Verse from Psalms

“你的道路经过海洋，你的路径穿过大水，但你的脚踪无人知道。”
‭‭诗篇‬ ‭77:19‬ ‭

Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. (‭Psalm‬ ‭77‬:‭19‬)

God can create roads where we see only obstacles. When the way ahead of us seems uncertain, it’s good to remember what God has done in the past. He specializes in pathways in any circumstance—pathways that point us to His love and power.

Thank You, God,
for the miraculous ways You have worked in the past.
Help me to remember Your power and faithfulness when I can see only trouble and difficulty.

The God who created a way for our salvation can certainly see us through our daily trials.

Verse from John

“凡作恶的都恨光，不来接近光，免得他的恶行暴露出来。”
‭‭约翰福音‬ ‭3:20‬ ‭

“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3:20‬ ‭

The Greek philosopher Plato (c. 427–c. 348 bc) found an imaginative way of shining light on the dark side of the human heart. He told the story of a shepherd who innocently discovered a golden ring that had been hidden deep in the earth. One day a great earthquake opened up an ancient mountainside tomb and revealed the ring to the shepherd. By accident he also discovered that the ring had the magical ability to enable the wearer to become invisible at will.

Thinking about invisibility, Plato raised this question: If people didn’t have to worry about being caught and punished, would they resist doing wrong?

In John’s gospel we find Jesus taking this idea in a different direction. There, Jesus, known as the Good Shepherd, speaks of hearts that stay in the cover of darkness to hide what they are doing (John 3:19–20). He isn’t calling attention to our desire for cover-up to condemn us, but to offer us salvation through Him (v. 17). As the Shepherd of our hearts, He brings the worst of our human nature to light to show us how much God loves us (v. 16).

God in His mercy calls us out of our darkness and invites us to follow Him in the light.

Dear heavenly Father,
thank You for the light of Your presence in my life.
May I walk obediently in the light of Your truth in all that I do this day.

Verse from Ephesians

“我们因信基督，就在他里面坦然无惧，满有把握地进到神面前。”
‭‭以弗所书‬ ‭3:12‬ ‭

“In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:12‬ ‭

Left to ourselves, we would all be hopelessly separated from God. But Jesus, who took our penalty, offers us His life and access to God. The apostle Paul wrote, “[God’s] intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known” (Eph. 3:10).
This wisdom has brought Jew and Gentile together in Christ, who has made a way for us to come to God the Father (v12)

When we put our trust in Jesus, we receive the greatest access of all—access to the God who loves us and desires relationship with us.

Verse from Numbers

“但是我的仆人迦勒，因他另有一个心志，专心跟从我，我必把他领进他去过的那地；他的子孙也必得着那地为业。”
‭‭民数记‬ ‭14:24‬ ‭

“But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭14:24‬ ‭

Caleb was a “wholehearted” person. He and Joshua were part of a twelve-man reconnaissance team that explored the Promised Land and gave a report to Moses and the people. Caleb said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Num. 13:30). But ten members of the team said they couldn’t possibly succeed. In spite of God’s promises, they saw only obstacles (vv. 31–33).

Ten men caused the people to lose heart and grumble against God, which led to forty years of wandering in the desert. But Caleb never quit. The Lord said, “Because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it” (14:24). Forty-five years later God honored His promise when Caleb, at the age of 85, received the city of Hebron “because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly” (Josh. 14:14).

Centuries later an expert in the law asked Jesus, “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matt. 22:35–38).

Lord,
may we love You wholeheartedly today and follow You every day of our journey on this earth.


Insight
The ten spies found the Anakim a daunting challenge because they viewed them in comparison to themselves. Joshua and Caleb, however, viewed them in comparison to God. Many of life’s circumstances—health concerns, relationship struggles, financial setbacks—can either be viewed in comparison to our own frailties or in the light of our all-powerful God.

Verse from Psalms

“上帝是我们的避难所，是我们的力量，是我们 在患难中随时的帮助。”
‭‭诗篇‬ ‭46:1‬

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46:1‬ ‭

In Psalm 46, the psalmist uses exaggeration to express his trust in the safety God provides. He tells of feeling safe in circumstances where safety is unimaginable.

When the very ground under our feet is uncertain, the psalmist expresses confidence in the protection of the Lord. He isn’t saying, “Do not fear” because our circumstances are not fear-worthy, but because our God is bigger than our troubles.

In uncertain times, He is stable. The mountains crumbling into the sea is a graphic image of the most stable land feature giving way. In what circumstances do you need to remember that God is constant and unchanging? How can you express your trust in Him as your refuge?

Our greatest hope comes from trusting God.

Verse from Philippians

“向着目标竭力追求，为要得着神在基督耶稣里召我往上去得的奖赏。”
‭‭腓立比书‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭

The apostle Paul compared the Christian life to a race. Paul did not look back and allow his past failures to weigh him down with guilt, nor did he let his present successes make him complacent. He pressed on toward the goal of becoming more and more like Jesus.

We are running this race too. Despite our past failures or successes, let us keep pressing on toward the ultimate goal of becoming more like Jesus. We are not racing for an earthly prize, but for the ultimate reward of enjoying Him forever.

Verse from John

“她说：“主啊！没有。”耶稣说：“我也不定你的罪。走吧，从现在起不要再犯罪了。””
‭‭约翰福音‬ ‭8:11‬ ‭

“She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more." ]”
‭‭John‬ ‭8:11‬ ‭

Jesus’s teaching about absolute ideals and absolute grace seem contradictory.
Jesus never lowered God’s perfect ideal. In His response to the rich young ruler, He said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). He told an expert in the law who inquired as to the greatest commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (22:37). No one has completely fulfilled those commands.

Yet the same Jesus tenderly offered absolute grace. He forgave an adulteress, a thief on the cross, a disciple who had denied ever knowing Him, and a man named Saul, who had made his mark persecuting Christians. Grace is absolute and all-encompassing, extending even to those who nailed Jesus to the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” were among the last words He spoke on earth (Luke 23:34).

Grace is for the desperate, the needy, the broken, those who cannot make it on their own. Grace is for all of us.

Father,
Your all-encompassing grace washes over us and astonishes us.
May we live today as people who enjoy Your complete forgiveness and a restored relationship with You.

Jesus fulfilled the perfect requirements of the law so that we may enjoy the perfect peace of His grace.

Insight
The life of the apostle Paul is another example of God's grace. Because of Paul's past, he considered himself the most undeserving recipient of God’s mercy and grace (1 Tim. 1:13–14). Although he was chosen to be an apostle to the Gentiles, Paul also gave another reason he was chosen: “God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life” (v. 16 nlt)

Verse from 1 Thessalonians

“因为不单主的道从你们那里传遍了马其顿和亚该亚，就是你们对神的信心也传遍了各处，所以我们不用再说甚么了。”
‭‭帖撒罗尼迦前书‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭

“For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭

The Viral Texts project at Northeastern University in Boston is studying how printed content in the 1800s spread through newspapers—the social media network of that day. If an article was reprinted 50 times or more, they considered that “viral” for the Industrial Age. Writing in Smithsonian magazine, Britt Peterson noted that a nineteenth-century news article describing which followers of Jesus were executed for their faith appeared in at least 110 different publications.

When the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica, he commended them for their bold and joyful witness to Jesus. “The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere” (1 Thess. 1:8). The message of the gospel went viral through these people whose lives had been transformed by Jesus Christ. In spite of difficulties and persecution, they could not remain silent.

Lord Jesus,
help us to live boldly and tell others about You today.

Verse from Jeremiah

“他必像树栽于水旁，在河边扎根，炎热来到，并不惧怕，叶子仍必青翠，在干旱之年毫无挂虑，而且结果不止。”
‭‭耶利米书‬ ‭17:8‬

“"For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17:8‬ ‭

This was a tree to be envied. Growing on riverfront property, it didn’t have to worry about weather reports, withering temperatures, or an uncertain future. Nourished and cooled by the river, it spent its days lifting its branches to the sun, holding the earth with its roots, cleaning the air with its leaves, and offering shade to all who needed refuge from the sun.

By contrast, the prophet Jeremiah pointed to a shrub (Jer. 17:6). When the rains stopped and the summer sun turned the ground to dust, the bush shriveled into itself, offering no shade or fruit to anyone.

Why would the prophet compare a flourishing tree to a withering bush? He wanted his people to recall what had happened since their miraculous rescue from the slave yards of Egypt. For forty years in a wilderness, they lived like a tree planted by a river (2:4–6). Yet in the prosperity of their promised land they had forgotten their own story; they were relying on themselves and on gods of their own making (vv. 7–8), even to the point of going back to Egypt looking for help (42:14).

So God, through Jeremiah, lovingly urged the forgetful children of Israel, and He urges us, to hope and trust in the Lord and to be like the tree—not the bush.

Father,
in so many ways You have taught us that You alone can be trusted—even when it seems like You are nowhere to be seen.
Please help us to recall today what You have already shown us along the way.

Verse from Ephesians

“当我们死在过犯中的时候，便叫我们与基督一同活过来。你们得救是本乎恩。”
‭‭以弗所书‬ ‭2:5‬

“even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:5‬ ‭

There cannot be a Mexican party without a piñata—a carton or clay container filled with candies and treats. Children strike it with a stick and try to break it, hoping to enjoy its contents.

Monks used the piñatas in the sixteenth century to teach lessons to the indigenous people of Mexico. Piñatas were stars with seven points that represented the seven deadly sins. Beating the piñata showed the struggle against evil, and once the treats inside fell to the ground, people could take them home in remembrance of the rewards of keeping the faith.

But we cannot fight evil on our own. God is not waiting for our efforts so that He will show His mercy. Ephesians teaches that “by grace you have been saved through faith, . . . it is the gift of God” (2:8). We don’t beat sin; Christ has done that.

Children fight for the candies from the piñata, but God’s gifts come to all of us when we believe in Jesus. God “has blessed us . . . with every spiritual blessing” (1:3). We have forgiveness of sins, redemption, adoption, new life, joy, love, and much more. Praise God and thank God for His grace towards us!

Verse from Isaiah

“为锡安悲哀的人穿上装饰，赐给他们华冠代替灰尘，喜乐油代替悲哀，赞美衣代替沮丧的灵， 他们必称为公义的橡树，是耶和华栽种的，好使他自己得着荣耀。”
‭‭以赛亚书‬ ‭61:3‬ ‭

“To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:3‬ ‭

By its very existence, a ministry center in Rwanda called the “Lighthouse” symbolizes redemption. It sits on land where during the genocide in 1994 the country’s president owned a grand home. This new structure, however, has been erected by Christians as a beacon of light and hope. Housed there is a Bible institute to raise up a new generation of Christian leaders, along with a hotel, restaurant, and other services for the community. Out of the ashes has come new life. Those who built the Lighthouse look to Jesus as their source of hope and redemption.

When Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath, He read from the book of Isaiah and announced that He was the Anointed One to proclaim the Lord’s favor (see Luke 4:14–21). He was the One who came to bind up the brokenhearted and offer redemption and forgiveness. In Jesus we see beauty coming from the ashes (Isa. 61:3).

We find the atrocities of the Rwandan genocide, when intertribal fighting cost more than a half-million lives, mind-boggling and harrowing, and we hardly know what to say about them. And yet we know that the Lord can redeem the atrocities—either here on earth or in heaven. He who bestows the oil of joy instead of mourning gives us hope even in the midst of the darkest of situations.

Verse from 2 Corinthians

“因我们行事为人是凭着信心，不是凭着眼见。”
‭‭哥林多后书‬ ‭5:7‬

“for we walk by faith, not by sight-”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭

The sky is a beautiful part of our great Creator’s masterpiece, given for us to enjoy. Imagine how much pilots must love the view. They use several aeronautical terms to describe a perfect sky for flying, such as "You can see to tomorrow.”

“Seeing to tomorrow” is beyond our view. Sometimes we even struggle to see or understand what life is throwing at us today. The Bible tells us, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).

But our limited visibility is not cause for despair. Just the opposite. When we trust God with our day as well as our unseen tomorrows, we don’t need to worry about anything life throws at us. We walk with Him and He knows what is ahead; He is strong enough and wise enough to handle it.

Lord,
I know I can trust You for today and tomorrow because You are kind, good, loving, wise, and powerful.
Teach me not to worry.

Verse from John

“那人回答：“他是不是个罪人，我不知道；我只知道一件事，就是我本来是瞎眼的，现在能看见了。””
‭‭约翰福音‬ ‭9:25‬ ‭

“He then answered, "Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."”
‭‭John‬ ‭9:25‬ ‭

Noah Purifoy began his work as an “assemblage” artist with three tons of rubble salvaged from the 1965 riots in the Watts area of Los Angeles. From broken bicycle wheels and bowling balls to discarded tires and damaged TV sets—things no longer usable—he and a colleague created sculptures that conveyed a powerful message about people being treated as “throw-aways” in modern society. One journalist referred to Mr. Purifoy as “the junkyard genius.”

In Jesus’s time, many people considered those with diseases and physical problems as sinners being punished by God. They were shunned and ignored. But when Jesus and His disciples encountered a man born blind, the Lord said his condition was not the result of sin, but an occasion to see the power of God. “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). When the blind man followed Jesus’s instructions, he was able to see.

Jesus is still the greatest “junkyard genius” in our world. We are all damaged by sin, but He takes our broken lives and shapes us into His new creations.

Verse from Romans

“罪借着死掌权；照样，恩典也借着义掌权，使人借着我们的主耶稣基督进入永生。”
‭‭罗马书‬ ‭5:21‬ ‭

“so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:21‬ ‭

Mom noticed four-year-old Elias as he scurried away from the newborn kittens. She had told him not to touch them. “Did you touch the kitties, Elias?” she asked.

“No!” he said earnestly. So Mom had another question: “Were they soft?”

“Yes,” he volunteered, “and the black one mewed.”

With a toddler, we smile at such duplicity. But Elias’s disobedience underscores our human condition. No one has to teach a four-year-old to lie. “For I was born a sinner,” wrote David in his classic confession, “yes, from the moment my mother conceived me” (Ps. 51:5 nlt). The apostle Paul said: “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned” (Rom. 5:12 nlt). That depressing news applies equally to kings, four-year-olds, and you and me.

But there’s plenty of hope! “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were,” wrote Paul. “But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant” (Rom. 5:20 nlt).

God is not waiting for us to blow it so He can pounce on us. He is in the business of grace, forgiveness, and restoration. We need only recognize that our sin is neither cute nor excusable and come to Him in faith and repentance.

Father, be merciful to me, a sinner.

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Romans 8:1

Verse from 1 John

“神差遣他的独生子到世上来，要使我们借着他而活；神的爱就在我们中间显明了。”
‭‭约翰壹书‬ ‭4:9‬ ‭

“By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:9‬ ‭

When a series of pink “I love you” signs mysteriously appeared in the town of Welland, Ontario, local reporter Maryanne Firth decided to investigate. Her sleuthing turned up nothing. Weeks later, new signs appeared featuring the name of a local park along with a date and time.

Accompanied by a crowd of curious townspeople, Firth went to the park at the appointed time. There, she met a man wearing a suit who had cleverly concealed his face. Imagine her surprise when he handed her a bouquet and proposed marriage! The mystery man was Ryan St. Denis—her boyfriend. She happily accepted.

St. Denis’s expression of love toward his fiancée may seem a bit over-the-top, but God’s expression of love for us is nothing short of extravagant! (1 John 4:9)

Jesus is not merely a token of love, like a rose passed from one person to another. He is the divine human who willingly gave up His life so that anyone who believes in Him for salvation can have an everlasting covenant relationship with God. Nothing can separate a Christian “from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:39).

Dear God,
thank You for showing me, in the greatest way possible, that You love me.
Help my life to demonstrate my love for You.

Verse from John

“其他的门徒对他说：“我们已经见过主了。”多马对他们说：“除非我亲眼看见他手上的钉痕，用我的指头探入那钉痕，又用我的手探入他的肋旁，我决不相信。””
‭‭约翰福音‬ ‭20:25‬ ‭

“So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."”
‭‭John‬ ‭20:25‬ ‭

We know him as Doubting Thomas (see John 20:24–29), but the label isn’t entirely fair. After all, how many of us would have believed that our executed leader had been resurrected? We might just as well call him “Courageous Thomas.” After all, Thomas displayed impressive courage as Jesus moved purposefully into the events leading to His death.

At the death of Lazarus, Jesus had said, “Let us go back to Judea” (John 11:7), prompting a protest from the disciples. “Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” (v. 8). It was Thomas who said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (v. 16).

Thomas’s intentions proved nobler than his actions. Upon Jesus’s arrest, Thomas fled with the rest (Matt. 26:56), leaving Peter and John to accompany Christ to the courtyard of the high priest. Only John followed Jesus all the way to the cross.

Despite having witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:38–44), Thomas still could not bring himself to believe that the crucified Lord had conquered death. Not until Thomas the doubter—the human—saw the risen Lord, could he exclaim, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Jesus’s response gave assurance to the doubter and immeasurable comfort to us: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (v. 29).

Father,
teach us to act on what we do know about You and Your goodness,
and trust You in faith for what we don’t know.

Verse from 2 Corinthians

“你们在一切事上，就如信心、口才、知识、热情和爱我们的心，既然都是富足的，那么，在这慈善的事上，也要显出你们是富足的。”
‭‭哥林多后书‬ ‭8:7‬ ‭

“But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭8:7‬ ‭

The little boy was only eight when he announced to his parents’ friend Wally, “I love Jesus and want to serve God overseas someday.” During the next ten years or so, Wally prayed for him as he watched him grow up. When this young man later applied with a mission agency to go to Mali, Wally told him, “It’s about time! When I heard what you wanted to do, I invested some money and have been saving it for you, waiting for this exciting news.” Wally has a heart for others and for getting God’s good news to people.

Jesus and His disciples needed financial support as they traveled from one town and village to another, telling the good news of His kingdom (Luke 8:1–3). A group of women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases helped to support them “out of their own means” (v. 3). One was Mary Magdalene, who had been freed from the presence of seven demons. Another was Joanna, the wife of an official in Herod’s court. Nothing is known about Susanna and “many others” (v. 3), but we know that Jesus had met their spiritual needs.
Now they were helping Him and His disciples through giving their financial resources.

When we consider what Jesus has done for us, His heart for others becomes our own. Let’s ask God how He wants to use us if we haven't been serving Him regularly.

Verse from Psalms

 “我行路，我躺卧，你都细察；我的一切行为，你都熟悉。”
‭‭诗篇‬ ‭139:3‬ ‭

“You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:3‬ ‭

How comforting to know God loves us perfectly, is fully aware of what we will face today, and He knows how best to help us in every circumstance of life.

Our knowledge will always be limited, but knowing God is what matters most. We can trust Him.

Thank You, Lord,
that You know everything about me and what I need.

God knows who we are (Ps. 139:1–6), who we are becoming (vv. 7–12), and how we got where we are (vv. 13–18). Consider praying Psalm 139:1 as both a confession and an invitation. Take comfort in the fact that God knows and loves you, and invite Him to take you to places of greater intimacy with Him.

Verse from John

“门徒中有一个人，是耶稣所爱的，侧身挨近耶稣 。”
‭‭约翰福音‬ ‭13:23‬ ‭

“One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to Him.”
‭‭John‬ ‭13:23‬ ‭

John used the term “the disciple whom Jesus loved” as a way of referring to himself without mentioning his own name. He is also depicting a typical banquet setting in first-century Israel, where the table was much lower than those we use today, about knee height. Reclining without chairs on a mat or cushions was the natural position for those around the table. John was sitting so close to the Lord that when he turned to ask him a question, he was “leaning back against Jesus” (John 13:25), with his head on his chest.

John’s closeness to Jesus in that moment provides a helpful illustration for our lives with Him today. We may not be able to touch Jesus physically, but we can entrust the weightiest circumstances of our lives to Him. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). How blessed we are to have a Savior whom we can trust to be faithful through every circumstance of our lives! Are you “leaning” on Him today?

Dear Lord Jesus,
help me to lean on You today and to trust You as my source of strength and hope.
I cast all my cares on You and praise You because You are faithful.

Jesus alone gives the rest we need.

Verse from 1 John

“我的孩子们，我写这些给你们，是要你们不犯罪。如果有人犯了罪，在父的面前我们有一位维护者，就是那义者耶稣基督。”
‭‭约翰壹书‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭

From a Florida prison cell in June 1962, Clarence Earl Gideon wrote a note asking the United States Supreme Court to review his conviction for a crime he said he didn’t commit. He added that he didn’t have the means to hire a lawyer.

One year later, in the historic case of Gideon v. Wainright, the Supreme Court ruled that people who cannot afford the cost of their own defense must be given a public defender—an advocate—provided by the state. With this decision, and with the help of a court-appointed lawyer, Clarence Gideon was retried and acquitted.

But what if we are not innocent? According to the apostle Paul, we are all guilty. But the court of heaven provides an Advocate who, at God’s expense, offers to defend and care for our soul (1 John 2:2). On behalf of His Father, Jesus comes to us offering a freedom that even prison inmates have described as better than anything they’ve experienced on the outside. It is a freedom of heart and mind.

Whether suffering for wrongs done by us or to us, we all can be represented by Jesus. By the highest of authority He responds to every request for mercy, forgiveness, and comfort.

Jesus, our Advocate, can turn a prison of lost hope, fear, or regret into the place of His presence.

Verse from Luke

“她有一个妹妹，名叫马利亚，坐在主的脚前听道。”
‭‭路加福音‬ ‭10:39‬ ‭

She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
Luke 10:39

Are you caught up in the frenzy of a busy life? Pause and consider Jesus’ words to Martha: “You are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).

Notice Jesus’ gentle words. He didn’t rebuke Martha for wanting to be a good host but rather reminded her about her priorities. Martha had allowed the necessary to get out of proportion. And, in the process, she was so busy doing good that she didn’t take time to sit at Jesus’ feet.

In our drive to be productive for the Lord, let’s remember the one thing worth being concerned about—enjoying time with our Savior.

Jesus longs for our fellowship even more than we long for His.

Verse from Philippians

“最后，弟兄们，凡是真实的、庄重的、公正的、纯洁的、可爱的、声誉好的，无论是甚么美德，甚么称赞，这些事你们都应当思念。”
‭‭腓立比书‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭

The apostle Paul urged the Christians in Philippi to pursue joy in their relationship with Christ. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4). Instead of a life cluttered with anxiety, he urged them to pray about everything and let God’s peace guard their hearts and minds in Christ (vv. 6–7).

Looking at our everyday tasks and responsibilities, we see that not all of them are enjoyable. But we can ask, “How can this spark joy in God’s heart and in my own?” A change in why we do things can bring a transformation in the way we feel about them (Phil. 4:8)

Lord,
show me how You want to spark joy in the tasks I face today.

A focus on the Lord is the beginning of joy.

Insight
Paul’s encouragement to rejoice in difficult situations wasn’t from the perspective of someone who did not understand suffering. On Paul’s second missionary journey (ad 50–52), he was falsely accused of disturbing the social peace of the city. Severely flogged and unjustly imprisoned (Acts 16:20–25), Paul remained a picture of calmness and peace. Luke tells us that in the midst of such adversity, “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God” (v. 25). Paul knew what it meant to “not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Phil. 4:6). He could write these words because he himself practiced them.

Are you at peace like Paul when life is difficult?

Verse from Job

“可是他知道我所行的道路，他试炼我以后，我必像精金出现。”
‭‭约伯记‬ ‭23:10‬ ‭

“"But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭23:10‬ ‭

During an interview, singer and songwriter Meredith Andrews spoke about being overwhelmed as she tried to balance outreach, creative work, marital issues, and motherhood. Reflecting on her distress, she said, “I felt like God was taking me through a refining season, almost through a crushing process.”

Job was overwhelmed after losing his livelihood, his health, and his family. Worse still, although Job had been a daily worshiper of God, he felt that the Lord was ignoring his pleas for help. God seemed absent from the landscape of his life. Job claimed he could not see God whether he looked to the north, south, east, or west (Job 23:2–9).

In the middle of his despair, Job had a moment of clarity. His faith flickered to life like a candle in a dark room (v10). Christians are tried and purified when God uses difficulty to burn away our self-reliance, pride, and earthly wisdom. If it seems as if God is silent during this process and He is not answering our cries for help, He may be giving us an opportunity to grow stronger in our faith.

Pain and problems can produce the shining, rock-solid character that comes from trusting God when life is hard.

Dear Lord,
help me to believe that You are with me, even when I can’t see You working in my life.
I surrender myself to Your purpose for any suffering I may endure.

Faith-testing times can be faith-strengthening times.

Verses from Psalms

“你们要称谢耶和华，因他本是良善的，他的慈爱永远长存。

要称谢那用智慧造成诸天的，因为他的慈爱永远长存。要称谢那铺张大地在水上的，因为他的慈爱永远长存。要称谢那造成大光的，因为他的慈爱永远长存。他造太阳管白昼，因为他的慈爱永远长存。他造月亮和星星管黑夜，因为他的慈爱永远长存。”
‭‭诗篇‬ ‭136:1, 5-9‬ ‭

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

To Him who made the heavens with skill, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; To Him who made the great lights, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: The sun to rule by day, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, The moon and stars to rule by night, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭136:1, 5-9‬ ‭

Nature daily displays the truth, goodness, and beauty of the One who brought it into being. Every day nature offers a new and fresh declaration of God’s glory. Do we see Him through that beauty, or do we merely glance at it and shrug it off in indifference?

All nature declares the beauty of the One who made it. Our response can be worship, adoration, and thanksgiving—for the radiance of a cornflower, the splendor of a morning sunrise, the symmetry of one particular tree.

Author C. S. Lewis describes a walk in the forest on a hot summer day. He had just asked his friend how best to cultivate a heart thankful toward God. His hiking companion turned to a nearby brook, splashed his face and hands in a little waterfall, and asked, “Why not begin with this?” Lewis said he learned a great principle in that moment: “Begin where you are.”

A trickling waterfall, the wind in the willows, a baby robin, the blue sky, a tiny flower. Why not begin your thankfulness with this?

Father,
may we always be reminded that You have placed beauty here because it reflects Your character.
We praise You!

What are you thankful for today?

[God] is the beauty behind all beauty.  Steve DeWitt

Verse from 1 Thessalonians

“凡事谢恩；这就是神在基督耶稣里给你们的旨意。”
‭‭帖撒罗尼迦前书‬ ‭5:18‬ ‭

“in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:18‬ ‭

In the suburb where Lawrence lives, he often complains about the constant power outages. They can hit three times in a week and last up to twenty-four hours, plunging the neighborhood into darkness. The inconvenience is hard to bear when he cannot use basic household appliances.

His Christian neighbor often asks, “Is this also something to thank God for?” She is referring to 1 Thessalonians 5:18. He always say, “Yes, of course, we thank God in all things.” But the half-hearted manner in which he say it is contradicted by his grumbling every time the power goes off.

One day, however, his belief in thanking God in all circumstances took on new meaning. He returned from work to find his neighbor visibly shaken as she cried, “Thank Jesus the power was off. My house would have burned down, and my family and I would have perished!”
A refuse-collection truck had hit the electricity pole in front of her house and brought down the high-tension cables right over several houses. Had there been power in the cables, fatalities would have been likely.

The difficult circumstances we face can make it hard to say, “Thanks, Lord.” We can be thankful to our God who sees in every situation an opportunity for us to trust Him—whether or not we see His purpose.

Father,
we honor You with our words,
but so often our actions reveal that our hearts don’t trust You.
Help us to see You at work in every circumstance,
no matter how difficult.

By God’s grace we can be thankful in all things.

Verse from Genesis

“于是，夏甲给那对她说话的耶和华，起名叫“你是看顾人的神”，因为她说：“在这里我不是也看见了那位看顾人的吗？””
‭‭创世记‬ ‭16:13‬ ‭

“Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees"; for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?"”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭16:13‬ ‭

After many years of Sarai and Abram still longing for an heir, Sarai followed the custom of the culture and told her husband to conceive through Hagar (a slave in Abram's household). But when Hagar became pregnant, she treated Sarai with contempt. When Sarai mistreated her in return, Hagar fled far away to the desert.

The Lord saw Hagar in her pain and confusion, and He blessed her with the promise that she would be the mother of many descendants. After the encounter, Hagar called the Lord “El Roi,” which means “the God who sees me” (Gen. 16:13), for she knew she wasn’t alone or abandoned.

As Hagar was seen—and loved—so are we. We might feel ignored or rejected by friends or family, yet we know that our Father sees not only the face we present to the world, but all of our secret feelings and fears. He speaks the words that bring us life.

Verse from Ecclesiastes

“我知道神所作的一切，都必永存...”
‭‭传道书‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭

“I know that everything God does will remain forever...”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭

Four-year-old Asher’s gleeful face peeked out from beneath his favorite hooded sweatshirt. His alligator-head hooded sweatshirt, complete with plush jaws that seemed to swallow his head! His mom’s heart sank. She wanted the family to make a good impression as they visited a family they hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Oh, Hon,” she said, “that may not be appropriate for the occasion.”
“Of course it is!” Asher protested brightly.
“Hmm, and what occasion might that be?” she asked. Asher replied, “You know. Life!” He got to wear the shirt.

That joyful boy already grasps the truth of Ecclesiastes 3:12—“There is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.” Ecclesiastes can seem depressing and is often misunderstood because it’s written from a human perspective, not God’s. The writer, King Solomon, asked, “What do workers gain from their toil?” (v. 9). Yet throughout the book we catch glimpses of hope. Solomon also wrote: “That each of [us] may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all [our] toil—this is the gift of God” (v. 13).

We serve a God who gives us good things to enjoy. As we acknowledge Him and follow His loving commands, He infuses our lives with purpose, meaning, and joy.

Restore to us childlike joy that appreciates Your good gifts.

The Lord who made you wants you to make Him the center of your life.

Verse from Psalms

“我要教导你，指示你应走的路；我要劝戒你，我的眼睛看顾你。”
‭‭诗篇‬ ‭32:8‬ ‭

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭32:8‬ ‭

In Psalm 32, David celebrated the marvel of God’s forgiveness, guidance, and concern for us. Unlike a human father, God knows every detail of our lives and the deepest needs of our hearts. And He has also promised to guide us (v.8)

Whatever our circumstances today, we can rely on God’s presence and care because “the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him” (v. 10).

Dear Father in heaven,
thank You for watching over me in love and guiding me along Your path today.

We are never out of God’s sight and His loving care.