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Today we will read Genesis 1:1 - the first verse in the Bible. It says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

There was a beginning to the universe. And there is One who began it - God. It would take scientists millennia to discover that evidence points to a finite beginning.

Do you find it challenging to believe in miracles? There’s no more consequential miracle than the resurrection of Jesus Christ right? Or is there? You are in a gigantic miracle. The universe itself and the abundance of life is a miracle. And without God, there would be nothing. If you find miracles difficult, just remember that you’re in one right now. You may take it for granted every moment, but it’s no less miraculous.

And if God could generate a universe with His mind, why would any miracle be unbelievable? Miracles are not difficult to believe when literally everything is a miracle. God, You have revealed Your glory for all to see who are willing to look. This universe, my own life, is a miracle. With You, anything is possible.

Take a moment and express these thoughts to God in your own way. (30 seconds)

Thank you for taking this time. Feel free to stay here as long as you like. May God bless your day. And I look forward to being here with you again tomorrow.

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Today we will read Psalm 19:1-2. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge.”

Do you ever wonder, “Where do I start?” In such a noisy frantic world, and in your noisy frantic life, how do you even begin to look to God?

The answer is here. Look to what He has made. The heavens declare! When was the last time you looked at the multitude of stars on a clear night, or took some time to go on a walk, and marvel at the variety of trees and plants. They are beautiful aren’t they? They’re inspiring. They’re meant to be.

These created things are speaking. Night after night, all the time, they speak to you imparting to you knowledge about the Creator. What are they declaring? His glory. God we seek Your glory and we marvel at the work of Your hands.

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Today we will read Jeremiah 29:12-13. It says, “You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Let’s break it down. You will call - and pray. To call on God is to pray. Prayer is not a laundry list. Or passive thoughtless bliss. It’s calling on God. Just as you would call on a friend, or someone you trust. And God promises that He will listen.

You will seek and find Him. The object of your quest is not more money, more health, more…whatever… And why should it be? You have the potential of finding the inexhaustible Source of all things! Why spend a moment looking for a few extra bucks if you have unfettered access to the Federal Reserve? Why swim in the kiddie pool when the Ocean is yours? God says that the ultimate find, is God Himself.

And finally, this endless treasure is for you to find, when you “Search” when you “seek” with what? With your WHOLE heart. How do you know if you’re seeking with your WHOLE heart? Well how do you know when you do anything with your WHOLE heart? The answer is simple. You DO it. Do you want to start an exercise program? You know you’re doing it with your WHOLE heart when you DO it. You may not FEEL like doing it. You may hate it. But you do it.

You know you are seeking God with your WHOLE heart, when you DO it. And you are doing it now. So don’t fear. Instead boldly go for it. Spend a moment and ask God to show you what He’s like. You could say…

“God, I believe you listen when I call. And I’m calling out to you - that you would allow me to find You. Would you then reveal Yourself to me? I love you.”

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Today we will read Matthew 22:36-38. Jesus is asked by one of the religious elites, “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment.”

Jesus always responds well. Little known fact, Jesus most often quotes from the Psalms. But the book that comes in second is Deuteronomy. And it is here that Jesus quotes.

What is it to love God? Is there anyone who can definitively answer that? Love is something we understand at a gut level but can’t exactly pin down. What is it to love anyone? It’s at the very least strong affection. Honor. Care. Attention. Goodwill. Respect. Warmth. Deep feeling. Whatever it is exactly seems to be what moves the heart of God. God responds to love.

Maybe we’re not supposed to have an exhaustive definition. Maybe it’s not definable in words. But scripture helps. Consider what it says to love with…

Love God with your mind. That at least seems to be your thoughts. Your intentions.

Love God with your heart. This seems to be your feelings. Your emotions. The less tangible part of your thinking.

Love God with your soul. I honestly don’t know what to do with this. Once I’ve engaged my mind and heart, what is left? But there seems to be something - the soul. The real you. The deepest you. Love God with that. That will touch heaven.

“God I love You - You are absolutely lovely and attractive. But I want more. My soul needs to be set on fire by You - then I’ll be able to love you more and more.”

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Today we will read the beautiful story of Jesus washing His disciple’s feet in John 13 starting in verse 3. “Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was going back to God. So He got up from the supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.”

The One of God, going back to God, does the work of the servant - cleaning the feet of His disciples. Of course we all know how filthy feet can get in sandals on a dusty road in an agrarian world without indoor plumbing. But that’s beside the point. Jesus has more on His mind than feet. Peter refuses. But so important is this act that He tells Peter, “If I don’t wash your feet, you have no part of me.” So Peter does Peter. “Then wash everything!” But Jesus doesn’t need to. Peter is “clean”. Only his feet remain. Jesus knows they’re confused and says, “You’ll understand afterward”. Perhaps we will never in all eternity truly grasp His act. But we can marvel in the meantime.

The disciples, with the exception of Judas per the story (and even he got a foot washing), were already clean. But their feet required maintenance. The feet are the only part of body to make contact with the ground regularly. It’s understandable they’d get dirty. And it seems obvious that the “dirtiness” is more than dirt. Judas was unclean because he was about to betray Jesus. He didn’t truly belong. His case was terminal. He was destined for destruction. But the disciples were clean because of Jesus. Well mostly clean anyway.

You too, in Jesus, are clean. And yet, there’s parts of you that regularly make contact with the dirt. And you find yourself yet again in need of cleaning. Not the whole of you, just a part. Incredibly, you are not responsible for cleaning your own mess. Confused? Jesus makes it clear, if He doesn’t do it, then you have no part with Him. You are not the one to clean yourself. You have one job. And that is to sit there quietly, humbly, and allow the Son of the Universe to serve you yet again in all His beauty. To wash off that bit of extra grime yet again. And just be ready. You’ll need the same treatment again soon enough. He always stands ready.

There are only so many ways to get dirty feet. You’re limited. You’re not unique. All of us in Jesus need to return to Him again and again for this washing. It seems His pleasure to do so. And without it we have no part in Him. So don’t hesitate.

There is another story this reminds me of. It’s recorded in all four gospels. Mary cares deeply for Jesus’ feet. She cries and wets them with her tears. She pours expensive perfume on them, and wipes them with her hair. She even kisses them.

Clearly Jesus was in no need of moral cleaning. This is different. She was the one cleaned by Him. She was the “sinful woman” afteral. She was so moved, and so in tune with Jesus that she prophetically prepared Him for His work. In response to what He had already cleaned in her, she used what was at her disposal to worship. She had tears, perfume, and hair. She had kisses. And in response to Jesus, she poured them out on His feet, and He received it.

You do not impress Jesus with your goodness. It’s never been that way. You cooperate with Jesus when you allow Him to do what He wants - and that is to clean you, repeatedly. And in response, you too, like Mary, can use whatever is at your disposal to pour out worship on His beautiful feet.

God I’m moved just thinking about You. How wonderful You are. Again and again I’m brought back to You. I need You. Wash my feet. Receive my tears. I love You!

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Today we will read Lamentations 3:22-23. Here’s what they say, “Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!”

These are popular verses. And for good reason. They are soaring, beautiful statements of the unending faithfulness of God and the instantaneous access we have to His mercy. I fear though that the context is lost. You might have noticed the name of the book - Lamentations. The writer - Jeremiah - is lamenting. What is he lamenting? The destruction of his city and his people. Why was Jerusalem destroyed? Because of its sin. And yet he’s appealing to the ever-available mercy of God.

How are you? Have you conquered those gnawing sins and imperfections once and for all? Are you on the mountaintop? Or have you fallen off the wagon and slammed into the rocks? Probably depends on the day. It’s all too human.

I have sobering news and good news. Let’s start with the sobering. You are real. Your decisions and actions are real. The universe, the laws of physics, this world, relationships, consequences - they are all too real. God does not magically erase your memories. He does not turn a bullet into an angel feather. As much as my heart breaks to say, too often the consequences of our sin hurt ourselves and others. And it would be unwise to presume on God to violate the norms of the world He has made. This is a sobering, but powerful consideration as you and I are are often tempted to willfully sin.

But the good news - the mercies of God are immediately, unflinchingly, generously, freely available to you right now. You don’t have to sit alone with your failure. The grossest sin, as crushing as it is for you, is an absolute pleasure for God to deal with. Only He has all the resources, and has already made all provision to deal with every last bit of your imperfection and issues. Your junk is not shocking to God. That which horrifies you was on His mind and on the cross long ago. You honor Him most by boldly going to Him. As you are now.

This shouldn’t surprise us. Relationships are serious business - most of all with God. Note then the reality and the soaring character of God as you set out on your day.

“God, have mercy on me - a sinner. And while I boldly ask that you spare me from the natural consequences of my sin, I understand the realities on the ground. Thank You for Your mercies which are far more substantive and lasting than this current life. And give me wisdom, and a willing spirit not to sin, but to obey, and follow You into the flourishing You’ve intended for me all along.”

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Today we will read the first part of Acts 17:28 which says, “For in Him we live and move and exist.”

How are you doing today? Did you feel great yesterday but today is a different story? Maybe life is more like that than we care to admit. What’s the answer? All too often it seems our go-to is to push through. Pull up our bootstraps and press on. And in fairness, we need to do a lot of pressing on in life to function. But behind the pressing on, where is the energy? Is it from you? The ability to maintain a healthy marriage, kids, and family - is that from you? The ability to earn an income - is that from you? The energy it takes to stay alive - is it really from you?

We wouldn’t even be considering these questions if it weren’t for God. Your life, and all the beauty in it would be non-existent but for God. This world, and the billions of unique lives and stories - nothing - absolutely nothing without God.

At the most basic level, God is all there is. And we exist only as a derivative of His desire. It’s not a surprise then that Paul would say, “In Him we live and move and exist.” We are animated by Him. We are endowed with life, spirit and vigor by Him.

And Paul would argue with you, just as he did in this passage with the Athenians, and say that God is not far from you. He is so near. And your existence is in large part, perhaps entirely, organized so that you would seek Him and find Him.

Imagine that today is filled with extra animating spiritual energy from God. Would you want that? What could you experience, and accomplish, and give to others if you lived today with fresh energy from God? Amazingly Paul tells us what to do to get it. “Reach out and find Him.” You’re doing that now. And as we always say, it’s a brave thing to do. So let’s continue to do it.

“God I boldly, without apology, and brazenly reach out to You now. I need You so much more than I even realize. Give me more. I love You!”

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Today we will read Genesis 4:6-7. “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.’”

The brothers, Cain and Able, had just made their sacrificial offerings. God “regarded” Able’s, but not Cains. Able got an A while Cain failed. Now Cain is upset.

Yet even in this moment God is pursuing relationship with Cain. He asks “Why are you furious?” And then God answers His own question. “If you ‘Do’ what is right won’t you be accepted?” It seems the offering itself wasn’t the issue but rather the conduct of the worshipper. Whatever Cain’s conduct was, it kept him from being acceptable.

Then comes the sinister line, “Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” And of course this is foreshadowing the next verse where Cain kills his own brother. But notice, sin is given a sense of agency and desire. It desires Cain. What is God’s remedy against this corrosive force? Cain must rule over it. God doesn’t take it away. He doesn’t magically change Cain’s heart. The onus is on Cain to do what’s right in the face of sin’s desire. And he tragically fails.

This is heartbreaking. But we would be wise to learn from it as millions have for thousands of years. First, sin is also crouching at your door and mine. It desires you and me. Do you feel guilty for the temptation? The dark thoughts? The attitude? The destructive desires? Don’t feel guilty. Don’t be surprised. And do not feel alone because you’re not. There is an active agent at work in you that is distinct from you.

And second, know that sin does not have the upper hand. You have all the resources in God to rule, to dominate it. You are the master, not it. And you are empowered to rule. It is a choice you and I will have to make every day every moment of our lives. And it is this moment to moment surrender to God, and resistance to sin that will ultimately make us into the humans God desires all along. Don’t curse the process. Recognize it for what it is and keep going.

God I can feel sin at my door. But I’m not surprised. I want to experience You in the resistance. Give me more of You.

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Today we will read Proverbs 4:23 which says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.”

This could’ve said a lot of things. “Stay trim, for it is the source of life.” “Save for retirement, for it is the source of life.” “Win friends and influence people, for it is the source of life.” Nope. Guard your heart. What is the heart? We know what it feels like to have a broken heart or to pull on our heart-strings. The heart is the seat of being. It’s more than our mind. Perhaps it’s all in our brain, but maybe more, at the least it certainly transcends our conscious thoughts. The heart is the most important part of you.

The heart is the source of life. Not to push the metaphor too far, but it doesn’t even say, “Guard your relationship with God, for it is the source of life.” No no. This proverb is imploring us to carefully cultivate the core of our being, to guard and protect, because IT is the source of our life. To be careless with our heart, to allow just anything in, is to forfeit the life we were meant for.

Perhaps we appeal to God for that which He has equipped us to deal with already. Have you ever noticed that if you yield to a particular vice, look at what you ought not, say what you know you shouldn’t, do what you know is forbidden…you can seek forgiveness. You can make amends. You can pay the piper, but you can’t forget. How I wish we could forget. But it’s a cold truth of being. Our minds work as designed - too well even. The heart knows.

We ask God to forgive which He does in a flat second. And forgiveness is His to give. But to guard the heart is the task He’s given us, and He doesn’t seem to do it for us. It is our burden. It may seem too heavy a burden but just consider…you have power to guard, and shape the orientation of your heart. It’s your choice. Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither is the source of your life. But if God has empowered you with the spark of life, and calls you to actively guard your heart, then you’re capable. The question is, what do you want your heart to look like? What will you allow in?

“God I want to honor the life You’ve given. I need to take a more active role in guarding my own heart. I won’t ignore the task given me. Give me wisdom, and vision, as I participate with you in living.”