Category: Devotions

Read Psalm 132:1-12.

This is one of the 15 psalms of ascent. Many scholars believe these would have been sung on each of the 15 steps as people made their way up to the temple in Jerusalem. In this one, the singers remember David’s mission to locate the ark of God in Jerusalem, setting it up as the sacred center for Jewish worship. The Hebrew people had always been on the move, whether by choice or by force. Unified as a nation, David sought to secure a “proper home” for God, a destination for pilgrims from many different places. This was finally accomplished through his son, Solomon.

Think of the founding mothers and fathers of our local church. Why do you think planting a church in this community was important to them? What do you think they hoped the mission of the church would be? In what ways does our church continue to honor those hopes and dreams? What are your hopes and dreams for our church in the coming years?

Today, say a prayer for our local church, that we may be guided by God’s vision for our mission in the world around us and that any decisions or ministries would be motivated by love for God and neighbor.

Read 2 Samuel 23:1-7.

As David looks back over his life, he reflects on his legacy as a king. There is no doubt that David was a strong and beloved ruler. There were many times when he ruled justly and followed God’s lead. His military success united the kingdom, secured Jerusalem as the capital city, and expanded Israel’s territory. The psalms he wrote have brought solace, joy, and gratitude into the hearts of many over the millennia.

The scriptures also tell us of a man who treats people as disposable, who manipulates situations to his benefit, and who is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. We can’t blame him, at the end of his life, for wanting to focus on the good that he has done, glossing over the messiness. It seems natural to hope that the good we’ve done outweighs the bad.

Imagine composing your last words poetically, as David does in this reading. Would you only focus on the good you have done and the ways you have honored God with your life? Or would you include the times you missed the mark? If someone else were to compose a tribute to your life, what would you want them to say?

Today, offer a prayer of thanksgiving for leaders who, “rule over people justly, ruling in the fear of God, [who are] like the sun rising on a cloudless morning, gleaming from the rain on the grassy land”.

Read Mark 13:1-8.

We are reading this passage in today’s world, where we are living through a pandemic, partisan politics that have infected almost every facet of our lives, dire predictions related to climate change, and warring factions across the globe. It is easy to feel the panic rise as we read Jesus’ words. But notice the last sentence of the passage: “This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.”

Could it be that everything we are suffering through today is leading to something new that God is birthing? Could it be leading to a healthier, more peaceful and equitable world? What would it look like if we lived as if that world was already here, already happening? In what ways could you partner with God in birthing something new in your own relationships, in your community, and in the broader world?

Today, offer a prayer of confession for the ways you contribute to the chaos of today’s world, find assurance in God’s promise of forgiveness, and commit yourself to working with intentionality towards healing and restoration.

Read Hebrews 10:11-14, 19-25.

In verses 24-25 we read, “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.”

These verses remind us of the importance of gathering together with our siblings in Christ. If we practice our faith in isolation, there is no one to call attention to our growth, to encourage us in our discipleship, or to challenge us to be more loving and kind. Without community, there is no accountability and it is easy to turn inwardly rather than outwardly or upwardly.

How important do you think meeting together is in a person’s practice of faith? To what degree does participating in worship, in a small group, or a service organization provoke you to “love and good deeds”? Have there been times when you have felt disconnected from the body of Christ? What did you notice about your spirit of faith in those times?

Today, make it a point to notice and affirm at least one person’s loving act or good deed.

Read Psalm 113.

This psalm is a call to praise. It is a call to praise the name of the Lord from sunrise to sunset, from this moment into eternity. It is a call to praise the One who is big enough to see the whole universe all at one time, yet small enough to notice the needs of the poor. It is a call to praise for the One who turns the seemingly impossible into a reality.

Have you ever felt like something you needed was too small or insignificant to bring before God? Has anything seemed so impossible that it seemed pointless to ask for God’s help? In what way might laying everything before God – even things that may seem insignificant in comparison to the needs of others or even things that seem too far gone to redeem – be an act of praise?

Today, try to offer a word of praise at the top of each hour from sunrise to sunset.

Read 1 Samuel 1:4-20.

Hannah’s inability to conceive posed more than one problem. We get the sense that much of her desperation involves longing for a child to love and to nurture. Added to that, men were allowed to divorce women for failing to bear a child, leaving them without the security of a husband, with very few options for providing for themselves, and without any chance for remarrying. Even though we’re told her husband loved her, that must have still been in the back of her mind. And then there is her husband’s other wife who is mercilessly cruel.

To Hannah, her only hope for a better future was to have a male child, male being the only gender eligible for an inheritance. In fact, she is so desperate, she tries to bargain, promising that if she is given a child, she will offer him back to the service of God. Imagine wanting something so badly, you’re willing to give it back if only you can have it for a moment.

Think of at least one of the gifts God has given you. How might you offer that gift back to God? In what ways can you use your talent or gifts imaginatively, expressively, or creatively? Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for those prayers that God has answered.

Read Mark 12:38-44.

This reading has Jesus comparing two types of people. Jesus first points to the scribes, who are esteemed in their communities and in the synagogues, who make a good show of their faith while at the same time, making money off the backs of the poor. In contrast, he notices the widow who, out of her meager resources, quietly and unobtrusively gives what she can.

Think about the people in your life who have made time for you even when they were very busy or been generous when they didn’t have much money for themselves. Has there been someone who took time to show care or concern for you even though they were dealing with their own set of problems? These are examples of people giving out of their poverty just like the widow who Jesus uses as the example of faithfulness.

Today, offer a prayer of thanksgiving for those people who have been generous with their time, money, and attention, even when they had little to give.

Read Hebrews 9:24-28.

If you feel like this reading is very similar to the Hebrews reading from last week, you’re right. The author of Hebrews seems bent on saying the same thing a hundred different ways. Jesus, in offering himself as the perfect sacrifice for all of humankind, freed us from the power of sin and freed us for living more fully into our identity as children of God.

He made a way for reconciliation between us and God in a way that no earthly priest could do. Even when we find ourselves repeating the same sin over and over, we can turn back to God with full confidence that we’ll be given another chance to try again. But it’s only in repenting, in turning back to God and God’s ways, in committing ourselves to breaking the cycle of sin, that we can fully recognize and receive the mercy that is being offered.

Today, spend some time reflecting on sin in your life. Is there one that you seem to repeat over and over? How has repentance factored into your ability to break the cycle of that sin? What effect might confessing this sin to God and opening yourself to the cleansing mercy of Christ have on your ability to stop? Offer a prayer of confession and find assurance in the promise of forgiveness.

Read Psalm 127.

This is a celebration of family as it should be. It reminds me of the hymn, “Happy the Home When God is There.” Today, reflect on these lyrics, giving thanks for the times of peace and joy you have experienced with your family.

Happy the home when God is there, and love fills every breast;

When one their wish, and one their prayer, and one their heav’nly rest.

Happy the home where Jesus’ name is sweet to every ear;

Where children early speak his fame, and parents hold him dear.

Happy the home where prayer is heard, and praise is wont to rise;

Where parents love the sacred word and all its wisdom prize.

Lord, let us in our homes agree this blessed peace to gain;

Unite our hearts in love to Thee, and love to all will reign.

Read Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17.

The first part of this reading seems a little scandalous. It almost seems like Naomi and Ruth are conspiring to trap Boaz into a marriage with Ruth. Maybe these women thought it was more like a nudge towards a mutually beneficial relationship that was already blossoming. Either way, the child of Ruth and Boaz was welcomed by Naomi as her own flesh-and-blood grandson.

After suffering the loss of her husband and sons, after enduring the journey home and the struggle of securing basic sustenance, Naomi holds her consolation – her redemption – her reason for hope – against her breast. Obed would prove to be an important link in the family line of David, leading to Jesus, the consolation of the world.

Think of the struggles your ancestors went through to secure the life you now enjoy. What do you learn from their example and their experience? What type of legacy are you hoping to leave for the generations that follow you? Offer a prayer of thanks for those saints and sinners who have been a part of your family’s story and, for better or worse, have helped to shape your identity as it is today.