Daily Bible Verse

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Luke 22:44 KJV
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.


Drops of Red

Walking through the Scottish National Gallery, I was drawn to the strong brushwork and vibrant colors of one of many Olive Trees paintings by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. Many historians believe the work was inspired by Jesus’ experience in the garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. What especially caught my eye on the canvas of the painting were the small red splotches of paint among the ancient trees.

Known as the Mount of Olives because of all the olive trees located on the mountainside, Jesus went there to pray on the night that He predicted His disciple Judas would betray Him. Jesus was overwhelmed with anguish knowing the betrayal would result in His crucifixion. As He prayed, “his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Jesus’ agony was evident in the garden as He prepared for the pain and humiliation of a public execution that would result in the physical shedding of His blood on that Good Friday long ago.

The red paint on Van Gogh’s painting reminds us that Jesus had to “suffer many things and be rejected” (Mark 8:31). While suffering is part of His story, however, it no longer dominates the picture. Jesus’ victory over death transforms even our suffering, allowing it to become only a part of the beautiful landscape of our lives He’s creating.


Reflect & Pray
Why is it important for you to remember Jesus’ suffering? How does His example help you when you suffer?

Jesus, thank You for being willing to suffer, even to death, so that I might receive eternal life.


Insight
After sharing Passover (the Last Supper) with His disciples (Matthew 26:17–30), Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to pray knowing He’d suffer and die a horrific death. Those closest to Him would desert Him, and Peter would deny Him three times (Luke 22:34, 54–62). Yet Jesus also knew that after three days He would rise again (Matthew 12:40; Mark 8:31).

The Mount of Olives, a ridge in the Judean mountains lying east of Jerusalem and the Kidron Valley, is first mentioned in the Old Testament when King David fled from his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15:30). Solomon later chose this mountain to build “a high place” for the “detestable” foreign gods of the Ammonites and Moabites (1 Kings 11:7). Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9–12) and will return to the same place, fulfilling the vision of the prophet that the mount “will be split in two from east to west” (Zechariah 14:4).
 

[nanny]

John 20:4 KJV
So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.


Running to Jesus

On a trip to Paris, Ben and his friends found themselves at one of the renowned museums in the city. Though Ben wasn’t a student of art, he was in awe as he looked upon the painting titled The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre on the Morning of the Resurrection by Eugène Burnand. Without words, the looks on the faces of Peter and John and the position of their hands speak volumes, inviting onlookers to step into their shoes and share their adrenaline-charged emotions.

Based on John 20:1–10, the painting portrays the two running in the direction of the empty tomb of Jesus (v. 4). The masterpiece captures the intensity of the two emotionally conflicted disciples. Though at that juncture theirs wasn’t a fully formed faith, they were running in the right direction, and eventually the resurrected Jesus revealed Himself to them (vv. 19–29). Their search was not unlike that of Jesus seekers through the centuries. Although we may be removed from the experiences of an empty tomb or a brilliant piece of art, we can clearly see the good news. Scripture compels us to hope and seek and run in the direction of Jesus and His love—even with doubts, questions, and uncertainties. Tomorrow, as we celebrate Easter, may we remember Jesus’ words: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).


Reflect & Pray
If you don’t know Jesus, what will you do to begin running toward Him and His love? If you’re a believer, how will you share His love with others?

Dear Jesus, lead me into Your loving arms today.


Insight
When John wrote that the disciples “still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead” (John 20:9), what Scripture was he referring to? Similarly, Luke says, “ ‘Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (24:26–27). What passages did Jesus expound here? The answer to these questions is found in the preaching of the apostles in the book of Acts. Indeed, they’d experienced the resurrected Christ personally, but they also had Scripture to defend this crucial doctrine. The apostolic preaching of Peter in Acts 2 includes references to Psalm 16:8–11 (Acts 2:25–28) and Psalm 110:1 (Acts 2:34–35). Paul’s preaching in Acts 13 references Psalm 2:7 (Acts 13:33), Isaiah 55:3 (Acts 13:34), and Psalm 16:10 (Acts 13:35).
 

[nanny]

Isaiah 53:5 KJV
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.


Deeper Healing

On Easter Sunday 2020, the famous Christ the Redeemer statue that overlooks Rio de Janeiro in Brazil was illuminated in a way that appeared to clothe Jesus in the attire of a physician. The poignant portrayal of Christ as a doctor was in tribute to the many frontline health-care workers battling the coronavirus pandemic. The imagery brings to life the common description of Jesus as our Great Physician (Mark 2:17).

Jesus healed many people of their physical afflictions during His earthly ministry: blind Bartimaeus (10:46–52), a leper (Luke 5:12–16), and a paralytic (Matthew 9:1–8), to name a few. His care for the health of those following Him was also demonstrated in providing for their hunger by multiplying a simple meal to feed the masses (John 6:1–13). Each of these miracles reveal both Jesus’ mighty power and His genuine love for people.

His greatest act of healing, however, came through His death and resurrection, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah. It is “by [Jesus’] wounds we are healed” of our worst affliction: our separation from God as a result of our sins (Isaiah 53:5). Though Jesus doesn’t heal all our health challenges, we can trust the cure for our deepest need: the healing He brings to our relationship with God.


Reflect & Pray
How have you experienced the miraculous spiritual healing of God? How does your healed relationship through Jesus’ sacrifice help you bear up under your physical ailments?

Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice that brings healing to my spiritual sickness. Help me to trust You in my physical challenges.


Insight
Isaiah 52:13–53:12 is called the “Suffering Servant” passage and is one of Isaiah’s best-known texts. In fact, The Bible Knowledge Commentary points out that this passage is repeatedly quoted in the New Testament, including Isaiah 52:15 in Romans 15:21; Isaiah 53:1 in John 12:38 and Romans 10:16; Isaiah 53:4 in Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:7–8 in Acts 8:32–33; Isaiah 53:9 in 1 Peter 2:22; and Isaiah 53:12 in Luke 22:37. The many citations from this text make sense when the “Suffering Servant” is seen as Jesus—whose great suffering would produce great glory. Others see the suffering servant as Isaiah himself, or perhaps Jeremiah. Jewish scholars often see the suffering servant as a picture of Israel. When matching up the descriptions of the sufferer in Isaiah’s text with the Gospels, it’s easy to see why so many believers in Jesus view this as a messianic prophecy.
 

[nanny]

Judges 7:2 KJV
And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.


Strength in Weakness

When my son was nearly three, I needed an operation that would require a month or more of recovery. Prior to the procedure, I imagined myself in bed while stacks of dirty dishes accumulated in the sink. I wasn’t sure how I’d take care of an active toddler and couldn’t picture myself standing in front of the stove to cook our meals. I dreaded the impact my weakness would have on the rhythm of our lives.

God intentionally weakened Gideon’s forces before his troops confronted the Midianites. First, those who were afraid were allowed to leave—twenty-two thousand men went home (Judges 7:3). Then, of the ten thousand who remained, only those who scooped water into their hands to drink could stay. Just three hundred men were left, but this disadvantage prevented the Israelites from relying on themselves (vv. 5–6). They couldn’t say, “My own strength has saved me” (v. 2).

Many of us experience times when we feel drained and powerless. When this happened to me, I realized how much I needed God. He encouraged me inwardly through His Spirit and outwardly through the helpfulness of friends and family. I had to let go of my independence for a while, but this taught me how to lean more fully on God. Because “[His] power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9), we can have hope when we can’t meet our needs on our own.


Reflect & Pray
How have you experienced God’s power made perfect in your weakness? How could you help someone who’s experiencing weakness?

God, I want my life to display Your power, even in weakness. Help me to depend more on You each day, and to feel Your strength when I struggle.


Insight
Some scholars suggest that the reason God chose the three hundred soldiers who lapped water from their hands like dogs to defeat the Midianites (Judges 7) is because they were the ones who kept their eyes up. Those who knelt to drink had to put their faces directly into the water and thus couldn’t see around them. However, it was God who gave the victory. The way they drank water wasn’t necessarily important; it was the number of men that was significant (v. 2). If it had been the smaller number who had stuck their faces in the water to drink rather than lapping, God would likely have used them instead.
 

[nanny]

2 Timothy 4:5 KJV
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.


Seize the Opportunity

While waiting to enter the university, twenty-year-old Shin Yi decided to commit three months of her break to serving in a youth mission organization. It seemed like an odd time to do this, given the COVID-19 restrictions that prevented face-to-face meetings. But Shin Yi soon found a way. “We couldn’t meet up with students on the streets, in shopping malls, or fast-food centers like we usually did,” she shared. “But we continued to keep in touch with the Christian students via Zoom to pray for one another and with the non-believers via phone calls.”

Shin Yi did what the apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to do: “Do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:5). Paul warned that people would find teachers who would tell them what they wanted to hear and not what they needed to hear (vv. 3–4). Yet Timothy was called to take courage and “be prepared in season and out of season.” He was to “correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (v. 2).

Though not all of us are called to be evangelists or preachers, each one of us can play a part in sharing our faith with those around us. Unbelievers are perishing without Christ. Believers need strengthening and encouragement. With God’s help, let’s proclaim His good news whenever and wherever we can.


Reflect & Pray
What discourages you from sharing your faith? How might remembering that Jesus is coming back help you to overcome your fear?

Dear Jesus, help me to seize every opportunity to share Your words with others that they may find hope and comfort in You.


Insight
Paul’s words to Timothy that he “be prepared in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2) might seem a bit odd. In context, Paul wants Timothy to carry out the task of preaching “the word” when it’s appropriate to his audience (in season) and also when that audience doesn’t want to hear it (out of season).

Then Paul points out that soon Timothy’s audience won’t tolerate the hard truths of following Jesus; instead, they will turn to “what their itching ears want to hear” (v. 3). Paul wanted Timothy to preach the gospel to people regardless of whether they felt up to denying themselves, caring for the poor, the widow, the orphan, or following Jesus into death. As a young church planter, Timothy faced a world that would hate his message as well as embrace it. And still, he preached “the word” (v. 2).
 

[nanny]

1 Samuel 3:10 KJV
And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.


God Speaking to Us

I received a phone call from an unknown number. Often, I let those calls go to voicemail, but this time I picked up. The random caller asked politely if I had just a minute for him to share a short Bible passage. He quoted Revelation 21:3–5 about how God “will wipe every tear from their eyes.” He talked about Jesus, how he was our assurance and hope. I told him I already know Jesus as my personal Savior. But the caller wasn’t aiming to “witness” to me. Instead, he simply asked if he could pray with me. And he did, asking God to give me encouragement and strength.

That call reminded me of another “call” in Scripture—God called out to the young boy Samuel in the middle of the night (1 Samuel 3:4–10). Three times Samuel heard the voice, thinking it was the elderly priest Eli. The final time, following Eli’s instruction, Samuel realized that God was calling him: “Speak, for your servant is listening” (v. 10). Likewise, through our days and nights, God may be speaking to us. We need to “pick up,” which might mean spending more time in His presence and listening for His voice.

I then thought of “the call” in another way. What if we sometimes are the messenger of God’s words to someone else? We might feel we have no way of helping others. But as God guides us, we could phone a friend and ask, “Would it be okay if I just prayed with you today?”


Reflect & Pray
What message of encouragement did someone recently share with you? Who might be encouraged by a phone call from you?

Dear God, prompt me to think of others whom I can encourage with Your wisdom.


Insight
Eli was a priest in Israel and, as such, a valuable mentor to young Samuel. Unfortunately, Eli’s struggles as a dad are pictured in the failings of his sons Hophni and Phinehas. These men followed in their father’s footsteps as priests but defiled the sacrifices (1 Samuel 2:12–17) and even engaged in sexual acts with women at the very gate of the tabernacle—Israel’s tent of meeting and primary place of worship (v. 22). Verse 12 describes them as “scoundrels” and verse 17 adds that “this sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight.” So severe was their activity that a “man of God” later came to Eli and chastened him for honoring his sons more than God, pronouncing a verdict of judgment upon the house of Eli (vv. 27–36).
 

[nanny]

SO SORRY I DIDN'T GET THE VERSE ON YESTERDAY. HAD A DOCTOR'S APPT AND JUST DIDN'T FEEL GOOD.


2 Samuel 15:26 KJV
But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.


Uphill All the Way

Christina Rossetti, a poet and devotional writer, found that nothing came easily for her. She suffered from depression and various illnesses throughout her life and endured broken engagements. Eventually she died of cancer.

When David burst into Israel’s national consciousness, it was as a triumphant warrior. Yet throughout his life, David faced hardship. Late in his reign, his own son, along with his trusted advisor and much of the country, turned against him (2 Samuel 15:1–12). So David took the priests Abiathar and Zadok and the sacred ark of God with him and fled Jerusalem (vv. 14, 24).

After Abiathar had offered sacrifices to God, David told the priests, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again” (v. 25). Despite the uncertainty, David said, “If [God] says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ . . . let him do to me whatever seems good to him” (v. 26). He knew he could trust God.

Christina Rossetti trusted God too, and her life ended in hope. The road may indeed wind uphill all the way, but it leads to our heavenly Father, who awaits us with open arms.


Reflect & Pray
In what ways has life seemed uphill and winding to you? How will you trust God to lead you on the road you’re traveling?

Dear God, this life seems so hard sometimes. Yet I trust You to do what’s right, for me and for everyone. Help me live in Your hope, anticipating the day I’ll be with You.


Insight
Psalm 3 is among a few psalms that include notes (superscriptions) that identify authors or other helpful information. The header reads: “A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.” This notation connects the psalm with 2 Samuel 15, where we see Absalom, the rival king, on the rise (vv. 1–12) and David, the rightful king, on the run (vv. 13–37). The rebellion of Absalom, along with other family challenges (see 2 Samuel 13), fulfilled the word of the prophet: “Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you” (12:11). Because the battered king didn’t equate the discipline of God with the abandonment of God, he could say, “But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain” (Psalm 3:3–4).
 

[John]

Hope you're feeling better!
 

[nanny]

Hope you're feeling better!

 

Better than yesterday. I have bronchitis plus allergies making me feel miserable. Started me on Steroids (for 8 days) and a prescription allergy pill so I'm sure I'll start feeling a little better day by day. Took allergy shots weekly for 3 years when I was 11 yrs old. Then again for 3 years when I was in my late 30's. But it could always be worse and I am so used to it that its just part of my life. Shouldn't complain as I have a Blessed life and not near other people with serious diseases.

Thank you for your concern. 

[nanny]

Ephesians 4:32 KJV
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.


Reconciling Relationships

My sister and I clashed frequently when we were younger, but one time especially stands out in my memory. After a bout of yelling back and forth where we’d both said hurtful things, she said something that in the moment seemed unforgivable. Witnessing the animosity growing between us, my grandmother reminded us of our responsibility to love each other: “God gave you one sister in life. You’ve got to show each other a little grace,” she said. When we asked God to fill us with love and understanding, He helped us acknowledge how we’d hurt each other and to forgive one another.

It can be so easy to hold on to bitterness and anger, but God desires for us to experience the peace that can only come when we ask Him to help us release feelings of resentment (Ephesians 4:31). Instead of harboring these feelings, we can look to Christ’s example of forgiveness that comes from a place of love and grace, striving to be “kind and compassionate” and to “[forgive] each other, just as in Christ God forgave [us]” (v. 32). When we find it challenging to forgive, may we consider the grace that He extends to us each day. No matter how many times we fall short, His compassion never fails (Lamentations 3:22). God can help us remove bitterness from our hearts, so we’re free to remain hopeful and receptive to His love.


Reflect & Pray
When has someone hurt you? What did you learn from that moment?

Heavenly Father, thank You for the people You’ve placed in my life. Help me to have a loving and forgiving spirit.


Insight
There’s some debate among scholars as to the actual destination of the letter of Ephesians. In Ephesians 1:1, the words “in Ephesus” are absent in several ancient manuscripts—causing some to view this as an “encyclical letter”—a letter that was to be circulated among the various church gatherings in Asia Minor. Adding to this theory is that Paul addresses no individuals, which seems unusual, especially compared to Romans 16, where he mentions no less than twenty-six people by name while also referring to many others in that congregation. Many scholars, however, hold to the church at Ephesus as being the proper first destination, with the letter to be circulated to other churches from there. The circular nature of the letter perhaps explains its lack of personal address.