All Things New

He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what God had promised he was also able to do. (Romans 4:20–21) One of the perks of living in the country is the ability to see so many starts. I'm always in awe of just how any there are, how vast the cosmos is. I'm sure Abram was no different as the Lord promi...

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6) At this point in the story, Abram has heard the promise of God, obeyed His call, and walked with God to an unfamiliar place. But he is still waiting. The promise has been spoken, but it is yet to be fulfilled. He lives in a grand divine tension of believing in the promise and seeing it come to pass. This tension sh...

May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. (Psalm 67:7) As we've noted before, we seem to have a bend towards turning things in on ourselves. We pray for our own churches, our own ministries, and hope the Lord blesses our own people. That's not wrong, per se, but it is short sighted in the scope of the promises God made to Abraham.Psalm 67 still asks for blessing on i...

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad. (John 8:56) For the Jews of Jesus' day, there were few things which would infuriate them more than for someone to claim an inappropriate equality to or  relationship with the God of their forefathers, namely Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It's no wonder they picked up stones to kill Jesus after his words in the last bit of John 8!Jesu...

For he remembered his holy promise to Abraham his servant. (Psalm 105:42) In Genesis 12 we saw the promise, the covenant of God to Abraham. Galatians 3 reminded us just how far reaching that promise really is. Today, in Psalm 105, we see the power and strength behind this covenant: the fact that God remembers.While this Psalm certainly tells the story of Israel, it does so with a particular focus ...

Consequently, those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith. (Galatians 3:9) There's a saying that says "Go big, or go home". This idiom comes to mind when I think of the call of Abraham. Today, Paul helps us to understand just how big and expansive God's plan really is. Paul shows us how far reaching the promise reaches. The blessing of Genesis 12 was never intended to stop with Ab...

All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:3) As we look to this week's readings, it is fitting the transition from a groaning creation to dawning plan of redemption come just after Resurrection Sunday. Out of the groaning, our worship rises from the dust to a God is simply worthy to receive it!This week marks the beginning of a new direction, one where God turns his attenti...

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap. (Psalm 113:7) From an emotional standpoint, this has been a tough week of devotions! Creation is groaning, our own hearts are longing, the Psalmist laments, and Jesus weeps. But, as with every Friday, we don't end the week with despair but with praise.In Psalm 113 we once again lift our eyes to the heavens while in the midst...

Jesus wept. (John 11:35) The story of Lazarus is arguably one of my favorites in all the Bible, but probably not for the reasons you think. Most people identify with the triumph of Lazarus being raised from the dead and Jesus showing His power even over death. While that is truly awesome, the thing that speaks to me most is how human Jesus is before the raising.This week we've traced the ache and ...

My days are like a lengthening shadow, and I wither away like grass. (Psalm 102:11) At this point, it's pretty clear; all of creation is groaning. Our hearts are longing for more. This Psalm gives us a window into real lament from a person praying from the depth of real sorrow.This text is raw, the Psalmist overwhelmed, lonely, and worn out. His strength has left him and even time itself is slippi...

He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) Yesterday we saw all of creation groaning in anticipation of rescue. Today, Ecclesiastes brings that story home to each one of us. This longing isn't just "out there" in the world, it's also "in here" deep in the hidden p...

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. (Romans 8:22) In this life there are times when we become keenly aware deep in our bones that things aren't what they ought to be, like something's broken in places deeper than we can possibly know.I felt it when our daughter was born with so many complications she was given only a few weeks to live. I feel ...

Praise the LORD, all nations! Glorify him, all peoples! (Psalm 117:1) If dynamite comes in small packages, this Psalm packs quite the wallop. It's the shortest chapter in the Bible but the vision it provides is without measure. The heartbeat of the entire week is wrapped up in a few short verses and given back to us in the form of worship ... worship by all nations and all peoples.I once had an ed...

Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled. (Luke 4:21) This entire week has all been about the Mission of God. It's an old mission, one set in motion in the Garden of Eden and while sidetracked along the way, it has never lost its power or veracity. In today's passage, this mission literally stands up in the synagogue and announces itself in person.I love the way Jesus uses the Old Te...

Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples. (Psalm 96:3) Human beings have a strange ability, and might I way a tendency, to take in information, intellectually process and understand it then summarily file it away into a pile of lots of other things we know but never really internalize or integrate the information into who we are. It happens with faith and Biblical ...