Daily Devotional

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a remarkable servant of God. He was born to a poor family in South Africa during apartheid. Desmond Tutu became an Anglican priest and political leader. When Apartheid ended and the South African government integrated, he helped to lead the re-birth of South Africa. When Nelson Mandela became the president, he asked Archbishop Tutu to lead the historic Truth and Reconciliation Commission. His ministry helped to bring great healing to a country divided and damaged by racism.

Do you remember your first job? I do. I worked in an underwear factory! It was the summer before my freshman year at OU, and my job was typing labels for boxes of men’s briefs and tees. I sat in an office and typed for hours! Every day, when I arrived before 6 am, I’d walk through the production department. Long lines of sewing machines filled the warehouse. At the far end were seemingly endless lines of tables where the fabric was cut. It was an efficient set-up and employed several hundred people.

Donna Mad dox loves an adventure. She is a bit of a daredevil. When the opportunity came her way to experience something unique, she jumped at the chance. Donna was able to join up with a professional driver at the Michigan International Speedway and take several laps in a beautiful Ferrari. They reached the top speed of 150 miles per hour, and all the while, Donna was smiling.

My daughters have a very active schedule. School, homework, dance team, softball, theatre, and church keep them busy. My wife and I spend much of our time coordinating our calendars and driving them to each practice, program, game, and youth group event. It takes some effort, no doubt.

The book of Romans is one of the most theologically rich letters written by the Apostle Paul. Throughout the 16 chapters of this remarkable letter, Paul articulates his deep understanding of the Christian faith. In the book of Romans, we are taught some of Paul’s foundational understandings of the faith. Paul takes on topics such as the meaning of the law, salvation, death, and many other questions that cause concern for so many.

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.

We have two big, beautiful trees in our front yard. They provide shade in the summer. We hang Christmas lights on them in the winter. We enjoy watching the birds build their nests in the spring. Our trees have been home to several baby birds in the past few years. Throughout the year, our trees offer so much. In the fall, they, of course, offer us leaves to rake!

I love football! I love watching my favorite teams play. I will be in the stands this week to watch high school football, and on Saturday, I will be cheering on my favorite college team. The game of football is filled with many wonderful moments of triumph, joy, and excitement.

As Jesus traveled through different towns and villages, he encountered a large variety of people. Some people wanted to see him as he passed through their community simply. They followed him like a modern-day celebrity. Others sought after Jesus because they wanted to hear his intimate religious knowledge. Often, when Jesus entered a community, he would encounter people eagerly waiting on him because they needed healing, and they had heard that Jesus was capable of incredible miracles.

Losing something can ruin your day. Misplacing your keys, wallet, or cell phone will have you question everything and every place you have been. We will go to great lengths to find one of these lost items. Can you imagine what you would do if you misplaced $12,000.00 in cash?