Devotion.al

Feed Your Soul

  • Facing It

    Psalm 119:81–88; Jeremiah 16:1–13; James 5:7–12

    The yearning in Psalm 119:81–88 is almost palpable. The need for relief with a counterbalance of produces a huge amount of tension within a few verses. This tension is often part of our own lives as we desire immediate relief from our trials, the fulfillment of our hopes and dreams, and God. Far too often, however, we have trusting God within that, so up doing it in our own .

    This may be part of the reason why for God’s warning to the residents of Jerusalem through Jeremiah. Don’t try to make up for the exile through childbirth. That dream is more than you can bear. If you try, everything around you will fall apart in ways beyond your ability to bear.

    The reality was that Jerusalem would not be a healthy place to remain. Due to resource issues, it would have difficulties sustaining a significant population. When that happens, disease and famine will come. It’s not a God-caused thing, it is the reality of an overdrawn environment.

    When it comes to our trials and dreams, however, is often not one of our strengths. Often we also begin to bite at and attack one another. In an attempt to appease the tension and , we often turn to things and actions outside of ourselves: , drugs, food, sex, anger, fighting, hatred, insults, ridicule, complaints, discord, control, withdrawal. Various people find ways to deal with their pains.

    Strengthening our resolve in God and following God’s lead is often difficult in the of our dreams and trials, yet that is where God meets us. We just have to have the courage and to face it.

    ※Reflection※

    Where is the tension in your right now? How do you see that tension in your dreams and your pain (trials)

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, build our capability to endure the tension between our dreams and our trials as we rely upon and have faith in you. Amen.

  • Rubble and Ruin

    Rubble and Ruin

    Psalm 142; Amos 9:1–4; Acts 23:12–35 I don’t know about you, but I’m a little jaundiced about earthquakes. I grew up in Northern California. Earthquakes were…normal isn’t the word…to be expected. So much so, that the first earthquake my wife experiences was in the middle of the night. She woke me up in a panic,…

  • Good Fire. Bad Fire.

    Good Fire. Bad Fire.

    Sometimes only purification is needed. Sometimes a clean slate is needed. The same can be said about our lives. The same can be said about our actions. Sometimes we think we’re doing one when we’re doing the others. Sometimes we just want to watch things burn. Fires of prophecy can take many forms. Many people…

  • Who Is For You

    Amos 7:7–15; Psalm 85:8–13; Ephesians 1:3–14; Mark 6:14–29 There are many people in the world who have a person they focus on. That person could be an individual they look up to. That person could also be a person who was the source of a lot of pain or conflict. When there is such a…

  • God of Boxes

    God of Boxes

    We struggle (and that’s fine) with the concept that God would discipline through pestilence, famine, war, etcetera. We will often use the language of “God allows”, or explain things as “an ‘old world’ understanding”.