Christian Daily Devotionals

by Idelette McVicker

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross …” Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

One of my close friends suffers from chronic headaches. She lives with pain. It is something I am, thankfully, rather unfamiliar with. Her suffering, however, has introduced me to the huge realm of those who suffer from severe pain. Sometimes I just feel helpless. Most days I stand on the sideline and watch her endure.

While reflecting on the power of the cross again, it dawned on me that dying on a cross meant, for Jesus, enduring unfathomable pain. He doesn’t stand as a bystander, removed from the pain. Jesus became intensely familiar with pain. When you talk to Him about pain, He knows. He knows what you’re talking about. He has entered into Pain with you. This is the amazing God we love. There is nothing too far removed from Him. I may not be able to enter into the pain with my friend, but her closest Friend can and already has.

Reflect:
We have all suffered pain, whether emotional or physical. Imagine Jesus being right there with you. Then thank Him for enduring a pain that is so far beyond our imagination. Thank Jesus for being willing to suffer, so we may call him Friend in the places where we need Him most.

Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for Your incredible sacrifice on the cross. Not only did You carry the sins of the world—past, present and future—but You died an extremely painful death, all for us. You are the best Friend we could ever ask for.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/02/12/im_knows-pain/

By Katherine Kehler

“One of them came back to Jesus, shouting, ‘Glory to God, I’m healed!’ He fell flat on the ground in front of Jesus, face downward in the dust, thanking Him for what He had done…Jesus asked, ‘Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the nine”? Luke 17:15-17

I have often thought about how exciting it will be when we get to heaven and our eyes will be opened to all the miracles God did for us - most of which we were unaware of. We will also come to realize how many times we rationalized away many of the miracles…like the nine lepers who were healed.

The cartoon character, Charlie Brown, gave several suggestions as to why the nine lepers never returned to Jesus to give thanks. They reveal a whole lot about human nature:

One man waited to see if the cure was real.

One waited to see if it would last.

One said he would see Jesus later.

One decided that he had never really had leprosy.

One said he would have gotten well anyway.

One gave the glory to the priests.

One said, “O, well, Jesus didn’t really do anything”.

One said, “Any rabbi could have done it”.

One said, “I was already much improved”

Think about it…are we thanking God for all He has done and is doing for you? Or are we, like the lepers, rationalizing away God’s miracles?

Father, would you please give us an attitude of gratitude - every day? Thank You! Amen

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/02/10/kk_lepers/

by Alec Niemi

My readings for today included the 23rd Psalm. It is probably the most used passage in the Bible. On one of my mission trips into the Ukraine I took a scientist with me to speak to a group of leaders. When he got up to speak he simply rephrased the 23rd Psalm, read it and sat down. I was a bit shocked at first but then had one of the other speakers close with a gospel presentation. Many leaders prayed that day, accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. What a blessing and what a lesson.

And so my prayer for you this week is the 23rd Psalm as he rephrased it.

The LORD is your shepherd; you shall not be in want.
He makes you lie down in green pastures,
he leads you beside quiet waters,
He restores your soul.
He guides you in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
You will fear no evil,
for He is with you;
His rod and His staff,
they comfort you.
He prepares a table before you
in the presence of your enemies.
He anoints your head with oil;
your cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow you
all the days of your life,
and you will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

Amen!!!

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/02/05/an_psalm-23/

by Marilyn Ehle

“What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?  Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless”. James 2:14-17

I write these words two days after the catastrophic earthquake that devastated the country of Haiti. Every where I turn I see images of people walking through rubble with dazed, empty eyes, women holding their dead or dying babies, children huddled on the street with only rags covering them. I hear the “I-can’t-believe-what-I’m-seeing” voices of reporters experienced with the reality of war but never before seeing anything like this.

A disturbing thought creeps into my consciousness: why is all this only information to me? I make arrangements to send money; I listen to friends who are in the midst of the adoption process and now wonder if their “children” are even alive; I pray. But why is my heart not broken? Why am I not weeping?

Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, visited Korea in the 1950’s and saw the devastation of war. He was tormented by the vision of suffering and dying of Korean children. And he prayed, “Break my heart with what breaks the heart of God.”

I have heard that story; I have shared those words with others, but one glaring question faces me with neon-like brilliance: “Do I want my heart broken?” Perhaps you, like I, have had your heart broken at the death of a loved one. Perhaps you have suffered the disaster of divorce, or chronic pain from an illness for which there is no cure. We know what a broken heart feels like and we’re not sure we want another one.

In his book, The Hole In Our Gospel, Richard Sterns, the current president of World Vision, writes, “Bob knew that he could not love somebody else’s kids the way God did. No (one) can unless God breaks that individual’s heart. Only then can he or she—or we—care as God cares and love as He loves. That’s why we must pray constantly (emphasis mine) that God will soften our hearts so we see the world the way He sees it.”

The question remains: do I want a broken heart?

Father, I sit at the crossroad of faith and action. I want to serve you by serving others but a broken heart hurts so much. Help me.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/01/18/me_broken-heart/