Apr 12 2022

Today's Bible Verse

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

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Today's verse is taken from the Sermon on the Mount, a famous set of Jesus' teachings found in the gospel of Matthew. It comes in a section where Jesus is talking about worry, and it asks a rhetorical question: What effect do our thoughts have on things that are impossible to change? Let's take a look at what Jesus meant by this question and the ramifications His teaching has on our lives today.

Have you ever spent time thinking about your own thoughts? What do you think about? Pause for a moment and consider the thoughts that have crossed your mind in the past hour. How many were about things you can't do anything about? It's easy to get caught up in thoughts of the past or our physical appearance or what may or may not happen tomorrow. Even though we can't do much about these things, we still spend time worrying about them.

Jesus' question in this verse in Matthew reminds us that such thinking is futile. Mulling over unchangeable facts does nothing good for us.

At its root, worrying about unchangeable things—or really, about anything—is an example of unbelief. It puts a burden on us that we do not have to bear. We don't have to worry about anything because God is always faithful and can always be trusted. Even if our worst nightmare comes true, we can rest in the character of God because He never changes. He is good and loving—and nothing will ever change those realities. Because of His unchanging faithfulness, we can exchange worry for faithful belief in Him.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for being so good and so loving. You are infinitely better than anything this world has to offer. Thank you for being a faithful God. Remind us of your faithfulness when we start to worry, and steer our hearts back to you. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Apr 11 2022

Yesterday's Bible Verse

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.:

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Yesterday's Bible study

In this morning's verse, Paul writes about how the Lord has not answered one of his prayers. He wanted to be healed of something, but the Lord said no. Instead, He promises that His grace will be enough for Paul. Paul's response is that he will honor God in his weaknesses so that he can experience the power of Christ.

This verse might be a little hard to understand, much less accept. We're human, and humans want things. We might want a better place to live, or for our annoying neighbors to move away, or for our family life and career to be more settled. And, we may convince ourselves that God wants these same things for us. Surely it's His will for us to live comfortable lives, right?

But this verse gives us a very different picture. Paul was faithful to the Lord—the Lord did not withhold healing because of anything Paul did. Instead, it was the Lord's will that some degree of preventable suffering exist in Paul's life. The reason was not to test Paul's faith, but rather, so that God's strength might be made perfect in weakness.

God can work through our lives when we suffer to minister to other people. Our brokenness can be like a beacon demonstration of God's love and sustaining power. While it is perfectly natural and acceptable for us to pray for healing and for other wishes in our lives, we should also pray that the Lord would help us to honor Him before the healing comes.

We do not have to see suffering as futile. Every wound we've experienced becomes an opportunity to realize the sufficiency of Christ alone. Like Paul, we can begin to pray to that end, asking for God to be glorified in our weakness.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for being such a loving God and caring about our pain. You don't want to see us suffer. You know the suffering that we face, and I ask that you would please redeem it and bring it to an end. In the midst, Lord, I believe that you are sufficient. I ask that your strength will be made perfect in our weakness. In Jesus' name, amen.
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