Today is July 10th

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the book of 1st Samuel, chapter 1.

9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the LORD’s house. 10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

12 As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” 15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.

Hannah was heartbroken. She was in anguish and was praying desperately to the Lord for a child. Many of us know the anguish of infertility. Some have walked through the valley of the shadow of death during the illness or loss of a child. Hannah calls herself ‘a woman who is deeply troubled’, and she is pouring out her troubles to the Lord. Eli, if we’re going to be honest, is a troublesome interruption. He doesn’t notice her pain, and even makes an accusation against her. Think about Eli's response to seeing pain that he didn’t understand. How do you feel about it?

As you listen to the scripture again, consider who you feel more connected to in this story? Are you like Hannah feeling miserable, or bargaining with God for an answered prayer? Or are you like Eli, quick to overlook or dismiss emotions or anguish? Don’t put a value on one vs the other, and don’t judge. Just be curious about yourself.

I imagine that many of us came to prayer today with profound needs, or deep desires. Some may have come filled with deep troubles. Maybe someone listening is right now bearing the weight of infertility, or loss. For whatever pain you are holding today, I am deeply sorry. As we end our time of prayer, let’s hold one another before the Lord. Consider all those who are listening right now, and all the heartbreak they may carry. Ask God to draw near, as He promises He will, to the brokenhearted.

Music Credit:
I Am God - Vineyard Kids (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is July 9.
 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.    
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”    
   
Today’s reading is from the book of James, chapter 5.  
 

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.”  
 

Are you feeling impatient about anything today? Are you suffering? Is there any bit of grumbling in your heart? Talk to the Lord about how you feel. What’s the state of your heart, and of your attitude, as you come to prayer?  
   
I think that many of those listening need to hear these words: The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. He is merciful while you wait. He is compassionate as you struggle to use self-control. He is near to you, and He will bless you in a time that requires patience. Listen to the passage again, and let the words drop into your heart and shift your attitude.  
   
James says, about Job, that ‘the Lord finally brought about’…. Something good. Finally. After a long time of suffering. Finally, then, Job experienced God’s compassion and mercy. Is this difficult for you to understand? It is for me! It is easy to grow impatient, and to grumble. As we close our time of prayer, ask God to increase your trust in the goodness of his character as you wait to see him move.

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Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is July 8.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. 
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”    
   
Today’s reading is from the book of 2 Corinthians, chapter 11.  
 

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 
 

Welcome to prayer. We boast in a lot of things, don’t we? Paul is boasting to the church in Corinth of his great need for grace. He says that he will boast of his weakness. How are you feeling today? Are you more aware of your areas of weakness or your areas of strength?  
   
Listen again to Paul’s description of his trials. Consider, as you listen, your expectations for ‘the good life’. Do your expectations conflict at all with Paul’s realities? He lists all sorts of profound challenges, listen for one that stands out to you today. 
   
The line that stands out to me is ‘I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak… and do I not feel weak?’. Perhaps you, like me today, feel the weight of the care that you extend to those around you. Paul celebrated his weakness only in order to elevate our expectation of the strength of Christ. Where in life are you feeling weak, or weighted down? Invite God to abide with you there. Think of the simple children’s song: little ones to Him belong, we are weak, but He is strong…. 

Music: You Are With Us - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is July 7th

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from Psalm 18.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

There are so many consolations in this short text: God reaches down to you, God takes hold of you and rescues you. God supports you. God brings you into a spacious place. And finally: God delights in you. As we begin our time of prayer today, can you close your eyes, and prayerfully imagine that the God of the universe is looking on you with love and delight?

Was that difficult to imagine? Imaginative prayer is simply a way of praying that takes scripture, and considers it not just intellectually, but imaginatively. In the same way a good book draws us into it’s larger story… and isn’t just a bunch of sentences strung together… scripture is meant to draw us into it, by the spirit’s presence, and breath life into us. As you listen again, imagine yourself, in your minds eye, as the object of God’s rescue, attention, and care…

Many people struggle to believe or experience the reality that God delights in them. What about you? When was the last time you felt – emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually – a sense of God looking on you with love and delight? Can you take time right now to be a bit vulnerable, and to ask God to draw near to you, and to fill you with His spirit of love and affection? Can you pray, as the Psalmist did: Lord, Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings…

Music Credit:
Father of Lights - Vineyard Worship (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is July 4.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.   
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”   
  
Today’s reading is from the book of Acts, chapter 26.  


Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”  
  

The apostle Paul was consumed by the mission of God because He had experienced something so profound himself, through His revelation of Jesus as Lord. As you begin your time of prayer today, consider the sort of freedom that we are offered through Christ: not a temporal freedom, not a political freedom, not even a personal freedom. We are offered an ‘existential freedom’ - a freedom that defines our very existence. This is why Paul, even when he’s in chains, can say that he wants Agrippa to become like him. Paul has tasted the freedom found in God’s grace, and He knows how good it is. As you come to prayer today, are you mindful of the grace of God that is over your life? 
  
Is there anyone you have been praying for, for a short or maybe even for a long time? Someone you hope one day experiences the grace and freedom of God? Perhaps a good friend, or colleague, or a parent? Hold that person before the Lord as you listen to the passage again.   
  
Have you shared your faith – even in just a small way – with anyone over the past couple of months? Perhaps you offered to pray for a coworker, or you invited someone to Alpha, or you told a neighbor a story of God’s grace in your life. Or maybe not. Maybe you can’t find the words, or you don’t sense a good opportunity. As we end our time of prayer today, would you be willing to ask God for an opportunity this week to share a small word of faith? Be curious as you go about your week... knowing that there are people all around you who are hungry for a gentle word of freedom and grace. 
 
Music: Fall On Me - Vineyard Worship: Fall On Me (feat. Charlotte Naraine) (Live) 

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is July 3.
 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.  
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”   
  
Today’s reading is from the book of 1st Corinthians, chapter 3.  
 

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.  
  

This passage offers us much needed perspective about who does what in the kingdom of God! Paul writes that each of us have a role to play, but that it’s only God who makes things actually grow. Are there places in your faith life where you feel a pressure to MAKE things grow? Perhaps an area of ministry? Perhaps another person’s faith? Can you offer those things back to God? 
  
The passage also reminds us that we get to be co-workers with God. We get the joy of planting and watering... and then patiently watching for things to bloom. So while growth belongs to God, we get to participate, to partner with God. As you listen to the scripture again, can you wonder about your own role? Is there a person or situation in your life where you could plant or water a seed of faith? 
  
Seeds don’t just need planted, they need to be nourished... even before you see any sign of life. As we end our time of prayer today, ask God to remind you of someone in your life who needs spiritual nourishment. Reach out to them today with a reminder of God’s goodness, and with words of encouragement that might feel like rain or sunshine to the seed of faith in their life.  
 
Music: I Lift My Eyes Up - Vineyard Worship: I Lift My Eyes Up (Psalm 121) (feat. Matt Turrigiano) (Live) 

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is July 2.


The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.    
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”    
   
Today’s reading is from the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 31. And our passage is one that tells a historical story that is filled with chaos and trouble. It tells graphically about the death of Saul, his sons, and his armor bearer. If this feels like too intense of a passage to consider this morning, go ahead and move to the end for a moment of worship. 
 

The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically. Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through.” But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.  
 

Today’s reading is troubling. It tells about the tragic demise of Saul and his sons at the hands of the Philistines. Saul, facing imminent capture and fearing dishonor, chose to end his own life rather than endure the enemy's brutality. Do you know anyone who might feel at the end of their rope? Anyone who might be experiencing shame? If so, end your time of prayer now, and instead reach out to the person you know who may be feeling vulnerable. Or take a moment now to intercede for those who know who might be facing a desperate situation.  
 
Saul had been the first king of Israel, but then demonstrated a pattern of pride, disobedience, selfishness, and ego. The more he chose against the ways of God, the more he spun out of control… becoming vain, angry, and violent. Over and over, turned his back on God. His is a story of the vector of sin… how our sin, and selfishness, and pride – over time – draw us away from becoming the person God has made us to be. Listen to the story again and ask God to help you understand the story of Saul.   
   
Sometimes these stories in scripture are disorienting. Why, we ask, does the Bible include such heavy, real, painful, texts? Well… I think it’s because they are true to life. The Bible, and Christian faith, describe things as they are. Christian faith is not afraid of or in denial about reality. And reality includes some rough things. This is why the interruption of the world’s reality through Jesus Christ is such good news! He gives us a different vector. A different way. And while our way is real, and often difficult, Christ is with us. No matter the shame or despair. God is with you, and God loves you. As we end our time together, ask God to show you more about who He has made you to be. And if you do happen to find yourself in despair today, or feeling personally vulnerable, please reach out to a friend, a safe person, a pastor. You are loved. You are not alone.  

Music: The Gospel - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is July 1.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. 
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”    
   
Today’s reading is from Psalm 86.  
 

      I love you, LORD, my strength.  
      The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;  
         my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,  
         my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  
       I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,  
         and I have been saved from my enemies.  
      The cords of death entangled me;  
         the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.  
      The cords of the grave coiled around me;  
         the snares of death confronted me.  
       In my distress I called to the LORD;  
         I cried to my God for help.  
         From his temple he heard my voice;  
         my cry came before him, into his ears.  
 

This psalm expresses a heartfelt expression of trust and reliance on God's strength and protection, even as it communicates the feelings of overwhelm. In times of trouble and danger, we turn to God for refuge, strength and deliverance. Talk to the Lord as we begin, and invite him into any areas of distress you’re experiencing. 
 
Do you see God as your source of strength and refuge? Are you quick to turn to him in times of distress, or do you first try to handle problems on your own? The psalmist write that he calls to God when He is in need of help. He cries out, even. Listen again to the psalm and find a few words or a phrase to hold to in your own times of trouble. 

This psalm reminds us that no matter how dire our circumstances may seem, God is always ready to hear our cries for help. This is true for you personally, and for us corporately. As we end of our time of prayer today, ask yourself how you might entrust a significant concern to him, and what that would mean for you practically. What might you do differently as you abide in the truth that “from his temple he hears your voice, and your cry comes before him, and into his ears?”

Music: The Name - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube) 

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is June 30

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the book of Acts, chapter 23 – the MSG version.

11 That night the Master appeared to Paul: “It’s going to be all right. Everything is going to turn out for the best. You’ve been a good witness for me here in Jerusalem. Now you’re going to be my witness in Rome!”
12 Next day the Jews worked up a plot against Paul. They took a solemn oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed him.
16–17 Paul’s nephew, his sister’s son, overheard them plotting the ambush. He went immediately to the barracks and told Paul. Paul called over one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the captain. He has something important to tell him.”
18 The centurion brought him to the captain and said, “The prisoner Paul asked me to bring this young man to you. He said he has something urgent to tell you.”
19 The captain took him by the arm and led him aside privately. “What is it? What do you have to tell me?”
20–21 Paul’s nephew said, “The Jews have worked up a plot against Paul. They’re going to ask you to bring Paul to the council first thing in the morning on the pretext that they want to investigate the charges against him in more detail. But it’s a trick to get him out of your safekeeping so they can murder him. Right now there are more than forty men lying in ambush for him. They’ve all taken a vow to neither eat nor drink until they’ve killed him. The ambush is set—all they’re waiting for is for you to send him over.”
22 The captain dismissed the nephew with a warning: “Don’t breathe a word of this to a soul.”

This is a story of a plot against Paul’s life. But interestingly, the story begins with the words “It’s going to be all right. Everything is going to turn out for the best...”. How does this juxtaposition make you feel... these words of consolation and hope, followed by a story of impending doom?

Do you ever feel caught between faith and fear? Or deliverance and doom? Can you imagine being Paul in this situation? The Lord spoke a word of encouragement to him, and the next day, he woke up to bad news. Put yourself in Paul’s place as you listen to the scripture again. Remember that Paul doesn’t know the end of the story. He has no control over the situation. How would you feel, if you were in his place?

Is there a place in your reality that feels caught between: “the ambush is set” and “everything is going to turn out for the best”? Maybe you’re facing a frightening diagnosis or difficult treatment. Maybe you’re struggling financially. Whatever feels like an ‘ambush’ to you – can you hold that, and all the concern and anxiety it creates, alongside the truth that God is faithful to you? As we close our time, ask God to give you His peace, even when you don’t feel in control of your own circumstances.

Music Credit:
You Are God - Vineyard Worship (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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