“Whenever possible, if it depends on you, live at peace with all men.” — Romans 12:18
Scientist Kenneth Bailey spoke about the leader of one African state, who managed to occupy an unusual position in the international community, namely: he established friendly relations both with Israel and with neighboring countries. When someone asked him how he managed to maintain this delicate balance, he replied: “We try to make friends everywhere, but we do not welcome it if they try to make us enemies.”
Wise and very practical. What this African politician achieved on the international level, the apostle Paul persuaded his readers to achieve on a personal level. Describing in detail the life changed by Christ, he said: “Whenever it is possible, if it depends on you, live in peace with all people” (Rom. 12:18). And further, developing this theme, he even showed how to deal with enemies (vv. 20-21). In all this our trust in God and His all-powerful care must be manifested.
It is not always possible to live in peace with everyone (in fact, the Apostle Paul says so: “If”). But we believers in Christ are responsible for allowing His wisdom to guide our lives (James 3:17-18) and to be peacemakers in the world around us (Matt. 5:9). Could there be a better way to glorify the Prince of Peace?
With whom do you find it difficult to live in peace? How can you become a peacemaker and bring grace into these relationships?
Loving Heavenly Father, I was Your enemy and You called me a friend. Make me a peacemaker so that I can bring the same grace to others.
“David took the harp and played with his hand. And it was easy for Saul, and he felt well.” — 1 Samuel 16:23
Five-year-old Bella was diagnosed with cancer. The girl was admitted to a hospital in the state of North Carolina and, among other things, prescribed music therapy. Many people know how much music affects mood, although they don’t understand how it works. Recent clinical studies have confirmed the positive effects of music on recovery. Now it is prescribed for oncological diseases, as well as for Parkinson’s disease, dementia and various injuries.
King Saul also received a similar “prescription” when he began to experience mental torment. His advisers suggested looking for a person who could play the harp, hoping that music would make the king “good” (1 Sam. 16:16). In the end, David was found, who greatly pleased Saul and remained in his service (v. 22). When Saul was attacked by an evil spirit, David began to play the harp, and the king felt better.
We have only begun to discover on a scientific level what God has always known. The creator of both our bodies and music provided various means of caring for our health, available to all, regardless of the era in which we live or the level of medical care. And even if we do not have the opportunity to listen to music, we ourselves can sing to God in the midst of joy or sorrow, receiving comfort and healing (Ps. 59:17; Acts 16:25).
How has God used music to bring you relief? Can you help someone with music as David helped Saul?
Heavenly Father, thank you for music and for using it to calm my heart and mind in difficult times.
“Therefore comfort one another, and build one another up, just as you do.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:11
I call it a “green miracle” and I’ve been watching it every spring for fifteen years now. After winter, the grass in our yard becomes brown and dusty. To a casual passerby, she may seem dead. Snow falls in the state of Colorado only in the mountains, and on the plains the climate is hot and even arid. But every spring at the end of May, I turn on the irrigation. The water does not hit in a stream, but flows slowly, constantly moistening the soil. After a few weeks, the brown and dry lawn becomes green and lush.
The green grass reminds me of the important role that encouragement plays in the life of a believer. Without it, our faith and spirit can become exhausted. However, regular encouragement does wonders for the mind and soul. In the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul emphasizes this truth. Christians in Thessalonica felt anxiety and fear. Paul saw that their faith needed support. Therefore, he called them to preach and teach one another (1 Thess. 5:11). He knew that without it their faith would wither. Paul experienced this firsthand, because the same Thessalonians of his time were an encouragement to himself. Today, the Lord gives us such an opportunity – to encourage and support each other so that we can all blossom together for God’s glory.
What encouragement have you received recently? Who can you support today or during this week?
Heavenly Father, thank You for the encouragement You send me through my brothers and sisters. Help me encourage others too.
“And you shall write them on the side doors of your house and on your gates.” — Deuteronomy 6:9
While scrolling through my social media feed after the 2016 south Louisiana flood, I came across a friend’s post. Her house was badly damaged and there was a lot of cleaning and repair work to do. Her friend’s mother advised her to ask God for help. After some time, a friend posted on the network photos of verses from the Bible, which she discovered on the door frames when the moldings were removed from them. They were probably written during the construction of the house. Sacred texts on wooden boards brought her comfort.
The custom of placing biblical texts on doors comes from God’s command to Israel. The Lord commanded the Israelites to write His commandments on the door frames so that they would never be forgotten. In addition, they were to keep God’s words in their hearts (Deut. 6:6), teach their children (v. 7), and use special symbols and other means that remind them of the Lord’s law (v. 8). God’s people had to do everything possible not to forget the covenant made with the Creator.
We will also benefit from placing passages from God’s Word in our homes and keeping His truth in our hearts. Then our lives will be securely based on the Lord’s faithfulness revealed in the Holy Scriptures. And He will be able to use these words to send us comfort when disaster or loss comes.
When did the scriptures bring you special comfort? How do the truths of the Bible become the basis of your life?
Heavenly Father, thank You for the Holy Scriptures that guide my path. Help me to build my life only on him.
“The Lord gives the word; there are many prophetesses.” — Psalm 67:12
In 2020, the United States celebrated the centenary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. Old photos show the participants of the march with placards on which were written the words from the Psalm: “The Lord gives the word; the prophets are many” (Ps. 67:12).
In this Psalm, David speaks of God as the One who sets prisoners free (v. 7) and renews His powerless people by pouring out blessings on them (v. 10-11). In thirty-six verses, David mentions God forty-two times, telling how He was constantly with Israel and saved His chosen ones from injustice and suffering. This truth is proclaimed by a great number of soothsayers (v. 12).
It is debatable to what extent the women who defended their rights understood the meaning of the words from the Bible written on the posters. However, there is no doubt that these words themselves have an inescapable value. God, “a father to the fatherless and a judge to widows” (v. 6), goes before His people, directing them to blessings, renewal and joy.
Let us be comforted and encouraged, remembering that the Lord is always close to His children, and especially to the defenseless and suffering. As in the distant past, so in our days, He works powerfully for our benefit with His Spirit.
How did God take care of you during difficult times? What comfort do you find in this?
Heavenly Father, thank you for your constant presence in my life, for guiding and protecting me in times of injustice and suffering.
“Someday, when you are converted, strengthen your brother.” — Luke 22:32
Raj converted to Christ in his youth, but after some time he left his faith and began to live without God. However, social life did not bring satisfaction. So, Raj decided to restore his relationship with Christ and return to the church. However, one woman there began to scold him for his long absence. From this, the feeling of shame and guilt in the poor became even stronger. “Am I hopeless?” he thought. And then Raj remembered how Christ restored Peter (John 21:15-17) after he had denied Him (Luke 22:34, 60-61).
The apostle Peter may have expected rebuke, but instead received forgiveness and restoration. The Lord Jesus did not even mention renunciation, but gave Peter the opportunity to confirm his love and take care of other disciples (John 21:15-17). This is how His words, spoken at the last supper, were fulfilled: “You, when you are converted, strengthen your brother” (Lk. 22:32).
Raj asked God for the same forgiveness and restoration, and now he not only lives with Christ, but also serves Him in the church, supporting other believers. No matter how far we have strayed from God, He is always ready to forgive us and take us back and restore us so that we can serve Him and glorify His Name. We can never go too far from God. His loving arms are always open to us.
What fears have you had about returning to God? How does the truth about His forgiving nature help you come to Him?
Heavenly Father, thank you for your endless mercy and patience towards me. Thank you that I can rely on Your eternal love.
Sue’s family was falling apart before her eyes. Her husband suddenly left the house, and she, irritated and confused, stayed with the children. Sue asked her husband to go with her to a family counselor, but he refused, saying that he was fine and that she was the problem. She realized that she could lose him forever and fell into despair. Will she be able to take care of herself and the children?
Hagar, the servant of Abraham and Sarah, faced a similar situation. Unable to wait for God to give her the promised son (Gen. 12, 15), Sarah gave Hagar as a wife to her husband, and she gave birth to Ishmael (Gen. 16:1-4, 15). And when God fulfilled His promise, and Isaac was born to Sarah, the tension in the family increased, and Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away (Gen. 21:8-21). Can you imagine her despair? Soon the mother and child ran out of water. Not knowing what to do, and not wanting to see her son die, Hagar left Ishmael under the bush, and she herself went aside. Both cried. “God heard the voice of the young man” (v. 17). The Lord took care of Hagar and Ishmael and was with them.
Times of despair, when we feel completely alone, prompt us to turn to God. What a comfort to know that in such moments, as throughout life, He hears us, cares for us and remains with us!
How did God care for you when you felt alone? How have you responded to His care?
I thank You, God, that I am never alone. Help me in times of despair.
I recently saw a photo of a sculpture of Moses by Michelangelo. In the close-up, a small bulging muscle on the right arm was clearly visible. This muscle is called the Musculus abductor digiti minimi, and its sole function is to lift the little finger. Known as a master of the smallest details, Michelangelo paid close attention to the bodies of the people he immortalized in his sculptures, showing things that most would simply not notice. Not many sculptors studied the human body as he did. However, the details engraved by him in marble were first of all attempts to show something more – the immortal soul, the inner life of a person. And, of course, he didn’t succeed.
Only God knows what is happening in the human heart. No matter how attentive and experienced we are, we will still be able to see only a shadow of the truth in each other. And God sees not shadows, but the real picture. “You, Lord, know me, You have seen me,” wrote the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 12:3). God’s knowledge is not theoretical or speculative. He does not look at us from a distance, but penetrates into the innermost depths of our being. God knows things about us that we ourselves sometimes find difficult to understand.
Whatever our problems and whatever is going on in our hearts, God sees us and truly knows us.
Why do you feel lonely, forgotten or useless? How does the thought that God knows you affect your condition?
God, I’m lonely in this world. But I am comforted by the thought of how well You know me. I take comfort and delight in this truth.
“But Josiah… did not listen to the words of Necho, which were from God’s command.” — 2 Chronicles 35:22
When I was a student, I had to drive to college and home through boring, desert terrain. The road was long and straight, so I exceeded the speed limit more than once. First, the patrol service issued me a warning. Then she issued a fine. And then, very soon, I was caught speeding again in the same place.
Failure to listen can lead to sad consequences. A tragic example of this is the fate of Josiah, a good and faithful king. When the Egyptian pharaoh Necho marched through Judea to help Assyria in the fight against Babylon, Josiah came out to meet him. Necho sent messengers to tell him: “God has commanded me to hurry. Do not resist God who is with me” (2 Chron. 35:21). The Lord actually sent Necho on this campaign, but Josiah “disobeyed the words of Necho, which were from God’s command, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo” (v. 22). In the battle, he was seriously wounded and died. “All Judea and Jerusalem were in mourning for Josiah” (v. 24).
The king, who loved God, learned by bitter experience that stubbornness and unwillingness to listen to God, who can speak through other people, does not lead to anything good. May God grant us the humility to always check our spiritual condition and be attentive to His wisdom.
In what areas of life do you especially need God’s wisdom? How will you listen to Him today?
Wise and loving God, help me to humbly listen to Your wisdom. Thank you that when I ask, You give “simply and without reproach” (James 1:5).
