One of my favorite verses comes from Isaiah 26, verse 3—”Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee…” Our world is kind of noisy and riotous and unpredictable. It’s so easy to get entangled in the chaos and lose sight of God’s peace. He knows…
Wow. “…become food for the jackals.” That’s honestly not a thought I’ve ever considered happening to anyone I know. Maybe because I’ve never felt as if someone wanted to kill me (knock on wood! ha!). But there’ve been plenty of times when people have hurt me, and sometimes it’s been…
HYMN DAY! “Praise to the Lord! the Almighty, the King of creation!” was written in 1680 by a German man named Joachim Neander. Not until 1863 were the words translated to English by Catherine Winkworth. The tune remained the same. So we’re singing an old, old hymn with wonderfully applicable…
There are several references to God’s right hand in the Bible. There’s a reason for it. “Right hand” is a metaphor for the omnipotence (the unlimited power) of God. To be at the right side is to be in a special place of honor. So being upheld by God’s right…
Ever have one of those nights when you just can’t sleep? Maybe worries or questions about the unknown keep you awake. Whatever it is, sleep eludes you, and you lay there in the dark, staring at the shadowy ceiling, feeling all alone. Well, guess what? You are never alone. During…
People try all kind of things to fully satisfy themselves. Not all of those things are bad, but whether they are healthy or harmful, they’re still ineffective for permanence. There is only one thing that fully satisfies the human heart: a relationship with God the Father through His Son, Jesus…
David’s declaration here invites us to participate in something that has the power to transform. For many years, I suffered chronic pain. Some days were worse than others, but during those years, I never had a day of complete relief. On the worst days, when I wondered if I could…
HYMN DAY! “I Love to Tell the Story” has a rather unique history. The verses were written by Kate Hankey in 1866 as a poem. In 1869, William G. Fischer added the refrain and put the words to music. I love this hymn partly because my mom loved it so…
David’s relationship with God went all the way back to his childhood. He’d seen first-hand God’s power in rescuing him from lions, bears, and giants. He’d been sheltered by God when pursued by those determined to destroy him. Those life experiences had convinced David that God wouldn’t leave or forsake…
Psalm 63 is short—only 11 verses (so different from 119!)—but there is so much confidence and relationship captured in the chapter. The author, David, starts out by making a very personal claim: You are my God. “My” denotes possession. There’s no doubt in David’s mind that God is ever with…
