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Weekly Devotionals  |
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Good News DailyVolume VIII Sunday, October 19 A San Francisco Chronicle front page story told of a humpback whale trapped in a web of hundreds of pounds of crab traps and lines, struggling to stay afloat. Divers, working for hours with curved knives, untangled her. When free, incredibly she swam in joyous circles, returning to every diver, nudging and gently pushing. The diver cutting the lines from her mouth said her eye followed him the whole time and he will never be the same. As one once tangled up in lines and traps, when the Lord cut lines binding me, I was free to be quiet and stand aside. He continues in this lifetime project. “Praise the Lord from the heavens….Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts….Let them praise the name of the Lord” (vv.1a, 2, 5a). Amen. Song of Solomon 2:8-17; Psalms 149, 150; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Matthew 16:13-20 Monday, October 20 My friend was in distress. Some years ago, she exchanged hurtful words in conversation with a woman. She said she carried these hurtful words around and although this woman moved away, the hurting memory became a fixture. My friend is a Godly woman. We prayed our Lord would help her find this woman and be present when she did. Later, she stopped in a remote store for shoe polish and as she turned down an aisle, the very same woman came towards her, arms outstretched. They spent an hour in mutual forgiveness and will never be the same. How many times does our Lord have to reveal himself before we realize how close he really is? Amen. Song of Solomon 4:1—5:1; Revelation 7:1-8; Luke 9:51-62 Tuesday, October 21 This scripture brings to mind the death of my Father. One morning, while walking for his paper, he fell. A stranger helped him home. “It was an angel,” said Mom. “We know everybody, and this was a stranger.” The family gathered as he lost his ability to move. One muscle which continued on was the kissing muscle. Mom kissed him frequently, and he would fervently return her kisses. For three days we surrounded him singing hymns. The hospital staff didn’t try to keep us quiet (it’s a small town). Dad showed us the way, kissing and loving as usual until the very end, passing on the Lord’s inheritance. The late Rev. Canon Jim Glennon wrote: “Death is not the enemy; God’s last and greatest gift to us is that of going to be with him in the grace of Christ and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” Song of Solomon 5:2–6:3; Psalm 26; Revelation 7:9-17; Luke 10:1-16 Wednesday, October 22 An email arrived from Pilots for Christ, through my favorite pilot, Jim. A man was on a long flight when a huge storm broke. Turbulence lifted the plane on terrific currents and then dropped it as if to crash. Alarm and fear reigned. He noticed a little girl, however, who was completely calm. Fear was not in her world. When they finally reached their destination, he asked why she had not been afraid. She answered, “Because my Daddy’s the pilot and he’s taking me home.” Don Scott writes in the June/July 2007 issue of Sharing: “The needy, the Harvest, are all around us, even on planes. Jesus places them on the path in front or beside us wherever we are. He plans and books the appointments and He guides and directs what we say and do—AND He changes lives.” Song of Solomon 8:5-14; Psalm 38; Revelation 8:1-13 Thursday, October 23 My young neighbors had never mentioned their faith. Like the priest and the Levite, I was definitely stepping around them when it came to mentioning my Lord Jesus. Unexpectedly, they announced a transfer to Seattle, a special city to me. I knew St. Luke’s Church there was the base for the late Fr. Dennis Bennett’s ministry, influencing people nationally. While kneeling at the Eucharist, this couple came to mind so I knew “passing on the other side” was not acceptable. I recommended St. Luke’s and gave them a copy of Fr. Bennett’s book, Nine O’clock In The Morning. I can’t say I inspired them, but I know without a doubt this was a seed for someone sometime. Many times I have stumbled on a neighborly note or prayer in an old chest or book which was just the ticket for the day’s need. Amen. Esther 1:1-4, 9-12, 16-22; Psalm 37:1-18; Revelation 9:1-12 Friday, October 24 When turmoil and trouble come for prayer, I sometimes wonder how the Lord could possibly use me. Is that what Esther (Hadassah) thought as she listened to Mordecai’s instructions? One simple, young, orphaned girl became King Xerxes’ Queen, placing her in line to save the Jewish nation. At such a time, Fr. Al Durrance advises us to ask the Lord how to pray, to sit quietly, offering up the situation to our Lord, waiting on Him. Why am I amazed, when just the right response comes to mind as He demonstrates the Holy Spirit at work? “And Mordecai said…the little spring that became a river, the light that shone, the sun, Esther is the river…” (Esther 10:6, The Jerusalem Bible). Psalm 31; Revelation 9:13-21; Luke 10:38-42 Saturday, October 25 Aborigines in Australiahave a practice of “pointing the bone.” It is greatly feared when one is on the receiving end of this pointing, since death seems to occur frequently thereafter. Sometimes we “point the bone” at ourselves, repeatedly saying “I have cancer, I have arthritis,” etc., until it becomes our identity. I am learning, instead, to claim the promises of Christ. For example: “I have Jesus.” This points the healing cross of Christ directly inward, becoming the powerful essence of our being by repeating the words consistently, thus sealing ourselves with Him, with His glorious presence, in every cell and bone. “We are not like so many ripe apples in a tree waiting for some Herod to come along and shake us out. No, we are absolutely secure, for we have invested our lives in Jesus Christ” (The Very Rev. Richard Lobs, III). Esther 2:12-23; Psalm 32; Revelation 10:1-11; Luke 11:1-13by Doris Matthews Used with permission from the BIBLE READING FELLOWSHIP |
