Verse from Joshua

I am with you as I was with Moses. Joshua 3:7

The people of ancient Israel faced a crucial river crossing in order to enter the promised land. However, “the Jordan [was] at flood stage” (Joshua 3:15), a challenge that would grow their faith. God told Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses” (v. 7).

Joshua told the people, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you” (v. 11). Taking the ark, the priests stepped into the Jordan, and “the water from upstream stopped flowing” (vv. 15-16). The entire nation stepped across on a dry riverbed (v. 17).

From time to time we’ll face “river crossings”—impossible situations that can grow our faith if we’ll turn to the one who makes the way across. The greatest of these crossings is from this life into the next. No matter what it is, the God who was with Moses, Joshua, and the Israelites also makes a way for us.

Verse from Luke

“For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:25‬ ‭

There was this man who once had a picture in his office of a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer with the caption, "Who says you can't take it with you?" While it is humorous, it is also wrong ... DEAD wrong. 

If we lose our souls in the pursuit of things, what of lasting value have we gained? Is it worth losing the only thing that really matters?

Verse from Psalms

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭

The psalmist shared wise advice that can help us avoid messing up in life. He wrote that those who find genuine fulfillment—who are “blessed”—refuse to be influenced by the advice of those who don’t serve God (Psalm 1:1). They know that unwise, ungodly counsel can lead to unseen dangers and costly consequences. Also, they’re motivated by (find “delight” in) and preoccupied with (“meditate on”) the timeless and unshakable truths of Scripture (v. 2). They’ve found that submitting to God’s guidance leads to stability and fruitfulness (v. 3).  

When we’re making decisions, big or small, about our careers, money, relationships, and more, may we seek God’s wisdom found in the Bible, godly counsel, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. His guidance is essential and trustworthy for living a fulfilling life and not creating messes.  

Verse from Luke

Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin. Luke 15:9

Jesus told a parable about a woman who’d lost her silver coin. She wouldn’t rest while her valuable coin was missing. “Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?” Jesus asked (Luke 15:8). And when she found her coin, she greatly rejoiced (v. 9).

Jesus told this story to demonstrate how precious we are to God. He “came to seek and to save” those who are lost (19:10). Although we were once lost, heaven rejoiced when we were found.

Verse from Proverbs

“Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?”

‭‭(Proverbs‬ ‭6:28‬) ‭

We get to feeling so strong inside spiritually, or we get seduced by a "favorite" temptation, and we decide we can flirt with what is sinful. But the Holy Spirit reminds us through the Wise Man that when we flirt with evil, we're eventually going to get burned.

May this be a reminder to us to not flirt with evil because we are the ones who will get burned. 

Verses from Numbers

[A person] who wrongs another . . . must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution for the wrong they have done. Numbers 5:6-7

A judge used a unique approach to address shoplifting—sentencing offenders to wash cars in a local store’s parking lot as part of their community service. He hoped it would deter future thefts and serve as a vivid reminder of the consequences of wrongdoing. He emphasized that actions have consequences and accountability matters.

The judge’s sentence reflects the instruction in Numbers 5:6-7: “[One] who wrongs another . . . must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution.” In these verses, we see the importance God places on acknowledging wrongdoing, confessing sin, and seeking restoration. And they underscore a profound truth: Every offense revealed disloyalty to the ideals of Israel’s society and showed that the offender was “unfaithful to theLord” (v. 6).

Just as washing cars in public serves as a humbling consequence that encourages reflection and responsibility, God called Israel to recognize their sins honestly—confessing them and seeking forgiveness. True freedom came when they confronted their actions, made amends, and embraced His grace.

Today, let’s take a moment to reflect sincerely on our lives before God. As we seek reconciliation and restitution where necessary (see Matthew 5:23-24; Luke 19:8-10), His mercy and forgiveness will restore us to wholeness.

Verse from James

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

‭‭James‬ ‭4:14

In January 1943, warm Chinook winds hit Spearfish, South Dakota, quickly raising the temperatures from –4° to 45°F (–20° to 7°C). That drastic weather change—a swing of 49 degrees—took place in just two minutes. The widest temperature change recorded in the USA over a twenty-four-hour period is an incredible 103 degrees! On January 15, 1972, Loma, Montana, saw the temperature jump from −54° to 49°F (–48° to 9°C).

Sudden change, however, is not simply a weather phenomenon. It’s sometimes the very nature of life. James reminds us, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow” (4:13–14). An unexpected loss. A surprise diagnosis. A financial reversal. Sudden changes.

Life is a journey with many unpredictable elements. This is precisely why James warns us to turn from “arrogant schemes” (v. 16) that do not take the Almighty into account. As he advised us, “You ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’ ” (v. 15). 

The events of our lives may be uncertain, but one thing is sure: through all of life’s unexpected moments, our God will never leave us. He’s our one constant throughout life.