“Let everyone give as his heart desires… for God loves the one who gives with joy!” — 2 Corinthians 9:7
Brenda was walking to the exit of the shopping center, when suddenly her attention was drawn to the pink color that was visible behind the glass of the window. She came closer and stopped, admiring the “caramel-colored cotton coat.” Oh, Holly would love that! Her friend, a single mother, had financial difficulties. Brenda knew Holly needed a warm coat, but she could never afford to pay that much for one. After some thought, Brenda smiled, took out her purse, and ordered the coat to be delivered to Holly’s house. To this gift, she added an anonymous card: “You are loved a lot!” Brenda was literally jumping for joy as she walked back to her car.
Giving at God’s prompting brings joy. The Apostle Paul, urging the Corinthians to show generosity, said: “Let everyone give as his heart desires – not in sorrow and not under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). He also noted: “He who sows generously will also reap generously” (v. 6).
Sometimes we put money in the donation plate. Sometimes we make online donations for a specific ministry. And sometimes God prompts us to show His love by caring for the needs of our friends. We give a bag of groceries, pay for a gas station… or buy a pink coat as a gift.
Who can you show God’s love to today? How can being generous fill you with joy?
Loving Father, You gave us Your Son, and we also want to sacrifice for others. Help us to respond to Your prompting to meet the needs of our neighbor.
“He is not always hostile to us, and he does not hide his anger forever.” — Psalm 102:9
One of the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic was the docking of cruise ships and the quarantine of passengers. “The Wall Street Journal” published an article containing interviews with tourists. Commenting on how the quarantine provided more opportunities for communication, one passenger joked that his wife, who has a great memory, remembered every one of his misdeeds and she thought she hadn’t remembered everything yet!
Stories like these make us smile, remind us of our human nature, and serve as a warning to see if we’re holding on to things we should let go of. However, what helps us to be kind to those who have offended us? The character of our great God as stated in Psalm 102:8-12.
In verses 8-10 it is beautifully said: “The Lord is generous and merciful, long-suffering and merciful. He is not always hostile to us, and he does not hide his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, and repays us not according to our transgressions.” Prayerfully reading the Holy Scriptures and asking for God’s help can prompt us to reconsider our intentions to take revenge on someone or punish someone. It can also lead us to pray for ourselves and for those we want to hurt by refusing to show grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
Who did you want to hurt in return for the pain they caused you? Who can you turn to for prayer support?
God of mercy, kindness and forgiveness, please help me to show grace and mercy to those who have hurt me.
“Bear with one another, and forgive.” — Colossians 3:13
Eighty years in marriage! On May 31, 2021, Pat and Ruth, my husband’s great-grandparents, celebrated this milestone. After a chance meeting in 1941, when Ruth was still in college, the young people fell in love so much that they married the day after graduation. Pat and Ruth believe that God brought them together and guided them all these years.
Reflecting on their eight decades of marriage, Pat and Ruth agree that one of the main aspects of their strong relationship is their willingness to forgive. In a healthy relationship, everyone understands that we all constantly need forgiveness for the pain we cause each other: whether it’s because of an unkind word, or because of a broken promise or task.
The Apostle Paul, seeking to help Christians live in unity, speaks of the important role of forgiveness. After urging readers to choose “sincere mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering” (Col. 3:12), Paul adds: “Forgive… if anyone has a complaint against someone” (v. 13). And what is most important – all relationships should be in love (v. 14).
A relationship that reflects the traits described by the apostle Paul is a blessing. May God help us all to develop healthy relationships characterized by love and forgiveness.
How did you experience healing when you forgave or were forgiven? How do forgiveness and accountability help strengthen relationships?
Lord Jesus, help me to forgive others as You have forgiven me.
“Teach a young man to his way, and when he grows old, he will not deviate from it.” — Proverbs 22:6
In the 1960s TV series The Andy Griffith Show, a man tells Andy that he should let his son Opie decide for himself how to live his life. But Andy disagrees: “You can’t let a young man make life’s decisions on his own. He’ll grab the first bright thing with shiny ribbons on it. Then he’ll find a hook, but it will be too late. The wrong ideas have such a strong influence that it will be difficult to convince a young man that there is something better.” Andy says it’s important for parents to model good behavior and “keep kids away from temptation.”
These words resonate with the wisdom expressed in the Book of Proverbs: “Teach a young man his way, and when he grows old, he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6). This verse is a guiding principle, although many read it as a promise. All of us are called to make a personal decision to believe in Jesus. However, with our love for God and the Scriptures, we can help lay a biblical foundation. We can also pray that our children, growing up under our care, accept Christ as their Savior and walk in His ways, and not be “in the way of the wicked” (v. 5).
Our victory over “bright things”, won with the help of the Holy Spirit, also serves as a strong testimony. The Spirit of Jesus helps us resist temptation and makes our lives a worthy example to follow.
Why is it important to remember that Proverbs 22:6 is not a promise, but a wise principle? Who can you help in “learning”?
Dear Father, help me teach Your values to the children You have given into my life.
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like… to… a treasure.” — Matthew 13:44
My friend Ruel attended a reunion of school graduates, which was held at the house of one of his classmates. The mansion on the coast near Manila Bay could hold up to two hundred people, and Ruel felt insignificant.
“I served as a pastor in remote country churches for many years,” Ruel told me, “and I was filled with envy because of the material well-being of my classmate. I began to think how different my life would be if I had become a businessman and had the appropriate degree.”
“However, later I reminded myself that there is really nothing to envy,” he continued with a smile. “I have dedicated my life to serving God, and the consequences of this will be eternal.” I will always remember the calm look on his face when he said those words.
Ruel drew his peace from Jesus’ parables in Matthew 13:44-46. He knew that the greatest treasure is God’s Kingdom. Living for the Kingdom can take many forms. For some, it may mean full-time service, for others, a pious life in a secular context. Regardless of how God chooses to use us, we can trust Him and rely on His guidance, realizing the value of the imperishable treasure we have been given. Nothing in this world can compare to what we have received in following God (1 Pet. 1:4-5).
Our life in God’s hands can bear eternal fruit.
What have you sacrificed to follow God? How does the Gospel passage from Matthew 13:44-46 inspire you?
Heavenly Father, may every day of my life be filled with joy because of the treasure I have found in You.
“Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” — Luke 15:6
“I’m called the Lord of the Rings. I’ve already found 167 lost rings this year.” While walking along the beach, my wife Kari and I chatted with an elderly man who was walking around with a metal detector. “Sometimes the rings have names engraved on them,” he said, “and I like to see the faces of the owners when I return them. I post online about the find and see if anyone gets in touch about it.” I said that I also like to search with a metal detector, but I didn’t do it very often. In parting, the man said: “You’ll never know until you try!”
In the 15th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, another kind of “search and rescue” is told. Jesus was criticized for caring about people far from God (vv. 1-2). In response, He told three stories: about a sheep, a coin and a son who were lost and then found. The man, “having found [the sheep], puts it on his shoulders and rejoices. And, coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors and says to them: ‘Rejoice with me'” (Lk. 15:5-6). All these stories are about the search for lost people and the joy of their salvation in Christ.
Jesus came “to find and save that which was lost” (Lk. 19:10). He calls us to follow His example (see Mt. 28:19). And the joy of people coming to God awaits us. We’ll never know until we try.
What joy did you feel when people came to God? How will you show others the love of Jesus?
Lord Jesus, thank you for finding and loving me! Please direct me to someone who needs You today.
“He stretched out His hand from on high, He took me.” — Psalm 17:17
In a recent post, blogger Bonnie Gray recalled a moment when her heart was filled with great sadness. “During the happiest period of my life… I suddenly began to experience panic attacks and depression.” Gray tried to find ways to soothe her pain, but soon realized that she could not cope with it on her own. “I didn’t want anyone to question my faith, so I didn’t tell anyone and just prayed for my depression to go away. But God wants to heal, not shame us or let us hide from our pain.” Gray found healing in God’s presence; The Lord was her anchor in the midst of the raging waters that tried to swallow her up.
If we are overcome by despair, let us remember: God is with us and He will support us. In Psalm 17, David praised God for deliverance from his enemies. He proclaimed: “[God] stretched out His hand from on high, He took me, He brought me out of the great waters” (v. 17). Even in a moment of despair, when it seems that he rises above us like waves in the ocean, God loves us so much that He will reach out His hand and help us, bringing us to a “large place”, a place of peace and security (v. 20). If it seems to us that we are suffocating in life’s difficulties, let us rely on God, our refuge!
When have you felt overwhelmed by a challenge? How has God supported you?
Heavenly Father, sometimes my burden becomes too heavy to bear. Thank you for constantly extending your hand to me, supporting me and giving me peace, strength and wisdom.
“With all humility and meekness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.” — Ephesians 4:2
One morning I was sitting in my chair. My youngest daughter came down to me from the upper floor and immediately jumped into my lap. I dove into her in a paternal way and kissed her on the head. She was satisfied. But then she frowned and looked at my cup of coffee unkindly. “Dad,” the daughter solemnly announced, “I love you, but I don’t like the way you smell.”
My daughter said this with complete sincerity. She didn’t want to hurt my feelings, but she felt compelled to say something to me. Sometimes we should do the same in our relationships.
In the 4th chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul tells us how we should treat each other, especially when necessary to tell the unpleasant truth. “With all humility and meekness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (v. 2). Humility, meekness and patience should serve as the foundation in our relationships. Cultivating these character traits will help us to be “truthful in love” (v. 15) and to speak only “what is good for edification” (v. 29).
No one likes to hear about their weaknesses and shortcomings. However, if we begin to “smell” unpleasantly, God can prompt faithful friends to tell us the truth with grace, humility and meekness.
When did someone gently rebuke you? If you lovingly point out their weaknesses to others, what is the most important part of it?
Heavenly Father, help me humbly accept correction and give it to others with love, grace, and gentleness.
“Love… is like… the heat of fire, it is a flame.” — Song of Songs 8:6
Poet, artist and printer William Blake enjoyed forty-five years of marriage to his wife Catherine. From their wedding day until his death in 1827, they always worked together. Catherine added colors to William’s sketches. Their zeal persisted despite years of poverty and other hardships. Blake continued to paint even in the last weeks of his life, after his health had deteriorated. His last drawing was his wife’s face. Four years later, Kateryna died, holding one of her husband’s pencils in her hand.
The strong love of this couple serves as a reflection of the love depicted in the book of Song of Songs. Although this description contains allusions to marriage, the early Christians believed that it also indicated the undying love of Jesus for all His followers. The Song says that love is “strong… like death.” This is a striking metaphor, for death is an inevitable reality that men must know (Ps. 8:6). Strong love, “like… the heat of fire, it is a flame” (v. 6). Unlike the flame we are used to, this flame cannot be extinguished. “Great waters cannot quench love” (v. 7).
Who among us does not long for true love? The song reminds that the source of any manifestation of sincere love is God. In Jesus, each of us can know a deep and eternal love that burns like a flame.
Where have you met strong love? How does the love of Jesus sustain you?
Dear God, please help me to accept Your love and show it to others.
