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Written by Mark D. Roberts, a contemporary author and speaker.

When we imagine that there is a heaven, when we envision the day when God’s justice has rolled down completely, when the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord, when all of our brokenness has been healed, when God’s peace fills the earth, and when the world does indeed “live as one,” to quote John Lennon, we are inspired and compelled to live today in light of the future that permeates our imagination. We will be committed to “livin’ life in peace” today because we look forward to the all-encompassing peace of God’s heavenly future.

Prayer:

Written by Mark D. Roberts, author of today’s meditation.

Gracious God, thank you for the promise of your future. Thank you for the fact that what lies ahead for us is more and better than anything we might imagine. Thank you for revealing to us a bit of what lies ahead, even though we cannot see it with our eyes. Thank you for enlivening our imaginations with the truth of heaven.  As I imagine there is a heaven, Lord, keep me from caring less about this world. Help me, instead, to let the assurance that my labor is not in vain energize me for greater investment in the work of your kingdom. Amen.

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Written by L. B. Cowman (1870-1960), a missionary and author.

Faith can change any situation. No matter how dark it is, no matter what the trouble may be, a quick lifting of the heart to God in a moment of real, actual faith in Him, will alter the situation in a moment. God is still on His throne, and He can turn defeat into victory in a second of time, if we really trust Him.

Prayer:

Written by Ina Inonog, a contemporary Christian writer.

Dearest Lord, even Your wisest disciples needed strength to fortify their faith. I pray for the same strength, so that my faith in You may never waver. Increase my faith so that I may share it with others who may need to be shepherded back to You. Strengthen my faith, so that I may be ready to face any doubts that might block my path. Even with faith the size of a mustard seed, I know that anything is possible in Your name. I humbly ask this of you in Christ’s glory, Amen.

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Written by John of Ruysbroeck (1293-1381), a Flemish theologian and philosopher.

Charity and righteousness: these two lay the foundation of the kingdom of the soul where God would dwell. And this foundation is humility. These three virtues prop and bear the whole weight and the whole edifice of all the other virtues and of all transcendence. For charity always confronts man with the unfathomable goodness of God, from which it has flowed forth, that thereby he may live worthily and remain steadfast before God, and grow in true humility and all other virtues. And righteousness places man face to face with the eternal truth of God, that he may know truth, and become enlightened, and may fulfill all virtue without erring. But humility brings man face to face with the most high mightiness of God, that he may always remain little and lowly, and may surrender himself to God, and may not stand upon his selfhood. This is the way in which a man should hold himself before God, that thereby he may grow continually in new virtues.

Prayer:

Written by William Barclay (1907-1978), a Scottish author, radio and television presenter, professor of Divinity, and minister in the Church of Scotland.

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance,

Admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice,

Accepts rebuke.

Help us always to praise rather than to criticize,

To sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy,

And to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for thy name’s sake. Amen.

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Written by Whitney Hopler, a contemporary author and editor.

I used to follow a long and complicated routine for my devotional time with God each morning. By incorporating various prayer and meditation methods I’d learned about into that routine, I was trying to maximize my spiritual growth. One day, however, I had to cast my entire routine aside to get to an early morning work appointment. All I had time to do was talk to God from my heart as I drove to the appointment. My prayers poured out naturally, even though I didn’t use a single method to express them. Then, a few minutes before arriving at my appointment, I stopped talking, asked God to speak, and just listened. God’s love flowed into my heart, and God’s guidance flowed into my mind – right there in the car. The wonder of experiencing pure, unforced communication with God filled me with joy. So, the next morning, I let go of all my formulaic prayer and meditation methods and enjoyed communicating with God naturally. It was refreshing to realize I didn’t need to pray or meditate in specific ways for my communication to count with God. I discovered I could notice God’s presence with me more by just communicating naturally. God will meet us wherever we are when we communicate with him…God places no limitations on our conversations with him. So, we can pray in all sorts of ways. Prayer is simply talking with God, while meditation is listening to God. If we’re focusing our energy on communicating with God, that counts as valid prayer and meditation… Communicating with God is an opportunity, not an obligation.

Prayer:

The author of today’s prayer is unknown.

Dear Lord help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that You and I together can’t handle. Amen.

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Written by William Kynes, a contemporary pastor and theology professor.

Why would a good God allow so much suffering? T his is a question we all ask at some point in our lives. I believe it’s the chief obstacle to faith. We all suffer. Our bodies are frail, they will fail us, and we will die. And until we do, we all hover over a pit of tragedy, every single day. A mass shooting kills dozens. A drunk driver kills a whole family. A sudden tornado destroys a whole town. An earthquake rocks a nation. What sort of world is this? The case against God can be very strong indeed. In philosophical terms, it can be stated like this: Premise one: A God who is all-powerful would be able to prevent evil in the world. Premise two: A God who is all-good would want to prevent evil in the world. Three: Evil exists in the world. This results in a logical conclusion: Therefore, an all-powerful, all-good God cannot exist. That seems a pretty airtight syllogism, doesn’t it? How do you respond to such a thing? … As Os Guinness observed, the biblical response to this challenge to faith is not to minimize the premises underlying the apparent contraction that this argument poses, but to reinforce them while also seeing how the Bible provides reassurances. The Bible declares that evil is far worse than we realize. Evil is an invader, a parasite, a rot. It’s a malignant cancer that has spread, a rupture in the cosmic order. Evil is so real that it has a personal focus — a focus in the one Jesus called the Devil — the one who stands opposed to the purposes of God and all that is good, true, and beautiful. The good material world God created has been corrupted. The root of evil in this world is not material, it is moral. It is found in rebellion against God’s good rule. And from the beginning of humanity we have all participated in that rebellion and evil is embodied in our own hearts. At the same time, the Bible affirms that God is far more loving than we could ever hope. Though God could rightly do away with us all, in His love and mercy, He seeks us out to save us from the evil in this world and from the evil in ourselves. And in the gospel we see that God shares in our suffering even as He acts to bring victory over evil. The cross and resurrection of Jesus become God’s own response to evil in this world. God works in mysterious ways to work out His good purpose, but there is one thing He wants us to understand clearly. The struggle with evil and suffering in this fallen world is only temporary. For God has already won the decisive battle in this war, and His ultimate and complete victory is absolutely certain. And if the cross of Jesus Christ shows us that our God shares in our suffering, then the resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates that God’s triumph over evil is assured. Though we can never give a full explanation of evil in this world, we do have God’s response to it. The Bible reveals a God Who is worthy of our trust even in the midst of our pain.

Prayer:

Written by Emily Massey, a contemporary author.

Father, please help us find your mercy and goodness when trials and the storms of life come our way. If we are prone to grumble and complain, may the Holy Spirit convict our hearts and remind us to be thankful for your promise of eternity because of the cross. May we look for opportunities to comfort those around us who are suffering as well, so we can help hold each other up. We live in a fallen world, and although we cannot escape suffering, we know that heaven is our home and that the crown of life awaits those who stand firm in the faith, trusting that you have overcome the world and there is no reason to fear. We give you praise and thanksgiving that you will never leave us alone to walk through suffering alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Written by Tim Keller (1950 – 2023), an American pastor, theologian, author, and Christian apologist.    This is an excerpt from his book “The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism.”

Even as believers should learn to look for reasons behind their faith, skeptics must learn to look for a type of faith hidden within their reasoning.  All doubts, however skeptical and cynical they may seem, are really a set of alternative beliefs. You cannot doubt Belief A except from a position of faith in Belief B. For example, you can doubt Christianity because “There can’t be just one true religion,” you must recognize that this statement is itself an act of faith. No one can prove it empirically, and it is not a universal truth that everyone accepts. If you went to the Middle East and said, “There can’t be just one true religion,” nearly everyone would say, “Why not?” The reason you doubt Christianity’s Belief A is because you hold unprovable Belief B. Every doubt, therefore, is based on a leap of faith…You must doubt your doubts. My thesis is that if you come to recognize the beliefs on which your doubts about Christianity are based, and if you seek as much proof for those beliefs as you seek from Christians for theirs—you will discover that your doubts are not as solid as they first appeared.

Prayer:

Written by Jordan Sok, a contemporary author.

Lord, I believe in you. I believe you are good. I believe that I am secure in you – that I am hidden in you and no real harm can come to me with you as my rock and my salvation. I believe that you see me and you love me – that I am treasured in your sight. Help my unbelief. Help that head knowledge become heart knowledge- so that my actions reflect those truths and not the lies the enemy throws at me.

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Written by Tim Keller (1950 – 2023), American pastor, theologian, author, and Christian apologist.    This is an excerpt from his book “The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism.”

A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic. A person’s faith can collapse almost overnight if she has failed over the years to listen patiently to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection. Believers should acknowledge and wrestle with doubts—not only their own but their friends’ and neighbors’. It is no longer sufficient to hold beliefs just because you inherited them. Only if you struggle long and hard with objections to your faith will you be able to provide grounds for your beliefs to skeptics, including yourself, that are plausible rather than ridiculous or offensive. And, just as important for our current situation, such a process will lead you, even after you come to a position of strong faith, to respect and understand those who doubt.

Prayer:

Written by Kathryn Shirey, a contemporary writer.

O Lord, Father Almighty, I pray for help to strengthen my faith in you. I believe, but I don’t always believe in your power and might. I don’t always believe that in you all things are possible. I don’t always place my trust in you, instead trying to fix everything on my own. I don’t always turn to you first, instead turning to the world for answers and help. I have doubts about your role in the world today. I struggle to relate the scriptures to my own life. Lord, I believe, but help with my unbelief! Help my head and my heart and my soul to believe in you and trust in you fully, without a doubt, knowing that in you all things are possible. Lord, strengthen my faith! Amen.

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Written by Lauren Abraham, a contemporary student at Grand Canyon University.

What comes to your mind when you think of Independence Day? For many Americans, the Fourth of July serves as a day to watch fireworks, barbeque and have a good time with friends and family. While there is nothing wrong with having these traditions, it is important to remember the reason behind why we celebrate this holiday. Samuel Adams, the father of the American Revolution, was bold in proclaiming his faith. To him, signing the Declaration of Independence meant no longer submitting to Great Britain, but rather, submitting to the Lord. As a result, America would be free from the power of man and able to serve Christ. What a significant day in history! It is important to remember what our duties are as Christians. We are called to serve Christ and Christ alone, and it is such a blessing that we can live in a country where we have the freedom to do so. Oftentimes, the enemy will use distractions to keep us from fulfilling our duties as Christians. Being distracted by all that happens on the Fourth of July can cause us to lose sight of the true meaning of the holiday. This is dangerous, as it can ultimately cause us to stray away from Christ. So, why is it important to acknowledge the significance of Independence Day, and how can we do so in today’s world? American liberty is a blessing from God. Because of our freedom, we can express our faith and boldly share it with others. It is important to recognize that in many other parts of the world, this is not the case. The cost of following Christ is much greater for our brothers and sisters across the globe. With this in mind, I encourage you to not lose sight of why we celebrate Independence Day. Take time to reflect on the ways God has blessed you in your life and make it a goal to not take the freedom we have for granted. As you spend this day with family and friends, I encourage you to celebrate the blessing of freedom that was given to us by Christ.

Prayer:

Today’s prayer was offered as the Congressional Prayer by House Chaplain, Rev. Edward Latch (1901-1993) in 1974.

Eternal God, stir Thou our minds and stimulate our hearts with a high sense of patriotism as we approach the Fourth of July. May all that this day symbolizes renew our faith in freedom, our devotion to democracy, and redouble our efforts to keep a government of the people, by the people, and for the people truly alive in our world. Grant that we may highly resolve on this great day to dedicate ourselves anew to the task of ushering in an era when good will shall live in the hearts of a free people, justice shall be the light to guide their feet, and peace shall be the goal of humankind: to the glory of Thy holy name and the good of our Nation and of all mankind. Amen.

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Written by Richard Rohr, a contemporary author.  This is an excerpt from his book “Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life.”

I believe that God gives us our soul, our deepest identity, our True Self, our unique blueprint, at our own “immaculate conception.” Our unique little bit of heaven is installed by the Manufacturer within the product, at the beginning! We are given a span of years to discover it, to choose it, and to live our own destiny to the full. If we do not, our True Self will never be offered again, in our own unique form … Our soul’s discovery is utterly crucial, momentous, and of pressing importance for each of us and for the world. We do not “make” or “create” our souls; we just “grow” them up. We are the clumsy stewards of our own souls. We are charged to awaken, and much of the work of spirituality is learning how to stay out of the way of this rather natural growing and awakening. We need to unlearn a lot, it seems, to get back to that foundational life that  is “hidden in God.” Yes, transformation is often more about unlearning than learning, which is why the religious traditions call it “conversion” or “repentance”…All we can give back, and all God wants from any of us is to humbly and proudly return the product that we have been given—which is ourselves…This finished product is more valuable to God than it seemingly is to us…Holding our inner blueprint, which is a good description of our soul, and returning it humbly to the world and to God by love and service is indeed of ultimate concern…We are here to give back fully and freely what was first given to us—but now writ personally—by us!

Prayer:

Today’s prayer is from the Gelasian Sacramentary, a book of Christian liturgy, which is the oldest western liturgical book that has survived.  The book is linked to Pope Gelasius I. It was compiled near Paris around 750.

Lord, listen

kindle our souls by your Spirit,

that being filled with your divine gifts,

we may shine like blazing lamps

in the presence of your Son Christ at his coming; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Written by Wayne Muller, a contemporary writer. This is an excerpt from his book “Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives.”

We meet dozens of people, have so many conversations. We do not feel how much energy we spend on each activity, because we imagine we will always have more energy at our disposal. This one little conversation, this one extra phone call, this one quick meeting, what can it cost? But it does cost, it drains yet another drop of our life. Then, at the end of days, weeks, months, years, we collapse, we burn out, and cannot see where it happened. It happened in a thousand unconscious events, tasks, and responsibilities that seemed easy and harmless on the surface but that each, one after the other, used a small portion of our precious life. And so we are given a commandment: Remember the Sabbath. Rest is an essential enzyme of life, as necessary as air. Without rest, we cannot sustain the energy needed to have life. We refuse to rest at our peril—and yet in a world where overwork is seen as a professional virtue, many of us feel we can legitimately be stopped only by physical illness or collapse…If we do not allow for a rhythm of rest in our overly busy lives, illness becomes our Sabbath.

Prayer:

Today’s prayer is from the website of Christ Church London.

God of rest,
Today I make the active choice
To enter into your rest,
And to join with you
In delighting in this good world you have made,
And dreaming of the perfect world you will remake.

I choose to tune out,
Of demands and deadlines,
Of performance pressures,
Of flickering screens,
Of that which robs my soul of joy,
And the ways in which the world
Seeks to define and shape my identity.

I choose to tune in,
To your affirmation and love,
To the celebration of freedom,
To worship and your word,
To the enjoyment of that which fills my soul with joy,
And reminds me of my identity in Christ,
As a deeply loved child of God.  Amen.

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