Loving Jesus Style

Scripture: Psalm 23:4 (KJV) 4      Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Devotion:             As we have seen, God sees and hears us; today, we explore what it means for God to be with us. These words from the beloved Psalm 23 speak loudly to today’s culture. We live in a world where threats seem to be on every side. No matter where we turn, there are threats to our property, freedoms, and even our very lives. Violence seems to have this world in its grip. Whether it is violence between countries, on our streets, or even in our homes, it seems that nowhere is safe anymore.             David, the writer of this psalm, offers solace and hope with these words. He proclaims that even in the face of imminent death, we need not be afraid. God has pledged to journey with us through all the seasons of life, leading us to our final resurrection and eternal bliss with Him in

Scripture: Jonah 2:1-2 (ESV) Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2  saying,         “I called out to the Lord , out of my distress, and he answered me;        out of the belly of Sheol, I cried, and you heard my voice.   Devotion:             In this scripture, we find the prophet Jonah inside a great fish. Jonah had disobeyed God and wound up being tossed off a ship that was carrying him into the sea. God, however, was not content to let Jonah die for his foolishness and dramatically rescued him. Jonah’s rescue proved to him that God indeed hears prayer and sometimes chooses to act in ways that seem impossible to our modern understanding of the world. We all disobey what we know to be God’s will for us from time to time, sometimes purposefully, as Jonah did.             Jonah’s tale is meant to reassure us that God hears our prayers. If you are anything like me, prayers for God’s assistance are a last resort. Once we have tried everyt

Scripture: Genesis 16:13 (NIV) 13  She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Devotion:             The context of today's scripture is the narrative of Hagar, Sara’s slave, who had fled due to Sara’s mistreatment. What strikes us is the profound care God shows for Hagar in these verses. In the dialogue between the Angel of the Lord and Hagar that precedes this verse, God not only hears but also sees Hagar in her distress. He reveals to Hagar that she is with child and will bear a son named Ishmael. This revelation moves Hagar to the heartfelt exclamation we read in the verse above.             Today, our culture does not do very well at genuinely seeing people for who they are. We are too engrossed in our phones and other devices to pay attention to other people. Our addiction to our devices can get so bad that not only do we not see and respond appropriately to other people, but we

  Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV) 9  Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. 10  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Devotion:             The wisdom of the author of Ecclesiastes resonated with me deeply in an incident that occurred about 12 years ago. I was walking with my dog and loyal companion, Marcy, on a chilly winter morning. A patch of ice sent me tumbling, and I lost consciousness upon impact. Marcy, sensing the urgency, dashed back to our apartment building and found someone to assist me. Thanks to the timely help of a dog and some kind strangers, I made a full recovery after a brief hospital stay.             The wisdom of this ancient writer continues to hold true in our modern society, manifesting in various ways. We often don't hear about the countless instances where God's truth, as depicted in these verses, is at work. The medi

Scripture: Isaiah 31:1 (ESV) Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses,                         who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong,                         but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!   Devotion:             Let us turn to the prophet Isaiah for more wisdom. This scripture warns those who seek to rely on the strength of military power alone to provide safety. No one who trusts in weapons of war to bring peace will prevail in the long run. Today, our world seeks a mighty fighting force equipped with the latest war-making technology and machinery. Those who seek protection from God are seen as hopelessly behind the times. In today’s scripture, the Israelites were seeking an alliance with Egypt to provide them security as the armies of Assyria threatened them.             Today, our society has military alliances for mutual security between the parties. We are

Scripture: Proverbs 21:30 (ESV)          No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel  can avail against the Lord. Devotion:             This proverb speaks loudly to the spirit of this age in America. Our cultural moment is full of the plans of mere mortals that directly contradict God's will as revealed in His inerrant, infallible Word. The Lord decreed in Genesis that humankind was to be fruitful and multiply. The culture promotes death from womb to tomb. People of goodwill seeking only to honor God by obeying the clear commands written for us in scripture are ignored, silenced, or worse in today’s culture. Here are some of the ways the culture promotes death.             Let us begin in the womb. Our culture promotes abortion as a positive good. Since Roe v Wade was overturned and the matter has returned to the states to decide if and when abortion is legal, we have seen a wide variety of approaches being implemented by the states. Some states do protect life, but many all