Acts 2:14-4:37

Repent is the first word that caught my attention. It has been on my mind in recent readings, and I wonder why I don’t read more about repentance from other resources.There’s ownership and accountability in repentance. It’s a turning away–a choice.

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”

Acts 2:27-30, NIV, emphasis added

Lord, I need your word. I need my mind renewed daily.

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! ⁹ If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, ¹⁰ then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. ¹¹ Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone.’

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

¹³ When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:8-13, NIV, emphasis added

I (formally) met a woman the other day. She was so friendly. Her eyes were bright. Her enthusiasm was sincere. I had seen her interact with others before, and when she left me, her parting words stayed with me, “Peace be with you.”

Her smile. The joy. Those words. Who does this … on a Monday … in a cafeteria? And I felt astonished (and grateful, and seen, and blessed).

³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Acts 4:31, NIV, emphasis added

Lord, I feel the retreating call of winter, to hunker down at home when pressures and bustle and impatience seem at a frenzy. I want to draw closer to you, and these Scriptures stir a longing in me to live emboldened and courageous. Maybe courage starts with a whisper–peace be with you.

Courtney (66books365)

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Luke 17:1-19:27

I love this time of year–the home stretch. I have three more races planned this year, along with a training schedule to help me stay conditioned. And with a next year planner in hand, I am thinking of how I will steward the time, things I want to work on, and the way I want to show up in my communities and relationships. A word on passion reaches back to Latin roots (patior) and defines it this way: to suffer. A prompt asks: what are you willing to sacrifice/suffer (for your goal/life category)?

When it comes to my health–am I willing to sacrifice comfort and online scrolling for activity and engagement? Am I willing to give up my daily chocolate for a better protein choice? Or in my relationships–am I willing to say no to some activities in order to make time for the relationships I’ve said really matter?

When the rich young man approaches Jesus to ask what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus responds:

¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”

²¹ “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²³ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. ²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Luke 18:1825, NIV

I thought about sacrifice. For me to give up comfort to gain strength and endurance really isn’t a sacrifice because there is a better gain. To give up a sabotaging food choice or habit in place of a healthier one wasn’t the loss I was making it out to be, it was gain toward what I truly wanted. And when Jesus tells the man he lacks one thing, he’s pointing to a way this man can gain–to give up what he was holding onto and he would get a treasure in heaven. It had me think about what things, routines, and beliefs I hold onto that I’m not willing to sacrifice. But when I hold onto those things, am I actually giving up (sacrificing) what is better in the long run for a present (or temporal) satisfaction? And am I holding onto things that prevent me from following Jesus with a whole heart?

Lord, I need your word. Just time in these Scriptures today has been the refocus I needed. And not just about sacrifice (and gain) but about forgiveness and repentance, stewardship, persistence. I am so thankful for this time with you.

Courtney (66books365)

Hosea 4-9

“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” Hosea 6:1-3 NLT

When I first read these passages I thought that Israel was making a true change to return to the Lord. But, Israel wanted God to fix their problems, without turning from their wicked ways. Their repentance wasn’t genuine. They were more interested in the material benefits God could provide. Their hearts were not right before him and he knew it. When have I done the same thing?

“I want to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6 NLT

“I want to heal Israel, but it’s sins are too great. Samaria is filled with liars.” Hosea 7:1 NLT

God didn’t want their sacrifices or rituals, he wanted their hearts. What is the motive behind my worship?

“What sorrow awaits those who have deserted me! Let them die, for they have rebelled against me. I wanted to redeem them, but they have told lies about me. They do not cry out with sincere hearts.” Hosea 7:13&14 NLT

Dear Father, Forgive me for when my heart is not right before you. Thank you for your patience with me. For not giving up on me. For your grace & mercy. Amen.

“They look everywhere except to the Most High. They are as useless as a crooked bow.” Hosea 7:16 NLT

Amy(amyctanner)

Jeremiah 2:26-5:19

Jeremiah 3:1d “Yet return to Me,” says the Lord.

Jeremiah 3:7 “And I said, after she had done all these things, ‘Return to Me.’

Jeremiah 3:14,15 “Return, O backsliding children,” says the Lord, “for I am married to you…I will give you shepherds who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

Repentance is not just Old Testament. Sometimes I forget this. And yes, I sin. As Paul said in Romans 3:23, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Consider the cost. Christ suffered and died on a cross and was resurrected to set me free from the penalty of my sins. And consider the need. Romans 8:21, “I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God…O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Still, the consequences of sinful behaviors do not go unnoticed by God. Jeremiah 5:18 illustrates that God will address the sins of His people. “Nevertheless, in those days,” says the Lord, “I will not make a complete end of you. And it will be when you say, ‘Why does the Lord our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them…'” The Apostle Paul, too, wrote his response after chastising his flock in Corinth, “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner…For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted…What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication!” II Corinthians 7:9

God has not changed His mind about me or man or sin in general. He always calls His bride to repentance. He offers mercy and grace to those who are called by His name. Will the Law require my death? Yes, but I don’t live under the Law. Thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord, I live under grace!Yet, as I walk out my salvation, I am convicted by the Holy Spirit (and reading Paul’s letters in the New Testament!) of my sins and am made sorrowful. I am driven to my knees in repentance knowing that “returning to the Lord” is sweet relief, blessed forgiveness, and deepening love for this merciful God. He is the One who calls me back, talks me down from the ledge, soothes my frayed nerves, and bursts forth His righteousness where mine failed. All because He loves me.

So, no going to God with fear of rejection or punishment, my soul. Remorse, yes. And mostly regret for forgetting that my Father in heaven is the One who loves my soul, speaks healing to my heart, and lifts up my face to see His infinite mercy. My soul is undone every time.

Lord Jesus, You alone make repentance an act of worship and solid hope. Hope knowing that I will be changed, freed, filled with knowledge and understanding. Worship in awe of how a Holy God would want to be in relationship with me. Let me, Your daughter in faith, always stand in Your presence and delight in Your love. Amen.

2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 20; Psalm 51, 32; Acts 27

Two renditions of the same story:

In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 11:1, NLT)

In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, Joab led the Israelite army in successful attacks against the land of the Ammonites. In the process he laid siege to the city of Rabbah, attacking and destroying it. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. (1 Chronicles 20:1, NLT)

Second Samuel continues on to the story of David and Bathsheba. When he wasn’t where he should have been, doing what he should have been doing, the fertile ground for sin awaited. I’m not talking about Bathsheba, but David’s own choices. The story of one thing leading to another ends in multiple tragedies and repentance.

² Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. ³ He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” ⁴ Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. (2 Samuel 11:2-4a, NLT, emphasis added)

When I think of David, I think of a man who loved God. I think of his many talents and skills. I think of his courage and faith. I think of his victories.

First Chronicles 20 continues this way:

² Then David went to Rabbah and removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and he found that it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city. (1 Chronicles 20:2, NLT)

First Chronicles doesn’t read like a journey into David’s heart and struggle. It just tells the historical war facts. The pairing of these two books shows such a great contrast. As I move from first paragraph to second in this book, the blank space separating the two symbolically speaks of so much more.

Grace.

When I think of God, I think of grace. I think of His great power and creativity. I think of His attention to detail and wisdom. I think of His love for us–to give us all choice: to choose Him, to follow Him, and to return to Him when we’ve strayed. Choices sometimes carry painful consequences, but I am reminded there’s another story larger than my own and a God on the throne with love and grace enough for everyone.

God, what do you see when you look at me?

¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins.
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
    Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
    it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
    and your judgment against me is just.
⁵ For I was born a sinner—
    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
⁶ But you desire honesty from the womb,
    teaching me wisdom even there. (Psalm 51:1-6, NLT)

⁶ Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,
    that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.
⁷ For you are my hiding place;
    you protect me from trouble.
    You surround me with songs of victory.

⁸ The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
    I will advise you and watch over you.
⁹ Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
    that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” (Psalm 32:6-9, NLT)

That blank space between 1 Chronicles 20:1 and 20:2, I fill it with this sweet, divine relief:

Oh, what joy for those
    whose disobedience is forgiven,
    whose sin is put out of sight! (Psalm 32:1, NLT)

Father God, you are the safest place for my deepest thoughts. Hiding place. Protector. You give guidance and advice. How wonderful–what joy!–that I can turn to you honestly and completely and you receive me. Thank you for grace.

Courtney (66books365)