Hope Abounds: Daily Meditations with Another Sojourner

By Paul R. Corts

Looking for a daily dose of encouragement? A boost to keep you spiritually charged? Hope Abounds is designed for you! Written in an easy-going conversational style, Paul Corts draws the reader into an inviting personal hypothetical dialogue as he transparently shares from a storehouse of life experiences the good and the not so good to help you focus on the bright hope of the future. The authors travels throughout the United States and around the world add a dose of real life to these devotions, drawing on a rich collection of experiences and conversations with people from broadly varied backgrounds and highly diverse cultures. Each one-page daily meditation begins with a specific Bible passage accompanied by a meditational thought to encourage your own thoughtful reflection and spur you on to a life full of hope.

Read the meditations in the morning to help center your thoughts and prepare you for a productive, hopeful day. Or, read the meditations in the evening to bring closure on the days events and point toward the bright hope of a fresh new day on the morrow. Using seasons, holidays, historical events, and biblical topics for themes, the author invites you to walk with him through a yearlong series of widely divergent daily conversations. As Corts shares openly from his own personal experiences, readers are prompted to recall their own personal experiences, ponder on them, and extract meaning for life application. The interplay between author and reader will encourage you to explore how to capture and embrace the joy, hope, and optimism that are at the core of the Christian faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512736199

Paul R. Corts

Paul R. Corts is a “global peripatetic” having traveled in all of the 50 United States and in over 50 countries around the world. Experiences from extensive travel throughout his career in higher education, government, and civic life, his sabbaticals in Cambridge with travel around the United Kingdom, and his numerous mission trips to most of the world’s continents provide the grist for many of the biblically based meditations in this daily devotional guide. An optimistic, visionary leader, Corts writes in an easy conversational style to share words of encouragement and hope. He began his writing career with textbooks, and has more recently authored or edited several books including Sabbaticals for Leaders, Caring for the President, Thinking Christianly, and Great Teachers We Have Known. Corts has had a distinguished career in higher education, government, and civic life in a wide variety of leadership positions. He retired in 2012 from the presidency of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), the leading international association for Christian higher education, and was named President Emeritus. Prior to joining the CCCU, Corts served as Assistant Attorney General for Administration, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) from 2002-2006; he served on the President’s Management Council and numerous other federal councils and boards. In 2006 he was awarded the Edmund J. Randolph Award for outstanding service to the Department of Justice. Prior to his work at DOJ, Corts served as president of Palm Beach Atlantic University (FL) for nearly 12 years and as president of Wingate University (NC) for 8 years. Earlier in his career, he was a faculty member and administrator at Oklahoma Baptist University (5 years) and Western Kentucky University (10 years). He has served in numerous leadership roles on many state, regional and national professional organizations. In semi-retirement he continues to consult widely throughout this country and globally with universities and non-profits. Born in Indiana, Corts grew up in Northeastern Ohio one of six boys in a family of seven children, led by parents Charles and Hazel Corts who were teachers and in ministry. Corts holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown College, a master’s and Ph.D. from Indiana University. He and his wife, Diane Stevens Corts, have four children – Elizabeth Ann (deceased), Kenneth Stevens, Daniel Paul, and Susan Corts Hill.

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Copyright © 2016 Paul R. Corts.

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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-3620-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3621-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3619-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016905320

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/07/2016

Contents

Overcome the World

A Desire for the Best

Be Strong and Courageous

Choose Grace

Everlasting God

Forgive and Forget

God Is for Us

God’s Protection

Trust in the Lord

Live Long and Prosper!

My Hiding Place

Not Ashamed

Patience

Remember and Rejoice

The Shield of Faith

Strong Arms of Deliverance

Be Holy

Belonging

Cloud of Witnesses

Filled to Praise God

Generation to Generation

God Works for Good

Help from the Lord

Justice, Mercy and Humility

Makeover

No Need to be Afraid

Plans to Prosper

Serving Others

Slow to Anger

The High Way

Write the Vision

Follow Me

Loyalty

Being Content

Be a Philip

Keep on Keeping on

Heavenly Rewards

The Shield of Christ

Connection Through Christ

The Strongest Resource

A Purifier

Gift of God

The Greatness of Love

Inseparable Love

Power of God’s Love

He Died for Us

Words of Encouragement

Voice of God

Personal Commandments

The First Commandment

The Second Commandment

The Third Commandment

The Third Commandment (Continued)

The Fourth Commandment

The Fifth Commandment

The Sixth Commandment

The Seventh Commandment

The Eighth Commandment

The Ninth Commandment

The Tenth Commandment

Appropriate Humility

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Meekness

Longing for Righteousness

Mercy

Pure in Heart

Peacemakers

Persecuted

Avoiding Sin

Generations of Faith

Honor the Lord

Inheritance of Faith

The Winner is . . .

Respect

Not by Bread Alone

Choosing Who to Help

Be a Doer

Healing in the Wings

How Great You Are

Loving Discipline

No Exit!

Nothing Without Him

Power to Witness

Scripture: Authoritative and Useful

Strength in Weakness

The Christian Work Ethic

The Virtue of Patience

Questioning God

Where Can I Flee?

May the Wind be Always at Your Back

Woe is Me

Showers of Blessings

Trust

Timeless Treasures

What a Mighty God!

Welcome Home!

The Joy of Hope

A Loving Gardener

Be Strong and Vigilant

Caring for Your Body

Consistently Do Good Deeds

Fear the Lord

Going for the Prize

He is Able

Judging Others

Living in Harmony

Neighborliness

Peace

Refreshment from God

A Quiet Shelter

Bless the Lord

Confession

Delighting in the Lord

Formula for a Healthy Life

Guardian Angels

Pray without Ceasing

Importance of Faith

Keeping the Trust

Rains

Opening the Floodgates of Heaven

Shelter From the Storm

The God of Time

Different Priorities

A Good Woman

A Good Woman—Strong, Trustworthy and Faithful

A Good Woman—Homemaker

A Good Woman Cares for Family

A Good Woman—Hardworking and Entrepreneurial

A Good Woman—Volunteer and Charitable Giver

A Good Woman Cares for Appearance

A Good Woman Promotes her Family

A Good Woman—Strong and Dignified

A Good Woman—Dispenser of Wisdom

A Good Woman—Give Her Praise and Honor

A Good Woman—The Best is Yet to be

Truthfulness

Controlled Speech

Just Wages

Unknown Gods

Walk Humbly with God

Outside Labels

No Divisions or Barriers

Power

Spirit of Power

Filled and Overflowing

Loving Our Enemies

Quick and Slow

Patience for Us

Hope in His Death

Watch This for Me!

Open the Door!

Going for the Prize

No Fear!

God of the Ages

Called Into Light

Abundant Resources

Self-Aggrandizement

The Water of Life

The Birds

Power in Challenges

Joy in the Lord

A Light to Others

Cravings Satisfied

Forgive Quickly

Everlasting God

A Clear Conscience

Proud Father

Love Children

Integrity in Business

The Constant of Christ

Challenge to Serve

Be an Encourager

The Good and Right Way

Loving Discipline

Pass the Test

Discipline With Love

Walk in Love

The Great Communicator

Healing Broken Hearts

Filling the Glass

Return to the Lord

Unbroken Circle

Dust

A Complete Trust

Finding Rest

Continually Praising the Lord

Innocence and a Clear Conscience

Love the Lord’s House

Accepting Our Lot

Holding Hands

Relentless Love

Peacemakers

Burnout!

Never Give Up

God as Shepherd

Soar Like Eagles

A Plea for Civility

Brighter Than Noonday

Christ’s Ambassadors

Found

Encourage Generosity

Disappearing Act

Well Done!

Living Water

Groans!

I Just Don’t Get It!

Self Deception

Private Prayer

Obeying

Mercy, Not Merit

The I in Sin

Telling Others About Jesus

Leave it to Jesus

Trusting

What Should I Do?

What Shall I Do?

Accolades for Doing Your Best

Being an Example

Covering a Multitude of Sins

To Each His Own

Writing on the Wall

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

Cheap Commitment

Life is but a Mist: Make It Sweet!

Hot for God

Powerful Prayer

Spiritual Power

Generosity

All Things Through Christ

No Secret Places

A Lighthouse

Blessed

Teach the Children

Good Intentions

Hold to Your Faith

For Certain

Rescue From the Heavy Burdens

Strength in Times of Fear

Enough

Me, Myself And I

In Him We Live

Plain Talking

Choosing Sides

Tough Love

Born to Love

Wonderfully Made

Like a Tree

The Word Stands Forever

Inheritance of Faith

Listening to God’s Voice

Refresh Your Memory

Sweet Sleep

To the Mountain Top

But for the Grace of God

The If Responsibility

Assembling Together

Hold Firmly to the Faith

Forever

Why Me?

Serenity

A Strength and a Shield

A Godly Feast

Many Plans

A Time for Everything

Worry Less

Run the Race

Wise as a Fool

Go With God’s Plan

Blessed Hope

Equality

Brilliant but Sinful

Friendship with the Lord

Time Marches On

Dreams and Visions

The Way, Truth, and Life

A Time for Rest

Be Armed for Battle

Debt

Everlasting Arms

Generosity Returned

Historic Faith

Influence of Our Lives

Look and Listen

Making the Impossible Possible

Overcoming Challenges

Pride and Deception

Rich Get Richer, Poor Get Poorer

Sitting on the Sidelines

Teammate With the Lord

Be Still and Patient

Accountability

Benediction

Dust vs. Eternity

The Goodness of Christ

Guiltless Holiness

Hope from Sin

Keep the Faith

Love of Money

Open Access

Perfect?

Reputation

Seek and Find

Take Christ at His Word

The Authority of God

The Great Gift

Looking Past the Faults

Take Heart

Advice

Encouraging Words

Leave It Better, You Can’t Take It

Christ-Centered

Beams of Light

Blessed Nation

Do You Rob God?

Holy Words

Forgive to be Forgiven

Charge It!

All Sufficient Grace

Steering the Course of Life

Reading Scripture

Faith is the Victory

The Thanksgiving Spirit

Sacrifice of Praise

Rejoice and Give Thanks

Give Thanks to the Lord

Generosity Results in Thanksgiving

Thanks for the Victory!

Cheerful Giving

Thanks for His Faithfulness

Thanks Be to God!

Prayers of Thanksgiving

Pay What We Owe

Regardless, Give Thanks!

Thanks for His Indescribable Gift

Showers of Blessing

Leaving Our Comfort

God Offers Songs in the Night

It Will Be Worth It All

Man of Peace

Forget the Past

Enduring Strength

Full and Flowing Over

A Living Sacrifice

Angels to the Rescue

A Revealing God

From the House of David

For All People

He Will Reign

Everlasting Dominion

An Announcement

Christ is Coming

Enduring Kingdom

Advent—Christmas is Coming!

Convicted by Silence

Christ to the Rescue

A Savior Is Born

The Blessed Hope

Not Me, Lord!

Prophetic Words

Praise for Hope

What Shall I Do With Christ?

The Unseen

The Wide Way, The Easy Way

Supplying Our Needs

Supplying Our Needs

Alpha and Omega

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the memory of our first child, Elizabeth Ann Corts, whose short life and traumatic death has reverberated in my memories from that day forward constantly challenging me to plunge deeper into God’s holy word to grasp more of the mysteries of faith, hope, and love.

Acknowledgements

This book has been several decades in the process of coming to fruition so there are an extraordinary number of people to thank for their help and support. I have been a daily reader of devotional books for many years and each of those many books have been an inspiration to me to make an attempt at authoring a devotional book myself. The little publication Guideposts, the classic My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, Henry and Richard Blackaby’s devotional journal Experiencing God, Philip Yancey’s Grace Notes, and Tony Dungy’s Uncommon Life are among the devotional sources that have been a blessing to me over many years, along with a number of Internet-based daily devotionals.

During the early years of work on this volume while I was at Palm Beach Atlantic, there were a host of faculty, staff members, trustees and college friends who fed me spiritually by their living testimony, acts of kindness and ministry, prayers, and encouragement. I was blessed during that period with tremendous administrative support from a very capable group who worked in the President’s Office or served on the President’s Cabinet: Fran Gentry, Rich Grimm, Tim Worley, Bill Fleming, Marianne May, Mike Allen, Gary Weedman, Ken Mahanes, Eugene Hall, Buck James and many others. Another group of PBA friends who provided enormous spiritual support for me during those years was the Monday Morning Prayer Group led by Ralph Sullivan, Charles Dorsey, William Bradford and one of the most devoted prayer warriors I have ever personally known, Christine Finley.

The devotional book project went into hibernation for four years while I served in the George W. Bush Administration as the Assistant Attorney General for Administration under the leadership of Attorney General John Ashcroft, a deeply spiritual leader who was a good role model for maintaining spiritual integrity while fulfilling a very public secular role. The years following my service in the Department of Justice, I resumed work on the book with the able assistance of Executive Assistants Carmen Rives, Jennifer Byrnes, Susan Kish, and Andrea Kiser who worked with me at the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities.

There has been one constant friend, supporter, advisor, researcher, proofreader, editor – my life’s mate, Diane Stevens Corts. Reared by parents who instilled a deep love for the Lord and a devotion to the Bible, God has blessed her with an amazing gift for teaching young children to love the Lord and His Holy Word. Our children and I have learned so much from her as we have witnessed her dispensing unreserved forgiveness, endless grace, and boundless love from a deep reservoir of faith.

For any good and encouragement that this book of devotional meditations might produce, I give thanks to the Lord and all those who have contributed through their support; and for all the ways that this volume falls short of its intended mark, I take full responsibility.

Preface

One of the greatest blessings of my life was to be brought up in a Christian home by Godly parents who lived their daily lives in devotion to the living God. The small unassuming plaque that graced the most frequently used entry-exit door of our many homes simply pleaded: God Bless Our Home! From waking breath to evening’s repose my parent’s lives reflected a daily intimacy with God that comes through a constant awareness of a vibrant, caring, loving God. Along with my six siblings I was the object of my parent’s love in a way that reflected the teachings and wisdom of Holy Scripture. My mother, who worked outside our home deploying her administrative and clerical talents while also nurturing her seven children, was an amazing example of the sheer joy that comes through a life committed to Christ. A near-constant hummer of great Christian hymns, she daily displayed for her children in word and deed optimism, hope, kindness, patience, and love that comes from Christian faith. My father, a teacher and preacher who balanced his evening and weekend work schedule with rearing six boys and a girl, was a remarkable exemplar of hope that is so central to the life of a Christ-follower. His insatiable study of scripture fueled his focus on life everlasting and gave him a passion for things eternal but also temporal – caring, helping, instructing, and giving in a manner reflecting Christ. My parents’ obvious daily-walk with scripture embedded in their very being reflected a Trinitarian faith in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

I must confess that during my years of growing up, although I studied the Bible through Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, summer church youth camps, and various other church sponsored Bible studies, I went through many efforts to develop a sustained practice of daily Bible readings and devotional time but never really succeeded. As I matured in adulthood, God blessed me with a wonderful life-mate with a deep and strong faith commitment and together we have been blessed with our own family. Quickly the adult years began to compound and with that so did the complexities of balancing the demands of life – being a husband and father, a church member and leader, a professor, an administrator, a community leader, a volunteer, a loyal son to aging parents, and the countless other roles. It was at this stage of my adult life that I began to realize that if I did not recharge my own spiritual batteries on a consistent, regular, daily basis, I simply would not have the spiritual resources I needed to live the quality of life in Christ that I wanted.

I secured a copy of Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest to use as a companion work with my Bible for my first seriously sustained effort at daily devotions. For several years that served me well and I found fresh insights each year as I repeated the daily readings and scripture references. While I continue to use readings from Chambers on an occasional basis, I have gone on to use a host of other devotional books to assist me with my personal daily devotional study. Some years ago while I was teaching a Bible study class, a small volume by Frank Laubach titled Letters of a Modern Mystic caught my attention and greatly blessed me. The book contains excerpts of letters to his father and tells of his experiment in a minute-by-minute effort to follow the will of God. Laubach’s book helped me redouble my efforts to begin and end my day in scripture accompanied with a meditational or reflective thought.

After years of working through a variety of devotional books, I felt a stirring interest to write one myself. From the idea’s inception my desire has been to create a series of devotions that would lead readers to reflect on the best things in life. While serving as President of Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA), I was provided a half-year sabbatical leave in the fall of 1999 and my wife and I set off to Cambridge, England and the Tyndale House, a research center for biblical studies that enjoys close links with the University of Cambridge. During that period I was able to complete about 300 of the meditations. On my return to the states I quickly became immersed again in the relentless schedule of the presidency and left the incomplete manuscript on the shelf for a later time. In 2002, following the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States, I left the PBA presidency to take a position as the Assistant Attorney General for Administration in the U. S. Department of Justice serving with Attorney General John Ashcroft in the war against terror. When I retired from government service in 2006, I thought now was the time that I could go back to complete my devotional book.

Instead, the long time president of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), Dr. Robert Andringa, was retiring in 2006 and the search committee and governing board of the CCCU asked me to remain in Washington and assume the presidency of this significant international organization supporting Christian higher education – a cause very dear to my heart. So, we accepted their offer and for the next six years my time was consumed with this assignment – retirement and my devotional book would have to wait. Upon my retirement from the CCCU in 2012, the CCCU board provided my wife and me with another sabbatical leave and so that fall we were off to Cambridge again and another stint at the Tyndale House research center. There in Cambridge in the fall of 2012 I was able to complete the remaining meditations.

Upon our return to the states at the end of 2012, I decided to do some limited consulting in my retirement and joined the executive search firm AGB Search as a consultant to help with presidential and leadership executive searches for colleges and universities and educational related organizations. I also rebirthed a consulting company I had started years earlier to provide consulting for higher education in areas other than executive searches. The pressing demands of a very active consulting business slowed the final finishing stages of the publication process.

That this publication has made it to final book form is a testimony of perseverance and God’s faithfulness. I pray that these meditations will be a blessing to those who peruse its pages over the years to come.

January 1

Overcome the World

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

In the beginning, the world was void and without form. Out of this nothingness our eternal God, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, created and fashioned everything in the universe. As Creator, God designed the world to be magnificent and beautiful, a pristine place for our enjoyment, a place reflecting His character and abundantly supplying all of our need, a place of harmony and community where love and joy would abound. Following each of His creative acts, God looked at what He had created and declared how good it was. But something happened in the Garden of Eden that catapulted all creation into chaos.

In his Gospel, John records Jesus’ admonition that in this world you will have trouble. It comes as no shocking announcement to us. Some of our troubles include a world full of strife and tribulation, where we struggle constantly with temptations that lead us away from truth and righteousness; a world with divisiveness and discord that makes a mockery of the intended human family; a world with greed and hate that is the antithesis of God’s plan of love and compassion.

As we think about the trials and tribulations humanity suffers in living on this planet with its broken people, how sweet it is to hear the reassuring words of Christ: Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. How readily we understand that in our own efforts we are often left weak, discouraged and defeated, even when we know we have given a good human effort. It is only when we put our energies and efforts in sync with the will of the Almighty that we find the passion and strength to triumph over our troubles; as the prophet Isaiah put it, to soar on wings like eagles (Isa. 40:31). As believers, we can be eternal optimists for we know who holds the future, and we know we are on the Victor’s side.

January 2

A Desire for the Best

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

Peter gives us a beautiful word picture of the incredible love God has for us: He does not will that any should perish but that all should come to Him! Because of our own propensity to sin, we should be very grateful for this reminder of the Lord’s abundant patience with us. Because we have loved ones who shun faith and refuse to accept the Lord as their Savior, we also give thanks for God’s willingness to withstand rejection and patiently wait for them to come to Him.

But this verse is more than a wonderful promise of hope for us to cling to; it also instructs us how we should live and how we, too, should exhibit patience. As parents, we know how challenging it can be to hold back from interfering in the lives of our growing children, to be patient and let them learn from the experience of life. At work, we need to display patience as we rely on one another to accomplish important tasks. This Scripture challenges us to be patient as our Master Teacher is patient with us.

However, we are not simply to endure, but to demonstrate patience while hoping and praying that evil will be turned to good, that okay will be made better, and that fine will become the absolute best!

Having spent most of my life around college students and the inevitable competitive events that are part of college life, I like to think of the Lord as our chief cheerleader, encouraging us to be our very best. As believers, let’s accept the invitation to show patience to others as we encourage them to be their best and see great hope for all their tomorrows!

January 3

Be Strong and Courageous

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

The battles of life are many in number and varied in circumstance. Your battles are not my battles, and the situations challenging our neighbors may not be similar to our own. What terrifies one of us may not even raise a hair on the arm of another. Those differences do not affect the Lord’s commitment, for He promises all of us who are part of His family that He will be with us, without question or reservation, no matter what the conditions or circumstances, regardless of time or day or month or season. God is with us!

On a mission trip with a group of students to Belize, I saw first-hand physical and spiritual challenges that brought to my mind an old hymn: Got any rivers you think are uncrossable? Got any mountains you cannot tunnel through? God specializes in things thought impossible. He’ll do what no other one can do! During our trip, wide rivers with strong currents and no fixed bridges posed a formidable physical challenge; great mountains without paved roads loomed prominently. Spiritually, the Evil One was at work to thwart our efforts by creating havoc in our mission station. But our team of youthful volunteers would not allow themselves to be hindered by these obstacles. They circled round and prayed for supernatural power and then rolled up their sleeves and went to work, doing the best they could under the circumstances, sharing the Good News and trusting God to bless their efforts.

Their irrepressible hope paid off and God responded, giving us huge success on a construction project, working through us to bring people to Him, and building the faith of our team members. Don’t be afraid; be strong and courageous with God at your side!

January 4

Choose Grace

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

The simple message of this powerful verse from the Gospel of John has been a favorite source of hope and inspiration for centuries. It speaks to the nature and character of God—that God is love. God Almighty spoke His will and creation emerged from the vast void, order rose from chaos, and human life flowed from His breath. It is this great and mighty God, the one true God, who expresses such tremendous love for the world. His love is not reserved for just a few; it is inclusive and whole.

If you read more of Scripture, you learn that mankind brought on condemnation through disobedience to God. He told Adam the truth about the fruit in the Garden, but Adam rejected that truth for his own desires, and we do the same today.

Rejection of God’s truth leads man on an endless spiral into a bottomless pit, but God does not wish for any to perish this way. So God brought a fresh light into the world in the person of His one and only Son Jesus Christ – who was and is and is to come – to be the Messiah empowered to save all who call upon Him. We can continue down the road of denial, rejecting God’s Son and bringing condemnation on ourselves. But that is not what the Heavenly Father wants. He provided a way so that whoever will make a choice to believe in the Messiah will not only avoid the spiraling tunnel to the endless pit, but will experience union with the Almighty Father to live forever.

God has made His choice. He waits with open arms to receive all—the whole world. What is your choice? Receive the future full of hope that God intends for you!

January 5

Everlasting God

As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him. (Psalm 103:15-17a)

In Cambridge, England, down Trumpington Street off the town square, a lovely British couple operated Henry’s Tea Room and Shoppe for more than twenty years. It was a favorite place for my wife and me during frequent trips to England. The finger sandwiches, scones and cakes were always prepared to perfection, and the shop carried a truly exquisite brand of tea. Usually our trips were separated by months or years, but it was always special to be able to pop into the bustling Henry’s Tea Room and smell the wonderful aroma of fresh baked goods and sterling tea, to have our bodies warmed and nourished by the good fare, to see the colorful teapots and teas that overflowed the shelves, and to have pleasant conversation with this dear British couple.

After repeated visits over many years, I was shocked on my next visit when I entered Henry’s Shoppe to find it vacant except for one customer, the Tea Room cordoned off, a stale aroma filling the air, and the room’s shelves empty. The familiar face of Henry’s wife was there, but there was no Henry. As I turned to leave, the misses called to me. I approached her with a look of disbelief. She confided that Henry had suddenly contracted the flu, and within days it had so viciously attacked his heart muscles that he died. She sold the business, emotionally unwilling to carry on without him. In the twinkle of an eye, this place that seemed so reliable and stable was gone.

As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone! But our Lord is from everlasting to everlasting; He will never leave those who are faithful to Him. This world is not our permanent home; we are just passing through. Thanks be to God for our hope!

January 6

Forgive and Forget

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

How many times have you said it or heard it: I can forgive you, but I can’t forget what you did. Is it possible to remember the wrong but forgive it anyway? The dictionary distinguishes between forgiving and forgetting this way: forgiving requires an affirmative intentional action to give up all claim or to grant a pardon or release to someone; forgetting is an unintentional action or failure to remember.

These situations involve the dual virtues of justice and mercy. We tend to want mercy for ourselves but justice for others! Unfortunately, we all sometimes violate the laws of our country, or engage in conduct contrary to a moral principle, or act against agreed-upon rules. Justice demands we pay a penalty for our violation. Mercy is a discretionary and voluntary act to withhold that penalty.

Some people think justice is incompatible with a biblical view of forgiveness, that real Christian forgiveness requires a lack of consequences. But the Bible teaches the opposite—we are all responsible for the wrong we do, and many times we must live with the results. However, the Bible also shares the good news that God not only forgives even our worst choices and most wrong behavior, but also truly forgets them. As far as the east is from the west, as deep as the ocean, or as high and far away as the most remote star…that is how far the Lord removes our sin when He forgives and dispenses mercy.

We will still experience some justice through the long-term consequences of our bad choices. But because of Christ we do not experience the full burden of the justice we deserve, and instead have the opportunity to move forward in His mercy. We may not be able to forget every wrong done to us, but we can accept a God who does, and who gives us the strength to forgive others.

January 7

God Is for Us

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day. (Psalm 91:4-5)

The mangled car came to rest down off to the side of the road – insurance adjustors would later quickly write it off as a total loss. Eyewitnesses to the accident rushed to the car fully anticipating that they might find a tragic fatality or at least one or more severely injured occupants. Instead, they found a dazed mother, grandmother and two young children checking to make sure all body parts were accounted for and looking for signs of blood or injuries – surprised to find none. Nothing! They had faced the fearful arrow that flies by day, and found themselves covered with his feathers, and under his wings they had found refuge. Our family members talked about the surreal nature of the several seconds-experience and the overwhelming sense of thankfulness to the Lord for His protection. It was an experience that would make a profound and lasting impression. While there would be many explanations that could be given as to how they escaped without even a hint of injury, we recognized the very strong presence of God as though His hands had wrapped a shield of protection around them.

Perhaps you or someone you love has had a similar type experience of extraordinary protection from what seemed to be a certain oncoming disaster. As adopted sons and daughters of God Almighty, we need to keep our eyes open to see the many ways and times our Heavenly Father is there to protect us or to steer us away from trouble. Scripture tells us, If God is for us, who can be against us? We can live leaning forward with great hope and keen anticipation expecting to see God perform mighty and good works.

January 8

God’s Protection

On the twelfth day of the first month, we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and He protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. (Ezra 8:31)

A few years ago, a mission team from our university was returning back to the U.S. from a trip to Calcutta, India, one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the world. The team had planned a stopover in Nepal to help the students reorient from the very difficult living situation they had experienced in Calcutta. However, just as the plane landed at the airport, a prince in the royal family of Nepal was murdered and the entire country was thrown into considerable turmoil. The missionary students loaded onto the bus that was waiting to transport them to the hostel where they would be staying, but as the bus left the airport to begin its journey it was stopped by roadblocks and by tremendous crowds who were angry over the murder of their prince. A riotous mood was breaking out throughout the country.

Our students were initially gripped with fear, but their leader led them to remember to put their faith and trust in the Lord. With the sounds of taunting and screaming surrounding their bus, they prayed together in that hostile and foreign land. Soon they felt a sense of freedom to get off the bus, and they began to walk through the back streets of the city for several miles. Eventually they arrived at their hostel safely, without physical harm to any member of the group. As they gathered at the hostel, they praised the Lord for the shield of protection He had wrapped around them.

Romans 8 gives a litany of possible attacks from the Enemy that could destroy us, but then triumphantly declares that nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thanks be to God for His ever-present care and concern for us! With our Father’s promises we can live our lives full of hope and free of fear.

January 9

Trust in the Lord

But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water. . . . (Jeremiah 17:7-8a)

As a child, I remember being mesmerized by the huge maple trees that projected such splendor and charm and displayed gorgeous, vivid colors in the fall. Later, I would befriend farmers who tapped the trees to produce delectable maple syrup. I also loved the beautiful white birches with dainty coats of bark, majestic oaks emanating strength with leaves that didn’t want to let go, towering pines and spruce that kept their evergreen, and redbuds and dogwoods and hosts of others, each with their own unique beauty. Later in life I had the experience of visiting the massive, towering redwoods and sequoias of the far west. As long as I can remember, I have considered trees to be a symbol of strength, power, and permanence.

So whenever I read this beautiful passage comparing the righteous believer to a tree, it is a very powerful and meaningful comparison for me. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit (Jeremiah 17:8).

Whether it’s a new sapling or a thousand-year-old redwood, every tree grows much the same way—by rooting itself deeply and drawing nourishment from water and soil. Similarly, whether we are a brand-new believer or a decades-long disciple, we must plant ourselves in Christ and look to Him for strength. If we do, we too can live without fear of changing circumstances and we can bear fruit in every situation. Like the beautiful flowering trees and the ancient redwoods, we can root ourselves in Christ’s power for our lives. Let us live in the full knowledge and power of His strength.

January 10

Live Long and Prosper!

Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. (Deuteronomy 5:33)

For years, Star Trek had an extraordinarily well-liked character who flashed a sign with his fingers as he said, Live long and prosper! This hand salute and the accompanying salutation became a mantra among avid followers of the show. The saying is both a wonderful greeting as well as a great benediction, since it clearly expresses something we all long for.

In this passage, God had just delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses and was giving Moses additional advice. The Lord counseled Moses that he was to lead the people to follow the commandments carefully, without trying to confuse their obvious intent and spirit. In other words, the greatest commandments of all recorded history came with instructions similar to our contemporary KISS principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid! Don’t add to or take away from it, don’t write volumes of interpretive rules, don’t go right or left – just stay with exactly what the Lord commanded. Along with the encouragement to fulfill the commandments, the Lord gave Moses the wonderful promises of joyful, long life and much prosperity– and all of this in the fabulous Promised Land the Lord had prepared for them.

The command to walk in the Lord’s way, to follow His direction, seems so simple and should be so easy to do. We know from experience, however, how very difficult it is. In the movie Amadaeus, the screenwriter has Mozart blurt out a confession that resounds with all humanity: My tongue is stupid but my heart is not. In our heart we want to be aligned with God and His will for us; we want to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. In Romans 7:19, the Bible deals with this enduring human problem of sin – For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. What a wretched circumstance! But Romans 7:25 gives the victory