HOLD HANDS AND JUMP!

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

HOLD HANDS AND JUMP!

READ:  Ecclesiastes 4:8-12

Two are better than one.  Ecclesiastes 4:9

When Leo and Amy opened a three-hundred-seat, fine-dining restaurant, Leo admitted he was “scared of everything.”  Amy equates their leap of faith in starting their business to holding hands while jumping off a mountain. But if you’re going to do something scary, “you want to do it with someone you know and trust,” Leo continued.

Chris and Karie, another couple who took a risk to own and run a restaurant together, say they have “a good working relationship, as well as mutual admiration for each other’s work.”

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, knew how crucial it is to have companions in life.  He wrote, “Two are better than one” (Ecclesiastes 4:9).  When one falls during a difficult time, another provides comfort and support (vv. 10-12).  We need our spouses and friends to help us through the scary times and to provide emotional support.  Loners  make life harder for themselves (v. 8).  But those who recognize their need for others find help and encouragement.

If you need to take a leap of faith-something involving finances, a career change, a new ministry-invite someone trustworthy to hold your hand as you make that jump.  Or give that same encouragement to someone close to you.  Because two really are better than one.     AC

We are dependent on the strength

We draw from one another,

Words spoken give encouragement,

Love practiced draws us closer. -Sper

Those who trust God can help others to do the same.

CREATION'S SONG

Creation’s Song

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1

READ PSALM 19:1–6

Using acoustic astronomy, scientists can observe and listen to the sounds and pulses of space. They’ve found that stars don’t orbit in silence in the mysterious night sky, but rather generate music. Like humpback whale sounds, the resonance of stars exists at wavelengths or frequencies that may not be heard by the human ear. Yet, the music of stars and whales and other creatures combine to create a symphony that proclaims the greatness of God.

Psalm 19:1-4 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul reveals that in Jesus “all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible . . . all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). In response, the natural world’s heights and depths sing to its Maker. May we join creation and sing out the greatness of the One who “with the breadth of his hand marked off the [vast] heavens” (Isaiah 40:12).

By Remi Oyedele

REFLECT & PRAY

Let [us] praise the name of the Lord, for at His command [we] were created. Psalm 148:5

How great You are, O God! Open my eyes to see You in creation’s majesty and open my heart to offer the praise You deserve.

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INSIGHT

Psalm 19 celebrates God’s revealing of Himself to humanity through creation (vv. 1-6; often referred to as general revelation), and through Scripture (vv. 7-11; often referred to as special revelation). Interestingly, verses 1-6 use the general title for God (El), while in verses 7-14 the speaker chooses the personal title for God in the Old Testament of YHWH (“the Lord”).

Although creation powerfully and wordlessly reveals God’s care and power over all creation (vv. 2, 3, 6), this psalm paints a picture of how through Scripture God reveals Himself more intimately, in a way that transforms our lives (vv. 7-11). And, knowing our weaknesses, the psalmist confesses that this growth in intimacy with God is only possible through grace (vv. 12-14). God reveals Himself, not only through creation and Scripture, but through powerfully redeeming His people (v. 14). Monica Brands

CAN WE REJOICE?

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

CAN WE REJOICE?

READ:  Habakkuk 3:17-19

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord….The Lord God is my strength.

Habakkuk 3:18, 19

I’ll never forget the question our Bible-study leader asked:  “What do you fear would test your faith in God the most?”  We were studying Habakkuk 3:17-18, where the prophet said that even if God sent suffering or loss, he would still rejoice.

As a single woman in my twenties, my answer was “I don’t know if I could stand the pain of losing my parents.”  But I told God that day that even when they died I would rejoice in Him.  I found out too soon that it’s easier said than done.

A month later, Dad learned he had heart disease and didn’t have long to live.  He didn’t know Jesus as his Savior, so I begged God not to let him die without coming to know Him.  Not only did he die that year, so did Mom, who was a believer.  I didn’t know if my prayer for Dad was answered.  I couldn’t rejoice; I wondered if God had even hear my prayer.

As I wrestled with Him about my questions, I experienced the Lord as my “refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).  I found hope in the truth that God, “the Judge of all the earth,” would do what was right by everyone (Genesis 18:25).

We can rejoice-when we are rejoicing in the Lord, our strong refuge and righteous Judge.   AC

Why must I bear this pain?  I cannot tell;

I only no my Lord does all things well.

And so I trust in God, my all in all,

For He will bring me through, whate’er befall. -Smith

God tries our faith so that we may try His faithfulness.

WHERE ARE YOU HEADED?

Where Are You Headed?

Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.

Psalm 121:1-2

READ PSALM 121

What determines our direction in life? I once heard an answer to that question in a surprising place: a motorcycle training course. Some friends and I wanted to ride, so we took a class to learn how. Part of our training dealt with something called target fixation.

“Eventually,” our instructor said, “you’re going to face an unexpected obstacle. If you stare at it—if you target fixate—you’ll steer right into it. But if you look above and past it to where you need to go, you can usually avoid it.” Then he added, “Where you’re looking is the direction you’re going to go.”

That simple-but-profound principle applies to our spiritual lives too. When we “target fixate”—focusing on our problems or struggles—we almost automatically orient our lives around them.

However, Scripture encourages us to look past our problems to the One who can help us with them. In Psalm 121:1, we read, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?” The psalm then answers: “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. . . . The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (vv. 2, 8).

Sometimes our obstacles can seem insurmountable. But God invites us to look to Him to help us see beyond our troubles instead of letting them dominate our perspective.

By Adam Holz

REFLECT & PRAY

Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8

Father, help me not to “target fixate,” but to look to You whenever I face fearful obstacles as I seek to follow You along life’s road.

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INSIGHT

Three times in this short psalm the Lord is referred to as one who “watches” us (vv. 3, 4, 5). This idea is of great comfort to the believer because it presents God as one who is not passive but active in our lives. To “watch over” something is to actively guard and protect it. This idea is underscored by the fact that as our watcher (keeper in the nkjv), God doesn’t sleep or slumber (vv. 3-4), but watches over us day and night (vv. 5-6). J.R. Hudberg

NAOMI

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

NAOMI

READ:  Ruth 4:13-22

The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has

not left you this day without a close relative.”  Ruth 4:14

A wise person once told me, “Never be quick to judge whether something is a blessing or a curse.”  The story of Naomi reminds me of this.

The name Naomi means “my delight.”  But when bad things happened to her, Naomi wanted to change her name to match her circumstances.  After her husband and sons died, Naomi concluded, “The hand of the Lord has gone out against me!” (Ruth 1:13).  When people greeted her, she said, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (v.20).

Rather than judge her circumstances in light of her identity as a follower of the one true God who had proclaimed unfailing love for His people, Naomi did what most of us tend to do:  She judged God in light of her circumstance.  And she judged wrongly.  The hand of the Lord had not gone out against her.  In fact, Naomi had a God-given treasure she had not yet discovered.  Although Naomi lost her husband and two sons, she was given something totally unexpected-a devoted daughter-in-law and a grandchild who would be in the lineage of the Messiah.

As Naomi’s life shows us, sometimes the worst thing that happens to us can open the door for the best that God has to give us.    JAL

Loving Father, help me not to judge your love for me

on the basis of whether today brings good news

or bad.  Help me remember that you desire to use

my circumstances to make me more like Jesus.  Amen.

God’s purpose for today’s events may

not be seen till tomorrow.

THE BEAUTY OF LOVE

The Beauty of Love

May your fountain be blessed.

Proverbs 5:18

READ PROVERBS 5

The “Jarabe Tapatío,” also known as the Mexican hat dance, celebrates romance. During this upbeat dance, the man places his sombrero on the ground. At the very end, the woman grabs the hat and both hide behind it to seal their romance with a kiss.

This dance reminds me of the importance of faithfulness in marriage. In Proverbs 5, after talking about the high cost of immorality, we read that marriage is exclusive. “Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well” (v. 15). Even with ten couples dancing the Jarabe on stage, each person focuses on his or her partner. We can rejoice in a deep and undivided commitment to our spouse (v. 18).

Our romance is also being observed. The dancers, while they are enjoying their partner, know someone is watching. In the same way, we read, “For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths” (v. 21). God wants to protect our marriages, so He’s constantly watching us. May we please Him through the loyalty we show to each other.

Just like in the Jarabe there is a rhythm to follow in life. When we keep the beat of our Creator by being faithful to Him—whether we are married or unmarried—we find blessings and joy.

By Keila Ochoa

REFLECT & PRAY

Faithfulness brings joy.

Dear Lord, You know all my ways. Help me to honor You in my relationships with others.

Your gift changes lives. Help us share God’s love with millions every day.

INSIGHT

The book of Proverbs is “a compass that helps us navigate the murky waters of life” (nlt Study Bible). In the first nine chapters, a father advises his son how to live a God-honoring life. Here in chapter 5, the father warns of the dangers (vv. 4-6) and foolishness (vv. 7-14) of sexual love outside of marriage while commending the enjoyment of it within the bounds of marriage (vv. 15-20). The author reminds us that our “ways are in full view of the Lord” (v. 21) and there are consequences to our choices (vv. 22-23). K. T. Sim

KNOWN UNTO GOD

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

KNOWN UNTO GOD

READ:  Psalm 77:1-15

Has God forgotten to be gracious?  Has He in anger

shut up His tender mercies?  Psalm 77:9

While visiting a World War I military cemetery in France, I was struck by the number of grave markers bearing only these words:

A SOLDIER OF THE GREAT WAR:  KNOWN UNTO GOD

The cemetery was surrounded on three sides by stone panels bearing the names of 20,000 soldiers who fell in nearby battles.  Imagining the loneliness of men dying in war and the anguish of families grieving at home was overpowering.

There may be times in life when we feel forgotten and alone.  Like the psalmist we cry out:  “Will the Lord cast off forever?  And will He be favorable no more?…Has God forgotten to be gracious?  Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?” (Psalm 77:7,9).

The psalmist’s answer to feeling abandoned came in remembering all that God had done in the past, meditating on His wonderful work, and speaking of it to others (vv.11-12).

In our darkest moments, we can remember the words of Jesus:  “Are not five sparrows sold for two cooper coins?  And not one of them is forgotten before God.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7).

We are never forgotten by God.                  DCM

When trials loom or death is near,

In Christ we can confide;

We never need to feel alone-

He’s always at our side. -Sper

In every desert o trial, God offers an oasis of comfort.