As the Day Begins “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” — Romans 8:29, NIV. (Bible App) Paul’s words give us a steady answer to a morning question: What is God doing in my life? In Romans 8, he speaks to people who know weakness, suffering,Continue reading “Becoming What God Has Begun”
Category Archives: A Morning Meditation
Why Do Birds Sing?
As the Day Begins “God created every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” — Genesis 1:21, NIV (Bible Gateway) A bird begins singing outside the window before we have decided what sort of day this will be. There may be work waiting, a difficult conversation ahead, or aContinue reading “Why Do Birds Sing?”
The Freedom to Be Small
As the Day Begins The disciples once asked Jesus who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus called a child to stand among them and answered, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:1–3, NIV). They were thinking about standing and status. Jesus directedContinue reading “The Freedom to Be Small”
The Courage to Face the Day
As the Day Begins “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” — 2 Timothy 1:12, NIV Paul wrote these words while suffering for the gospel. He did not need to pretend that his circumstances were comfortable or thatContinue reading “The Courage to Face the Day”
Before Bitterness Takes Root
As the Day Begins “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” — Hebrews 12:15, NIV (Bible Gateway) A root can spread beneath the soil long before anything appears above it. Resentment often works that way. AContinue reading “Before Bitterness Takes Root”
Whose Hands Hold the Future?
As the Day Begins “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” — Revelation 7:10 (NIV) (Bible Gateway) There are mornings when the troubles of the world seem to reach us before we have even left the house. We hear of suffering we cannot relieve, decisions we cannot influence,Continue reading “Whose Hands Hold the Future?”
Faithful in the Middle of an Ordinary Hard Day
As the Day Begins “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” — 1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV (Bible Gateway) A difficult day does not mean that God has stepped away from you. Bills, illness, strained relationships, and weariness can enter the lives of faithful people. Jesus said thatContinue reading “Faithful in the Middle of an Ordinary Hard Day”
Grace Is a Gift That Calls for an Answer
As the Day Begins “As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.” —2 Corinthians 6:1 God’s grace comes to us as a gift, but it is never meant to pass through our lives without changing us. Paul had just proclaimed that God reconciled sinners to Himself through Christ and entrustedContinue reading “Grace Is a Gift That Calls for an Answer”
Grace Has More Ahead
As the Day Begins “Into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” —1 Peter 1:4 Peter wrote to Christians whose lives were marked by uncertainty, displacement, and suffering. Yet he did not describe them as abandoned people trying merely to survive. Through Christ, they hadContinue reading “Grace Has More Ahead”
When the World Becomes Too Small
As the Day Begins “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” —2 Corinthians 4:4 Paul describes spiritual blindness, not an intellectual deficiency. The “god of this age” is Satan,Continue reading “When the World Becomes Too Small”