Devotion.al

Feed Your Soul

  • Hope Fulfilled and Hope to Come

    Psalm 25:1-10, Jeremiah 33:14-16, Luke 21:25-36

    “…for you are the God of my salvation…” Psalm 51:5

    “In those days and at that time, I will cause a Branch to sprout up for David, and he will administer justice and in the land.
    Jeremiah 33:15

    “…they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with and great .”
    Luke 21:27

    Hope. It’s a big for how small it looks. The Psalmist knows God is the source of his salvation, despite current circumstances. God’s words to Jeremiah provide for a hope that Jeremiah can guess he will not see, but they are still hope for the Israelites.

    Christmas is about hope. It is about Emmanuel, which means God with us. It is about God sending the Son down to us. Advent, however, is not just about Christmas, and the singular time that God became man. Advent also looks to the next time God returns…at the end of the story.

    Advent, therefore, is about both the hope for both Israelites and the of the world, and it is about the hope to come when returns. Hope is to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment. Hope was fulfilled when Jesus was born in a manger. We obtained hope through his death on the cross and his resurrection. Then there is the expectation of the of Jesus…more hope!

    1/KD) Why is hope important?

    2) Why do we easily think of the hope of Christmas, but not of the hope of Jesus’ return?

    3/KD) What is your hope this Christmas?

    4/KD) What is your hope a year from now?

  • Faithfully Wise

    Faithfully Wise

    Psalm 92:1–4, 12–15; 1 Kings 10:26–11:8; Hebrews 11:4–13 We often will use the word wisdom in regards to King Solomon. He was granted the gift of wisdom for the benefit of the people, and they greatly benefited. With the temple being built, on the surface, it would seem that they were benefiting spiritually (or at…

  • Choosing the Fruit

    Choosing the Fruit

    Psalm 92:1–4, 12–15; Genesis 3:14–24; Hebrews 2:5–9 There is something odd about the story in the Garden of Eden, and it isn’t the Fall (though that is central to our faith). The story in the Garden of Eden revolves around loving obedience/respect of God (that was a failure) and two trees. The apple (usually red)…

  • Changing Diapers

    Changing Diapers

    Psalm 74; Isaiah 26:16–27:1; Luke 11:14–28 When Joni (my wife) was pregnant with our first (to be born) child, we had an odd conversation with another couple. They told us (almost mockingly) that soon our conversation would change to include the color and consistency of our child’s poop. We chuckled. That was ridiculous. Who would…

  • Skies and Hearts Aflame

    Skies and Hearts Aflame

    Psalm 74; 1 Kings 18:17–40; Revelation 20:7–15 Being made a fool of for Christ is something that Christians have had to deal with through the ages. Whether it’s because of beliefs and practices that go against the norm, or the reality that Christians are just as fallen as the rest of humanity. There is, however,…