hope in Jesus Christ – Daily Devo Time

Daily Devotional for January 23, 2023 – Cats, comics, and the commands of Jesus…it’s time to share His word, will, love and hope with others

Psalm 119:89-100
Forever, O Lord, your Word stands firm in heaven. Your faithfulness extends to every generation, like the earth you created; it endures by your decree, for everything serves your plans.

I would have despaired and perished unless your laws had been my deepest delight. I will never lay aside your laws, for you have used them to restore my joy and health. I am yours! Save me! For I have tried to live according to your desires. Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind upon your promises.

Nothing is perfect except your words. Oh, how I love them. I think about them all day long. They make me wiser than my enemies because they are my constant guide. Yes, wiser than my teachers, for I am ever thinking of your rules. They make me even wiser than the aged.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Greg and I try to stay relatively current and well-informed. We read several online news reports that are delivered to our e-mail inboxes each day, and we read at least some of the articles in our state newspaper. We pay attention to television news – from a variety of outlets. And I will be honest…much of what we learn is disheartening, if not downright depressing. Sometimes, what we learn leaves us frustrated – even angry. And don’t get me started on comments we see on social media outlets. So, we look for ways to lighten the mood…brighten our day…and remain hopeful.

One of these is “Dodo” videos of cute animals and sweet stories of their rescue and rehab…and short videos of cats doing silly things! Our hikes and walks are also a great source of encouragement and peace as we enjoy nature and spend time talking with God. I also read several comic strips in the newspaper each day, and they almost always make me laugh. Spending time with family and friends, and encouraging others with notes, cards, visits, and Meals on Wheels delivery also give us a sense of purpose and restore our joy as we actively seek to “love one another.”

Before you polish our crowns, understand that on any given day, we can feel discouraged, too. Jesus never promised us an easy life…but He does offer us an opportunity to experience His joy and peace as we serve others in His name. And “experience” has been a great teacher. We have learned much in our six-plus decades of living…and we have seen how God has carried us through every single situation and circumstance, both positive and negative. We have learned to keep our focus on the promises of God, even as the “news” around us darkens. We are determined to listen to God over man…to believe in His commands, even when the “world” says otherwise.

On days when the “news” seems particularly grim, I focus even more on Jesus. I remind myself that there are always opportunities to love others…to share a word of hope and encouragement…to offer positive comments – and share a cartoon or a post of a funny kitten or two. God made these little goofballs, too – and maybe He created memes and videos of their antics just to lighten our mood and brighten our day!

I challenge you to look for the hope and joy of Jesus in unusual places…to seek His word and follow His will – even when others suggest differently. Jesus will never steer you in the wrong direction…and He is still alive and active guarding and guiding our every step! Let’s share His love wherever and whenever we can – and do our part to offer His hope and promises to others. Alleluia!

Daily Devotional for October 26, 2022 – Rooted in God’s love and grace…and paying it forward to others

Ephesians 3:14-19
When I think of the wisdom and scope of his plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God—some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth—that out of his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you the mighty inner strengthening of his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

This morning, I saw a “Facebook memory” from ten years ago that showed our nephew, Timothy, roaring like a lion in his Halloween costume. I had found the “lion suit” at a local thrift store and added a mask fashioned from a paper plate and fabric scraps. In the photo, Timothy is not wearing the mask, and you can see his little scrunched up face as he gave us all his best “ROAR!” We took several photos that day, because we were celebrating the wedding of our niece and her husband, which took place on our back deck.

So much has happened since that day. We recently went out to dinner with our niece and her family to celebrate a decade of marriage. As we looked at the photos from that day, we realized that only one other person who attended – our niece’s paternal grandmother – is still alive. When I read this passage from Ephesians this morning, I thought about what Paul was saying…how the Holy Spirit has given each of us mighty inner strengthening…how He has cultivated deep roots of love – for Him and for each other.

A lot can happen in ten years. A lot can happen in ten days! Just recently, a dear woman who belonged to my church visited mutual friends mid-week, attended church services on Sunday, and had a heart attack and died the following Tuesday. When we stop and look at all that has happened to us over the years…the only explanation I have for why we are still standing is God’s grace. And lest you think this was not extended to people like my friend who died, let me assure you that she would not return to this earth for anything we could offer her. Sometimes, God’s grace and love plays out in the calling Home of His children.

My point is this…I don’t have a logical, “human” explanation for how any of us have made it this far. And my human brain cannot grasp the vastness of God’s love and grace. But I fully accept everything He offers me. I am His…hook, line, and sinker! While I appreciate all that God grants me…I don’t spend a whole lot of time trying to understand or explain it! God’s love and grace are gifts…pure and simple. And I am so truly grateful. The more He fills me, the more I love Him and want to serve as a disciple of Christ Jesus. The more I grasp God’s intricate handiwork in my life and the lives of those around me, the more I want to tell everyone about this abundance and get in on the blessings for themselves.

The more I spend time with God and try to see His hand in every aspect of my life, the more amazed and humbled I am. I know I will never see the end of God’s love and grace – or fully understand it all. My prayer is that we will accept His gifts and determine every day to make the most of them by showing love and grace to others…all for His glory. Alleluia, and Amen!

Daily Devotional for June 10, 2019 – Cultivating a relationship with Jesus…it’s time to celebrate!

Zephaniah 3:16-18
Jerusalem, the time is coming,
when it will be said to you:
“Don’t be discouraged
or grow weak from fear!
The Lord your God
wins victory after victory
and is always with you.
He celebrates and sings
because of you,
and he will refresh your life
with his love.”
The Lord has promised: Your sorrow has ended,
and you can celebrate.

Our nephew, Nathan, spent most of the weekend with us. He will be seven in a couple of months. I forget that he is still very much a little boy…completely different from his older sister and brother. He is more sensitive…and less mature. He doesn’t grasp certain concepts in the way that they do…and he is more easily upset, frightened, and frustrated because of this. He will get there. I’ve seen it happen to Timmy and Zola…and countless other children. It’s a process.

You and I go through much the same sort of “process” as Christians. We don’t have the confidence, courage, and peace in the early days as believers that we will cultivate over time. Jesus is always with us…even before those early days of redemption. But the more we grow to know Him and follow Him…the more we recognize His presence. As an adult, you probably have a far greater appreciation for your parents than you did when you were a little kid.

As we cultivate our relationship with Jesus, we come to appreciate and understand even more just how precious we are to Him – how much He celebrates and sings because of us. We become more aware of His continual presence and the countless ways that He “wins victory after victory” on our behalf. We learn to rest in His love and care, grace and mercy…and to replace sorrow, fear and frustration with joy, peace and confidence.

This scripture passage from Zephaniah is a prophecy about Christ’s return and how glorious it will be in Heaven. But we can experience this joy and redemption here…now…today. Nothing is too big for Jesus to handle on our behalf – and He is ready, willing and able to begin a new work in us. All we have to do is surrender to His will, ask for His forgiveness…and trust Him to refresh our lives with His love.

We cannot play the “kid card” forever…and frankly, the time has come for us to grow up. We must acknowledge our sins and shortcomings and make the commitment to put them in our past. We can do this…Christ will help us! He stands ready to redeem us and set us upright…to fill us with joy and peace – and the hope of Heaven. Are you willing to give Him your burdens and put your life of sin behind you for good? Don’t you want to feel Him with you all the time, meeting your every need as it happens? All you have to do is whisper, “Come, Lord Jesus” – and mean it with all of your heart. Are you ready to celebrate?

Daily Devotional for May 14, 2019 – Take a fresh look at the 23rd Psalm…

May 14 ~ Psalm 23
You, Lord, are my shepherd.
I will never be in need.
You let me rest in fields
of green grass.
You lead me to streams
of peaceful water,
and you refresh my life.

You are true to your name,
and you lead me
along the right paths.

I may walk through valleys
as dark as death,
but I won’t be afraid.
You are with me,
and your shepherd’s rod
makes me feel safe.

You treat me to a feast,
while my enemies watch.
You honor me as your guest,
and you fill my cup
until it overflows.

Your kindness and love
will always be with me
each day of my life,
and I will live forever
in your house, Lord.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Yesterday, Greg and I attended a funeral for the father of two high school friends. I turned over the “funeral folder” this morning, and the 23rd Psalm was printed on the back. We see this Psalm often. Many of us know it by heart from the King James translation…”The LORD is my shepherd…I shall not want.”

I encourage you to take some time today and study this translation from the Contemporary English Version. The translator has presented the verses in a way that truly resonates with us today. The phrases make sense and remind us of God’s incomparable love and care in modern, everyday language.

God is our Shepherd…we truly do have everything we need. He does make us feel safe and “fill our cup” until it overflows. His kindness will always be with us, forever and ever. These are promises we can cling to and internalize. This passage fills us with hope and gives us strength and courage.

I wish this translation were used more commonly. Imagine how this particular declaration of God’s love and care would comfort a grieving family or someone who is troubled. So I offer the 23rd Psalm to you today in this modern translation, with the desire that you consider these phrases carefully and take them to heart. May they offer you hope and courage for this day – and all of the days to come.

Daily Devotional for April 22, 2019 – A message of hope and promise this “Day After Easter”

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

It’s the day after Easter. Children are back in school…people have gone back to work…the Easter decorations and baskets are being put away for another year. Enough candy to get the kids to Halloween is being hidden in hopes of doling it out in small increments over the next few weeks.

“Life” after Easter is moving forward. And for some, today will be a hard day. This day will mean a hospital stay, chemo treatments, divorce court, or mailboxes filled with more bills than there is money in the bank to pay them. People will tour skilled care facilities and juggle the question of how to care for an aging loved one…and caregivers will struggle to get it all done and take care of themselves in the process. Teachers will pray for strength and courage to get through these last few busy weeks of school. Parents will prepare for graduations…and “empty nests”.

The people of Paris will try to figure out how to move forward with restoring their beloved Notre Dame, while the people of Sri Lanka will struggle to figure out where to begin to put lives back together after the bombings that killed almost 300 people. People around the world will wonder, “Will I survive this day?” – and you may be one of them. With all of the challenges and struggles, you might be thinking, “Goodness! This is a hopeless message!” But I beg to differ.

This “Day after Easter”, we are reminded by the prophet Isaiah that God is still with us. He will strengthen us, help us, and uphold us with His victorious right hand. Jesus Christ is ALIVE! His Holy Spirit is available to dwell within each of us. No matter what we are facing today, we can do so with hope and faith. God is with us!

I pray that you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit today. I pray that whatever is happening in your life this “Day After Easter” – and in the days to come – that you feel the strength and help that comes from God Almighty! I pray that the message of Easter resonates with you…that Jesus is ALIVE and well…and He is holding you close and watching over your ever breath. He is preparing a home for us in Heaven, where there will be no tears, heartaches, struggles, bills, illness, or impairment – and we will never grow old. I pray that you live this day and all days with hope and confidence in the promises and power of Jesus Christ to do all things.

The “Day After Easter” is not just another day. It is a day to live with gratefulness for God’s blessings – and hope for the future. Fear not, for God is with you! Jesus is ALIVE! May you rest firmly in His grip – this day and always.

Daily Devotional for October 19, 2017 – Are you waiting for God to “Say Something”?

John 1:14
And Christ became a human being and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving forgiveness and truth. And some of us have seen his glory—the glory of the only Son of the heavenly Father!

Today, I was driving home from the Aquatic Center, and I heard a song on the radio called “Say Something*”. You can listen to a version recorded by the group Pentatonix at the link shown at the end of this devotional.

Written by Ian Axel, Chad King, and Mike Campbell, this song was first released in 2013. In part, the words say…

Say something, I’m giving up on you
I’ll be the one, if you want me to
Anywhere, I would’ve followed you
Say something, I’m giving up on you

A few lines later, we hear…

And I will stumble and fall
I’m still learning to love
Just starting to crawl

As I listened to this song, I was strongly convicted that someone who is reading this devotional today is filled with worry, regret, and a sense that things are just not working out…and the idea that God is not truly there to help. This person (and perhaps more than one) wants to love and trust Jesus but feels like every step is too small…every effort is too insignificant…that nothing is happening quickly enough.

Someone is ready to throw in the towel and stop trusting in the Christ who became a human being and lived here on earth. Someone has concluded that His forgiveness and truth is a sham…because it surely doesn’t seem evident to him/her in whatever the present circumstances include. And my response would be…please hold on just a little longer.

I am one of those who have “seen His glory”. I know that breakthroughs do come…that while Jesus has never truly left you, it may be hard to feel His presence right now. But He will show up again – in a profound way – and speak to your heart. You just have to stick around and listen for His voice.

I believe that in time, God will “say something” to you about your circumstances. But you have to “be there” to hear Him. This is not the day to give up on God. Call on the Holy Spirit to sustain you until the full glory of Christ’s truth and forgiveness floods your heart and mind. Keep listening…and trusting. God has not given up on you…please don’t give up on Him!

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dYlvdLdK9w

Daily Devotional for August 23, 2017 – Is it well with your soul?

August 23 – James 4:10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

This morning, I shared a post on Facebook that told the story of Horatio Spafford, a successful businessman and lawyer in Chicago, whose four daughters perished while headed to Europe in 1873 aboard the Ville du Harve. This boat collided at sea with an iron-hulled ship. In all 226 passengers aboard the boat perished. Spafford’s wife was among the 47 survivors. A few years earlier, the Spaffords had lost their four-year-old son to pneumonia…then a fire had destroyed Mr. Spafford’s place of business. This family was no stranger to tragedy and tribulation.

As Spafford traveled to be with his wife after the disaster at sea, he penned what has become a well-known hymn…”It is Well With My Soul.” I read about Spafford and this heartbreaking series of events several years ago, and I have thought a lot about this hymn since then. Spafford did not write these words with apathy or a hard heart. He wrote them with humility and recognition that God is in complete control. As I think of the words of this hymn now, I am reminded that even if God were to take everything and everyone we love from us, He would still be worthy of our service and praise. When we are at our lowest point and it looks like things couldn’t possibly get any worse, God can lift us – if we will trust Him. God can make things “well with our souls”…when we humble ourselves before Him.

I leave you today with the words from this amazing hymn. Whatever is happening in and around you…let these words soak into your heart and mind. Remember that “the sky, not the grave, is our goal”…and that God is preparing our way. Ask Him to truly make it “well with your soul” as you humbly serve. And give Him praise for “whispering peace to you” at all times – and in all situations.

It Is Well With My Soul – c.1873 ~ Horatio Spafford

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Daily Devotional for February 7, 2017 – Are You Blaming God?

James 1:12-15
God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves him.Don’t blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and he doesn’t use evil to tempt others. We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us. Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead.

There is a little boy named Landon that is in the second grade classroom across the hallway from Timothy’s class. We also know Landon from church. Seventeen days ago, this 8-year-old boy was hospitalized with agonizing abdominal pain, and the doctors determined that his appendix had ruptured – a week earlier! The massive infection that had set up has taken a toll on this child. He is in Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where he underwent a second surgery recently to remove scar tissue and more infection – and to repair a “twist” in the small intestine. He is unable to keep down any food.

Now, Landon has another infection and a very high fever that the medical team is scrambling to lower with antibiotics and ice baths. He needs to be able to eat and has lost more than 10 pounds. Landon’s mother posted on Facebook today that “Bill (Landon’s dad) and I are leaning into God with all we have right now…but Landon’s young faith has turned to anger.” This is understandable. An eight-year-old in agonizing pain and discomfort doesn’t have the capacity – or the experience – to stand strong when his faith is tested.

Several years ago, there was another little Arkansas boy in a similar-yet-different situation. Job McCully survived leukemia at age 4, thanks to a bone marrow transplant. However, this took a toll on his immune system, and Job contracted bronchiolitis obliterans, which weakened his lungs and drastically reduced their capacity to function. Then Job contracted fungal pneumonia from mold in the family’s home. The only “cure” was a double lung transplant. The family was pretty well told that this was impossible…that Job would not be able to endure or survive such a procedure. This then-8-year-old boy spent eleven months on a ventilator in three separate children’s hospitals…Little Rock, Arkansas…Houston, Texas…and St. Louis, Missouri.

More than once, the doctors told Job’s family that they should sign “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR) papers. Job’s mother, Tina, would tell them, “God has not told me to do this.” And on December 11, 2007, Job received a double lung transplant. In the spring of 2016, Job graduated from high school…and his Facebook page indicates that he is now attending classes at the University of Central Arkansas – and doing very well physically.

Life for the McCullys has been filled with challenges. Job’s maternal grandmother, Glenda, battled breast cancer throughout his illness and still managed to stay by his bedside much of the time. She has since gone to be with Jesus. Job’s mother lost her job, because she had to be gone so much to care for him in these hospitals – hundreds of miles from his father and big sister back in Bigelow, Arkansas. Because of the mold, Job could not return to his home after the transplant, so ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover – and countless volunteers from around the state of Arkansas – gave the family a new home. There have been other challenges and setbacks. But the faith of this family has never wavered, as far as I can tell. They have trusted God continually, despite tremendous odds.

Job’s mother used a blog to keep us updated…and many of her entries were agonizing. But she never blamed God. And I know that Landon’s family won’t, either. We should look at these families…and learn from their examples. We should look at the issues and challenges in our own lives and realize that God is still in our corner. I will tell you, following Job’s journey changed me forever. I learned to never say “Never” with God! And I am holding fast to that claim now with little Landon.

I am claiming in my own life that when troubles come (and they come to all of us), God is not being mean or making bad things happen…and He certainly has not deserted me. God still has me in the palm of His hand…and He is watching and waiting to see if I will trust Him…or if I will succumb to the devil and his attempt to lure me into the “blame game.” Do NOT fall for this trap! Stand firm in your faith…and see where God takes you!

Nothing about life – particularly for Christians – is easy. We are called to stand strong and stay faithful even when the devil comes at us with “the works!” But God is bigger – and mightier – than that ole devil! God wins in the end…and so do we! How we get there may not be as we had hoped or desired. But someday, we will see how everything works together perfectly – and how God was involved in every detail.

I look back at Job’s journey and recall times that *I* doubted…times when I thought perhaps the family should listen to the doctors and let Job go to be with Jesus. Look how wrong I was! I’m not making that mistake again! I am trusting God to handle the details of my life – and the lives of others, as well…and I will never give up on Him! What about you?

Daily Devotional for January 31, 2017 – Do You Belong to Christ’s Family?

Galatians 3:28-29
In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous “descendant,” heirs according to the covenant promises.

Greg recently had an opportunity to listen to Timothy pray, and he was quite impressed by the depth and substance of our 7-year-old nephew’s petition. Twice, Timothy said, “Thank You for taking my sins.” But he also said, “Thank you for letting me be Jewish all of my life.” Bless him…we have some work to do!

In Timothy’s defense, we had just finished a Sunday school lesson in which the children saw a picture of Jesus hanging from the cross with the words, “King of the Jews” imprinted on a sign that was nailed to the top. If Jesus is the King of the Jews, then it would certainly follow (especially to a seven-year-old) that we are also Jewish. We have also been learning about the Israelites and how they were God’s promised people. So it’s easy to see where young children could get a little confused on the particulars of various religious identities.

The beautiful thing about Christian faith – and belonging to Jesus – is that it doesn’t matter who or what we are. We can be “Israelites.” Our King of Kings and LORD of Lords was a Jew…and maybe that does make us “Jewish” – in that verbiage. But we can be male, female, black, white, pink or purple…we can be from any ethnic background – or a mixture of several. Nothing that makes us “different” separates us from Jesus. In His eyes, we are all equal…and all equally important heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven – if only we will invite Him to reign supreme in our hearts and fill us with His Holy Spirit.

I will be honest…I look at our little ones, and my heart stirs with a deep desire for them to be all that they can be – to accomplish all that they are capable of achieving. I want them to enjoy every opportunity that is open to them…and I will do what I can to make sure that these are plentiful. But at the end of the day, I particularly want them to give their hearts to Jesus and belong to Him forever.

As we drove home from church Sunday, Greg and I, Timothy, Zola and Nathan had a lively discussion about Jesus, the Holy Spirit…and the devil. We all agreed that giving your heart to Jesus is a great thing…and every single one of us said we had done so! We celebrated the fact that someday, we will all be together in Heaven. It does not get any better than this!

Even at young ages, our children recognize the importance – and value – of belonging to Jesus. It never enters their mind that He might not consider them as valuable as anyone else. They trust Him and understand already that He has offered them the most precious gift…Salvation and forgiveness for their sins – and the promise of Eternity with Him in Heaven. Do you get this? Do you fully understand how special this gift of Jesus is…and have you accepted Him for yourself?

There is something very precious about the innocent concept that we have belonged to Jesus all of our life…and in this context, this would make us “Jewish.” I want to operate in childlike faith and understanding that I am fully a member of Jesus’ family, too. What about you?

Daily Devotional for January 21, 2017 – Who Has True Power in Your World?

Colossians 1:15-20
We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.

He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.

Yesterday, while I ate lunch with Zola and her kindergarten class, the rest of the elementary students were watching the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States via live streaming. When I returned to Timothy’s 2nd-grade classroom, the students raced to tell me about watching the ceremony on the “smart board.” The conversation among the children was lively – and at times, almost heated – as viewpoints from both “sides” were presented. Of course, these were mostly echoes of what had been expressed at home, on television…and even during the inaugural speech.

Before the inauguration, Timothy’s teacher did well explaining to the children that none of them was “right” or “wrong”…that in our country, there is supposed to be a peaceful transition of power from one president to the next. She noted that there had been elections in which her candidate had been elected – and those where this wasn’t the case. Each time, she accepted the results – even when she didn’t like them. She tried to reassure the children that they will all be okay.

I have to say, there are a lot of people today who are not so sure this teacher is right. There are many who are exuberant over this change in “power,” and others whose feelings range from mild concern to downright despondency and panic. As I read this passage from Colossians 1, I was reminded of the true Power in my world. The last verses gave me courage, and hope. God’s gift of Jesus trumps everything else…His supremacy will not be defiled or diluted. Jesus will fix “all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe – people and things, animals and atoms” and “fit them together in vibrant harmonies.”

Jesus didn’t die in vain…His ultimate sacrifice – His very blood on the cross – was poured out for each and every one of us who will turn to Him and follow His teachings. Throughout our lives, there will be difficulties, heartaches, trials and tribulations – for all of us. There will be earthly situations where we “win some and lose some.” But in the end, Jesus wins and reigns supreme. He is our Lord and Savior…and when we serve and obey Him, we can live in the peace and confidence that He will fix everything else.

I believe this with all of my heart. So I am able to tell my little ones – and others …I don’t know when or how everything will be okay, but I know that it will. I know this because Jesus is my Supreme Ruler and Lord. Where is your hope today?

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: