Category: Unique and United

Woe to the One by whom Temptation Comes – Matthew 17-18 – 2025 Day 102

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Read Through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 70, Matthew 17-18

Today I read both chapters 17 and 18 because in Matthew 17:24-27 Jesus was explaining to Peter that though He was free from giving the tax (since He is God’s Son), He would still pay the tax so that He would not give offense to the Jewish leaders. Then, in Matthew 18:6, Jesus warned the people about not causing others to sin.

“When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, β€œDoes your teacher not pay the tax?”

He said, β€œYes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, β€œWhat do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?”

And when he said, β€œFrom others,” Jesus said to him, β€œThen the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Matthew 17:24-27 ESV

That word “offend” in Matthew 17:27 is the same Greek word as”causes to sin” in Matthew 18:6, 8, and 9 — skandalizō.

β€œWhoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea….

Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!

And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.”

Matthew 18:5-9 ESV
Many thanks to the Blue Letter Bible app πŸ’™

Certainly, we need to be careful how we live because we want to honor God in all we do, but we also don’t want to cause others to stumble. Let’s keep a careful watch over what we say and what we do, that we may be a help and not a hindrance to our brothers and sisters. This might mean limiting our freedoms.

Remember, Jesus was free from paying that temple tax because He was the Son of God, yet He paid it, so He wouldn’t cause others to stumble. Likewise, God might be calling you to not do something out of love for your weaker brother.

Want more? Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 would be great passages to study.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your immeasurable mercy and grace towards me, for forgiving me by the blood of Christ. I pray that I would pay careful attention to how I walk. I want to be my brother’s keeper, for Your glory and his good. Make me a helping hand and not a stumbling block.Β  Please give me Your strength and discernment to do what is right. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Spotless Lamb, I pray. Amen.

Sanctuary – Randy Rothwell

The Sisterhood of Believers – Matthew 12 – 2025 Day 97

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 65, Matthew 12

But he replied to the man who told him, β€œWho is my mother, and who are my brothers?”

And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
β€œHere are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is
my brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 12:48-50 ESV

Yesterday’s post about Jesus carrying your burdens versus carrying your own burdens got me really thinking about the earthly importance of living in close community with other Christian sisters. I am so blessed to be a part of a vibrant, living body of believers! We have retreats together twice a year — with another one coming up next weekend. I can’t wait!

If you haven’t found some ladies to “do life with,” to plow the field with, let me encourage you – YOU NEED TO! All good things take work, including having rich relationships with women.

Here are some tips that might help you in this:

1. Don’t wait for someone else to reach out to you. They may be doing the very same thing. Remember that Christ made the first move. He reached out to you. Make the effort today to reach out to someone else. Get a date on the calendar and keep it.

2. Don’t only reach out to people who look like you, think like you, and act like you. Some of the ladies who’ve had the greatest impact on my life have been the most different from me. I need their viewpoint in my life!

3. Don’t be surprised when the scheduled time to get together, comes and you don’t want to go. Resist the temptation to make an excuse to stay home. You’ll miss out on a blessing … and so will your friend!

4. Don’t think your relational needs can be adequately met through online friendships or scrolling through social media. No matter how great that blogger πŸ˜‰ or influencer or Facebook group friend seems … You’re only seeing a tiny slice of their life. Real friends will be IRL friends. If you meet that perfect sister online (which does happen!), that relationship needs to go deeper than posting photos and exchanging text messages.

5. Don’t run when the going gets tough! Authentic relationships are messy … But sisters stand by each other through the storms of life. When a sister says something that hurts your feelings, you have only two choices: (1) overlook the offense or (2) sit down with them and talk about it. Abandoning your sister isn’t an option. Yes, there are seasons for every relationship, but “breaking up” over a pretty argument or silently creeping out the back door isn’t an option when you’re sisters.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for giving me so many sisters in faith. Thank You for how they have spurned me on to love and good deeds. Thank You for the ways that they have shouldered my burdens and walked before me to help make my path easier. Thank You for the times that they have reproved me, corrected me, and taught me. Thank You for the examples that they have been for me in faith, love, and good deeds.

I pray that You would send someone to me today who needs a friend, someone that can bless me and who I can also bless. I pray, Father, that You would help me to be a good friend, to love others like You loved me. Help me to recognize how greatly I need community and to be willing to put in the work it demands! Help me to be humble and recognize the log in my own eye, rather than being so quick to see the speck in my sister’s eye.

It is in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, the Friend who sticks closer than any brother, we pray. Amen.

Make Us One – Twila Paris

A Pinched Off Piece of Clay – Job 33 – 2025 Day 80

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Job 33, Psalm 48

The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life…. Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from
a piece of clay.

Job 33:4, 6 ESV

Have you ever tried making a “pinch pot” out of a little lump of sticky brown clay or have you ever attempted to mold a little clay pot on a potter’s wheel?

I actually grew up with two aunts and one uncle who are professional potters. I spent many hours admiring their work and attempting to make my own. Then, a few years ago, my oldest daughter and I went to a local pottery shop to try our hand at throwing coffee mugs on a wheel. Let me just say that these experiences have taught me to appreciate the skill involved with making incredible beauty out of a few handfuls of wet dirt.

In this passage of Job, two things jumped out at me.

1. God is the potter. God is who made us, and He is who gives us life. He creates and shapes and molds us into what He desires. Friends, none of us are mere accidents. We didn’t just evolve from apes through a random series of genetic changes. Our lives have purpose. As Ephesians 2:10 explains, “We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

2. All mankind is level before God. Though you and I each have a unique, intentional purpose, we are all equally pinched off from a piece of clay. (Job 33:6) God has fashioned us each to look different, so that we might each accomplish the works which He has designed for us, but may we never boast as though we’re better than anyone else for we’re all jars of clay made by the same potter. May this truth keep us humble before God and before our fellow man.

Let’s pray.

Oh, Heavenly Father, what is man that You are mindful of us? You know that we are dust. We are but clay in Your skillful hands. You have a divine purpose for each of us. May that truth empower us to go and do the works that You have designed us for. Keep us humble as we remember that we are equally Your creation and give us courage as we remember that You have works prepared for us to do. In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

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Praise the One who Gives Me Breath – Job 26-27 – 2025 Day 75

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Job 26-27, Psalm 43

Let’s just ponder this one verse from today’s reading.

With whose help
have you uttered words,
and whose breath has come out from you?

Job 26:4 ESV

On the sixth day of creation, the Lord breathed into the first man, Adam, the breath of life (Genesis 2:7) and He’s been doing it ever since. Why are we so prideful, so self-sufficient, thinking that we are independent creatures who don’t need God? Truly, what do I have that I haven’t been given? Even the very breath in my lungs is a gift from God.

And to think of the gift of language, of thinking and speaking and communicating – with God and with others – oh, what a gift! As an educator for the deaf, I witnessed first-hand how desperately children and parents desire to communicate, whether using gestures or sounds or facial expressions. My 100-lb Aussie-Labradoodle moose-dog is about as smart as animals come, but he can’t communicate nearly so well as my 20-month old granddaughter. God has given mankind a unique gift in the gift of language, so that we can hear from Him and speak to Him like none of the other creatures He has made on earth.

Psalm 150, the final psalm, is a psalm of praise, praising God with trumpets and harps and strings and pipes, praising Him with dancing and loud crashing cymbals, but oh the gift of singing words of praise and making declarations of spoken praise, telling of His mighty deeds! The Lord has put breath in my lungs and with it I will praise Him! As the final verse of the final psalm says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150:6) Will you join me in declaring aloud His greatness?!

Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, giver of life and breath, You are worthy of all our praise! You created the sun and moon and stars by Your will and by Your word. You hung the earth on nothing. You created the seas and everything in them. You created the earth and the sky and everything that fills them. What is man that you are mindful of us?

You are worthy of every word of worship, every song of praise, every beat of the drum, every blast of the trumpet, every clang of the cymbal. You are worthy! You are holy and mighty and good. All your ways are right and all Your ways are just.

We worship You in the glory of Your presence. We ask that You would make us vessels of Your glory and grace. We ask that You would make us declarers of Your praise! Use us, Lord! By the sacrifice of Your Son, we have been made temples of Your Holy Spirit. Make us pure and holy vessels for You.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord, we pray. Amen.

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Great are You Lord

The Humility of Joseph – 2025 Day 53 (Genesis 40-41)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 21, Genesis 40-41

Joseph answered Pharaoh,
“It is not in me;
God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

Genesis 41:16 ESV

I love how God works within space and time to reveal Himself to people. Two years ago, just after I finished reading Genesis 40-41 for my daily Bible reading, I received an email about an article that was published by Premier Unbelievable about my testimony of coming to faith in Christ out of atheism. In reading Genesis 40-41, I was struck by Joseph’s humility, his insistence that it was God, not him, who revealed the meaning of dreams. Joseph easily could have become puffed up and patted himself on the back for his accomplishments, but he didn’t. You find this same humility in Daniel and Peter and John and Paul.

“Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.””

Daniel 2:19-23 ESV

“While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name–by faith in his name–has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.”

Acts 3:11-16 ESV

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ESV

I pray that I would do likewise, that when the Lord opens a door for me to speak or serve or act for His glory, that all the glory would go to Him and Him alone for He is the only one worthy. All that I am and all that I have, is a direct result of the grace that He has lavished on me, a sinner.

I am just a beggar telling you where to find bread. I am a sinner saved by grace. It is only by God’s mercy that I can do anything. He has caused me to be born again to this living hope, and I am eternally grateful. His grace compels me. His power gives me strength. His mercy allows me to be merciful.

Let’s pray together.

Oh, Heavenly Father,

Apart from Your grace, we are all just filthy rotten sinners. I remember all too well who I was. I wanted to be good, I wanted to do right, but I could never do it. Everything I did was tainted by conceit and pride and selfishness. I was lost and without hope. I lived under a cloud of fear and darkness.

BUT GOD! You saved me by Your grace. You took what was dead and made it alive. You took my heart of stone and gave me a heart of flesh. And all I can cry is HOLY! Worthy are You to receive all glory and honor and praise. Worthy is the Lamb. You are WORTHY!

My worth is not in myself – not in what I can say or do, not in what I have said or done – my worth is in YOU. You have made me worthy. You have called me YOURS. You have brought me into Your kingdom and set my feet on the rock. You have brought me to Your banqueting table and spread Your banner of love over me. Thank you, Father. Thank You.

In the Mighty and Merciful Name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

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My Worth is Not in What I Own – Fernando Ortega & The Gettys

Carried to the Table – Leeland

Learning from the Lives of Cain and Abel – 2025 Day 32 (Genesis 4-5)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 1, Genesis 4-5

We don’t really know exactly why God accepted Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s, but I think Hebrews 11:4 gives us some insight.

“By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”

– Hebrews 11:4 ESV

Oftentimes, we want to do what seems right to us, rather than doing what God has said. We think, “What’s wrong with eating the fruit of that tree? It looks fine to me.” Or we think, “Why can’t I give God this fruit, I am a farmer after all?”

Yet, faith trusts God. Faith trusts that what God has said is right. Faith believes that God is good and all-knowing and that all His ways are right.

And like Hebrews 11:6 (explaining more about Abel and other men and women of faith) says,

“Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek him.”

– Hebrews 11:6

Who are we seeking? Whose reward do we desire? Who are we trying to please? Are we pursuing our own pleasure and comfort or are we pursuing the Lord?

It’s like the words of Christ that we read in John, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” (John 12:25-26 ESV)

When we’re living for the Lord, we must expect the world to hate, rather than love, us  In fact, Abel’s life is an example for us. “We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.”Β  (1 John 3:12-13 ESV)

Cain said to the LORD, β€œMy punishment is greater than I can bear.”

– Genesis 4:13 ESV

Were you taken aback when you read this? I was. When I first read this, I thought, “No, Cain, your punishment is much too light! You killed your brother. You deserve to be killed.” (In fact, Genesis 9:6 says just that.)

But as I’ve pondered it more, I see the foreshadowing of Christ bearing our sins, from the largest to the smallest. Cain deserved death for his sin, and though I’ve never murdered anyone physically, I deserve death for my sins, too. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 ESV)

I couldn’t bear the punishment for my sins any more than Cain (or anyone else) could, yet Christ bore our punishment in our place, that we might be forgiven by a just judge.

“[Jesus] committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

– 1 Peter 2:22-24 ESV

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father,

We come to You with hearts of thanksgiving for Your grace that You have lavished on us. We confess the hateful thoughts that we have had in our hearts toward men and women created in your image. We confess that we have often been jealous of others – The relationships they have, the talents they have, the possessions they have, even the faith they have. We confess we have often gone our own way rather than trusting Your character and Your Word.

We thank You for sending Jesus Christ, the only perfect sin substitute, the Lamb of God who was slain for the sins of the world, including me.We humbly ask You to forgive us and cleanse us through the blood of Christ that was shed for us.

Please, Heavenly Father, give us the strength and wisdom that we need to live like Christ – not repaying wrong with wrong, not repaying reviling with reviling, but overcoming evil with good. Help us to entrust ourselves to You, the only one who judges justly. We pray that our lights would shine brightly – even when the world is yelling at us to turn our lights out. May we shine brightly for You.

In the holy and merciful name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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It is the Lord! – 2025 Day 21 (John 21)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 21, John 21

"That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!'" - John 21:7a ESV

I love that John just can’t bring himself to use his own name, but refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” This reminds me that my value, like John’s, is found in being loved by Jesus, my Creator, Savior, and Lord who knows all of my shortcomings and sins, yet He still loves me.

"When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea." John 21:7b ESV

I can picture it in my mind. Peter heard, “It is the Lord,” and rather than questioning John, he immediately puts on his outer garment, and jumps into the sea to get to Jesus. He wants to see him first this time!

While everyone else is working on bringing in the boat – dragging a heavy net loaded full of fish – Peter just wants to be with Jesus. I wonder if John was frustrated, disgusted, or irritated with Peter’s irresponsible, impulsive response… Or did his heart leap with Peter’s, praising God for making Peter so easily excitable? I hope it was the latter. I want to be able to thank God for the variety of personalities and temperaments that He has given to His children.

After thinking about this, it was particularly ironic to me when I read later in the chapter about Peter pointing his finger at John, asking β€œLord, what about this man?” (John 21:21 ESV)

Did Peter ask this out of love and concern for John or out of jealousy? Pride ? Conceit? I don’t have any idea, but I do know how Jesus responded to Peter’s question, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22)

I want to hear Jesus’s words loud and clear and apply them to my own life. “Kim, beloved daughter, don’t worry about those other people.”

Jesus has a unique purpose for each of our lives. I need to keep my eyes focused on Christ, so I can follow Him well. If my eyes are looking over at my friend’s lane, how can I see clearly to drive in mine?

Let’s pray, sisters!

Heavenly Father,

Please help me not to be jealous, envious, covetous, or disdainful of my fellow servants or the tasks that You’ve given them to do. Help me to remember Ephesians 2:10, that I am Your workmanship and that I have been created on purpose for good works that You have prepared in advance for me to do.

Help me, Lord Jesus, to be about my Father’s business with eagerness and joy, not looking to the left or right, not looking behind, but with my eyes fixed firmly on Christ and the hope that is before me. Make me eager to trust and obey You, to look for You and listen carefully for Your voice.

In the blessed name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

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Division in the Body. Thoughts from 1 Kings.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Kings 15-16

In a perfect world, there would be no division. Everyone would live at peace; there would be peace with nature, peace with man, and peace with God. And that is how God created the world. Everything God had created had a purpose, and everything fulfilled its purpose. There was perfect unity between Adam and Eve. They were one flesh, both naked and unashamed. Yet, that crafty deceiver crept in and planted a seed of doubt in the woman’s mind, whispering to her that God was not good and that she would be happier if she disobeyed Him. Sin entered in, and that perfect peace came to an end. There was no longer unity between men, between men and nature, or even between men and God Himself.

A chasm had been formed that could only be crossed
on the bridge of the blood of Christ.

Reading about the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, I was reminded of Christ’s words recorded in Luke 11:17, β€œEvery kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.” Again and again, the Lord intervened to remove an evil king and establish a better one, but again and again sin prevailed and both Israel and Judah remained divided within and without. The horizontal relationship between men, as well as the vertical relationship with God, has been severed, and no human being, no matter how hard they try, can restore it.

As members of the human race, we long for peace. We long for peace within our families, and we long for peace between nations. We search high and low for that feeling of “shalom” in our hearts, but it is no where to be found.

It is only logical that there will be division in our earthly families and our earthly nations because our families and nations are made up of members of opposite teams. Like Cubs fans and Cardinals fans, we’re rooting for the opposite team to win. Truly, no one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). When you score a point for Satan’s team, you’re working against the Lord, and when you score for the Lord, you’re working against the evil one. I was reminded of Christ’s words in Luke 12:52-53 ESV β€” “For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” As much as I want there to be peace, I realize that is only possible when we’re playing on the same team and aiming at the same goal.

Heavenly Father, You are perfect. You dwell in perfect unity. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Three in one. I pray that Your body here on earth may we be one, even as You are one, so that the world may know that You, Father, sent Jesus Christ to save us and that You loved us even as You loved Him. (John 17:22-23) I pray that Your whole body will be joined and held together by every joint working properly, that the body may grow and built itself up in love (Ephesisans 4:16). I pray that every member of Your body will be bound together in perfect harmony as we love one another with the love that You first had for us (Colossians 3:14; 1 John 4:19) I pray that those who have a counterfeit faith will come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil so that they will hear on the last day, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” rather than, “I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness (2 Timothy 2:26; Matthew 25:21-23; Matthew 7:23). For Your glory and our good I pray in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

Loving the Unlovely. Brussel Sprouts, Ice Cream, Jesus, and Me. Thoughts from the Book of Hosea.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Hosea 3-4

If I asked a class of third grade students, “Raise your hand if you love ice cream.” I bet every hand would shoot up. πŸ™‹πŸΏβ€β™€οΈπŸ™‹πŸ»πŸ™‹πŸ½β€β™‚οΈπŸ™‹πŸΌβ€β™€οΈπŸ™‹πŸ™‹πŸΎβ€β™‚οΈ

But if I then said, “Raise your hand if you love Brussel sprouts,” I’m quite sure I’d get a very different response. Even if I followed it up with words like, “They are really good for you! They’re high in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.” Still, it’s a no. πŸ™…πŸ½β€β™‚οΈπŸ™…πŸΌβ€β™€οΈπŸ™…πŸ»πŸ™…πŸΏβ€β™‚οΈπŸ™…πŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸ™…

It is only logical to love ice cream. It’s sweet and creamy and delicious.πŸ¦πŸ˜‹ But Brussel sprouts … They are more of an acquired taste, suited for a more refined palate. πŸ₯¬ 😝

I’m afraid that I sometimes think I’m naturally easy to love. I’m afraid sometimes I forget about all my prickly, hard to love spots. I’m afraid I see myself as ice cream, rather than Brussel sprouts.

When God tells the prophet Hosea to go love Gomer, a woman who chases after other men, refusing to remain faithful to her husband, I’m afraid that we all think we’re Hosea, not realizing that we’re actually Gomer. We are that adulteress, that whore, that woman who abandons her true love to pursue idols, and God is Hosea, the faithful One who again and again chases after His bride, pulling her out of the pig slop. πŸ₯΄πŸ–

In this is love,
not that we have loved God
but that He loved us and sent His Son
to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:10 ESV

Love covers a multitude of sins.

Love is not irritable or resentful or rude.

Love keeps no record of wrongs.

Love forgives.

Love never ends.

Love is steadfast and patient and faithful.

God loved us while we were sinners, and He calls us to go and do likewise.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your steadfast, patient, faithful love toward me. Thank You for pursuing me, though I didn’t deserve it, though I don’t deserve it still. I’m not worthy, but You are. You deserve better. You deserve chocolate, chocolate chip ice cream with whipped cream and sprinkles and a cherry on top. And yet You have demonstrated Your love by sending Your own Son to be the propitiation, the atoning sacrifice, the substitutionary offering, for my sin. Praise Your Name forevermore. Amen.

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

God has a Plan and You have a Purpose: Thoughts from Amos 6-7

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Amos 6-7

Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, β€œI was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, β€˜Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

Amos 7:14-15 ESV

God chose fishermen like Peter, Andrew, James, and John. God chose shepherds like David, Moses, and Amos. God chose tax collectors like Matthew and Zacchaeus.

It’s not what you do from 8 to 5 Monday through Friday, or what family you were born into, that matters. It doesn’t matter how educated you are, or how much money is in your bank account. God calls and chooses whom He will according to His own plan and purpose.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 ESV

God chose Paul, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a prosecutor of Christians, to write these words,

“[God] saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness,
but according to his own mercy,
by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit”

Titus 3:5 ESV

And to the church at Ephesus,

“For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand,
that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

Heavenly Father, You didn’t choose me because I was rich or powerful or good. I wasn’t. I was a simple college student, a blasphemer and opponent of the gospel. I was Your enemy, slandering You and hurling insults at Your children, yet You plucked me out of the miry clay and planted my feet on the rock. You called me in spite of myself. Thank You. Thank You. Father, please, help me to love and pursue others like You loved and pursued me. Help me to love my neighbor as myself, loving them even while they’re drowning in sin. For the glory of Your Name and the growth of Your kingdom, in the name of Jesus Christ my Savior and Lord, Amen.