March 3, 2026 – Daily Devotional
In the quiet, early hours of the morning, before the sun has even started to claim the sky, our house is completely still. After making a cup of coffee, I head toward the study to wake up Maizie, our eight-month-old Goldendoodle. Even before I touch the kennel door, I can hear the rhythmic “thump-thump-thump” of her tail against the bedding. It is a heartbeat of pure anticipation. We head outside together to let the fresh air and morning dew wake us both up, but the most beautiful part of the whole routine happens the moment we step back inside.
Maizie doesn’t dash for her food bowl or scratch on Wendy’s bathroom door, asking to be let in. Instead, she makes a beeline straight back to her kennel. She reaches into the shadows of her bed and emerges with her favorite stuffed dog, the same companion she snuggles with every night. She isn’t looking for a game of tug-of-war, and she isn’t interested in treating it like a chew toy. She simply wants that companion out of the kennel and by her side as she starts her day.
To Maizie, that kennel represents the “night.” It’s a place of safety, sure, but it’s also a place of solitude. When she carries that stuffed dog into the living room, she’s essentially bringing a piece of her comfort out of the dark and into the light of the rest of the house.
It reminds me of what Jesus says in Matthew 5 about being the light of the world. He mentions that nobody lights a lamp just to hide it under a bowl; you put it on a stand so it can help people see. Being a “light” isn’t just a performance for when things are going great. It’s really about what we choose to carry from our private, quiet moments into the public spaces of our lives.
Just like Maizie refuses to leave her comfort behind in her crate, we are called to carry the peace of Christ from our “quiet places,” those morning prayers or moments of reflection, into the rest of our messy, loud day. We shouldn’t leave our joy sitting on the desk in the study or keep our peace tucked away in the dark. The strength we find when we’re alone with God is meant to be shared.
Maizie reminds us that what sustains us in the dark is meant to be seen in the light. When we bring that God-given comfort into our offices, carpool lanes, or kitchens, we are being a light. Today, as you head out, think of Maizie. What are you carrying with you? Let’s grab hold of the peace God provides and bring it out where everyone can see it.
Chris Lambert, Director, Meals on Wheels Oklahoma City
