DEVOTIONAL:
Lent is a season of stepping back from life, reevaluating. Holding on to what is right but letting go of our own misconceptions. How must the disciples have felt as the one they hoped would be their Savior was subject to death on the cross? In such a time, God called them to let go of their own ideas of a Savior and hold on to who Jesus truly was. (more…)

DEVOTIONAL:
Wow! What a way to live! David is committed, and it makes me feel kind of guilty. I try to think back and remember if there was ever a time that I longed for God in such a deep way. I can think of times I called to him in distress, but the way David thirsts and longs for God seems much more dedicated. (more…)

DEVOTIONAL:
Ho, ho, ho. It’s a wonderful life! What we most need for nourishment and delight is free of charge. There’s a banquet set before us and we’re invited to the table. Smacznego!

Yet the cult of cornucopia has convinced us that our happiness and the health of the economy depend on what we feverishly buy and voraciously consume. So we charge around buying bread that is not bread, and selling labor without love. Bloated and hollow we are desperate for things that numb instead of nourish. (more…)

THIS WEEK’S THEME: My soul thirsts for you

DEVOTIONAL:
Thirsting for God is a faith metaphor that we can all understand. Think of how dry your mouth feels after hard work on a hot day. Your body’s fluids and electrolytes are imbalanced; if they don’t regain balance, you could experience neurological or kidney problems. “Water,” your body cries out, “I need water!” (more…)

DEVOTIONAL:
I remember curling up on my dad´s lap when I was a child. His famous question was, “Kelsey, what do you want to do when you grow up?”

Years later, as my family sits around the table at breakfast we discuss the same question: what do we want to do with our lives? Dreams of ice skaters and astronauts have turned into a bucket list brainstorming session of things we’d like to do before we “kick the bucket” or pass away. (more…)

DEVOTIONAL:
Each time the news breaks with another story of a pastor that has stolen a large amount of money or an evangelist that has broken their marriage vows, it saddens me. I’m sadder for the person, their families, the people that believed in them and those who strive to stand firm in the Lord. I’m sad that it will now take more work and healing to bring those that are struggling with their decision on which way they want to pursue life to get past their wrestling with the story of someone that proclaimed to be a follower of Christ. (more…)

DEVOTIONAL:
What a beautiful and encouraging piece the Psalmist gives us in today’s Scripture. If you haven’t read it yet, please do!

I am confident that parts of the psalm will speak in different ways to different people. Hopefully something the Psalmist wrote can speak to you today. What part really moved you? What part jumped out? What’s the Spirit trying to teach you from the piece? (more…)

DEVOTIONAL:
Fifteen years ago, I did a curious thing. Instead of the typical children’s bedtime story, I began telling my 3-year-old daughter Monica the stories in Genesis, starting with today’s verses introducing the Abrahamic covenant. Night after night this went on, with me either reading from Hurlbut’s “Bedtime Bible Story Book” (a children’s classic) or paraphrasing the stories from memory. (more…)

THIS WEEK’S THEME: Stand firm in the Lord

DEVOTIONAL:
The theme of week two of Lent is “Stand firm in the Lord.” This can be more challenging than it sounds. There are day-to-day struggles and temptations that cause it to be very difficult to stand firm in the Lord. An encouraging word is written in Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (more…)

DEVOTIONAL:
The season of Lent is a time not usually found among most people’s top 10 favorites. However, this year’s Goshen College theme “Holding On and Letting Go” cries out for notice, especially in view of the temptation narrative found in Luke 4:1-13. (more…)