When spending time with God feels like a chore (like having to finish your homework before you can play/watch TV)—could it be because we’ve separated God’s joys from ours, and we think that He only wants us to do the serious, “Christian” stuff all the time?
What’s driving your thoughts and actions today?
March 16, 2023
READ: 2 Timothy 3:1–9, 14–17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16
In the late 1800s, people in different places developed similar ministry resources at the same time. The first was in Montreal, Canada, in 1877. In 1898, another concept was launched in New York City. By 1922, some five thousand of these programs were active in North America each summer.
Thus began the early history of Vacation Bible School. The passion that fueled those VBS pioneers was a desire for young people to know the Bible.
Paul had a similar passion for his young protégé Timothy, writing that “Scripture is God-breathed” and equips us “for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). But this wasn’t just the benign suggestion that “it’s good to read your Bible.” Paul’s admonition follows the dire warning that “there will be terrible times in the last days” (v. 1), with false teachers who are “never able to come to a knowledge of the truth” (v. 7). It’s essential we protect ourselves with Scripture, for it immerses us in the knowledge of our Savior, making us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (v. 15).
Studying the Bible isn’t just for kids; it’s for adults too. And it isn’t just for summer; it’s for every day. Paul wrote to Timothy, “from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures” (v. 15), but it’s never too late to begin. Whatever stage of life we’re in, the wisdom of the Bible connects us to Jesus. This is God’s VBS lesson to us all.
— Kenneth Petersen
What are your favorite Scripture passages? How do they point to Christ?
Loving God, thank You for the gift of Scripture and how it helps me learn about Jesus.
Learn effective
When I was a child, I knew some people who did nothing but watch television. They sat in their recliners and absorbed continuous loops of game shows, sitcoms, and sporting events. March 15, 2023 READ: Psalm 46
Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 The first photograph of a living person was taken by Louis Daguerre in 1838. The photo depicts a figure on an otherwise empty avenue in Paris in the middle of an afternoon. But there’s an apparent mystery about it; the street and sidewalks should have been bustling with the traffic of carriages and pedestrians at that time of day, yet none can be seen. The man wasn’t alone. People and horses were there on the busy Boulevard du Temple, the popular area where the photo was taken. They just didn’t show up in the picture. The exposure time to process the photograph (known as a Daguerreotype) took seven minutes to capture an image, which had to be motionless during that time. It appears that the man on the sidewalk was the sole person photographed because he was the only one standing still—he was having his boots shined. Sometimes stillness accomplishes what motion and effort can’t. God tells His people in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” Even when nations are “in uproar” (v. 6) and “the earth” shakes (v. 2), those who quietly trust in Him will discover in Him “an ever-present help in trouble” (v. 1). The Hebrew verb rendered “be still” can also be translated “cease striving.” When we rest in God instead of relying on our limited efforts, we discover Him to be our unassailable “refuge and strength” (v. 1). — James Banks How will you “show up” for God by being still before Him today? Where do you need to trust Him more? Heavenly Father, please help me to trust in You and to rest in the quiet awareness of Your unfailing love. As my family was leaving the park after a fun day at Disney, the loudspeakers were playing a happy song with the chorus, “In everything you do, celebrate you!” The song reminded me of the earlier parade that encouraged us to celebrate our dreams, “whatever they are.” March 14, 2023 READ: Luke 6:27–31
Love your enemies. Luke 6:27 The handshake spoke volumes. On a March night in 1963, two college basketball players—one Black, one White—defied the hate of segregationists and shook hands, marking the first time in Mississippi State’s history that its all-White men’s team played against an integrated team. To compete in the “game of change” against Loyola University Chicago in a national tournament, the Mississippi State squad avoided an injunction to stop them by using decoy players to leave their state. Loyola’s Black players, meantime, had endured racial slurs all season, getting pelted with popcorn and ice, and faced closed doors while traveling. Yet the young men played. The Loyola Ramblers beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs 61–51, and Loyola eventually went on to win the NCAA national championship. But what really won that night? A move from hate toward love. As Jesus taught, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27). God’s instruction was a life-changing concept. To love our enemies as Christ taught, we must obey His revolutionary mandate to change. As Paul wrote, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). But how does His new way in us defeat the old? With love. Then, in each other, we can finally see Him. — Patricia Raybon In your life, what leads you to see others as enemies? What changes can you make to confront hate with Jesus’ love? Help me, loving God, to see others not as enemies, but as Your precious people to love like Jesus does. Is it possible to drive God away? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” Ezekiel gives us one sure way—idolatry. In a fascinating account, the prophet recorded what made God leave the room. Have you been feeling stressed out and frazzled from the demands of this life?
No App For That
ODB: Still Before God
Disney’s Gospel
ODB: Game of Change
Driving God Out?
Typography: Ecclesiastes 2:24