Daily Devotionals

John 3:1-17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:1-5

Two hours away from our own front door we travelled completely around the world. We didn't miss a continent. From Paraguay to the Congo. From the Serengeti Plains of Tanzania into the tropical rain forests of Malagasy, across the Indian Ocean to mysterious Malaya. Then it was the tundra of the Arctic Circle, Scandinavia to Mesopotamia, Egypt to China, Manchuria to Siberia. From the icy heights of the Himalayan peaks, across the vast outback of Australia, on deep into the tangled jungles of New Guinea....

By bus.

Mark 4:1-41; Ephesians 3:1-21; Colossians 2:1-23

There's this tree in my front yard that gives me fits several times a year. It leans. No, it never breaks or stops growing...it just leans. It's attractive, deep green, nicely shaped, and annually bears fragrant blossoms. But let a good, healthy gust give it a shove—and over it goes. Like, fast.

Lamentations 1:12-16; 3:46-50; Jeremiah 50:4; Luke 7:36-50

When words fail, tears flow.

Tears have a language all their own, a tongue that needs no interpreter. In some mysterious way, our complex inner-communication system knows when to admit its verbal limitations...and the tears come.

Eyes that flashed and sparkled only moments before are flooded from a secret reservoir. We try in vain to restrain the flow, but even strong men falter.

Proverbs 10:11-21; 15:1-7; James 3:1-12

Abraham Lincoln's coffin was pried open twice.

The first occasion was in 1887, 22 long years after his assassination. Why? You may be surprised to know it was not to determine if he had died of a bullet fired from John Wilkes Booth's derringer. Then why? Because a rumour was sweeping the country that his coffin was empty. A select group of witnesses observed that the rumour was totally false, then watched as the casket was resealed with lead.

Colossians 4:2-6; Matthew 5:13-16; Ephesians 5:1-33

On a dangerous seacoast notorious for shipwrecks, there was a crude little lifesaving station. Actually, the station was merely a hut with only one boat...but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the turbulent sea. With little thought for themselves, they would go out day and night tirelessly searching for those in danger as well as the lost. Many, many lives were saved by this brave band of men who faithfully worked as a team in and out of the lifesaving station. By and by, it became a famous place.

1 Samuel 16:1-7; 1 Kings 5:1-12; John 15:15

Are you attractive? I'm not referring to external beauty nor facial features. I'm asking if you are attractive—magnetic, winsome, charming, friendly. Listen to Proverbs 18:24a (KJV):

A man that hath friends must show himself friendly.

Do you see the point of the proverb? To have friends we must be friendly. Friendliness is a matter of being someone...more than it is doing something.

Psalm 46; 131; Isaiah 30:15-18; Mark 6:30-32

It is almost 10:00, Monday night. The children are snoozing and snoring upstairs (or they should be!). Aside from a few outside noises—a passing car...a barking dog...a few, faint voices in the distance—all's quiet on the home front. That wonderful, much-needed presence has again come for a visit—quietness. Oh, how I love it...how I need it.

Genesis 39:19-21; 41:50-52; 45:4-8; Proverbs 18:12; 1 Peter 1:3-9

"There lies the most perfect ruler of men the world has ever seen...[and] now he belongs to the ages."

Of whom was this said? One of the Caesars? No. Napoleon? No. Alexander the Great? No. Eisenhower? Patton? MacArthur...or some earlier military strategist like Grant or Lee or Pershing? No, none of the above. How about Rockne or Lombardi? No. Or Luther? Calvin? Knox? Wesley? Spurgeon? Again, the answer is no.

Leviticus 26:14, 18, 21, 27, 40-46; Luke 8:4-18; John 4:1-26; James 1:19

It is impossible to overemphasize the immense need humans have to be really listened to, to be taken seriously, to be understood. No one can develop freely in this world and find a full life without feeling understood by at least one other person....

Listen to the conversations of our world, between nations as well as those between couples. They are for the most part dialogues of the deaf.¹

Psalm 37:30-31; 119:9-16; Matthew 4:1-10