Devotional

Daily devotional life of Scripture and prayer

NewbornI grew up with puppies, ponies, ducklings, chicks, kitties, and bunnies in our large backyard. I saw new babies of every kind.  Five years ago I got to see my second grandson just after he was born, and I couldn’t keep the tears from flowing. Birth of any kind is an amazing gift from God. But it’s ironic that God wasn’t born or created -- he is self-existent!

newbornAfter my first year of college I worked as a nursing assistant on a postpartum unit. I had a two-week orientation and then off I went to help the new mothers. I’m not sure how much help I was at first because I had much to learn.

FireHow do we begin to understand God’s holiness? According to A.W. Tozer, we are the total opposite of holy; we are vile.

the seed within usLast month I wrote that God is near to everyone, everything and everywhere; he is omnipresent. But there is an added dimension to the “everywhereness” of God.  He not only contains everything, he also penetrates everything to its deepest core. God is immanent.

Years ago my daughter had a computer game called “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?”  It tested our knowledge of geography, the locations of natural and man-made wonders, and a lot of world trivia. We loved it, but we didn’t get many answers right!

Grace, like mercy, flows from God’s goodness. But they are not the same.

According to A. W. Tozer, “mercy is God’s goodness confronting human guilt, whereas grace is God’s goodness confronting human demerit (unworthiness, very poor quality).”

Did you know that the word mercy appears in the Old Testament four times more often than it does in the New Testament? What a surprise for those who believe that the Old Testament is full of wrath and judgment!

On almost every episode of the TV show, Law & Order, there is a different judge, often with a version of justice that doesn’t always seem right, especially to the offenders!

Taste and SeeGod really wants to please us. According to A.W. Tozer, “God is kindhearted, gracious, good-natured, and benevolent in intention.” He is also cordial, he never thinks any bad thoughts about anyone, and he is infinitely good, always good, and perfectly good.

UniverseDuring Advent, we direct our thoughts and hearts to the first coming of Jesus as Lord and Savior, and we look forward to his second coming as Christ the King. As we pray, light candles and sing hymns, we share in the wonder that our Creator God became a diminutive, vulnerable baby to rescue our broken world.

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