MIDWEEK MEDITATION

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 
                                                                        Ephesians 4:25-32

You have something to give to those around you. 

The thief needs more to do than to simply stop stealing. The call on each of us is so much higher than a list of don’ts. We are called to give back and bring life to those around us. We must “put away” those things that tear others down (misdirected anger, slander, malice, etc.) and “put on” those things which build others up. 

Make sure your communication gives grace to those who hear it. 

Just as the thief should do honest work so that he can contribute to those around them, your words are not only for your benefit. God intended you to use them to speak truth in grace to all you meet. 

May you bring life to those around you this week.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
    lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the LORD;
    exult before him!
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the solitary in a home;

                                    Psalm 68:4-6

God will do what only God can do. Provide, defend, embrace. He is a father of the fatherless and a protector for those who cannot protect themselves. 

How does God do this? Through you. 

God often uses the people around us to provide for us when we cannot make it on our own, to defend us when we have nowhere to turn, and to embrace us when we are alone. It is His grace at work through the body of Christ. 

He places the lonely in homes so that they can experience the connection that He created us to need. I can receive God’s grace through you and I can channel God’s grace for others in turn. When you feel lonely, turn to a God who cares to hear your thoughts; ask for His grace to be poured out in your life; and be open to how He may answer that prayer through people. 

Be open to being the answer to someone else’s prayer.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

There is no going back to yesterday, last week, or last year. Our lives are ahead of us, not behind. But as we journey through life, we experience loss, sorrow, and brokenness. When the losses in our lives pile up around us, it is time to grieve.
 
This is a season for grief. 

Grieving allows us to let go of what cannot be and take hold of what God has for us. For those who are in Christ Jesus, we know that God has plans to work all things together for our good. That doesn’t mean that everything in our lives is “good” or even feels “good,” but it does mean that God is working all things toward a good end -- a life that is full, vibrant, and everlasting. 

We have hope in our grief because of the resurrection. What lies before us will always outshine that which lies behind us. Because of the resurrection, we can have courage to face our losses and grieve with hope. 

May God give you the grace to grieve well. 

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

Do not be anxious about anything…
                                       – Philippians 4:6a

That seems like a hard ask on any given week, let alone in a global crisis. But Paul isn’t saying that you or I should never feel any concern or live in an “untouched” emotional state. No, Paul is warning against a type of anxiety that begins to dominate our thinking and control our lives. The incredible uncertainty and physical danger we are in as a nation threaten to overwhelm even the strongest individuals. 

but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
                                         – Philippians 4:6b-7

This is the great exchange, a process where we name our fears and bring them before God. Here, Paul is speaking, not to an individual but to the entire church congregation. This is a communal process. There is an incredible power when we come together to acknowledge our fears and our failed attempts to control things that only God can control, and together we pray for His peace in our lives. 

Find a Spirit-led and safe person this week with whom you can be honest about your anxiety. Together, bring your fears before the Lord and exchange them for His peace.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Luke 24:50-53

There they were. Hidden. Overwhelmed. Afraid. 

The disciples had been in hiding for days. Having lost the one they had followed so closely for years was unbearable. Jesus was dead. Their teacher, their leader, the hope for the nations on which they had pinned their lives, was dead.
 
Then they heard news that they could scarcely believe. Jesus was alive? When Jesus came to them, He declared peace over His overwhelmed and fearful disciples and in that moment – everything changed. The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Our whole lives are cast anew in its light. 

They went from hiding to openly proclaiming God’s praise. They went from overwhelmed to overjoyed. They went from being afraid to being at peace just as Jesus had proclaimed it would be. What had changed?

Everything. 

May the glory of the resurrection radically change your life today. He is risen. He is risen indeed!

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
                                                                        Ecclesiastes 12:13

Where is God?

It is a question we often ask in times of crises, pain, and in the unknown. On our spiritual journey, we find that things don’t always make sense and we don’t understand what God is up to. We reach the limits of our wisdom. What happens next?

Trust. 

God calls us to trust Him even when we can’t see Him at work. It is incredibly difficult to take those next steps, but know that faith is a greater gift than answers to our every question. In times of uncertainty and the unknown, recall what you do know: God is good. He so good that He sent His Son to die for you and bring you life eternal. He is committed and at work. Step forward in faith.
 
When you can’t see His hand, trust His heart.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.
                                                                        Ecclesiastes 8:15

You can experience joy in your life today. 

That can be a stretch to hear in normal times, it can sound ridiculous in hard times. The problem with finding joy in our lives today is the problem of our lives and the problem of today.

Our days right now are filled with uncertainty. They are filled with anxiety. In our lives we get caught in the trap of trying to find our ultimate meaning, our purpose, our identity, and our security in things that can never bear that kind of weight. 

The world around you cannot speak your true name. Those words belong to God who speaks over you your meaning, your purpose, your identity, and your security. It is when we are in this place, that we are free to enjoy the life we have in front of us.

You can experience joy. 

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

It is better to go to the house of mourning
    than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
    and the living will lay it to heart.
 
Ecclesiastes 7:2

There is a wisdom that is found only when we contemplate our life in light of its end. Life, the preacher says, is hevel. It is short. It can be confusing. The things that we spend our days on become what we spend our years on which become what we spent our life on. Too often we settle for giving our lives over to things that don't really matter. Ecclesiastes calls that vanity. 
 
We are all susceptible to vanities' lie. 
 
Wisdom if found when we place the things that that consume our emotions, our minds, and our schedules through the merciless matrix of time and death. What are you investing in that will truly matter when your life is over? This meditation doesn't lead to despair or nihilism. On the contrary, it brings in sharp relief the things that truly matter in our lives. It brings wisdom. 
 
What truly matters in your life this week?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
    and never satisfied are the eyes of man.

Proverbs 27:20

Life is next. 
 
We are hardwired to want more. From our earliest memories when candy was the greatest thing we could imagine, to our grown-up career, relationships, experiences, and achievements – we want more. 
 
It is never enough.
 
No matter how hard we chase after contentment. It always remains just a step ahead. That is the problem with life being next. It is never now. Proverbs teaches us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and those who find it experience rest and satisfaction. They experience enough. 
 
It starts with aligning our perspective with God's. When we are willing to call something good because God calls it good, we open ourselves up to a new way of looking at life. When we meditate on why that is actually better than maybe our hearts or friends tell us, we see why God's way is better. It is in that place that we can experience the joy of enough. 
 
Life is now. 
 
Meditate on your life. Is it next or now? Are you viewing things from God's perspective? Do you have enough?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Proverbs 16:32

Anger is often misunderstood. Some run from it, others run towards it. Why would God make such a strong emotion? Because there are times that we need to be strong. There are times that we need to rise up, to protect others, and to fight for justice.

Proverbs doesn’t say, “Whoever has no anger…” but “Whoever is slow to anger…” Part of having wisdom is knowing how to control our anger instead of letting our anger control us. If we don’t, we may find ourselves addicted to anger or manipulated by others who are looking to use our outrage for their agenda. 

The person who is slow to anger is better than the mighty because anger under control gives power to overcome. 

Meditate on this question: Who is controlling your anger?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
 Proverbs 11:24

This truth is hard for us to believe. Why? If you believe that money will pave the way for your happiness, your security, your relationships, then why would you ever give it away? Wouldn’t you want to get and keep as much of it as you possibly could? How can one give freely and yet grow even richer? How can the person who holds back end up holding less?
Because God is generous with those who are generous. 

Your ultimate happiness, security, and relationships stem from more than money and self-effort. When we mirror the generous heart of God, with eyes to see what we can give instead of what we can take, we discover that we are enriched because of it. God is generous with those who are generous.

Meditate on this question: How generous am I in my financial giving, and what does that say about what is going on in my heart?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
    I shall be killed in the streets!”
 Proverbs 22:13

The lion isn’t real. 

When we can’t face reality, we often turn to our imagination. We imagine all manner of reasons why we shouldn’t go outside of our situation and make the changes we need to make. We justify situations, actions, and inactions to ourselves and others even when the reasons don’t add up. In Proverbs 22:13, instead of naming the problem that keeps him from working and contributing to the community, he deflects: there is a lion outside. 

But the lion isn’t real. 

Reality is hard to face sometimes. But the path of wisdom means dealing with reality as it exists, not as we wish it would be. Take a few moments to meditate on this cautionary proverb. Are there areas in your life that you are unwilling to face? Can you name the lions in your life for what they really are?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

Train up a child in the way he should go and even when he is old he will not depart from it. 
 Proverbs 22:6

Each of us was set on a path. 
 
Whether it was a parent, extended family, or a legal guardian – the people who raised you shaped much of how you view life. Their influence set you on a trajectory. For some, that trajectory led to a healthy view of life and an accurate view of God. For others, you were set to go down some dark paths. For most of us, it was a little bit of both. 
 
It requires wisdom to look back at the path we were set on, and to evaluate it based on God's Word. When we join together with the family of God, we can find healing and grace. We can be set on a new path that leads to life. 
 
Take time to consider how your upbringing set your view about God. Does that image reflect the God of the Bible?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

My son, be attentive to my wisdom;
    incline your ear to my understanding,
that you may keep discretion,
    and your lips may guard knowledge.
For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil,
but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
    sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death;
    her steps follow the path to Sheol;
she does not ponder the path of life;
    her ways wander, and she does not know it.

 Proverbs 5

When God created Adam and Eve, He created them as sexual beings. It wasn’t an afterthought or a mistake. It was part of God’s plan and He called it good. 

It still is good. 

But even good gifts used the wrong way can wreak havoc in our lives. God intended this gift to be something that drew people together physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Our sexuality is about so much more than having sex, and sex is about so much more than physical actions. 

Wisdom is knowing how to embrace and contain our sexuality in such a way that we can thrive. Take time this week to stop and consider what thriving sexually looks like in your life based on God’s design.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens another.

 Proverbs 27:17

You were wired for relationships. 

In His wisdom, God designed all of humanity to flourish in the context of community. A life lived in isolation, physical or virtual, doesn’t match the design. 

True friends will help you be at your best and support you when things are at their worst. They are involved in your life and are willing to speak truth in the context of love even when it is hard or inconvenient. In short, true friends are a rare gift from God. 

Do you have friends like that in your life? Do you walk with the wise? It takes time to develop and courage to be honest with what is going on in your life. It’s worth it. 

Take a few moments to meditate on this: Are there friends in my life who see me for who I really am and encourage me to live wisely?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

Whoever trusts his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.  Proverbs 28:26
 
The heart is deceitful… Jeremiah 17:9

Addiction comes in many forms. We are surrounded by it, tempted by it, and suffer because of it. The compulsive need to return to the addiction fights against our better judgment and lulls us into thinking that we will find happiness, or at least relief. 
 
It is a lie. 
 
Our hearts can fall in love with destructive things and our minds can trick us into believing what is false. When our losses pile up and our pain increases, we are tempted to think that we need to fix it on our own, believing in our own strength to set things right. 
 
Our mind, our heart, our strength. 
 
Only a fool trusts solely in their own mind. We need wisdom from above and support from around us. 
 
Meditate on this question: Who knows and speaks into the difficult places of my life?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Proverbs 10:11

Your words have a lot to say about you. They can bring life, peace, and hope to those with whom you come in contact. They can also tear down friendships, erode trust, and sever lives. Words can give life as easily as they can take life. 
 
A wise person is one who starts from the inside out. Those whose hearts are shaped by the character of God overflow with the grace of God and become like a fountain of life in a desert. Those who are wicked may hide their vicious thoughts for a time, but eventually what is concealed will be revealed. 
 
From the heart the mouth speaks. 
 
You have an incredible power in your words. How have you been using that power? What is the wake that you have left behind you? Has it led others to life, or has it brought about pain and sorrow? 
 
Meditate on this question: What do my words reveal about my character?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
Proverbs 1:7

Those who would seek wisdom must begin here. Each of us is faced with the same question of: how do we make the most of our time here on Earth? There are many different paths you could take and a thousand choices each day that push you in one direction or another. How can a person know which way is best?
 
The fear of the Lord. 
 
True wisdom starts by acknowledging God and His place in the universe as well as in our lives. When we recognize that God knows and desires what is best for our lives, then our path becomes clearer. When we are willing to value God's truth over our opinion, the path of wisdom opens up to us.  
 
Meditate on this question throughout the day: Do I appropriately fear God? 
 
Lord, help me to seek you in all things. I want to be wise and live well under Your guidance. I acknowledge that You are God, and I am not. Please help me to remember that throughout the day.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

John 21:1-7a

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. 
 
They had spent all night fishing and they didn't have so much as a minnow to show for it! This wasn't just a hobby to pass the time; no, these were men who knew how to fish. But all of that knowledge and intuition honed from years in the industry couldn't save them from one of the worst nights of fishing in their lives. 
 
At the height of frustration and fatigue, Jesus steps in. He could have entered into the picture much earlier and saved everyone a lot of frustration. But He didn't. He waited until they were exhausted before stepping in. Why? Because every disciple of Jesus needs to learn this critical lesson: you cannot do the work of Jesus without the power of Jesus. Each of us is called to be fishers of men, to reveal who God is to those around us. No matter our skill, or experience, we simply cannot do the work of Jesus without the power of Jesus. 
 
Where are you experiencing frustration and fatigue in your walk of faith? 
 
Jesus, save me from believing I can save myself. Give me Your strength to do the work You have called me to do today. 

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.  So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 

They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. 

John 20:1-10

Scattered and fearful. Those who had followed Jesus were still in shock. They had put their lives on the line to follow Him, and now He was gone. They still did not understand His words and the words of scripture that predicted He would rise again, for He had to rise again. They and generations of disciples would continue to meditate on that very truth. Join the disciples and the Church throughout the ages in celebrating our risen Lord. Take a few minutes today to both read and reflect on the following statements:

Jesus had to rise from the dead: because of Jesus' resurrection, we know that what He said was true. 

Jesus had to rise from the dead: because of Jesus' resurrection, we can have our sins forgiven.
 
Jesus had to rise from the dead: because of Jesus' resurrection, we know that death has been defeated.