Daily Bread

He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. -Luke 11:2-4 (NIV)

Usually when I read or recite the Lord's Prayer, I focus on the line "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." I remind myself that what we are basically saying to God is "forgive us of our sins to the extent that we are willing to forgive the sins of others."

But the phrase that catches my eye this morning is "Give us each day our daily bread." Scholars suggest that "bread" speaks of a basic necessity, the bare minimum we need in order to survive. When we pray that God would give us each day our daily bread, we are basically asking God to help us be satisfied with the mere basics of life. The reality is, however, is that I am not very often satisfied with the basic necessities of life. I convince myself that I need the new iPhone, a nicer car, and the latest version of Madden Football on my Play Station 3 game console. Yes, I pray that God would grant me this day my daily bread but the reality is that I'm not really there yet in so many areas of my life.

I also realize that it's tough to pray for God to give me daily bread when there are so many people in the world who don't have bread today, didn't have it yesterday, and probably won't have it tomorrow. When I pray this prayer, I am fairly confident that I'm going to have bread. But to many praying this prayer, they know that there's a great likelihood that they will not have it. This morning, I am convicted that I should not ask God to give me daily bread unless I'm willing to help others get their daily bread as well.

Today I'm thanking God for a new ministry at our church called Manna Meals. Its goal is to serve hot meals to the hungry in our community while showing them the same great love that Christ has for us. Today as I pray the Lord's prayer and ask God to provide daily bread, I take great comfort in knowing that our church is committing to do what it can to provide the daily bread of God to others.

Today, may God grant you the grace to be content with what you have but also the willingness to share what you have with others in need.


Tomorrow's readings: Zechariah 4-6 and Luke 12.

Love Costs

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. -Luke 10:33-34 (NIV)
 
In today's suggested scripture reading, Jesus is responding to a question from one of the experts in the law: "who is my neighbor?" Jesus responds to the question by telling a story of a Jewish man who is attacked by robbers. A priest and a Levite pass the wounded man on the side of the road but do not stop to help. Apparently, other things are more important to them. But a Samaritan man comes upon the man left for dead and stops to help.

Love costs, doesn't it? When we deeply care about someone or something, there is always a cost involved (and not just monetarily). In this story, the Samaritan man risks his reputation, his position, and his resources for the sake of this stranger attacked by robbers. The Samaritan understands the great commandment to "love the Lord your God with all your strength and all of your mind and to love your neighbor as yourself." He offers aid to the man left for dead out of love for his neighbor.

Today, I plan to evaluate whom and what I say I love and whether I'm willing to pay a price that reflects the love I pledge.

May God grant you the grace to love and a willingness to pay the price associated with that love today.


Tomorrow's readings are: Zechariah 1-3 and Luke 11.

Just Listen

Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him."  -Luke 9:28-31 (NIV)

When Peter and company become fully awake (which is something I'm not sure I can say about myself this morning), they see Jesus in all his glory.He's standing there with two giants of the faith: Moses and Elijah. Jesus has been in conversation with Moses and Elijah but they are leaving; now the silence is deafening. Perhaps Peter feels like he needs to get involved in the conversation and just say something...so he does. He notes to Jesus that it's good for them to be there on that mountain in communion with those people. He suggests that they stay a while, that they erect three shelters: one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. But then a voice from heaven (God) essentially says to Peter, "Don't say anything. Just listen. Listen to my Son, with whom I am well pleased."

I don't know about you but so much of my prayer life is often about me doing all or most of the talking and God doing all or most of the listening. Today I want to be more intentional about actively and attentively listening to God.

As you go about your day, may God grant you the grace to listen well.


Tomorrow's readings are Haggai 1-2, Psalm 129, and Luke 10.

Faith, Not Fear

Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left. -Luke 8:37 (NIV)

A few days ago, one of my Facebook friends (also a pastor) posted that he was recently on the receiving end of God's healing mercies. Back in 2000 his back was injured and since that time he has been in constant pain and unable to stand up straight. While leading a retreat this past weekend, he described feeling the Holy Spirit enter him and at that moment his back pain immediately disappeared.

When you read my friend's story of God's healing, what is your initial reaction? Some, I'm sure, will react with doubt or skepticism. Some will respond with apathy or indifference. Some might even react angrily and some fearfully.

In our suggested scripture lesson this morning, Jesus has just healed a demon-possessed man. You might be tempted to think that the crowd would respond to witnessing this miracle with increased faith. Instead, we're told that the crowd responds with increased fear. They even ask Jesus to leave.

May God grant you the grace to experience some kind of healing today and may your respond with faith, not fear.


Tomorrow's suggested readings are Ezra 4, Psalm 113 and 127, Luke 9.

Faith-Filled Friends

Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." -Luke 5:18-20 (NIV)

We are never told whether the paralyzed man had faith, whether he believed that he could be healed or whether he wanted his sins to be forgiven. Instead, the writer focuses on the determined faith of the man's friends and how Jesus responds to their faith. When he sees the faith of the friends, he forgives and heals the paralyzed man.

I want to surround myself with people who possess that kind of faith: people who believe in me and in God even when I can't or won't. Perhaps Jesus will chose to work in my life or in someone else's life because of the faith of friends.

May God grant you the grace to have friends whose faith ultimately results in you experiencing healing and forgiveness today.



Tomorrow's Readings: Daniel 11-12 and Luke 6. Sunday's readings are Ezra 1, Psalm 84-85 and Luke 7. I'll be back Monday with a devotional from Ezra 2-3 and Luke 8.

Staying Grounded

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. -Luke 4:13 (NIV) 
 
Have you ever had the best of intentions to do something that would improve your spiritual life? Maybe you decided to begin each morning reading a chapter out of the Bible or ending each evening with a time of prayer and reflection. Maybe you made a decision to regularly volunteer at the outreach center or join a new small group study. Maybe you decided to pray together each day with your spouse. But then life happens. You miss a day. Then two. Then three. Maybe you resume the practice that you began later. Maybe you never return.

That was my experience when I first started reading scripture each morning and then writing about it. At first, I couldn't wait to get out of bed and write. God was really moving in my mornings. But then little things began to tempt me for my attention rather than this daily discipline of reading and reflecting on scripture. Initially, I was able to resist these temptations and to stay focused on my morning time with God. I was proud of myself for successfully "putting the devil behind me" and keeping him at a distance. But then I missed a day, then two, and then three. All of a sudden it occurred to me that the devil wasn't done tempting me at all, just waiting for another opportunity. Maybe I can't blame a devil or anyone else for my lapse. Maybe it was all on me.

In our suggested scripture reading this morning, the devil tempts Jesus. Jesus resists but the devil tries again. Jesus resists a second time but the devil is not done. After Jesus resists a third temptation, Luke tells us that the devil departs but that he's not finished...he's just waiting for a more tempting time to tempt.

Temptations are going to come. That's why it's so important that we stay grounded in the word of God. After all, that's how Jesus is able to successfully resist the temptations of the devil in today's text: he knows the word of God and God's will for his life.

May God grant you the grace to immerse yourself in the word and resist temptation today.


Tomorrow's readings: Daniel 9-10, Psalm 123, and Luke 5

Why God Loves You

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened up and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. -Luke 3:21-22 (NIV)

Up until this point, we haven't heard much from Jesus. We're told of Gabriel's visit to Mary and his announcement that Jesus is the Son of the Most High God. We're told of Joseph and a very pregnant Mary making their way to Bethlehem for the census and how Jesus ends up being born in a barn. We're told how Joseph and Mary present Jesus in the Temple and how Simeon and Anna respond. We're told that, at the age of twelve, Jesus stays behind at the temple in Jerusalem to listen and ask questions of the religious leaders. But there is still much we don't know about Jesus' life. Outside of his Q&A in the temple, we know little about his life as a child, teen, or even young adult. The gospels focus mainly on the last three years of Jesus' life.

What stands out for me in this morning's suggested readings is that before Jesus begins his ministry, before his first miracle has even been recorded, before we know much at all about him, we hear God saying, "I love you. You are my son with whom I am well pleased." This love doesn't appear to be based on what Jesus has done (because he hasn't really done anything yet) but is based instead on who Jesus is (the Son of God).

I've got a feeling that someone reading this morning's devotional needs a little reminder. God loves you! And the wonderful thing about God's love is that it's not based on what you've done. It's based on who you are! You are a beautiful child of God. Now I believe that this love is meant to prompt us to do good deeds. I believe that God's desire is for us to love Him and seek to please Him because He first loved us. But his love at its core is based not on what you've done or not done but is based on who you are: His precious child!

May God grant you the grace to experience the love of God today that is grounded in who you are, not what you've done.

Tomorrow's readings: Daniel 7-8, Psalm 137, and Luke 4.

Uncomfortable Obedience

She wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. -Luke 2:7

In today's suggested scripture reading, Caesar Augustus issues a decree that a census be taken. Joseph and his very pregnant wife Mary make their way back to Bethlehem to be counted. There are so many people in Bethlehem that Mary and Joseph end up spending the night in a stable. This is where Jesus is born.

If you recall yesterday's reading of Luke 1, you'll remember that Gabriel informs Mary that she has found favor with God and will give birth to a great child, the Son of the Most High. Mary submits to God's plan obediently.

Obviously, Mary's willingness to submit to God's plan doesn't guarantee her comfort. I'm guessing that she never imagined giving birth in barn when she learned that she would give birth to God's Son. Yet there is no evidence that Mary complains. I, on the other hand, often complain when I'm following God's will for my life and things get too uncomfortable.

Being faithful to God doesn't necessarily result in comfort. In fact, being obedient to God often results in our being uncomfortable. May God grant you the grace to be faithful today...even if it makes you uncomfortable.

Tomorrow's readings: Daniel 5-6, Psalm 130, and Luke 3.

Doubting the Possible

Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." -Luke 1:18 (NIV)

In today's suggested scripture readings, Gabriel appears to Zechariah and tells him that his barren wife Elizabeth will have a son who will prepare the way of the Lord. Zechariah, a very faithful man of God, has his doubts.

There are at least two important teachings here. The first is that God can make the impossible possible. In this case, Elizabeth and Zechariah are barren and well past child-bearing age and yet God assures them through a messenger that they indeed will be parents. Perhaps an even more important teaching is that God can answer prayers even in the midst of our doubts. We're told that Zechariah didn't believe Gabriel's words. Instead of responding to Zechariah's unbelief by refusing to act, God silences him with God's power to act in the midst of doubt.

Today, I'm thankful for the reminder that God can do anything. I'm thankful too for the evidence that God will do things even when I have my doubts.

May God grant you the grace to experience God's power today.

Tomorrow's readings: Ezekiel 47-48 and Luke 2.

Proclaiming the Positive

They tell of the power of your awesome works-

and I will proclaim your great deeds -Psalm 145:6 (NIV)

In today's suggested scripture readings, the psalmist blesses God every day and just can't seem to proclaim the great deeds of God enough!

I recently heard a statistic that 80% of the daily news you and I hear is bad news. Just this morning, I read about the German Embassy being attacked, a teacher strike in Chicago, a 73 year old woman being raped, and Christian Iranian pastors being jailed. There is not much good news being offered about God's marvelous deeds and doings in the world. And yet surely there is good news around us! For instance, Darrell Hale was honored last night for his lifelong commitment to young people and to our 4-H at our local fair, the 4th Annual Run for Ella just raised more money to help children and their families cope after a life-changing event, and new ministries to combat hunger and poverty are about to be announced in our community that should truly make a difference in people's lives. God is at work in people both inside and outside our church and it's exciting!

Today, I'm going to look for opportunities to tell people the power of God's awesome works in my life, the church I serve, and the community I live. I don't mean to suggest that I'm going to bury my head in the sand from all the bad news, but rather I just don't want to lose sight of the good. By not losing sight of the good and by instead celebrating it, I am reminded that God can work for good in all of the bad things taking place in our world. I'm motivated to be part of the solution to those problems because I've been reminded that God can bring good from bad.

May God grant us the grace to be more mindful of God's marvelous doings and deeds in the world today and how God may be calling us to be part of the solution to the bad.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, tomorrow's suggested readings are Ezekiel 40-41, Psalm 128, and Revelation 21. Sunday's readings are Ezekiel 42-44 and Revelation 22. I'll be back on Monday with a devotional thought on Ezekiel 45-46 and/or Luke 1.

Can These Bones Live?

The hand of the Lord was on me and brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" -Ezekiel 37:1-3 (NIV)

In today's suggested scripture reading, God brings Ezekiel out and sets him in the middle of a valley of dry bones. The dry bones represent the people of Israel who feel as if their hope is gone and that they have been cut off from God. God asks Ezekiel a question that I've asked and heard asked time and time again: can these dry bones live?

A while back, I was talking to a clergy friend who was in essence asking this same question. Like most pastors, he spends the majority of his time doing ministry: sharing the burdens of others, caring for those in need, offering a listening ear, a healing touch, or a glimpse of God. He's working way too much and is way too weary as a result. After being fully present for his congregation during the day, he has very little left to give to his family at night. He's trying to faithfully honor a time of daily scripture reading and reflection but feels as if he is just going through the motions. Sometimes, he feels so spiritually dry that he wonders: with all that I have on me, how can these dry bones live?

In the scripture today, the dry bones represent the weary Israelites whose spirits have been crushed by exile. But what about you? Where are the dry bones in your life and what do they represent? Are you working too hard? Not working at all? Has the death of a loved one left you scattered and dead like bones in a valley? Do you feel alone and alienated from God? Are you just going through the motions with your faith, your family, and/or your friends?

The good news of the text this morning is that God can bring new life into dry dead bones if we will invite and invoke the Spirit's presence into our lives. When the Spirit comes, the Spirit brings life and further evidence that God is God.

May God grant you the grace to believe and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit today and may it bring new life into your dry, brittle bones.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, tomorrow's suggestions are Ezekiel 38-39, Psalm 145, and Revelation 20.

Challenged to Change

"As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.' My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice." -Ezekiel 33:30-32 (NIV)

I once asked some people in a church I was serving what I might do to become a better preacher. No one said anything. So I said, "You mean there's nothing I can do to get better at preaching?" Finally, one person spoke up and said, "Well, you're pretty funny. You could tell more jokes."

In today's scripture reading, God suggests that the people flock to hear Ezekiel speak, but to them it's only entertainment.

I know how Ezekiel and God must have felt. Sometimes I feel like all people want...and all they will listen to...is entertainment. Even if I preach challenging sermons, people make comments like "you really stepped on my toes today, preacher" but then show little evidence of changing their lives in response to my challenging words.

But am I not the same? When someone says something that I don't like or agree with, I am too quick to dismiss it and dismiss them! When I am challenged, I often fail to use that challenge to lead to change.

May God grant you and me the grace to be challenged and changed today.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, tomorrow's suggestion is Ezekiel 36-37, Psalm 110, and Revelation 19.

God Can Even If God Won't

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you on this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us...but even if he does not, we will not serve your gods. -Daniel 3:16-17 (NIV)

When the lump appeared on my neck that would eventually be diagnosed as cancer, I would wake every morning with this prayer: "Lord, I believe that I could place my hand on the spot where that lump has been detected and it could be gone this morning...all because of you being an amazing God." Then I'd touch the spot and realize that the lump was still there. I never gave up believing that God could make that lump go away even though I had no sense of certainty that God would.

In our scripture lesson this morning, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had faith that God could save them from the fiery furnace even though they didn't know if God would save them. With no assurance that God would save them, these three men still refused to bow down and serve Nebuchadnezzar's gods.

It strikes me that, had these three men known with certainty that God would save them from the fiery furnace, this story wouldn't have the same power that it does now. Such certainty would have been based on fact and not faith. It's easier to believe when facts are present than when faith is present. I want faith, the kind of the faith that these three men had! They didn't know if their God would save them, but they definitely knew that their God could save them! So they trusted Him regardless of what the outcome might be.

I suspect that you and I are a lot alike. We face obstacles every day of one kind or another. We're tempted to bow down and serve other gods on a regular basis. I want the kind of faith that believes that our God is able even when our God doesn't. I want the kind of faith that trusts God with whatever the outcome might be. I want the peace that comes from knowing that our God can be trusted with our living and with our dying.

If you feel as if there is a fire raging out of control in your life, may God grant you the grace to believe that God can deliver you... even if God doesn't. May you be willing to stand firm in this faith and trust God with whatever happens today.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, tomorrow's suggested readings are Ezekiel 33-35 and Revelation 18.

Honoring God

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of the court officials, to bring into the king's service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility- young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned to them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service. -Daniel 1:3-5 (NIV)

In today's assigned scripture readings, King Nebuchadnezzar tells his chief of staff to take some of the finest young men of Judah and basically brainwash them into becoming Babylonians. He wants their names changed to Babylonian names. He wants their diets changed to Babylonian diets. He wants them educated in Babylonian literature and history. He wants them trained in Babylonian ways. But Daniel finds a way to honor his God and his faith in a culture that did not honor his God and his faith.

We live in a culture today that in many ways does not honor God. There are those who advocate that our faith is not important, that our faith is not relevant. They would rather indoctrinate us to other ways of thinking and living. It seems apparent to me as I read Daniel that some things never change.

I don't know about you but I want to find a way to honor God in the culture in which we live. While being sensitive and respectful to those who may not embrace my faith, I will nevertheless seek to understand and remain true to God's word. I will be intentional about going to God in prayer. I will surround myself with godly people just like Daniel did when his faith and his values were threatened.

May God grant you the grace to honor God in a culture that so often doesn't today.

Making the Devil Mad

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring- those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. -Revelation 12:17 (NIV)

In today's suggested scripture readings, a woman gives birth to a child who is arguably the Messiah. Then an enormous and powerful red dragon appears, representing evil (the devil), intent on destroying the child the moment he is born. But both the woman and the child are protected by God; when the child is born he is snatched up to heaven to sit on the throne and the mother is protected in a wilderness place by God.

What follows next is a divine war in heaven. Michael and his angels fight against the dragon and his angels. The dragon gets tossed out of heaven and tries to attack the mother of the child that God is protecting in the wilderness. Unsuccessful in his efforts, the dragon turns instead to waging war against the rest of the woman's offspring.

If this vision is about a woman giving birth to God's son, the Messiah, and evil's attempts to devour him and his offspring, then this story is about me and you. We too are children of God. The evil one, unsuccessful in his attempt to destroy the Messiah himself, has turned his attention to the Messiah's siblings, you and me. We can expect battles, daily battles, with this evil. But as John points out, we should keep God's commands in the face of this evil and hold onto our testimony about Jesus.

Is there anyone reading this devotional today that feels as if they are being attacked by the evil one? As people of faith, we believe that this battle has already been won by God in Jesus Christ. But it is important to stand firm in our faith and to resist evil and temptation in whatever way they present themselves. We do this not in our own power, but by claiming the power of Jesus. When we do this, we make the evil one mad just like the mother of the Messiah made him angry in today's text.

May God grant you the grace to make the evil one mad today by standing firm in the faith.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, tomorrow's suggested readings are Jeremiah 42-44, Psalm 48 and Revelation 13.

Sweet and Sour

So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey." I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings."

-Revelation 10:9-11 (NIV)

Before it started sticking to my teeth in my old age, I used to love sweet and sour candy. When you first put it into your mouth, the best varieties of these candies are both sweet and sour at the same time. There are times, however, when the sweetness of the candy is overwhelmed by the sourness of the candy. If the candy is too sour, I often spit it out. I like sour, but only in small doses and only if it is mingled with sweetness.

I think people react the same way to God's word. Personally, when it's sweet, I love it. I could eat a whole bag of God's forgiveness, God's love, and God's grace. But when it's sour, when it's talking about being obedient (even to death), when it's talking about making Jesus my Lord (master) and not just my Savior, or when it's talking about sin and judgment, I am tempted to spit it out.

In our suggested scripture this morning, John sees an angel with a little scroll. John asks for the scroll, takes it, and is told to eat it. He is warned that it will taste as sweet as honey in his mouth but will make his stomach sour. The point seems to be that a word from God is sweet because it's a great thing to be chosen as a messenger of God. But sometimes the message of God isn't always easy to taste or hear; sometimes, it's bitter.

I don't know about you, but it's tough to swallow when God's word is sour to the taste. And yet I don't think we can choose to follow God's word only when it's sweet. You may disagree, but I think we need both the sweetness and the sourness of God's word together. It's what makes it so good.

May God grant you the palette for the sweetness and even the sourness of God's word today.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, tomorrow's suggested readings are Ezekiel 29-32 and Revelation 11.

The Grace to Obey

The Word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover your moustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners. So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning, I did as I was commanded." -Ezekiel 24:15-18 (NIV)

If you bother to read today's suggested scriptures, you'll notice that there isn't a lot of "feel-good" devotional material. Maybe that's why I don't like reading Ezekiel and Revelation. Maybe that's why I should read Ezekiel and Revelation more.

Passages like the one I've chosen to write about today are especially difficult. Does God really do this? Does God really get so fed up with God's people that He'd kill a prophet's wife to make a point to the Israelite people? I'd like to think not, but the Bible is full of instances where the wrath of God is said to bring about destruction and death. What I've come to realize is that, at best my efforts to understand God are incomplete and at worst inaccurate.

Here's what I do understand. Regardless of who or what causes it, every single one of us will experience a loss of some kind. Sometimes the loss occurs as a result of our lack of faithfulness to God. Sometimes the loss occurs because we are faithful to God. Still other times, the loss occurs regardless of whether we're faithful to God or not. Still, at some point in our lives, all of us will have to let go of something that is near and dear to our hearts.

When we experience a tragic loss, we will also be faced with what Ezekiel faced. We'll have to decide whether or not we're willing to trust God in the midst of our loss. We'll have to decide if we'll remain obedient to God despite our loss. In my own life, I cannot say that trusting God and remaining obedient to God in the midst of loss has been easy and I can't even say that it's been a decision that I've been able to make on my own. Instead, the ability to obey and to trust has been a gift of God's grace, something that I couldn't have done without God's help.

I want that kind of grace in my life, a grace that allows me to trust and obey when my heart is breaking and aching. I want that same grace for you. May God grant you that grace when you experience loss.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, tomorrow's suggested readings are Ezekiel 25-28 and Revelation 10.