Gathered Close: A Hen and Her Chicks

August 18, 2026

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit, breathe on these Scriptures as they are read. Make familiar words fresh, and new words clear. Stir faith, awaken hope, and lead us into the truth that sets us free. Amen.

Scripture 

Matthew 23:37

37 .... how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 

Reflection 

The picture Jesus uses here is rather interesting. He doesn’t picture Himself as a warrior, or a ruler giving orders, or a judge handing down a verdict. He pictures a mother hen gathering her chicks and pulling them in close under her wings as descriptive of his ministry.

It really is a rather tender image. The chicks don’t have to figure everything out. They just come close.

Think about a mother hen for a moment.

When danger comes, she doesn't send her chicks away to figure things out on their own. She gathers them.

She spreads her wings and calls them close.

And when those little chicks get underneath her wings, they don't have to do anything. They just come close.

And that's the picture Jesus gives us.

Under His wings is a place of refuge.

Under His wings is a place of belonging.

Under His wings is a place of rest.

For just a moment, the chick stops running. It stops looking for somewhere else to go. It simply settles down beneath the one who is protecting it. Jesus says that’s what He wants for His followers.

Maybe that's what Jesus is inviting some of us to do, today.

Not try harder.  Just come closer.

Think about that for a moment. 

The God who created the galaxies wants you close.

Maybe today Jesus is simply saying, to you and me  “Come Closer.”

"Come Closer," Just as you are. 

"Come Closer," with your questions and fears and doubts.

"Come Closer," because His wings are already open.

Prayer

Jesus, thank You for longing to gather me close. When I wander, when I worry, when I feel far away, draw me back under the shelter of Your presence. Let me rest where Your love covers me and Your nearness steadies me. Amen.

Application

Take five quiet minutes today. No requests. No agenda. No pressure.

Simply sit in His presence and pray: “Jesus, I’m here.”

Above the Wind: The Eagle

August 14, 2026 

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit, breathe on these Scriptures as they are read. Make familiar words fresh, and new words clear. Stir faith, awaken hope, and lead us into the truth that sets us free. Amen.

Scripture

Isaiah 40:31

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." 

Reflection

Sometimes being tired goes way beyond just needing a good night’s sleep. It’s that deep-down kind of tired—the kind that gets into your soul. Soul fatigue it is often called. You keep going, you keep doing what needs to be done, but inside, you know and feel that you are running on empty.

Isaiah 40 doesn't ignore this reality; it acknowledges that even the young and vibrant stumble and grow weary. But God offers a radical alternative to "soul fatigue" through a vivid image from creation: the soaring eagle.
You my have noticed that smaller birds have to flap their wings like crazy just to stay off the ground. If an eagle tried doing that over long distances, it would collapse from total exhaustion. Instead, eagles ride "thermals—invisible pockets of warm, rising air that effortlessly push them thousands of feet up without the extra workout." And when a rough storm rolls in, small birds run for cover, but the eagle just locks its wings and lets those wild winds shoot it above the clouds.

I believe that is pretty much what it looks like to "wait on the Lord."

As I see it, Isaiah 40 reminds us that when we try to muscle our way through life on our own strength, it’s like flapping our wings as hard as we can while flying straight into the crazy winds of a storm. Eventually, we just wear ourselves out, were not made to run on our own strength forever. We need God to renew us and give us the strength to keep going.

Waiting on God isn't a call to just do nothing; it is about making a intentional choice to surrender. It’s opening up our wings and letting the Holy Spirit do the heavy lifting. When we do this and put our trust in God:

• We exchange your limited human reserves for His infinite power.

• We stop fighting the storm in your own strength and allow God to use the trial to lift your perspective higher.

• We learn that spiritual strength isn't about working harder—it's about depending deeper.

Prayer

Lord, I am weary from trying to flap my wings in my own strength. I surrender my striving, my anxiety, and my need to control outcomes today. I open my heart to You. Catch me in the updraft of Your grace, lift me above my current storm, and renew what has been depleted inside me. Teach me how to rest in Your power. Amen.

Application

Identify the area where you feel most exhausted right now. Practice the eagle's posture:

• Stop the Frantic Motion: Step away from the problem for 5 minutes and cease trying to force a solution.

• Lock Your Wings: Declare aloud: "Lord, I cannot carry this in my own strength, but I trust You to lift me."

• Ride the Updraft: Focus your attention on God's character rather than the storm in front of you.

Living in Today: Birds of the Air

Thursday August 13, 2026

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit, breathe on these Scriptures as they are read. Make familiar words fresh, and new words clear. Stir faith, awaken hope, and lead us into the truth that sets us free. Amen.

Scripture

Matthew 6:26

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" 

Reflection

Let us notice as we begin that Jesus doesn't begin His teaching on anxiety with a heavy rebuke or a lecture. He begins with a simple, inviting command: "Look."

Jesus gets us to look up—to step out of that downward spiral of “what if everything goes wrong?” and notice the simple, everyday rhythms of creation all around us. Consider the birds outside your window. They’re not lying awake worrying about tomorrow’s schedule, the bills, or all the things that might go wrong next week. They don’t spend their days trying to store up enough to feel secure for the next ten years. They simply go about their lives—and somehow, day after day, God provides what they need.

Now, Jesus isn’t telling us to sit back and do nothing. We know, that Birds still get up every day, find food, build their nests, and take care of their young. The point is they don’t spend their lives worrying about what tomorrow might bring. Jesus is really teaching us about how we approach life and where we place our trust. Worry has a way of pulling us into a future that hasn’t even happened yet, getting us stuck in that endless loop of, “What if…?”

• What if the news is bad?

• What if the plan fails?

• What if resources run dry?

I believe that faith gently redirects our hearts with a deeper question: "What if God is already there?"

I read recently that "Anxiety attempts to solve tomorrow's problems using today's energy, leaving us chronically depleted." God, the Bible remids us, promises sufficient grace for the present hour. When tomorrow arrives, His faithfulness will meet us there just as it meets us now.

What I have learned is that Jesus invites us to practice a holy stillness. Stop. Breathe. Look up. Let the simple flight of the "birds of the air" remind you of your place in the Father's heart. (Remember the Sparrow?) If our Creator attends to the needs of creatures who cannot even pray, how much more will He sustain you as His beloved child?

Prayer

Jesus, I hand over the burdens and "what-ifs" I’ve been carrying today. Forgive me for trying to manage a tomorrow that isn't mine to carry yet. Quiet my racing thoughts, help me receive the specific grace You have provided for this exact moment, and teach me to rest securely in my heavenly Father's care. Amen.

Application

Whenever you catch yourself spiraling into worry today, use this three-step reset:

• Pause: Interrupt the thought loop and take a deliberate breath.

• Look: Glance out a window, step outside, or picture a bird in flight to ground your perspective.

• Declare: Whisper this truth aloud: "My Father knows what I need, and He is already in tomorrow."

New Beginnings: The Dove

 Tuesday August 11, 2026

Scripture

Genesis 8:11

“Then the dove returned to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!”

Reflection

Noah had been in the ark for a long time. The flood had changed everything.He couldn't see what was happening outside. He didn't know exactly when the waiting would end.

Then the dove returned with an olive leaf. It was a small thing—but it carried an enormous message:

Life was returning.

And I believe it matters that it was a dove. Throughout Scripture and indeed across cultures, doves have carried a particular kind of symbolism: gentleness, peace, purity, and the quiet arrival of hope. Doves don’t force their way into a scene—they appear softly, almost humbly. Their presence is often the sign that God is doing something gentle, something new, something life‑giving.

In the Noah’s story, the dove became a messenger of transition. The dove did not announce the dramatic end of the flood. Nor did the dove's presence signal the full restoration of the world. The Dove was the first sign that the long season of waiting was shifting.

I have found that many times God’s encouragement comes in the little experiences in life.

A conversation. A phone call. A little progress. A moment of peace. A door opening. A reminder from Scripture.

We may be looking for something dramatic while God is quietly showing us that new life is beginning.

The olive leaf in the Dove's beak did not mean everything was back to normal following the flood. There was still a lot of work ahead.

But it was evidence that the story was changing.

I wonder today how many of us need to notice the little signs of grace around us—the “doves” God sends your way, carrying hints of hope in their beaks.

Prayer

God, help me notice the small signs of Your grace. When I am waiting for something big, remind me not to overlook the little ways You are already bringing new life. Amen.

Application

Ask yourself: “Where might God be showing me that something new is beginning?”

Write down one small sign of hope you see today.

Out of Nowhere: The Raven

Monday August 10, 2026

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit, breathe on these Scriptures as they are read. Make familiar words fresh, and new words clear. Stir faith, awaken hope, and lead us into the truth that sets us free. Amen.

Scripture

1 Kings 17:2-6

2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”

5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Reflection

Let's be honest: ravens aren't exactly the favorites of the bird world. If you're expecting a care package, you usually don't expect it to be delivered by a scavenger.

Ravens are incredibly intelligent, but they are also self-centered gatherers who look out for number one, and they are way more likely to steal your lunch than share theirs. That goes against every instinct they have. 

For me, that’s exactly what makes this story so interesting and encouraging. Let's confess the truth we know from our faith experiences, God rarely provides for us in the exact way we map out in our minds.

Picture Elijah. He’s hiding out by a stream in the middle of a massive, terrifying drought. He has absolutely no idea where his next meal is coming from, but God already had it covered. And His delivery method? A flock of selfish, noisy scavengers.

We often fall into the trap of believing that God's help must come through the “right” people,  or the perfectly arranged circumstances that we would have chosen ourselves. But thankfully, God isn’t limited by our expectations.

I believe our reading today of a scavenger bird dropping off a meal for a Prophet is the perfect reminder for us, that God can—and will—use completely unexpected people, weird circumstances, and out-of-the-blue opportunities to take care of us.

We may have no clue how God is going to pull it off and deliver his care for us. But, know this, we can absolutely trust that He will.

Prayer

Lord, help me to take a breath and trust You, especially when I can't see how things are going to work out. Remind me that the ways You provide aren't limited by my own expectations. Give me the eyes to see the weird, wonderful, and unexpected ways You're taking care of me today. Amen.

Today's Application

• Keep an eye out: Look for just one totally unexpected way God has provided for you recently (even if it didn't look the way you wanted it to).
  
  
• Show some gratitude: Thank God for something basic that you usually brush off or take for granted.
  
  
• When panic or anxiety sets in: If you find yourself stressing about tomorrow, just pause and pray: “God, I have no idea how this is going to happen, but I trust You.”

Keep Coming

Wednesday August 5, 2026

Dear Friends, this will be the last Devotion for this week. I will be back next week. 

_________________________

Scripture

Luke 18:1

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”

Reflection 

Jesus opens this parable above by telling us exactly why He’s sharing it: we should always pray and not give up.

This tells us something important. Jesus already knew there would be seasons when His followers would be tempted to stop praying. He knew there would be prayers that seemed unanswered, hopes that appeared delayed, and circumstances that made people wonder whether God was listening at all.

So He tells the story of a widow.

In the ancient world, widows were among the most vulnerable members of society. She had little social standing, little influence, and few resources. Yet she possessed one thing that no one could take away—she refused to quit. Again and again she came before the judge with the same request:

"Grant me justice."

The judge was everything God is not. Jesus describes him as someone who neither feared God nor cared about people. He had no compassion, no integrity, and no desire to help. Eventually he granted her request, not because he became righteous, but simply because her persistence became impossible to ignore.

Jesus' point is found in the contrast.

If even an unjust judge eventually responds to persistent pleading, how much more will our heavenly Father hear the cries of His beloved children?

The widow had to convince a reluctant judge.

We never have to convince a reluctant God.

The Father who invites us to pray already loves us before we ask. He knows our needs before we speak. He delights in giving good gifts to His children. Prayer is never about overcoming God's resistance. It is about drawing near to the God who has already drawn near to us.

That changes everything.

This parable is meant to give us confidence—real confidence—to keep praying even when answers seem slow or unclear.

We all know what it feels like to pray for something again and again and wonder if God is listening. Maybe you’ve prayed for healing, for a breakthrough, for a relationship to be restored, for a situation to change—and nothing seems to move. Maybe you’ve wondered if your faith is weak or if God is distant.

Jesus tells this story to say: Don’t stop. Don’t quit. Don’t lose heart. Your Father hears you. Your Father cares. Your Father is working.

We keep praying because we know God’s character. He is wise, good, loving, sovereign, and perfect. Even when He doesn’t answer the way we want or in the timeframe we hope for, He is still working for our good (Romans 8:28). That truth alone is enough to keep us praying with confidence.

God will glorify His name and work for the ultimate good of His children. That’s why we don’t lose heart. That’s why we keep praying. That’s why we persist like the widow—trusting the One who loves us far more than any earthly judge ever could.

Prayer

God, we bring before You the things we’ve been praying about for a long time. Based on Jesus’ parable, we ask again—trusting Your character and Your promises. We ask for Your provision, Your help, Your justice, Your mercy, Your healing. Do what only You can do. Make our hearts persistent like the widow’s—steady, hopeful, and full of trust. Teach us to persevere in prayer.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Application

• Pray again today — Bring that long‑standing request back to God with fresh trust.

• Hold onto Romans 8:28 — Let God’s promise steady your heart when answers feel slow.