Daily Devotions

“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one beside you; there is no one like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2) Hannah is singing for joy! God has filled her mouth and her heart with praise for the gift of a child! But her song soon turns to darker themes, contrasting starkly…

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) Here the apostle Paul, who endured many hardships for the sake of Christ, tells us to rejoice in the Lord always. And with enthusiasm he exclaims, “I will say it again: Rejoice!” In the coming week we may yet hear Christmas carols…

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) The gospels give a complete and trustworthy account of Jesus’ coming, but they don’t all repeat the same events. In…

“Praise be to the Lord … because he has come to his people and redeemed them.” (Luke 1:68) “I want one of these, and one of these, and …” The child went on and on, turning the pages of the Christmas gift catalog. Adults have their wants and wish lists too. The problem is that…

Is there any hope? Many of us have had that thought at one time or another. Using the image of someone drowning or trapped in a pit, Psalm 130 cries out for help. The sense of hopelessness is made worse because the psalmist knows the reason for the brokenness of life: sin. It is not…

“You are the light of the world … Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) In his book “Christ in Crisis”, Jim Wallis says that the church has often failed to let its light shine. It has, he says, failed to…

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines…

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David…

“The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel” (which means ‘God is with us’).” (Isaiah 7:14) In light of a busy world Jesus invades humanity with a God-sized announcement. You could focus on so many things…