Frederick Buechner was upset about his daughter’s illness. If you’ve ever worried about a sick child maybe you can relate to that gut-wrenching reality. He was sitting at the side of the road parked in his car depressed and afraid. All of a sudden, another car came up from behind him as if out of nowhere … Continue reading A licence plate or a message from God?
providence
Pay attention to the prompts
We live in a time when the true meaning of Christmas can get lost. The hungry hustle and hype of our consumeristic culture does its best to muscle the manger off the stage to make room for Santa. Make no mistake about it: the true meaning is found in Luke 2:11: “Today in the town … Continue reading Pay attention to the prompts
Daily unexpected providence
In his book Miracles, Lee Strobel tells a story about Roger Olson. He was very distraught after a bad medical appointment. The next day an old hymn about God’s comfort kept going through Roger’s head. Over and over. On the following Sunday, the pastor in church announced that they would all sing hymn number 220 … Continue reading Daily unexpected providence
“Ordinary” miracles
It's probably clear that I believe in miracles. In Matthew 19:26 Jesus says, “with God all things are possible.” And I fully affirm that God can and does do mind-bending things. But God doesn’t just work in dramatic ways—he works in “ordinary” ways too. The reason I put “ordinary” in quotes is because what we … Continue reading “Ordinary” miracles
You talk to God. But do you also listen?
Talking to God is one thing. But what about listening? What if God was trying to communicate with you but you just weren't paying attention...
When I pray, “coincidences” happen…
William Temple was an English bishop known for many things including his teaching and writing. A few years ago I came across something he said that has really stuck with me. “When I pray, coincidences happen. When I don’t, they don’t.” Today’s devotional is not overly complicated. My point is (a) that the supposed “coincidences” … Continue reading When I pray, “coincidences” happen…
Credit where credit is due
Imagine your best friend did something wonderful for you—like fix your broken garage door for free. They bought the parts, put in free labour, and even gave it a nice new paint job. The next day, some people come over and admire your spectacular garage door. What do you say? Do you say, “Thanks! I’m … Continue reading Credit where credit is due
Missing out on what God wants to do
We often think that wisdom is about us knowing what’s best. But none of us sees the whole picture. Here's what God can do when we remember that fact. (With a little help from Reggie Joiner)
Woolly socks for a prostitute
One of the things I’m trying to improve in my own life is listening to God. I’m pretty good at talking to him. But listening? Not so much. When I say ‘listening’ I’m not just talking about hearing an audible voice. I’m talking about those curious inner promptings that you don’t quite understand at the … Continue reading Woolly socks for a prostitute
What if it wasn’t a coincidence?
When you look up “coincidence” at dictionary.com here’s what you find: Coincidence. Noun. a striking occurrence of two or more events at one time apparently by mere chance. It’s like being in New York, saying to your friend that you miss so-and-so from back home, then bumping into that person you just mentioned 10 seconds … Continue reading What if it wasn’t a coincidence?
