February 1, 2021 (Monday)
Discipline of Life
“They came to the other side of the lake, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.’ For he had said to him, ‘Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He replied, ‘My name is Legion; for we are many.’ He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; and the unclean spirits begged him, ‘Send us into the swine; let us enter them.’ So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned in the lake. The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, ‘Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.’ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.”
– Mark 5:1-20
Memory Verse: “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.” (Mark 5:19)
The demon possessed man had a lot of power but he had no control over the power he had; the
power controlled him. It had bound him. Jesus gave him the power that set him free. Let us meditate on what kind of power we have. Is it the power that controls and enslaves me or the power that frees me from the bondage?
Lord, grant me the power that sets me free. Amen.
February 2, 2021 (Tuesday)
Suffering in Life
“See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. Then I will draw near to you for judgement; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.”
– Malachi 3:1-5
Memory Verse: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:3)
God purifies us. Suffering we face in life is God’s instrument for our purification. Suffering cannot destroy us. It burns off all the unnecessary desires that are attached to us. When we face suffering in life, we realize what is really important to us. That is when our thoughts become purified. Suffering will only make us stronger.
Lord, when I face suffering, help me not to be discouraged but to reflect on what is important to me. Amen.
February 3, 2021 (Wednesday)
Hope for the Eternity
“As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust. As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.”
– Psalm 103:13-18
Memory Verse: “As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field.” (Psalm 103:15)
Our days are like a flower of the field. Time passes and it withers and falls on the ground. When the wind passes over it, it is blown away. To frail mortals, God gives the hope for the eternity. God lets us know that his steadfast love is from everlasting to everlasting. Let us live with this hope. God will fulfill our hope for eternity.
Lord, instead of living for the glory of this world that stays with us for a while and vanishes, help us live for your glory that is eternal. Amen.
February 5, 2021 (Friday)
Money
“Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?’”
– Hebrews 13:5-6
Memory Verse: “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.” (Hebrews 13:5)
We all need money and so money is very important to us. Money affects our whole life. Money gives us joy but it also burdens us with worries. Money is very important but if we love it and live our lives chasing after money, we will lose life. Let us believe that God will help us. Let us trust that God will keep us safe and provide us with what we need. Worries will be lifted up from us and we will find joy of life.
Lord, thank you for taking care of me and providing me with what I need. Amen.
February 6, 2021 (Saturday)
Shepherd
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.”
– Psalm 23:1-6
Memory Verse: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)
God is our shepherd. How empowering it is to have the shepherd in our lives! When we are lost and we don’t know where to go, God shows us the way. When dangers of life strike us, God will protect us from them. When we are weak and tired, God will give us rest. When we go through the scary and dark path of death, the shepherd will be with us and lead us to the eternal home.
Lord, thank you for being my shepherd. Amen.
February 7, 2021 (Sunday)
Hostility
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.”
– Colossians 1:15-20
Memory Verse: “…through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1:20)
We have hostility within us. This hostility came from our fear. Because of this hostility, we have struggles, conflicts, and dividedness within us. Because of this hostility, we cannot have a peaceful relationship with God. Jesus took away the hostility within us through the blood of his cross. Through Jesus, we have peace with God, with the world, and with ourselves.
Lord, thank you for giving me your peace. Amen.
February 8, 2021 (Monday)
Creation
“In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, ‘Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’ So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, ‘Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, ‘Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.’ And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.”
– Genesis 1:1-19
Memory Verse: “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
Let us meditate on God’s creation. God gave us the beautiful world as his gift. Expansive universe, beautiful stars, and precious sun and moon are God’s gifts, given freely to us. Let us live our lives deeply appreciating God’s beautiful gifts. Let us keep the beauty of this world in our heart. Behind the visible world, there is God’s invisible hand. When we meditate on God’s majestic creation, our small problems will flee away.
Lord, thank you for giving me this world as your gift. Amen.
February 9, 2021 (Tuesday)
Creation (2)
“And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.’ So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.’ And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’
– Genesis 1:20-2:4
So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.”
Memory Verse: “God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27-28)
God created the earth, the sky, and the sea and filled them with all kinds of living beings. He also created male and female and put them in the midst. God created them in God’s image and blessed them. God blessed them so that they might take care of the beautiful creation. God blessed us so that we may bless the world around us. Let us keep God’s image within us and live our lives with understanding that we have God’s image.
Lord, thank you for blessing me so that I may bless the world around me. Amen.
February 10, 2021 (Wednesday)
Good and Evil
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’”
– Genesis 2:15-17
Memory Verse: “…but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” (Genesis 2:17)
God told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Don’t we need to know good and evil to choose good? But do we have power to choose good even though we know it? It may be important to know good and evil but we need power to choose good and resist evil. Let us ask God to give us the power.
Lord, grant me the power to choose good and resist evil. Amen.
February 11, 2021 (Thursday)
We Are Not Alone
“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’ So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,
– Genesis 2:18-23
‘This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called Woman,
for out of Man this one was taken.’”
Memory Verse: “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone.’” (Genesis 2:18)
When God created the world, he repeatedly said that it is good. But seeing that Adam is alone, he said it is not good. Then he created Eve. The creation of Eve does not mean merely that God created another human being. By creating Eve, God created relationship. We are not alone. We exist deeply connected with others.
Lord, thank you for the relationships that enrich my life. Amen.
February 12, 2021 (Friday)
Where Are You?
“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’ So out of the ground the Lord They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’”
– Genesis 3:8-9
Memory Verse: “But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’” (Genesis 2:18)
“Where are you?” This is a voice of God calling us. It is a voice of God searching for us. We do not seek God. We hide from God. That is when we hear this voice, “Where are you?” Sometimes God hides from us. That is when God wants us to search for him as he does for us.
Lord, thank you for searching for me when I hide from you. Amen.
February 13, 2021 (Saturday)
Being Connected
“Lord, you have been our dwelling-place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn us back to dust, and say, ‘Turn back, you mortals.’ For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night. You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning; in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance. For all our days pass away under your wrath; our years come to an end like a sigh. The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due to you. So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.”
– Psalm 90:1-12
Memory Verse: “…from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:2)
God is eternal and our life is only temporary. By God’s grace, our temporary life does not disappear into nothing but becomes connected with the eternity. As dots are connected to make a line, our temporal life has become a part of the eternal life given by God. Let us thank God for connecting us with his eternal Self. Otherwise we are like a grass that flourishes in the morning and fades and withers in the evening.
Lord, thank you for connecting me with you for I am all alone without you. Amen.
February 14, 2021 (Sunday)
Light of Glory
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
– 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Memory Verse: “For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Our life has to be radiant. When God shines his light upon us, our life becomes radiant. We have things that block God’s light. Let us trust God wholeheartedly. God’s light will come into our heart and will brighten our existence. With this light, we can defeat the darkness. May our life be full of light.
Lord, shine your light on me. Amen.
February 15, 2021 (Monday)
A Sign
“The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.’ And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.”
– Mark 8:11-13
Memory Verse: “Why does this generation ask for a sign?” (Mark 8:12)
When we are anxious, we look for a sign. We want a visible proof. We want to see it and believe. The focus of our faith is on ourselves. It is not our conviction that gives us assurance. We are fragile and unreliable. Instead of asking for a sign, let us ask for God himself. God is our rock that is not shaken. We will have the assurance in our relationship with God.
Lord, thank you for being my rock. Amen.
February 16, 2021 (Tuesday)
Faith
“Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, ‘Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’ They said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ They said to him, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ And they said to him, ‘Seven.’ Then he said to them, ‘Do you not yet understand?’”
– Mark 8:14-21
Memory Verse: “Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?” (Mark 8:18)
It is hard to believe. We do not have faith simply because we see miracles. Miracles do not bring about faith but faith opens our eyes to see miracles. When there is faith, our eyes and our ears will be opened up. We will see and hear different things with faith. Faith is not something we can acquire but a gift that is given to us. When we seek faith with humility, God will grant us the faith.
Lord, please grant me faith for I am your humble servant. Amen.
February 17, 2021 (Wednesday)
God’s Grace
“As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,
– 2 Corinthians 6:1-10
‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything”
Memory Verse: “We urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1)
God’s grace is not to be taken lightly. It is God’s power working in us. Because of God’s grace, we can serve God and carry on his ministry. Because of God’s grace, we can endure our suffering and hardships and maintain the beautiful character of faith. God’s grace is the living power for us. Without God’s grace, we cannot continue our journey of faith. Let us not accept God’s grace in vain.
Lord, grant me your grace for without it, I cannot survive. Amen.
February 18, 2021 (Thursday)
Life of the Righteous
“Happy are those
– Psalm 1
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.”
Memory Verse: “the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Psalm 1:6)
There is life that withers away and life that is fruitful. Life that is detached from God will wither but life that is attached to God will be fruitful. Life of the wicked is dark. It is filled with jealousy, complaints and blame. Life of the righteous is bright. It is filled with thankfulness, hope, and love.
Lord, help me live an abundant life. Amen.
February 19, 2021 (Friday)
Honesty
“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
– Psalm 51:10-12
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.”
Memory Verse: “Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
There is nothing that we can hide from God. God knows everything about us. When we come before God, we should be honest. When we try to hide things from God, our relationship with God becomes distant. God is merciful. When we come before God with honesty, God removes darkness from our heart and brings healing.
Lord, I come before you with honesty. Have mercy on me. Amen.
February 20, 2021 (Saturday)
Joy
“If you offer your food to the hungry
– Isaiah 58:10-11
and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail.”
Memory Verse: “You shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:11)
Joyful life can be found in satisfying the needs of those who are in need. The beauty of life is in taking care of each other, especially those who are poor and afflicted. God made our life that way because God wants all of our lives to be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. The real joy can be found, not in satisfying my needs but in seeing the restoration of joy of those who lost it because of life’s circumstances.
Lord, let me be your joy because your joy is my strength. Amen.
February 21, 2021 (Sunday)
Mercy
“Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
– Psalm 25:4-7
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!”
Memory Verse: “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” (Psalm 25:4)
God is merciful and patient. Without God’s mercy, we cannot survive a moment. Let us meditate on God’s mercy. God will let us know his ways. He will show us his paths for us to follow. When we follow paths God shows us, at the end, we will surely meet the road that leads to the eternal salvation.
Lord, I meditate on your mercy. Amen.
February 22, 2021 (Monday)
One of the Least of These
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
– Matthew 25:31-40
Memory Verse: “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40)
Serving Jesus is serving those who are in need. Jesus is right where suffering is. Jesus cries with them, suffers with them, and stays with them. When we wipe away the tears of those who are in pain, we are wiping the tears of Jesus. When we comfort those who are hurting, we are comforting Jesus’ pain. God takes care of those who are underprivileged in our society. God wants us to do the same.
Lord, help me be sensitive to those who are hurting. Amen.
February 23, 2021 (Tuesday)
Word and Well Being
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
– Isaiah 55:10-11
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
Memory Verse: “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
The rain and the snow do not give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. But without the rain and the snow, there will be neither seed nor bread. It is the same with the Word that comes from the mouth of God. We may not see the effect of God’s word immediately. But without God’s word, our life will not enjoy its abundance. When life is not going well, meditate on God’s word. You will see its effect.
Lord, help me mediate on your word daily. Amen.
February 24, 2021 (Wednesday)
God’s Glory
“How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God?”
– John 5:44
Memory Verse: “How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God?.” (John 5:44)
When we seek human glory, we cannot meet God. We cannot know God’s will. We cannot do great things. We may feel good. We may feel like we are doing something important. We may even find life’s meaning but it has nothing to do with God’s will. Let us seek God’s glory. We will meet God. We will know God’s will. We will do great things. There may be persecution and suffering. We may even experience our own powerlessness. But God’s will shall be done.
Lord, help me seek your glory. Amen.
February 25, 2021 (Thursday)
The Golden Rule
“‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”
– Matthew 7:7-12
Memory Verse: “‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
Jesus taught us to do to others as you would have them do to you. This applies to everything we do, he said. In everything we do, we need to be considerate of others. Building up others is building up ourselves. When we show our kindness to others, the kindness comes back to us. Our effort, our sacrifice, and our love for others will never be forgotten.
Lord, help me be kind to others. Amen.
February 26, 2021 (Friday)
Anger
“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool’, you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”
– Matthew 5:21-26
Memory Verse: “‘I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement.” (Matthew 5:22)
Anger destroys our relationships. If we have anger within us, we make others angry. Let us calm our anger down. We want our anger to be under control by God’s forgiveness and mercy. Anger will not disappear by letting it out or hiding it. Anger will be tamed only by God’s grace and mercy. Let our hearts be filled with God’s gentleness.
Lord, may your gentleness calm our anger. Amen.
February 27, 2021 (Saturday)
Love
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
– Matthew 5:43-48
Memory Verse: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
Jesus told us to be perfect and he showed us how to be perfect. The way to be perfect is to love our enemies. We do not become perfect by being flawless but through the heart of loving our enemies, we become perfect. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love is the essence of all ethics.
Lord, fill me with your love. Amen.
February 28, 2021 (Sunday)
Promise and Faith
“Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become ‘the father of many nations’, according to what was said, ‘So numerous shall your descendants be.’ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith ‘was reckoned to him as righteousness.’”
– Romans 4:18-22
Memory Verse: “Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become ‘the father of many nations’, according to what was said.” (Romans 4:18)
Abraham believed in God’s promise. God’s promise becomes fulfilled through faith. God gave us his promise. Now we see a gap between God’s promise and our historical reality. We struggle in the gap. What fills the gap is our faith. Let us live with faith so that God’s promise may be fulfilled in our lives.
Lord, help me hold onto your promise through my faith. Amen.
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