Verse from Romans

“不可被恶所胜，反要以善胜恶。”

‭‭罗马书‬ ‭12:21‬ ‭

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:21‬ ‭

In 1994, when South Africa made the transition from government by apartheid (imposed racial segregation) to a democracy, it faced the difficult question of how to address the crimes committed under apartheid. The country’s leaders couldn’t ignore the past, but merely imposing harsh punishments on the guilty risked deepening the country’s wounds. As Desmond Tutu, the first black Anglican Archbishop of South Africa, explained in his book No Future Without Forgiveness, “We could very well have had justice, retributive justice, and had a South Africa lying in ashes.”

Through establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, the new democracy chose the difficult path of pursuing truth, justice, and mercy. Those guilty of crimes were offered a path to restoration—if they were willing to confess their crimes and seek to make restitution. Only by courageously facing the truth could the country begin to find healing.

In a way, South Africa’s dilemma mirrors the struggle we all face. We’re called to pursue both justice and mercy (Micah 6:8), but mercy is often misunderstood to be a lack of accountability, while pursuing justice can become distorted into pursuing revenge.

Our only path forward is a love that not only “hates what is evil” (Romans 12:9) but also longs for the transformation and good of our “neighbor” (13:10). Through the power of Christ’s Spirit, we can learn what it means to have a future of overcoming evil with good (12:21).

Verse from 2 Kings

“以利亚回答五十夫长说：“如果我是神人，愿火从天降下，把你和你的五十名手下吞灭。”于是有火从天降下，吞灭了五十夫长和他的五十名手下。”

‭‭列王纪下‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭

“Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.”

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭

Elijah refused to be intimidated, even when the king of Israel sent fifty soldiers to arrest him (2 Kings 1:9). The prophet knew God was with him, and he called down fire that consumed the platoon. The king sent more soldiers, and Elijah did it again (v. 12). The king sent more, but the third platoon had heard about the others. The captain begged Elijah to spare his soldiers’ lives. They were more afraid of him than he’d ever been of them, so the angel of the Lord told Elijah it was safe to go with them (vv. 13–15).

Jesus doesn’t want us to call down fire on our enemies. When the disciples asked if they could call down fire on a Samaritan village, Jesus rebuked them (Luke 9:51–55). We’re living in a different time. But Jesus does want us to have Elijah’s boldness—to be ready to tell everyone about the Savior who died for them. It may seem like one person taking on fifty, but it’s actually One on fifty. Jesus provides what we need to courageously love and reach out to others.

Verses from Deuteronomy

“六日要劳碌，作你一切工作。 但第七日是属于耶和华你神的安息日；这一日，你和你的儿女、仆婢、牛驴和一切牲畜，以及你城里的寄居者，不可作任何的工，好使你的仆婢可以和你一样享受安息。”

‭‭申命记‬ ‭5:13-14‬ ‭

“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭5:13-14‬ ‭

So many of us today feel rushed doing our jobs, working long hours, checking email multiple times a day, and feeling pressured to meet tighter and tighter deadlines. The customer service tactics have seeped into all our lives, creating a culture of rush.

When God told the Israelites to keep a Sabbath, He added an important reason: “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt” (Deuteronomy 5:15). There they’d been forced to work ceaselessly under Pharaoh’s excessive time constraints (Exodus 5:6–9). Now freed, they were to give themselves a whole day each week to ensure they and those who served them could rest (Deuteronomy 5:14). Under God’s rule, there were to be no flush-faced, out-of-breath people.

How often do you work to the point of exhaustion or get impatient with people who keep you waiting? Let’s give ourselves and each other a break. A culture of rush is Pharaoh’s doing, not God’s.

Verse from Amos

“但愿公正好象潮水滚流，公义好象河水长流。”

‭‭阿摩司书‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭

“But let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”

‭‭Amos‬ ‭5:24‬ 

Amos was a prophet living among a people who were involved in religious activities, such as celebrating festivals and offering sacrifices, but whose hearts were far from God (Amos 5:21–23). God rejected their activities because they’d turned away from His commands, including those regarding justice toward the needy and oppressed.

Instead of religious ceremonies devoid of love for God and others, Amos wrote that God longed for His people to demonstrate genuine concern for the welfare of all people—a generous way of living that would be a mighty river bringing life wherever it flowed.

Jesus taught the same truth that loving God is connected with loving our neighbors (Matthew 22:37–39). As we seek to love God, may it come from hearts that also treasure justice.

Verse from John

“所以，神的儿子若使你们自由，你们就真的得自由了。”

‭‭约翰福音‬ ‭8:36‬ ‭

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8:36‬ ‭

Jesus gave up His life—enduring death on a Roman cross—to secure spiritual freedom for all people, including each of us. Now as His children, we know “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free,” the apostle Paul boldly declared (Galatians 5:1).

But free in what ways? In Jesus, we experience freedom not only from sin and its hold on us but also from guilt, shame, worry, Satan’s lies, superstitions, false teaching, and eternal death. 

For all of this, let’s thank God today. 

Verse from Matthew

“前呼后拥的群众喊叫着：“‘和散那’归于大卫的子孙，奉主名来的是应当称颂的，高天之上当唱‘和散那’。””

‭‭马太福音‬ ‭21:9‬ ‭

“The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21:9‬ ‭

When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, the crowd was hoping He would be the one to fix their external problem—their oppression by the Romans. They went wild (Matthew 21:9). This was the moment they’d been waiting for; God’s appointed King had come. 

If God’s chosen Deliverer was going to begin reforming things, wouldn’t He start with all the wrong out there? But in most gospel accounts, the “triumphal entry” is followed by Jesus driving out exploitative moneychangers . . . from the temple (vv. 12–13). He was cleaning house, and from the inside out.

That’s what happens when we welcome Jesus as King; He comes to set things right—and He starts with us. He makes us confront the evil inside. Jesus on the donkey is like the warriors in the Trojan horse. The horse was welcomed as a symbol of peace, but its ultimate aim was unconditional surrender. Jesus our King requires the same from us.

Verse from 2 Corinthians

“他却对我说：“我的恩典是够你用的，因为我的能力在人的软弱上显得完全。”所以，我更喜欢夸自己的软弱，好让基督的能力临到我的身上。”

‭‭哥林多后书‬ ‭12:9‬ ‭

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9‬ ‭

While other preachers in Paul's day were parading around their credentials, Paul refused to get into a bragging contest to prove he was the most impressive of Jesus' disciples. 

Even though he had the religious education and Jewish pedigree to silence his rivals, he preferred to acknowledge the areas of his weakness where God had triumphed over his own limitations. 

Let's be careful today about examining and determining the ministry-worth of someone based on his or her resume. Instead, let's look for people in whom God's grace has triumphed.

Verse from Mark

“彼得对他说：“你看，我们已经舍弃了一切，而且来跟从你了。””

‭‭马可福音‬ ‭10:28‬ ‭

“Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:28‬ ‭

Two men remembered for serving others for Jesus left careers in the arts to commit themselves to where they believed God had called them. James O. Fraser (1886–1938) decided not to pursue being a concert pianist in England to serve the Lisu people in China, while the American Judson Van DeVenter (1855–1939) chose to become an evangelist instead of pursuing a career in art. He later wrote the hymn “I Surrender All.”

While having a vocation in the arts is the perfect calling for many, these men believed God called them to relinquish one career for another. Perhaps they found inspiration from Jesus counseling the rich, young ruler to give up his possessions to follow Him (Mark 10:17–25). Witnessing the exchange, Peter exclaimed, “We have left everything to follow you!” (v. 28). Jesus assured him that God would give those who follow Him “a hundred times as much in this present age” and eternal life (v. 30). But He would give according to His wisdom: “Many who are first will be last, and the last first” (v. 31).

No matter where God has placed us, we’re called to daily surrender our lives to Christ, obeying His gentle call to follow Him and serve Him with our talents and resources

Verse from Psalms

“我因悲叹而疲惫，我夜夜流泪，把床漂起， 把床榻浸透。”

‭‭诗篇‬ ‭6:6‬ ‭

“I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭6:6‬ ‭

Victor Hugo (1802–1885), a poet and novelist during the social and political upheavals of nineteenth-century France, is perhaps best known for his classic Les Miserables. Over a century later, a musical adaptation of his novel has become one of our generation’s most popular productions. This shouldn’t surprise us. As Hugo once said, “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”

The psalmists would have agreed. Their songs and prayers provide us with honest reflections on life and its inevitable pain. They touch us in places we find difficult to access. One example is in Psalm 6:6.

The fact that such raw honesty is included in the inspired songs of the Scriptures gives us great encouragement. It invites us to bring our fears to God, who welcomes us into His presence for comfort and help. He embraces us in our heartfelt honesty.

Music can give us the ability to express our feelings when words are hard to come by, but whether that expression is sung, prayed, or silently cried, our God reaches into the deepest places in our hearts and gives us His peace.

Verse from Hebrews

“我们又应该彼此关心，激发爱心，勉励行善。”

‭‭希伯来书‬ ‭10:24‬ ‭

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭24‬

When we are a bit more transparent, we may find people who are struggling in a similar situation. And as we enjoy a growing fellowship with God and become more aware of our own brokenness and inadequacy, God is able to use us more fully to help others.

Wearing a mask that shows everything’s fine

Says that life’s struggles are not God’s design;

But when we’re open, transparent, and true,

People will trust God to meet their needs too. —Sper

Believers stand strong when they don’t stand alone.

Verse from 1 Peter

“就算你们要为义受苦，也是有福的。“不要怕人的恐吓，也不要畏惧。””

‭‭彼得前书‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭

“But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.””

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭

Fear is Hadassah’s constant companion. Hadassah, a young Jewish girl living in the first century, is a fictional character in Francine Rivers’ book A Voice in the Wind. After Hadassah becomes a slave in a Roman household, she fears persecution for her faith in Christ. She knows that Christians are despised, and many are sent to their execution or thrown to the lions in the arena. Will she have the courage to stand for the truth when she is tested?

When her worst fear becomes reality, her mistress and other Roman officials who hate Christianity confront her. She has two choices: recant her faith in Christ or be taken to the arena. Then, as she proclaims Jesus as the Christ, her fear falls away and she becomes bold even in the face of death.

The Bible reminds us that sometimes we will suffer for doing what is right—whether for sharing the gospel or for living godly lives that are against today’s values. We are told not to be frightened (1 Peter 3:14), but to “revere Christ as Lord” in our hearts (v. 15). 

Hadassah’s main battle took place in her heart. When she finally made up her mind to choose Jesus, she found the courage to be faithful.

When we make the decision to honor Christ, He will help us to be bold and to overcome our fears in the midst of opposition.

Father, 

give me boldness to stand firm in difficult times.

Verse from Psalms

“耶和华啊！你所造的真是众多。它们都是你用智慧造成的；全地充满你所造的东西。”

‭‭诗篇‬ ‭104:24‬ ‭

“How many are Your works, Lord! In wisdom You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭104:24‬ ‭

The Hebrew word for wisdom found here is often used in the Bible to describe skillful craftsmanship. God’s handiwork in nature proclaims His presence and makes us want to praise Him.

Psalm 104 begins and ends with the words: “Praise the Lord” (vv. 1, 35). From a baby’s hand to an eagle’s eye, our Creator’s artistry all around us speaks of His consummate skill. May we take it all in with wonder today—and praise Him for it!

Verse from Isaiah

“专心倚靠你的，你必保护他一切平安，因为他倚靠你。”

‭‭以赛亚书‬ ‭26:3‬ ‭

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26:3‬ ‭

In Isaiah 26, the prophet declares that God’s people can trust in the Lord forever, “for the Lord . . . is the Rock eternal” (v. 4). He’s able to sustain us with supernatural peace in every situation (v. 12). Focusing on His unchanging character and crying out to Him during troublesome times revitalizes our hope (v. 15).

When we face any loss, disappointment, or difficult circumstance, God invites us to be honest with Him. He can handle our ever-changing emotions and our questions. He remains with us and refreshes our spirits with enduring hope. Even when we feel like our lives are falling apart, God can make our faith unbreakable.

Verse from Romans

“因此，你们应当彼此接纳，就像基督接纳了你们一样，使荣耀归于神。”

‭‭罗马书‬ ‭15:7‬ ‭

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:7‬ ‭

Paul’s teaching and example helped Roman believers see that God’s plan to rescue wayward humanity included Jews and gentiles (Romans 15:8–12). 

Believers are called to follow His example of acceptance of others (v. 7); prejudice and discord have no place among those called to glorify God with “one mind and one voice” (v. 6). 

Ask God to help you cross barriers and break down walls and to warmly embrace everyone, regardless of their differences. 

Verse from Proverbs

“在灭亡以先，必有骄傲；在跌倒以前，心中高傲。”

‭‭箴言‬ ‭16:18‬ ‭

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16:18‬ ‭

The account of King Nebuchadnezzar is an example of how pride can lead to a fall. The prophet Daniel reminded him that God had given him “dominion and power and might and glory” (Daniel 2:37). Nebuchadnezzar initially acknowledged Yahweh was “the God of gods and Lord of kings” (v. 47), but pride got the better of him when he ordered everyone to worship a ninety-foot-tall gold statue of himself (3:1–6). 

Ignoring God’s warning, he persisted in his pride and said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built . . . by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (4:30). Just as he was boasting about this, he was suddenly struck down by an illness, believed to be boanthropy, a rare mental disorder where a person believes he is a cow or ox (vv. 31–33). 

After seven years, God restored Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity. Then he humbly confessed, “Now I . . . praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven. . . . Those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (v. 37). The arrogant king learned that “when pride comes, then comes disgrace” (Proverbs 11:2) and “pride brings a person low” (29:23).

When have you seen pride lead to disgrace?

Verse from 1 Samuel

“那非利士人观看，看见了大卫，就藐视他，因为他年纪还轻，面色红润，外貌英俊。”

‭‭撒母耳记上‬ ‭17:42‬ ‭

“He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭17:42‬ ‭

Baby Saybie, born as a “micro-preemie” at 23 weeks, weighed only 8.6 ounces. Doctors doubted Saybie would live and told her parents they’d likely have only an hour with their daughter. However, Saybie kept fighting. A pink card near her crib declared “Tiny but Mighty.” After five months in the hospital, Saybie miraculously went home as a healthy five-pound baby. And she took a world record with her: the world’s tiniest surviving baby.

It’s powerful to hear stories of those who beat the odds. The Bible tells one of these stories. David, a shepherd boy, volunteered to fight Goliath—a mammoth warrior who defamed God and threatened Israel. King Saul thought David was ridiculous: “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth” (1 Samuel 17:33). And when the boy David stepped onto the battlefield, Goliath “looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy” (v. 42). 

However, David didn’t step into battle alone. He came “in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel” (v. 45). And when the day was done, a victorious David stood above a dead Goliath.

No matter how enormous the problem, when God is with us there’s nothing that we need to fear. With His strength, we’re also mighty.

Verse from Proverbs

“如果人在火炭上行走，他的脚怎能不灼伤呢？”

‭‭箴言‬ ‭6:28‬ ‭

“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 Psalms

“耶和华啊！世上的君王都要称谢你，因为他们听见了你口中的言语。他们要歌颂耶和华的作为，因为耶和华大有荣耀。”

‭‭诗篇‬ ‭138:4-5‬ ‭

“May all the kings of the earth praise You, Lord, when they hear what You have decreed. May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭138:4-5‬ ‭

In Psalm 138:4–5, David calls the kings of the earth to praise God. The surrounding verses explain the reasons he issues this call: God is loving and faithful and answers those who call (vv. 1–3); He’s kind and compassionate to “the lowly”; He saves those who are oppressed (vv. 6–8).

David’s call to the kings of the earth in verses 4–5 could be considered a hopeful calling. In the days of the Old Testament, kings (outside of Israel) didn’t praise God. They were, more often than not, rebellious and resistant to Him (see Psalms 2 and 48). In Revelation, however, David’s hope is fulfilled as the kings of the earth bring their riches to the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24).

Verse from Deuteronomy

“摩西就在那一天写下了这首诗歌，教导以色列人。”

‭‭申命记‬ ‭31:22‬ ‭

“So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:22‬ ‭

God knew that long after Moses was gone, when He had brought Israel into the Promised Land, they would rebel and worship other gods. So He told Moses, “This song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants” (v. 21).

Songs are nearly impossible to forget, so it’s wise to be selective about what we sing. Some songs are just for fun, and that’s fine, but we benefit from songs that boast in Jesus and encourage our faith. 

One of the ways we “[make] the most of every opportunity” is when we speak “to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.” So “sing and make music from your heart to the Lord” (see Ephesians 5:15–19).

Verse from 2 Corinthians

“如果有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已经过去，你看，都变成新的了！”

‭‭哥林多后书‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭

David’s first beating came at the hands of his father on his seventh birthday, after he accidentally broke a window. “He kicked me and punched me,” David said. “Afterward, he apologized. He was an abusive alcoholic, and it’s a cycle I’m doing my best to end now.” 

But it took a long time for David to get to this point. Most of his teen years and twenties were spent in jail or on probation, and in and out of addiction treatment centers. When it felt like his dreams were entirely dashed, he found hope in a Christ-centered treatment center through a relationship with Jesus. 

“I used to be filled with nothing but despair,” David says. “Now I’m pushing myself in the other direction. When I get up in the morning, the first thing I tell God is that I’m surrendering my will over to Him.” 

When we come to God with lives shattered, whether by others’ wrongdoing or by our own, God takes our broken hearts and makes us new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christ’s love and life breaks into the cycles of our past, giving us a new future (vv. 14–15). And it doesn’t end there. Throughout our lives, we can find hope and strength in what God has done and continues to do in us—each and every moment.

Verse from Psalms

“我的帮助是从造天地的耶和华而来。”

‭‭诗篇‬ ‭121:2‬ ‭

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭121:2‬ ‭

The psalmist pondered where his help came from, maybe because the hilltops around Israel were dotted with altars to pagan gods and often contained robbers. Or it could have been because the psalmist looked up beyond the hills to Mount Zion where the temple stood and remembered that the Maker of heaven and earth was his covenant God (v. 2). 

Either way, to worship we must look up. We have to lift our eyes higher than our circumstances, higher than our troubles and trials, higher than the empty promises of the false gods of our day. Then we can see the Creator and Redeemer, the One who calls us by name. He’s the One who will “watch over your coming and going” today and forevermore (v. 8).

Verse from 1 Corinthians

“你们不知道圣徒要审判世界吗？既然世界要由你们来审判，难道你们不配审判这些最小的事吗？”

‭‭哥林多前书‬ ‭6:2‬ ‭

“Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:2‬ ‭

In the next life, all believers will share ruling authority with Jesus. Paul referenced this future privilege because he wanted to inspire believers to settle disputes peacefully on earth. They had been suing each other and consequently harming the reputation of other believers in their community.

We become better at resolving conflict as the Holy Spirit produces self-control, gentleness, and patience within us. By the time Jesus returns and completes the Spirit’s work in our lives (1 John 3:2–3), we’ll be ready for our eventual role as “a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and . . . reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). Let’s hold on to this promise that glitters in Scripture like a diamond set in a crown of gold.

Verse from Ruth

“拿俄米对她们说：“不要叫我拿俄米，叫我玛拉吧，因为全能者使我吃尽了苦头。”

‭‭路得记‬ ‭1:20‬ ‭

““Don’t call me Naomi, ” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1:20‬ ‭

The book of Ruth tells about a woman named Naomi who struggled with a heart of grief that grew into bitterness. Her husband died in a foreign land, and ten years later both her sons died. She was left destitute with her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah (1:3–5). 

When Naomi and Ruth returned to Naomi’s home country, the whole town was excited to see them. But Naomi told her friends: “The Almighty has made my life very bitter. . . . The Lord has afflicted me” (vv. 20–21). She even asked them to call her “Mara,” meaning bitter. 

Who hasn’t faced disappointment and been tempted toward bitterness? Someone says something hurtful, an expectation isn’t met, or demands from others make us resentful. When we acknowledge to ourselves and God what’s happening deep in our hearts, our tender Gardener can help us dig up any roots of bitterness—whether they’re still small or have been growing for years—and can replace them with a sweet, joyful spirit.

Verse from Hebrews

“因为神并不是不公义，以致忘记了你们的工作，和你们为他的名所表现的爱心，就是你们以前服事圣徒，现在还是服事他们。”

‭‭希伯来书‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭

“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭

God loves to use people others might overlook. The apostle Andrew isn’t as well known as his brother Peter, but the Bible recounts that “the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon [Peter] and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’. . . . And he brought him to Jesus” (John 1:41–42).

Peter met Jesus through Andrew. When Andrew, one of John the Baptist’s disciples, learned about Jesus from John, he followed Jesus and believed—and immediately told his brother. Andrew’s quiet faithfulness had an impact that would shake the world.

God values faithful service over fame. He can use us powerfully wherever we are—even when no one is looking.

Verse from Numbers

“此外，在你们快乐的日子和指定的节期，以及月朔，你们献燔祭和平安祭的时候，也要吹号，这都要在你们的神面前替你们作为记念；我是耶和华你们的神。””

‭‭民数记‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭

“Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.””

‭‭Numbers‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭

In the Old Testament, trumpets were a reminder to the Israelites that God was near. In the middle of celebrating the feasts and festivals that were part of the covenant agreement between God and the nation of Israel, the Jews were to “sound the trumpets” (Numbers 10:10). 

Blowing a trumpet was a reminder not only of God’s presence but also that He was available when they needed Him most—and He longed to help them.

Verse from Romans

“唯有基督在我们还作罪人的时候为我们死，神对我们的爱就在此显明了。”

‭‭罗马书‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭

In Japan, wakeari is a catchphrase for people who are obviously less than perfect.

Jesus loves all people—including the wakeari who society casts aside. When a woman who had lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at a Pharisee’s house, she went there and knelt behind Jesus at His feet, weeping (Luke 7:37–38). The Pharisee labeled her “a sinner” (v. 39), but Jesus accepted her. He spoke gently to her, assuring her that her sins were forgiven (v. 48).

Jesus loves imperfect, wakeari people—which includes you and me. And the greatest demonstration of His love for us is that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). As recipients of His love, may we be conduits of His love to the flawed people around us so they too may know that they can receive God’s love despite their imperfections.

I know I’m not perfect, Lord, so help me not to be hypocritical and pretend I have it all together. 

Open my heart to others in acceptance and love so that they might know Jesus’s concern for them.

Broken people are made whole by God’s love.

Verse from Jeremiah

 “我一得到你的话，就把它们吃了；你的话成了我心中的欢喜快乐；耶和华万军的神啊！因为我是称为你名下的人。”

‭‭耶利米书‬ ‭15:16‬ ‭

“When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear Your name, Lord God Almighty.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭15:16‬ ‭

Early in his fifty-year ministry in Cambridge, England, Charles Simeon (1759–1836) met a neighboring pastor, Henry Venn, and his daughters. After the visit, the daughters remarked how harsh and self-assertive the young man seemed. In response, Venn asked his daughters to pick a peach from the trees. When they wondered why their father would want the unripe fruit, he responded, “Well, my dears, it is green now, and we must wait; but a little more sun, and a few more showers, and the peach will be ripe and sweet. So it is with Mr. Simeon.”

Over the years Simeon did soften through God’s transforming grace. One reason was his commitment to read the Bible and pray every day. A friend who stayed with him for a few months witnessed this practice and remarked, “Here was the secret of his great grace and spiritual strength.”

Simeon in his daily time with God followed the practice of the prophet Jeremiah, who faithfully listened for God’s words. Jeremiah depended on them so much that he said, “When your words came, I ate them.” He mulled and chewed over God’s words, which were his “joy” and “heart’s delight” (Jeremiah 15:16).

If we too resemble a sour green fruit, we can trust that God will help to soften us through His Spirit as we get to know Him through reading and obeying the Scriptures.

Verse from Psalms

“应当欢欢喜喜事奉耶和华，欢唱着到他的面前。”

‭‭诗篇‬ ‭100:2‬ ‭

“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100:2‬ ‭

As we embrace a lifestyle of joyful worship, we can come before our Creator anytime and anywhere. Acknowledging His enduring love and faithfulness, we can enjoy intimate communion with Him and thank Him for His ongoing care (Psalm 100). 

Whether we’re singing praises in our cars, praying in public, or spreading God’s love through kind acts, we can inspire others to “praise his name” (v. 4). Worshiping God is more than a Sunday morning event. 

Verse from John

 “马大对耶稣说：“主啊，如果你早在这里，我的兄弟就不会死了！”

‭‭约翰福音‬ ‭11:21‬ ‭

““Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

‭‭John‬ ‭11:21‬ ‭

When Jesus lived on earth, His seemingly slow pace sometimes disappointed His friends. In John 11, Mary and Martha sent word that their brother, Lazarus, was sick. They knew Jesus could help (vv. 1–3). But He arrived some four days later (v. 17), after Lazarus had died. “ ‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died’ ” (v. 21). Translation: Jesus didn’t move fast enough. But He had bigger plans: raising Lazarus from the dead (vv. 38–44). 

Can you relate to Martha’s desperation? I can. Sometimes, I long for Jesus to move more quickly to answer a prayer. Sometimes, it seems like He’s late. But Jesus’ sovereign schedule is different from ours. 

He accomplishes His saving work on His timetable, not ours. And the ultimate outcome displays His glory and goodness in ways that are so much greater than our plans.

Verse from Luke

 “但那听见而不遵行的，就像人在地上建屋，没有根基，急流一冲，就立刻倒塌，毁坏得很厉害。””

‭‭路加福音‬ ‭6:49‬ ‭

“But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:49‬ ‭

In our lives the question is not if the floods will come, but when. Sometimes we have advance notice, but usually not. Jesus stresses a strong foundation for such times—one built by not just hearing His words but also by living out the gospel (Luke 6:47). 

That practice is almost like pouring concrete into our lives. When the floods come, and they will, we can withstand them because we’ve been “well built” (v. 48). The absence of practice leaves our lives vulnerable to collapse and destruction (v. 49). It’s the difference between being wise and foolish.

It’s good to pause occasionally and do a little foundation assessment. Jesus will help us to fortify the weak places that we might stand strong in His power when the floods come.

Verse from Isaiah

“你从水中经过的时候，我必与你同在；你渡过江河的时候，水必不淹没你；你从火中行走的时候，必不会烧伤；火焰也不会在你身上烧起来。”

‭‭以赛亚书‬ ‭43:2‬ ‭

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:2‬ ‭

The ball drops in New York’s Times Square. The crowd counts down to Big Ben chiming. Sydney Harbor erupts in fireworks. However your city marks it, there’s something exciting about welcoming in a new year and the fresh start it brings. On New Year’s Day we push out into new waters. What friendships and opportunities might we find?

For all its excitement, though, a new year can be unsettling. None of us knows the future or what storms it may hold. Many New Year’s traditions reflect this: Fireworks were invented in China to supposedly ward off evil spirits and make a new season prosperous. And New Year’s resolutions date back to the Babylonians who made vows to appease their gods. Such acts were an attempt to make an unknown future secure.

When they weren’t making vows, the Babylonians were busy conquering people—including Israel. In time, God sent the enslaved Jews this message: “Do not fear . . . . When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:1–2). Later, Jesus said something similar when He and the disciples were caught sailing in a violent storm. “Why are you so afraid?” He told them before commanding the waters to be still (Matthew 8:23–27).

Today we push out from the shore into new, uncharted waters. Whatever we face, He’s with us—and He has the power to calm the waves.