Verse from 1 Thessalonians

“所以，你们应该彼此劝慰，互相造就，正如你们一向所行的。”

‭‭帖撒罗尼迦前书‬ ‭5:11‬ ‭

“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:11‬ ‭

African gazelles instinctively form “alert circles” while resting on the savannah. They gather in groups with each animal facing outward in a slightly different direction. This enables them to scan the horizon a full 360 degrees and to communicate about approaching dangers or opportunities.

Instead of looking out only for themselves, the members of the group take care of one another. This is also God’s wisdom for followers of Jesus. The Bible encourages us, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together” (Hebrews 10:24–25).

Christians were never intended to go it alone, explains the writer of Hebrews. Together we are stronger. We’re able to “[encourage] one another” (v. 25), to “comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:4), and to help each other stay alert to the efforts of our enemy the devil, who “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

The goal of our care for each other is so much more than survival. It’s to make us like Jesus: loving and effective servants of God in this world—people who together look forward confidently to the hope of His coming kingdom. All of us need encouragement, and God will help us help each other as together we draw near to Him in love.

Verse from Psalms

 “我一生的日子，必有恩惠慈爱紧随着我；我也要住在耶和华的殿中，直到永远。”

‭‭诗篇‬ ‭23:6‬ ‭

“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:6‬ ‭

Wanting to mature in her spiritual life and become more thankful, Sue started what she called a Thanks-Living jar. Each evening she wrote on a small piece of paper one thing she thanked God for and dropped it in the jar. Some days she had many praises; other difficult days she struggled to find one. At the end of the year she emptied her jar and read through all of the notes. She found herself thanking God again for everything He had done. He had given simple things like a beautiful sunset or a cool evening for a walk in the park, and other times He had provided grace to handle a difficult situation or had answered a prayer.

Sue’s discovery is like what the psalmist David says he experienced (Ps. 23). God refreshed him with “green pastures” and “quiet waters” (vv. 2–3). He gave him guidance, protection, and comfort (vv. 3–4). David concluded: “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life” (v. 6).

Maybe you’d like to start a thanksgiving jar as well. We’ll see we have many reasons to thank God—including His gifts of friends and family and His provisions for our physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. We’ll see that the goodness and love of God follow us all the days of our lives.

Dear Lord, 

You bless me in more ways than I can count. 

Thank You for Your love for me.

When you think of all that’s good, give thanks to God.

Verse from Psalms

“要称谢那引导自己的子民走过旷野的，因为他的慈爱永远长存。”

‭‭诗篇‬ ‭136:16‬ ‭

“To Him who led His people through the wilderness, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭136:16‬ ‭

In 2015, a woman discarded her deceased husband’s computer at a recycling center—a computer that had been made in 1976. But more important than when it had been made was who made it. It was one of 200 computers hand built by Apple founder Steve Jobs, and was worth an estimated quarter of a million dollars! Sometimes knowing the true worth of something means knowing who made it.

Knowing that it’s God who made us shows us how valuable we are to Him (Genesis 1:27). Psalm 136 catalogs key moments of His people—ancient Israel: how they had been freed from captivity in Egypt (vv. 11–12), journeyed through the wilderness (v. 16), and were given a new home in Canaan (vv. 21–22). 

But each time a moment of Israel’s history is mentioned, it’s paired with this repeated refrain: “His love endures forever.” This refrain reminded the people of Israel that their experiences weren’t random historical events. Each moment had been orchestrated by God and was a reflection of His enduring love for those He’d made.

Far too often, we allow moments that show God at work and His kind ways to simply pass by, failing to recognize that every perfect gift comes from our heavenly Father (James 1:17) who made us and loves us. May we learn to connect every blessing in our lives to God’s enduring love for us.

Verse from Matthew

“愿你的国降临，愿你的旨意成就在地上，如同在天上一样。”

‭‭马太福音‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭

Nate and Sherilyn enjoyed their stop at an omakase restaurant while visiting New York City. Omakase is a Japanese word that translates, “I will leave it up to you,” which means customers at such restaurants let the chef choose their meal. Even though it was their first time to try this type of cuisine and it sounded risky, they loved the food the chef chose and prepared for them.

That idea could carry over to our attitude toward God with our prayer requests: “I will leave it up to You.” The disciples saw that Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places” to pray (Luke 5:16), so they asked Him one day to teach them how to pray. He told them to ask for their daily needs, forgiveness, and the way out of temptation. Part of His response also suggested an attitude of surrender: “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

We can pour out our needs to God because He wants to hear what’s on our hearts—and He delights to give. But being human and finite, we don’t always know what’s best, so it only makes sense to ask with a humble spirit, in submission to Him. We can leave the answer to Him, confident that He’s trustworthy and will choose to prepare what’s good for us. 

Verse from 2 Samuel

“耶和华的怒气向乌撒发作；神因这错误的举动，就当场击杀他，他就死在神的约柜旁边。”

‭‭撒母耳记下‬ ‭6:7‬ ‭

“And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God.”

‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭6:7‬ ‭

The ancient Israelites encountered an untamable power. When King David recaptured the ark of the covenant (2 Samuel 6:1–4), a celebration broke out (v. 5)—until a man died suddenly when he grabbed hold of the ark to steady it (vv. 6–7).

This may tempt us to think of God as being as unpredictable as a volcano, just as likely to create as He is to destroy. However, it helps to remember that God had given Israel specific instructions for how to handle the things set apart for worshiping Him (see Numbers 4). Israel had the privilege of drawing near to God, but His presence was too overwhelming for them to approach Him carelessly.

Insight

When Uzzah took hold of the ark to ensure it didn’t fall, the Scriptures say God became angry because of his “irreverent act” (2 Samuel 6:7). This seems harsh because it appears that Uzzah was trying to help. The Hebrew word hassal appears only in this passage and is translated as irreverent act, irreverence, or error. That it’s used only here suggests that what Uzzah did was a one of a kind event and therefore significant. God had given precise instructions regarding the handling of “holy things.” According to Numbers 4:15, “[the Kohathites] must not touch the holy things or they will die.” The holy things of God were to be treated according to His instruction. To do differently—even to “help”—indicated lack of reverence toward His command.

Verse from Psalms

“愿我的祷告好象香安放在你面前；愿我的手高举好象献晚祭。”

‭‭诗篇‬ ‭141:2‬ ‭

“May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭141:2‬ ‭

“Prayers are deathless.” These are the attention-grabbing words of E. M. Bounds (1835–1913), whose classic writings on prayer have inspired people for generations. His comments about the power and enduring nature of our prayers continue with these words: “The lips that uttered them may be closed to death, the heart that felt them may have ceased to beat, but the prayers live before God, and God’s heart is set on them and prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them; they outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world.”

Have you ever wondered if your prayers—particularly those birthed out of difficulty, pain, and suffering—ever make it to God? 

The insightful words from Bounds remind us of the significance of our prayers and so does Revelation 8:1–5. The setting is heaven (v. 1), the throne room of God and the control center of the universe. Angelic attendants stand in God’s presence (v. 2) and one angel, like the priests of old, offers Him incense along with the prayers of “all God’s people” (v. 3). 

How eye-opening and encouraging to have this picture of the prayers offered on earth rising to God in heaven (v. 4). When we think that our prayers may have been lost in transit or forgotten, what we see here comforts us and compels us to persist in our praying, for our prayers are precious to God. 

Verse from Proverbs

“殷勤人的手必掌权，懒惰人的手必作苦工。”

‭‭箴言‬ ‭12:24‬ ‭

“The hand of the diligent will rule, But the slack hand will be put to forced labor.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12:24‬ ‭

It was the seventh-grader’s first cross-country meet, but she didn’t want to run. Although she’d been preparing for the event, she was afraid of doing poorly. Still, she started the race with everyone else. Later, one by one the other runners finished the two-mile course and crossed the finish line—everyone except the reluctant runner. Finally, her mom, who was watching for her daughter to finish, saw a lone figure in the distance. The mother went to the finish line, preparing to comfort a distraught competitor. Instead, when the young runner saw her mom, she exclaimed, “That was awesome!”

What can be awesome about finishing last? Finishing!

The girl had tried something difficult and had accomplished it! Scripture honors hard work and diligence, a concept often learned through sports or music or other things that require perseverance and effort.

Proverbs 12:24 says, “Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.” And later we read, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (14:23). These wise principles—not promises—can help us serve God well.

God’s plan for us always included work. Even before the fall, Adam was to “work [the Garden] and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). And any effort we make should be done “with all [our] heart” (Colossians 3:23). Let’s work in the strength He gives us—and leave the results to Him.