Ministry > Our Daily Bread
Read Mark 10:43–52
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” —Mark 10:51
Seminary president Haddon Robinson met with a wealthy donor to seek a sizable contribution. When Robinson asked for a specific amount, the donor replied: “I was prepared to give you much more if you had asked.”…
Read Judges 6:11–16
'But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all -surpassing power is from God and not from us.' —2 Corinthians 4:7
Gideon was an ordinary person. He was a farmer, and a timid one at that. When God called him to deliver Israel from the Midianites, Gideon’s initial response was, “How can I save Israel? Indeed…
Read Lamentations 3:19–24
'Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.' — Lamentations 3:22
Our young daughter developed the habit of singing whenever I cut her toenails. This takes her mind off what is happening. Research shows that belting out your favorite tune has physiological, neurological, and emotional benefits. According to the Bible, even a sad…
Read Psalm 37:1–24
'The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.' —Psalm 37:23
A few years ago, our county’s board of education decided not to renew our church’s lease of the school building where we met every Sunday. Shocked, we considered other venues but couldn’t find anything suitable for a while. When we planted the church, we understood the…
Read Psalm 30
'Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.' —Psalm 30:5
I recently reread some of my journals from college. When I did, I realized I didn’t feel about myself then as I do today. My struggles with loneliness and doubts about my faith felt overwhelming at the time, but now I can see how God has…
Read Matthew 6:25–34
We live by faith, not by sight. — 2 Corinthians 5:7
One day my ten-year-old granddaughter Emily and I were boiling eggs for breakfast. As we stared into the boiling water and wondered how long it would take to get the eggs just right, Emily said, “Pity we can’t open them up to see how they’re doing.” I agreed. But that…
Read Psalm 24
'The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.' — Psalm 24:1
I knew my son would enjoy receiving a map of the world for his birthday. After some shopping, I found a colorful chart of the continents, which included illustrations in every region.
I loved the map, but I wondered about the label…
Precious Departure
Sculptor Liz Shepherd’s 2018 exhibition The Wait, was described by a Boston Globe correspondent as “evok[ing] the precious, exposed, and transcendent in life.” Inspired by the time Shepherd spent at her dying father’s bedside, the exhibition attempts to convey yearning, the emptiness of loss, and the fragile sense that loved ones are just out of reach.
The idea that death is precious might seem counterintuitive; however, the psalmist declares, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants” (Psalm 116:15). God treasures the death of his saints, for in their passing he welcomes them home.
Who are these faithful…
Seeing Salvation
At fifty-three, the last thing Sonia expected to do was abandon her business and her country to join a group of asylum seekers journeying to a new land. After gangs murdered her nephew and tried to force her 17-year-old son into their ranks, Sonia felt escape was her only option. “I pray to God. . . . I will do whatever is necessary,” Sonia explained. “I will do anything so [my son and I] don’t die of hunger. . . I prefer to see him suffer here than end up in a bag or canal.”
Does the Bible have anything to…
It’s Time to Pray . . . Again
I pulled into my driveway, waving at my neighbor, Myriam, and her little girl, Elizabeth. Over the years, Elizabeth had grown accustomed to our spontaneous chats lasting longer than the promised “few minutes” and morphing into prayer meetings. She climbed the tree planted in the center of their front yard, dangled her thin legs over a branch, and busied herself while her mother and I spoke. After a while, Elizabeth hopped down from her roost and ran to where we stood. Grabbing our hands, she smiled and almost sang, “It’s time to pray . . . again.” Even at an…
The Bell
Jackson dreamed of becoming a US Navy Seal from early childhood—an ambition that led to years of physical discipline and self-sacrifice. He eventually faced grueling tests of strength and endurance including what’s referred to by trainees as “hell week.”
Jackson was physically unable to complete the exhaustive training, and reluctantly rang a bell to inform the commander and other trainees of his choice to leave the program. For most, this would feel like failure. But in spite of the extreme disappointment, Jackson was later able to see his military failure as preparation for his life’s work.
The apostle Peter experienced his…
Reunion
The little boy excitedly ripped open a big box from his serviceman daddy, whom he believed wouldn’t be home to celebrate his birthday. Inside that box was yet another giftwrapped box, and inside that box was another that simply held a piece of paper saying, “Surprise!” Confused, the boy looked up—just as his dad entered the room. Tearfully the son leapt into his father’s arms, exclaiming, “Daddy, I missed you” and “I love you!”
That tearful yet joyful reunion captures for me the heart of Revelation 21’s description of the glorious moment when God’s children see their loving Father face to…
The Picture of Despair
During the Great Depression in the United States, famed photographer Dorothea Lange snapped a photo of Florence Owens Thompson and her children. This well-known photograph, “Migrant Mother,” is the picture of a mother’s despair in the aftermath of the failed pea harvest. Lange took it in Nipomo, California, while working for the Farm Security Administration, hoping to make them aware of the needs of the desperate seasonal farm laborers.
The book of Lamentations presents another snapshot of despair—that of Judah in the wake of the destruction of Jerusalem. Before the army of Nebuchadnezzar swept in to destroy the city, the people…
Chirpy
For twelve years, Chirpy, a seagull, has made daily visits to a man who had helped him heal from a broken leg. John wooed Chirpy to himself with dog biscuits and was then able to nurse him back to health. Though Chirpy only resides in Instow Beach in Devon, England, between September and March, he and John Sumner find each other easily—Chirpy flies straight to him when he arrives at the beach each day, though he doesn’t approach any other human. It’s an uncommon relationship, to be sure.
John and Chirpy’s bond reminds me of another uncommon relationship between man and…
Chirpy
For twelve years, Chirpy, a seagull, has made daily visits to a man who had helped him heal from a broken leg. John wooed Chirpy to himself with dog biscuits and was then able to nurse him back to health. Though Chirpy only resides in Instow Beach in Devon, England, between September and March, he and John Sumner find each other easily—Chirpy flies straight to him when he arrives at the beach each day, though he doesn’t approach any other human. It’s an uncommon relationship, to be sure.
John and Chirpy’s bond reminds me of another uncommon relationship between man and…
