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“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you not to harm you, but give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
This verse is one of my most favorite verses in the Bible. In this Advent season, I am reminded that God is our only hope in every season.
As the crisp autumn air settles across our our corner of the state, Thanksgiving invites us to pause and reflect. It’s a time for family gatherings, hearty meals, and football games, but most importantly, it’s an opportunity to cultivate gratitude. For believers, this season is not just about the blessings we enjoy, it’s about recognizing the Giver of all good gifts and embracing a heart of thankfulness rooted in faith.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8, NIV)
Micah 6:8 is one of the clearest calls in Scripture to live out our faith in a way that reflects God’s character. It captures the heart of what God desires for His people: a life of justice, mercy, and humility in our relationship with Him and with others.
Exodus 40 deals with Moses setting the tabernacle up in the exact way that God commands him to. It seems overly perfectionist the way that everything had to be laid out in just the right way. Moses is meticulous to get it the way that God commands. Through a series of overlapping footnotes, you may end up (as I did) in Matthew 10, when Jesus sends his disciples out.
A few weeks ago, I found myself on a long drive from Eastern Oklahoma to Liberal after about 40 hours of travel from an overseas trip to Africa. I was tired. Actually, to be brutally honest, I was mentally and physically exhausted. I pulled over at a gas station and grabbed some caffeine, a quick snack, and jumped back in my truck for the final two hours of my trip. I rolled down my window as I turned onto Highway 412, turned up my podcast, and about that time, my phone began to ring. I answered it because it was a 620 number and assumed it was probably someone calling to talk as I drove.
