Daily Bread

A Season For Everything

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. —Ecclesiastes 3:1

Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 | Bible in a Year: Numbers 28-30; Mark 8:22-38
If you’re like me, you’ve struggled with having to say no to taking on a new responsibility—especially if it’s for a good cause and directly related to helping others. We may have sound reasons for carefully selecting our priorities. Yet sometimes, by not agreeing to do more, we may feel guilty or we may think that somehow we have failed in our walk of faith.

But according to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, wisdom recognizes that everything in life has its own season—in human activities as in the realm of nature. “There is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” (3:1).

Perhaps you are getting married or becoming a parent for the first time. Maybe you are leaving school and entering the workforce, or moving from fulltime work to retirement. As we move from season to season, our priorities change. We may need to put aside what we did in the past and funnel our energy into something else.

When life brings changes in our circumstances and obligations, we must responsibly and wisely discern what kind of commitments we should make, seeking in whatever we do to “do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). Proverbs 3:6 promises that as we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He will guide us in the way we should go.

Heavenly Father, give me Your wisdom to know what priorities I need to have at this season of my life. Guide me in all that I do. I only want to bring You the honor You deserve with the way I live.
Commitment to Christ is a daily calling that challenges us.
INSIGHT: The book of Ecclesiastes shows what life is like without God (1:1-2) and reminds us to include Him in our lives (12:1). In today’s passage, Solomon affirms God’s sovereignty over all human life (3:11). He observes that we are time-bound, experiencing between birth and death a complexity of events (vv. 2-8). God is in control of our lives, making “everything beautiful in its time” (v. 11).
 
House-Hunting Ants

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. —Psalm 90:1

Read: Numbers 13:25–14:19 | Bible in a Year: Numbers 31-33; Mark 9:1-29
According to researchers from the University of Bristol, the European rock ant may be better than we are at staying on top of the housing market. The researchers found that the ant colonies use scout ants to continually monitor their colonies’ living conditions. Using social skills complex enough to stun the scientists, the rock ants work together to find the right living space, darkness, and security needed to give the queen mother and her larvae the best available housing.

In the days of Moses, the families of Israel were looking for a new home. The slave yards of Egypt had been brutal. The wilderness of Sinai was no place to settle down. But there was a problem. According to Israelite scouts, the homeland to which God was leading them was already occupied—by walled cities and giants who made the scouts feel like grasshoppers in their own eyes (Num. 13:28,33).

Sometimes it may be helpful to compare ourselves to insects. House-hunting rock ants instinctively follow the ways of their Creator. But we often let our fears keep us from following and trusting God. When we rest in the assurance of His presence and love, we can say, “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.”

Father in heaven, please help us to see that today there is no better place to live than in Your presence and love. Help us learn to settle in and be comfortable with our place in You.
Finding ourselves at home in God is a good place to be.
 
Start With Me

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. —Philippians 2:4

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 | Bible in a Year: Numbers 34-36; Mark 9:30-50
I call them Mell Notes—little comments my daughter Melissa made in her Bible to help her apply a passage to her life.

In Matthew 7, for instance, she had drawn a box around verses 1 and 2 that talk about not judging others because, when you do, “with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” Next to it she wrote this Mell Note: “Look at what you are doing before you look at others.”

Melissa was an “others-oriented” teen. She lived the words of Philippians 2:4. Her classmate Matt, who knew her from church nursery through her final days in the eleventh grade when she died in a car accident, said of Melissa at her memorial service: “I don’t think I ever saw you without a smile or something that brightened up people’s days.” Her friend Tara said this: “Thanks for being my friend, even when no one else was as nice and cheerful as you.”

In a day in which harsh judgment of others seems to be the rule, it’s good to remember that love starts with us. The words of Paul come to mind: “Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13).

What a difference we’ll make if, when we look at others, we say, “Love starts with me.” And wouldn’t that be a great reflection of God’s love for us?

Lord, thank You for the great love You lavished on us when You sent Your Son to die and be resurrected so that we could be with You eternally. In response, help us to love others. Lord, we want to be like You.
Embracing God’s love for us is the key to loving others.
INSIGHT: In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul is extolling the value of love, but it is not just any kind of love. In Greek, there are a variety of words for love that range in meaning from physical to fraternal. Here, the word translated “love” is agape, which speaks of supreme love—the kind that sacrifices itself for the one loved. This is the love God demonstrated for us by giving His Son to pay the price for our sins (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8).
 
Cat Gate

Read: John 10:1-10 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 8-10; Mark 11:19-33

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. —John 10:9
My husband, Jay, and I have a new family member—a 2-month-old tabby cat named Jasper. To keep our new kitten safe, we’ve had to break some old habits, like leaving doors open. But one thing remains a challenge: the open stairway. Cats like to climb. Even as kittens, they know that the world looks better when you’re looking down on it. So whenever I have Jasper downstairs with me, she is determined to go upstairs. Trying to keep her confined to a safe place near me has tested my ingenuity. Gates that work with children and dogs do not work with cats.

My cat gate dilemma brings to mind the metaphor Jesus used to describe Himself: “I am the gate for the sheep,” He said (John 10:7 niv). Middle Eastern sheepfolds were enclosures with an opening for the sheep to go in and out. At night, when the sheep were safely inside, the shepherd would lie in the opening so that neither sheep nor predators could get past him.

Although I want to keep Jasper safe, I am not willing to make myself the gate. I have other things to do. But that’s what Jesus Christ does for us. He places Himself between us and our enemy, the devil, to protect us from spiritual harm.

Thank You, Jesus, for being my gate. Through You I have salvation and by Your power I am safe from spiritual harm. Surround me with Your protection. I trust in You.
The closer to the Shepherd, the farther from the wolf.
INSIGHT: John records several instances of the exclusive claims of Jesus. In today’s passage, Jesus says that the only way to relationship with God is through Him (John 10:9). Later, speaking to His disciples, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (14:6)
 
Unexpected Encounter

Read: Ruth 2:11-20 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 11-13; Mark 12:1-27

The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel. —Ruth 2:12
Drew, young and enthusiastic, was leading the singing for the first time in a large church. Lois, a long-time attender, wanted to encourage him, but she thought it would be too difficult to get to the front of the church before he left. But then she saw a way to snake through the crowd. Lois told Drew, “I appreciate your enthusiasm in worship. Keep serving Him!”

As Lois walked away, she ran into Sharon, who she hadn’t seen in months. After a short conversation, Sharon said, “Thank you for what you do for the Lord. Keep serving Him!” Because Lois had gone out of her way to give encouragement, she was now in the right place to receive unexpected encouragement.

After Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, left Moab and returned to Israel, they received an unexpected blessing. They were both widows with no one to provide for them, so Ruth went to glean grain from a field (Ruth 2:2-3). The field happened to be owned by Boaz, a distant relative of Naomi’s. He noticed Ruth, provided for her needs, and later became her husband (2:20; 4:13). Ruth received a blessing because she was in the right place at the right time (2:11-23).

Sometimes God uses unexpected encounters to bring unexpected blessings.

Dear Lord, help me to go out of my way to encourage others—whether or not I receive anything in return. My heart’s desire is to help others along the way to know You. May I be Your hands and feet.
When it comes to helping others, don’t stop at nothing.
 
Shocking Accessibility

Read: Romans 8:14-17,24-26 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 14-16; Mark 12:28-44

You received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” —Romans 8:15
When John F. Kennedy was president of the US, photographers sometimes captured a winsome scene. Seated around the president’s desk in the Oval Office, cabinet members are debating matters of world consequence. Meanwhile, a toddler, the 2-year-old John-John, crawls around and inside the huge presidential desk, oblivious to White House protocol and the weighty matters of state. He is simply visiting his daddy.

That is the kind of shocking accessibility conveyed in the word Abba when Jesus said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You” (Mark 14:36). God may be the sovereign Lord of the universe, but through His Son, God became as approachable as any doting human father. In Romans 8, Paul brings the image of intimacy even closer. God’s Spirit lives inside us, he says, and when we do not know what we ought to pray “the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (v.26).

Jesus came to demonstrate that a perfect and holy God welcomes pleas for help from a widow with two mites and a Roman centurion and a miserable publican and a thief on a cross. We need only call out “Abba” or, failing that, simply groan. God has come that close to us.

We want to talk to God, but it can be difficult to find words to express the emotions of our heart. The Discovery Series booklet Let’s Pray may help. Read it online at http://www.discoveryseries.org/hp135
Prayer is an intimate conversation with our God.
INSIGHT: The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is the evidence that we are saved. The Holy Spirit is also called “the Spirit of God” and the “Spirit of Christ” (Rom. 8:9). Paul taught that the Spirit is the deposit that guarantees our salvation (Eph 1:13-14) and the source of our new life (Rom. 8:11). Assuring us that we are God’s children, the Holy Spirit enables us to affectionately call out to God, “Abba, Father” (v. 15). As “the Spirit of adoption” (v.15), the Spirit changes our status from slaves to sons (Gal. 4:6), giving us the full privileges of sonship—making us heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). The indwelling Spirit helps us to pray by interceding for us and with us (v. 26).
 
Hand Me The Binoculars!

Read: Psalm 19:1-6 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 17-19; Mark 13:1-20

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. —Psalm 19:1
When I was in elementary school my friend Kent and I would often spend time looking at the night sky with a pair of German-made binoculars. We marveled at the stars in the sky and the mountains on the moon. All throughout the evening we took turns saying, “Hand me the binocs!”

Centuries earlier a Jewish shepherd boy looked up at the night sky and also marveled. He did not have a pair of binoculars or a telescope to aid him. But he had something even more important—a personal relationship with the living God. I imagine the sheep quietly bleating in the background as David gazed skyward. Later he would write the inspired text: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge” (Ps. 19:1-2).

In our busy schedules, we can so easily forget to stand in awe of the heavenly beauty our Creator has prepared for our enjoyment and His glory. When we set aside time to look at the night sky and marvel at what is there, we gain a deeper understanding of God and His eternal power and glory.

We believe that this is Your world, Lord. We marvel at You and Your creativity when we look at the sky and the world around us. You, and what You have done, are amazing! We stand in awe of You.
In the wonders of God’s creation, we see His majesty and His character.
INSIGHT: Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote this about David and Psalm 19: “In his earliest days the psalmist, while keeping his father’s flock, had devoted himself to the study of God’s two great books—nature and Scripture; and he had so thoroughly entered into the spirit of these two only volumes in his library that he was able with a devout criticism to compare and contrast them, magnifying the excellency of the Author as seen in both. . . . He is wisest who reads both the world-book and the Word-book as two volumes of the same work, and feels concerning them, ‘My Father wrote them both.’”
 
Giving Up Our Mirrors

Read: Philippians 2:1-5 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 20-22; Mark 13:21-37

[Bezalel] made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women. —Exodus 38:8
When Moses gathered the children of Israel together to begin work on the tabernacle (Ex. 35–39), he called on Bezalel, a gifted artisan, to help make the furnishings. We’re told that certain women were asked to give their precious bronze mirrors to make the bronze basin he was constructing (38:8). They gave them up to help prepare a place where God’s presence would reside.

Give up our mirrors? For most of us, that would be hard to do. That’s not something we’re asked to do, but it makes me think about how too much scrutiny and self-examination can be disconcerting. It can make us think too much about ourselves and not enough about others.

When we can forget about our own faces quickly and remember that God loves us as we are—in all our imperfections—then we can begin to “look out not only for [our] own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4).

Augustine said that we get lost in loving ourselves but found in loving others. Put another way, the secret of happiness is not getting our face right but giving our hearts away, giving our lives away, giving our selves away, in love.

Father, may I think more of others today than I think of myself. May I lose my thoughts about myself in my thoughts of other people and their needs.
A heart that is focused on others will not be consumed with self.
INSIGHT: Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians while he was under house arrest. He was waiting for a verdict that would either set him free or result in his execution. It was in these circumstances that he wrote about “consolation,” “comfort,” and “fellowship” (v. 1). Paul reminds the Philippians (and us) that these things come from our commitment to Christ. We have consolation in Christ, comfort from His love, and fellowship with the Spirit. All of our love for each other comes from following the example of Christ (vv. 2-5), which Paul explains in verses 6-11.
 
Unwelcome Visitors

Read: James 1:2-12 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 30-31; Mark 15:1-25

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. —James 1:2-3
Recently my wife, Marlene, and I received a panicky phone call from our son and his wife. The night before, they had found two bats in their house. I know bats are an important part of the ecosystem, but they are not my favorite among God’s creatures, especially when they are flying around inside.

Yet Marlene and I were thankful we could go over to our kids’ house and help. We helped them to plug the holes that might have been used by these unwelcome visitors to enter their house.

Another unwelcome visitor that often intrudes into our lives is suffering. When trials come, we can easily panic or lose heart. But these difficult circumstances can become the instruments our loving heavenly Father uses to make us more like Christ. That’s why James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work” (James 1:2-4).

We are not expected to enjoy trials or to celebrate suffering. But when these unwelcome visitors arrive, we can look for God’s hand in them and trust that He can use them to make us more like His Son.

Thank You, Father, that You give to us each day what You know is best. We’re thankful that we can trust Your heart, which is kind beyond all measure.
Trials may visit us, but our God is always with us.
INSIGHT: The epistle of James, one of the earliest New Testament writings (AD 44–47), was believed to be written by James, a half-brother of Jesus (Matt. 13:55). James didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah until Jesus appeared to him after His resurrection (John 7:5; 1 Cor. 15:7). Eventually becoming a key leader of the church in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:9), James wrote this letter to encourage Jewish Christians dispersed by persecution and undergoing severe hardships to persevere and remain steadfast in the Lord (v. 12).
 
[Jesus said,] “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” —Matthew 4:4
During recent elections in my country, one struggling mom I know exchanged her vote for a bag of diapers. We had discussed the benefits of each candidate, so her choice disappointed me. “But what about your convictions?” I asked. She remained silent. Six months after her candidate won, taxes went even higher. Everything is now more expensive than before . . . even diapers!

In countries around the world, political corruption is not new. Spiritual corruption is not new either. Satan tried to lure Jesus into “selling” His convictions (Matt. 4:1-10). The tempter came to Him when He was tired and hungry. He offered Him immediate satisfaction, fresh bread in seconds, a miraculous delivery, the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

But Jesus knew better. He knew that shortcuts were dangerous enemies. They may offer a road free from suffering, but in the end the pain they carry is much worse than anything we can imagine. “It is written,” Jesus said three times during His temptation (vv.4,7,10). He held firm to what He knew was true from God and His Word.

When we are tempted, God can help us too. We can depend on Him and the truth of His Word to help us avoid dangerous shortcuts.

Help me not to take shortcuts to satisfaction, Lord. Help me to run to You and Your Word for the strength to fight the enemy. I’m confident that You will be there to help me.
God’s road is not easy, but it leads to eternal satisfaction.
INSIGHT: One of the most compelling elements of the temptations of Jesus is found in Matthew 4:1, where we read that it was the Spirit who led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested. This surprising action of the Spirit immediately follows the baptism of Jesus where the Spirit descended upon Him, indicating the Father’s endorsement of the Son (Matt. 3:16-17).
 
A Place To Be
Read: Nehemiah 1:4-11 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 1-3; Mark 16

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. —John 14:2
A thousand strands of time, events, and people weave into a tapestry we call place. More than just a house, place is where meaning, belonging, and safety come together under the covering of our best efforts at unconditional love. Place beckons us with memories buried deep in our souls. Even when our place isn’t perfect, its hold on us is dramatic, magnetic.

The Bible speaks frequently of place. We see an example in Nehemiah’s longing for a restored Jerusalem (Neh. 1:3-4; 2:2). It’s no surprise, then, that Jesus would speak of place when He wants to comfort us. “Let not your heart be troubled,” He began. Then He added: “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1-2).

For those who have fond memories of earthly places, this promise links us to something we can easily understand and look forward to. And for those whose places have been anything but comforting and safe, Jesus promises that one day they will hear the sweet song place sings, for they will inhabit it with Him.

Whatever the struggle, whatever the faltering on your faith journey, remember this: There’s a place in heaven already waiting, fitted just for you. Jesus wouldn’t have said so if it weren’t true.

Jesus, I can’t wait to live in the home You have prepared for me. Thank You that no matter what my earthly place holds, comfort or pain, my home with You will be so much better.
May the memory of our earthly place point us with hope to our heavenly place.
 
A Gift Of Hope
Read: Judges 13:1-7 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 4-6; Luke 1:1-20

He shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. —Judges 13:5
When a powerful typhoon swept through the city of Tacloban, Philippines, in 2013, an estimated 10,000 people died, and many who survived found themselves homeless and jobless. Necessities became scarce. Three months later, while the town was still struggling to dig itself out from the destruction, a baby was born on a roadside near Tacloban amid torrents of rain and strong wind. Although the weather brought back painful memories, residents worked together to find a midwife and transport the mother and newborn to a clinic. The baby survived, thrived, and became a symbol of hope during a time of despair.

Forty years of Philistine oppression marked a grim period in Israel’s national history. During this time, an angel informed an Israelite woman that she would give birth to a special son (Judg. 13:3). According to the angel, the baby would be a Nazirite—a man set apart to God—and would “begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (v.5). The infant, Samson, was a gift of hope born in a troubled time.

Trouble is unavoidable, yet Jesus has the power to rescue us from despair. Christ was born “to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace” (Luke 1:76-79).

Lord, help me to see beyond my circumstances and put my hope in You. All authority and power are Yours. Remind me of Your goodness, and let me rest in Your love.
Jesus is the hope that calms life’s storms.
INSIGHT: Samson was set apart as “a Nazirite to God” even before he was born (vv. 5,7).Nazirite means “dedicated” or “consecrated.” Numbers 6:1-21 sets out the requirements for those who were Nazirites. Besides Samson, other well-known Nazirites in the Bible are Samuel (1 Sam. 1:11) and John the Baptist (Luke 1:15).
 
Son Reflector

Read: John 1:1-9 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 13-15; Luke 1:57-80

This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light. —John 1:7
The cozy little village of Rjukan, Norway, is a delightful place to live—except during the dark days of winter. Located in a valley at the foot of the towering Gaustatoppen Mountain, the town receives no direct sunlight for nearly half of the year. Residents had long considered the idea of placing mirrors at the top of the mountain to reflect the sun. But the concept was not feasible until recently. In 2005, a local artist began “The Mirror Project” to bring together people who could turn the idea into reality. Eight years later, in October 2013, the mirrors went into action. Residents crowded into the town square to soak up the reflected sunlight.

In a spiritual sense, much of the world is like the village of Rjukan—mountains of troubles keep the light of Jesus from getting through. But God strategically places His children to act as reflectors. One such person was John the Baptist, who came “to bear witness of the Light”—Jesus—who gives light “to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death” (John 1:7; Luke 1:79).

Just as sunlight is essential for emotional and physical health, so exposure to the light of Jesus is essential for spiritual health. Thankfully, every believer is in a position to reflect His light into the world’s dark places.

Dear Father, help me to reflect Your light into the world around me today. May all that I say and do bear witness of Your light and truth. May others see how wonderful You are.
A world in darkness needs the light of Jesus.
INSIGHT: The author of the gospel of John is not the same John referred to in today’s reading (1:6). John the Baptist, the “man sent from God,” was the fulfillment of the “messenger” prophesied in Malachi 3:1 (see Mark 1:2-3). His main task was to introduce Jesus to the world and “to bear witness of the Light” (John 1:7-8). The miraculous circumstances of John’s birth are told in Luke 1:5-80. He was probably a cousin of Jesus (Luke 1:36), had the privilege to baptize Him (Matt. 3:13-15), and was imprisoned and later beheaded by Herod (14:1-12). His ministry is recorded in Matthew 3; 11:1-11; Mark 1:1-9; and Luke 3. Jesus said that of “those born of women” (i.e., those born by ordinary human birth), none is greater than John the Baptist (Matt. 11:11).
 
Simply Trusting

Read: Psalm 56 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 16-18; Luke 2:1-24

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. —Psalm 56:3
When our children were young, taking them to the doctor’s office was an interesting experience. The waiting room was filled with toys they could play with and children’s magazines I would read to them. So getting that far with them was no problem. But as soon as I picked them up to carry them into the appointment, everything changed. Suddenly the fun turned into fear as the nurse approached with the needle for the needed shot. The closer she got, the tighter they hugged my neck. They would cling to me for comfort, probably hoping for rescue, not knowing that it was for their own good.

Sometimes in this fallen world we move from times of peace and tranquility into the painful realm of trouble. At that point, the question is, “How will I respond?” We can be fearful and wonder why God allowed this to happen to us, or we can trust that in the midst of this trouble He is doing something that in the end is for our best, even if it hurts. We would do well to remember the words of the psalmist who wrote, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Ps. 56:3).

Like my children, the tougher it gets, the tighter we should hug His neck. Trust Him. His love never fails!

Come quickly, Lord, to help me. Teach me to trust You in times of trouble. Remind me of Your presence and of the fact that You hold me in Your loving arms.
Cling to your heavenly Father; He is your only hope.
INSIGHT: Psalm 56 was written by David when the Philistines captured him in Gath, as stated in the superscription. One of the ironies of David’s life is that he killed the Philistine champion Goliath who was from Gath, but in fleeing from Saul he sought refuge in that same city. In both circumstances, his ultimate refuge was found in God.
 
God’s Clocks

Read: Luke 2:36-40 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 19-21; Luke 2:25-52

She . . . spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. —Luke 2:38
I visit two elderly women from time to time. One has no financial worries, is fit for her age, and lives in her own home. But she can always find something negative to say. The other is crippled with arthritis and rather forgetful. She lives in simple accommodations, and keeps a reminder pad so she won’t forget her appointments. But to every visitor to her tiny apartment, her first comment is always the same: “God is so good to me.” Handing her the reminder pad on my last visit, I noticed that she had written the day before “Out to lunch tomorrow! Wonderful! Another happy day.”

Anna was a prophetess at the time of Jesus’ birth, and her circumstances were hard (Luke 2:36-37). Widowed early and possibly childless, she may have felt purposeless and destitute. But her focus was on God and serving Him. She was yearning for the Messiah, but in the meantime she was busy about God’s business—praying, fasting, and teaching others all that she had learned from Him.

Finally the day arrived when she—now in her eighties—saw the infant Messiah in his young mother’s arms. All her patient waiting was worthwhile. Her heart sang with joy as she praised God and then passed the glad news on to others.

Lord, I don’t want to be a complainer anymore. I want to be a person who overflows with thankfulness for others and for You. May I accept whatever You give me in Your time. Show me how to start today.
It’s hard to see both God’s plan and our part. But their intersection is the best place to be.
INSIGHT: Two people in Scripture are specifically mentioned as seeing and recognizing Jesus as the Messiah when He was an infant. Both Simeon and Anna, faithful servants of God, were blessed with seeing the “Consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25) and “redemption in Jerusalem” (v. 38). Luke records Simeon meeting the infant Jesus in 2:25-35 and Anna in verses 36-38. Anna was of great age (v. 36) and Simeon was most likely elderly as well (v. 26). Often in Scripture the passing of time plays an important role, showing that God is faithful to His promises. Simeon and Anna both waited faithfully for the Messiah and were rewarded by seeing Jesus before they died.
 
The Definite Choice

Read: Joshua 24:15-24 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 22-24; Luke 3

We will serve the Lord! —Joshua 24:21
Coming from someone who used to value ancestral gods, my 90-year-old father’s statement near the end of his life was remarkable: “When I die,” he spoke laboriously, “nobody should do anything other than what the church will do. No soothsaying, no ancestral sacrifices, no rituals. As my life is in the hands of Jesus Christ, so shall my death be!”

My father chose the path of Christ in his old age when he invited Jesus into his life as Savior. His contemporaries mocked him: “An old man like you shouldn’t be going to church!” But my father’s choice to follow and worship the true God was definite, like the people Joshua addressed.

“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,” Joshua challenged them. “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (24:15). Their response was resolute—they chose to worship the Lord. Even after Joshua warned them to count the cost (vv.19-20), they still resolved to follow the Lord, recalling His deliverance, provision, and protection (vv.16-17,21).

Such a confident choice, however, calls for equally confident actions, as Joshua strongly reminded them: “Put away the foreign gods . . . and incline your heart to theLord” (v.23). Have you made a choice to live for God?

Teach me all it means, Lord, to choose You. I want my words, actions, and attitudes to show the love for You that I have in my heart. You are worthy of far more than I could ever do.
A definite choice demands definite actions.
 
It’s Beautiful!

Read: Mark 14:3-9 | Bible in a Year: Judges 9-10; Luke 5:17-39

Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.” —Mark 14:6
After being away on business, Terry wanted to pick up some small gifts for his children. The clerk at the airport gift shop recommended a number of costly items. “I don’t have that much money with me,” he said. “I need something less expensive.” The clerk tried to make him feel that he was being cheap. But Terry knew his children would be happy with whatever he gave them, because it came from a heart of love. And he was right—they loved the gifts he brought them.

During Jesus’ last visit to the town of Bethany, Mary wanted to show her love for Him (Mark 14:3-9). So she brought “an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard” and anointed Him (v.3). The disciples asked angrily, “Why this waste?” (Matt. 26:8). Jesus told them to stop troubling her, for “she has done a good work for Me” (Mark 14:6). Another translation reads, “She has done a beautiful thing to Me.” Jesus delighted in her gift, for it came from a heart of love. Even anointing Him for burial was beautiful!

What would you like to give to Jesus to show your love? Your time, talent, treasure? It doesn’t matter if it’s costly or inexpensive, whether others understand or criticize. Whatever is given from a heart of love is beautiful to Him.

Nothing I could give You, Father, could repay You for Your sacrifice. But I want to give You what You would think is beautiful. I give You my heart today in thankfulness for Your love.
A healthy heart beats with love for Jesus.
INSIGHT: The account of the woman who anointed Jesus with oil is preceded by the Pharisees’ plot to kill Him (14:1-2) and is followed by Judas agreeing to betray Him (vv. 10-12). The events relating to those who plotted to kill Jesus are given only brief and cursory treatment (two verses each), while the account of the woman who anointed Jesus with perfume is given a full and detailed description (seven verses). Clearly this woman’s actions will be remembered (v. 9).
 
Why Me?

Read: Mark 14:10-21 | Bible in a Year: Judges 11-12; Luke 6:1-26

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:8
British pastor Joseph Parker was asked, “Why did Jesus choose Judas to be one of His disciples?” He thought deeply about the question for a while but could not come up with an answer. He said that he kept running into an even more baffling question: “Why did He choose me?”

That’s a question that has been asked throughout the centuries. When people become painfully aware of their sin and are overcome with guilt, they cry out to Jesus for mercy. In joyous wonder they experience the truth that God loves them, that Jesus died for them, and that they are forgiven of all their sins. It’s incomprehensible!

I too have asked, “Why me?” I know that the dark and sinful deeds of my life were motivated by a heart even darker, and yet God loved me! (Rom. 5:8). I was undeserving, wretched, and helpless, yet He opened His arms and His heart to me. I could almost hear Him whisper, “I love you even more than you loved your sin.”

It’s true! I cherished my sin. I protected it. I denied its wrongdoing. Yet God loved me enough to forgive me and set me free.

“Why me?” It’s beyond my understanding. Yet I know He loves me—and He loves you too!

How wonderful is Your grace, Jesus! It’s greater than all my sin. You’ve taken away my burdens and set my spirit free. Thank You.
God loves us not because of who we are, but because of who He is.
INSIGHT: There are two apostles named Judas in the New Testament, and the gospel writers Luke and John are careful to distinguish them. Luke states, “Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor” (6:16), and John says, “Judas (not Iscariot)” (14:22).
 
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