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  Acts 28:1-6 Listen to today’s devotional Have you ever had one of those days that make you wonder, "What else can go wrong?" This little story about a snakebite might help put them in perspective. After being shipwrecked, Paul and the others make it to the shore of Malta. Even though they're cold, wet, and exhausted, at least they're on land. As they sit around a fire, a snake comes out and latches itself to Paul's hand. The islanders see it and immediately assume this man was a murderer. He thought he could escape justice, but it caught up to him. In their minds, perhaps, Paul may have outwitted the sea, but not the goddess of justice, Dike. How quickly they thought they had Paul figured out. We still do the same thing. We can be too quick to explain someone else’s hardship. Some people will hear of a diagnosis, a failed relationship, job loss, or some other pressing circumstance and assume it's God's way of sending a message. God’s punishment, even. Th...

This week, I attended an onboarding session hosted by my annual conference. This is an event designed for pastors going to new appointments. Mainly, the time is meant to offer guidance for serving a new congregation.  Now, I appreciate what the event represents. There are many things to consider when going to a new church. And I know there are colleagues for whom this is a new journey. Between you and me, I could have skipped it. I've had several new congregations over the years. And I hate to sound like the old guy who thinks he knows what he's doing and can't or doesn't want to learn anything new. I know I can, and am grateful for things I am still learning.  Still, experience matters.  More than that, though, I go to every appointment with the same posture. My mindset is not to get there and show those people what they're missing or doing wrong. I'm not there to stir the pot just to rile people up. I go with one leading mandate: Love the people you serve.  Lo...

  Matthew 25:1-5 Listen to today’s devotional A couple of days ago, I received an email about a final grade for a class. I opened it expecting the usual details and discovered I had received a zero on one of my final assignments. Well, the problem wasn't that I had done a bad job. The problem was that I hadn't even turned it in. My best guess is that I confused one class for another, the paper got lost in my mind, and I didn't even realize there was an assignment to complete. I immediately emailed the professor to ask whether I could submit it late. But I decided not to wait. Before he answered, I cranked out an eight-page paper, not knowing if it would be accepted. If grace was going to be available, I wanted to be ready to receive it. That made me think about Jesus' words in Matthew 25. Again and again, Jesus tells stories about people who assume there will always be more time. Think of bridesmaids waiting for a wedding, servants entrusted with resources, and people e...

  John 14:25-26 Listen to today’s devotional If life were like a sitcom, the transformation we desire for our lives would happen a lot more quickly. And, truthfully, that's how we like things. Give us the quick insight that changes everything in a moment, or the sermon that fixes us. Many people have been told that there's one prayer that will settle their doubts and the vices they wish they could just let go. But in John 14, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit a teacher, not a spiritual vending machine. We're used to quick downloads and instant upgrades, but teachers do their work over time. Some of us do experience faith moments that seem to flip the switch, but most of us know faith more like learning a language. You have to hear the same words over and over. You practice, you forget, you stumble through your words, and you try again. Then one day, you realize you're better at it today than you were before. The disciples themselves are proof of this slow-learning faith. They...

  Psalm 1:1-3 Listen to today’s devotional The desert monks knew something about rocks. They lived among them. Prayed beside them. If they were anything like me, they tripped over them. And they knew how hard stone is. But they also knew something else. That, given enough time, water changes everything. Abba Poemen once said that water is soft and stone is hard, yet a steady drip of water can wear away the rock. That was not just a lesson on nature, but also the nature of reading and reflecting on the Word of God. Our hearts can be pretty stubborn and resistant to the Spirit's nudge. Even more, we carry wounds, assumptions, fears, and habits that just seem to be who we are. And if we do want a change of heart, we want God to change us in a flash. But, most of the time, God chooses a drip. Think of this drip as a verse you read in the morning. Maybe you pray a psalm before bed. You might think listening to that gospel story for the hundredth time doesn't mean anything because no...

  Romans 8:26-27 Listen to today’s devotional The Desert Father Abba Agathon once said, "Prayer is warfare to the last breath." Wow! At first, that sounds a bit dramatic. We hear "warfare" and imagine demons lurking behind every pew. But Agathon's point was related to something much simpler and much closer to home. He said that about prayer because he was asked, "Which virtue requires the greatest effort?" Well, have you ever noticed how easy it is to do almost anything except pray? You sit down, ready to pray. Suddenly, that's your mind's chance to bring up an email, a conversation from three years ago, the grocery list, or that strange noise the car made yesterday. The moment you turn toward God, a thousand other things fight for your attention. So, how in the world do we do what the apostle Paul tells us when he says to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17)? Truth be told, I can understand Jesus’ disciples falling asleep af...