devotion – Growing Our Faith Together

Hope

In my mind’s eye I see the car rolling up the highway. I hear the whine of the tires as they eat up the road. From the outside, all is calm. Inside, turmoil. Inside, parents clinging to their Jesus, seeking His wisdom. Desperately seeking His wisdom. They drive on, heading to the institution far away,Continue reading “Hope”

Hope

Hope is the thing That pushes its head through the earth, Unfurling its pale green For all to see. It’s the expectation of blooms, Unwinding from a tiny bud, Blooms more vibrant and colorful Than imagination. Hope is the realization that dead, shriveled things, long buried in the ground, Will one day rise again toContinue reading “Hope”

Swinging the Sword

The story is familiar. On the night Judas betrayed Jesus, an armed crowd came at night to arrest him. To protect his master, Peter “reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear” (Matthew 26: 26:51). The loyal disciple attempted to save Jesus with violence.Continue reading “Swinging the Sword”

A Work of Art

Many admire the beauty of glass, its colors sparkling. Stepping stones, with embedded glass, decorate gardens. Stained-glass windows inspire awe and reverence. To make the stained-glass, the artist first breaks the glass, leaving tiny splinters and sharp edges. Next, she grinds the edges smooth. Once shaped and smoothed, the artist solders the pieces together toContinue reading “A Work of Art”

A Box of Chocolates

Imagine that someone has given you a big box of chocolates! What is the first thing you do? Most would probably say Thank you, open the box, and graciously offer the first piece to the giver of this scrumptious gift. Would you begrudge giving that first piece of chocolate to the person who gave youContinue reading “A Box of Chocolates”

Returning to Joy

Walking the nature trails, I wander across a large meadow, at least ¼ mile long and just as wide. Everywhere I look across this open countryside, I see dead, dry, native grasses. Deciduous trees dot the landscape. Winter weather has shorn them of their green garments, and their barren branches stretch nakedly toward the wintryContinue reading “Returning to Joy”

Dropping the Stones

She was caught in the act of adultery and dragged into the temple courts. Head down, hands trembling, she avoided the eyes of the angry men surrounding her. They couldn’t wait to pass judgment on her. Their faces turned hard as the stones they longed to throw. After all, that was God’s law. But theContinue reading “Dropping the Stones”

December Waiting

December Waiting December is a month filled with contrasts. Days are shorter. Nights longer. Clouds fill the sky and darken the sun. Winter’s wind breathes frost on the grass and trees. Once again, we don gloves, scarves, and warm winter coats. But under the darkness, under the cold, lie promises. Promises of longer, warmer days.Continue reading “December Waiting”

First Kiss

Frost has kissed the forest. Dead leaves flutter from the trees, making Autumn’s golden snowfall litter the stream. My feet crunch through the leafy debris as the trees lift barren branches skyward. It’s silent here. No cars roar. No people chatter. High in the treetops the wind blows, roaring past leafless branches. All around meContinue reading “First Kiss”

Safe in His Arms

Today I venture off the usual broad path through the mowed natural grasslands. I wander onto the narrow, curving paths that transport me into a tree filled shadow land, cool and welcoming. I marvel at the quiet calm, broken only by the sound of my footsteps and intermittent bird calls. The shadows provide a welcomeContinue reading “Safe in His Arms”