Days 17-20 are below
Day 16
Have you ever had something taken from you? You could have been robbed. Or had a neighbor keep your misdelivered package for themselves. It might have even been something as simple as someone taking your yogurt from the office refrigerator. Any scenario like that leads to a breaking of trust. There was some expectation between you and the offending party, whether it was the general rules of society and decency toward your fellow human beings or the understanding that when your name is written on an item in a shared fridge you don’t take what isn’t yours. This is even harder to overcome when a trusted leader is the one who lets you down.
Jesus referred to such false teachers, who deceived the Jewish people in their desperation to reconnect with God, when he proclaimed himself as the “Good Shepherd.” He often spoke in parables and stories, sometimes to hide his true message from his enemies and other times to give a tangible illustration for a spiritual concept. In the Gospel of John, Jesus compared his followers to sheep. People at the time would be familiar with the animals, the shepherds who watched over them, and the perils sheep faced from thieves and robbers. Here, Jesus establishes himself as the real deal, the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament, the first half of the Bible.
“So he explained it to them: ‘I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep (John 10:7-11, New Living Translation).’”
People may step up and try to claim that they know the way to God. But without Jesus, they’re nothing but thieves who want to rob us of our time, our faith, our money. Jesus is the way to peace. He will help us in our struggles. He gave His life so that we could be forgiven of our sins. We are destined to stumble and fall, but Jesus intercedes for us. Follow His path for your life, and He will lead you to greater knowledge and understanding of God.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Are you listening to messages that keep you from following Jesus? Think about the people you look up to and the messages behind their words. Which ones are leading you down the path to peace? Which ones are leading you away from Jesus?
Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing me back to You through your Son, Jesus. Bring me guidance through your scripture, so that I can focus on Your words and draw closer to you. Give me the discernment I need to pinpoint the negative influences in my life and remove them. Surround me with people who will build me up and help me stay on the path through Jesus’ gate.
Jesus referred to such false teachers, who deceived the Jewish people in their desperation to reconnect with God, when he proclaimed himself as the “Good Shepherd.” He often spoke in parables and stories, sometimes to hide his true message from his enemies and other times to give a tangible illustration for a spiritual concept. In the Gospel of John, Jesus compared his followers to sheep. People at the time would be familiar with the animals, the shepherds who watched over them, and the perils sheep faced from thieves and robbers. Here, Jesus establishes himself as the real deal, the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament, the first half of the Bible.
“So he explained it to them: ‘I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep (John 10:7-11, New Living Translation).’”
People may step up and try to claim that they know the way to God. But without Jesus, they’re nothing but thieves who want to rob us of our time, our faith, our money. Jesus is the way to peace. He will help us in our struggles. He gave His life so that we could be forgiven of our sins. We are destined to stumble and fall, but Jesus intercedes for us. Follow His path for your life, and He will lead you to greater knowledge and understanding of God.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Are you listening to messages that keep you from following Jesus? Think about the people you look up to and the messages behind their words. Which ones are leading you down the path to peace? Which ones are leading you away from Jesus?
Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing me back to You through your Son, Jesus. Bring me guidance through your scripture, so that I can focus on Your words and draw closer to you. Give me the discernment I need to pinpoint the negative influences in my life and remove them. Surround me with people who will build me up and help me stay on the path through Jesus’ gate.
Day 17
Some days are hard. Your boss hands down another list of tasks to complete. Traffic congestion makes you late for a doctor’s appointment. Your spouse or your significant other or your kids or your pets or your neighbors are on your last nerve. Everything seems to be going wrong, all the stress in the world is resting on your shoulders and echoing in your head, and the only response that makes sense is to take a month-long vacation and not tell anyone where you’re going. It’s at those moments when you’re worn thin that Satan likes to come a-knockin’. When life is good, and you can feel God’s presence near you, it’s much easier to ignore a little nudge to do something you shouldn’t. But when you’re exhausted, spiritually drained, or just at the end of yourself, that’s when it gets real. You might yell at the next person who asks you for something. Or you make a turn to the drive-thru even though you’re trying to make healthier food choices. Or you pull out your phone and order a little gift to cheer yourself up despite the dwindling numbers in your bank account. Satan doesn’t come for us when we’re strong. He lies in wait. And he knows just the right moment to strike.
But there’s hope! It might not seem like it, but there’s always hope. God is on our side, even when we can’t feel him near. Sometimes that’s a conscious decision on our parts. We just want to indulge or let go of control for a moment or two, and ignoring God turns off our conscience long enough to let sin get a foothold. Let Paul’s words to the early church in Corinth encourage you. He writes, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure (1 Corinthians 10:13, New Living Translation).” Have you ever felt tempted to go against your better judgment but been stopped before you could go through with it? You got a phone call or a text message from a friend or loved one to check in. Someone stopped by your office to ask a question. Just the right song came on the radio. You are not alone. I am not alone. We all go through these same trials and temptations. True, you struggles and mine won’t look the same. Everyone faces a different battle. But we’re all in the middle of one. Satan is our adversary, the one fighting against us. But God is our great defender. When we are weak, He is strong. All it takes is your willingness to admit that you can’t do it by yourself. God wants good things for us all. Even when we’re overwhelmed, He’s ready to pull us out. We just need to reach out a hand and call for Him.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Have you fallen short of where you want to be this week? Are you in the middle of a battle right now? Take heart! The God of the universe, the one who knows you best and loves you most, is in your corner. Admit your sins to Him. Tell him where you’ve messed up. But don’t leave it at that. Ask Him for help. Let His forgiveness wash over you, so that you can heal and remember to call out to him the next time you face that temptation.
Heavenly Father, forgive me of my sins. Show me the triggers that lead me down a path toward sin, so that I can recognize them and turn to You instead. Remind me of the ways you have brought me out of sin in the past. Help me to focus on the good things in my life, the ways I’ve help others and shown the world your love. You forget my screw ups when I ask for forgiveness. Grant me the ability to do the same.
But there’s hope! It might not seem like it, but there’s always hope. God is on our side, even when we can’t feel him near. Sometimes that’s a conscious decision on our parts. We just want to indulge or let go of control for a moment or two, and ignoring God turns off our conscience long enough to let sin get a foothold. Let Paul’s words to the early church in Corinth encourage you. He writes, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure (1 Corinthians 10:13, New Living Translation).” Have you ever felt tempted to go against your better judgment but been stopped before you could go through with it? You got a phone call or a text message from a friend or loved one to check in. Someone stopped by your office to ask a question. Just the right song came on the radio. You are not alone. I am not alone. We all go through these same trials and temptations. True, you struggles and mine won’t look the same. Everyone faces a different battle. But we’re all in the middle of one. Satan is our adversary, the one fighting against us. But God is our great defender. When we are weak, He is strong. All it takes is your willingness to admit that you can’t do it by yourself. God wants good things for us all. Even when we’re overwhelmed, He’s ready to pull us out. We just need to reach out a hand and call for Him.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Have you fallen short of where you want to be this week? Are you in the middle of a battle right now? Take heart! The God of the universe, the one who knows you best and loves you most, is in your corner. Admit your sins to Him. Tell him where you’ve messed up. But don’t leave it at that. Ask Him for help. Let His forgiveness wash over you, so that you can heal and remember to call out to him the next time you face that temptation.
Heavenly Father, forgive me of my sins. Show me the triggers that lead me down a path toward sin, so that I can recognize them and turn to You instead. Remind me of the ways you have brought me out of sin in the past. Help me to focus on the good things in my life, the ways I’ve help others and shown the world your love. You forget my screw ups when I ask for forgiveness. Grant me the ability to do the same.
Day 18
I don’t know what I’d do without my phone when I travel somewhere new. Google Maps has saved me and my family many hours of heartache and frustration, trying to navigate in an unfamiliar place. That is, when we use it. There have been a few times when we’re going somewhere we’ve been before but not recently or often enough to remember the whole way there. But we’ll hit a point near the finish line when I say, “Oh, I remember now. You can turn Maps off.” And then there’s Kalamazoo.
A couple summers ago, Team Shaffer took a short trip to Michigan. We had plans in South Haven, but booked a cheaper hotel in Kalamazoo, which was an hour away. We spent the day at the beach and walking around the shops. Then we were going to check into our hotel, drop off our luggage, and find a local place in Kalamazoo to have dinner. We love to eat at local places when we’re on vacation, and with our hotel in a college town, we figured we’d be good to go. I knew which way to head into town, but we didn’t use our phones to give us directions. So we drove. And drove. And drove. All three of us were getting hangry (you know, angry because you’re hungry), and all we wanted was to find a place to eat. The concrete medians in the roads made it difficult to get turned around, and we felt hopelessly lost. If we had just stopped to ask for directions, or gotten a destination from Google Maps, imagine the stress we would have avoided. A little guidance from a knowledgeable source would have gone a long way.
It’s kind of that way with sin. Sometimes we recognize it as it approaches. We can see the warning signs and call on God to help us. But other times we say, “I don’t need help. I can do this on my own.” How often does that work in your favor? In my experience, not very often. Scripture offers some clear advice on this matter. “Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him (1 Chronicles 16:11, New Living Translation).” Just like we have to stay connected to GPS in order to get to an unknown destination, we must renew our search for God every day. When sin tries to creep in, it will take any foothold it can get. Don’t trust your own strength, when God is ready and willing to lend you His. Every morning, renew your search for God.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Have you been searching for God? Maybe you do now and then. But when was the last time you really spent time looking for Him? Do you feel sin creeping into your life, trying to take control of your heart? Remember that sin is strong, but God is stronger. With His help, we can overcome it. Focus on that hope today.
Heavenly Father, open my ears to hear your promptings better today. Remind me of your presence throughout my day, especially when I’m faced with the temptation to sin. Grant me the humility necessary to admit my weakness and the strength to ask for Your help. Thank you for being close by and walking through life with me.
A couple summers ago, Team Shaffer took a short trip to Michigan. We had plans in South Haven, but booked a cheaper hotel in Kalamazoo, which was an hour away. We spent the day at the beach and walking around the shops. Then we were going to check into our hotel, drop off our luggage, and find a local place in Kalamazoo to have dinner. We love to eat at local places when we’re on vacation, and with our hotel in a college town, we figured we’d be good to go. I knew which way to head into town, but we didn’t use our phones to give us directions. So we drove. And drove. And drove. All three of us were getting hangry (you know, angry because you’re hungry), and all we wanted was to find a place to eat. The concrete medians in the roads made it difficult to get turned around, and we felt hopelessly lost. If we had just stopped to ask for directions, or gotten a destination from Google Maps, imagine the stress we would have avoided. A little guidance from a knowledgeable source would have gone a long way.
It’s kind of that way with sin. Sometimes we recognize it as it approaches. We can see the warning signs and call on God to help us. But other times we say, “I don’t need help. I can do this on my own.” How often does that work in your favor? In my experience, not very often. Scripture offers some clear advice on this matter. “Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him (1 Chronicles 16:11, New Living Translation).” Just like we have to stay connected to GPS in order to get to an unknown destination, we must renew our search for God every day. When sin tries to creep in, it will take any foothold it can get. Don’t trust your own strength, when God is ready and willing to lend you His. Every morning, renew your search for God.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Have you been searching for God? Maybe you do now and then. But when was the last time you really spent time looking for Him? Do you feel sin creeping into your life, trying to take control of your heart? Remember that sin is strong, but God is stronger. With His help, we can overcome it. Focus on that hope today.
Heavenly Father, open my ears to hear your promptings better today. Remind me of your presence throughout my day, especially when I’m faced with the temptation to sin. Grant me the humility necessary to admit my weakness and the strength to ask for Your help. Thank you for being close by and walking through life with me.
Day 19
I had glasses as a kid. And boy were they big. I didn’t realize it back then, but I had pretty bad luck with glasses. Somewhere there’s a box filled with my broken, damaged, mistreated glasses. I must have cost my parents a small fortune. Sometimes it was the nosepieces that broke off, or one of the legs got bent out too far. There was a time when I would have to tighten the screws that held my lenses in place. I thought it was fun to use the tiny screwdrivers necessary for the job. It must have been around then that I lost one of my lenses. It was winter, and my sister and I were out building a snowman. Mom was gone, and Dad was awake to keep an eye on us if we needed it. I don’t remember if Whitney and I were throwing snowballs at each other or if it was just a fluke, but one of my giant lenses fell out of my glasses. Into a foot or more of snow. Immediately, my heart dropped. As much as we had disturbed the snow, I couldn’t see where it had landed. I searched desperately for a few minutes to no avail. If Mom were home, I’d have rushed inside and asked for her help. But Dad would just yell at me. So my sister and I went inside, and I pretended that everything was fine. I had the cartoonish idea of bringing a hair dryer on an extension cord out to melt the snow around our snowman until the lens was found. But I abandoned the search until Mom got home. I don’t remember being left with half a pair of glasses, so I’m pretty sure Mom found it. But I gave up when things got difficult.
Because God isn’t a physical presence with us, looking for Him can be a daunting task. But unlike my clear lens in a pile of white snow, He’s not hard to find. The prophet Jeremiah, like a modern-day pastor, wrote a letter to God’s people after they were exiled from their home. In it he writes, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me (Jeremiah 29:13, New Living Translation).” God wants us to connect with Him. He wants us to seek him out and to know Him more. But too often we find that search to be too difficult or time-consuming or stressful, and we give up. But God’s waiting for us to push a little farther, to try a little harder, to reach out a little longer, until we find him. God doesn’t hide from us. He’s ready to be found. We just need to look for Him.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
When did you last look for God? Did you find Him in your search, or did you find the task too much to handle? Close your eyes and focus on God right now. Think about His goodness and mercy. Remember His blessings and His comforting words from Scripture. Wait for a few minutes and let Him meet you in that stillness. If you don’t feel God’s presence today, don’t despair. Continue to search for Him, and you will find Him.
Heavenly Father, increase my endurance and patience. I want to know You better. Please help me to empty my mind of distracting thoughts, so that I can hear Your voice. Stir within my spirit and meet with me today. Give me the wisdom to understand the difference between my own thoughts and Your words in my heart. Remind me to seek you regularly, not just from time to time. I know You are always with me, but help me to truly feel that today.
Because God isn’t a physical presence with us, looking for Him can be a daunting task. But unlike my clear lens in a pile of white snow, He’s not hard to find. The prophet Jeremiah, like a modern-day pastor, wrote a letter to God’s people after they were exiled from their home. In it he writes, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me (Jeremiah 29:13, New Living Translation).” God wants us to connect with Him. He wants us to seek him out and to know Him more. But too often we find that search to be too difficult or time-consuming or stressful, and we give up. But God’s waiting for us to push a little farther, to try a little harder, to reach out a little longer, until we find him. God doesn’t hide from us. He’s ready to be found. We just need to look for Him.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
When did you last look for God? Did you find Him in your search, or did you find the task too much to handle? Close your eyes and focus on God right now. Think about His goodness and mercy. Remember His blessings and His comforting words from Scripture. Wait for a few minutes and let Him meet you in that stillness. If you don’t feel God’s presence today, don’t despair. Continue to search for Him, and you will find Him.
Heavenly Father, increase my endurance and patience. I want to know You better. Please help me to empty my mind of distracting thoughts, so that I can hear Your voice. Stir within my spirit and meet with me today. Give me the wisdom to understand the difference between my own thoughts and Your words in my heart. Remind me to seek you regularly, not just from time to time. I know You are always with me, but help me to truly feel that today.
Day 20
When I got my teaching license and re-entered the working world, my daughter was three months old. I had a long-term subbing job lined up, guaranteeing work for five months. Afterward, I put my name on several substitute teaching call lists for nearby corporations. I got calls most days, and sometimes had to turn down a job because I already had something lined up, but there were stretches when I didn’t hear anything. Money was tight, especially with day care costs starting up, and my wife and I felt like we were reaching the end of our rope. Things were hard, and it felt like nothing was going to change. But when we stopped and looked at the situation, we were trying to handle everything on our own. There was an emotional conversation that ended in both of us crying and the realization that we hadn’t taken our struggles and doubts and fears to God. We sat together and prayed. Then we bought those same concerns to our small group and asked for their prayers and support. Soon afterward, I got word of another long-term subbing position out of town. I got the job, which led to work for another three months. As that school year wound down, I went to a few interviews and was soon hired at the school where I work now. Life got a little difficult, but it became tougher the longer we went without seeking the Kingdom of God.
Jesus knew we would worry, especially about money. But he brought us this reassurance, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33, New Living Translation).” God is the source of all good things. He watches over us, helps us through low valleys, and leads us up tall hills and mountains. That journey is much more difficult when we try to do it on our own. It’s not impossible, don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of people who go through life without God, either by choice or by ignorance of His love and mercy. But from my personal experience, the journey of life is much easier when I turn to God and trust Him to get me to the next stop along the way. Don’t try to go it alone. Your Heavenly Father is ready to guide you as soon as you give him permission to do so.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Are you walking through a valley today? Have you brought your pain and despair to God? He wants to lift your burden, but you have to be willing to let it go. Think back over the past week. When were things easy? Were you spending more time in prayer or reading the Bible? When were things difficult? Were you giving yourself over to God? What concerns can you bring to Him today?
Heavenly Father, I know that life isn’t always easy. When times get tough, remind me that You are with me. Soften my heart, so that I can hear Your whispers and feel Your presence when I’m struggling. Give me the wisdom to know when I’m relying on my own strength instead of yours. When I find myself overwhelmed by my life, return my thoughts to those moments when You walked beside me and helped me through. Open my hands, so that I can let go of control and offer it up to You.
Jesus knew we would worry, especially about money. But he brought us this reassurance, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33, New Living Translation).” God is the source of all good things. He watches over us, helps us through low valleys, and leads us up tall hills and mountains. That journey is much more difficult when we try to do it on our own. It’s not impossible, don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of people who go through life without God, either by choice or by ignorance of His love and mercy. But from my personal experience, the journey of life is much easier when I turn to God and trust Him to get me to the next stop along the way. Don’t try to go it alone. Your Heavenly Father is ready to guide you as soon as you give him permission to do so.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Are you walking through a valley today? Have you brought your pain and despair to God? He wants to lift your burden, but you have to be willing to let it go. Think back over the past week. When were things easy? Were you spending more time in prayer or reading the Bible? When were things difficult? Were you giving yourself over to God? What concerns can you bring to Him today?
Heavenly Father, I know that life isn’t always easy. When times get tough, remind me that You are with me. Soften my heart, so that I can hear Your whispers and feel Your presence when I’m struggling. Give me the wisdom to know when I’m relying on my own strength instead of yours. When I find myself overwhelmed by my life, return my thoughts to those moments when You walked beside me and helped me through. Open my hands, so that I can let go of control and offer it up to You.