Jesus spoke with two of his followers after he rose from the dead:
Luke 24:32 (NIV)
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
God still speaks through Scripture. May your heart burn within you.
In the US, today (Thursday) is our National Day of Prayer. Please take a few moments to pray for righteousness to prevail . . . wherever you live.
And don’t stop praying when today is over and done.
Do you feel burned out?
Christ has a few words for you:
Matthew 11:28-29 (MSG)
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
He restores your soul with the rhythms of grace.
There will be a fire. Will your work survive?
1 Corinthians 3:11-13 (NIV)
And no one can ever lay any other real foundation than that one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 But there are various kinds of materials that can be used to build on that foundation . . . There is going to come a time of testing at Christ’s Judgment Day to see what kind of material each builder has used. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire so that all can see whether or not it keeps its value, and what was really accomplished.
Build with care.
When a house of worship burns, believers mourn. We grieve over burned-out spaces, lost books, damaged art and absent friends. We also remember: the satin touch of a well-worn wooden rail, the familiar heft of a hymnbook, the jeweled glow of stained glass in the sunlight, the warm smile of a dear old saint.
O Lord, teach us to treasure the memories.
Which images sadden your heart?
Flames damage buildings. Faith still stands. Stand strong.
Just a week ago, on Easter Sunday, churches in Sri Lanka were bombed as believers gathered to worship the risen Christ. Some churches are now urging their members to worship and pray in the safety of their homes.
This article from The Atlantic offers an intriguing explanation:
“The exact motivations of the attackers are still not known. But they may have targeted churches in part because these spaces are powerful symbols of the West.”
“Symbols of the West.” We can respond with the words of John Oxenham’s hymn (1908):
“In Christ there is no east or west,
in him no south or north.”
Dear Jesus, let believers in Sri Lanka and everywhere be such glorious reflections of You that we outshine our cultures.
Wake up to sunshine!
Psalm 113:3 (NIV)
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the Lord is to be praised.
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for
and assurance about what we do not see.
May your hopes rise and your doubts decline.
The fastest way to rise to an occasion
is to kneel down in prayer.
Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG)
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.
