Verse from Ezra

“现在王若是以为好，就请查考王在巴比伦的库房，看看那里有没有古列王下令，重建这在耶路撒冷神的殿的谕旨，并请指示我们王对这事的旨意。””

‭‭以斯拉记‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭

“"Now if it pleases the king, let a search be conducted in the king's treasure house, which is there in Babylon, if it be that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send to us his decision concerning this matter. "”

‭‭Ezra‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭

The citizens of Israel were having some trouble with the government. It was the late 500s bc, and the Jewish people were eager to complete their temple that had been destroyed in 586 bc by Babylon. However, the governor of their region was not sure they should be doing that, so he sent a note to King Darius (Ezra 5:6-17).

In the letter, the governor says he found the Jews working on the temple and asks the king if they had permission to do so. The letter also records the Jews’ respectful response that they had indeed been given permission by an earlier king (Cyrus) to rebuild. When the king checked out their story, he found it to be true: King Cyrus had said they could build the temple. So Darius not only gave them permission to rebuild, but he also paid for it! (see 6:1-12). After the Jews finished building the temple, they “celebrated with joy” because they knew God had “[changed] the attitude of the king” (6:22).

When we see a situation that needs to be addressed, we honor God when we plead our case in a respectful way, trust that He is in control of every situation, and express gratitude for the outcome.

Lord, 

help us to respond respectfully to situations around us. 

We need Your wisdom for this. 

May we always honor, trust, and praise You.

Respect for authority brings glory to God.

Verse from Luke

“耶稣对她说：“女儿，你的信使你痊愈了，平安地去吧！””

‭‭路加福音‬ ‭8:48‬ ‭

“And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭8:48‬ ‭

Weary from twelve years of ongoing suffering, disappointment, and isolation, the desperate woman in Luke 8 approached Jesus from behind and stretched her hand toward the hem of His robe. Her immediate healing followed her act of faith: persistently hoping . . . believing Jesus was able to do what others couldn’t . . . no matter how impossible her situation seemed (vv. 43–44).

We may experience pain that feels endless, situations that appear hopeless, or waiting that seems unbearable. We may endure moments when the odds against us are stacked high and wide. We may not experience the healing we long for as we continue trusting Christ. But even then, Jesus invites us to keep reaching for Him, to trust Him and never give up hope, and to believe He is always able, always trustworthy, and always within reach.

Verse from Matthew

“难道我不可以照自己的主意用我的财物吗？还是因为我仁慈你就嫉妒呢？’”

‭‭马太福音‬ ‭20:15‬ ‭

“Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?'”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭20:15‬ ‭

Thomas J. DeLong, a professor at Harvard Business School, has noted a disturbing trend among his students and colleagues—a  “comparison obsession." He writes:  “More so than ever before, . . . business executives, Wall Street analysts, lawyers, doctors, and other professionals are obsessed with comparing their own achievements against those of others. . . . This is bad for individuals and bad for companies. When you define success based on external rather than internal criteria, you diminish your satisfaction and commitment.”

Comparison obsession isn’t new. The Scriptures warn us of the dangers of comparing ourselves to others. When we do so, we become proud and look down on them (Luke 18:9–14). Or we become jealous and want to be like them or have what they have (James 4:1). We fail to focus on what God has given us to do. Jesus intimated that comparison obsession comes from believing that God is unfair and that He doesn’t have a right to be more generous to others than He is to us (Matt. 20:1–16). 

By God’s grace we can learn to overcome comparison obsession by focusing on the life God has given to us. As we take moments to thank God for everyday blessings, we change our thinking and begin to believe deep down that God is good.

We need a better focus, Lord. 

Help us to keep our eyes off others and instead on You and Your good heart for all of us.

God expresses His goodness to His children in His own way.

Verse from Zephaniah

“以色列的余民必不再行不义，也必不说谎；他们的口里也没有诡诈的舌头。他们吃喝躺卧，没有人惊吓他们。””

‭‭西番雅书‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭

“The remnant of Israel will do no wrong And tell no lies, Nor will a deceitful tongue Be found in their mouths; For they will feed and lie down With no one to make them tremble.””

‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭

When the Ethiopian police found her a week after her abduction, three black-maned lions surrounded her, guarding her as though she were their own. Seven men had kidnapped the twelve-year-old girl, carried her into the woods and beaten her. Miraculously, however, a small pride of lions heard the girl’s cries, came running and chased off the attackers. “[The lions] stood guard until we found her and then they just left her like a gift and went back into the forest,” police Sergeant Wondimu told one reporter.

There are days when violence and evil, like that inflicted on this young girl, overpower us, leaving us without hope and terrified. In ancient times, the people of Judah experienced this. They were overrun by ferocious armies and unable to imagine any possibility of escape. Fear consumed them. However, God always renewed His unrelenting presence with His people: “The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm” (Zephaniah 3:15). 

Even when our catastrophes result from our own rebellion, God still comes to our rescue. “The Lord your God is with you,” we hear, “the Mighty Warrior who saves” (v. 17).

Whatever troubles overtake us, whatever evils, Jesus—the Lion of Judah—is with us (Revelation 5:5). No matter how alone we feel, our strong Savior is with us. No matter what fears ravage us, our God assures us that He is by our side.

Verse from Acts

“这声音一响，许多人都聚了来，人人都听见门徒讲出听众各人本乡的话，就莫名其妙。”

‭‭使徒行传‬ ‭2:6‬ ‭

“And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:6‬ ‭

In London’s Tate Modern gallery, there is one interesting piece of art. Created by Brazilian artist Cildo Meireles, it was a giant tower made of hundreds of old radios. Each radio was turned on and tuned to a different station, creating a cacophony of confusing, indecipherable speech. Meireles called the sculpture Babel.

The title is appropriate. At the original tower of Babel, God thwarted humanity’s attempt to seize heaven by confusing mankind’s languages (Genesis 11:1–9). No longer able to communicate with one another, humanity fractured into tribes of various dialects (vv. 10–26). Divided by language, we’ve struggled to understand each other ever since.

There’s a second part to the story. When the Holy Spirit came upon the first Christians at Pentecost, He enabled them to praise God in the various languages of those visiting Jerusalem that day (Acts 2:1–12). Through this miracle, everyone heard the same message, no matter their nationality or language. The confusion of Babel was reversed.

In a world of ethnic and cultural division, this is good news. Through Jesus, God is forming a new humanity from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Revelation 7:9).

Verse from Psalms

“神是我们的避难所，是我们的力量，是我们在患难中随时都可得到的帮助。”

‭‭诗篇‬ ‭46:1‬ ‭

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

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46:1‬ ‭

Life’s storms come in many forms: hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, unexpected problems in marriage or with children, the sudden loss of health or finances. So much we value can be swept away in a moment.

Amid the storms, Scripture points us to the safest place: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way” (Psalm 46:1–2).

The writers of this psalm were descendants of a man who generations earlier served God but then rebelled against Him and perished in an earthquake (see Numbers 26:9–11). The outlook they share shows humility and a profound understanding of God’s greatness, compassion, and redeeming love.

Troubles come, but God outlasts them all. Those who run to the Savior discover that He can’t be shaken. In the arms of His eternal love we find our place of peace.

Verse from Matthew

“你们怎样判断人，也必怎样被判断；你们用甚么标准衡量人，也必照样被衡量。”

‭‭马太福音‬ ‭7:2‬ ‭

“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:2‬ ‭

Jesus is concerned that we do not have a critical spirit toward others, especially about their motives as to why they did something. We can't assume to know another person's heart; only God can. 

When we are unfairly critical, overly harsh, or unduly judgmental, we need to remember that God will use that same standard on us. All of us need grace. 

Let's remind ourselves to have grace towards others as we are not perfect human beings either.