Read Song of Solomon* 1:1 through 8:14 My own vineyard I have neglected (Song of Solomon 1:6). Sonia sank into bed, totally stressed and exhausted. The day had been like most others. Up at five. Get kids ready for school. Drop them off at the bus stop. Off to work. Pick up the kids at the sitter at six. Cook …
Your Part of the Battle
Read Proverbs 21:1 through 24:34 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord (Proverbs 21:31). In the midst of life’s struggles have you ever asked yourself, “How much should I do, and what should I wait for God to do?” God expects us to trust Him. There is no success in the …
A Well-Chosen Response
Read Proverbs 13:1 through 16:33 Anger is a strong emotion that can have negative consequences if not managed correctly. One negative way that anger can manifest itself is through our speech. An angry person tries to tackle a problem through an overpowering response. Gentleness is strength under control. A gentle person attempts to bring resolution to conflict through a firm …
Healthy Fear
Read Psalms 127:1 through 129:8 Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours (Psalm 128:1,2). We don’t usually think of fear as being healthy. Some people have excessive fears—of going outdoors or being trapped in small spaces. People fear many things like …
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 …