Devotions

For a covenant to hold, both parties must uphold their end of it.

Both in practice and in word, Jesus notices people who are hurting and tends to their wounds, whether those wounds are physical, spiritual, or emotional.

The strength of the community’s faith can be determined by the fruit they are bearing.

How might the church be a stronger voice for justice and compassion in the midst of diverse perspectives on what that looks like?

When things are going well, how motivated are you to look at the underbelly of success?

Jesus knew that sometimes actions are more convincing than words.

Paul encourages the faithful to sow the seeds of the Spirit.

Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Pride often prevents us from admitting we are wrong, from offering sincere apologies, or from asking for help.

The second half of this reading speaks to Jesus’ insistence that discipleship isn’t always easy.

Of the fruits of the Spirit that Paul lists, which are easy for you and which are challenging?

To what degree do you believe that remembering good times helps you through the bad?

What mantles have you reluctantly picked up?

What part of Jesus’ calling on your life do you resist?

Paul says it is the grace of Jesus that puts us into right relationship with God.

To what degree does listening and looking for God keep you grounded in hope?

When has God quietly shown up in your life lately?

Read John 16:12-15. It would probably not be received well if a sermon began, “There are a lot of things… Read more: Over My Head

Read Romans 5:1-5. The letter to the church at Rome is Paul’s attempt at laying out a framework for understanding… Read more: The Path to Hope

How seriously do you take your role as a steward of creation?

When was the last time you frolicked in nature?

Maybe satisfaction comes in finding peace and gratitude in the here and now.

Our identity comes from being a child of God, from being a part of God’s family.

The psalmist marvels at the ordering of the universe and how deeply interconnected it all is.

In what way have you experienced the Holy Spirit?

Jesus equips us and sends us to be bearers of good news.

What a gift this prayer must have been to the community of faith.

How incredible it is to think that God can see all things at all times, while still attending to the smallest of hurts, fears, and hopes!

After this awe-inspiring vision of Jesus being lifted into the clouds, the disciples just stand there.

What might you need to give over to God to experience peace?

We need not read this book as a promise of death, destruction, and condemnation, but as a revelation of the God of life and love.

Practicing the pause can prepare us for a meaningful, impactful expression and experience of worship.

To what degree do you believe the Holy Spirit still speaks?

Jesus gives us a clear picture of what it means to love him: loving one another.

Hear God saying, “I am making all things new!”

What lessons can we take from nature in terms of praising God?

Peter asked the question, “Who was I to hinder God?”

How might listening to the voice of the Shepherd free you to live with assurance, joy, generosity, and gratitude?

Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever!

The familiar words of this psalm hold a powerful confession of trust.

How might you be a blessing today to someone who is in need?

The best way to show love for Jesus is to care for the ones he loves – to do what he does and to go where he goes.

What object of devotion might rival your allegiance to God?

What burden might you be carrying into God’s joy-filled morning?

We, as humans, have a tendency to view anything new or different as threatening.

All the disciples needed clear evidence that Jesus was no longer dead, but had risen.

The religious authorities expected compliance, but the apostles refused to listen.

Are there any songs these verses make you think of?

What if death is real, but it’s not the end of the story?

Jesus’ suffering is over, but his suffering is only part of the story.

How does the world know we follow Jesus – not only as individuals, but as a faith community?

Despite the welcome and hospitality shown to Judas, he still followed through on his plan to betray Jesus.

Lazarus is the clearest evidence of Jesus’ power and ability to restore life to one who was dead.

When was the last time you let down your guard and gave yourself over to the experience of hope and joy?

Read Philippians 2:5-11. In this passage, the hearers are invited to have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus.… Read more: Spirit of the Living God

“O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”

In what ways has God equipped you to sustain the weary?

Rather than being paralyzed by fear and dread, Mary practices presence in the here and now.

In what ways does your faith impact the way you live, work, and move about in the world?

Read Psalm 126. Here, the psalmist is imagining what it was like for those in exile to return home. They… Read more: Reunion

In God, we find our home.

This is a story of hope for all of us

What areas of your life might still need a little “recreating”?

Guilt has a way of eating at us from the inside out.

Rituals connect us to our history, giving meaning to our current experience.

God is willing to put in the work to bring forth fruit from our lives.

“Have we learned nothing from history?”

Here, the psalmist expresses a deep, almost physical desire for God.

For what do we truly hunger and thirst?

Even as the fox preys on the hen, the hen is protecting her brood.

Spend time examining the motivations behind your spiritual practices.

In the high-speed world we have created, we expect every need to be met in an instant.

What rituals do we use today to commemorate important commitments in life?

At every turn, Jesus uses scripture to resist the temptation.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “All means all.” Here, the author is saying, “Everyone means everyone.”

Imagine yourself living in the shelter of the Most High and abiding in the shadow of the Almighty.

Moses paints a picture of abundance for the Hebrew people as they wander in the wilderness.

Sometimes, we are weighed down to the point that we miss the revelation of Jesus.

Turning to the Lord frees us from the need to pretend we are something we’re not.

God parents us with love and logic.

Read Exodus 34:29-35. In this reading, Moses is coming down from Mount Sinai for the second time after having destroyed… Read more: Removing the Veil

Truly following Jesus is demanding, but its reward is to be under the care of the One who is unfailingly merciful.

Everlasting life is beyond anything our human minds can imagine.

Are we life-givers or are we life-sappers?

Hindsight often has a way of helping us to gain a new perspective on situations.

Jesus is concerned with the lived experiences of the people to whom he is speaking.

It is the resurrection of Jesus that informs our hope that death does not have the last word.

Regular meditation on the scriptures is like sinking our roots into that which gives life and helps us to flourish.

Trusting God feels like being planted by a cool stream – refreshing, nourishing, fruitful.

How might Jesus be calling you to drop your net and let him work his power?

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow!”

Paul’s words are a beautiful reminder of the path the Gospel message has taken to finally arrive at your door.

“Here am I; send me!”

Here, Jesus’ community becomes enraged at his challenging words.

In what ways have these qualities of love been shown by you or to you?

When have you felt you needed a refuge or a fortress for safety and protection?

“Before you were born, I consecrated you.”

When Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.

Here, Paul celebrates the diversity within the body of Christ.

The words of scripture revive the soul, give wisdom, enlighten, and even give warning.