“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found’.” (Luke 15:31-32) I have to give credit to a former pastor of mine for this devotion. He preached a sermon several years ago on the prodigal son that inspired me to think about the “other son” in the parable. His slant on the meaning […]

“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.” (2 Corinthians 12:7) You can’t help but wonder what this “thorn in the flesh” was, but we know from Scripture that it kept Paul humble. It also ensured that his prayer life remained active. Theologians have offered a number of possibilities. Many have argued that Paul was talking about a speech impediment. […]

“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) I often think of this verse when I am weary or burdened about some trial through which I am going. In this world, it seems all too frequent of an occasion. I guess the […]

“Now Joshua, the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho’. So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.” (Joshua 2:1) We often name our children after some of the heroes in the Bible: Joshua, Caleb, Ruth, Sarah. Yet we never hear of a child named Jezebel or Rahab for obvious reasons. Who in the world would name a child after a prostitute? Interestingly, Rahab was an Old […]