Lectionary Year C

The Goodness of Work Restored (Jeremiah 30-33)

For twenty-three years, Jeremiah prophesied the coming destruction of Jerusalem (from God’s case against Judah in chapter 2 through chapter 28).[1] Then...

The Lord Is Our Righteousness

Jeremiah 33 begins with bad news for Jerusalem: the Babylonians will soon defeat and destroy the city because of the wickedness of its inhabitants. But the chapter progresses quickly from bad to...

God’s Guidance in Our Work (Psalm 25)

Human life is a series of choices, and many of these involve vocation.

Both Sin and Hope Remain Present in Work (Malachi 1:1-4:6)

Even in the time of restoration, human sin is never far away. Malachi, the third of the restoration prophets, complains that some...

Advent Reflection: God’s Tender Mercy

After his son, John, was born, Zechariah “was filled with the Holy Spirit” and uttered a “prophecy” (1:67). His prophecy is often...

Saved for Servanthood

“We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.” Luke 1:74-75 The Gospel of Luke begins with the...

Peace and Prosperity (Isaiah 9ff.)

In contrast to the arrogant pride and self-sufficiency that will bring us down or the exploitation of the poor in order to...

Drinking Deeply from the Fountain of Salvation

Do you drink deeply from the fountain of salvation? Or do you simply take a sip every now and then? Sometimes we...

Resolving Conflict (Philippians 4:2–9)

Although our instinctive reflex is to suppress and deny conflict, in this passage, Paul lovingly brings conflict into the open where it...

Anticipating His Advent

My youngest son has prayed using the word “hope” for years: I wondered if I should correct him, until I learned the biblical definition of hope from the Old and New Testaments.

Christmas Eve: O Little Town of Bethlehem

In our translation, Micah 5:2 describes Bethlehem as “a small village.” Its diminutive size is forever enshrined in the opening of Phillips...

Best of Daily Reflections: Are You Striving for the Wrong Things?

He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. Luke 1:52 Luke 1:46-55 is Mary's song of praise to...

Peace and Prosperity (Isaiah 9ff.)

In contrast to the arrogant pride and self-sufficiency that will bring us down or the exploitation of the poor in order to...

Advent Reflection: The Child to Be Born

Perhaps one of the clearest prophetic texts in all of Scripture appears in Isaiah 9. I cannot read Isaiah 9:6 without imagining...

For Unto Us a Child Is Born

I can’t read this passage without hearing echoes of the glorious chorus from Handel’s Messiah: “For unto us a child is born. . . .” I envision a booming choir and a sanctuary...

Work’s Ultimate Meaning (Isaiah 60ff.)

Throughout the book, Isaiah encourages Israel with the hope that God will eventually put to right the wrongs the people are suffering...

Are You Waiting for the Perfect Gift?

When my daughter was six years old, I got an idea for the perfect Christmas for her: a book written just for...

Above All Gods

In 1977, as the praise and worship wave was just beginning to crash on the beaches of the American church, Pete Sanchez, Jr., took Psalm 97:9 in the King James version and wrote...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

Earthquake Poem by Thomas Merton, Based on Isaiah 52

Go tell the earth to shake for a new world is born.

Christmas Reflection: Good News!

The middle section of Isaiah 52 celebrates the coming of God’s salvation to the whole world.

The Calling of Samuel (1 Samuel 1-3)

From the closing words of the book of Judges and the opening chapters of 1 Samuel we know that the Israelites are...

Psalm 148

Unlike Psalms 146, 147, and 149, Psalms 148 and 150 do not depict God at work, but skip directly to our response of praise for the work he has already done. Psalm 14...

An Expansive Call to Worship

As a pastor for more than twenty years, I have "called people to worship" dozens, if not hundreds, of times. As the first action in a worship service, I would stand up before...

The Goodness of Work Restored (Jeremiah 30-33)

For twenty-three years, Jeremiah prophesied the coming destruction of Jerusalem (from God’s case against Judah in chapter 2 through chapter 28).[1] Then...

The End of Jeremiah’s Messages

Although the book of Jeremiah includes a fifty-second chapter, the prophet’s messages come to an end in chapter fifty one. Most of this chapter contains an ongoing prophecy of the fall of Babylon....

Psalm 147

God gathers the outcasts (Ps. 147:2), as do Sisters of Charity, teachers in prisons, and community organizers. He heals the brokenhearted (Ps. 147:3), as do grief counselors, matchmakers, humorists, and blues singers. He...

Timing (Eccl 3:1-4:6)

If work has no single, unchanging purpose, perhaps it has a myriad of purposes, each meaningful in its own time. The Teacher explores this in the famous chapter beginning, “For everything there is...

A Time to Kill and a Time to Heal

Editor's Note: According to Ecclesiastes 3, "There is a time for everything...." Not everything on that list, however, comes to us easily. Some items confound, others liberate, and none of them...

Authority (Psalm 8)

Psalm 8 is an exception in Book 1, as it does not pertain specifically to David. Its concern is with all human authority, not only David’s rule. Although God created the entire universe...

Aaron’s Blessing for the People (Numbers 6:22–27)

Aaron's blessing, given by God to Moses in Numbers 6:22-27, says "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his...

Authority (Psalm 8)

Psalm 8 is an exception in Book 1, as it does not pertain specifically to David. Its concern is with all human authority, not only David’s rule. Although God created the entire universe...

Real, Basic Stewardship

You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority. Psalm 8:4 At this time of year, many churches focus on stewardship. For sixteen years as pastor of Irvine...

Work’s Ultimate Meaning (Isaiah 60ff.)

Throughout the book, Isaiah encourages Israel with the hope that God will eventually put to right the wrongs the people are suffering...

The Glory of the Lord Revealed

If, like me, you’re a lover of Handel’s Messiah, then you can’t read Isaiah 60:2-3 without hearing it in your mind sung by a deep bass voice: “For, behold, darkness shall cover the...

Praying for Our Leaders

Psalm 72 is identified as “psalm of Solomon” (72:1). This means either that it was composed by Solomon or in his honor. This psalm is a prayer for the king of Israel, a...

Work’s Ultimate Meaning (Isaiah 60ff.)

Throughout the book, Isaiah encourages Israel with the hope that God will eventually put to right the wrongs the people are suffering...

Praying with Passion

The prophet yearns for the salvation of Jerusalem. Thus he cannot stop praying for her “until her righteousness shines like the dawn.” A few verses later, he urges his fellow Israelites to “give...

Best of Daily Reflections: Fathoming the Unfathomable

Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the...

Restoration of Covenant Life, Phase Two: Ezra and Nehemiah Together (Nehemiah 8:1-13:31)

After the wall surrounding Jerusalem was completed, the Israelites gathered in Jerusalem in order to renew their...

Mardi Gras?

Today is Mardi Gras. Many of us associate Mardi Gras with lavish and lascivious celebrations in places such as New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro. Not the sort of thing you’d expect to...

Signposts of Nature

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Psalm 19:1 I grew up in Southern California. The combination of smog and ambient light from Los Angeles and its suburbs...

Jeremiah’s Calling to Work (Jeremiah 1)

As we have seen, God prepared Jeremiah from before his birth for the work of a prophet (Jer. 1:5) and, at the...

Jeremiah: Setting the Stage

Today I begin to focus on the Old Testament book of Jeremiah in the Daily Reflections. If you’ve been reading for a while, you know that I go back and forth between the...

Hope and Praise

But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more. Psalm 71:14 Psalm 71 is a prayer for deliverance offered by an unnamed poet who has repeatedly...

God Judges Exploitation and Marginalization (Isaiah 3ff.)

A recurring charge throughout the book of Isaiah is that the leaders were unfaithful to God’s covenant because they pursued wealth and...

Called to Love: What’s Your Purpose? (Isaiah 6 Sermon Notes)

Isaiah 6:1-8 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the...

Send Me!

Isaiah 6 begins with the prophet’s vision of a thrice-holy God. Isaiah’s first response is to lament his own sinfulness. Yet, through an angel, God removes Isaiah’s sin. Then the Lord poses a.....

Work Within a Balanced Life (Jeremiah 17)

Jeremiah also turned his attention to the rhythm of work and rest. As always, the prophet began with God’s earlier self-revelation; in...

True Simplicity

In the Scripture passage above, God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah and tells us, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength.” This is exactly my own temptation...

Personal Integrity in Work (Psalm 1)

The two opening psalms establish themes that run through the entire Psalter. Psalm 1 describes personal integrity, indicating that this is how...

Judah’s Transformation to a Man of God (Genesis 44:1-45:15)

In the final episode of Joseph’s testing of his brothers, Joseph framed Benjamin for an imaginary crime and claimed Benjamin as a...

God’s Wondrous Sovereignty

Joseph expressed one of the great mysteries of our faith, the wonder of God's sovereignty. To the brothers who had indeed mistreated him by selling him into slavery, Joseph said, "So then, it was...

Your Heart’s Desires

Psalm 20 is a prayer for the king of Israel. In this prayer, the psalmist asks God to grant the desires of the king’s heart and to make all of his plans succeed...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

The Fruitful Word

The word of God doesn’t just sit there like a museum of antique truth that you can visit if you wish, but otherwise avoid. It is, as we read in Hebrews, “alive and...

Fruitful in Old Age

In Psalm 92, the psalm writer begins by offering thanks for all the ways the Lord has blessed him.

Solomon Builds the Temple of the Lord (1 Kings 5-8)

Solomon’s first major task is to build the Temple of the Lord. To achieve this architectural feat, Solomon employs professionals from all...

The Biblical Imperative We Love to Ignore

Psalm 96 begins with a simple imperative: “Sing a new song to the LORD!” If you look up all of the Hebrew...

Understanding Life in Christ (Galatians 1:6–4:31)

Paul begins by identifying the problem among the Galatians. They “are turning to a different gospel” (Gal. 1:6). This “gospel” requires Gen­tiles...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

Best of Daily Reflections: Restoring the Joy of Your Salvation

Moral chaos breeds chaos.

Best of Daily Reflections: What Can You Offer to God?

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire...

Statutes and Ordinances (Deuteronomy 4:44-28:68)

In the second part of his second speech, Moses describes in detail the “statutes and ordinances” that God charges Israel to obey...

Hiding From God

After the man and woman sin, their first instinct is to hide. They hide from each other and even from themselves (Gen 3:7). Then, as God comes to walk with them in the...

God’s Character is to Have Mercy on Everyone (Romans 9–11)

In Romans 9–11, Paul returns to the immediate problem the letter is meant to address—the conflict between Jewish and Gentile Christians. Since...

Abraham (Genesis 12:1-25:11)

No Fear!

The LORD is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? Psalm 27:1 Back in the 1990s...

3 Examples of Following Christ as Ordinary Christians (Philippians 2:19–3:21)

In fact, Philippians gives us three examples—Paul, Epaphroditus, and Timothy—to show us how all Christians are meant...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

Best of Daily Reflections: Fat and Fatness

You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. Psalm 63:5 Psalm 63:5 is one...

What Is Better Than Life Itself?

Jack Benny was a beloved American entertainer. Though in real life he was an excellent violinist and a generous man, he often played comedic roles in which he was a terrible musician and...

Working the Land (Joshua 5)

The land was of course bountiful by the standards of the Ancient Near East. But the blessings of the land went beyond the favorable climate, abundant water, and other natural benefits provided by...

Best of Daily Reflections: Finally, I Confessed

Psalm 32 expresses David’s joy in experiencing the freedom of God’s forgiveness. But, for a while, David did not rejoice because he...

Best of Daily Reflections: The Best Hiding Place of All

...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

Seeing God’s New Work

Though, in the past, God had done marvelous things for his people, most of all delivering them from Egypt (43:16-17), he wasn’t finished. In fact, he was beginning through the prophecies of Isaiah...

Best of Daily Reflections: From Bitter Tears to Shouts of Joy

Psalm 126 begins with a joyful remembrance of a time when God "brought back his exiles to Jerusalem" (126:1).

Please Lord, Save Us!

Today is Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week. On this day, Christians remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and we prepare for a deeper participation in the crucial events of this...

Hosanna!

Throughout his ministry, Jesus had proclaimed the coming of the kingdom of God. For first-century Jews, this implied that a divinely anointed royal figure would soon expel the Romans from Judea.

Jesus’ Sacrifice (John 10-12)

Learning to Save My Students Instead of Judging Them (Click Here to Read) An encounter with the words of Jesus in John 12 encourages a teacher to change his approach to his relationship...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

Really Listening to God

Isaiah 50 begins with God’s word to the prophet. He responds by saying, “The Sovereign LORD has spoken to me, and I have listened.” This captures the meaning of the original Hebrew, which...

Father, I Entrust My Spirit into Your Hands

Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last. Luke 23:46 Today...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

The Servant Who Brings Justice

Isaiah 42 begins the first of the so-called “Servant Songs” of Isaiah.

Best of Daily Reflections: Fathoming the Unfathomable

Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

Best of Daily Reflections: When Work Seems Useless

In Isaiah 49, the Lord speaks to his Servant, sometimes pictured as Israel, and at other times pictured as an Israelite who...

Best of Daily Reflections: Our Prayer as We Get Older

Why do we try so hard to maintain that which naturally recedes as the years pass?

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

Does Your Body Language Honor God?

I had more energy, I was sleeping better, and I felt happier. The physical exercise affected every dimension of my life.

Really Listening to God

Isaiah 50 begins with God’s word to the prophet. He responds by saying, “The Sovereign LORD has spoken to me, and I have listened.” This captures the meaning of the original Hebrew, which...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

The Amazing Servant

God works in amazing and surprising ways. Given his glory and power, we might well expect that his Servant would be equally glorious and powerful. In a sense, this is ultimately true. But Isaiah...

Earthquake Poem by Thomas Merton, Based on Isaiah 52

Go tell the earth to shake for a new world is born.

Job’s Friends Blame Job for the Calamity (Job 4-23)

Jeremiah the Poet at Work: Lamentations

If I’m Suffering, Is God Punishing Me? (Click Here to Read) In this daily reflection from The High Calling, Mark Roberts considers...

Best of Daily Reflections: Great Is Thy Faithfulness

The memory of my suffering and homelessness is bitterness and poison. I can’t help but remember and am depressed. I call all...

God Creates the World (Genesis 1:1-2:3)

The first thing the Bible tells us is that God is a creator. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the...

God Creates and Equips People to Work (Genesis 1:26-2:25)

God lays the foundations for human work: dominion, relationships, fruitfulness, provision, and limits.

The Right Use of Power (Psalm 136)

Power is essential to most work, and it must be exercised rightly. Psalm 136 lays out the proper use of power by...

Work and Christian Identity (Acts 8-12)

The next section of Acts moves the Christian community, by the power of the Spirit, across cultural barriers as the gospel of...

Work’s Ultimate Meaning (Isaiah 60ff.)

Throughout the book, Isaiah encourages Israel with the hope that God will eventually put to right the wrongs the people are suffering...

This Is the Day!

Donna got up on the wrong side of the bed—and she let people know it.

Peace and Prosperity (Isaiah 9ff.)

In contrast to the arrogant pride and self-sufficiency that will bring us down or the exploitation of the poor in order to...

The Ultimate International Banquet

Often schools and churches sponsor international banquets, festive meals in which people bring foods representing diverse cultures. At such a feast you...

Best of Daily Reflections: What If Your Soul Is Hard as a Rock?

He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock. Psalm 114:8 Do you...

A Clash of Kingdoms: Community and Power (Acts 5-7)

Acts takes place in the earthy reality of a genuine community, and it does not gloss over the threat that the effects...

Psalm 150

The final psalm returns to music as our response to God’s “mighty deeds”, upon which all our activity and work are founded. Praise God with trumpets, lutes, harps, tambourines, strings, pipe, cymbals—both clanging...

Why We Praise the Lord

Each week, millions of Christians throughout the world gather together in order to offer praise to God.

Work and Christian Identity (Acts 8-12)

The next section of Acts moves the Christian community, by the power of the Spirit, across cultural barriers as the gospel of...

Best of Daily Reflections: Avoiding the Trap of Self-Reliance

When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain...

The Throne Room of God (Revelation 4 and 5)

John’s vision in chapters 4 and 5 is at the heart of Revelation. It is in essence a visualization of the Lord’s...

Work and Christian Identity (Acts 8-12)

The next section of Acts moves the Christian community, by the power of the Spirit, across cultural barriers as the gospel of...

The Word and The Voices

One day, sitting in my office writing something—probably a student's letter of recommendation—words came to my imagination: "I only want to sew, to have my hands in the threads." I jotted them...

God’s Presence in Our Struggles at Work (Psalm 23)

While we seek to honor God in our work, this does not mean the road will be easy.

Work and Christian Identity (Acts 8-12)

The next section of Acts moves the Christian community, by the power of the Spirit, across cultural barriers as the gospel of...

Psalm 148

Unlike Psalms 146, 147, and 149, Psalms 148 and 150 do not depict God at work, but skip directly to our response of praise for the work he has already done. Psalm 14...

An Expansive Call to Worship

As a pastor for more than twenty years, I have "called people to worship" dozens, if not hundreds, of times. As the first action in a worship service, I would stand up before...

God’s Shining Face

May God be merciful and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us. Psalms 67:1 The New Living Translation of Psalm 67:1 speaks of God’s face smiling with favor on us...

The Expansive Prayer of an Expanding Heart

To be honest, we begin our relationship with God because of what's in it for us personally. We recognize that we need...

Babylon and the New Jerusalem: A Tale of Two Cities (Revelation 17-22)

A city that renounces God is condemned, but paradise bustles with meaningful work.

Clap and Shout!

Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise! Psalm 47:1 In the past three decades, Christians throughout the world have learned to worship more expressively. Even in formerly staid mainline...

Mightier Than the Waves

When I lived in Southern California, I occasionally enjoyed body surfing at the beach. It was a thrill to get out in the surf, to swim as fast as I could just as...

Missional Community (Acts 1:6)

In the book of Acts, Jesus’ mission to restore the world as God intended it to be is transformed into the mission of the community of Jesus’ followers. Acts traces the life of...

Confrontation Over the Liberation of a Slave Girl in Philippi (Acts 16:16-24)

The first of the two confrontations occurs in Philippi, where Paul and Silas encounter a girl with...

Light and Rest: Acts 16:16-34

Paul and Silas waited in an inner cell shut off from light, too dark even to see. Unfairly accused, stripped, beaten, publicly humiliated, and thrown into jail, everything about the day was...

Above All Gods

In 1977, as the praise and worship wave was just beginning to crash on the beaches of the American church, Pete Sanchez, Jr., took Psalm 97:9 in the King James version and wrote...

A Christian Identity as God’s Kingdom Witnesses in Daily Life (Acts 2:1-41)

There is no question that the story of Pentecost is central to the life of the early...

Noah’s Descendants and the Tower of Babel (Genesis 10:1-11:32)

In what is called the Table of Nations, Genesis 10 traces first the descendants of Japheth (Gen. 10:2-5), then the descendants of...

Human Creativity With God (Psalm 104)

From the beginning, God intended human work as a form of creativity under or alongside God’s own creativity.

The Way of the Wise: A Biblical Interpretation of Firm Strategy & Orientation

All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to...

Authority (Psalm 8)

Psalm 8 is an exception in Book 1, as it does not pertain specifically to David. Its concern is with all human authority, not only David’s rule. Although God created the entire universe...

Real, Basic Stewardship

You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority. Psalm 8:4 At this time of year, many churches focus on stewardship. For sixteen years as pastor of Irvine...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

The Fruitful Word

The word of God doesn’t just sit there like a museum of antique truth that you can visit if you wish, but otherwise avoid. It is, as we read in Hebrews, “alive and...

Here’s an Experiment: Frame Your Day With God’s Love and Faithfulness

It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening. Psalm 92:2 I wonder what would...

Obadiah Saves a Hundred People by Working Within a Corrupt System (1 Kings 18)

At least two episodes during this period deserve our attention. The first, Obadiah’s saving of a hundred...

The Biblical Imperative We Love to Ignore

Psalm 96 begins with a simple imperative: “Sing a new song to the LORD!” If you look up all of the Hebrew...

Assessing Solomon’s Golden Age (1 Kings)

Samuel's prophecy about the dangers of a king is fulfilled in Solomon’s time. These will be the ways of the king who...

Psalm 146

God executes justice for the oppressed (Ps. 146:7a). So do we, when we work according to God’s commandments, by God’s grace. God gives food to the hungry (Ps 146:7b). So do we. God...

God of the Powerless

There is a sense in which "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34, KJV). He cares about each individual. He knows the heart of each human being. His guidance is sovereign over...

Best of Daily Reflections: Avoiding the Trap of Self-Reliance

When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain...

Ahab and Jezebel Murder Naboth to Get His Property (1 Kings 21)

King Ahab abuses his power further when he begins to covet the vineyard of his neighbor, Naboth. Ahab offers a fair price...

Best of Daily Reflections: Praying When Words Fail

What is prayer? The most basic answer says that prayer is talking to God. Sometimes we talk to God through singing. Sometimes...

My King and My God!

Sometimes we Christians have a tendency to make God too small. Not that we actually diminish God, of course. But our thoughts and images of God can be of a divine pal who...

From Failed Monarchies to Exile (1 Kings 11 - 2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 10-36)

Solomon is only the third king of Israel, but already the kingdom has reached its high point...

God’s TLC

Sometimes you run out of words. ...

Thirsty for God

Have you ever been really thirsty? I’m not thinking about ordinary thirst, the kind you can quench with a quick drink of water. Rather, I have in mind an aching, desperate thirst. Have...

Best of Daily Reflections: A Psalm for Those of Us Who Are in Process

At the beginning of Psalm 77, the psalm writer is in a major funk.

Has God Forgotten to Be Gracious?

Psalm 77, written by Asaph, begins with a profound expression of anguish. The psalmist has found himself in a terribly difficult and painful situation. He has cried out to God, even shouting and...

Where Have You Fixed Your Attention?

Psalm 16 begins with a cry for divine help: "Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge"...

Elisha’s Restoration of a Military Commander’s Health (2 Kings 5:1-14)

When Elisha cures the leprosy of Naaman, a commander in the army of Israel’s enemy, Syria, it has important effects in the...

Two Songs of Suffering and Praise

Horatio Spafford was well acquainted with personal tragedy. Following the death of a young son, he watched most of his worldly investments go up in smoke in the Great Chicago Fire, and then he...

Best of Daily Reflections: Avoiding the Trap of Self-Reliance

When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain...

Best of Daily Reflections: Where Is God’s Country?

Rise up, O God, and judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you. Psalms 82:8 Where is God’s country? Plenty...

God’s Call to Justice

Psalm 82 envisions a heavenly court in which God, as judge, pronounces judgment on the gods for their failure to do justice (82:1). Verses 3 and 4 contain divine imperatives, not only for heavenly...

Moses’ Final Appeal for Obedience to God (Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20)

Moses concludes with a third speech, a final appeal for obedience to God’s covenant, which will result in human thriving. It reinforces...

God’s Justice Includes Work and Economic Justice (Amos 8:1-6, Micah 6:1-16)

Justice in work is not only an individual matter. People have a responsibility to make sure that...

Anxiety When Unscrupulous People Succeed (Psalms 49, 50, 52, 62)

Sometimes the godly have a skewed perspective on how God governs, and this causes them needless anxiety. They think that the righteous...

Like a Thriving Olive Tree

Psalm 52 begins with criticism of a “great warrior,” whom the heading of the Psalm identifies as “Doeg the Edomite” (see 1 Sam. 21-22). This warrior uses his tongue to boast of his crimes and to...

God Demands Change (Hosea 1:1-9, Micah 2:1-5)

God puts the blame for Israel’s corruption on the people as a whole. They have abandoned God’s covenant, which both breaks their...

The Economic Consequences of National Wrongdoings (Psalm 81, 85)

Despite the attention to personal judgment we have seen in Psalm 73, in most of Book 3, it is the nation of...

Revive Us Again!

As I look back upon my life, I consider how God has poured out his grace upon me. Since I became a Christian at a Billy Graham crusade when I was only six...

God Undergirds All Work and Productivity (Psalm 107)

Psalm 107 relates human economic endeavors to the world of God’s creation. It is worth citing at length. Some went down to...

A Cry for Help

“LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. Psalm 107:6 Psalm 107 reminds us to “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!” (107:1). The bulk...

Achievement (Eccl 1:12-18)

First the Teacher explores achievement. He was both a king and a sage — an overachiever to use today’s terms — “surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me” (Eccl. 1:16). And what...

Worship and Work (Isaiah 1ff.)

Isaiah begins by insisting that religious rituals nauseate God when accompanied by sinful living: What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt-offerings of...

Anxiety When Unscrupulous People Succeed (Psalms 49, 50, 52, 62)

Sometimes the godly have a skewed perspective on how God governs, and this causes them needless anxiety. They think that the righteous...

Realizing the Faith (Hebrews 10:19–11:40)

Following Jesus is hard work, and only faith in the eventual fulfill­ment of his promises can keep us going. “Now faith is...

God Judges Exploitation and Marginalization (Isaiah 3ff.)

A recurring charge throughout the book of Isaiah is that the leaders were unfaithful to God’s covenant because they pursued wealth and...

God’s Vineyard

In Isaiah 5, the people of Israel are portrayed as God’s vineyard, with God as the owner and tender of the vineyard. Even though God invested great effort, lovingly caring for his vineyard...

Awaiting His Rescue

Not only are we dependent on Jesus’ forgiveness, but we also need him to grant us supernatural peace in these dark days.

Jeremiah’s Calling to Work (Jeremiah 1)

As we have seen, God prepared Jeremiah from before his birth for the work of a prophet (Jer. 1:5) and, at the...

Jeremiah: Setting the Stage

Today I begin to focus on the Old Testament book of Jeremiah in the Daily Reflections. If you’ve been reading for a while, you know that I go back and forth between the...

Servant at Work (Isaiah 40ff.)

Isaiah paints a picture of the values that must characterize the people of God.

Goodness and Defilement of Work (Jeremiah 2)

Long before Jeremiah lived, God declared that work is good for people (Genesis 1-2). As we have noted elsewhere, Jeremiah’s method was...

The Path to Worthlessness

In Jeremiah 2, the Lord speaks through the prophet to indict Jerusalem for rejecting God and his ways. The people started well, “eager to please” the Lord (2:2). They were “holy” before him, and he...

Cracked Cisterns

In Jeremiah 2, the Lord explains why the Israelites have fallen into such grave difficulties. Verse 13 narrows down to two their offenses: “For my people have done two evil things: They have...

Downward Mobility: Refusing God’s Hands: Jeremiah 18 Sermon Notes

The Main Text: The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying, “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and...

God at Work: Seeing and Reflecting God the Craftsman and Artist (Jeremiah 18 Sermon Notes)

Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-6 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Come, go down to the...

The Potter and the Clay

Throughout my life as a Christian, I’ve heard people speak of God as the potter and us as the clay. Almost always, the point of this analogy is God’s forming us to be...

An Overview of the Book of Jeremiah

The Book of Jeremiah reflects the ever-worsening situation Jeremiah encountered. At various times, he had the unenviable tasks of challenging the religious...

“There is No God” Revisited

Earlier this month, we noted the claim of the wicked that “There is no God.” Today we find this same boast in Psalm 14. Given the widespread belief in divine beings in the...

No One Does Good? Really?

But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one! Psalm 14:3 I remember when I first resolved to read through the whole Bible. I...

Faith in God’s Provision (Jeremiah 8-16)

We see in Jeremiah 5 that the people did not acknowledge God’s provision. If the people did not acknowledge God as the...

The Prophet’s Pain

As the Lord revealed through Jeremiah the coming devastation of Judah, the prophet did not deliver bad news with clinical detachment. Rather, he identified with his people and their suffering. ...

The Wrath of God

Most Christians I know don’t like to think about the wrath of God.

The Goodness of Work Restored (Jeremiah 30-33)

For twenty-three years, Jeremiah prophesied the coming destruction of Jerusalem (from God’s case against Judah in chapter 2 through chapter 28).[1] Then...

Hiding in God

When I was a boy, I loved playing “Hide and Seek.” Little made me happier than when I found the perfect hiding place, a secure enclave where no “seeker” would ever find me...

Apathy Due to Wealth (Amos 3:9-15, 6:1-7)

The prophets criticize those whose wealth leads them to abandon working for the common good and who give up any sense of...

Joy to the World!

Shout to the LORD, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and...

Status in Church and at Work: Friends in Low Places (1 Corinthians 1:18–31)

Paul reminds the congregation in Corinth that most of them do not come from the ranks of...

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)

Jesus’ discussions with Nicodemus and his disciples hold innumerable treasures. We will begin with a verse that has profound implications for human...

Jeremiah’s Calling to Work (Jeremiah 1)

As we have seen, God prepared Jeremiah from before his birth for the work of a prophet (Jer. 1:5) and, at the...

Oh, No!

Oh, no! She sits alone, the city that was once full of people. Once great among nations, she has become like a widow. Once a queen over provinces, she has become a slave...

Why Would God Make Our Lives Hard?

Her adversaries have become rulers; her enemies relax. Certainly the LORD caused her grief because of her many wrong acts. Her children...

Bless Wider Society Through Your Work (Jeremiah 29)

In Jeremiah chapter 29, the prophet draws attention to God’s intention that his people's work should bless and serve the communities around...

Work for the Peace and Prosperity of the City

Though we may have little opportunity to impact major structures of our society, we can touch our neighbors and colleagues. We can...

A Future and a Hope

Because, for centuries, the Jews had consistently disobeyed the Lord, worshiping idols and rejecting justice, he finally sent the Babylonians to sack Jerusalem and take the finest of her people...

The Goodness of Work Restored (Jeremiah 30-33)

For twenty-three years, Jeremiah prophesied the coming destruction of Jerusalem (from God’s case against Judah in chapter 2 through chapter 28).[1] Then...

The Word Gives Life

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Jacob’s Transformation and Reconciliation with Esau (Genesis 32-33)

After increasing tension with his father-in-law and a business separation in which both men acted less than admirably, Jacob left Laban. Having...

Working Unjustly (Hosea 4:1-10; Joel 2:28-29)

When the prophets speak of prostitution they are seldom concerned merely with that particular line of work. Typically they are also using...

The Wonders of Nature and the Wonders of God

Our translation of Psalm 65:8 reads, "Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From...

Not Healing, But Terror

The prophet Jeremiah announced God’s coming judgment to the Israelites for their consistent rejection of God and his ways. Jeremiah knew all too well that the people deserved what was coming their...

Theme A Revisited: God Will Overthrow Pagan Kingdoms & Replace Them With His Own Kingdom...

The hope we have lies not in making the best of the present situation, but in the...

Psalm 149

The Lord takes pleasure in song, dancing, and the music of instruments (Ps. 149:2-3), as do musicians, dancers, composers, songwriters, choreographers, film scorers, music librarians, teachers, arts organization workers and donors, choir members...

God’s Grand Plan: A Theological Vision (Ephesians 1:1–3:21)

God's restoring work involves human beings both as recipients of grace and as participants in the work.

Worship and Work (Isaiah 1ff.)

Isaiah begins by insisting that religious rituals nauseate God when accompanied by sinful living: What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt-offerings of...

Best of Daily Reflections: Confess and Be Free

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and...

Best of Daily Reflections: The Best Hiding Place of All

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The Need for Social Capital (Haggai 1:1-2:19)

One of the challenges we face in work is the temptation to put self and family ahead of society. The prophet Haggai...

Calling on God in Truth

Psalm 145 celebrates the greatness and goodness of God.

Celebrating the Victory of God

Psalm 98 celebrates the power and victory of God. It calls us to praise him because of what he has done to save the world.

Work’s Ultimate Meaning (Isaiah 60ff.)

Throughout the book, Isaiah encourages Israel with the hope that God will eventually put to right the wrongs the people are suffering...

Peace and Prosperity (Isaiah 9ff.)

In contrast to the arrogant pride and self-sufficiency that will bring us down or the exploitation of the poor in order to...

Drinking Deeply from the Fountain of Salvation

Do you drink deeply from the fountain of salvation? Or do you simply take a sip every now and then? Sometimes we...

God at Work (Luke 1, 2, and 4)

Luke’s Gospel begins in a workplace.

God’s Presence in the Midst of Disaster (Psalm 46)

No matter how great the disaster, God is greater still.

Best of Daily Reflections: Why Are We So Afraid?

We are fearful of getting sick, getting hurt, losing money, or losing it all. But we don’t need to be.

Statutes and Ordinances (Deuteronomy 4:44-28:68)

In the second part of his second speech, Moses describes in detail the “statutes and ordinances” that God charges Israel to obey...

Shout to the Lord?!

I can still remember Mrs. Merrill calling the first-graders to worship in the Sunday School of Hollywood Presbyterian Church. Quoting from the King James version of prophet Habakkuk, Mrs. Merrill...

You Belong to God

Know that the LORD is God—he made us; we belong to him. We are his people, the sheep of his own pasture. Psalms 100:3 I’ll never forget my first baseball uniform. As a...