Be Still: Daily Devotional

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.

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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Today is May 17th.    
   
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy 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 Ecclesiastes, chapter 3.  
 

There is a time for everything, 
    and a season for every activity under the heavens: 
      a time to be born and a time to die, 
    a time to plant and a time to uproot, 
      a time to kill and a time to heal, 
    a time to tear down and a time to build, 
      a time to weep and a time to laugh, 
    a time to mourn and a time to dance, 
      a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, 
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 
      a time to search and a time to give up, 
    a time to keep and a time to throw away, 
      a time to tear and a time to mend, 
    a time to be silent and a time to speak, 
      a time to love and a time to hate, 
    a time for war and a time for peace. 
  What do workers gain from their toil?  I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.  He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  
 

The writer of Ecclesiastes is well versed in reflecting on the breadth of experiences of life that life brings to us. We now commonly refer to seasons of our own life. We may say it’s a hard season or a good season. Try and be more specific about the season you are in. Is it a time of planting or uprooting? Weeping or laughing? Silence or speaking? Loving or hating? Keeping something or throwing it away? Embracing or refraining from embracing?  
 
The writer does a lot of reflecting on what he calls the “meaningless of life” on earth. That the seasons of life, our experiences of the here and now, don’t fulfill us, no matter how good. In response to that the author says that god has set eternity in the human heart. As you hear the passage again, can you feel the longing for eternity? 
  
He has made everything beautiful in its time. No matter what season you are in, can you turn to God in prayer? Can you ask him to make everything beautiful... in it’s time?  

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Music: All Things - Heaven and Earth - (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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Today is May 16th.   
   
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 Psalm 32.

 
Blessed is the one 
    whose transgressions are forgiven, 
    whose sins are covered.
 Blessed is the one 
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them 
    and in whose spirit is no deceit. 
 When I kept silent, 
    my bones wasted away 
    through my groaning all day long. 
 For day and night 
    your hand was heavy on me; 
my strength was sapped 
    as in the heat of summer.  
 Then I acknowledged my sin to you 
    and did not cover up my iniquity. 
I said, “I will confess 
    my transgressions to the Lord.” 
And you forgave 
    the guilt of my sin.


It’s been said that the keys to Christian wholeness are repentance and forgiveness. Turning from our sin and receiving God’s forgiveness. This psalm is all about the gift of confession, which is the act of putting words to the wrong we’ve done, before God and others. Think back to something that you know you’ve done wrong at some point in your life. How did you feel about the possibility of that sin being exposed before God or other people?  
 
Our human tendency is to minimize our sin, to deny our sin, to deflect our sin onto others. But the psalmist reminds us of what our unconfessed sin does to us—it makes us sick. Spiritually, and sometimes also physically. But when we confess, we find health and wholeness. As you hear the psalm again, listen to the freedom of confession.  

Take a moment and think about a sin that you are carrying with you—something that you haven’t confessed and released before God and with another brother or sister in Christ. Can you turn from and ask God to forgive you of that sin? Can you ask someone to pray a prayer of forgiveness over you today?  

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Music: Kyrie Eleison - 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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Today is May 15th.
   
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 1 John chapter 3.  
 

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 
 

The first Jewish rabbi to address God as Father was Jesus. There is not one reference to God as Father in all the biblical and extra-biblical literature before Jesus. It was Jesus who introduced this radical notion, first by calling God his Father. But also by teaching his disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven, holy is your name.” How do you feel about the Christian practice of calling God, Father?  
 
It was world shattering at the time to call God Father because God was not this reachable, this close, this loving. God was and always is holy, but now he is also here with us, caring for us like a parent cares for a child. As you listen to the passage again, listen for holiness of God—purify yourself, just as he is pure. But also for the tenderness of God—what great love the Father lavished on us.  
 
We know that when Christ appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Today’s passage is a contrast to what it was like to live under the first covenant. Under that covenant, nobody could see God because of his holiness. Now, under the new, when we see God in Christ, we will become like him. As you continue through your day, consider what great love the Father has lavished on us.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.    
 
Music: "Sons and Daughters" - 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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Today is May 14.


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 Titus, chapter 1.  
 

An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. 
 

Christian leaders are called to live principled lives that reflect the model of Christ. Amongst our pastors, we talk often about our principles of integrity, humility, pastoral professionalism, accountability, and being above reproach. Consider spaces where you have influence—at home, at work, among your family, or church community. Ask the Lord for grace to search your heart to see if there are places where you are not ‘holding firmly’ to the way of Jesus. 
   
King David, scripture tells us, shepherded God’s people with integrity of heart and skill of hand. If you are a leader in any way, as a Christian, that’s your aspiration too: to be skilled at what you do, and to do it with spiritual integrity. Listen again to these words from Titus, and allow them to draw your attention to any areas of your own life or leadership that may need strengthened or encouraged.  
   
It’s impossible to ‘hold firmly’ to God’s message without regular confession, repentance, and prayer with other believers. If you haven’t practiced these disciplines with someone recently, could you make a commitment to bring these practices into a current spiritual friendship? It’s so easy to keep our relationships shallow. As we close our time of prayer, ask God to show you a person in your life – perhaps a friend, a small group leader, or a pastor—you can talk with so you can continue to ‘hold firmly’ to the way of Christ.  

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   

Music: Prayer of Consecration - Vineyard Columbus - (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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Today is May 13.

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 Exodus, chapter 28.  
 

“Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.   
“Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar around this opening, so that it will not tear. Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die. “Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD.
 

Alright, I know what you are thinking: this is a strange passage! It’s instructions to Aaron with regard to the temple. It’s so detailed: instructions about the cloth, about the designs, about the colors, and about the religious ritual Aaron was to be a part of. And in the middle of it, one very significant line: “the sound of the bells will be heard when he enters and comes out... so that he will not die.” You might not understand all of the other details, but that’s pretty stark. How do you think Aaron felt about that?  
   
How does that differ from what we read in Hebrews: Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. In the Old Testament, approaching God’s throne was fearful. In the New Testament, because of Jesus, we can approach him in confidence, knowing we will find mercy and grace in our time of need. How does this make you feel? Listen again and pay attention to the difference in ‘approaches to God’ we see between the old and New Testament.   
   
Take time as we end prayer today to ask God to give you the gift of confidence in His mercy and grace. Again: we’re not called to be only ‘self-confident’ the way so many understand it. Any self-confidence we have stands on our confidence in the character of God, and His availability to us through Jesus. Invite God to grow an understanding of this confidence in you.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   

Music: No One Like You - Vineyard Columbus - (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

More at pickerill.casa

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.

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

More at pickerill.casa

Today is May 10th.   
   
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy 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 Gospel of Luke, chapter 6.  


“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 


Jesus provides us such a powerful image here of how our scales of justice are tilted in our own favor. The faults of others are so big, while ours are so small. But Jesus turns the image around and says that the large plank in our eye creates a vision problem for us. We can’t see clearly because our sin has so distorted our vision. Think back over your life and consider a time when you were able to see the plank in your eye. Was there a moment when you really were able to see how significant your sin was? What was that like? 
 
Consider now a sin that feels very present to you in the life of someone your care about—maybe a friend, or a co-worker, a family member, or a brother or sister in Christ. As you hear that passage again, ask God to give you 20-20 vision of your own sin. Before you address the sin in their life, is there anything that God wants to address in you?   
 
Jesus doesn’t say to avoid addressing the sin in others. He says that we need to do it after we deal with our own sin before God. Elsewhere the scriptures say that we need to restore others gently, lovingly. As you continue through your day, ask God to increase your love for those around you that you may restore them with God’s gentleness.  
 
Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   

Music: You're All I Need - Heaven and Earth - (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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Today is May 9th.
   
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 Deuteronomy, chapter 10.

 
Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.  And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. 
 

Justice is hard to come by in our world for many people. There are whole groups of people who are often deprived of justice. The phrase repeated in the scriptures that represents groups of people deprived of justice is found here in Deuteronomy: “the fatherless, the widow, and the foreigner among you.” As you look around at our world, what people have you seen experience injustice?   
 
Moses is sharing a difficult word with the Israelites. He chastens them because the source of injustice isn’t just from the outside, it’s from the inside. It’s their attitudes that are the cause of the injustice that God condemns. As you hear the passage again, consider an attitude that you may have, a behavior you may have demonstrated, that has contributed to injustice for someone else.  

The antidote is the character of God, Moses says. God doesn’t show partiality. He defends. He loves. He gives. He provides. As we close our time of prayer today, can you make a commitment to give your time, your activity, your money, to someone in need so that they may experience the mercy of God?

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   
 
Music: "All The Same" - 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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Today is May 8th.     
   
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 1 Peter, chapter 5.  
 

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 
 

Our whole culture, and everything in us, fights against suffering. Seeking comfort and avoiding suffering is one of our highest aims. But the Apostle Peter sets a different expectation of suffering for Christians. Peter says that it’s a normal part of our human experience, and as Christians, we should expect that suffering will come our way. We are not to be surprised by or shocked by suffering when it occurs in our lives. What is your reaction to suffering when it happens to you?  
 
Peter says that we should find encouragement in the midst of our own sufferings by considering the sufferings of others around the world, especially those who are suffering because of their faith in Christ. As you listen to the passage again, call to mind someone who has been a model of Christlikeness in the face of suffering.  

Peter encourages us by reminding us that, in light of our eternal glory, our suffering will only last a little while. And Christ himself will restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. As we close our time today, can you turn that into a prayer… “Christ, today I pray that you will restore me, make me strong, make me firm, and make me steadfast.”

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   
 
Music: "I Lift My Eyes Up" - 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

More at pickerill.casa