Christian Devotionals and Scripture Applied to Everyday Life

Communicating with God through prayer is crucial to our spiritual condition for many reasons. Along with reading the Bible, prayer connects us with God. It is how we talk to Him and relinquish our cares and worries. It is how we ask for guidance and for help. Prayer is a weapon to be used in spiritual battles and the way we release God’s power in our lives. Why then do we have so many excuses for not doing it?

When going through a difficult experience, there is nothing better than to find one of God’s promises to cling to. Knowing that the Lord is always faithful to His word, it is comforting to remind yourself continually of His pledge.

The sultry air carried the laughter of children playing in the distance. The sounds of busy town life punctuated by an occasional dog’s barking buzzed all around, heralding the return of spring. Everyone basked in its sweet entrance – everyone except one man. The lonely figure sat staring. His body was motionless, but his mind was struggling in a sea of mixed emotions. The cheerful sunshine reached down to touch his oozing skin covered with leprous sores, but the action only seemed to emphasize his loss of human touch.

The phone was ringing off the hook last week! We were selling a glass decanter of old marbles and it seems they were very desirable. Calls from all over the country came in to inquire about the condition, size, colors, quantity, and age. Just a jar of glass spheres – but so special. I couldn’t wait to see how much they would sell for. Auction day rolled around and the crowds were record breaking. The facility was full of hopeful people and beautiful antiques, but I only wanted to know the selling price of one thing – the marbles.

The winds howling through the night suggested that the day should be spent sitting by the fire. But that was not to be. The farm auction scheduled weeks in advance dictated my destiny. I would be spending the upcoming hours in the frigid early March air. Since I do not like to be cold, I prepared with utmost care to face the weather. First, I pulled on Under Armor togs, followed by jeans and a sweatshirt. After wrapping a scarf around my neck and crowning my head with a knitted toboggan, I slid into Carhardt overalls topped with my bulky, hooded coat. Finally, I grabbed my work boots to complete my winter attire. But when I leaned over to put them on, I discovered I had a problem -  encased in all my warm clothing I could hardly move.

Don’t we all love to read about heroes? Every once in a while there is a story in the Reader’s Digest about a horrible disaster such as a bear attack or hiking accident in which a courageous bystander steps in and saves the day. I like to imagine a scenario where I am the heroine throwing caution to the wind and risking my life to help a soul in danger. But deep down I always wonder, “Would I be brave enough, or would I end up ashamed at my lack of courage?”