Chasing the wind

Many of us feel a certain restlessness, a seeking for something more. Solomon reflected on this theme in Ecclesiastes 1:14-17. This portion of scripture also demonstrates how meaningless our lives can seem, but in the next chapter we see the answer to this hopelessness is by remembering that there is a God who sees and ultimately controls everything (Ecc 2:24-28). Can you trust your care to this God?

A prison of your own making

One of the key principles of Christianity is that we should forgive others, because God has forgiven our great debt of sin (Matt 18:21-35). Those who practice the art of forgiving soon learn that this is actually much more fulfilling and liberating than indulging in thoughts of revenge. Who have you forgiven lately?

King of your heart?

The Bible uses terms like "thrones" or "reign" to describe control over a person. Rom 6:12-14  uses this kind of language to encourage us to avoid sin by acting like God is our personal king. Who or what do you treat like a king? Do you let something like pride, or personal achievement determine your actions?

Can you hear God whisper?

The famous story of Elijah hearing God in a "still small voice," reminds us that God can use the little things that can be easily overlooked to comfort and prepare us for greater things. (1 Kings 19:11-13) What quiet wonders have you overlooked this week?

Who's your Herod?

The story of Jesus includes the story of King Herod (Matt 2). While Herod performed splashy religious acts like building a temple,  he was also known for brutally killing a large number of infants for fear of losing his kingdom. Christians should be wary of those who might seek to "buy Heaven," or use their wealth to influence our silence while they perform evil acts.

The ultimate immigrant

The story of Christ includes his time as a child in Egypt (Matt 2). During this time, Jesus lived as an immigrant, but Jesus was actually an immigrant his entire life. Being the Son of God, Jesus was not of earth, but lived there for 33 years. How does Christ's status change how you think of him? How does it change what you think of anyone who chooses or is forced to live in another country?

The God who can't be bought

The prophet Nathan was surprised when God told him that David was NOT to build a temple and then reminded Nathan that God doesn't need anyone's help with with anything(2 Sam 7).  While David's motives aren't clear, it is evident that God will not be indebted to those who seek to do him a favor. We can take comfort in knowing that God's help is not bought with our good deeds.