Read Isaiah 49:1 through 57:21 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news . . . ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7). This proclamation, more than any other spoken by Isaiah, reveals his attitude toward God’s work, his relationship with God, and his faith in God. He wanted to assure Judah that God was in …
Rest in Him
Read Psalms 116:1 through 118:29 Worry is a common plight. We get so consumed with our problems that it affects our entire lives—we don’t sleep well, we overeat or under eat, we suffer medical problems, and our relationships go downhill. It is easy to get caught up with the immediate problems or fears that we face rather than focusing on …
From Strength to Strength
Read Psalms 82:1 through 85:13; Acts 27:1–20 We use the term marathon as a way to honor the Greek runner, Phidippedes, who ran about twenty-six miles to carry the news of the Greek victory in the battle of Marathon. The effort killed him. Today, running a marathon is the crowning achievement for most long-distance runners. Even prepared runners struggle throughout …
Reflection
Read Psalms 71:1–24; 89:1–52 In Psalm 71, the Psalmist reflects on who God has been to him during the course of his life. During his infancy the Psalmist learned of God’s reliance. In his youth, God revealed himself to the Psalmist as his hope, confidence, and teacher. At the age of his writing the psalm, the Psalmist saw God as …
Heavenly Focus
Read 2 Corinthians 1:1 through 4:18 Shawn surveyed the devastation the flood had left behind. The mission church on which he had labored so hard lay in total shambles. His wife, Carol, expressed her sadness: “Honey, we came here in response to God’s call. I wonder why He has allowed our work to be in vain?” Shawn responded, “I must …
Joyful Hearts
Read Psalms 10:1–18 and 33:1–22 You’ve heard the clichéd descriptions of life’s pain: “I’m so low I have to look up to see bottom,” “With friends like that, who needs enemies,” “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.” In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name (Psalm 33:21). God’s Word doesn’t …
I Need Help
Read Psalms 11:1 through 18:50 Many of the Psalms are full of praise to God. We sometimes visualize David as peacefully strumming a harp as he quietly watches a flock of sheep grazing on a grassy slope. Psalm 13 presents a different picture. David apparently had doubts, troubling thoughts, and enemies. Things did not always go well for him. In …
Refined and Purified
Read Job 23:1 through 31:40 Visitors to a gold refinery were amazed at the incredible change that had taken place in the raw, unrefined ore to produce the gleaming gold samples on display. The tour guide informed tourists that gold is one of the most valuable metals known. Because it does not corrode, it is valued for its durability. Gold …
Still There
Read Esther 8:1 through 10:3 The grandfather looked up and saw that his grandson’s kite was hidden by low-hanging clouds. “All I see is a string,” he said with a playful wink. “How do you know it’s still there?” “Oh, it’s there all right,” the boy answered. “I can feel the tug.” The Book of Esther never mentions the name …
Problems Are Groupies!
Read Nehemiah 5:1 through 7:73 When was the last time you faced just one problem? Although dealing with even one problem isn’t easy, at least you would be able to direct all your effort and energy into resolving it. Seriously, problems are groupies! It is not at all unusual for two, three, or even four problems to gang up on …