Category: devotional

Focusing on Ourselves

What Jesus demonstrates here to the disciples is that it isn't our job to police the world in His name. If others are glorifying Christ - if others are doing good works in His name - Jesus' response is "Don't stop them." Don't hold people back. Don't intervene. Even if you think you can do it better. Even if you don't get it. Even if it's irritating. [Click title to read more.]

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Facing The Eye Of The Needle

When Matthew 19:24 tells us the story of the rich young ruler and reminds us that it's harder for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, we say, "That's true, that's true." Rarely do we consider ourselves the rich man. But the likelihood is that you do, indeed, qualify as "rich." [Click title to read more]

I’ve Seen The Monster, And It Is Me

We were not saved because we were good or special; God's grace is not something we conferred upon ourselves. Acting as though being a "sinner saved by grace" is a personal credit to us is like a beggar acting as though it's a noble act for him to nod his head "yes" when someone offers to drop food into his shaking hands. [Click title to read more.]

Divine Eagerness

Whenever you are feeling far from God or distant from His love, please remember the divine eagerness of 2 Samuel 7. God wants to be with His people; He wants to be invited to dwell among them and with them. [Click title to read more.]

Alone and Known Before God

It's self-editing. We all do it. And whether we realize it or not, we do it in our day-to-day life as much as we do it on Facebook. As humans, we're constantly censoring our lives and presenting some careful "best" version of ourselves to others. We cut out the parts of ourselves we deem unsavory or unnecessary, and we showcase the best ones for everyone to see. But God always and eternally sees our whole and unadulterated self. [Click title to read more.]

God’s Sacrifice

I still don't know why God does what he does. I still wonder about the tension between what God can do and what God will do and why sometimes our faith doesn't move mountains - even when we have as much as we can muster. But God asks so little of us in comparison to what He has demanded of Himself to love us. Truly, He is not far. [Click title to read more.]

To Those Who Are Struggling

On the frustrating day, on the dark day, on the hopeless day, our prayers and our faith - tarnished and stumbling and broken as they are - shine brighter. And what matters the most is not if they are strong, and not if they are hopeful, and not if they are packed with praise, but that they are there at all. [Click title to read more.]

My Students Don’t Read

I can't give up on them. And I can't because there are so many things I don't do, even when I know I should and have clear instructions and plenty of time and every reason in the world to be motivated. [Click title to read more.]