Weekly Devotions for Everyday Faith

Monday, October 19

Luke 15:25-32

 “Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.  He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on.  He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

Yesterday Pastor Paul shared a sermon about the older brother and what we can learn for our own faith. The older brother judged his younger brother terribly. His judgment prevented him from celebrating that his younger brother was back with his family. His judgment came from his own self-righteousness and pride. He certainly did not act with humility.

The qualities of self-righteousness and pride often sneak up on each of us without our own awareness. How often have we heard another person say or how often have we said ourselves, “I acted self-righteously,” or “I acted with pride.” Self-righteousness and pride blind people to their own faults. Together they lead to judgment of others.

The older brother was so wrapped up in his own righteousness and his younger brother’s lack of righteousness or wrong actions, that he couldn’t celebrate.

His heart was small; his heart was cold; his heart was like a stone.

These characteristics of self-righteousness and pride are often not immediately seen. The older brother would have presented himself as a good person. He worked hard for his father and obeyed what his father asked him to do.

Praying that we can see our own self-righteousness and pride is a risky prayer, but it can lead us to be a healthy person.

Would you consider making this your prayer for today? Please share your thoughts.

Tuesday, October 20

Luke 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt:  “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other, for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

This parable is a further extension of the story of the older brother. In his prayer the Pharisee was exulting in his self-righteousness. He was celebrating his actions while condemning the actions of people who had sinned terribly—thieves, rogues, adulterers, and the tax collector who was praying near him.

Verse fourteen of this story is worth memorizing. It shares the essential point that we are exploring this week. It is a further explanation of the story of the Prodigal Son.

“for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

Did you grow up with this verse being taught? Have you memorized this verse in the past? What are some ways that you can live out this verse in your daily activities? Please share.

Wednesday, October 21

Numbers 12:1-3

While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had indeed married a Cushite woman), and they said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth.

Out of almost nowhere we read that Moses was very humble, humbler than anyone else who was alive at that time.

Moses didn’t often come across as humble. In separate instances he killed other people. If you have extra time, read some of these stories (Exodus 2:11-12, Exodus 32:26-28 & Numbers 31:11-12)

Many know of Moses through his portrayal by Charlton Heston in the movie, “The Ten Commandments.” If we thought of the characteristics that Charlton Heston communicated about Moses in that movie, humility would most likely not be one of them.

But here we read that Moses was the most humble person that was alive on the earth at this time.

In this story the leadership of Moses was challenged by Miriam and Aaron—the sister and brother of Moses. How difficult this must have been to experience for Moses.

When Miriam was punished by God for her disobedience to Moses, he cried out in anguish to God. Most likely the humility of Moses led him to plead to God for Miriam to be healed. (Numbers 12:13)

What are your thoughts on Moses being the most humble person who was alive at that time? When you think of Moses does his humility immediately come to your mind? Please share.

Thursday, October 22

Proverbs 11:2, 16:18

When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but wisdom is with the humble.

Pride goes before destruction
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.

The phrase “pride goeth before the fall” is often attributed to William Sheakespeare, but the phrase actually comes from the Bible. We read variations on this phrase in these two verses from Proverbs.

We can see how pride leads to destruction. When we are full of pride, we are not willing or even able to see the possibility of something going wrong. We become very certain that something is right or the action that we want to take is the right action.

Pride often keeps us from accepting help or feedback from others. It becomes a wall that prevents us from receiving helpful insight from others.

Do you have some practices or rituals that help you identify your own pride? Who are some people that you know or have known who are or were able to resist pride? What has helped that person(s) do that? Please share.

Friday, October 23

James 4:7-12

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters. Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another speaks evil against the law and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. So who, then, are you to judge your neighbor?

“Humble yourself before the Lord and [God] will exalt you.” (James 4:10)

This verse is similar to the verse that we read earlier this week (Luke 18:14)

James went on to say in these verses that God is the ultimate judge. Our task is to let go of judgment because judgment belongs to God. “Who are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:12b

All of us will eventually find ourselves judging others. It is impossible to live without some level of judgment.

God does not expect humans to be perfect, but God does want humans to be aware. An important step towards resisting judgment is being aware when we judge others. Being aware can help us resist judgment in the future.

What are some practices that you have that help you resist judgment? Please share.

Saturday, October 24

Ephesians 4:1-5

I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,

These verses are a beautiful illustration of which a follower of Jesus aims. We want to live with humility, gentleness, and patience while bearing with each other in love.

Consider writing out verses 2-3 and putting them in a place that you can see every day. You might also consider evaluating each day with how well you did with humility, gentleness, patience and bearing with others in love.

What are some ways that you can think of that will help people remember these important verses? What have you done to help you live these characteristics? Please share.

Monday, October 12

Read Matthew 3:1-17

Over the next month Chain of Lakes church is scheduled to celebrate eight baptisms. This week in the devotion we have the opportunity to learn more about what baptism is and what it means for our own faith.

When Jesus was baptized, the understanding of baptism was changed in a significant way. Up until that time people were baptized to confess their sins. Baptism was a ritual of purification. Many people took ritual baths in the Old Testament to become pure.

But Jesus was without sin—he didn’t need to be purified. And Jesus was still baptized.  John immediately recognized the contradiction of Jesus asking to be baptized.  “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” he asked in verse 14.  Jesus’ baptism was different than the baptism of John.  Jesus wasn’t baptized to be purified.  Instead, he was commissioned as God’s son by being immersed in the Jordan and when the spirit descended upon him as a dove. 

Baptism was no longer an act of purity.  At Chain of Lakes, we think of baptism as a “sign and seal of grace.” When a person is baptized, we believe that grace is sealed within that person. Grace can never be taken away. The person baptized is purified forever and commissioned as a child of God.  A person can still fall away from God, but we recognize through baptism that God never falls away from us.

Do you know the events of your baptism? Do you know the date or the church or the person who officiated your baptism? Do you have a picture or a story that has been handed down about your baptism? Please share.

Tuesday, October 13

Read Romans 6:1-11

This passage presents two themes that describe baptism. The first is that we are baptized into Jesus’ death, connecting us to the event through which our sins are forgiven. In baptism, we acknowledge the forgiveness given to us through Jesus’ death on the cross.

In verse 5 the Apostle Paul went on to say that if we have been united with him in his death, then we are united with him in the resurrection.  We are given the gift of salvation.

The other theme was described in verse 6.  Our old self was crucified through baptism so that our new self will live.  Some people have interpreted this passage to mean that humans should be baptized as adults.  Certainly, adult baptism is wonderful, but Paul was writing about something different than adult baptism. He was talking about the new life that is offered to us when we are baptized.  This new life is given to us no matter our age.  We will still continue sinning (unfortunately) after our baptism, but we have been given the gift of grace—new life.

This gift is something that God gives and each of us has the opportunity to receive it.

What does it mean to you that you were baptized into the death of Jesus? Please share.

Wednesday, October 14

Read Jeremiah 31:31-34

Often, we don’t read passages in the Old Testament that describe baptism.  Though Jeremiah wasn’t specifically talking about baptism in this passage, the new covenant that he mentioned encompasses baptism.  This new covenant, of course, was the gift of Jesus into the world.  One way we celebrate this covenant is through baptism.

Each of us is a different person because we are baptized. We live with this newness of life or new covenant that we read about in this passage.

One way we can live with this newness of life is to pray about it for ourselves and our faith community. Pray that today you can reflect this new covenant today. Pray that as a congregation the people of Chain of Lakes can consciously live out their baptism. Perhaps the people at Chain of Lakes can remind each other that through baptism we have this opportunity to live out this newness of life.

What are your thoughts about this new covenant that is expressed in baptism? Please share.

Thursday, October 15

Read John 3:22-30

We don’t often think of Jesus performing baptisms. But in this passage, we read that Jesus was baptizing and many were coming to him. (John 3:26)

This story doesn’t share that the disciples of John were concerned that Jesus was baptizing, but the tone of their questions of John lead us to believe this.

In responding to these concerns John was sharing that he was subordinate to Jesus.  John’s role was to prepare for the Messiah; he was not the Messiah.  John rejoiced at what Jesus was doing.

John baptized people to purify people. He came to baptize for repentance and the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4)

People still confuse John’s baptism and Jesus’ baptism.  As Presbyterians we can participate in many rituals where we seek purification—the purpose of John’s baptism. 

One way we seek purification is by confessing our sins. When we acknowledge our own sins, we ask for forgiveness or purification.

What are your thoughts? Please share.

Friday, October 16

Read Ezekiel 36:22-32

This passage is not about baptism, but we can see from these verses the powerful effects of baptism on our life.  Another image of baptism is that of a new life.  Through the cleansing of our spirit through baptism, each of us is given a new life, a new spirit, and a new heart. 

In this passage from Ezekiel a vision is shared about what happens when people live from God’s spirit.  We can apply this vision to what happens when we continually re-claim our baptism. 

Our life is different because we are baptized. Our hope is that people can see the difference in our life because we have been baptized.

How is your life different because you have been baptized? Please share.

Saturday, October 17

Read Luke 10:25-37

This is the familiar story of The Good Samaritan. We don’t often associate the story with baptism.

In our baptism we recognize that God saves us.  Each of us is like the Jew who was lying at the side of the road. He couldn’t save himself.

In a similar way we cannot save ourselves. None of us has the power to receive salvation. God gives this to us as a gift.

Just as the man on the side of the road was saved by the Samaritan we are saved by God through baptism. We don’t believe that baptism is a ticket to heaven; what we believe is that salvation is a gift given to us. We recognize this gift of salvation in baptism.

What does it mean to you that in baptism we recognize the gift of salvation? Please share.

Monday, October 12

Read Matthew 3:1-17

Over the next month Chain of Lakes church is scheduled to celebrate eight baptisms. This week in the devotion we have the opportunity to learn more about what baptism is and what it means for our own faith.

When Jesus was baptized, the understanding of baptism was changed in a significant way. Up until that time people were baptized to confess their sins. Baptism was a ritual of purification. Many people took ritual baths in the Old Testament to become pure.

But Jesus was without sin—he didn’t need to be purified. And Jesus was still baptized.  John immediately recognized the contradiction of Jesus asking to be baptized.  “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” he asked in verse 14.  Jesus’ baptism was different than the baptism of John.  Jesus wasn’t baptized to be purified.  Instead, he was commissioned as God’s son by being immersed in the Jordan and when the spirit descended upon him as a dove. 

Baptism was no longer an act of purity.  At Chain of Lakes, we think of baptism as a “sign and seal of grace.” When a person is baptized, we believe that grace is sealed within that person. Grace can never be taken away. The person baptized is purified forever and commissioned as a child of God.  A person can still fall away from God, but we recognize through baptism that God never falls away from us.

Do you know the events of your baptism? Do you know the date or the church or the person who officiated your baptism? Do you have a picture or a story that has been handed down about your baptism? Please share.

Tuesday, October 13

Read Romans 6:1-11

This passage presents two themes that describe baptism. The first is that we are baptized into Jesus’ death, connecting us to the event through which our sins are forgiven. In baptism, we acknowledge the forgiveness given to us through Jesus’ death on the cross.

In verse 5 the Apostle Paul went on to say that if we have been united with him in his death, then we are united with him in the resurrection.  We are given the gift of salvation.

The other theme was described in verse 6.  Our old self was crucified through baptism so that our new self will live.  Some people have interpreted this passage to mean that humans should be baptized as adults.  Certainly, adult baptism is wonderful, but Paul was writing about something different than adult baptism. He was talking about the new life that is offered to us when we are baptized.  This new life is given to us no matter our age.  We will still continue sinning (unfortunately) after our baptism, but we have been given the gift of grace—new life.

This gift is something that God gives and each of us has the opportunity to receive it.

What does it mean to you that you were baptized into the death of Jesus? Please share.

Wednesday, October 14

Read Jeremiah 31:31-34

Often, we don’t read passages in the Old Testament that describe baptism.  Though Jeremiah wasn’t specifically talking about baptism in this passage, the new covenant that he mentioned encompasses baptism.  This new covenant, of course, was the gift of Jesus into the world.  One way we celebrate this covenant is through baptism.

Each of us is a different person because we are baptized. We live with this newness of life or new covenant that we read about in this passage.

One way we can live with this newness of life is to pray about it for ourselves and our faith community. Pray that today you can reflect this new covenant today. Pray that as a congregation the people of Chain of Lakes can consciously live out their baptism. Perhaps the people at Chain of Lakes can remind each other that through baptism we have this opportunity to live out this newness of life.

What are your thoughts about this new covenant that is expressed in baptism? Please share.

Thursday, October 15

Read John 3:22-30

We don’t often think of Jesus performing baptisms. But in this passage, we read that Jesus was baptizing and many were coming to him. (John 3:26)

This story doesn’t share that the disciples of John were concerned that Jesus was baptizing, but the tone of their questions of John lead us to believe this.

In responding to these concerns John was sharing that he was subordinate to Jesus.  John’s role was to prepare for the Messiah; he was not the Messiah.  John rejoiced at what Jesus was doing.

John baptized people to purify people. He came to baptize for repentance and the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4)

People still confuse John’s baptism and Jesus’ baptism.  As Presbyterians we can participate in many rituals where we seek purification—the purpose of John’s baptism. 

One way we seek purification is by confessing our sins. When we acknowledge our own sins, we ask for forgiveness or purification.

What are your thoughts? Please share.

Friday, October 16

Read Ezekiel 36:22-32

This passage is not about baptism, but we can see from these verses the powerful effects of baptism on our life.  Another image of baptism is that of a new life.  Through the cleansing of our spirit through baptism, each of us is given a new life, a new spirit, and a new heart. 

In this passage from Ezekiel a vision is shared about what happens when people live from God’s spirit.  We can apply this vision to what happens when we continually re-claim our baptism. 

Our life is different because we are baptized. Our hope is that people can see the difference in our life because we have been baptized.

How is your life different because you have been baptized? Please share.

Saturday, October 17

Read Luke 10:25-37

This is the familiar story of The Good Samaritan. We don’t often associate the story with baptism.

In our baptism we recognize that God saves us.  Each of us is like the Jew who was lying at the side of the road. He couldn’t save himself.

In a similar way we cannot save ourselves. None of us has the power to receive salvation. God gives this to us as a gift.

Just as the man on the side of the road was saved by the Samaritan we are saved by God through baptism. We don’t believe that baptism is a ticket to heaven; what we believe is that salvation is a gift given to us. We recognize this gift of salvation in baptism.

What does it mean to you that in baptism we recognize the gift of salvation? Please share.

Monday, October 5

Psalm 139:1

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me.” (Psalm 139:1) So begins Psalm 139, a Psalm that Pastor Paul has described as the second most important Psalm in the Bible. It is only behind Psalm 23 in its significance. This week in the devotion we will have the opportunity to go deeper into the meaning of this classic faith statement.

The Psalm starts out by sharing that God has searched us and knows us.

One way to understand search is to reflect on a Google search. Type in a word or statement in Google and you have hundreds of millions of responses. God searches us—all 37 trillion cells in our body. Not only that, but God searches our personality, our gifts—every part that makes us human.

Not only does God search us, but God also knows us. God is familiar with every part of us. God knows or is familiar with all 37 trillion cells in our body.

It’s not surprising that the author of Psalm 139 said that this level of knowledge by God is so high—we cannot attain it.

What does it mean to you that God knows you so well? How does God’s knowledge of you make an impact in your own life? Please share.

Tuesday, October 6

Read Psalm 139:1-6

O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
    O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is so high that I cannot attain it.

The writer of Psalm 139 went on to describe a few ways that God knows us. God knows what we say; God knows our thoughts; God is acquainted with all our ways.

Pastor Paul has shared that God’s knowledge of us is a reason to be in a relationship with God—the entire Trinity—Father, Son, Holy Spirit; God, Jesus, Holy Spirit.

Even if we don’t acknowledge God’s presence, God is still present with us. Even if we don’t want to be in relationship with God, God is in relationship with us.

For each of us, it is in our own self-interest to be in a relationship with God. Life can be so difficult and hard that it hardly makes sense to go through life without the help of God. Why would we want to do that?

Believing in God and having a relationship with God are not precisely the same. We can believe that God exists, but we might not want to be in relationship with God.

How are you doing in your own relationship with God? What are some ways that you would like to grow in your relationship with God. Please share.

Wednesday, October 7

Psalm 139:6

“Such knowledge [that God has of us] is so high that we cannot attain it.” (Psalm 139:6)

This verse is a key part of Psalm 139. God’s knowledge of us is not value neutral. It is high and good. We want God to know us at a deep level. This helps us.

God knows us even better than each of us knows ourselves. No matter what our age, on our own journey we are growing in our understanding of ourselves. Many learn more about themselves each day of life. This growing and expanding knowledge that we have of ourselves is already known by God.

The next time we’re wrestling with a hard decision, pray to God with the assurance that God knows what it best for us. We can pray with confidence because a personal force exists (God) who knows what is best.

Does God’s knowledge of us give us confidence in approaching God for direction? Please share.

Thursday, October 8

Psalm 139:7-12

Where can I go from your spirit?
    Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
    if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
    and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and night wraps itself around me,”^[a]
even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is as bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

Being known at such a deep level can be very difficult. It can cause a person to want to flee from God. The writer of Psalm 139 acknowledges this desire to flee. But even if a person tries to run away from God, the person never escapes from God. God is always present—in everything we do and every place we want to go.

We read about God’s overarching presence in these verses. God is in heaven and Sheol, the wings of the morning, and at the farthest limits of the sea. Even in the physical and spiritual darkness God is present. God is everywhere.

Have you ever had a time when you wanted to flee from God. Perhaps you were going through a hard time or maybe you just needed a break from God.

Has this happened to you? Please share.

Friday, October 9

139:13-18

For it was you who formed my inward parts;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
    Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
    My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
    all the days that were formed for me,
    when none of them as yet existed.
How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
I try to count them—they are more than the sand;
    I come to the end—I am still with you.

These verses are not intended to be a literal description of creation. We all know that God does not have knitting needles and literally knits us together in our mother’s womb.

These verses don’t describe how we are made; however, they do describe the source of our being—and that source of course, is God.

These verses don’t mean that some book exists that contains all the days of our life.

However, we can believe that God knows us even before we come into physical existence as humans. Once again, we read about the expansive knowledge of God for each of us.

We can all probably think of babies who have recently been born. They seem like blank slates—rapidly learning about the world. However, these babies are known by God. They are complicated expressions of humans who have a source.

What does it mean to you that God knows us even before we came into physical existence? Do you agree with that statement? Please share.

Saturday, October 10

Psalm 139:19-24

O that you would kill the wicked, O God,
    and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—
those who speak of you maliciously
    and lift themselves up against you for evil!^[
Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
    And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
    I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked^[b] way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139 takes a strange turn in verses 19-22 when we read about the Psalmist’s desire to have God kill the enemies of the writer. God is implored to hate the Psalmist’s enemies.

These verses are inconsistent with the rest of the Psalm.

The last two verses can be made into a beautiful prayer.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Test me and know my thoughts.

See if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:23-24

These two verses make a beautiful prayer. Try praying them every day for a week. Can you make a commitment to include these verses in your daily prayer life?

Please share

Monday, September 28

Luke 15:20-24

So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate, for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

Yesterday Pastor Paul continued his sermon series on the story of the Prodigal Son by looking at the actions of the father in the story. In his sermon Pastor Paul took a deep dive into teaching about grace. In the devotion this week, we will take a deep dive into the topic of grace.

One way to think of grace is when a person receives something that is not deserved.

The father’s actions towards the younger son in this story certainly demonstrates grace. After blowing a lot of money and “sowing his oats” in a distant country, the younger son came back to his home. He was willing to give up his title of being a son to “earn” a living.

The father would have none of this. He brought out the best robe, put a ring on the younger son’s finger and sandals on his feet. He had a calf killed, so a celebration could take place.

The younger son deserved none of this and was expecting to give up his birthright. Instead, the father treated him with gifts far beyond what he deserved.

Receiving something that we do not deserve. That is grace.

Do you have a story of receiving something you did not deserve? Please share.

Tuesday, September 29

Genesis 4:15-16

Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

God protected Cain even though he didn’t deserve the protection.

If you have extra time, read the entire story of Cain & Abel.

One of the bottom lines of the story is Cain killed Abel and deserved to be killed himself for his actions. This would fulfill the teaching of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”

But Cain did not receive this punishment from God. Instead, God protected Cain. God put a mark upon Cain, so that no one who came upon Cain would kill him. (Genesis 4:15)

This is a remarkable gift that God gave to Cain. The gift was certainly not deserved and certainly was unexpected.

Can you remember a time when someone forgave you in a powerful way? Or a time when you forgave someone in a powerful way. You do not have to share names, but your story can be helpful to illustrate grace.

Wednesday, September 30

Psalm 51:1-12

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy,
    blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
    and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
    a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;
    therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
    and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and sustain in me a willing spirit.

David wrote this Psalm after he had committed the terrible sin of having Uriah killed. David had Uriah killed because he had impregnated Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. The entire story is found in 2 Samuel 11-12.

David deserved to be punished for what he had done. And David knew that he deserved punishment. In this Psalm he pleaded with God for forgiveness. He wanted to have a clean heart and a new and right spirit. He pleaded with God not to cast him away from God’s presence.

And what is remarkable is God forgave David. Even though he pleaded for forgiveness in this Psalm, David did not deserve forgiveness. He had violated the 6^th & 7^th Commandment.

Not only did God forgive David, but David became a great leader of the nation of Israel.

This story most likely gave David a deep sense of humility. He knew that through the actions of God, he had had been given another chance.

What are your thoughts about this story? Please share.

Thursday, October 1

Galatians 3:23-28

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed.  Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be reckoned as righteous by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

Even though he never used the word “grace” in these verses, the Apostle Paul shared a message about grace. Until Jesus came followers of God lived by the law. But after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, people were put into relationship through faith. This was a gift.

Grace is now the identifying marker of followers of Jesus. Other identifying markers no longer were relevant. Paul went onto share these markers in verse 28. People need not identify by their religious affiliation, their gender, or their nationality.

Think about what it would look like if you introduced yourself to others as a person of grace. “Hi, my name is ____, and I’m a person of grace.” Undoubtedly you would receive some strange looks or comments, but you would be proclaiming a central truth to our own identity.

What are your thoughts about this message? Please share.

Friday, October 2

Luke 7:36-50

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and when he went into the Pharisee’s house he reclined to dine. And a woman in the city who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair, kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.  Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.”  “A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?”  Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

This story is another beautiful illustration of grace. “A woman of the city who was a sinner” came to see Jesus. She knew that she had done wrong. So, she anointed the body of Jesus. She did it with oil and her own tears. She dried his body with her hair.

The power and beauty of the actions of the woman were too much for the religious leaders. We can practically hear the words jump off the page, “This woman is a sinner!”

These words were true, but what mattered to the Jesus was the woman had repented of his sins through her actions towards Jesus.

Grace is unfair. The woman did not deserve this treatment by Jesus. The religious leaders did deserve grace. But the religious leaders did not receive grace from Jesus. Part of the reason is they were too caught up in their own righteousness and the unrighteousness of the woman.

Have you seen an illustration of this story happen? Please share.

Saturday, October 3

Luke 15:31-32

Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

And we close this week’s devotion by ending with the same story in which we began - the story of the Prodigal Son. In these two verses the father shared with the older son why the father had shared grace with the younger son, even though he did not deserve this grace.

The forgiveness of the younger brother by the father was too much for the older son to bear. The actions of the younger son were wrong—and they were! But the father was not counting. He was overcome with joy that his younger son had come back.

The older son could not celebrate. He was blinded by his own righteousness and how it was not fair that his father was throwing a party for the younger son.

It is very easy to look at the world like the older son. Oftentimes this world view creeps up on us without us even realizing it.

What are some tools that are helpful to you to resist such judgment? Please share.