EAT the WORD

 September 3, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, speak to me through Your Word. Quiet my distractions, give me clarity to understand Your truth, and grant me a willing heart to obey what You reveal. Amen.

SCRIPTURE

Jeremiah 15:16

16 When your words came, I ate them;
they were my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty.

Isaiah 50:4

4 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

Psalm 119:105

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.

Psalm 119:165

165 Great peace have those who love your law,
and nothing can make them stumble.

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REFLECTION

Recently, I’ve had the wonderful blessing of meeting some new people. One of the best ways we get to know someone is by listening to their story—where they’ve lived, their family, their work, their joys, and even some of the struggles they’ve experienced.

Stories help us know people.

And if we want to know God, we need to listen to His story.

God’s story is given to us through His Word, the Bible. There we discover His heart, His purposes, and His great plan to rescue, redeem, and restore His creation.

I love Jeremiah’s description of receiving God’s Word:

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight.”

God’s Word isn’t simply information for us to collect. It is nourishment for our souls. We are meant to feed on God’s Word.

Scripture gives us life, joy, strength, direction, and peace. It sustains the weary and becomes “a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

God has given us His Word because He wants us to know Him.

So today, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to give us a deeper hunger for Scripture—to open our ears to hear God’s voice and our hearts to receive His story.

May we learn to “eat” His Word until it becomes our joy, our strength, and our delight.

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PRAYER

Father, give us a growing hunger for your Word. Help us to listen, receive, and live by the story of your love. May your Word nourish and strengthen us, so that we can encourage and support those who are tired, discouraged, and overwhelmed. Amen.

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APPLICATION

Today, try one of these simple practices:

Take it with you.

Choose one verse or phrase from today’s reading and carry it with you throughout the day. Let it become something you return to when you need encouragement or direction.

God’s Word is more than a book to be read. It is God’s invitation to know His heart.

WHEN YOUR SOUL IS THIRSTY

WHEN YOUR SOUL IS THIRSTY

September 2, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, speak to me through Your Word. Quiet my distractions, give me clarity to understand Your truth, and grant me a willing heart to obey what You reveal. Amen.

Scripture

Isaiah 55:1

“Hey there! All who are thirsty, come to the water!”

John 7:37–39a

“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

John tells us that by “living water,” Jesus was speaking about the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 12:2–3

“Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.”

“With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.”

Reflection

There’s something about a heatwave that makes you think about water.

And here in Windsor this week, we don't have to imagine what that feels like. When the temperature climbs and you've been outside for a while, you can feel the heat draining your energy. You come back inside, reach for a cold glass of water, and suddenly it tastes like the best drink in the world!

When you're really thirsty, you don't want someone to tell you about water.

You want water.

Our bodies have a wonderful way of telling us when we need it.

I wonder if our souls do something similar.

There are times when we feel tired, worried, discouraged, confused, or simply empty. Sometimes we can't even explain exactly what's wrong. We just know that something isn't right.

Perhaps some of those feelings are actually telling us something important:

We're thirsty.

Not physically thirsty.

Spiritually thirsty.

Jesus understood that kind of thirst.

It was the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles. This was a celebration remembering God's faithfulness and provision for his people in the wilderness—including the time when God provided water from a rock.

And right in the middle of this celebration, Jesus stood up and cried out:

“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.”

What an invitation!

He says:

“If you are thirsty, come.”

Then Jesus makes an incredible promise:

“Whoever believes in me… rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

John explains that Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit.

God doesn't simply give us information about himself.

He gives us himself.

His Spirit comes to live within us.

And that means that when our souls become dry, when our hearts are weary, when worry seems to take over, the answer isn't necessarily to try harder or simply distract ourselves.

Sometimes the invitation is much simpler:

Come to Jesus.

Drink deeply.

Receive what God wants to give you.

Isaiah describes it beautifully:

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

I love that picture.

A well may not look very impressive from the outside. You have to stop, lower the bucket, and draw the water up.

But underneath the surface is a source of water.

Even when the ground around it looks dry.

Maybe that's a picture of God's grace in our lives.

There may be days when we don't feel strong.

Days when joy seems far away.

Days when fear is louder than faith.

Days when we wonder where God is.

But underneath it all, there is still a well.

The well of God's salvation.

The well of his grace.

The well of his presence.

The well of his Spirit.

And Jesus invites us to come and drink.

Perhaps our souls are saying today:

“I'm thirsty.”

And Jesus is saying:

“Come to me.”

Prayer

Lord Jesus,

Thank you for your invitation to come to you.

Holy Spirit, refresh my heart today.

Give me strength where I am weak, peace where I am anxious, joy where I am discouraged, and faith where I am afraid.

Help me to remember that your grace is always available and that the well of your salvation never runs dry.

Thank you for being my source of life.

Amen.

Application

Today, take a few moments to become still before God.

Ask yourself:

What is my soul thirsty for?

Then bring that thirst honestly to Jesus.

GOD’S WORD DOES ITS WORK

 September 1, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, speak to me through Your Word. Quiet my distractions, give me clarity to understand Your truth, and grant me a willing heart to obey what You reveal. Amen.

Scripture

Isaiah 55:10–11

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish… so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Reflection

So, I was reading the above verse and I looked out the window yesterday and the rain was pouring down. How fitting eh! Isaiah 55:10-11 describes what most of learned about in school the water cycle, do you remember that?

Rain falls from the sky and waters the earth. The warmth of the sun causes that water to evaporate and rise again. As the air cools, condensation takes place, clouds form, and eventually the rain falls again.

Round and round it goes.

Isaiah uses that familiar picture to help us understand something about God's Word.

Rain has a purpose. It falls to the earth, waters the soil, causes things to grow, and helps produce both seed for planting and food for eating.

And Isaiah says, God’s Word works the same way.

God speaks, and His Word goes out with a purpose. It doesn't just disappear into the air. It accomplishes something. It produces something. It brings life.

I’ve noticed something about rain. You gardeners know this well. You can stand outside with a garden hose and water your plants for hours. You can soak the ground. You can give everything a good drink. And yes, it helps.

But there is something different about a good rainfall. After a stretch of dry weather, you can see the difference. The ground responds, and plants seem to come alive, their colors are even brighter. Everything seems to show signs of growth.

Isaiah is reminding us that God’s Word brings life to us in much the same way.

I know sometimes we wonder if God's Word is really doing anything. We read Scripture, but we don't immediately see the difference. We trust God's promises, but our circumstances don't seem to be cooperating. And that's when we're tempted to take matters into our own hands. We try to make things happen according to our own schedule and our own plans. I've done that.

Isaiah reminds us that God is not finished just because we can't see the results yet.

Rain falls in one season, but the harvest comes in another.

What if God is preparing something in you that you can't see yet.

Isaiah says: Trust His Word.

God's timing isn't always our timing. His methods aren't always our methods. But His Word is never wasted.

God says that His Word “will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

That's a promise we can hold onto.

We don't have to see the harvest today to trust that God is at work.

The rain is doing its work beneath the soil.

And God's Word is doing its work in us.

As The Message puts Isaiah 55:11:

“The words that come out of my mouth do not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do.”

That's good news for today.

God's Word never comes back empty.

God is faithful.

Prayer

Lord,

Thank You for Your Word and for the promises You give us.

Let Your Word take root in our hearts. Give us patience while we wait, faith when we are uncertain, and confidence that You will accomplish Your purposes in Your time.

Help us to keep trusting, keep listening, and keep following You.

Amen.

Application

Today, try these things:

1. Identify one thing you're trying to fix or control and consciously place it back in God's hands.
2. Remember the rain. Remember the rain does its work before the harvest appears. God’s Word does its work too.

REMAIN

 August 31, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Scripture

John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

 

Reflection

I heard a wine producer talking about the impact of weather on his industry and livelihood. He was asked whether drought had a negative effect on his business.

His answer surprised me.

He explained that grapevines are remarkably resilient. In fact, sometimes the harsher the conditions, the better the grapes can become.

When a grapevine experiences drought, its roots are forced to reach deeper into the soil in search of the water and nutrients it needs. The difficult conditions can actually produce a stronger, healthier plant and, ultimately, better grapes.

As I listened, my mind went immediately to Jesus' words in John 15:

“I am the vine; you are the branches.”

And one phrase seemed to jump off the page:

“Remain in me.”

There is something about that word remain that we need to hear.

We all experience seasons of drought in our lives. There are times of disappointment, discouragement, uncertainty, grief, and struggle. We often refer to these experiences as times of spiritual dryness. Sometimes those seasons can leave us wondering where God is.

But Jesus doesn't tell us that following Him means we will never experience difficult seasons. Instead, He tells us what to do when they come:

Remain in me.

A branch doesn't produce fruit by trying harder on its own. It produces fruit by staying connected to the vine.

And perhaps something similar happens in our spiritual lives.

Sometimes it is during the hardest seasons that our roots grow deepest. When the easy answers disappear, we may find ourselves praying more honestly, searching Scripture more carefully, depending on God more completely, and discovering that His promises really can hold us.

Looking back, we may even discover that the seasons we thought were going to destroy us became seasons in which God was quietly deepening our faith.

The drought didn't mean the vine was dead.

The difficult season didn't mean God had abandoned us.

The roots were simply going deeper.

Jesus reminds us that He is the vine and we are the branches. Our strength, our life, and our ability to bear fruit come from remaining connected to Him. We simply need to remain.

So when life feels dry, remain.

When you're discouraged, remain.

When you don't understand what God is doing, remain.

When your prayers seem unanswered, remain.

When you're tempted to give up, remain.

Above all else, remain in Christ.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
thank You for reminding me that You are the vine and I am a branch. Help me to remain connected to You. When life becomes difficult, help me not to pull away from You but to put my roots deeper into Your love, Your Word, and Your promises. Grow in me the kind of faith that can endure dry seasons and continue to bear good fruit.

Amen.

Application

Today, consider these three simple responses:

1. Remain in the Word.
Spend a few extra minutes today reading Scripture and listening for what God may be saying to you.

2. Look for the fruit.
Ask yourself: How might God be using this difficult season to deepen my roots and grow something good in my life?

Today's Takeaway:

Above all else, remain in Christ.

Christ’s Love Compels Us

August 28, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Bible Readings

Luke 5:30-32

30But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? ”

31Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

Reflection

Jesus’ first disciples were quite honestly quite a mixed bunch. They weren’t the religious elite, and they definitely weren’t Bible experts, like the Pharisees or Saducees. They were just regular working people — a few fishermen, a tax collector, and one rather pessimistic guy. They didn’t always get things right, they had limited understanding. Yet, they were held together by one thing: they all wanted to follow Jesus and learn from Him.

You have  probably noticed in your own reading of the Gospel's that Jesus loved people so much He constantly was criticized for hanging with the "wrong crowd" (Luke 5:30). Those criticisms didn't stop Him for a moment. He just kept sitting at the dinner table for sinners. His response to the religious critics is a memorable comeback: "Healthy folks don't need a doctor; sick people do. I'm not here for the self-righteous—I'm here for the sinners who need to turn things around" (vv. 31–32).

Jesus details his core principle: a doctor actually has to get close to sick people if any real healing is going to happen. As the ultimate Physician, He isn't hungup with endless rules and social practices. Jesus showed that he cares about healing the sick and wrapping His arms around the brokenhearted.

Author Bob Goff nailed it in a post when he wrote: "Most of us spend our entire lives avoiding the people Jesus spent His whole life engaging."

That hits home. Jesus clearly wants us leaning into relationships with people who need a Savior, rather than backing away or playing it safe.

When we followers of Jesus live open-handed and open-hearted, people genuinely catch a glimpse of God’s love through us. We might not always grasp every detail of what God is doing in those moments, but His presence becomes undeniable—whether that’s in a living room, over a meal, at a coffee shop, or in the middle of everyday family and work life. If Christ lives in every believer, then every interaction becomes a chance for people to experience Him. The setting doesn't matter. What counts is that we are passing along Jesus' love, peace, and rest to anyone, anywhere, in a world that is getting more restless by the day.

As Paul sums up in 2 Corinthians 5:14–15, Christ's love is what moves us. Since He died for everyone, our old self-centered lives are done. He gave us a fresh start so we’d stop living for ourselves and start living for Him—the One who died and rose again on our behalf.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for meeting us right where we are. Help us to feel Your healing love today and to reflect that same grace to everyone we encounter—wherever we go, without judgment or fear.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Application

Remember that Jesus chooses ordinary people.

His first disciples weren’t experts — they were willing learners. Application: Don’t wait until you “feel ready” to follow Jesus more deeply. Bring your real, imperfect self to Him today.

Move toward people rather than away from them.

Jesus sat with the “wrong crowd” and didn’t flinch at criticism. Application: Ask God to show you one person you can move toward with kindness, presence, or conversation — especially someone others overlook.

Live open‑handed and open‑hearted.

When believers live this way, people catch glimpses of God’s love through us. Application: Practice one simple act of openness today:

• share a meal, send an encouraging message, offer help, pray with someone

• Small acts become sacred encounters.

See every interaction as a chance for Jesus to be seen.

If Christ lives in us, then His presence can show up anywhere — living rooms, coffee shops, workplaces, family life. Application: Before entering any space today, whisper: “Jesus, let Your love be felt through me here.”

Let Christ’s love be your motivation.

Paul says Christ’s love compels us to stop living for ourselves and start living for Him. Application: Ask yourself: “Is love motivating me right now?” If not, pause and realign your heart with His.

NOW THAT'S A FRIEND

August 27, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Bible Readings

Matthew 11:19

The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”

Matthew 11:28

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

John 3:17

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

Reflection

The hymn writer sings, we do too, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." 

Truth is, Jesus is the greatest friend this world has ever known. Scripture even calls Him “a friend of sinners” (Matthew 11:19). And John reminds us that God didn’t send Jesus to condemn us, but to rescue us (John 3:17).

When people came to Jesus carrying guilt, shame, and heavy burdens, He didn’t point a judgmental finger at them. He helped them relax. He made space for them to breathe again.

Jesus was so gentle with His disciples that simply being near Him brought rest to tired souls (Matt. 11:28). That’s why broken, overlooked, and hurting people were drawn to Him, and the good news is Jesus still offers that same rest today.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary and weighed down, and I will give you rest… for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28–29).

If Jesus is our example—our guide for how to live—then we need to pay attention to what it means to be a friend like Him.

To be a friend like Jesus means welcoming people in their brokenness. It means refusing to condemn or judge, and instead choosing to see others through the eyes of love. It means helping people feel safe enough to be honest about their struggles because they know grace is waiting for them.

Real friendships grow in honesty, vulnerability, acceptance, empathy, and a genuine desire for the good of others. These kinds of relationships give us space to be fully known and deeply loved at the same time. I recently read that “The beauty of the Church and the beauty of God‑glorifying relationships shines brightest against the backdrop of our own brokenness.” That’s exactly where God’s grace meets us—right in our need.

One of the most beautiful truths of the Gospel is that Jesus doesn’t reject us in our chaos or confusion. He welcomes us in the middle of our mess. He embraces sinners, sufferers, and anyone whose life feels like it’s falling apart. Anyone who comes to Him with their failures, weaknesses, sins, and needs finds open arms.

And when we learn to be that kind of friend, “the garden of friendships” begins to flourish. People feel safe to open up about their brokenness because they know Jesus is strong enough to carry every burden—and we are gentle enough to walk with them.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, friend of sinners, draw near to us in our own brokenness. Help us become a comforting presence for our friends in their brokenness, so that when they are with us, they sense Your love. And let this same spirit of grace and safety be the defining reality of our faith communities. Amen

Application

Our reflection today invites us to become the kind of friend—and the kind of faith communities —where people feel safe to be broken because grace is the first thing they encounter.  Here are a few steps toward becoming a welcoming presence.

1. Come to Jesus with your own brokenness first.

We can only offer what we’ve received. The practical step:

• Bring your own burdens, sins, and weariness to Jesus daily.

• Let His gentleness shape how you treat others

2. See people through the eyes of grace.

Jesus looked at sinners with compassion, not condemnation. The practical step:

• When someone shares a failure or weakness, remind them of God’s grace rather than their guilt.

• Offer encouragement instead of critique.

3. Welcome people in their mess, not after they’ve cleaned it up.

Jesus didn’t wait for people to “get their act together” before offering friendship. The practical step:

• Make space for people to be honest about their struggles.

• Respond with gentleness instead of shock, judgment, or quick fixes.

I'VE GOT CONFIDENCE!

August 26, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Bible Reading

Mark 8:22–26

“Do you see anything?” — Mark 8:23

Reflection

Our passage in Mark 8 has been quietly answering a big question this week: How does Jesus heal us?

We’ve already noticed two things— He heals us in stages, and He heals us in community.

Today we add a third: Jesus heals us through confidence in Him.

Not confidence in ourselves. Not confidence that we’ve figured everything out. Confidence in Jesus.

And let’s be honest—that can be harder than it sounds.

Because when Jesus begins to open our eyes, He may show us things we’d rather not see.

He may reveal something in us that needs to change. He may ask us to give something up. He may ask us to forgive someone we’d rather resent. He may ask us to serve when we’d rather stay comfortable. He may ask us to loosen our grip on something we’ve been holding tightly.
He may ask us to give something up. He may ask us to forgive someone we’d rather resent. He may ask us to serve when we’d rather stay comfortable. He may ask us to loosen our grip on something we’ve been holding tightly.

Sometimes we want Jesus to open our eyes—as long as He shows us what we want to see. I sure have been there, haven't you?

But Jesus isn’t interested in just improving our vision. Jesus is interested in transforming our lives. And that can make us hesitant.

We can fear what He might reveal. We can fear being fully honest with Him. We can fear what might happen if we truly pray, “Jesus, show me.”

But our confidence in Jesus makes us able to pray such a prayer because of the cross.

The cross tells us exactly what Jesus is like.

When we look at the cross, we see a Savior who knows us completely and loves us completely.

"He already knows what is wrong. He already sees what we try to hide. And still—He went to the cross for us."

That’s why we can trust Him with our eyes, our hearts, our failures, our fears, and our future.

The blind man in Mark 8 didn’t know what Jesus was going to do. He simply let Jesus lead him, touch him, and heal him.

Maybe that’s where faith begins for us too.

We don’t need to understand everything. We don’t need to see everything clearly. We simply need enough confidence in Jesus to let Him lead.

Maybe today our prayer needs to be quite simple:

“Jesus, open my eyes. Show me what I need to see. And give me courage to trust You with whatever You show me.”

Let's remember that the One who opens our eyes is the One who went to the cross for us.

We can trust Him.

Prayer

Jesus,
open my eyes. Help me to see You more clearly, to see myself honestly,and to see the people and circumstances around me through Your eyes. Give me the confidence to trust You, even when You reveal things I would rather avoid. Remind me that the One who went to the cross for me can be trusted with every part of my life.  Amen.

Application

1. Ask Jesus to show you one thing—Just one area where He wants to open your eyes.

2. Sit with whatever Jesus shows you—without rushing past it.

3. Take one small step of obedience.

Healing often begins with small, courageous steps.

HEALED IN COMMUNITY

August 25, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Bible Reading

Mark 8:22 

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.

Reflection

One of the striking truths in Mark 8:22–26 is that it reveals how spiritually blind we all are. Earlier in the chapter, even the disciples—who walked with Jesus, watched His miracles, and heard His teaching firsthand—struggled to see clearly. And throughout the Gospels, the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees and Sadducees is repeatedly exposed.

Our passage today turns our attention to Jesus the healer, and to the way He brings sight to our partial, blurry vision.

For me, one of the most beautiful details in this story appears right at the beginning, in Mark 8:22:

“Some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.”

That line speaks deeply to my spirit.

The man couldn’t see Jesus. So someone else brought him.

He couldn’t get there on his own. Someone had to help him.

And these people didn’t simply drop him off—they begged Jesus to touch him. They carried him to Jesus and said, “Please help him.”

There is something profoundly tender about that.

Sometimes God uses other people to help us see. That’s why Christianity was never meant to be lived alone. Church is not just a place where we sit quietly, listen to a sermon, sing a few songs, and go home.

We need people. People who know us. People who love us. People who pray for us. People who tell us the truth. People who say, “I think there’s something you’re not seeing.”

And sometimes we resist that. We’d rather say, “Mind your own business.” But if we truly want Jesus to open our eyes, we must be willing to let others help us see. Spiritual growth happens in community.

If we come to church every week, enjoy the music, listen to the sermon, and then never talk with anyone about what God is doing in our lives—or listen to what God is doing in theirs—we are missing something essential.

We need people with whom we can process our faith. People who can ask:

“What are you learning?” “Where are you struggling?” “What is God showing you?” “Where are you having trouble trusting Him?”

This is often how God works. He brings people into our lives who help us see. And that, too, is part of His tender watch and care over each one of us.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Open our eyes again. Where our vision is blurred, bring clarity. Where our hearts are hesitant, bring courage. Where our faith is dim, bring light. Thank You for the people You place around us—those who help us see You more clearly. Lead us together in Your truth and keep shaping us into Your likeness. Amen. 

Application

Think of someone in your circle—whether a friend, a family member, or a colleague—whom God may be nudging you to bring closer to Jesus.

Pray for them. Ask God to give you gentle, natural conversation starters and the courage to let your guard down as you share your faith.

Give thanks for the people who helped you see Jesus more clearly—those who prayed for you, encouraged you, and walked with you when your own vision was dim.

Consider joining a small group, or even starting one, so you can journey with others, share what God is doing in your lives, and grow together in your walk with Him.

Do You See Anything? — Opening Eyes to Jesus

August 24, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Bible Reading

Mark 8:23

.... Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

Reflection

In our worship service yesterday, we looked at Mark 8:22–26 and focused on the question Jesus asked the blind man after touching his eyes: “Do you see anything?”

You might find this hard to believe, but there’s actually more I’d like us to think about in this passage—things I didn’t get a chance to get to yesterday. 😊

___________________

I heard a story recently about a man who never wore a seatbelt. Every time his friend got in the car, he would say, “You should really buckle up.” The man would smile, shrug, and say, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He knew the risks. He had heard the statistics. He understood the arguments. But nothing changed.

Then one day, his friend got into the car and noticed that the man was wearing his seatbelt.

He asked, “What made you start?”

The man explained that he had recently visited another friend in the hospital after a serious car accident. His friend hadn’t been wearing a seatbelt, and seeing the consequences up close changed everything.

He already knew the facts. But now he had seen the reality.

And there is a difference between knowing something and truly seeing it.

Knowledge can remain in our heads. Seeing something moves it into our hearts.

I think something similar happens in our relationship with Jesus.

We can know about grace. We can know what sin is. We can know that Jesus forgives. We can know the stories of the Bible. We can even know the right answers to all the questions.

But there comes a point when something we have known intellectually suddenly becomes something we see.

We might say:

“I thought I understood grace.”

“I thought I understood sin.”

“I thought I understood forgiveness.”

“I thought I understood Jesus.”

“But now I really see it.”

And when we really begin to see, it changes us.

That is part of what makes the story in Mark 8 so powerful. Jesus doesn’t simply give the man information about sight. Jesus opens his eyes so that he can see.

And Mark seems to be inviting us to see something deeper than the healing of one blind man.

Sometimes we are like that man.

We can see something, but not yet see clearly.

We understand part of what Jesus is doing, but not all of it. We have faith, but our faith is still growing. We know Jesus, but we are still learning what it means to follow Him.

And that's okay.

Jesus doesn't walk away because the man's vision isn't perfect.

He touches him again.

Sometimes seeing Jesus clearly is a process.

And as Jesus opens our eyes, things that once seemed like abstract ideas become real.

Grace becomes something we depend on.

Sin becomes something we take seriously.

Forgiveness becomes something we receive—and something we learn to extend to others.

Jesus becomes more than someone we know about.

He becomes someone we know and follow.

And when our eyes are opened, our lives begin to change.

We begin to make different choices.

We live with greater humility.

We become more aware of God's grace.

We learn to trust Jesus more deeply.

We begin to see other people differently.

We begin to see ourselves differently.

And we begin to see that following Jesus isn't simply about knowing more about Him.

It's about seeing Him more clearly—and allowing what we see to change the way we live.

So perhaps the question Jesus asks the blind man is also a question He asks us:

“Do you see anything?”

Maybe the answer isn't always, “Yes, I see everything clearly.”

Maybe sometimes the most honest answer is:

“I see something. I’m beginning to see. But I still need Jesus to open my eyes.”

And perhaps that's where faith begins—not with having everything figured out, but with trusting Jesus to keep opening our eyes.

Because the good news of Mark 8 is that Jesus doesn't give up on people who don't yet see clearly.

He keeps touching.

He keeps teaching.

He keeps leading.

And He keeps opening our eyes.

So the question for us isn't simply, “Do you know about Jesus?”

It is:

“Do you see Jesus?”

And if we do—even imperfectly—then the invitation is to keep looking, keep following, and keep allowing Him to help us see more clearly.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see you more clearly. Help us to turn knowledge into sight, sight into obedience, and obedience into love for others. Keep touching us, shaping us, and making us more dependent on you each day. Amen

Application

Ask to See

• Morning 1‑minute prayer: “Jesus, open my eyes today; show me one place I’m blind.”

• Evening 2‑minute review: Note one moment you saw differently and one place you still need clarity.

More Than Enough: The Quail

August 20, 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

Exodus 16:13

“That evening quail came and covered the camp.”

Reflection

For weeks the Israelites had been walking through an endless stretch of sand, heat, and uncertainty. They had left Egypt behind, but the memory of full cooking pots and predictable meals still lingered in their minds. Out in this wilderness, a land with no crops, no markets, and no visible source of food, hunger settled in.

They grew anxious. They complained to Moses. They wondered if God had led them out only to abandon them.

Had He forgotten them? Did He see their need?

But God had not forgotten.

In the early morning, a thin layer of something unfamiliar covered the ground. It looked small and delicate—like frost, but not frost. The Israelites asked, “What is it?” And Moses told them it was bread from heaven. Manna. Daily provision. Just enough for each day.

And in the evening, we are told that quail swept into the camp—an unexpected abundance of meat for a people who had none.

You see, God was teaching His people something essential, something they would need for every step of their long journey ahead:

He could be trusted to provide.

"Their hunger became a classroom.

Their need became an invitation.

Their fear became the backdrop for God’s faithfulness."

I feel like we are not so different.

We often spend time worrying about what we lack—what hasn’t happened yet, what we wish we had, what feels out of reach—that we overlook the quiet, steady ways God has already been providing.

Gratitude and thankfulness shifts our outlook, our vision. The result is that we change in the way we live, and think.

Instead of saying, “I need more,” our hearts begin to say, “Look at what God has already given.”

It’s a different way of seeing. A different way of living. A different way of trusting.

Prayer

God, forgive me for the times I focus so much on what I lack that I overlook Your provision. Give me grateful eyes today. Amen.

Application

Today make a list of five things God has provided for you.

Then thank Him specifically for each one.

Want to Fly? Look to the Eagles Nest

August 19, 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

Deuteronomy 32:11

“Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.”

Reflection

I suspect most of know that an eagle doesn’t keep its young in the nest forever. 

For a season, the nest is exactly where the young eagle belongs. It is a place of safety, warmth, and provision. The parent eagle brings food, shields them from harsh weather, and keeps them secure.

Eventually the time comes when the very nest that once felt so comfortable begins to be perhaps a little too comfortable. The time comes when the young eagle has to learn to soar.

I have read that to get the young Eagle to take the next step in development sometimes means that the parent eagle begins to disturb the nest. The soft, comfortable lining is moved aside and what once felt secure suddenly becomes uncomfortable. Now the young eagle may not understand what is happening. 

“Why are you doing this? 

Why can't things just stay the way they were?”

Just as parent eagles push their young from the nest to teach them to fly, God often uses disruptions in our life to prepare us for growth. Let us admit it, we seek comfort in familiar routines, but real comfort and security was never to be found in the nest—it was always to be found in our loving creator.

But we get comfortable. We settle into familiar routines. We know how things work. We know what to expect. We find our little nest—the places, relationships, habits, and routines where we feel secure.

And then something changes.

A door closes. A new opportunity appears. A relationship changes. A season of life comes to an end. Something we depended on is no longer there. The future suddenly looks different than we expected. When life shifts and uncertainty moves in, it’s natural to ask, “God, why is this happening?” But perhaps there’s another question worth asking: “God, what are You teaching me through this?” 

Deuteronomy 32:11 uses the imagery of an eagle to describe God’s relationship with His people: The eagle symbolizes how God actively watches over, nurtures, and empowers His people.

We need to remember that not every disruption or ending means God has abandoned us. Often, I have found that these moments are  an invitation to step beyond what has become familiar and comfortable—and to trust God in a new way, to grow, and to discover that the God who carried us in the comfortable nest is also the God who calls us to spread our wings and soar under his watchful eye. 

Prayer

Lord, when You stir up my comfortable places, help me trust You. Give me courage to step into the new things You are teaching me. Amen.

Application

Today Ask the following:

“Where might God be inviting me to grow beyond my Nest or comfort zone?”

Take one small step in that direction.

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.”