Category: Devotional

We had been planning this event for months, but whether or not we would see it was in the hands of God. To see a total eclipse of the sun is something a person can see only a few times in their life. I had never seen one, and I was determined not to miss…

My friend Johnny passed away about 30 years ago, but his unique character makes him unforgettable. Johnny loved to fly. During WWII he served as a pilot, and when the war was over, he wanted nothing more than to fly for a commercial airline. Unfortunately, his was the same desire as all the others who…

My computer has been giving me fits today. It keeps stalling, and instead of following my commands will show me how long it can make a circle spin in the middle of the screen. For the record, I hate spinning circles.  As I watched the circle with increasing frustration, I began doing some introspection (after…

A friend made a profound comment to me recently. He said that sin can be fun, but that ultimately this kind of joy is no joy at all because it is anchored in hopelessness. Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die only works for a short time.  What brings you joy? Is it…

“Please show me your glory.” (Exodus 33:18) That was Moses’ request of God after pleading with him to spare the Israelites after that nasty incident involving a golden calf (Exodus 32). By this time, Moses had already met God at a burning bush, had a front-row seat to the Ten Plagues, crossed the Red Sea…

Do you ever fear that you haven’t done enough to prove yourself? That you haven’t loved enough, given enough, or worked hard enough to be considered good or worthy? Sometimes I have felt that way, and, unfortunately, there is a Bible verse that seemed to reinforce my fear. Philippians 2:12-13 commands, “Continue to work out…

Do you ever want to say “no” to God? It seems that many of the Bible’s most famous characters tried to tell him, “Not me!” One of those was Moses, who thought he was the wrong man to lead the revolt against Pharoah and his Egyptian slave masters. I can understand his reluctance since he…

Sometimes believing the Bible seems to stretch my ability to hang onto faith. The doctrine of the virgin birth is one of those faith stretchers. I have three children, so I know how babies come to be. Could Mary, really have been a virgin when Jesus was born? Not without a miracle she couldn’t! Is…

When you travel, do you play the license plate game? The goal is to spot license plates from all 50 states. My wife and I completed the challenge during our travels this summer, but it took a trip of 12,000 miles. When I am driving out of state, I often imagine passengers in passing cars…

It is definitely not a beach day, but here we are. The wind is howling, the waves are slamming against pier and shore, and the few beachgoers are plotting alternative forms of recreation. My wife and I, however, are not quitters so we work together to set up our beach cabana. The gusty weather thinks…

As I celebrated Thanksgiving with family and new friends, I wondered if this is perhaps the Christian’s strongest beachhead against secular culture. Yes, I am aware that many celebrate the day with misdirected thanks, but grateful hearts will always repel a materialistic mindset. Somehow, miraculously, Thanksgiving has successfully withstood the onslaught of those who would…

Life on a plane feels like life on pause. As I flew from Florida to California, where was I? I wasn’t in Florida, and I wasn’t in California. I was in the air, I was somewhere, I was nowhere. When I stepped off the plane, Florida seemed long ago and far away. California was my…

I thought I knew that quote, but I had it wrong. I’m talking about a famous quote by Abraham Kuyper, which I thought said, “There is not a square inch in all of creation over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine!’” It was recently pointed out to me that what…

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So is weather. The temperature was 60 degrees when I began my bike ride this morning. I thought I was going to become a bICEcycle (That’s a Dad Joke for those who have never seen one). I write this knowing that my northern friends…

Today I am enjoying one of my simple pleasures by sitting on my patio and looking out at the large oak tree and open field beyond my back fence. Another simple pleasure is to bake a loaf of bread, put a slice in the toaster, and then squash an avocado on top. With a shake…

I thought that I was going to attend college in Iowa, return home to California, work as an actuary for a large insurance company, make lots of money, and live a comfortable life. However, during my freshman year, I met a group of students who showed me that living as a Christian meant giving God…

I hate to fail, but today my buddy and I put our brains together and still failed. I invited him to come over and help me replace my garbage disposal that had mysteriously stopped working. We followed the instructions, got it installed, and expectantly flipped the switch. Nothing happened. Oh, water poured out of the…

Pedaling my bike felt sluggish. I had trouble getting enough power from my legs to make it to the top of the bridge, and my average speed was several miles per hour less than last week. What was wrong with me? I squeezed my back tire and it felt squishy. That was it, the tires…

As I was riding my bike this morning, navigating a roundabout, a small, pug-nosed dog suddenly jumped out of the open back window of a passing SUV. She hit the pavement, rolled a few times, and then got up, seemingly uninjured. The dog did not bark, whine, or make any sound. The SUV driver stopped…

3 am.Arm itches.I scratch.Still itches.Won’t stop.My wife has a cream.Don’t want to wake her.Go to bathroom.It must be here.Don’t turn on light.That would wake me.Cream.It comes in a tube.Here’s a tube.Rub it on.Smells minty.Ugh, toothpaste.Another tube.Feels sticky.If it’s in a tube, I apply it.Not it.Not it.Not it.Oops, I may be allergic to that.Wash it off.Still…