Anything and Everything

by Shawn McEvoy as posted on Crosswalk the Devotional

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?Romans 8:32

When my children were but ages five and three, they already knew my weakness.

They recognized that it's not ice cream, baseball, or their mom's chili... or even a hug or puppy-dog eyes from them.

See, none of the above make me cry (although the chili almost did once). Yes, my children have seen their father cry. It's not something I wanted, or intended. I'm a man, after all. I go to work, show my strength. I coach, help, show, point, and guide. I communicate, discipline, and lead. I pray. I do not cry.

...Except when I read Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, that is.

And like I said, my children, who are older now, have known this from early on. And oh, have they twisted that knife. We must own a couple hundred children's books, but if it's a night where Daddy is doing the bedtime reading rather than Mommy, what have they invariangly picked through the years? The Giving Tree of course!

I've been reading this book, first published in 1964, since I myself was a child, and no matter how many times I do, I am unable to de-sensitize. I mean, when I watch the movie Field of Dreams and Ray has a catch with his ghost-dad, that gets me. But if I see the scene over and over within a certain time frame? Nah. No sweat, no tears. But this blasted children's book... well... what's going on here?

First of all, you're probably wondering that very thing if you aren't familiar with the story. A tree and a boy are the best of friends during an idyllic childhood for the young man where he eats apples from the tree, climbs her trunk, swings from her branches, and rests in her shade. Then things change, as things do, and we see the boy approach the tree at all the various stages of his life, caught up - understandably, even - more in wanting and needing than in just being. Every time he has a "need," the tree obliges... and is happy for having done so. She doesn't have much, but gives all she has until eventually, she is nothing but a stump. At the end of all things, however, it turns out a stump is just what the old man needs - a quiet place to sit down and rest and reflect. "And the tree was happy. The end."

And I am undone... again.

Is it because I am reading the story to my children, and I know our stories will be very much like that of the tree and the boy, where they are my delight but eventually I must simply become provider as they go out into the world? Yes and no.

Is it because our family copy of the book - the one I read to the kids - carries an inscription from my wife on our first Christmas that says, "With God's help, may I love you like this"? Yes and no.

Is it because as my father lay dying I told him of the story (he wasn't familiar with it), and how he had been that tree for me? That's definitely part of it. My mother, I remember, commented that she didn't recall it being a "Christian" book. I didn't really have an answer to that, only to what I saw in it. Which is...

Complete love to the point of emptying. Unquestioning sacrifice, even for someone who isn't appreciating or understanding what they've been given. A desire only to have communion. An entering into final rest. In other words, a perfect example of the immensity of what Jesus did for me, desired from me, provides for me, and will carry me to.

That is why I always cry.

So every time I finish the story, eyes full of tears, my kids look at me wondering if I'm okay. My youngest used to ask, "Why you cry, Dad?" And every time I've explained, I think she has understood just the tiniest bit more. These are tears of being overwhelmed by the enormity of the Giver and the immensity of a gift to a person consumed with self-interest who has forgotten innocence. A short time ago these children opened their hearts to receive that gift. Now I pray that they won't miss the other lesson from the book: all our Giver really wants in return is our time, for us to come to Him as we did as children.

Intersecting Faith & Life: But can any of us actually hope to become more like the tree in the story? Parents know what it means to give every last ounce of everything they are to the betterment of their children. We have reason for doing so. Do you know anyone who empties themselves this way for those they don't have a familial reason to love? What steps can you take to emulate their Christ-like, unconditional love?

He's Chipping Away

 By Robin Wiley

Scripture

Romans 8:28-30  (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Have you ever wondered how artists can turn a block of wood into a carving of an animal? Or a lump of stone into a person’s face? Artists have a word for this: “hyper-seeing”. When they look at a block of wood, rather than seeing the block, they can see the image they want to create from it.

I refer to my husband Scott as an artist when it comes to his woodworking creations. Since his retirement from teaching in 2019, what started off as being a hobby has turned into a passion for him with woodworking. The left side of our garage, filled with his numerous pieces of equipment, scraps of wood of all sizes and sawdust, are a testament to how much he loves it! He only makes things for family and it truly is a labor of love for him each time he takes on a new project. When the mesquite tree in our backyard broke off a large branch after a storm last year, he saved the wood because he envisioned all sorts of possibilities for its use. He could “see” it’s potential.

Hyper-seeing is also a good description of what our all-seeing God does. He sees all that we are – and more. He sees what we will be when He has finished His work in us, when we stand before Him at the end of our lives, blameless and without fault. The God who started this great work in us will keep going until He finished it on the day Jesus Christ comes back (see Philippians 1:6). Bit by bit, He is chipping away at us each day to make us look even more like His Son.

God’s work in us can’t be stopped. Whether we’re enjoying life or feeling low, God is at work. Whether we’re looking forward to today or wishing it would pass quickly (like what’s going on with the COVID-19 stuff!), God is going to use everything we go through to keep shaping us.

Reflection:

• In what ways do you look more like Jesus today than you did last year? Or even yesterday?

• What is God “chipping away” in your life right now to make you more like Jesus?

Prayer:

Father God, you knew each of us before we were made or formed in our mother’s womb, and you know what each of us are capable of becoming. Shape us to become more like your Son, Jesus. Give us His humility, grace and forgiveness to be the salt and light in this dark world. Thank you for loving us so much to keep molding our hearts and lives to be yours! We pray all this in the mighty name of Jesus! – Amen!

Seeing-Not Seeing: Slowly Developing Kingdom Vision Mark 8

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8)

Seeing-Not Seeing: Slowly Developing Kingdom Vision

Mark 8

            Mark 8 is what is known as a Markan Sandwich.  This chapter begins with a miraculous feeding that the disciples struggle to understand and ends with an amazing confession of faith that is followed by an anti-Christ denial of God-ordained suffering.  In the middle of those two “slices of bread” we find this interesting story of a blind man who is healed gradually.  Jesus spits in his eyes (think about that the next time you go visit Dr. Jaime Rodriguez) and touches him, but the man’s vision isn’t fully restored.  So, Jesus touches his eyes again and “his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.”  For this man, sight came in stages.  That seems to be what was going on for the hangry disciples and Peter’s “get behind me Satan” moment; sight was coming slowly.  That seems to be what’s going on in our story when we live like a seeing-not seeing people.  When we get it one minute and live without faith the next, we realize that sometimes sight comes slowly.  As we take on this unfolding week, let’s ask Jesus to fix that which is still inadequate about how we see the world and give us kingdom vision.  If that doesn’t happen overnight and we still find ourselves struggling to see things in a way that honors Jesus, let’s prayerfully cling to the promise that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

Finding rest in this restless world.

By: Pastor Luis Rodriguez

Many years ago, in the chapter of my life as an electrician, I remember one specific Job, and I will never forget this job because I was on site for 24 hours. As a service electrician I received this call to do emergency repairs to restore power to an apartment building that had 30 units with no power, the repairs were extensive, it took a crew of 6 workers, working nonstop for 24 hours to accomplish this feat, but I remember that around 4am, after working for 20 hours my eyes started getting really heavy, this tiredness came over me, and all I wanted to do was just to lay down and fall asleep, I knew that I needed to stay awake but could not, the tiredness was getting to me. All I could think of was my bed, I looked forward to getting home taking a shower and go to bed and possibly sleep for the next 24 hours. I share this story because with all the news we keep on hearing this few weeks in our community and our church family I feel like we are just exhausted and maybe you feel like I did in that job site, were exhaustion is taking its toll and we wish for rest but it not there yet, and it may feel like there are 4 more hours of work, built all we can think of is taking a shower and going to bed. But thinking of this story and everything that’s going on all I can think of these beautiful verses in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 11 verses 28-30.

The words “come to me, all who are weary and burden, and I will give you rest” Jesus makes us an invitation to find rest in him, this past two years have made us weary and have become burdensome, and we may find ourselves tired, and maybe we have forgotten that Jesus is waiting for us to come to him to find rest. We may find ourselves physically exhausted, emotionally exhausted or spiritually exhausted, maybe you just want to scream at the top of your lungs, “God would you give me a break!” and maybe that’s all we need to ask. On my story I got to the point where I could no longer keep my eyes open, so my coworkers told me go take a 20 min nap, I did and I was refreshed, and I was able to push through to finish the job and got to go home to a hot shower and the comfort of my bed. But in the same way, maybe all we must do is take a 20 min nap, and find rest in Jesus, to be able to push through in this time.

During this pandemic I feel that we have tried to find rest in many different things but Jesus, and I want to remind us that all we have to do is find rest in Jesus.

Jesus also invites us to be yoked with him, and if we are yoke in him, we can find rest for our soul, this invitation is a reminder that Jesus wants us to walk along with him, by being yoked to him we can keep the same pace with him, but we are so impatient and we want to go fast. Jesus wants us to find rest in him, and to walk alongside him in our story with him.

Maybe we are tired and we think that we won’t be able to make it to the end of the job, using the example of my story, but maybe we find ourselves at hour 20, and maybe all we need is a 20 min nap, to be able to push true the next few hours to complete the job, this pandemic will pass, but we can only stay strong if we can find rest in Jesus, during this hard times.

Maybe we have lost love ones, or maybe we find ourselves very sick that the doctors have not given us hope, even though that maybe our time in this earth may short we can find rest and refuge, knowing  that we can trust Jesus, and if we are yoked with him and are able to find rest in him, we can trust in his promise “Because I live you shall live also” because he lives we can find rest.

My prayer this week is that if you find yourself tired and burden, that you can trust Jesus and find rest in him. My prayer is that you can feel comfortable that he is in control, and that he invites us to take a 20 min nap in him, to be renewed and be able to face this harsh world. May God bless you and remember that we can give our burdens to God.

Cancel Culture: Parent's Influence on Faith

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[b] 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

We are all a little tired of the cancel culture happening in society and through social media, but that’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about the rash of cancellations we have had in our church - especially in the children’s ministry! We haven’t restarted our children’s Sunday School classes, we cancelled movie night and Family Council, and yesterday we cancelled our children’s programs on the first Wednesday back for the new year. We cancelled movie night due to inclement weather and Family Council because our kitchen crew was out due to COVID. Without food and the pressing need for church action at our business meeting, there was little need to meet: yes, food is THAT important. For our children’s ministries, our volunteers have been largely unable to attend for various reasons - mainly stemming from COVID affecting them and their families.

I’ve never experienced this at FBCW, but it does feel like we are developing a culture of cancelling things in our church. NEVER FEAR! This passage in Deuteronomy, later quoted by Jesus, reminds us that we must continue talking about God’s great story in our families wherever we are, regardless of whether or not there are childrens’ ministries happening at our church. In fact, research continually points to parents, not church programs, as being the most important influence in the formation of a young person’s faith (Growing Young, Loc 2877).

I miss time with our church kids. Sunday School was influential in my life and I look forward to when my kids can attend again. But each day I have the opportunity as a parent to grab time over meals at home and in car rides to talk about God’s great story of love and redemption. Having faith in the research, and that old Proverb, I know that regardless of what is cancelled at church, I can see that my children will not depart from God’s ways when they are old. God will never be cancelled!

Ray Sanchez is the Pastor of Worship and Administration at First Baptist Church Weslaco. He enjoys having his kids read from the YouVersion Bible App each morning on the way to school, watching the short video, and talking with them about the word of God. Here are some memory verses you can challenge your family to learn by heart, and don’t forget about our Right Now Media subscription that allows us access to tons of video Bible content for children and adults. Call the office if you need login info (956-968-9585).

Let This Be the Year You Start Loving Your Life

TRACIE MILES as posted on Proverbs 31 Ministries Encouragement for Today daily devotional

Lee en español

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 (ESV)

Sometimes on the road of life, we come across an unexpected bump that derails our plans and shatters our hopes.

Or maybe we simply wake up and realize the life we are living is not the one we expected, much less the one we wanted. As a result, we feel unhappy, joyless and discontent.

The day came a few years ago when I found myself feeling exactly that way due to enduring a painful separation and divorce. My life had been shattered, as well as my heart, and I was having a hard time finding the strength to feel joy — or even believe life could ever be good again.

Maybe you, too, have experienced a painful divorce, or you thought you’d be married by now but are still single. Or you had a dream crushed after years of pursuing it. Perhaps you stayed at a job for years, building your retirement fund, only for the company to go bankrupt and take down your life savings with it. Possibly you’ve experienced the heartbreak of infertility when you planned on having a full house. Maybe your loved one died far too soon, leaving you feeling alone and lost. Or it could be that you were struck with an illness that limits your abilities and independence.

Or possibly nothing life-changing has happened at all. And that’s the problem. Same ol’ circumstances, different day, new year.

In any case, we may find ourselves thinking, Surely there has to be more to life than this.

Oh, friend, there is. And in our key verse, we find out what that “more” is.

In the first part of today’s key verse, Jesus explains there is a thief who “comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10a). Not necessarily physically but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This enemy wants us to feel discouraged with the way life has turned out. He wants us to feel so beaten down by circumstances that we succumb to the false belief that we can’t be happy if our life isn’t exactly as we think it should be. Of course, this enemy is the father of lies, the devil.

Yet in the second part of John 10:10, Jesus declares exactly the opposite to be true of Himself. He came to earth so we could not only have life but be empowered to choose to live life abundantly despite the thief’s intentions. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly,” or as another translation says, “I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness” (John 10:10, GNT). Here we see the stark contrast between the destroyer of happiness and the Giver of joy.

A new year is underway, and maybe you are feeling disgruntled, discouraged or joyless due to how life isn’t living up to your expectations. Maybe you’ve lost hope that loving and enjoying your life is possible, and you feel blinded to the opportunities a new year may hold.

Trust me, I understand. Several times, I’ve turned the calendar over to a new year while I felt filled with grief, disappointment and fear. Believing with all my heart and mind I would never be able to feel truly happy again, much less love my life.

Yet over time, through a lot of prayers, tears and faith, God helped me see and accept that, although I couldn’t change my circumstances, I could change my attitude and how I lived each day. I finally realized I have been given one life to live — this life — and I can either continue to allow adversities and the actions of other people to have power over my happiness or I can embrace God’s promise for abundant life and make it a reality in my own.

Although my life wasn’t the one I wanted or imagined, choosing to learn to love my life was the best choice I’ve ever made. It wasn’t always easy, but as I intentionally asked Jesus to be the source of my joy — even in the midst of less-than-joyful circumstances — my outlook and attitude changed for the better.

Friend, no matter what you’re going through, loving life is a choice, not a byproduct of everything going your way. The life you are living today is the life God has given you, and in Christ, your life has abundant potential. Our peace, joy, contentment and fulfillment depend on the choices we make.

You see, your happiness is up to you. And this could be your best year yet.

Dear Jesus, fill me with joy and a refreshed perspective. I want this to be my best year yet, no matter my circumstances. In Your Name, Amen.

Seeking Joy - Seeking Jesus

By Robin Wiley

Scripture

Hebrews 12:1-3  (ESV)

Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Sam Storm wrote, “Someone once said that joy is not necessarily the absence of suffering, it is the presence of God.”[1] Joy is a vital and often misunderstood thing. It is frequently synonymous with happiness, but really joy is actually far greater. Happiness is fragile, and as quickly as it appears; it also vanishes. Joy, however, is a beautiful reminder from the Lord that our hope and peace are not built upon our circumstances or merely trusting in our own happiness.

In our GriefShare ministry – joy is a key part of the healing process from grief or the loss of a loved one. The journey is from mourning to joy – all through the hope and peace of Jesus. Grieving is a lifetime journey and it will be spent experiencing a diversity of emotions and stages but having hope is the driving factor that moves us forward. When my mother was lying in the nursing home with a feeding tube keeping her alive – it was so difficult to see her in that state. I would like to say my hope never wavered but that would not be true. I did not understand why she had to suffer but God showed me He had a better plan for her with her eventual passing. As Christians, like Jesus, we are meant to experience suffering in this world – but there is joy in the hope that one day we will be free of it. Christ guarantees it for us.

There is no disputing that each of us will have moments of sadness, anxiety, fear, doubt, depression, anger, etc., but it is joy that reminds us of the One who holds all things together.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us of this often, and this is clearly seen in Hebrews 12:1-3. We are prompted to do a few things here.

·      We must lay aside the things, which rob of us our affections for Jesus.

·      We must keep our focus upward on Him.

·      In all circumstance we must remember who God is in relation to who we are.

While things like suffering and sorrow are assured parts of our lives, joy is also assured to the believer. Joy is realization that even through the worst circumstances, Jesus is enough. Rest in this truth and pray Psalm 73:25-26 over yourself daily. Jesus is King, and that truly is joyful.

Psalm 73:25-26  (ESV)

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Father God, I do not always understand our circumstances or our situations. I confess that I might fear, worry, and grieve at times, but I trust that in spite of all these things, You are still on Your throne. You surround me in the darkness with your grace and mercy. Teach my heart to see You working all things out for my good and for Your glory, and teach me to be joyful in all things because of you who You are. In the name of Jesus - Amen.

[1] Sam Storms, Pleasures Evermore: The Life-Changing Power of Enjoying God (Colorado Springs: Navpress, 2000), 52.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord? 

There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. You would shame the plans of the poor, but the Lord is his refuge.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. 

We read this song and hear the psalmist saying, “You have to be stupid to not believe in God.”  We all believe in God, so we assume Psalm 14 is a song about how smart we are and how boneheaded atheists are and say, “Amen,” with buoyed confidence in our own brilliance because we are not godless atheists.  But, Psalm 14 seems to deal less with philosophical atheism and more with what we might call practical atheism, living as though God isn’t real.  What do you think in means to live as a practical atheist?  So many forces in our world would encourage us to make life about everything but seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness, but the psalmist reminds us that such a life is actually foolishness.  Living with no regard for God may seem to produce a carefree existence, but in the end is proven to be folly. 

The fruit of worldly, God-denying wisdom is the immorality, corruption, and injustice that so defines our world and easily creeps into our fellowship.  The struggles of this broken world can be so overwhelming and discouraging.  We live in the real world where God is the last thing on most peoples’ minds.  But this psalm ends with a note of worshipful longing for a new world, where the LORD will rally to the cause of the poor and deliver His people.  People may scoff at a desire to live a God-honoring life, but there is coming a day when God will set the record straight.  As we look toward that great day, let us live lives that are defined by a practical affirmation not just of God’s existence, but also of His rule and reign in our lives of faith and worship.

God my shepherd

 BY: Pastor Luis Rodriguez

As the news that we been receiving this past couple of weeks, with many of our members being sick with covid-19, some who are in the hospital, some battling cancer, and some mourning, it seems that we can’t catch a break at the start of this year, with everything that is going on, made me remember Psalm 23.

I love this Psalm, it is a Psalm that has always comfort me, the beginning is beautiful, the words  “The Lord is my shepherd” beautiful words of comfort that king David writes, it is a reminder that the Lord is our shepherd, and as a shepherd he is looking after us, caring and a healer to his sheep, the next phrase “ I lack nothing” a reminder that he has given us everything, and we don’t need more, he is enough, as Christians we must always remember that his Holy Spirit is in us, and that Jesus is enough, his salvation is enough, he is our shepherd and he sustain us.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me besides quiet waters, he refreshes my soul” this next verses reminding us the caring nature of God as our shepherd, that he leads us to green pastures, so that we can be feed and nourish, he leads us along the quiet waters so we can remain clam, and lastly the word’s he refreshes my soul, in this rough beginning to our year, with all the bad news that seem to be never ending each week in our church, we must remember that in this hard time our shepherd refreshes our soul, maybe just maybe, all we have to do in the mist of all this news, is just to take a moment to stop reflect on this words and let God nourish us and refresh our soul. In other words, maybe all we must do is to be still and know that He is God and that He is still I control.

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley” he is our guide as our shepherd, he leads along and although the road may be dark, and it may seem that we cannot see the light and the end of the road, we know that our shepherd is with us, and because he is with us “I will fear no evil, for you are with me”, the assurance of our shepherd in our life’s, gives us peace in the mist of the darkest valley, for he is with us and because he is with us we will fear no evil for our God is mighty, and he is our protector. “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me” the shepherd uses his staff to guide the sheep, directing them and setting boundaries, he uses his rod as a weapon against predators. By guiding them into safe places and fighting off their enemies, the shepherd’s rod and staff were a comfort to the sheep. He keeps us from going astray and He is our protector and our comforter and in this time of darkness we must remember that he is our protector and because he is with us we shall fear no evil.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” This picture in this next verse may be misunderstood by our standards but it may reflect one of two things, (1) a description of God’s protection and power, in this case in David’s life as he could feast in safety and security even thought he was surrounded by enemies, or (2) this could represent a victory fest at which David celebrated the defeat of his enemies, who were his prisoners without weapons and no longer dangerous. But what we can know for certain is this, is that if the Lord is my shepherd, He will keep us safe even in the middle of our enemies.

“You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows”, pastors apply oil in the heads of the sheep to help alleviate the pain produce from larva from flies that lay their eggs in the nostrils of the sheep, this larva torment the sheep to a point that the sheep may take its own life because of the pain, so the oil alleviates this pain caused by the larva, in the same way God’s Holy Spirit alleviates us from the pain of this world, we are anointed in Jesus Christ with his blood, the Lord is my shepherd, a word of assurance that our God is always looking after us and because he is always looking after us we can surely say “my cup overflows”.

And if you have made it this far on this beautiful Psalm, we can end with these beautiful words that culminate the nature of God and his love toward us and his care for us as our Shepherd. “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” what beautiful words of reassurance in this time, in the mist of the problems, in the middle of the pandemic, in our walk in the darkest valley, his goodness and his love will follow us all the days of our life. May God bless you in this time, and as we took this journey through this Psalm my prayer is that you can find that peace and reassurance that the Lord is our shepherd, and we lack nothing.

New Creations

by Ryan Duncan

“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” – 1 Peter 1:23

Have you ever done something embarrassing? I know I have. In fact, you could say my entire childhood (and a good portion of my adult life) has been one long string of embarrassing moments. I am still haunted by the memory of when I threw up during my English final, or the time I tripped while skiing and caused a massive, ten-man pile-up in front of the ski lift. The worst part is your brain never lets you forget it.

The difficult news is it’s not just embarrassing moments we seem unable to forget, it’s our mistakes. Many of us have done things in our lives that we regret. We’ve acted selfishly, or violently, and other people have been hurt because of it. The Devil loves to use our past mistakes against us; they are by far his favorite weapons. He will always wait until we’re vulnerable, then take our dirty laundry and rub it in our face.

It’s at moments like these that I always turn to 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 and reminded myself about the truth behind Christ’s ministry.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” – 2 Corinthians 5: 17-19

When we choose to follow Christ, our slates are instantly wiped clean. All the mistakes we’ve made all the stupid things we’ve done, embarrassing or otherwise, no longer matter to God. We may still have to accept the consequences of our actions, but we can take comfort in knowing that in God’s sight we are new creations. So do not allow Satan to guilt you with past mistakes, you are a child of God and he will never see you as anything less.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Take a moment to read your Bible and reflect on God’s words.

When I Grow Up

by Katherine Britton as posted on Crosswalk the Devotional

"Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, then we will live and also do this or that." - James 4:15

"You can be anything you want when you grow up, sweetie."

My parents profoundly ignored that phrase when I was growing up. I never heard them say those words, although the self-esteem trend was certainly making its way through the schools and Saturday morning cartoons. That's not to say that they told me the opposite or never encouraged my efforts. On the contrary, my mother carted me to ice skating practice, art lessons, piano lessons, debate club, and even soccer (for one pathetic season). She pushed me to do my best at whatever activity or homework assignment came my way, because it was a matter of "doing all things for the glory of God." And that's exactly why she and my father never told me I could be anything I wanted when I grew up.

My parents knew better.

Instead of the infinite-potential catchphrase, they would tell me things like, "If God wants you to be a concert pianist, then you will be," or "God gave you this talent for a reason, so we're going to cultivate it." That took the focus off of what I "wanted to be" and onto how God had gifted me. For that reason, my mother pushed me into writing tutoring even though I absolutely hated it at the time. I certainly had no intentions of being an editor when I grew up. Little did I know.

Can we really be anything we want when we grow up? The famous verses in Proverbs suggest otherwise. "In his heart a man plans his course," says Proverbs 16:9. Sure, I can make plans to be anything I want. "But the Lord determines [my] steps," as the verse concludes. My parents understood this from their own crazy life stories. So they told me not about my endless potential, but about God's ability to take me to places unknown and undreamed of.

I laugh inwardly when people ask me where I want to be in five or ten years, because Heaven only knows where I actually will be. Besides, I'm still inexperienced in all this career and marriage stuff, and still figuring out my goals. How comforting it is to know that it's my responsibility to cultivate the little talents I have and let God decide where to take them.

Even at this point in my life, I can look back and see the long line of events, circumstances, character-building chances (oh boy!), and opportunities that I couldn't have orchestrated myself. I see now that I couldn't have been anything I wanted. Instead, I have become - and will become - whatever God wants me to be. After all, He knows me more intimately than I know myself. He knows exactly how I can serve His kingdom best. Yes, that's what I want to be when I grow up.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  "If the Lord wills, then we will live and also do this or that." Are we aware just how fully dependent we are on God? Does this give us comfort? Or does it scare us that we control so little of our lives? Are you excited to see where God will take you, or afraid that His plan will be different from your own? It all comes down to a single question: are we willing to surrender our plans for His glory?

Hope For All!!

By Robin Wiley

Scripture

1 Timothy 1:12-17 NIV

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Wait…Did Paul really just claim to be the worst of all sinners? He didn’t really mean that, did he? This is the Apostle Paul—the one who wrote almost half of the books of the New Testament (13 out of 27!). Surely, he was exaggerating to sound humble. Or was he?

Earlier in his ministry, he admits to being the “least of the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:9). Later he claimed to be the least of all God’s people (Ephesians 3:8). And now, he believes himself to be the worst of sinners. Paul sounds like he has self-esteem issues – right?!?

As Christians, it is natural to believe that as we get more mature in our faith, we are supposed to grow more holy, not less. What Paul is bringing to light is that as God works in our life to grow us, He is at the same time revealing how sinful we really are. How broken we really are compared to Christ’s perfect grace.

When you are playing outside at night, it doesn’t seem dark. Once you get inside and look out the window, it is only then that you discover how truly dark it was. So, it is with our faith. The more light that comes into our life, the more clearly we then see the darkness.

Sin is heavy. Seeing the weight of our sin, however, can bring blessings to our lives. The first being when we see ourselves as bigger sinners than we initially thought, we see a bigger need for Christ and His forgiveness. The more we see our sin, the more we need Him, and the more we will run to Him for forgiveness.

The second blessing from seeing an awareness of sin brings humility - not shame or humiliation - but humility, which is a brilliant reflection of Jesus to others. The tax collector story in Luke 18 (13-14) shows us how we really need to behave and not be judgmental or treat others like we are better than they are. Jesus was the very definition of the word humility in how He approached people and life in general. His example is a powerful one for us to follow daily.   

Seeing the weight of our sin is the beginning of power and confidence, another blessing. After we recognize our sin – we are seeing the Spirit’s power in us through Christ’s forgiveness and needing Him desperately. Our confidence is not in ourselves or in either our righteousness before God or our reputation before others. Our confidence is in Jesus, and that confidence cannot be shaken. Our security in Jesus gives us the opportunity to think less often about what others think of us. It gives us freedom to make mistakes and fail. No longer do we have to build and protect our own kingdom. We are part of God’s kingdom now.

Sins weigh a lot, but those who can see their sins see something good. When we confess these sins, knowing that they’re forgiven, we see something better – Jesus himself. 

So even though sin weighs a lot, we aim to see it and enjoy the benefits of confession. When we lay it down, we are thankful and find joy in confession, knowing we are already forgiven because Jesus has become our sacrifice, once and for all (Heb. 10:11–14). Our greatest need has been met and there is hope for all!

Reflection:

• What sin are you hanging onto that you need to let go?

• How can you let Christ’s light shine more in your life this week?

Have you ever tried staring at a bright light really close for about 8 seconds and then shut your eyes and cover them with your hands?  What do you see?  In the darkness you see the outline of the light image peeping through. It stays there quite awhile. That is an illustration of God’s love and grace shining through the darkness of our sin. He stays with us to shine Jesus’ light in our lives.

Prayer:

Father God, thank you that you are working in our lives—both to make us more like Jesus AND to show us more of our sin. Help us when we are confronted with our sin to run to Jesus whose love and forgiveness is far greater than we can ever fathom. Please bless our family with your grace and love.  In the name of Jesus - Amen.

Worship that Launches Us on Mission Acts 13:1-3

Spend a few moments reflecting on these words from Christian Author EM Bounds from over 100 years ago:

We are constantly on a stretch, if not on a strain, to devise new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the church and secure enlargement and efficiency for the gospel. This trend of the day has a tendency to lose sight of the man or sink the man in the plan or organization. God’s plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than of anything else. Men are God’s method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men…What the church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Spirit can use—men of prayer, mighty in prayer. The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men—men of prayer.[1]

·      Do you think Bounds’ challenging critique of ministry in his day still has relevance today?  Why or why not? 

·      Describe the circumstances surrounding the Antioch Church’s launching of Barnabas and Saul from this passage in Acts?  What do you think the significance might be of this “sending” coming out of the context of corporate worship and devotion? What implications might this experience have for us as we seek God’s will for our own lives and ministries?

·      As you read this passage thinking about how worship launches us in mission, is there anything you sense God calling you to be or do? Prayerfully commit yourself to whatever this sense of calling might be.

“Father, thank you for allowing us to know and worship you. Forgive us for times when we live as though you’re not even real. Shape us that our worship might become more and more the defining part of our story. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, amen.”

For Such a Time as This

By Debbie McDaniel, as posted on Crosswalk the Devotional

“And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" - Esther 4:14

God is the only One, who has the power to turn trials into blessings. Don’t ever doubt that He is Able. Nothing is impossible with Him.

He’s always at work even when we can’t see the whole story, even when things look uncertain.

And that sets the stage for great things to happen, “…for such a time as this.” - Esther 4:14

Queen Esther had a choice. When Mordecai sent word to her about the great danger their people were facing, she could have simply tried to save herself. She could have kept quiet. Just hoped for the best, or turned the other way. But she and Mordecai both knew that God had given her great purpose in her position. She was wise, she made a plan, she didn’t stay stuck in fear or worry, she prayed and fasted, and asked for their people to do the same. She was willing to act, to follow God’s lead, to save the lives of her people, even if it meant she might lose hers. (Read the whole story in the book of Esther)

Though our current situations may look different than what Esther faced, we might still be struggling with great fear or uncertainty. The future may look dark. A hard diagnosis or recent loss may have sent us spiraling. Yet often God places us in positions of influence, or in strategic locations, with great purpose in mind. Many times, the places where we find ourselves is not really “all about us.” It’s about Him. It’s about His bigger plan.

May God help us to follow His lead, believing that His timing is perfect, remembering that He’s always faithful.

If you find yourself facing times of trouble or testing right now, be assured that God is at work in your situation. He’s working within you, and on your behalf in all the events that surround you, no matter how difficult. In whatever we face, God is still on the throne. He is powerful, nothing is too difficult for Him.

Keep your eyes fixed on the Lord, He will not fail you, or leave you to struggle through on your own. Not ever.

And He is faithful to turn our pain into greater purpose, in our own lives, and for those around us.

Intersecting Faith & Life: If you’re facing uncertainty over the future, or have a big problem that’s troubling you today, give it to God. Again. Be willing to pray, fast, wait for His direction, then act on the wisdom He provides. Know that He is for you, and will never fail. Believe that He is at work, and setting the stage for great things to happen.

Discovering Life's Purpose by Charles Stanley

From https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions 1/13/22

Ephesians 2:8-10 English Standard Version

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

What is my purpose in life? Many people today are asking that question, but only those who have trusted Christ as Savior and Lord can ever discover the true answer. Today’s passage tells us that our salvation is an act of God, and now we’re His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to accomplish what He has prepared for us to do. That is our purpose in life, and it has three components. 

1. Sanctification is simply ongoing growth in holiness. As we cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s work in our life, He transforms our character to be more like the Lord’s and renews our mind with scriptural truth.

2. Stewardship is faithful management of the time, talents, spiritual gifts, and treasures God has given us. They are to be used according to His priorities and direction, not for our own self-advancement. 

3. Service includes things like stimulating spiritual growth, meeting physical needs, and encouraging one another through Scripture. We serve the Lord by ministering to others.

All this is your purpose in life. But remember, this is not about self-effort; it’s God at work in you. Your part is to avail yourself of all the means He uses to accomplish His goals—His Word, His Spirit, and His church. 

Is Suffering Inevitable?

by Shawn McEvoy

For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
1 Peter 3:17, NAS

Suffering. It's not standard daily devotional fare, because let's face it, usually we want to begin or end our day being uplifted, or even better, lifting up God, rather than focusing on our pains and problems.

But there's the rub... we all have pains and problems. Christian and non-Christian. Lifelong disciple and baby believer. Red and yellow, black and white. Everyone, from the moment he or she was born, has struggled, tried, failed, hurt, sinned, misunderstood, and reacted. Humanity shares a true brotherhood over suffering, one that we might understand a lot better if suffering weren't also so relative. By which I mean, one person's issues may sound simple, easy-to-solve, even petty to another. "That's nothing compared to what I've had to endure!"

But the fact is, your sorrows and difficulties are real to you. It's one reason why I'm no fan of when people say a certain place or time in their lives isn't "the real world," as if the spot they are currently tucked away at is immune from any degree of difficulty.

Suffering is very real, and there's certainly no reason any Christian would expect life to be otherwise. We purport to follow a "Suffering Savior." His stripes have healed us, and wow do we seem to feel them sometimes, which is as it should be, as we deserved them instead of Him. If we agree that no person but One - no matter where they lived or how easy or hard they had it - has escaped sin's corruption, then how much more must we agree that truly NO person has escaped suffering?

Look at what Peter suggests in today's verse: you can suffer for doing good, or you can suffer for doing bad. By extension, some of the problems in your life may be a result of your own rebellious choices, while other hurts may naturally result from walking so closely with Christ that you ache at the injustice and hardship around you, with the world despising and persecuting you.

In the classic allegory Hinds' Feet on High Places, Much-Afraid journeys with companions named Sorrow and Suffering, and these two assist her in her climb up the Injury Precipice, which is a part of her transformation into "Grace and Glory."

The same is true for you. Your sufferings have informed you, educated you, helped you along in your journey. You may despise them, but they are yours. And they will be with you whether you are doing right, or not. Of course, the nature of them will be quite different.

There may yet be one way, though, to avoid suffering. There's a third option, left out here by Peter, but not left out by John in the Revelation. It's the middling, lukewarm response to life, the do-nothing approach. This is the approach that cocoons itself off from life and all of its pain (but also all of its involvement). And make no mistake, "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something," says that famous theologian the Man in Black in The Princess Bride.

You may not feel anything from inside a cocoon; in fact, it may be an abundance of pain and suffering that forced you in there. But remember, no creature that cocoons itself is intended to stay locked up forever. The point is to be rested, healed, matured, transformed. To become more beautiful, useful. Even the emerging process itself carries a degree of struggle, but one that, if the insect did not go through unhindered, would leave it too weak to fly.

So be lifted up in your suffering today.

It is a companion.

It is designed to transform you.

It gives you a share in the inheritance of Christ and the brotherhood of humanity.

And it gives you empathy, which gives you every excuse for ministry.

Grow in Grace

By Robin Wiley

Scripture

II Peter 3:17-18

17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Growing up, I think most families have a place in the house, probably near the kitchen like I did, where the physical growth of the children is recorded with pencil marks over the years. When we hear “grow,” many images may come to mind of shoe sizes, school subjects, or work skills. For me, it was a good day when I was marked taller than my older sister. We were and still are very competitive with each other since we are close in age (exactly eleven months apart) and being taller than her gave me a slight edge. 

Peter concludes his second letter to early Christians with “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” We tend to accept that we can grow in knowledge, but we can easily skip around the idea of growing in grace. The context here is both believers’ hardship and the hope of Christ’s return. When we are faced with hardship, we can look to the certainty of Jesus and his grace. This confidence in him does not freeze or pause us in our actions, but rather it moves us forward to be more active by faith.

Many times trials can distract or discourage our faith. Certainly the challenge we have all faced these past two years (has it really been that long??) with maneuvering our lives around Covid can be tiring and wear us down. If we look to God’s Word – He is using all of this difficulty for our good. Even when we don’t understand everything in Scripture, as Peter comments here about Paul’s writings, we know Jesus and the Scriptures are our stability. The struggle itself is a catalyst for us to cling to Christ, to grow in our dependency upon his grace. Only later will we be able to look back and see the spiritual pencil marks that the Lord is graciously giving to us.

How to show grace to others:

• Through your words: Be kind and gentle in what you say and how you say it.

• Look for needs and opportunities. simple everyday kindnesses and actions often help in great ways.

• Forgive others and ask for forgiveness when you need it.

• Extend a little grace to someone this week – because God gives it to us freely, even when we do not deserve it.

Prayer:  Father God –you both saved us by grace through faith and sustain us by your grace. Teach us to lean into your sweet grace and to grow in it, for the sake of your name and your Kingdom here on earth. We pray this in Jesus’ name – Amen!

Epiphany: Lessons from the Magi Matthew 2:1-12

Take a few moments to reflect on this excerpt from Max Lucado’s book One Incredible Moment: Celebrating the Majesty of the Manger.

Suppose you could give a gift to Christ, what would it be? How could you possibly select a gift for the One who not only has everything, but who made everything?

The Wise Men did. They can be an example to us. In addition to the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they gave the Savior some gifts we can give him today: their hope, their time, and their worship.

The wandering wise men gave Jesus their hope. When everyone else saw a night sky, this small band of men saw the light. The sight of the star sparked a desire in their hearts that send them packing. They went, seeking Jesus.

When night comes to your world, what do you see? The darkness or the stars? Hopelessness or hopefulness? Sometimes, just as he did so long ago, God uses the darkness to reveal his stars—“The light shines in the darkness” (John 1:5). Give God your hope…

While you’re giving, give God your time. The wise men did. Before they gave God their presents, they gave their presence. It’s likely that these men traveled as long as two years before locating the prince of heaven. Before that one incredible moment when they knelt before Jesus, the wise men spent many moments, months, perhaps years searching, in anticipation of that meeting. Just as the wise men devoted themselves to seeking the Savior, so can you: “You will seek him and find him when you seek him with all your heart” (Duet. 4:29).

And when they did find him, the wise men gave Jesus another gift: their worship. Men of wealth, influence, and intellect: what did they do when they saw Jesus? “…they fell down and worshiped him” (Matt. 2:11)

Worship. It’s a gift that extends to the giver as well. Through worship, we come to see God more clearly. God invites us, through worship, to see his face so he can change ours. In worship, we simply stand before God with a prepared and willing heart and let God do his work. And he does. He wipes away the tears. He mops away the perspiration. He softens our furrowed brows. He touches our cheeks. He changes our faces as we worship. The wise men sought the child of God, just as God seeks his children. “The Father is actively seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23).

The gifts of hope, time, and worship. Three gifts the wise still give all year long. (“Following the Star”)

·      How did the Magi offer Jesus their hope, time, and worship? How can we offer those same gifts today?

·      Read the passage from Matthew’s gospel again.

·      Do you sense God calling you to be or do anything in these words?  Commit whatever that is to Him today.

“Father, thank you for sending Jesus to be the Savior of the whole wide world.  Forgive us for times when we fail to give Him the best of our hope, time, and worship. Guide us to fuller commitment, deeper service, and stronger love as we commit ourselves anew to your kingdom and righteousness. In the matchless name of King Jesus, amen.”

First class or coach?

By Jim Mitchell

So I flew first class recently. What a waste.

I mean, I didn’t intend to waste it. I actually hadn’t even purchased a first class ticket and was headed to my normal luxury spot by the rear bathroom.

But as I’m boarding the plane, my travel buddy turns to me at row 2 and says, “That’s your seat today,” and keeps walking.

Confused, but with other passengers waiting, I tossed my backpack into the overhead bin, stepped over a man wearing an expensive suit, and settled into my window seat.

And there I sat, puzzled, the entire flight.

I had no clue that my friend, a frequent flyer, had upgraded my ticket using his loyalty points. Another important detail he forgot to mention—the perks of first class.

To be honest, I didn’t even realize I was in first class, which made it super weird watching the guy in the suit ask for a bunch of fancy snacks, an adult beverage, a Starbucks chaser, and a pillow, all while enjoying his free Wi-Fi.

Must be nice, I thought to myself smugly, unaware that the exact same amenities were available to me for the asking.

The irony of my blunder only sank in after the flight when my friend asked, “What’d ya get?”

I’m like, “A Diet Coke. Why?” 

He says, “WHAT?! That’s all? I’m never giving you my first class upgrade again!”

Yep, I’m the guy who sat in first class but flew coach.

And sadly, I do the same in my marriage most days, and maybe you do too. So many perks available, but so few of them enjoyed.

Neighborhood walks and talks. Private whispers in public that make you both giggle. Encouraging comments that say, “I see you.” Vacuuming the bedroom before movie night just because. A hand held after a deep sigh. Sweet memories shared over ice cream—one bowl, two spoons. Simple prayers (and maybe a backrub) to end the day.

The sky really is the limit with perks to make your very ordinary marriage feel first class. 

Unless you’d rather fly coach? I hear there’s a seat open next to the bathroom.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the special people you put in our lives, please guide us to recognize and cherish the strengths that others and we ourselves bring to these relationships. May we come together and use our strengths for Your glory. Amen.

Creation

The Beginning (Genesis 1:1-5 NIV)

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hoveringover the waters.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good,and he separated the light from the darkness.5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

I got to watch Get Back, the Beatles documentary on Disney+ over the holiday break. Never in my life did I even fathom that I could watch Paul McCartney writing the lyrics to some of my favorite songs like Let it Be and The Long and Winding Road. There was something amazing about watching him mumble through unformed lyrics of verses that were not even in existence yet. I was witnessing creation by one of the most amazing song writers in the world.

Then I started to realize that I get to read the Bible and witness a collection of stories, sermons, letters, laws and grand revelation by THE most amazing creator in all the universe. Read this passage in Genesis again. Imagine it. Read all of Genesis. Bask in the glory of God’s great creation as told in beautiful poetry, and witness the beginnings of creation. When you are done, enjoy C.S. Lewis’ portrayal of God’s great creation…

In the darkness, something was happening at last. A voice had begun to sing. It was very far away and Digory found it hard to decide from what direction it was coming. Sometimes it seemed to come from all directions at once. Sometimes he almost thought it was coming out of the earth beneath them. Its lower notes were deep enough to be the voice of the earth herself. There were no words. There was hardly even a tune. But it was, beyond comparison, the most beautiful noise he had ever heard. It was so beautiful he could hardly bear it . . . Then two wonders happened at the same moment. One was that the voice was suddenly joined by other voices; more voices than you could possibly count. They were in harmony with it, but far higher up the scale; cold, tingling, silvery voices. The second wonder was that the blackness overhead, all at once, was blazing with stars. They didn't come out gently one by one as on a summer evening. One moment there had been nothing but darkness; next moment a thousand, thousand points of light leaped out . . . If you had seen and heard it, as Digory did, you would have felt quite certain that it was the First Voice, the deep one, which had made them appear and made them sing.

- C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew (New York: Collier), pp. 98-99.

Ray Sanchez is the pastor of Worship and Administration at FBC Weslaco. He loves the Beatles and learning about people’s creative processes. He is continually learning to bask in the blessing of being a part of God’s great creative process!