Daily Devotional

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” -Psalm 136:1

This is one of the most beautiful times of the year. The trees are changing colors. I love the beauty of the new colors that each tree is showing. St. Luke’s has several varieties of trees and each of them are expressing the beauty of the season in a wonderful way. We have several big trees at our home. They provide so much beauty.

The season of fall gives us more than just beautiful leaves on trees…

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” -Deuteronomy 31:8

One of my favorite contemporary Christian musicians is Matt Maher. Matt is a singer/songwriter who has been helping to provide wonderful and thoughtful music for over three decades. He is an award-winning artist, but much more than that, he is a faithful Christian who works tirelessly to connect his faith and music.

Music has the ability to speak into the most exciting and challenging times of our lives. Good lyrics and melody combine to speak into our lives and remind us of the hope we have in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Of the many songs that Matt Maher has written, one has recently reminded me of the gift we have with a God who loves and cares for us…

You may have been part of this debate. I am sure you have an opinion. You may have expressed your thoughts to a friend, a co-worker, or a neighbor. We are in the middle of this debate at my house. When is the correct time to decorate for Christmas? Should one wait till after Thanksgiving to hang the lights and decorate the tree? Some think that November 1st is an appropriate time to deck the halls. Many department stores put their Christmas Decorations out long before that.  One radio station in Oklahoma City has already switched to playing Christmas music. No matter where you come down on this debate, Christmas is on the way.

Why are people so opinionated about the timing of Christmas decorations? I would like to offer two thoughts…

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,  just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” –John 15:13

On the Night of February 15, 1898, there was a large explosion on the USS Maine. This U.S. Navy ship was anchored in the harbor of Havana, Cuba. The explosion led to the sinking of the USS Maine.  266 sailors lost their lives that terrible night. This event would become the final reason that the United States of America would go to war against Spain, who was currently occupying Cuba.

That night, on the deck of the burning Maine, Father John Chidwick, the chaplain assigned to the USS Main, quickly acted to render aid and to try to save of the lives of his shipmates. He worked tirelessly to care for the wounded and minister to the dying. 

Thanksgiving is a significant practice in the life of faith. The Scriptures teach us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)  First, we lift our praise to God. Because God loves us so, we offer our thanksgiving to God. Secondly, we give thanks for the many blessings in our lives. We have so much for which to be thankful. Family, friends, our homes, our work, are just a few examples of the blessings in our lives. The month of November is a wonderful time to be reminded of the practice of gratitude. Thanksgiving opens our minds and our hearts to a greater understanding of the blessings in our lives. 

November is also a wonderful season for football. I love it when both the practice of Thanksgiving and my favorite sport of football come together. DeAndre Hopkins is a wonderful example of a football player who lives out a life of gratitude…

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” – Luke 6:12

The gospels record many parts of Jesus’ life. One thing that all four gospel writers include is that Jesus was faithful in prayer. There are so many occasions that Jesus prayed. At times, he prayed short prayers of gratitude. He prayed before significant acts of ministry. Jesus often would go away and pray.

Luke records that Jesus, “went out to a mountainside to pray.” He spent the entire night out, away from those who were following him and immersed himself in prayer. Immediately after this time, he selected the twelve disciples, healed many people, and offered one of his most significant teachings, all this in Luke chapter 6.

Luke’s gospel story is teaching far more than the stories written on the page…

Mikayla Freeman is a mother of an 8-year-old son with a passion for cars. Mikayla’s son, Tristan, loves just about anything with wheels, but he is a big fan of sports cars. As Mikayla was preparing for Tristan’s birthday, she decided to try something different. She reached out to a few local car clubs, via social media, to see if she could get a few cars to do a show in her neighborhood. She knew that even a few cars would make Tristan’s day. In her post, Mikayla said, “He is a major car guy.” She just wanted to help make Tristan’s day special.

What happened on Tristan’s birthday left Mikayla speechless…

George Strait is a country music legend. His music career started in 1981 and since that time he has become one of the best-selling music artists of all time. George Strait holds the world record for the most number one hit singles across all charts and genres. His list of accomplishments continues to grow. I have enjoyed the music of George Strait since I was a kid. I have loved to listen to his music, see him in concert, and I even like his movies.

I was recently listening to some old George Strait music while working on a project at my house. The lyrics to a song I had heard so many times caught my attention and offered me an important reminder. The song is “I Saw God Today.”