2 Samuel 7:25-29

Our relationship with God is just that – a relationship, which means there must be some aspect of reciprocity. God allows us to be in a position that offers hospitality, instead of us always being the people who receive it. We are allowed to show our love to God through service and worship even as we are blessed by that very service and worship.

We know that David offered to build the temple in Jerusalem, the house where the spirit of the Lord would dwell. Of course, it was not finished in his lifetime and was instead fulfilled by his son Solomon.

However, here there is a flipping of the narrative. It was not David promising to build a house for God, but rather God promising to build a house for David. It is God building a relationship with David, one where both parties are giving and receiving promises, and establishing God as different from any other.

The power of God is used to bless us, and we are allowed to bless God in return.

Author: Lexi Sunberg

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2 Samuel 7:18-24

David’s prayer is 2 Samuel 7 reaffirmed the sovereignty and the goodness of God. He re-contextualizes his position and the position of his family as oriented toward the Lord, instead of themselves being the center.

It is countercultural to paint ourselves as not the center of our own story. To recognize God as the beginning, middle, and end of our story is a radical act, because it requires us to give up our control and our independence. Second Samuel 7 reminds us that no matter our status in the world, our most important position is servant to God. All that we do pales in importance to serving the Lord and following God’s will.

The good news is that this surrender is one of the best things we can ever do. By allowing the voice of God to guide our life, we are opening up ourselves to greater things than we can ever imagine. Being a servant to God does not mean oppression and a loss of dignity, but rather being part of an amazing plan for us and all of creation.

Author: Lexi Sunberg

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Jude 1:17-23

Several years ago, our family began a journey into becoming beekeepers. We knew very little when we bought our first “nuc” of bees (a nucleus colony, or small colony of bees). We soon discovered a beekeepers’ club and learned a lot from other, more experienced beekeepers.

After a while, we began to harvest honey (we added several hives to that first one). We were overjoyed with all the honey and offered it for sale. It was soon gone. We sold jar after jar from our front door.

As we looked into different bee-related products to sell, we learned about additional items, like infused honey. Imagine a jar of honey that has had a hot chili pepper added to it. Over time, that honey will take on the heat and spice of the chili. The honey is soaked in the essence of the chili pepper.

We are called to infuse ourselves with the love of God: “Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 21). What would your life look like if it was soaked in the essence of God’s love?

Soak today in God’s love.

Author: Stefanie Hendrickson

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James 5:13-20

Growing up, my brother and I liked to joke that the answer to any question the school nurse got was, “Here is a saltine cracker.” Does your tummy ache? Saltine. Did you get a paper cut? Saltine. Have a headache? Saltine. Broke your tibia bone? Saltine.

It’s a bit ridiculous, but felt fairly true. The school nurse was limited in what care she could provide. God, however, is not limited in the care He can provide. We know this, but what we might not know is how to access that care.

Prayer. James tells us that if we have a question, the answer is prayer. Are you in trouble? Prayer. Are you sick? Prayer. Is there a conflict? Prayer. No matter what the question is, prayer is the answer!

The best way to get to the point where you turn automatically to prayer is practice. If we want prayer to become so ingrained in who we are that we automatically turn to prayer, then we have to practice prayer.

This week set aside a time every day and practice the answer—prayer!

Author: Stefanie Hendrickson

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2 Peter 3:8-15 Every day we wake up with a general idea of how we think the day will go. By the time the day is half over, we’ve often had to adapt our expectations several times. We make appointments, set priorities, and check schedules. We think we know the direction we’re going. Then life […]

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James 4:4-10 Years ago phones were attached to walls instead of hips. We rotated a dial to make calls. We paid extra to talk with people outside our community; it was called long-distance calling (for those under 40 years old). Then it seemed like the world was larger. The people we loved felt farther away. […]

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John 1:9-18 Our church hosts an annual festival for our community. Dozens of local businesses and organizations donate door prizes for us to give out to the folks that visit our campus. Visitors receive gifts they did absolutely nothing to earn. Every year grateful children and parents thank us for gifts God provided through the […]

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2 Chronicles 33:18-25 In an age of hyper-surveillance, it is difficult to be anywhere in public where there are no cameras recording our every move. That’s a fairly modern phenomenon. Yet in the Old Testament, we find that there were scribes who would record every choice the kings of Israel made. In Manasseh’s case, it’s […]

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2 Chronicles 33:10-17 Something to ponder: How would people treat or remember you if all they knew about you was your past failures? People who only knew me before I accepted Christ are surprised to discover what I do now. People are often judged by who they used to be. And yet, the old adage […]

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2 Chronicles 33:1-9 Good parents, like God, want what’s best for their children even at the sacrifice of their own preferences. Good parents, like God, set consistent boundaries and house rules. House rules are set for the health, safety, and peace for those in the home. Unfortunately, even the best parents can’t make all the […]

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