Tag: faith

The Beginning of Ministry

Matthew 3

Mark 1

Luke 3

Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

The past year, I just celebrated the big 3-0. With every new decade, life speeds up, and the long stretch of the future that seems endless at 18 starts to look shorter and shorter. 

I remember when I graduated from high school, I – and all my friends – wrestled endlessly with what to make of our lives. What college? What major? What city? What guy? It seemed like we needed to have it all figured out as soon as we walked across the graduation stage. 

But, as anyone who has a little life experience knows, life rarely goes as planned. What we thought would make up our lives at 18 rarely fits with what our life actually looks like at 30, 40, or 50. 

It always seemed strange to me that Jesus, with such a short life, waited to begin his ministry until 30. Here are some reasons why that could be. 

Traditionally, 30 was the age in Jewish culture of full maturity. It matches up with the pattern of scripture: David was 30 years old when he became king, Joseph was 30 when he entered the service of Pharaoh, the Levitical priests were 30 when they started their service, and so on (Ezekiel, King Saul, and maybe even Paul the Apostle). 

Jesus needed to wait to gain the experience and wisdom that comes with age. His authority and testimony depended on it. 

When I was younger, it seemed like if I had not decided on a thing by age 22 that opportunity would have passed me by for the rest of my life. Whether that’s a career or a specific ministry, it seems like I’m already too set in my ways to be able to make a change and start doing the thing. 

But, I’ve realized that is not how life works. Our lives are long and full of twists and turns. Joseph probably could not have dreamed of the many changes that would take place between his time among his flocks and entering the service of Pharaoh, but God knew and had a plan. 

Sometimes, I find myself falling into this trap today. If someone has moved on from the church or a friendship is broken, I often give up. I feel as though this will be how this person, this relationship, or this work will be for the rest of my life. 

We need to remember this: As long as we are willing to walk in obedience, it is never too late to start the work. God uses the time waiting and praying as preparation to help to mature our faith and grow our wisdom. 

What can we do in the waiting? 

We can pray, prepare, and trust – as we look to all those who had to wait to begin their ministry. We can trust that God, ‘who started a good work in us, will see it through to completion.’ 

Cayce Fletcher writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com. Check out the blog and other resources to help you create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. This free resource here will help you take your Bible study one step further with a Bible reading tracker, Bible study reflection page, and more.  

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think Age 30 was so significant in God’s plan? What is special about this age? 
  2. What thing do you feel is ‘too late to change’? It could be a job, a personality trait, a failed relationship, or a church ministry. How could you pray for change for this thing? 
  3. How can we ‘wait well’? What are some practical steps we can take to make the most of our time of preparation? 

SGL.2025.SeptemberFullPageDownload

The Gift of the Magi

Matthew 2

Luke 2:39-52

Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

When I was still teaching seventh-grade English, one of the stories that my students loved (much to my surprise) was “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry. In the story, a young couple needed to buy Christmas presents for each other, but like many young couples, they were severely lacking in funds to do so. In order to scrounge together what they needed for the perfect gift, they sold their most valuable possessions (hair in the girl’s case and an inherited pocket watch for the boy). 

At the end, to their dismay, the boy and the girl realized that the gifts they had purchased were useless, though very expensive. The boy had bought a comb for the girl who had shorn her hair. The girl had bought a chain for the boy who had sold his watch. 

As my students reached the end of the story, they would always laugh and shake their heads at the couple. But, the story ends with this famous quote: “Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.” 

Today’s reading almost feels like Christmas in July (or well… September). In four separate stories of travels, we learn about Jesus’ boyhood. He receives the gifts from the Magi, takes off to Egypt for several years, returns and settles in Nazareth, and finally participates in an annual pilgrimage for the Jewish feast of Passover. 

My students may think that the boy and girl in the story are silly, but when we read the story of the Magi, we should be struck as well. These men left their countries to go on a years long journey. To where? They didn’t know. For what? They also didn’t know. 

All they knew was this: “We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

O. Henry recognized that this was true devotion and love. To recklessly sacrifice to show devotion for something that we hold as truly valuable. The Magi are famously called ‘The Wise Men.’

But, what is true wisdom? 

It is not always playing it safe. It is not always acting in a way the world deems prudent. 

But, it is always rightly ordering our loves so that we can show devotion to the best thing. 

What does that look like? 

It is choosing to put our faith at the forefront of our lives, prioritizing it. We talk of priorities as a list of 3, 5, or even 10. But, really, the word means the thing we hold first. If our faith is placed first, everything else we do falls behind it. 

And, when we devote our lives to our faith, we may pursue the way of the Magi. We may sacrifice (maybe a little recklessly) in order to obey our God. Because we know that the path of obedience is sweet and good. It is worth giving up everything – even our most valuable possessions – for. 

Cayce Fletcher writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com. Check out the blog and other resources to help you create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. This free resource here will help you take your Bible study one step further with a Bible reading tracker, Bible study reflection page, and more.  

Reflection Questions

  1. We often think of the Wise Men as being Wise because they were simply ‘learned.’ But, how were their actions also wise? 
  2. What is our first priority in our lives? How do we show this through our actions? 
  3. How can choosing to live wisely and righteously look like foolishness to the world? 

SGL.2025.SeptemberFullPageDownload

The Pride Trap

Ezekiel 28-31

Devotion by Rebecca Dauksas (South Carolina)

God is once again reaching out to the nations. He is sending messages through the prophet Ezekiel. He wants them to know that “He is the LORD their God.” Yet, they have fallen into the trap of pride. We see this in the way the ruler of Tyre is described in Ezekiel 28:2. In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.” When we are prideful we may elevate ourselves over God. Our self-importance becomes inflated. Self-sufficiency guides our behavior rather than a dependance on God’s grace and strength. Our pride can also blind us to the value of others. We may forget that human beings are created in the image of God and therefore have invaluable worth. God’s children, His image bearers, live lives that show love for God and others. Our worth is found in the LORD. A righteous understanding of the love that God demonstrates to the world (John 3:16) is a source of self-esteem and should produce grateful hearts in us.

Unfortunately, the nations being addressed by Ezekiel have adopted selfish prideful ideas and behaviors. They rely on their natural resources, militaries, trading abilities, treasuries, allies, …but God is sending a message through Ezekiel. Many times God states to these countries, “then they will know that I am the Lord.” These countries needed to acknowledge that God is above all and truly know Him. That should be one of our daily goals, too. We love You Lord! You are the LORD our God!

Reflection Questions

  1. Where else in Scripture do you find God warning about pride? Why does God dislike human pride?
  2. What do you see as the dangers of pride? In what ways have you seen prideful attitudes come between you and God?
  3. The world often tells us to take pride in ourselves, our family, what we have accomplished, etc.. How might you reply?
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All Things New!

Isaiah 64-66


The final chapters of Isaiah turn from sin and exile to a glorious, eternal promise: God will make all things new! These chapters are echoed through the New Testament and Revelation, pointing to the coming Kingdom of God!

Isaiah 64:1 begins with the longing: “Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down!” It’s the heart-cry of a people who’ve seen the brokenness of the world and long for God’s presence to change everything. Isaiah confesses sin, but he also appeals to God’s nature as Father and Redeemer. The coming Kingdom won’t just be a fix for the troubles of this world, but it will be a family reunion, where God will triumphantly restore His children!

In Isaiah 65, God answers the cry of his people with staggering promises. He speaks of new heavens and a new earth, a place of peace, joy, and justice. No more weeping. Long lives. Fruitful labor. Harmony between creation and Creator. This is not merely symbolic, it’s a literal vision of what God is preparing for those who love Him! Revelation 21 goes into further detail of the hope we have in the promise of His coming Kingdom.

Isaiah 66 is both sobering and glorious. God will come in fire and judgment against all pride, hypocrisy, and idolatry. He will also gather nations, comfort His people like a mother comforts her child, and establish global worship that never ends. All flesh will bow before Him, and His Kingdom will endure forever.

Isaiah 64-66 reminds us that this world is not the end of the story. The brokenness we see now will be consumed by the glory to come. God’s future Kingdom is not just about future perfection – it’s a living hope that shapes how we live today. Every word and act of faith and love is a preview of the Kingdom that will be revealed. Like Isaiah, we cry out for God to “rend the heavens”- establishing his eternal Kingdom on earth.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for the promise of a new heaven and a new earth! Thank You that Your Kingdom will come and Your will be done – perfectly, eternally, and joyfully. Help me to live today with eternity in view, to be faithful, and to carry Your light as I wait for Your glory to be revealed. Come quickly, Lord Jesus – Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Do you recognize God as the potter, and yourself as the clay? How do you demonstrate this and acknowledge your dependence on Him?

• What part of God’s future Kingdom gives you the most hope right now?

• How does knowing the end of the story change how you face today’s challenges?

-Beth Osborn

SGL.2025.JulyFullPageDownload

Desert Seasons

Isaiah 35-36

Isaiah 35:1 – “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom…”

There is often a misconception about what defines a desert. The temperature is not what makes a desert ecosystem; it’s the amount of precipitation, or should I say the lack thereof. It’s not uncommon to go 100 days without any significant rainfall. And by significant, I’m talking about 0.01 inches. The second longest rainless streak the Phoenix area had was just this past winter. January 29, 2025 ended 159 days without rain. Another fun fact is that this past June 1, it rained for the first time on that date in 114 years. It was so wonderful that my family decided to eat lunch on the patio of Culver’s after church. The breeze and the coolness of the air was just too good to hide inside. 

So when I read the words from Isaiah 35 about the “desert and parched land will be glad”, it’s certainly relatable. 

However, a lack of rainfall isn’t what the prophet Isaiah was talking about. The Assyrian army was knocking on Judah’s door and it was going to get bad for God’s people. Judgment was coming. Those who survived the enemy’s attack would feel like they had been stranded in the desert, with no provisions, no shelter, no rain. And they would often wonder, “Will it ever get better? Will relief ever come? Where is God in all of this?”

This chapter was written as a message of hope. God will rescue. God will redeem. God will restore. And not only will God show up, He will provide a highway for those who stand blameless. This Way of Holiness will be reserved for all who stood firm in their faith even when circumstances were the most difficult. This path will be protected against any threat and will lead directly to a place of plenty, of refreshing, of beauty and splendor. Gladness and rejoicing will be the response of those who enter Zion. 

This chapter of hope was not only written for the people of the day, but for us in modern times as well. If you are experiencing a season of stressful relationships, or of financial instability, or of illness, or of grief for a loved one, or of doubt and uncertainty of faith, let Isaiah’s words encourage you. This is not all that there is. It will get better; relief is on its way; God sees you and will rescue, redeem, and restore you. 

So take heart my friend. “Gladness and joy will overtake you, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Is 35:10).

Reflection Questions

Are you currently going through a “desert” season? In what areas of your life do you feel dry, weary, or without hope?

How have you experienced God’s rescue or refreshment in the past?

What might it look like for you to “walk in the Way of Holiness” in your present circumstances?

What gives you hope for today?

-Bethany Ligon

SGL.2025.JulyFullPageDownload

When Blessings Lead to Spiritual Adultery

Hosea 10-14

Chapter 10 of the book of Hosea, implements an analogy of Israel as a thriving vine. The more fruit it bore, the more Israel used its prosperity to betray Yahweh, turning blessings into the means of idolatry. God gave them the Promised Land, and they used the blessing that he gave them to make other gods. Instead of gratitude, they responded with spiritual adultery.

The Israelites’ hearts were divided, pulled in different directions by possessions and self-interest. “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13, REV). Israel never gave God their whole heart. And so they couldn’t find Him. God was ruled out of the life of Israel and now the same thing is happening here in our own nation. We see our country’s leaders supporting and encouraging sinful actions.

“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within me; my compassion is aroused.” (Hosea 11:8, REV). Yahweh doesn’t want to destroy His people. He didn’t want to then, and he doesn’t now. But again and again, Israel turns elsewhere. In chapter 12, they make a covenant with Assyria looking for safety in the arms of another nation, not in God. Maybe that is the way we should treat some of the things in our lives. We tend to distance ourselves from the thought that we are creating an alliance with things daily like our phones instead of God. 

“I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.” (Hosea 13:5, REV). The idea from Hosea 13:5 is that when we have an abundance of conveniences it’s hard to see the things we need. In the States most of our problems are “first world problems” which is a polite way of saying they’re not problems at all, just inconveniences. Our abundance and ease of living is one of the many reasons that America is struggling morally in our present time. With too many conveniences, too many options, or too much time -it’s easy to forget what you need.

“According to their pasture, so were they filled. They were filled, and their heart was exalted, so they forgot me.” (Hosea 13:6, REV). Let us not forget our God and turn foolishly toward the things of this world. 

Application Questions:

Do you prioritize things like work, school, social media, TV, over your family, time reading God’s word, or time helping other people?

What are some distractions that are pulling you away from God?

Who are a couple people in your life who can keep you accountable in spending less time on the things of this world and more time on things of God?

-Bridger Grable

SGL.2025.JulyFullPageDownload

And He Did So.

Isaiah 18-22

Isaiah 20 is an incredibly short though (at least for me) difficult chapter to read. And it is one I definitely don’t remember learning in Sunday School class growing up. We learned about Isaiah, the faithful servant of God who had a powerful calling from God. When he saw a vision of God’s majesty he crumbled in unworthiness and guilt, but then God cleansed him with a burning coal to his lips and Isaiah boldly declared, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). We knew Isaiah wrote lots of chapters with many warnings and some beautiful passages of the promised Messiah. But, we didn’t know about the humiliation of chapter 20.

Today we read, “At that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, ‘Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.’ And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot.” (Isaiah 20:2 NIV). No, argument is recorded. Just obedience. “And he did so.” And, it wouldn’t just be for the day or even a week – but for three years! Commentaries kindly mention he would still have had a loin cloth (a.k.a – underwear). But that’s not too reassuring to Isaiah, his family, or his readers today.

It is natural to ask WHY, God? There has to be a reason why a loving God would ask His faithful servant to go through this embarrassing and painful object lesson for three long years. In this case I believe God was having Isaiah dramatically get the people’s attention to remind them just how degrading and dehumanizing their lives would be as prisoners of war (who were often marched around in such fashion). And, that is what they will become if they choose to forsake the Lord and put their trust instead in foreign ungodly allies like Egypt and Cush.

It makes me wonder – what am I willing to do for God? What amount of personal pain, sorrow, and humiliation am I willing to endure in order to be doing what God has asked of me? Am I more concerned about what men will think of my service to God, or what God would say? Certainly Isaiah would have never lasted for three nearly naked years if he held in greater regard the approval, understanding or encouragement of his peers over pleasing God.

Could I have done what Isaiah did? I think when faced with God’s awesome majesty I could say, “Here am I. Send me!”. After all, it sounds like pretty good resume material to be a messenger for God – I bet it’s a job that comes with some great benefits, too. I would even name my baby boy Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (meaning quick to the plunder, swift to the spoils) just as Isaiah did for God. That is an object lesson I feel I would willingly participate in, even though others might laugh and ridicule my choice. But, is there a cut off line where my loyalty and devotion to God would end? Is there a job He could ask of me that I would say ‘no’ to? I hope not.

Too often when we sign on for a position working for the Almighty, we try to choose what it will look like. “I will go here for God and do this for God.” And everyone will be amazed. But, sometimes, God has different plans. Bigger plans. Sometimes, more confusing plans. Sometimes, plans that will take you far out of your comfort zone and even into the midst of personal pain, loss, turmoil, and ridicule.

While the apostle Paul never faced the exact same jobs Isaiah endured, he also gained a lot of experience facing trials and difficulties, misunderstanding and persecution while following God, and His Son Jesus. He wrote in Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” We can learn a thing or two from both Paul and Isaiah about serving the Lord.

What would you do for God?

-Marcia Railton

(Originally posted for SeekGrowLove Sept 12, 2021. I apologize the devotion wasn’t emailed out earlier today.)

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you think God wanted the people of Isaiah’s day to know about Him and His plans?
  2. What do you think God wants people today to know about Him and His plans?
  3. What would you do for God?

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Not So Amazing

2 Kings 14 & 2 Chronicles 25

Everyday when I get home, my sweet dog Brynleigh greets me at the door. She usually gives me a few little barks of hello and then follows me around as I settle in. This darling little corgi is so full of love and devotion, but I am not the object of her affection. When she greets me at the door, she has her orange and blue ball either in her mouth or very close by. While I’m settling in, she’s not worried about me being comfortable. She’s impatiently waiting for me to drop everything and play ball with her. She is 100% devoted to her ball and loves it more than anything or anyone on the planet. Sure she loves me or at least tolerates me in her way, but she practically worships her ball.

King Amaziah is not so different from my beloved corgi. When I see the name Amaziah, I correlate it to the word “amazing,” but we find that he wasn’t the amazing king we would hope for. It says that although Amaziah generally did right in the sight of God, he didn’t do so with a full heart. We see him go through the motions and even make some good decisions, but because his heart is not completely rooted in being a faithful follower of God, we see him fall away. We see him become proud and seemingly believe that he is, in fact, an amazing king.

After Amaziah and his army came home from battle, he didn’t give glory to God or seek His wisdom. Instead, he brought home idols that represented the gods of the sons of Seir. He didn’t just bring them home as plunder or decoration though, he actually started worshiping them. God sends a prophet who confronts him and asks in 2 Chronicles 25:15, “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not delivered their people from your hand?” But, the amazing king just tells the prophet to stop talking. He didn’t want to hear wisdom and he certainly didn’t want to make any changes in his life.

At the pinnacle of his reign, Amaziah decides to pick a fight with King Jehoash of Israel. Jehoash dishes some major shade his way in return. Here is how I would imagine part of Jehoash’s response if it were in modern times. “Look, thanks to your massive ego, I know you think you are amazing and unstoppable but why don’t you just stay home and polish your trophies. I could crush you and all of Judah too, so don’t embarrass yourself.” In truth, I don’t know if King Jehoash’s reply to King Amaziah was meant to be as sarcastic as I’ve implied or if it was meant to be a more sincere rebuke but either way, the amazing king didn’t listen. His army was defeated, his city was plundered, and he was captured. He really should have just stayed home.

Before we start pointing a finger at King Amaziah’s downfalls and inflate our egos, let’s take a minute to see how similar we might be. Are there times that we go through the motions but don’t give our whole selves to God? Have we ever pushed away wisdom and then suffered the consequences? Of course we have. We have all fallen short, just like the amazing king.

Unlike Amaziah, my hope is that when we fall short that we would seek wisdom. When an idol gets between us and our relationship to God, my prayer is that we would be rooted firmly enough in God’s love to cast it aside. Let’s strive to be whole heartedly devoted to God who truly is amazing.

-Lacey Dunn

Reflection Questions:

• If you were King Jehoash, how might you have responded to King Amaziah’s message?

• What is a potential idol that you might have? How did it become an idol and what can you do to remove it?

• What does it look like to give your whole heart to God? Set aside some time to dig in to scripture, meditate, or have a discussion with a Godly friend about what it means to give your whole heart to God. 

SGL.2025.JuneFullPageDownload

Jehu is Different

2 Kings 9-11

In Second Kings chapters 9-11 we read largely about the obedience of King Jehu in attempting to remove idolatry from Israel.  In the midst of that content there is an interesting concept that rings fairly true to today.  In Second Kings 9:22 Joram asks Jehu if he has come in peace.  Jehu responds, “How can there be peace as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?”  Jehu is clearly communicating that peace does not come between God and evil.  Our application should be a bit cautious, but clear.

Some would take a verse like this to somehow support a Christian committing an act of violence against an unbeliever.  This is not a proper application of this concept and should not be condoned.  Rather, it is important to recognize that there is a difference between the ways of God and the ways of evil, and those who support the ways of God will be different than those who support the ways of evil.  King Jehu recognized that the ways of Joram were opposed to the ways of God so there would be no peace between them.

In the New Testament we find language that concurs with this concept.  Philippians 3:20 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ”.  First Peter 1:1 says in part, “To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered through Pontus…”  Once we become a believer, we align ourselves with God and His plan and ways.  This causes us to become strangers in the world, as we are different than the world.  Our citizenship is no longer of the world, but rather we become citizens of heaven.  Our eternity will be on the earth, after Jesus restores it through the millennial kingdom.  This is why Paul says at the end of Philippians 3:20, “And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ”.  However, our hearts and lives belong to God, who currently resides in heaven.  Our citizenship is with God in heaven, not of this earth.

Therefore, there is not peace between us and the world.  We are different.  Our lives should look different and we should be different than the world.  I believe this is the connection we can make to King Jehu’s response of clearly communicating that peace does not come between God and evil.

How should we respond then?  We should recognize that our lives are different from the world.  Sometimes that will cause awkwardness in our lives.  I attempt to hold pretty clear boundaries for the movies, shows, videos, or even reels I will watch.  If someone sends me a link of a video to watch I will ask about what it is and the content of it.  I sometimes ask if it includes any of the things I attempt to not visually consume.  This causes tension or awkwardness socially.  But I know it is best for me to be different in this way.


However, even though there is not peace between God and the world, we should still strive to live at peace with others.  Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”  My response to King Jehu’s question should not lead me to go against God’s call to peace found here.  I live a different life than the world, but I also strive for peace with others, that I might show them the love of God each day of my life.  In doing this, I may win one for Christ!

-Michael Cisler


Reflection Questions

What are ways in which you can live more for God, and therefore not be at peace with the world?

How can you show others around you that you are intentional about living at peace with all people?

In what ways can we cope with the tension that sometimes is created by living at peace, but being different?

SGL.2025.JuneFullPageDownload

God Provides Miracles

2 Kings 1-4

In Second Kings chapter 4 we find the account of four miracles.  These miracles impacted people in big ways and in small ways.  The first miracle is of replenishing oil that a woman used to sell and pay off debts and live on the remainder.  The second miracle is the healing of the Shunammite’s son.  The third miracle is the poison removal from a bad stew.  The fourth miracle is the feeding of a hundred people with an amount of food that does not seem sufficient.  Where each of these miracles is different from the others, I see from the four miracles combined how God provides for His people in their times of need and typically in ways that seem unexpected.

Some of these miracles may sound familiar to other miraculous events.  The replenishing oil reminds me of the widow of Zarephath in First Kings 17, whose oil and flour did not run out throughout an extended famine.  The healing of the Shunammite son reminds me of the healing of the son of the widow of Nain in Luke 7.  The feeding of the hundred reminds me of the feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew 14.  Each of these miracles is similar to other times in the Bible in which God provided miraculously.  However, I’m stumped to find another account quite like the poisonous stew.  The closest I can come up with is the water to wine from John 2.  However, that miracle does not change the undrinkable to the drinkable.

Therefore, I’d love to consider this miracle of the poisonous stew for a moment and consider a couple things we can learn from it.  One that may go without saying is the public service announcement to not eat unfamiliar items we scavenge from outside.  There are many healthy food products in nature, but there are some that are inedible or even poisonous.  Unless we are certain of their edibility, we should stay away from mushrooms, berries, seeds, and plants.

A spiritual lesson to consider is the lesson of dependence on God and His provision in ways we might not expect.  Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”.  There are times God provides a miracle that would seem to align with what we are most hoping.  I think of a mass or tumor found which miraculously shrinks in size.  However, there are also times in which God provides the miraculous when things do not align with what we are most hoping.  I think of a person who dies, but their spouse, in their mourning, responds with honor and dignity, pointing people to the God who gives strength, peace, and salvation.  This can be truly miraculous.  It is God providing far beyond the strength or understanding of a person.  God’s provision is so personal and so specific.  He meets our needs in ways that go beyond our understanding, even when it is not the outcome we want or expect.  This is why our proactive approach to life ought to be to trust in the LORD with all our hearts!

It is a blessing that God reveals in the Bible how He consistently works personally in the lives of His people.  He even uses the often-forgotten miracles like restored poisonous stew to show His graciousness to us personally.  He is a God we can trust!

-Michael Cisler

Reflection Questions

What are some of the ways you have seen God work in your life?

What is a way in which you have experienced a miracle?

How are you trusting God today?

What is something you can trust God with today?

SGL.2025.JuneFullPageDownload