Devotion
There’s no place like home
David Jacobs
Have you seen the movie The Wizard of Oz? In it, a young girl named Dorothy is whisked away by a tornado, transported to the land of Oz. She goes on a journey, meeting friends and foes along the way. Eventually, she utters the famous phrase, "There's no place like home," and she is suddenly back at home, in her bed, apparently having dreamt the entire story.
Sadly for the kingdom of Israel, the Babylonian captivity was not just a bad dream. The Jews were persecuted and exiled from their homeland, scattered around without any central area to settle. Their luck changes when the Persian king, Cyrus the Great, conquers the land of Israel and invites the people of Israel back to their homeland. As we all know, this area of the globe has been disputed and fought over to this day, but everyone with a connection to it will not give up their homeland. Like Dorothy said, "There's no place like home." God gives the Jews another chance in the place they call home. When it seems as if we will never have good fortune, the Lord will give us what we need. Do not despair, God will provide.
Prayer
Thank you my God, for giving me the chance to live on the earth that you created. It is my home and I will do what I can to honor your work by taking care of it. Let all people feel comforted wherever they are; all people feel that they are welcome in any place; all people know that we all must share God's home. Amen.
Night Prayer
And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
Inspiration
Samson's power came from God, not from his beautiful locks of hair! He knew the origin of his strength and called out to the Lord to help him abolish his enemies. We have the power to overcome obstacles and hardships in our earthly life. We must remember that our strength comes from the Lord and contribute our tenacity to Him. We are grateful for His gracious character as He gifts us with skills to battle our enemies.
Prayer
Dear Father, We are grateful for the strength You have instilled in us. We could not stand against sin alone and we praise You for gifting us the power to conquer our sin. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
Allowing The Scriptures
To bring Joy To My Life
Frances Taylor
The beginning of Luke's Gospel has always been one of my favorite readings. It makes me feel confident that I can believe what I have been taught. It also gives me peace because I know that God's promise has been fulfilled. We have been set free from fear. Of course, we will know fear of the unknown in this unpredictable world, but not fear of death because we can be sure that death is not the end, only the beginning of a new life. Otherwise, how could we continue to experience happiness and joy in the face of suffering? This freedom of fear, this belief in the good news – this Gospel message – is what made the early Christians so willing to face suffering in the name of Jesus. It is what motivated them to spread the good news to anyone who would listen. Is our world any less in need of the Gospel than theirs? I doubt it. Considering how we work so hard to be happy! How hard we work to avoid pain or suffering! So ...
