Imperfect

"God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  -Romans 5:8

Empathy

"Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."  -Hebrews 13:3

The Force

"He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth--the LORD God Almighty is his name."  -Amos 4:13

Knowing Better

"When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes."  -2 Kings 22:11

Me at 8

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

"Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end."  -Hebrews 12:2

Be Compassionate

"All of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble."  -1 Peter 3:8

Female Red-bellied Woodpecker

Heart's True Home

"My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?"  -John 14:2

You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You."  

-St. Augustine.

In today's Our Daily Bread David Roper uses his Westie as his illustration of how we, like them are "bred" to be tenacious in our search for something that satisfies.  A Westie's instinct is to chase after any small animal it sees.  It will follow badgers and other small animals into their burrows.  If they become stuck their tails are structured in such a way that their handler can pull them out of the hole by their tail without hurting them.

We humans will pursue any number of things in our attempt to have meaning.  Solomon, in Our Daily Bread's scripture today, tells us God has set eternity in our heart.  You could say we are "bred" to search for the infinite God.  And because of that our hearts are restless, like St. Augustine tells us, until we find rest in God.  Jesus told his followers he was leaving in order to prepare a place for them in God's house.  That is where our true home exists--with God.

I am grateful that I have a permanent home with God.

Giving Thanks

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name."  

-Psalm 100:4

Make a Joyful Noise

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music."  -Psalm 98:4

Falling to the Earth

"How foolish!  What you sow does not come to life unless it dies."  -1 Corinthians 15:36

Do I Love Jesus?

"Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.  These words are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me."  -John 14:24

Cleansed Conscience

"If we claim to be already free from sin, we lead ourselves astray and the truth has no place in our hearts."  -1 John 1:8

Hiding Game

"He said to me, 'Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol?  They say, 'The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.'" -Ezekiel 8:12

By Any Road

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it.  But one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead."  -Philippians 3:13

In His Presence

"Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD."  -Psalm 89:15

Supplies All Your Needs

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  -Philippians 4:19

Perseverance

"Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, 'If you are really serious about wanting to return to the LORD, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth.  Determine to obey only the LORD; then he will rescue you from the Philistines."  -1 Samuel 7:3

Grace of Giving

"See that you also excel in this grace of giving."  

-2 Corinthians 8:7

Whiter Than Snow

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."  -Psalm 51:7

The Good Earth

"Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light.  God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness,"  -Genesis 1:2-4

Deadly Desires

"But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.  Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."  -James 1:14-15

Never-ending Night

"There will be no more night.  They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.  And they will reign for ever and ever."  

-Revelation 22:5

Ungracious Words

"The gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit." -Proverbs 15:4

Friendship

"A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity."  -Proverbs 17:17

Unfulfilled Promise

"Now I am about to go the way of all the earth.  You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed.  Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed."  

-Joshua 23:14

Complete Joy

"I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete." -John 15:11

Famous Smile

"The prospect of the righteous is joy." -Proverbs 10:28

Freedom in Christ

"I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."  -Galatians 2:20

Anonymous

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:  Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." -Romans 12:3

Rise and Shine

"Know ye not that. . . .ye are not your own?"
 - 1 Corinthians 6:19