The ASSURANCE Boost We Need

DECEMBER 12, 2025

Exodus 3: 11-12

“Moses said, ‘WHO AM I to go to the king and lead your people out of Egypt?’ God replied, ‘I WILL BE WITH YOU.’”

In the context of our Bible verses today we see that Moses was hit with two big questions at the same time: “Who is God?” and “Who am I?” God was calling him to step up as a leader for His people, people who were stuck under the heavy, crushing rule of a brutal king. God’s plan was for Moses to help lead them out of Egypt and out from under Pharaoh’s tight grip.

Sounds like a massive assignment, and Moses knew it. In fact, he was quite sure he didn’t qualify at all. I imagine him looking around for an exit, hoping this whole calling might have been a mistake. Moses had just come back from years in exile, he’d been living as an ordinary shepherd, he was getting older, and on top of that, he wasn’t even from Egypt. From Moses’ point of view, Pharaoh had all the power and he had none.

God wanted Moses to shift his focus from his own limitations to the limitless power of what God could accomplish. God’s plan was to use Moses as part of something much bigger, to rescue His people. And then God gives Moses this bold, beautiful promise: “I will be with you.” In this honest converstaion, God was saying that He would guide Moses, sustain Moses, and make sure the story ended well.

We are not all that different from Moses, are we? I mean when we face tough or overwhelming situations, we start asking the same questions about who we are and who God is. And in those moments, haven't you found that God gives us the same reassuring promise that He gave to Moses: “I will be with you.”

During the Advent and Christmas season, our attention turns to Jesus, the Word made flesh, the promised Savior who came near. And in His coming, He tells each of us the same thing: He is present with us. Right now.

I wonder if we can be so focused on our perceived inabilities and shortcomings that we miss the great reality that God is our savior and is always present with us. Can we see God as our Redeemer and guide? Do we live out of the amazing truth of what the apostle Paul wrote about, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength”?

So today, well everyday, let’s hold on to God’s promise.

“I will be with you.”

COMPASSION: Where You Least Expect it

DECEMBER 11, 2025

Exodus 2:6

“She… saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. ‘This is one of the Hebrew babies,’ she said.”

Last week and again so far this week we have been looking at the backstory to Christmas Day and the celebration of Jesus' birth. Advent as we have said is a period of waiting that keeps us from rushing to Christmas Day. God's purposes and plans unfold for us from creation, and we have been stopping to take in the episodes of this gradual unfolding revelation. 


Our verse today is part of the account of the Israelites being stuck under heavy oppression from the Egyptians. Pharaoh, the king, was paranoid, he thought if the Israelites kept growing in number, they might rise up against him. So he gave a brutal order: every baby boy born to the Israelites was to be thrown into the Nile.

One Israelite woman gave birth to a baby boy, but she managed to keep him hidden for three months. When she couldn’t hide him anymore, she crafted a little basket-boat, placed him inside, and set it among the reeds by the riverbank. That’s where Pharaoh’s daughter stumbled upon him. The baby cried, and in that moment her heart softened. She knew exactly who he was, one of the children her father had ordered to be killed. However, dispite what Daddy had ordered this daughter experienced compassion welling up inside her.

Can you imagine what that moment felt like for her? Torn between loyalty to her father’s command and the undeniable pull to protect this tiny, helpless child. 

Do I obey? 

Do I rescue? 

What do I do?

We’ve all faced moments like that, when our heart says one thing and our head says another. What’s amazing here is how God worked through someone who didn’t even follow Him, someone from a family that actively opposed His people. Yet her compassion became the very thing God used to save Moses, setting His larger plan in motion.

That plan of God kept unfolding, eventually leading to another baby, born in Bethlehem, who would show us what compassion looks like in the middle of violence and brokenness. 

So here’s the question today for all of us, I believe, how might God use our compassion?

Mercy Over Revenge?

DECEMBER 10, 2025

GENESIS 50:20-21

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives …he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.”

Do you ever catch yourself comparing your life to someone else’s? Honestly, in the age of social media, it feels almost impossible not to. Think back for a moment, maybe to a time when jealousy got the better of you, or when someone else looked at you with envy.

That’s exactly the kind of tension Joseph faced. He grew up with a bunch of brothers, but their dad clearly favored him. The jealousy boiled over until his brothers did something unthinkable: they ganged up on him and sold him into slavery. Just pause on that for a second—they literally sold their own brother.

Fast forward through years of hardship, and Joseph eventually lands in a position of power. When his brothers come to him desperate for help, he doesn’t take revenge. Instead, he does the opposite, he shows them grace. He forgives. 

Joseph’s story is just a preview of something even bigger: the grace we see in God’s Messiah. Jesus shows us what it looks like to forgive when betrayal cuts deep. He teaches us to love the very people who hurt us, and to choose peace instead of payback.

I’ll be real, I don’t always live up to that example. But Joseph’s story, and Jesus’ life, remind me that grace is always possible.

Perhaps as a reminder for us today, the teaching that Apostle Paul gives us in I Corinthians 13:4-7 is worth pondering.

“no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.”

NIGHT VISIONS

DECEMBER 9, 2025

Genesis 28:14-15

“…All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go… I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”


Sometimes the weight of our choices and decisions can feel very heavy. This is certainly true for Jacob. As he leaves home to seek a wife and to find his place in the world, he carries the fear that his brother Esau might kill him for stealing both the birthright and the blessing. In the midst of this exile, Jacob encounters God in a dream. There, he hears the divine promise to include him in the covenant first given to Abraham and Isaac. God assures Jacob of a secure future, and though Jacob acknowledges the dream and declares the place holy, his response is rather striking, he vows that if God provides for his needs, then he will serve Him.

Before we are too critical of Jacob's self serving negotiation, lets consider the fact that his response is such a common human reaction to situations that result in fear and uncertainty. How many of us try to offer God our devotion if He will only help us out with our problems. 

Scripture shows us that Jacob’s life was far from peaceful. He faced hardship, fear, grief, and trial after trial. Yet what stands out most is that God’s promise to Jacob was always greater than Jacob’s problems. In moments of anxiety, Jacob clung to that promise, reminding himself, and even reminding God, that he was included in the covenant. In much the same way, many of us have wrestled with doubts about God’s faithfulness, only to look back and realize He was weaving good out of circumstances we never could have predicted. Who would have imagined that the fulfillment of God’s promise to Jacob would come in the most unexpected way, through the birth of a of a baby in an animal stall?

When it seems that God is not fulfilling His promises, how should we respond?  

Well, Proverbs 3:5-6 suggests the following response in such times:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,  

and do not rely on your own understanding;  

in all your ways acknowledge Him,  

and He will make your paths straight.  

WAITING .... WAITING ..... FULFILLMENT

DECEMBER 7, 2025

Genesis 21:7

“Who would have said… that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne [Abraham] a son in his old age.”


How many of you have gone through periods of waiting in your lives that seemed like they would never end? Most of us, if not all of us.The Bible is filled with inspiring stories of people who had to wait—wait to be delivered from their enemies, wait to enter a new land, and wait to meet the long-awaited Messiah.

Abraham and Sarah waited many years to have a child, and their story is truly remarkable. The Bible records, Sarah was 91 and Abraham was 100 when their long-awaited baby was born. Think about it, this incredible couple endured decades of heartache and disappointment before finally experiencing the joy of parenthood.

I feel, this long wait was even more difficult considering God’s promise to Abraham when he called him. Do you recall in Genesis 12 the covenant that God makes with Abraham includes the promise “I will make you into a great nation.” In Genesis 17 God again says to Abraham “You will be the father of many nations. ... 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.” In another place angels and the Lord came to Abraham and told him that "his descendants would be more than the stars in heaven.” Promises, promises. Still no kids.

Sarah was well past her childbearing years, yet God continued to give them an incredible promise. The waiting felt endless, but as we read their story, we see  that God was faithful to his promise.

Isaiah 30:18 encourages us by reminding us that,

the Lord waits to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.

See that beautiful promise? All who wait for him are blessed.

 I wonder what is your heart waiting and longing for? 

Where have you perhaps endured decades of heartache and disappointment?

Today we are reminded in the story of Abraham and Sarah that yes waiting, and waiting, is a struggle, with many questions and doubts, yet we can have confidence in the Faithfulness of God, our God is a "promise keeper"!! 

As we close today's devotion let's hear/read the words of God that are found in Isaiah 46:3-4. 

Since the day you were born,
I have carried you along.
I will still be the same
when you are old and gray,
and I will take care of you.
I created you. I will carry you
and always keep you safe.

No Way that's IMPOSSIBLE!

DECEMBER 5, 2025

Genesis 12:2-3

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you… and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Can someone at 75 years old still change the world? Abram’s life seemed to say no. For decades he worked the same job, in the same land, following the same path as his father. His story looked ordinary, destined to be forgotten in time, no son, no legacy, no lasting impact. But God had a different plan. Instead of choosing a mighty king to establish His nation, God called a childless, unknown man from Ur.

When God steps in, everything shifts. The barren couple becomes a family, the overlooked become honored, and the insignificant become world-changers. Scripture almost seems to delight in showing us that God chooses the ones everyone else would pass over.

That’s good news. It means His blessing isn’t bound by our résumé, our status, or our skill set. God’s power is not limited by human expectations.

Throughout history, God has worked this way:

• He chose Abram and Sarah at 75 to begin a nation.

• He chose the youngest son of Jesse to rule Israel.

• He chose a teenage girl from a small town to bear the Savior.

• He chose fishermen to ignite a movement that would reach the ends of the earth.

This is who our God is. From the least to the greatest, He calls and blesses because His ways are higher than ours.

And God is still inviting us today, into His “crazy, impossible, and amazing adventure.” The question is not whether we are qualified, but whether we will follow.

The Water Is High

DECEMBER 4, 2025

Gen. 9:13-15

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth... Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.”

When I read the story of Noah, I can’t help but think about how overwhelming it must have been for him. Imagine God assigning you the task to build a large Ark (boat), way before there was even a threat of heavy rain. Where would you even start? How do you gather that much wood? What do you say when people stop by and ask what on earth you’re doing? And on top of all that, would you wonder if there was any real hope for the future of creation after the occurance of such a massive flood?

Try putting yourself in Noah’s place ("sandals" ) for a moment.
What would be going through your head?
What fears, doubts, or questions would you have?

Truthfully, the season of Advent can feel a little like that. The closer we get to Christmas, the more the “water” seems to rise. We’re running around trying to find the right gifts, track down ingredients for family recipes, attend dinners, finish up end-of-year tasks, decorate the house, and keep up with everyone’s expectations, especially our own. It can feel like the stress is piling up fast, almost like a flood. 

And yet… we keep doing it year after year.

Why?

Because underneath all the busy moments is something stable and secure, something beautiful: our Messiah has come. Advent gives us space to breathe, remember, and celebrate Jesus, our Savior, our Living Hope, our faithful Friend who never leaves us to face the flood alone.

And just like God didn’t leave Noah alone and unsupported, God doesn’t leave us without reminders of his presence either. God gave Noah everything he needed to build the ark, and when it was all over, God placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign, a promise that destruction, loss and ruin would never have the final word.

So as we wait for Jesus this Advent, maybe we can look for those same signs of hope.
Maybe, if we pause long enough, we’ll see the “rainbow” God is setting before us too.

Who Are You Going to Listen To?

DECEMBER 3, 2025

Genesis 2:16

“You are free to eat from any tree, but not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”


The saying “with great power comes great responsibility” is familiar to most of us, often this is exemplified in superhero stories where the central question is how the hero will use their special powers. Scripture reveals that humanity is the pinnacle of God’s creation, made for worship and work, and granted unique significance and privileges. No other creature possesses the breath of God’s life or bears His image. In the creation story, God took what can be seen as an extraordinary risk by granting humans the freedom to choose—to trust Him, take Him at His word, and follow Him willingly from the heart. This is because love given freely is love at its highest form. I believe, like superhero tales, God’s story centers on a question: What will humanity do with this extraordinary gift?

Turns out, humankind messed up! Genesis 3 shows the tough truth that humanity chose to doubt God and follow other so-called ‘wiser’ voices, opening ourselves up to the pull and harmful power of evil. Thankfully, God’s story does not end there. Its central theme is His plan to deliver us from the grip of evil, to eliminate its power from the world, to restore all things to a state even better than the beginning, and to grant us another opportunity to live as He intended. All this is made possible through Jesus, the pioneer of God’s new humanity and the evidence of His new creation.

Truth is we are bombarded by so called "wiser" voices too. So, I wonder if the question for us today may just be this:

“Whose voice have  we been listening to in our life?”

Finding Joy in Beauty

DECEMBER 2, 2025

Gen. 1:1 & 28

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...God saw all that he made, and it was very good.”

The Amazing story of Chrstmas begins . . . .

The opening chapters of the Bible make some bold statements, claiming that God created the entire universe simply by speaking it into existence—saying, “Let there be…” and it happened. Genesis 1 and 2 describe how God was deeply satisfied with His creation, filling it with beauty and purpose, and then stepping back to enjoy it, declaring, “It is very good.”

Jenny Toews shared the following personal story, she writes

“I remember one sunny morning when I was travelling along a beautiful route that wound its way between the rocky coastline and a towering mountain range. Traffic came to a complete stop along a bend and people stood outside their cars peering over the cliffs. My immediate thought was a terrible accident had just occurred. I, too, got out to look, but there was no accident. The morning rush hour was brought to a standstill by a large pod of dolphins diving in and out of the water and skipping along the surface. No one said a word, nor did getting to work on time seem to matter either. Everyone just stood there taking in this breathtaking sight. It was a special moment of strangers standing back to delight in beauty and to respond to something greater than themselves.”

Whether we acknowledge God’s hand in creation or not, we are all awestruck by the beauty of the world around us. Splendor tells us something about the heart of the Creator of beautiful things. Being awestruck suggests that wonder is a response of worship as we ponder the glory of our good world. Our Genesis reading today points to the source. "In the beginning God ...."

When was the last time you were awestruck by beauty?

Today, take a moment to offer a prayer of gratitude to God for all the beauty in our world. As you go about your day, observe the wonders of His creation around you and express a simple prayer of praise, such as "Thank You, God, for __________."

JESSE TREE

December 1, 2025

Isaiah 11:1

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”



The Jesse Tree is like a big storytelling calendar for Advent, without the chocolates or little gifts of many Advent calanders. The Jesse Tree doesn’t just count down days, it walks us through the entire story that leads to Christmas. Starting way back at Creation, it traces God’s promises through the generations, Abraham, David, the prophets, and all the twists and turns of Israel’s journey, until it finally points us to Jesus.

In the Middle Ages, churches and monasteries began creating artworks, stained glass windows, and illuminated manuscripts depicting the “Tree of Jesse.” These showed Jesus’ genealogy as a branching tree, with Jesse at the base and Christ at the top. Over time, the Jesse Tree moved from being a church art motif to a family Advent devotion. By the late medieval period, Christians began using trees or branches decorated with symbols to mark the days leading up to Christmas. Many historians tells us that the Jesse Tree predates what we now refer to as the Christmas Tree that we decorate each year.

The name comes from Jesse, the father of King David, because the prophet Isaiah said that “a shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse.” That promise was fulfilled when Christ was born from David’s family line. So every ornament or symbol on the Jesse Tree is like a chapter in the story, showing how God was weaving His plan all along.

When we follow the Jesse Tree, it is a way for us to see the whole sweep of Scripture as one long journey toward Christ, with God revealing pieces of His promise along the way. We are not just remembering random Bible stories, we’re seeing how they all connect, how they all build toward the birth of Christ. It’s the whole Christmas story, stretched across history, reminding us that God has always been faithful and that His promises always find their fulfillment in Jesus.
This Advent season, as we wait for the birth of Christ and celebrate His gifts of Hope, Joy, Peace, Love, and Light, we wait alongside those who came before us. Their stories are our stories. We are connected to the people who trusted God, stumbled badly at times, but also witnessed miracles and surprising victories as they waited for His promise to unfold.

This, I believe helps us to learn and understand that even in the waiting, God calls us to be faithful. Even in the darkness, God calls us to walk in His light.

Come,
You who are celebrating with joy,
You who are worn out, lonely, or feeling lost,
You who are longing for hope and for the Savior,
Come and wait with open hearts for the One who brings salvation and life.

Waiting with Hope — What Advent Really Is

November 28, 2025

 Isaiah 9:2

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” 

As winter approaches and the days grow shorter, Christians around the world enter the quiet, sacred season of Advent. The term Advent means “coming” or “arrival” and marks a period of waiting, watching, and hoping, not for something abstract or sentimental, but for Someone real: Jesus Christ, the Light who dispels our darkness. This season calls us to slow down, breathe, and remember that our faith is grounded in both remembrance and anticipation.

1. Advent Looks Back

We remember the first coming of Christ, 

a child born in a manger, 

a Savior clothed in humility, 

God entering our world to rescue and redeem.

"In the middle of ordinary nights and ordinary people, heaven bent low and hope took on flesh."

2. Advent Looks Ahead

But Advent doesn’t stop at Bethlehem.
It reminds us that we are still waiting.

We await the second coming of Christ, when He will restore all things, wipe away every tear, and fully establish His Kingdom of peace and justice. Advent reminds us to live with holy expectation, keeping our lamps burning and our hearts alert.

3. Advent Looks Within

This season is also an invitation to make room for Christ in our own lives.

In a world that runs fast, Advent gently asks:

What fills your heart?
What crowds out the voice of the Jesus?
Where do you need His peace, His hope, His joy, His love?

Advent is a spiritual reset, a chance to surrender our hurry and open our hearts anew to the One who comes near.

4. Advent Is a Season of Hope

Hope is not wishful thinking.
Hope is confidence rooted in God’s promise.

We light candles at church and perhaps in our homes too, not just for tradition, but to declare:
“The darkness will not win.” Why?

Because:
Christ has come, 

Christ is coming again, 

and Christ is with us now.

A Prayer for Advent

Lord Jesus,
In this season of waiting, awaken our hearts to Your presence.
Shine Your light into our darkness.
Teach us to hope with confidence, to watch with expectation,
and to prepare room in our lives for You.
Come, Lord Jesus, come into our world, our homes, and our hearts.
Amen.

Hidden Hope

November 27, 2025

Isaiah 11:1-3

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the lord.


Author Henri Nouwen writes,

I keep expecting loud and impressive events to convince me and others of God’s saving power…Our temptation is to be distracted by them…When I have no eyes for the small signs of God’s presence – the smile of a baby, the carefree play of children, the words of encouragement and gestures of love offered by friends – I will always remain tempted to despair.

The small child of Bethlehem, the unknown man of Nazareth, the rejected preacher, the naked man on the cross, he asks for my full attention. The work of our salvation takes place in the midst of a world that continues to shout, scream, and overwhelm us with its claims and promises.

LET'S PRAY

We welcome you, small child of Bethlehem, for whose coming we await with quiet attention.

Shield us from the shouts, the screams, the empty promises of the season, and encourage us to turn our hopes to your coming.

We know that the promise is hidden in the stable in Bethlehem and rooted in the offspring of Jesse; let us look for our salvation there.
Amen.


Today, look for one small sign that God is present in your daily life. Give thanks for his presence.

MARANATHA!

November 26, 2025

Revelation 22:20

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (MARANATHA)


Paul’s letters are mostly written in Greek, but when he closes 1 Corinthians he uses a surprising Aramaic word, Maranatha. This suggests that Maranatha was a common phrase of worship and prayer handed down from the earliest Aramaic speaking followers of Jesus, and that it had a particular importance for the church in early times. If you think about this in our worship language today we use ancient words like Hallelujah, Hosanna, and Amen in a similar way, they have become part of the language of our worship.

So what does Maranatha mean? It is commonly translated “Come, Lord” (see Revelation 22:20), Bible scholar Kenneth Bailey, in his book Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes points out that there are really three possible meanings for Maranatha:

He writes, “As often observed, this last word can be read maran atha (Our Lord has come). This translation addresses the readers and affirms a reality in the present (he is here). The two Aramaic words can also be divided to read marana tha (Our Lord-come!). This is a request addressed to the risen Lord that looks to the end of all things with the plea ‘Please come!’ A variant on this second option is, ‘Our Lord is coming.’ This also looks to the future but it is a statement of fact rather than a plea, and it is not addressed to Jesus.” (Pages 495-496)

What Bailey shows is that all three translations have been adopted through church history, and that the rendering, which is less known to us, the past-tense confession “Our Lord has come” has in fact been the favoured interpretation in Middle Eastern countries.

What if we do not need to settle on one definition over another, what if we understood the meaning of Maranatha as all these at the same time.

We declare with confidence that Jesus came in the incarnation. We can proclaim with hope that he is coming again. We can call to him in faith, interceding for our world and asking him to be present in our midst as we wait for his final return.

We would then confess the following when we say Maranatha,

Our Lord has come.
Our Lord is coming.
Our Lord - come!

1 Corinthians 16:23-24

Come, Lord!

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.

STEPPING INTO GOD'S FUTURE

November 25, 2025

Ephesians 1:20-21


He raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand... far above all rule and authority, power and dominion.

The words “king”, “kingdoms” and “throne” are ones we associate with storybooks from childhood, or perhaps epic fictional dramas made into long movies or a TV series. The Advent invitation to wait for Jesus as “the coming King” can therefore feel as if it has little to do with reality.

Perhaps we should instead use some other words from today’s verses: Rule. Authority. Power. Dominion. These are words that can be found in today’s newspaper, on the political blog you read, in the tweets of heads of countries. We are aware of the authorities around us: the leaders we’ve elected, as well as, the influence of big-business, tech companies and celebrity culture.

In light of these what does it mean to wait for Jesus, our coming King?

The believers in Ephesus knew about powers and authorities. Theirs was a city where Roman emperors were establishing and enforcing their rule, but it was also a Centre of religious power. The deities they exalted were plentiful, and the power of magic was sought out and worshipped. To the Christians in this place, Paul writes that the battle is not against flesh and blood, but “against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12).

Paul prays for this young church that their eyes would be opened to the “incomparably great power” (v 19) that they possess, through Christ. Do you think of yourself as having incomparably great power? If you don’t, you might want to look at what else Paul prays for them in verse 18: that they would become aware of their “hope and inheritance”.

Hope and inheritance have to do with waiting. Yes, Jesus is the resurrected King, with every other power and authority below him. And yes, we share in this power. And yet, our hope is in a future when this is completely fulfilled, when we finally receive our full inheritance.

Paul’s prayer is for the church to begin living out of the reality of these promises now. This is a "Now and Not Yet"reality, “in the present age but also in the one to come” (v 21).

The invitation for us today is to step into God’s future for us now, to “practice resurrection” in the here and now.

With eyes opened to our hope, our inheritance in Christ and our shared power with him, let us pray for change in the situations around us that we feel powerless to change. 

LET'S PRAY

Pray Ephesians 1:18-23 below, as your personal prayer today.

18 I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that I may know the hope to which he has called me, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.   Amen

WORTH THE WAIT

 

 NOVEMBER 24, 2025

Psalm 130:5

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits.”


On November 30, 2025, we begin the season of Advent. “Advent” means “coming,” and it’s a time when we live in an in-between state, anticipating what’s ahead. It’s like when friends or family are on their way for a celebration—we might rush around tidying up, checking the clock, or looking out the window. We’re not yet enjoying their full presence, but we’re already acting in hopeful expectation of their arrival.

Let me ask you, How have you approached Advent in the past? Has Advent become mostly about opening a chocolate-a-day calendar, or simply lighting a few special candles? Or perhaps the whole season has been overshadowed by the rush, shopping for gifts, planning gatherings, attending dinners, tying up loose ends at work, just to feel ready for a bit of rest when the Christmas finally arrives?

What if this year you chose to spend Advent simply waiting? Imagine not rushing ahead, but taking the time to pause, to anticipate, and to be filled with expectation.

The psalmist wrote about waiting for God with their “whole being”. The Psalmist looked expectantly for God to come and restore him: “I wait for the Lord, more than watchmen wait for the morning” (130:6).

Let’s not forget that this is the Psalm which begins: “Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord.” This waiting is a result of struggle and hardship. The writer cries out to God for mercy, trusting in God’s faithfulness when all around them is crumbling.

I believe we all recognize that some waiting in our lives produces anxiety and impatience. Think about waiting for a treatment, or surgery, or diagnosis. Think about waiting for that job interview, or for housing, .... This waiting creates frets and worries, so we try to hurry things along. 

But there is another kind of waiting, called a godly waiting, where with the psalmist we choose to “put our hope in the Lord” (130:7). As we prepare for the Advent 2025 season let us explore aspects of what it means to worship God in the waiting.

LET'S PRAY

Loving Our Neighbor

 

November 21, 2025

Mark 12:31

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

We’re wrapping up our series of devotions on Neighborhood Prayers, bringing it full circle to where we began on November 12, 2025, with the words of Jesus above.

Don't you love that Jesus’ command is simple enough for a child to understand and yet deep enough to shape an entire life. “Love your neighbor as yourself”  is central to what it means to follow Christ. When Jesus connects this command directly to loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, He is telling us something profound: our love for God is made visible in the way we love the people He has placed around us.

Loving our neighbor goes beyond simply feeling warm or sentimental toward them. It’s not merely polite nods across the street or a wave as we close the garage door. It’s a daily mindset that turns our hearts outward, seeing our neighborhood as a place where God is already moving, softening hearts, healing wounds, sparking hope, and inviting us to be part of His work.

When we pray for our neighborhood, we are practicing Jesus' command in its simplest form.

We are saying:

“God, give me Your eyes for the people around me.”
“Give me courage to care, patience to listen, and compassion to respond.”
“Give me a heart willing to be inconvenienced.”

I believe and have experienced, that prayer opens our hearts so we can love not just in theory, but in practice. A few years ago at our church, some of you may recall this we held a series of prayer walks in our community. Our Ladies Bible Study group, our Church Council members, and a group of our worshippers after a Sunday service walked areas of our neighborhood praying. As a Pastor, I found that these exercises opened my eyes to where God was leading me, and us, to be more Community Focused faith community. 

As we pray for the homes on our street or the families in our building, God’s Spirit transforms our attitudes and aligns them with His heart. Over time, prayer inspires small acts of kindness, checking in on someone who seems lonely, offering help to an overwhelmed parent, or noticing needs we once overlooked. These are not grand gestures, but they are often the very means God uses to draw people toward His love.

To me, this command is the clearest and most direct instruction in Scripture about life in community. It tells us that the way we treat others is part of our worship. Praying for our neighborhood becomes a natural, joyful expression of loving our neighbor. It turns ordinary streets into spaces of potential and everyday interactions into opportunities for God’s grace to shine.

Simply Put, "LOVE GOD, LOVE PEOPLE!!"

Let's Pray


Jesus,
You told us clearly: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Teach us to obey these words with sincerity and joy.
Open our eyes to the people around us,
their burdens, their hopes, their hidden needs.
As we pray for our neighborhood,
let Your love soften our hearts
and shape our actions.
Make our homes places of welcome,
our words sources of peace,
and our lives reflections of Your compassion.
In Your name we pray. Amen.

Compassion for the Crowds

November 20, 2025 

Matthew 9:36–38

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”

Yesterday I was reading Matthew 9, and it struck me that Jesus doesn’t just notice the crowds; He sees them deeply. He perceives their weariness, confusion, and spiritual hunger. 
His response is not frustration or indifference, but compassion, "a gut-level mercy that moves Him to act."

This is important to notice about Jesus and the crowds because I believe, in our neighborhoods, people often feel “harassed and helpless”, overwhelmed by life’s pressures, searching for meaning, longing for hope. Jesus sees them with compassion, and He invites us to see them the same way.

Notice that Jesus shifts the metaphor: from sheep without a shepherd to fields ripe for harvest. The problem is not the lack of opportunity, the harvest is already abundant.
The challenge is the shortage of workers willing to step into the field. This ought to say something to us, maybe even reframe our perspective. I sometimes hear people, especially Christian folk, describe their neighborhoods as barren or resistant to  God, but here in our reading today Jesus perspective is that the crowd, the neighborhood, is full of potential because God is already at work! Jesus invites us to recognize the God who goes before us, softening hearts, planting seeds, and preparing lives to receive His love. 

Jesus’ instruction here is very striking. Jesus says that before planning, strategizing or organizing,  His disciples ought to begin with prayer. Why do you think that is? I believe it is because Jesus knows that prayer aligns our hearts with God’s compassion and opens our eyes to opportunities where God has already been at work. Of course. the other part that prayer plays is that as we align with God's work and compassion, he also raises up workers, sometimes others, sometimes us.

So yesterday, I was reminded that when we pray for our community, we are asking God to send shepherds, encouragers, and harvesters. And often, God answers by nudging us to step forward ourselves. To step into the harvest: small acts of kindness, conversations of faith, invitations to worship, listening ears, all are ways to embody Jesus’ compassion. 

Hmm. How do you see your neighborhood? Barren or resistant to  God? or full of potential because God is already at work!

Let's Pray

Lord of the harvest, open my eyes to see my neighbors as You see them. Fill us with Your compassion for the weary and searching. Raise up workers in our community, including me, to share Your love and truth. May our prayers and actions join in Your mission, until every heart knows the Shepherd’s care. Amen.

Putting Feet to Our Prayers

 

November 19, 2025

Romans 12:12–13 

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer… Practice hospitality.”

In Romans 12, Paul invites the followers of Jesus into a rhythm of life that unites heaven’s hope with earth’s needs. Earlier in Romans 12 the Apostle issued his call to believers to become “living sacrifices,” individuals whose entire lives are shaped by God’s mercy. Paul illustrates this in daily, ordinary, and relational ways.

“Be joyful in hope.”

Christian hope is not wishful thinking, like "I hope it doesn't snow tomorrow," Christian hope is the settled confidence that God keeps His promises. What this means is that joy can break through even on he most difficult of days because our hope isn’t rooted in circumstances but in Christ. As we pray for our neighborhoods or walk our streets, this joy reminds us that God is already at work.

“Be patient in affliction.”

Affliction, whether personal burdens, community tensions, or the brokenness we see around us, does not have the final word. The Patience mentioned here means steadfast endurance, the willingness to keep showing up in prayer, even when answers seem delayed or situations remain unchanged. This outlook,and confidence in God, keeps us from giving up on people, places, or God’s timing.

“Be faithful in prayer.”

Prayer is what binds hope and patience together. Faithfulness in prayer is the steady returning of our hearts to God, again and again. So that when we pray over our neighborhoods, we do so with expectancy, because we are participating in God’s redemptive work: lifting homes, families, and streets before Him. 

“Practice hospitality.”

If read Romans 12, you will notice that the Apostle Paul shifts from prayer to practice. This shift is not to add a burden to us followers of Jesus, rather it is to show us that prayer naturally leads to tangible love. Hospitality in the Bible means making space for others. Sometimes that looks like opening our homes; other times, it looks like opening our schedules, our listening, our compassion. What Paul is teaching here is that as we pray for our community, hospitality flows out of our prayers of intercession, hospitality is the way we embody the love we’ve been praying for.

Perhaps the key take away form our verse today is that this Bible passage shows us the way that intercession and action work together. We pray with hope. We endure with patience. And then we step into our neighborhoods with open hearts and open hands. What I am suggesting is that hospitality becomes the lived expression of the prayers we offer. As we pray for God’s peace, blessing, and presence to rest on every home, we also become willing vessels of that peace, blessing, and presence. We put feet to our prayers!

Let's Pray

Lord, shape our hearts with Your hope. Give us patience where there is struggle, and strengthen us to be faithful in prayer. As we pray for our neighbors, teach us to love them in practical ways. May our homes, our conversations, and our actions reflect Your welcome. Use us in such a way that our community may glimpse Your goodness through us. Amen.

Speaking God’s Peace Over Homes

November 18, 2025

Luke 10:5–6 

“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’”

In Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two of His followers into the towns and villages He intended to visit. Their first instruction wasn’t about strategy, miracles, or even preaching, it was about peace. Before anything else was said or done, they were to speak a blessing: “Peace to this house.”

Now this was just some traditional cultural greeting like we use today, for example the "Hey, how is it going." The blessing wasn’t a polite formality. It was a declaration of God’s shalom, His deep, restoring, reconciling peace that puts broken things back together. It was an invitation for God’s presence to settle over a household and change the atmosphere from the inside out.

I believe a key take away for us today might be not just a invitation to pray for our neighborhoods, Jesus’ gives us a clear pattern to live by reminding us that we are to be carriers of God’s peace.
Our words, our prayers, and even our presence can bring the peace of Christ to the doors, families, and stories that fill the streets around us.

Here are a few thoughts on why this is so important,  

1. Peace is God’s Starting Point
   Jesus doesn’t begin with judgment or correction—He begins with blessing. When we speak peace over a home, we align with the heart of God, who desires that every house become a place where His presence dwells.

2. Peace Recognizes Every Home Has a Story
   Behind every door is a mixture of joy and pain, needs and hopes, faith and doubt. We may not know what goes on inside, but God does. Praying “peace to this house” hands those unseen burdens to the Lord and asks Him to work in ways we cannot.

3. Peace Is a Doorway for God’s Work
   Jesus adds that if a “son of peace” is there—someone open to God—His peace will rest on that home. If not, it returns to you (Luke 10:6).
   In other words, no prayer is wasted. Where hearts are receptive, God moves. Where hearts are not ready, He still protects and honors the faithfulness of our prayers.

4. Peace Declares Christ’s Kingdom
   Every time you pray peace over a home, you’re saying:
   “Lord, let Your kingdom come here. Let Your love, order, and presence push back every force of darkness.”

 As I see it when God’s people speak His peace, heaven moves over ordinary places.

Let's Pray

Lord Jesus, make us bearers of Your peace. As we walk and pray through our neighborhoods, let Your presence rest on every home. Bring comfort where there is sorrow, hope where there is fear, and reconciliation where there is division. May Your peace transform our streets and draw hearts toward You. Amen.

Blessing a City Through the Righteous

November 17, 2025

Proverbs 11:11 

“Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted…”

It is often the case that we think of blessing as something personal, you know what I mean I am sure, God blessing me, meeting my needs, or guiding my steps. But Scripture frequently "widens the lens." Proverbs 11:11 offers a surprising and hope-filled truth: when God’s people walk faithfully, the effect is not limited to their own lives; the entire community is lifted. Just let that sink in! Our faithful living as followers of God, have an impact on our neighborhoods, towns, cities, that the Bible says will "exalt" the city.  Hear that? Through our lifestyle as Jesus followers there is a "trickle down" or maybe better put a "trickle out" impact in the places where God has placed us.

The “upright” in Scripture are not perfect people, but they are those whose hearts are turned toward God, people who desire integrity, justice, compassion, and obedience. When these qualities take root in someone’s life, they ripple outward in some of the following ways:

• A single act of kindness interrupts a cycle of discouragement.

• A consistent voice of wisdom steadies an anxious friend.

• A quiet prayer over a troubled street becomes spiritual protection.

• A household of faith models stability in a world of instability.

This is what it means for a city to be exalted through the righteous. God uses the ordinary faithfulness of His people to elevate the wellbeing, peace, and direction of the entire community.

In the bible “blessing” wasn’t just a nice wish, it carried the power of God’s favour, presence, and goodness. When the upright bless, they speak and live in a way that invites God into the neighbourhood.

I have read, and experienced, what the outcome of this Blessing can look like:

• Praying over your street, asking God’s peace and protection to rest there.

• Serving your neighbours quietly and consistently.

• Speaking encouragement, not criticism, into community conversations.

• Living with integrity, becoming an anchor of stability in a turbulent world.

I truly believe that each faithful act creates an atmosphere where God’s goodness can be seen and felt. Therefore, understand this, Your Neighborhood Needs Your Faithfulness.

I am aware that we may feel small in comparison to the needs around us, brokenness, loneliness, anger, fear. But God sees our presence in that place as intentional. He planted you where you live for a purpose.

Your prayers matter.
Your faithfulness matters.
Your righteousness, imperfect as it is, has power because it is connected to GOD.

Let's Pray

Lord, thank You for placing me in this neighbourhood. Let your blessing flow through my words, actions, and prayers. Make me a channel of peace, hope, and truth. Exalt this community through the quiet faithfulness of Your people. May our city, town, county experience Your goodness because we seek You together. Amen.

Praying for Your Neighborhood

 

November 14, 2025

Zechariah 8:5

“The streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing there.” 

This short but vivid verse paints a picture of joy, safety, and community life restored. It’s a snapshot of God’s heart for neighborhoods, a place where children play freely, families flourish, and streets echo with peace rather than fear and conflict.

Zechariah spoke these words to a people returning from exile, people rebuilding their homes, replanting their lives, and reclaiming their city. God gave them a vision not just of physical reconstruction but of spiritual renewal, a community filled with life again.

I believe that same vision can shape how we pray for our own neighborhoods today. God desires our streets, literal or figurative, to be places where love grows, where burdens lift, and where hope has "room to breathe."

It is easy to walk our streets without thinking about what God longs to do there. Yet the truth is God sees more than we do. Behind every home, every fence, every condominium or apartment door, there are stories, some joyful, some heavy, some waiting for healing.

When I read of Zechariah’s vision I see there a reminder that God is invested in the wellbeing of our communities. Our creator delights in neighborhoods where peace replaces tension, where relationships blossom, where the vulnerable are safe, and where joy can be heard again, like the laughter of children in the streets. 

When we pray for our neighborhood, we are aligning ourselves with God’s dream for it. We are asking Him to bring renewal where there is weariness, unity where there is division, and hope where there is despair.

And sometimes, the simple act of prayer becomes the beginning of transformation in us and around us.

Here are some practical prayer suggestions for us to use as we pray for our neighbourhoods.

1. Pray for Safety and Peace

Ask God to make your streets safe and welcoming, for children, teens, and families alike.

2. Pray with Zechariah’s Vision in Mind

Imagine your neighborhood filled with signs of life and joy—then pray:

“Lord, let our streets be places of peace and flourishing.”

3. Prayer-Walk with Hope

As you walk your block, quietly pray for the renewal of each home:
“Restore joy here. Bring peace here. Let hope be felt here.”

4. Pray for Families

Lift up the parents, kids, single adults, elders, and newcomers around you.
Pray for support, connection, and comfort.

5. Pray for God to Use You

Ask for opportunities to build bridges through small gestures, conversations, or acts of kindness that open hearts.

Let's Pray

Lord, thank You for the vision of joy-filled streets in Zechariah.
Let that vision take root in my neighborhood.
Bring peace to every home, safety to every child, and hope to every heart.
Restore what is broken, revive what feels empty, and renew the life of my community.
Use us to reflect Your love so that my neighborhood flourishes with Your presence.
Amen.

Rooted in Love—For God, Others, and Place

 

November 13, 2025

Matthew 22:37, 39 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Jeremiah 29:7

“Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you… Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 

Loving God is the beginning of all true love. The point being made is not just about affection, it has to do with alignment. You see, when we love God with heart, soul, and mind, we begin to see the world through the eyes of the Creator. We become attentive to beauty, brokenness, and possibility. Our worship becomes a way of life, and our neighborhoods become sacred ground.

As we see in the above verse, Jesus links the love of God with the love of neighbor. One flows into the other. To love others is to honor their dignity, listen deeply, and serve sacrificially. It’s not always easy especially when neighbors are different, and some may be difficult, or distant. But love is not just sentiment, or a thought or feeling; Biblical love is a commitment. The love of the Bible emphasizes choosing to show up, again and again, with grace.

Jeremiah’s counsel to the exiles in Babylon is unexpectantly compassionate, remember the people have been uprooted from their homeland, yet Jeremiah calls them to  “Seek the peace of the city” in which they now live. Do you see what is happening here? Even in foreign or flawed surroundings, God calls for planting gardens, building homes, raising families, and praying for the land. To love where you live is to invest in the community, understand its rhythms, and bless its people. It is viewing your street, your neighborhood, and your local park as a place of sanctuary and refuge.

Reflect on these questions below for a few moments today, 

What does loving God look like in your daily rhythms?

Who is a neighbor you’re being nudged to love more intentionally?
What’s one way you can bless your neighborhood this week?

Let's Pray

God of all places and people, help us to love You with all that we are. Let that love spill over into kindness for others and care for the communities we belong to. May we bring peace wherever we are, and may our prayers influence the spaces we live in. Amen.

The Soldier’s Inner Battle

November 12, 2025

Psalm 23:4 

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

I want to begin today with a prayer written by U.S. Military Chaplain Richard A. Lutz.

O Lord, many of us have tears deep inside of our lives, because we’ve been hurt in ways that go to the very core of our being, and some of the hurts we carry around have been there for a long, long time – even for years. We experienced a loss from which even today we have not really recovered. We took a beating that ripped into our heart and soul and tore us apart at the deepest place in our life. We went through the betrayal of a trust, the betrayal of a friendship, and still today we find ourselves dealing with its aftereffects and its residue. We suffered the unforgivable at the hands of a parent or the hands of someone we loved, and there’s a scar there that breaks open over and over again.

O God, you are the one who looks way down deep inside of all of us. You see and know what no one knows, no one at all except we ourselves. And, not only do you see us and know us, but you also feel things along with us, even the very painful stuff, the deep stuff along with us, and we feel a strange kind of healing taking place. We are no longer left alone with our burdens.

Today, those of us who are struggling inside – who have been broken and hurt and still feel the tears within – we thank you for being there and sharing with us what we cannot bear alone. Amen.


Earlier this week I saw a post for Remembrance Day that read "Remember those who have not yet fallen, but are falling." It was a reminder that the battlefield doesn’t always end when the war does. For many soldiers (and let's not forget their families), the darkest valleys are not physical terrains but internal landscapes, where they are haunted by memories, moral dilemmas, and the invisible wounds of trauma. Psalm 23 speaks directly into this experience. It doesn’t promise the absence of valleys, but it assures presence: “You are with me.” That's what Chaplain Lutz's prayer gets at.

This is also the heart of the gospel for those who carry burdens too heavy to name. God does not abandon us in the shadows. He walks with us, even when the path is lined with grief, guilt, or confusion.

From the stories I have read and heard about war, yes even peacekeeping deployment, are experiences that leave marks that don’t show up on scans. Flashbacks, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness are real battles. These are not signs of weakness, they are signs of survival. I believe that as a society we must learn to recognize these wounds and respond with compassion, and not judgment. Psalm 34:18 says that “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  How I pray that this would be a genuine truth experienced by our "falling" veterans.

Soldiers often face moral injury, when actions taken (or not taken) in deployment violate their deepest values. This can lead to shame, spiritual disorientation, and a crisis of identity. The psalmist’s cry in Psalm 23 is not sanitized; it’s raw and real. God’s comfort comes not by erasing the past, but by walking with us through it.

The “rod and staff” of Psalm 23 are symbols of protection and guidance. They remind us that God is not passive in our pain. He actively comforts, defends, and leads. For veterans, this means that healing is not just psychological, it’s spiritual. 

As today I remember, and I invite you to remember those who live with the lasting effects of their service to our country, who struggle with trauma, with PTSD. I am thankful for their service, but I am also thankful for those brave souls who have given themselves to treatments, although these opportunities are in short supply, they have allowed us to understand the impacts of the trauma of war, which has led to an understanding of trauma in other contexts. The trauma of childhood sexual, physical, emotional abuse, the violence of rape, gun violence, robbery, the trauma of poverty, ….. and so on. I for one, as a trauma survivor, would not be writing this today if it were not for their bravery to confront their trauma head on and the treatments that are now available for so many. 

Let us never forget those who carry the scars of war and their need of our prayers, compassion and the message of hope that God promises to all. When you pray for these veterans do not forget their families in those prayers. That they would know the reality of Jesus promise, "I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid." John 14:27

Let's  Pray

God of the valley, you see what others can’t. You walk alongside those bearing unseen scars. You don’t turn away from our pain or shy from our questions. Stay close to every veteran, every soldier, every heart weighed down by war. Let your rod and staff bring them comfort. Let your people be safe havens. And let your healing reach every dark and hidden path. Amen.