Psalm 53:1a – The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." (NIV)

Nehemiah 8:10b – Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (NIV)

The other night, I had been crying for several minutes, totally depressed and sad about my friend, Susan, moving away, back to Ontario, 2,600 miles away. Then, I decided to pick up a devotional book which this same friend had borrowed and had just given back: God Calling. For January 21 it said, "Be calm. Never fear. Sing unto the Lord. Be glad all the time. Rejoice exceedingly. Joy in Me. Rest in Me. Never be afraid. Pray more. Do not get worried. I am thy Helper. Underneath are the Everlasting Arms. You cannot get below that. Rest in them, as a tired child rests."

This lifted me somewhat and filled me with a small amount of hope. Then, I turned on the radio, and what was the song? The joy of the Lord is my strength! I couldn't believe it. Not two seconds later, the phone rang. It was Connie, my friend of 19 years, calling me from Ontario. She said she had debated whether to call or not, but she did. She had recently found our telephone number on the Internet and called me. I will never forget that feeling of relief, encouragement, and happiness that I felt when she called. It was indeed "God calling" to save me from my misery and pain. It was God Who knew that I needed a friend right then and there. Connie is a friend from the past, someone who is dear to me, yet we hadn't kept in touch over the previous four years. So, I was filled with a flood of joy because, though I was losing one friend, at the same time, I was renewing a relationship with another friend. God is so good to me.

At Bible study, we were discussing about how sometimes people question God's existence. I see evidence of His existence every day. How can someone not believe in God? Aren't you so glad that God knows exactly what is going on in our lives!

Prayer: Father God, how we love You and praise You for being there when we need You. We always call You Father, because You are always there for us, just like a good earthly father. Thank You that You know everything about us, whether we're sad or happy. You know all the details about every aspect of our lives. Thank You for the gift of faith, to believe in You, even though we can't see You. But we do see evidence of You, Lord, every day, in the wonderful things that You do for us. Thank You, Lord, for wrapping Your arms around us and bringing us comfort in those everlasting arms. We can truly rest in You and have the joy of the Lord. Thank You for hearing our prayers and for Your love. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

Recently, I said my final goodbye to one of my dearest friends. Jan and I met as freshmen at our small Bible college in Portland, Oregon, USA. Though we studied hard, we also wholeheartedly enjoyed all the fun that college life had to offer. We loved being on the cheerleading squad together, as well as class parties, chapel services, and service opportunities.

Jan and I were the quintessential "country mouse" and "city mouse". She was a tall, beautiful, sophisticated girl from Portland. I grew up in a rural community in Washington State and knew little about city ways. We never forgot how — when we needed to cross a busy intersection a short distance from campus to reach the ice cream shop on the other side — I would squeeze my eyes shut and grab her arm to get me safely across.

Though our paths separated after college, we were bridesmaids at each other's weddings and stayed in touch throughout the years. Our life paths stretched to opposite sides of the globe, but we both eventually returned to the Pacific Northwest and loved occasionally meeting for lunch — usually with a group of our other classmates.

Then, one beautiful fall day in September, Jan was working in her backyard when she fell and hit her head on the hard ground. She never fully regained consciousness. As I visited her in the hospital and hospice, I held her hand as I reminisced about our lifelong friendship and our fun times together. I read Psalm 23 to her and played — on my cell phone — Day By Day, our favourite chapel song in our school days. My closing gestures were a kiss on the cheek and a prayer for peace and comfort in her final days.

These acts of comfort and kindness reminded me of my favourite scene in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. The time has come for Pilgrim to cross the river of death to reach the Celestial City where his loved ones are waiting. His friend, Hopeful, steps into the cold, turbulent stream with Pilgrim, but can only go partway with him. As Pilgrim begins to lose his footing and cries out in fear, Hopeful firmly grasps his arm and encourages him to keep going the short remaining distance. Just as Jan offered me support in crossing the busy intersection during our school days, now I was offering my encouraging arm of support as she crossed her own river.

Hebrews 13:14 – For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. (NLT)

Though I said goodbye to my dear friend, it is only for a while. C.S. Lewis said, "Christians NEVER say goodbye!" Knowing that heaven is the eternal home awaiting believers, how can we encourage others — and ourselves — when the time comes to cross the river of death?

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank You for the hope of heaven and the assurance of what awaits us. Amen.

I think I love this tree because it was on "death row" for so long. When we first even considered buying this house, we were sure that this tree had to go. It was with other trees that had overgrown and hidden the house. After all, it was a funny-looking thing. It was too close to the house and hung over the porch and dropped twigs with every little breeze. It seemed to be stunted because of the other trees crowding it out. It looked like a pine tree, but its limbs drooped down in a very unattractive way and left much to be desired. It was seemingly unworthy to be saved. The only thing that kept it from meeting its end that year was too many trees and not enough time. It would receive a stay of execution until the next spring.

In my spiritual life, I have been there where this tree stood. If I tried to be saved by my own merit, I lacked so much. I wasn't as beautiful as some, as educated as some, and it seemed as if I were lost in the crowd. I am unworthy in so many ways. Why would the Lord care about me? Would I be as wise as Solomon or as brave as David? The answer would be no. But the Bible says,

Psalm 139:16 – You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book! (TLB)

Psalm 138:8a – The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me. (ESV)

Could it be that the Creator of this earth would find a way to fulfill His purpose for me?

Spring came, and as we cleared the crowd of trees around this tree, its beauty began to shine out. We loved its drooping limbs, its green needles were beautiful, and it even shaded the porch at different times of the day. This little tree was "saved".

Today, ten years later, this tree stands as a reminder that all of God's creation has purpose. We might not feel that we have purpose because of what we lack or what we have done in our lives, but we still have purpose! This little tree even has a name: it is a Weeping Norwegian Pine, and she still stands reaching skyward to the One Who sees her purpose.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that we can find our purpose in Your plans for our lives. Amen.

During the trip that my sister and I made to Italy in October, we travelled by train five or six times. The second day, we left our hotel in Rome, on our way to Naples. At the train station, the elevator was broken, so to get to the train tracks, we had to haul our luggage up four flights of stairs to the bridge that went across the tracks and four flights down the other side. We are not young, and my knee, which I injured in February, is still not completely healed. So we were a bit flustered by the time we got to the bottom. We didn't have tickets, so we looked around and all we saw was a small machine on the wall. While we stood there staring at it, a younger couple appeared, as if by magic, and gave us instructions — in German-accented English — on what to do and which station we wanted in Rome in order to transfer to Naples. They kept watch over us, motioning to us as the correct train arrived, carrying our luggage down, under the train tracks, and up at the next station, checking on us to make sure that we transferred to the next train, and even coming back to make sure that we got off in Naples.

What a blessing that was! Afterwards, we wondered if they were angels God had sent to protect these two "mature" ladies who planned to wander around Italy for two weeks.

Psalm 91:11-12 – For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone. (NLT)

God has a history of using angels to minister to His people.

• When Daniel was thrown into the lion's den, he said, "My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me." (Daniel 6:22a NLT)


• God reminded the Israelites of His presence when He said, "See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you." (Exodus 23:20 NLT)


• David said, "I will praise the Lord at all times. For the angel of the Lord … surrounds and defends all who fear him." (Psalm 34:1a,7 NLT)


• After the devil tried to tempt Jesus, "angels came and took care of Jesus." (Matthew 4:11b NLT)

Were they angels? I have no idea, but I prefer to give credit to God for ordering His angels to protect my sister and me. We could have been stranded on that isolated train platform for hours if that English-speaking couple had not helped us. God cares about us in the big and little events of our lives and He will be there to help us if we but ask.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for Your watch care over us and for Your army of angels who watch over us. Amen.

1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (NIV)

My daughter's dog, Pepper, is an escape artist. If there is a way to get outside of the yard, she will discover it — something which she did recently. Twice in two days she escaped the fence. I was charged with the task of finding out just where her secret exit was located.

My granddaughters ran around our fenced half-acre searching diligently for any holes under the wire. They speculated about her leaping over the fence, but I told them just to walk around the inside of the fence and to watch Pepper as she, too, walked and ran around the perimeter. I told them that if they simply watched her, she, herself, would inadvertently reveal her secret to us.

Sure enough, it didn't take Pepper long to slow down at a certain point in the fence, to look quickly and intently at a specific spot, then to move along to catch up with us. As we circled the yard again, I stopped at the main gate, the place that Pepper had been slowing down and checking out. Two rectangular openings had been cut in the fencing that stretched across each side of the gate, so that a person could reach through either side to unhook the chains that fastened the gates closed. Those cut-out rectangles were just big enough for a dog of Pepper's size to squeeze through if she stood on her hind legs and pulled herself up through them. Mystery solved!

As I laughed about how clever she had been in discovering the way out, I was reminded of today's Scripture. Temptations are common to all of us. Depending upon our individual innate weaknesses, however, some are easier to turn from than others. It's those others, though, that can bring about much grief, even the downfall of our reputations, businesses, marriages, or health if we succumb to them.

Therefore, let us learn to be clever escape artists, much like Pepper, that we may not succumb to such temptations. Let us be diligent in seeking the way of escape from them, that God promises to faithfully provide, by humbling ourselves in prayer, admitting our weaknesses, and asking Him to strengthen us not only to want to resist the temptation, but also to give us eyes to see the way of escape, as well as the will to accept and make use of it and thereby to gain victory over any and all temptations this world may set before us.

Prayer: Father God, thank You that we can count on You to provide everything that we need to have victory over the temptations that this world lays before us. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

Matthew 5:16 – Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (NIV)

One type of things that make personal computers easy to use are the little pictures on the screen called icons. Icons are interesting things — they take up almost no memory, and they exist for only one purpose: to point to the main program. All we have to do is to click on one of the little icons and we get a big program, hidden in the background, opening up a screen full of beautiful colours and sounds and all kinds of capabilities.

In today's verse, Matthew 5:16, Jesus is telling us to let our light shine so that people around us will see our good deeds, and they will, in turn, praise our Father in heaven. Jesus is asking us to be like computer icons for Him. He is asking us to point others to Him. We are not the main program; we are the "pointer" or the "computer icon".

Prayer: We thank You, Lord, that You are the light of the world. There is a lot of darkness in our world, and we need to see Your light. Help us to be like computer icons and point others to Your light. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

When I left my place of employment 35 years ago, I was given an hibiscus tree in a pot. We moved it with us, and it grew into a beautiful tree that was about four feet tall and three feet wide. In the summer, we would put it outside, and then bring it in during the fall season. It would flower throughout the winter, and then we would repeat the process. Occasionally, we would have to treat it for flies and other ailments.

Last fall when it was time for it to come in, it seemed to be struggling a bit, so we took a sample down to the local garden centre. The owner diagnosed it as having a disease common to these plants that can be outside. He said that there was no treatment for it.

But he had no idea how much this plant meant to us. We did a bit of research and changed the soil, but it continued to deteriorate. By January of this year, it had no leaves; it was just a trunk with branches. We admitted defeat and put it outside for the remainder of the winter. We live in Canada, with snow and very cold winter temperatures. When spring came, we figured that it was time to dispose of it. I started to cut it back and put it into bags. My husband said that I should leave the trunk for now.

About two weeks later, the trunk started to show green leaves. We were ecstatic. We moved it back to the garden for the summer, and I am happy to report that we just brought it back into the house this fall. It has a long way to go to regain the growth it once had, but with time and nurture, we will see flowers from this plant again.

As I reflect on this, I am reminded of the times when Jesus saw life in people when no one else did. At times, even His disciples were unable to see what He saw. Jesus saw the faith of a paralyzed man and his friends who lowered him through the roof to Jesus. Jesus saw Matthew, the tax collector turned disciple. Then in the midst of a crowd, a bleeding woman touched just His cloak and found herself healed. When the people came to hear Him preach the good news and receive healing, Jesus saw them with a shepherd's eye:

Matthew 9:36 – When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them because they were distressed and dejected, like a sheep without a shepherd. (CSB)

It is so easy for us to see a person or a circumstance and make a negative judgement call, but what if we took our view from what Jesus sees? And what about you when your life seems to show no hope and needs life? What possibilities does Jesus see in you?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You that You came for us to have abundant life. Thank You that even though others can see no hope in people and situations, we have a God Who sees life in everything. Help us to be close in relationship with You, Who always sees life in us. In Your name, we pray. Amen.

Psalm 143:8 – Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. (NLT)

Stopping for directions sometimes took a great deal of courage.

In the days before GPS systems, smartphones, Google maps, Alexa, and Siri, finding an unfamiliar location could be challenging. Filling stations offered maps to travellers. Each state map had an inset of the largest cities and showed most of the street names in the downtown areas.

If people sought country roads, however, they were out of luck. No 911 system of address numbering existed. Country residents were assigned a rural route and box number — which typically weren't displayed anywhere. Pity the mail person who had to remember who lived where. But at least people knew who their neighbours were.

Before the technology boom, asking for directions was common — at least for women. I often sent my wife into a store or filling station for directions — but rarely did I go, nor were other men likely to stop. Pride was my issue — and probably theirs. To enter a store and ask for directions was unmanly. I've been guilty of riding around for thirty minutes — wasting precious fuel in the process — rather than admitting that I didn't know how to get where I needed to go.

Although the psalmist had no wheels, he wasn't afraid to admit that he needed God's direction. He often got lost on his journeys and knew that only God could point him in the right direction. His motto was, "Trust the Lord with all your heart and let Him guide your path."

Pride will cause us many missteps, and not getting directions from God is one of them. If I think that I have it all figured out, I don't need to consult God to see if I really do. But chances are that I don't, and I will find myself driving around in circles, making the same wrong turns.

Fear of what others think will also keep me driving when I should stop for directions. What will the convenience store clerks and owners think if I, a man, stop for directions? Really, who cares what they think? Similarly, some will always think that I'm foolish to follow God's will and pray about every detail of my life.

Rather than being foolish, stopping for directions is the smartest thing to do. It saves time and fuel. It also saves us from sinful detours and foolish decisions. Let each of us make sure that we get our directions from God regularly.

Prayer: Father, give me courage to consult You on every life journey. Amen.

Psalm 26:8 – I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells. (NIV)

Psalm 84:10 – Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (NIV)

We all tend to get attached to the churches where we worship. Within the bricks and walls, stones and stained-glass windows, we find a womb-like sanctuary where we can feel the presence of God as we pray silently or praise God with others. Amidst a world which is always in a hurry and sometimes hostile, it's therapeutic and refreshing to find a place of peace and acceptance, faith and love.

Over many years, I've worshipped and served in different churches with varied ministries and missions, programs and projects that identified their congregational focus and practice of faith. No matter how different the churches were denominationally or spiritually, I always felt that I was in a place of peace where I experienced God's presence, whether it was a small country church or a grand Gothic cathedral. They were, and still are, special places to me, where heaven and earth seem to meet, where the Eternal One abides with mortal ones.

I think that the psalmist of old understood this, too, which is why he preferred God's company and the house where He lived, rather than sitting around with dishonest and deceitful people. In the midst of a culture that was destroying itself with greed and corruption, the writer of Psalm 26 took solace in being with God, away from the maddening crowd. This is something important that we still need today — a place of quiet in a noisy world, a sanctuary of hope in chaotic times.

Perhaps, you are undergoing a lot of pressure in your life. Maybe, you are in a situation that burdens you, or in the midst of circumstances that threaten to overwhelm you. Perhaps, you have been too strong or self-sufficient too long, and now feel stretched, exhausted, and vulnerable. Maybe, you don't know what to do or where to go. Can I suggest that you find a nearby church sanctuary where you can bring your heartfelt pleas and personal prayers to God? Like me, you probably need somewhere to lay down your burdens and just be embraced by the living and loving God. A local church building or even a large cathedral may be just what you're looking for. Try it and see.

Point to ponder: Where can I go to find God's peaceful presence in my life?

Prayer: Lord God, Whose presence abides on our planet and Whose blessing can be found in many places on earth, we seek Your peace and love to help us endure and overcome our problems and troubles. Guide us to a sanctuary where we can quietly pray, experience Your loving presence, and praise Your holy name. Amen.

1 Corinthians 13:11-12 – When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (ESV)

One of the positives from being incapacitated and not finishing the restoration upstairs was that I had some money left to employ someone to finish off the re-glazing of the doors of the French windows in our dining room. Earlier this year, I had the worst door window replaced, but I could not afford to get the complete doors and side panels done at the same time.

Now, just in time for winter, the whole area has been updated. Hopefully this will lessen our fuel bills.

As I looked out of the new, clean, clear glass on the one side of the doors, I noticed that in the intervening spring and summer months, there has been an accretion of fug on the other side. It made me reflect upon today's verse. How easy it is to allow the fug — the fallenness — of the world to impede our view of our existence in the world with Jesus. We know that Jesus loves us and died for us so that we may see things more clearly, both in ourselves and also in the world about us for what it is: either for or against God's kingdom.

Even as we are fully known by Jesus, we are called to lay aside childish, worldly, self-centred ways and set our eyes on Jesus and His kingdom here on earth and in heaven, and to serve Him where we are placed. Sadly, heaven is only a glimpse at the present. All we can know is what has been revealed in the Bible: that Jesus came from there to bring us into His presence and to deliver us from falling into the hands of the evil one, if we trust Him enough to let Him be our Saviour. Not that we avoid the world, but that we do not succumb to its thrall, by God's grace in Jesus. We can see the good more clearly for what it is and also the opposite for what it is, because the Holy Spirit is given to help us in our times of need, and also to enable us to rejoice in the good that we encounter and in which we share.

Like my windows, however, we need a good spiritual cleaning now and then to enable us to see more clearly what is going on outside!

Prayer: Lord, thank You for cleaning us and redeeming us from our past. May we ask Your forgiveness and cleansing again today so that we may see more clearly what it is that You are doing in us and in our world today. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.