Category: Devotionals

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? (which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
-Matthew 27:46

Okay, I’m doing this wrong. I should have started on such-and-such a date, but this is my first devotional journey and I’m doing it in my usual odd-ball way.

That said, there is never a bad time to remember Christ on the cross. It is one of His most human moments, suffering with the full vulnerability of a mind and body made of flesh.

Even Christ questioned the Father’s plan in His pain.

It is powerful comfort to know that we are not alone when doubts enter our minds.

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As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.
-1 Peter 4:10

I love how Scripture is filled with reminders of the unique and special way God has crafted each of us.

My gifts for learning and personal connection have given my grief a way of serving others. This is the most unexpected journey, but every day I find myself in the company of the grieving. It is overwhelming at times, but I know this is where God calls me to be.

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Loving God means keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.
-1 John 5:3

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
-Mark 12:28-31

These are the Scriptures I return to when I’m unclear as to how to best love God.

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Give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you. Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, clean sin out of your lives. You who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time, make your thinking pure.
-James 4:7-8

We all worship earthly things at times and each of those things draws us away from God.

The more time we spend seeking God, the closer we come to His eternal love.

We go where our attention goes.

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You must honor the Lord and truly serve him with all your heart. Remember the wonderful things he did for you!
-Samuel 12:24

The Lord has done many great things in my life. It was a miracle that I survived the drinking and recklessness of my twenties. I was sure Mary would leave me after a midday DUI collision, I saw my dreamed-of future family disappear. It was a miracle she didn’t walk away. Another miracle that my continued drinking didn’t lead to self harm and disaster when I lost her.

He was looking after me long before I was honoring Him.

None of my days is expected, each one feels like extra time in a game I was sure to lose.

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We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
-1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

Love is the answer to the Christian question of works.

It’s proper to ask how we should act as followers of Christ, but the answer seems ridiculously simple to me: What would you do for the person you love most and who loves you the most? You would listen to them and act accordingly. Jesus tells us to love ourselves and neighbors as we love God. When you act in love, you serve yourself, your neighbor, and God.

Love is not idle, it is kinetic.

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Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
-Proverbs 22:6

I feel the weight of this every day. I’m intent on setting my sons on a truthful, loving, and compassionate path. I’m also determined to leave them room to do it their individual ways.

That’s a tricky balancing act. I wear myself out walking two tightropes.

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Our Father, dwelling in the heavenly realms, may the glory of your name be the center on which our lives turn.
-Matthew 6:9

When I focus my thoughts on God as Father, I am a better parent. I gain and model strength through compassionate listening. I know that my children are in a fallen world and they need my love to be free flowing.

I am humbled by the model as I often fall short. After falling, I ask for forgiveness from my sons and from God and get back up to do better.

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“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
-Joshua 24:15

I publicly quoted Dr. King to my sons recently, but forgot it was King who said, “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.”

I like to think he had similar Scripture in mind when he served God and defied the government.

Government can lock us up, kill us, and encourage our neighbors to shame us on Earth. Government does not have dominion over our souls. The eternal part of us will outlive every flag. Our judge will not be the police, politicians, or public opinion. Jesus Christ will be our judge. I seek alignment with Him. I do not recognize the fleeting authority of governments.

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We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.
-1 Thessalonians 2:8

I am drawn to those who demonstrate specialized knowledge. In soccer and jiu-jitsu, it’s fairly easy to identify the competitors that have a step or two on me and watch them closely. The home education community is full of people with valuable experience. They are natural leaders who mentor their children every day. When we get together, a wealth of information is exchanged.

Spiritual mentors are more challenging for me. In one respect, I desire a fellow pilgrim who inspires me to question my assumptions. On the other hand, we are fallen humans talking about a perfect God. We get a lot of it wrong and no one person alive today has the answers I need.

That’s why I return to Scripture for spirtitual mentorship. I imagine walking a dusty road with Jesus and listening as a student.

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