Read: Mark 4:36–41 Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him! Mark 4:41 Imagine a world without wind. Lakes would be calm. Falling leaves wouldn’t blow in the streets. But in still air, who would expect trees to suddenly fall over? That’s what happened in a three-acre...

Read: Psalm 126 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3 Our son wrestled with drug addiction for seven years, and during that time my wife and I experienced many difficult days. As we prayed and waited for his recovery, we learned...

Read: Hebrews 4:12–16 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Hebrews 4:13 In 2015 an international research company stated that there were 245 million surveillance cameras installed worldwide, and the number was growing by 15 percent every year. In addition, multiplied millions of people with smartphones capture daily...

Read: Romans 8:28–30 We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 My wife makes an amazing pot roast dinner. She takes raw meat, along with raw sliced white and sweet potatoes, celery,...

Read: John 14:5–14 Because I live, you also will live. John 14:19 The words of Ravi’s father cut deep. “You’re a complete failure. You’re an embarrassment to the family.” Compared to his talented siblings, Ravi was viewed as a disgrace. He tried excelling in sports, and he did, but he...

Read: Ruth 2:8–13 “Why have I found such favor [grace] in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” Ruth 2:10 Some say that the American writer Anne Herbert scribbled the phrase “Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty” on a placemat at a restaurant in 1982. The...

Read: Revelation 21:1–5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new.” Revelation 21:5 In 2014, a sinkhole opened up under the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky, swallowing eight vintage, irreplaceable Chevrolet Corvette sports cars. The automobiles were severely damaged—some beyond repair. One car in particular...

Read: Matthew 11:25–30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 A man driving his pickup truck on a country track saw a woman carrying a heavy load, so he stopped and offered her a lift. The woman expressed her...

Read: Matthew 6:9–15 The Lord is near to all who call on him. Psalm 145:18 In August 2010, the attention of the world was focused on a mine shaft near Copiapó, Chile. Thirty-three miners huddled in the dark, trapped 2,300 feet underground. They had no idea if help would ever...

Read: Matthew 2:1–12 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. Psalm 95:6 Many manger scenes depict the wise men, or magi, visiting Jesus in Bethlehem at the same time as the shepherds. But according to the gospel of Matthew, the only place...

Read: Genesis 3:8–17 The Lord God called . . . “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9 My young son loves to hear my voice, except when I call his name loudly and sternly, followed by the question, “Where are you?” When I do that, I am usually calling for him because...

Read: 1 John 4:20–5:5 Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4:21 When a woman in Karen’s church was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), things looked bad. This cruel disease affects nerves and muscles, eventually leading to...