Verse from Psalm

The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. Psalm 34:22

David had been fleeing a murderous King Saul. He found refuge among Israel’s enemies, but word soon got to the enemy king that David was a Hebrew war hero (1 Samuel 21:11). Fearing for his life, David “pretended to be insane . . . making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard” (v. 13). The ploy worked (vv. 14-15).

Good people can debate such tactics and arrive at different conclusions. But Psalm 34 sheds light on David’s experience. There, David credited not his deception but God for his deliverance. He sang, “I sought the Lord, and he . . . delivered me from all my fears” (v. 4). And again, “This poor man called, and the Lord . . . saved him out of all his troubles” (v. 6). David had sought safety with the Philistines, but he found his only reliable refuge when he turned to God (vv. 8, 22).

Verse from Matthew

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. Matthew 13:44

As we consider that parable, no amount of wealth or possessions could pay the debt we owe for our sins. Only Jesus could pay the incredible price to redeem us and to reconcile us with His Father, through His sacrificial death and resurrection.

Verses from Psalm

I think of you through the watches of the night . . . because you are my help. Psalm 63:6-7

How can we find moments to know God more fully? We don’t have to wait for a sleepless night, of course. Jesus left His companions to spend time talking alone with His Father (Mark 1:35).

The Scriptures say, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). And David’s poetry often reveals how he sought out an intimate relationship with God to praise Him for who He is (63:1-8).

The world is loud, and we’re often distracted by the noise. It claims our attention and demands our participation. That’s why we need to actively seek out the quiet moments rarely found in the chaos of family life or the busyness of work. We find God in the stillness.

He’s awake. He’s listening. And He’s always ready to spend time with those who seek Him.

Verse from Exodus

“"You shall have no other gods before Me.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20:3‬ ‭

Some people thought Karen was the best basketball player to ever come from her state. After leading her high-school team to back-to-back appearances in the championship game—once as a winner—she earned a full-ride scholarship to a major college program and capped off her career with a great run in the NCAA women's tournament. 

Drafted by a professional team and offered a startling salary as a rookie, she was set to live her childhood dream. For as long as she could remember, basketball had been the focus of her life. And now it was paying her back. Big time. 

But strangely, just as she was reaching the pinnacle of athletic success, she slipped into an unexpected funk. She felt uncharacteristically empty and purposeless. After all her sacrifice, after all her incredible achievements, she couldn't seem to shake free from whatever was oppressing her. 

Months passed without her being able to draw up enough energy for a single workout. She gorged herself on junk food, and her weight ballooned. The date to report to her pro team came and went. She was literally losing it. 

One afternoon, Karen summoned the strength to pick up a basketball and take a few shots in the gym. Within a mere matter of minutes, discouraged by her lack of precision, she put the ball away for good. The very thing she had once hoped to be her ticket to success had eaten her alive.

There's nothing wrong with basketball—or business or music or writing or entertainment or decorating—but when something becomes the focus of all your dreams and attention and energy, it becomes an idol in your life. For all intents and purposes, you begin worshiping it instead of God. 

Nothing can satisfy us like God. And nothing should replace Him in our affections.

Verse from Proverbs

A gentle answer turns away wrath.

Proverbs 15:1

When others are upset and emotions are tense, reacting angrily only makes matters worse. As King Solomon observed, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). 

Responding kindly and peacefully to those who are irritated or unreasonable may take time to learn. But because gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit at work within us (see Galatians 5:22-23), with God’s help we can make progress in it.

Verse from Ecclesiastes

After all, God is in heaven, and you 
are here on earth. So let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2 nlt

Scripture has much to say about listening, especially when it comes to God. Ecclesiastes is rather blunt: “Keep your ears open and your mouth shut” (Ecclesiastes 5:1 nlt). It reminds us that God knows a whole lot more than we do—“God is in heaven” (v. 2)—so it’s wise for us to listen to Him. A verse in Proverbs seems to resonate with the quotes from Headlee and Covey: “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions” (18:2).

What does this mean for us? As we come before God in prayer, we would do well to make time to actually listen to Him, not just rattle on with our lists of concerns and worries. And as we find ourselves in conversations with others today, we might be surprised at how our relationships deepen when we’re really listening to them, not just figuring out what we want to tell them.

Verse from Judges

The Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah. Judges 11:29

Although a mighty warrior, Jephthah was rejected by his half brothers and driven away from their town. They told him, “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family . . . because you are the son of another woman” (Judges 11:2). “So Jephthah fled from his brothers” and settled in another area (v. 3).

Although his family rejected him, God didn’t. When an enemy made war on Israel, it was Jephthah that the people turned to for help (vv. 4-6). They said, “Be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites” (v. 6). God used and helped Jephthah to subdue their enemy (vv. 29, 32-33) and to later lead Israel (Judges 12:7).

When we’re rejected by others, let’s keep trusting and obeying God. It’s how He sees us and what He wants us to do that matters.