“And all the widows surrounded him, weeping and showing him the dresses and cloaks that Sarna had made.” — Acts 9:39
On one of my father’s last days, a nurse asked me if she could shave him. Gently running the blade across his face, Rachel said, “Older men like to look neat every day.” She saw a need and decided to show kindness, dignity and respect to others in a practical way. Her tender care reminded me of my friend Julia, who still paints her old mother’s nails because it is important to her that she “looks good.”
In the 9th chapter of the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, it is told about a disciple named Sarna (Tavita), who showed kindness by sewing clothes for the poor (vv. 36, 39). When she died, many friends gathered in her room to mourn this kind woman who loved to help others.
However, Sarna’s story did not end there. When the apostle Peter was led to the place where her body lay, he bowed his knees and prayed. Then he addressed her by name and said: “Tavitha, get up!” (v. 40). A miracle happened. Tavita opened her eyes and stood up. When her friends learned that she had come back to life, the news about it quickly spread throughout the city and “many believed in the Lord” (v. 42).
How did Sarna spend the next day of her life? Probably, like many previous days, she saw people’s needs and satisfied them.
Who among you knows is always looking for ways to help others? How are you better at being aware of other people’s needs?
Heavenly Father, help me to see poor and needy people every day. Open my heart to actions that will show them Your love.
“I want to do Your will, my God, and Your Law is in my heart.” — Psalm 39:9
The offer seemed attractive. This is exactly what Peter needed. After being fired, this sole breadwinner of a young family prayed desperately for a job. “This is undoubtedly God’s answer to your prayers,” friends said.
However, reading about the potential employer made Peter uneasy. The company invested funds in questionable cases and was accused of corruption. In the end, Peter, despite the pain, refused the offer. “I believe that God wants my actions to be right,” he shared with me. “I have to trust that He will take care of me.”
Peter’s action reminded me of the story when David found himself in the same cave as Saul. It seemed that David had a great opportunity to kill the enemy who was hunting him, but David refused. “Help me, Lord, to do that thing… to the Lord’s anointed” (1 Sam. 24:7). David carefully distinguished between human interpretation of events and God’s command to follow His instructions.
Instead of looking for “signs” in certain situations, let’s turn to God and His truth for wisdom and guidance to understand the essence of things. He will help us do the right thing.
What helped you distinguish between your own interpretation of events and God’s command for you? Who can you turn to for godly counsel?
God, grant me the wisdom to understand the opportunities before me and the faith to follow You so that I may always please You.
“And daily… and… ceaselessly taught and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” — Acts 5:42
In one interview, the musician, a believer in Christ, recalls how he was encouraged to “talk less about Jesus.” Why? It was believed that the music group would be more popular and would raise more funds to help the poor if he stopped saying that all his work is about Jesus. However, he thought and decided: “My goal in music is to share my faith in Christ… I will not be able to remain silent.” Therefore, he said “that his vocation is to spread the news about Jesus Christ.”
While in even more threatening circumstances, the apostles received a similar message. They were imprisoned, but the angel released them and ordered them to continue to preach to others about the new life in Christ (Acts 5:19-20). When the religious leaders learned about the release of the apostles and the subsequent proclamation of the Gospel, they reproached them: “Didn’t we forbid you with a threat not to teach about … the Name [of Jesus]?” (v. 28).
Instead, the apostles answered: “God must be obeyed more than men” (v. 29). The leaders beat them again and “ordered them not to speak about the Name of Jesus” (v. 40). However, the apostles rejoiced that they were worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus, and “every day… and… they taught and preached the Gospel” (v. 42). Lord, help us to follow their example!
Have you been forbidden to speak about the Lord Jesus and what was your response? How can you tell others about Him?
Dear God, thank you for the example of the apostles and other courageous witnesses. Please give me the courage to follow their example.
“I cry to You from the ends of the earth when my heart fails.” — Psalm 60:3
Author and theologian Russell Moore described how he became aware of the eerie silence in the Russian orphanage where he adopted his boys. It was later explained to him that the babies stopped crying because they knew that no one would respond to their cries.
When we go through hard times, we also feel like no one is listening. And the worst thing is that it seems to us that God does not hear our cries and does not see our tears. However, He both hears and sees! This is why we need the language of petition and supplication reflected in the Psalms. The authors of the psalms asked for God’s help and at the same time complained to Him about their circumstances. David uses similar language in the 60th Psalm, where he says to the Creator: “I cry to You from the ends of the earth, when my heart faints! Lead me to a rock that is higher than me” (v. 3). The psalmist David calls out to God, because he knows that only He is a “refuge” and a “strong tower” for him (v. 4).
The prayerful expression of requests and complaints in the psalms is an affirmation of God’s sovereignty and an appeal to His goodness and faithfulness. They confirm the existence of a close relationship with God. In difficult moments, we can all believe the lie that God does not care about us. However, this is not so. He hears us and is with us.
How does it encourage you to know that God hears your desperate prayers? What requests and complaints will you express to Him today?
Dear Jesus, help me to bring my requests, supplications and praises to You.
“You would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” —John 4:10
Life in the family was turbulent, and Andrea left home at the age of fourteen. She found a job and settled in with friends. Seeking love and affirmation, she later moved in with a man who offered her drugs; to the alcohol she already regularly drank, drug use was added. However, relationships and drugs did not satisfy her aspirations. So Andrea kept looking. After several years, she met believers in Jesus, who offered to pray with her. And after a few months, she finally got to know the One who quenched her thirst – Jesus Christ.
The Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well was also able to quench her spiritual thirst. She came to the well in the heat of the day (Jn. 4:5-7), presumably to avoid prying eyes and gossip from other women who were well aware of her history of relationships with many men (vv. 17-18). Jesus, turning to her and asking for water, violated the social customs of the time, since He, a Jewish teacher, was not supposed to communicate with a Samaritan woman. However, the Lord wanted to give her living water, which was supposed to lead her to eternal life (v. 10). He wanted to quench her thirst.
When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we also drink living water. We can share this water with others by inviting them to follow Jesus.
How do you think the woman at the well felt when Jesus asked her for water? What does it mean to you to receive His living water?
Heavenly Father, You gladly invite all those who are thirsty to come to the water and drink. Quench my thirst with Your living water.
“He humbled Himself, being obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” — Philippians 2:8
I am often amused by unofficial holidays. In the US, there’s only one February where there’s Gummy Bun Day, Sword Swallower Day, even Dog Biscuit Day! Today is called the Day of Humility. Humility is a universally recognized virtue worth celebrating. However, it was not always like that.
In the ancient world, humility was considered a weakness, not a virtue; the world valued fame. Bragging about one’s accomplishments was expected; people tried to raise their status and never lower it. Humility meant a subordinate position, for example, a servant before a master. However, all this changed after the death of Jesus Christ. He who was in the “form of God” left His divine status to take the “form of a servant” and “humbled Himself” to die for others (Phil. 2:6-8). A commendable act made me reevaluate the meaning of humility. Thanks to what Christ did, by the end of the first century, even secular writers called humility a virtue.
Every time someone is praised for being humble, the Gospel is being preached indirectly. Without Jesus, humility would not be “good” and the Day of Humility would be unthinkable. Christ gave up His status for us, revealing the humble nature of God throughout history.
What would the world be like if humility was still considered a weakness? In what relationship contexts can you find the humility of Jesus?
Lord Jesus, I praise You for Your humility. I wish to show the same humility before You!
“Above all that is guarded, guard your heart, for from it comes life.” — Proverbs 4:23
In 1938, the Hungarian mathematician Abraham Wald moved to the United States. There, during World War II, he applied his skills to military purposes. The military command was trying to find ways to protect aircraft from enemy fire, and turned to Wald and his colleagues. In an attempt to determine the places where the aircraft were most damaged, scientists began to examine the equipment that was returning to the base. However, Wald realized that the damage on the returning planes showed only those areas that had not been critically hit. He realized that the place that needed the most additional protection was to be found in the planes that had been shot down. At the same time, these planes, hit in the engine, fell and could not be investigated.
Solomon talks about the need to protect the most vulnerable place – our heart. He urges his son to “guard your heart”, because everything else comes from it (Prov. 4:23). God’s instructions guide us in life, keeping us away from bad decisions and focusing on what is important.
If we protect our heart by listening to God’s instructions, we will be able to “remove our foot from evil” and remain steadfast in our journey with God (v. 27). We enter enemy territory every day, but with God’s wisdom in our hearts, we are able to focus on our mission to live for God’s glory.
Where is your heart most vulnerable right now? How can God’s wisdom protect you?
God, please protect my heart from all threats. You are my refuge.
Friends, we invite you to participate in the National Fast and Prayer for Ukraine! On February 24, it will be exactly one year since the Russian Federation launched a full-scale war against our country.
It is written in Bible:
“if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
“Neglecting the commandment of God, you cling to the traditions of men.” — Mark 7:8
While cooking, the young woman cut a piece of meat in half and put it in a large pot. When her husband asked why she was doing it, the woman answered: “Because that’s what my mother does.”
At the same time, her husband’s question aroused her curiosity, and she asked her mother about the meaning of the tradition. She was amazed to learn that her mother had cut the meat to fit in her little pot. Since my daughter had many large pots, there was no need to cut the meat.
Many traditions begin with the need to do something, but in the future they are followed only because “we are used to doing it that way.” It is quite natural to stick to human traditions; the Pharisees did the same (Mark 7:1-2). They were annoyed if someone violated at least one of their religious rules.
The Lord Jesus said to the Pharisees: “Forsaking the commandment of God, you hold to the traditions of men” (v. 8). He showed that tradition should never replace biblical wisdom. A sincere desire to follow God (vv. 6-7) is connected with the attitude of the heart, and not with observing external rituals.
It is good if we constantly evaluate traditions, what we hold dear to our hearts and what we do with religious zeal. What God has revealed to us and what is truly necessary must always be superior to tradition.
What traditions do you personally follow? To what extent do they agree with what is said in the Holy Scriptures?
Heavenly Father, help me to obey Your commandments and to renounce all traditions that contradict the Scriptures.
