Today Daily Devotional

Continue to live your lives in [Christ Jesus], rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

— Colossians 2:6-7

At this time of year, the apple trees in our yard are barren and seemingly have no life in them. They stand frozen, offer­ing little more than a bit of shelter for the birds that land on their branches. I think ahead to when the first pink blossoms will appear in spring—and the fruit that will follow. It’s wonderful, though, that even as I pass judgment on the trees in winter, there is still life inside.

Maybe you have read (or heard of) the book by Brother Lawrence called The Practice of the Presence of God. Don’t let the size of the book fool you. Though small in its number of pages, it is rich in wisdom.

Brother Lawrence, a friar who is one of my heroes, came to realize that wherever he was, it was a good place to connect with God, for God is everywhere. Because of God’s presence, even places where Lawrence had felt empty and worthless became rich with a sense of belonging. His place in the monastery where he lived was the kitchen. There he learned to cook meals, do dishes, and run errands with God. What seemed a lowly position to others became a retreat and a haven of relationship with God. The kitchen became Lawrence’s sanctuary, where he worshiped in spirit and in truth.

Where is your sanctuary?

Dear God, remind us that you are with us everywhere and are worthy of our worship. Thank you for including us in your plans for the day. Amen.

It is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us. . . .

— 2 Corinthians 1:21

I have a wooden “Christmas” tree that stays up all year in my living room. After the Christmas season, because it is a flat tree with shelves, it is my tree of wisdom, and on each shelf there is a sign with an inspiring, clever saying on it. For example, “Sing like no one is listening”; “Dance like no one is watching”; “Love like you have never been hurt before”; “Live like heaven begins tomorrow”; “We do second chances”; and “Today I need a little bit of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus.”

My favorite chair sits beside the tree, and when people enter my house, they usually notice the tree and comment on it. The signs remind me to smile or pray or appreciate something about our life, our story, and our family.

I am thankful that 2 Corinthians reminds us of who God is. God’s promises are sealed with the “Yes” of his love for us in Jesus. God’s “Amen” (“So be it”) is to his glory. He has affirmed us as his own, and through the Holy Spirit he has given us full, new life. There is no waffling on God’s part. God’s “Yes” is always “Yes.”

Let this be a “Wow!” thought for your day. God is completing in you what he started.

Dear God, thank you for equipping us to stand firm. Thank you for working in us so that your ­glory can be seen. Thank you for the “Wow!” factors in your promises. Amen.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.

— Philippians 4:9

Many years ago I read an incredible book called Hey God by Frank Foglio. The back cover gives this description: “Mama Foglio, her cantankerous husband, and ten rambunctious kids were poor. In fact, they were so poor that the poor people called them poor. Then one day the Lord burst into their lives, in the form of another, equally poor, equally large and tumultuous Italian–American family that stormed into their home and evangelized them mano a mano.” The book shows how Mama Foglio began to understand the riches of her spiritual Father and to rely on them. It is a powerful witness of what happens when we hand our anxiety over to God and begin to pray.

There are times when anxiety or fear can be paralyzing, and even though we know that to be true, we still go down that path. I love it that Paul, from a prison cell, reminds us to stay focused on the Lord and “rejoice always.” He reminds us that conversation with God is important. He reminds us that we are a witness to ­others when we learn to lean on God rather than our anxieties. He also reminds us to remind ourselves of what is true: God’s provision is always ours.

As we change our thinking, we remember that through Jesus we have full access to the Father, who hears all our requests and gives us all that we need. And we inherit his peace, which “transcends all understanding.”

Lord, we rejoice that you are always with us. Thank you for peace and for all the riches you give us. Amen.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. . . .

— Proverbs 3:5

For years my husband and I have planned what we call a “$15 million day”—although it might need to be adjusted for inflation. At the beginning of the day, we bank $15 million in an imaginary account, and we set off on a day of reflection. We look back on the past several months, and we look forward. For some people, the beginning of a new year is something like that. We ask questions about what we might have done differently, and what we would like to do—especially if we actually had loads of money. We dream big and imagine far.

Then we also ask, If money is the only thing stopping us from our dreams, why is that? Is there something we need to adjust in our reflections? Are we trusting God with our plans? Have we even invited God into our planning? Have we made room to ask what we are trusting God for and whether our dreams connect with the full life he promises us?

When we ask these kinds of questions, we realize that what God wants to share with us is enough. This means that even when things don’t make sense to us, we can rely on God’s promises. It also means we are not in this alone. God is always with us, and God is enough.

God, please help us to trust in you. Help us to stop trying to figure life out on our own and to ask you for help. Thank you for guiding our steps along the path to full life. Thank you for walking with us today. Amen.

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

— Psalm 16:11

She was young and pregnant and out of options. When she arrived at the home for single moms, she was not thrilled and wanted to take on the world alone. Or at least that is what she said. Beneath the façade was someone who longed for a family, a house with a yard for kids to play in, and a husband who would love her. She wanted happiness. She wanted all that the movies told her was possible.

When that story wasn’t working out the way she expected, she discovered something different. She learned that Jesus loved her and that his plan for her was different from what she had thought. She started to listen and change, and she discovered there was a difference between happiness and joy. She began to realize, as she let God lead her, that he was giving her joy. The Lord’s steadfast care and strength would get her through the days of being a single mom. It became the foundation that her new family would build on.

This is true for all of us. The more we head in the direction of faith with our eyes and heart open, asking God to guide us, the more we find joy in the Lord’s steadfast care and strength. We find encouragement to live into our real life today and to set fairytale dreams aside.

Father, thank you for show­ing us the path of life and filling us with joy. Help us to pay attention and be teachable so that we can enjoy each day with you. Amen.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

— Psalm 23:5

On our front lawn sits a turquoise picnic table. Behind it is a fence painted with a mural. When the weather turns warm, we use this table to invite our neighbors for coffee chats, street parties, and other fun events. During the winter, we decorate it with snow figures sitting at the table enjoying a meal. The picnic table is a sign of hospitality to our neighborhood. The invitation to come and be part of the gathering is intentional.

Psalm 23 is about intentional care and hospitality. It describes the important work of a faithful shepherd for his flock of sheep. Without a shepherd, the sheep would be hopelessly lost and afflicted by disease or predators. This psalm helps us see how the Lord is our shepherd and we are his sheep.

The mention of a table takes the relationship with God even deeper. The Lord prepares a banquet for us. Our host makes sure that everything is taken care of. When we sit at the table, we acknowledge that we can trust our host to sustain us with all he has provided. Full plates give us all we need while God protects us from the enemies around us.

The picnic table at our home is intended to refresh people’s spirits and give them a smile. May your heart be refreshed and encouraged as the Lord, your shepherd, prepares a table for you today.

Dear God, thank you for preparing a table for us. Thank you for refreshing us and giving us every­thing we need to live through the battles of this day. Amen.

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

— 2 Timothy 2:1

An old saying about mentoring and apprenticeships goes something like this: “I do, you watch; I do, you help; You do, I help; You do, I watch.”

Jesus trained his disciples in a way like this, and they passed along to others what they learned from him. An apprentice commits to learning from a master and then becomes experienced and able to teach others.

In our Scripture reading for today, Paul urges Timothy to remember his training and to pass it along to reliable people who can teach others. By his grace, God wants to be in relationship with us in Christ, to fill us with his Holy Spirit, and to show us how to live fully so that we share all this with others. God wants us to be his apprentices.

A powerful image in The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis illustrates this well. This un­usual book is written from the perspective of a demon (or devil) who is attempting to explain God’s great plan for humankind: “One must face the fact that all the talk about [God’s] love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not (as one would gladly believe) mere propaganda, but an appalling truth. [God] really does want to fill the universe with a lot of loathsome little replicas of Himself—creatures whose life, on its miniature scale, will be qualitatively like His own . . . because their wills freely conform to His.”

Dear Jesus, thank you for modeling what it means to truly live. Make us the apprentices you need, that we may share with others the way to full life with you. Amen.

We . . . ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all . . . wisdom and understanding. . . .

— Colossians 1:9

Is there a car or truck you would love to own but probably can’t, for one reason or another? Some years ago, I thought it would be wonderful to have a Hummer H3. It wasn’t practical or fuel efficient, of course, but I was intrigued by it. I talked about it a lot, saying that if I was independently wealthy and not creation conscious, I would probably own one. Whenever I saw an H3 on the road, I would dream.

Then one day a generous friend who owned a dealership treated me with a chance to drive an H3. He knew it had been a rough week for me, and when I came home that day an H3 sat in front of my house with a set of keys in it. He said, “No off-roading, but enjoy!” Wow! The experience was more than I had imagined. Parking was a little tricky, but just driving that vehicle was an amazing experience. It was no longer just an academic look at an H3.

Paul wants us to realize that knowing about God is not the same as experiencing God and all of his fullness. This passage is a part of Scripture that I have prayed over my children and grandchildren. Like Paul, I want them to enjoy the full experience of all that God has given. God has offered each of us the chance to adventure with him, assuring us of the full life he has in store for us. Are you ready for a test drive?

Dear God, thank you for loving us so much that you offer us life full and free. Help us to trust you enough to live into far more than just knowing about you. Amen.

Epaphras . . . sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

— Colossians 4:12

In my office is a picture of Jesus that depicts him as a child in Joseph’s carpenter shop. Joseph stands at his workbench while Jesus plays with a nail on the floor. As light shines in the window, the shadow cast over Jesus is in the shape of a cross. This painting continues to catch my attention whenever I walk into my office.

Colossians 1 paints a huge picture of Jesus. He is indeed the fullness of God. Jesus has the authority to rule because all creation has been made through him. Most importantly, though, Jesus is as close as the air we breathe, and he has made it possible for the Holy Spirit to live in us. God calls each of us his own. All this and more gives us reason to worship. And to give thanks. And to share.

Paul asks us in Colossians 4 not only to appreciate this news but also to use it as a springboard to pray for others. We do not pray in vain. We pray so that we may know God better, so that our faith may grow. We pray like Epaphras so that ­others may stand firm in the truth of the fullness of God.

Paul knows that standing on this foundation of truth is worth everything. What are you standing on today?

Spirit of God, live in us so that we may live with confidence and boldness and grow in faith. Help us to pray for others so that they too may experience full life in you. Amen.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

— Romans 15:13

How long do you keep Christ­mas decorations up after the holiday? How long do gifts stay under the tree before you use them or tuck them into a drawer? One year I bought my mom a nice nightgown that I knew she would like. But I was really confused when I learned that she didn’t wear it. I asked her about it, and she said she was saving it for a special occa­sion. She said it was soft and comfortable and that she really liked it—so I assured her that it was good to use the gown and enjoy it right away.

As I think about what we have been given by God, I wonder if we do something similar. For example, Paul points out some wonderful gifts from God in the blessing we read here today, and I wonder if we hear those words about joy and peace and then just tuck that thought away for some special day.

God has gifted us with the ability to experience hope and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit. What’s more, we are given the ability to share this with others. So this isn’t just a gift to be treasured and kept hidden, or even shared only in the church. God is calling us to bring this good news to the world.

May you experience hope and joy today—and share it with others!

Dear God, forgive us when we only use or share the gifts you have given us on special occa­sions. Help us to enjoy your hope, peace, and joy every day so that we might share the good news everywhere. Amen.