masks

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
- 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
 
October is here, and everywhere you look there are pumpkins, skeletons and spiderwebs. Parents are planning costumes, churches and organizations are getting ready for trunk-or-treat events, and before long hordes of little superheroes, princesses, dinosaurs and who-knows-what-else will be holding out buckets asking for candy.
Wearing a costume for an evening can be fun.
But sometimes I wonder how many costumes we wear when it isn’t Halloween. “I’m fine.” “I’ve got it handled.” “Nothing bothers me.” “My faith is strong.”
We can become pretty good at showing people the version of ourselves we want them to see. And there’s nothing wrong with privacy—we don’t owe everyone our entire story. But there’s a difference between privacy and pretending.
Samuel was looking at outward appearances when God reminded him that He sees something different. He looks at the heart. That means there is one place we never need a costume. With God, we don’t have to pretend we aren’t hurting, questioning, struggling, angry or afraid. He already knows what’s underneath the mask. And He isn’t waiting for some polished version of us to show up.
He wants us.
Costumes are fun for October. But when you come before God, leave the mask at the door.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

character

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
- Philippians 2:3–4 (NIV)
 
I was driving to work the other morning with a migraine when a large pickup pulled up behind me at a stoplight. His headlights were shining directly into my driver’s side mirror, and the light was painful. I raised my arm to block it.
A moment later, the headlights went off.
The driver behind me had noticed.
When the light changed, he turned them back on and we both went on our way. He didn’t know why I was blocking the light. He didn’t know I had a migraine. He didn’t know me at all. He just noticed that something affecting him very little was affecting me a lot—and he did something about it.
We tend to think character reveals itself in the big things. But sometimes character is simply paying enough attention to notice someone else.
Philippians tells us not to look only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others. That requires us to look beyond ourselves—to notice the person beside us, behind us, across the table, or even in the car ahead of us.
You may never know what someone else is carrying. But you can notice.
And sometimes one small act of consideration can shine brighter than headlights ever could.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible 

enough

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
— Matthew 6:34 (NLT)
 
I spend a lot of time thinking about tomorrow. What needs to be done tomorrow? What am I forgetting? What could go wrong? What do I need to prepare for?
Sometimes I’m halfway through today while my mind is already living in tomorrow. Jesus gives us some pretty practical advice about that:
Don’t.
Tomorrow will get here soon enough, and when it does, God will already be there.
We aren't promised that tomorrow will be easy. We aren't even promised that everything we're worrying about will work out the way we want.
But we are given today.
Today’s grace.
Today’s strength.
Today’s blessings.
Today’s God.
Tomorrow can wait.
There is enough for today.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

ber

This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
— Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)
 
The “ber” months have finally arrived!
After record-breaking September heat, October is apparently bringing the brrrrr with it. Spring and summer will probably always be my favorite seasons, but there are things I love about October, November, and December too. Bonfires and spooky events. Thanksgiving and Christmas. Family gatherings. Curling up with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book on a cold snowy day.
Maybe that's a good reminder as we turn another page on the calendar - not every season is going to be our favorite. There will be seasons of life we would gladly skip altogether. But even then, there can still be something good to notice, something to enjoy, and something to thank God for.
Today is the day the Lord has made.
Whatever season you're in, look for something good in it.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

fearless

My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.
— 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
 
I was watching Lanterns when Hal Jordan said something that stopped me:
“I’m not fearless because I’m brave. I’m fearless because I’m broken.”
Whoa.
We usually think fearless people are the brave ones—the ones who aren't afraid of anything. But maybe being fearless isn't about having no fear at all.
We've all been broken somewhere along the way. We've been hurt, disappointed, knocked down, and scared. And sometimes we've discovered something in those broken places: We weren't alone.
Paul learned that God's power wasn't greatest when Paul felt strong. God's power was made perfect in his weakness.
Maybe that's where our fearlessness comes from too.
Not because we're brave enough, not because we're unbreakable, but because we've been broken before—and discovered that God was still there.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

come near

Come near to God and He will come near to you.
— James 4:8 (NIV)
 
Saturday, Randy and I had a couples massage. For a little while there were no errands, chores, phones, work, or places we needed to be. We simply stopped, relaxed, and spent time together. Over thirty years into our relationship, we still need that. A strong marriage doesn’t stay strong simply because two people have been together a long time. It takes time together. It takes attention. It takes choosing each other again and again.
Our relationship with God isn't so different. We can know Him for years, go to church, pray before meals, and still become so busy doing life that we forget to simply spend time with Him.
James gives us a beautiful promise: Come near to God, and He will come near to you.
Sometimes the best thing we can do for a relationship is simply stop everything else and make time for the One we love.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

generations

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
— 1 Peter 2:9–10 (NKJV)
 
We love naming generations.
The Greatest Generation survived the Great Depression and fought World War II. The Silent Generation helped shape the Civil Rights era. Baby Boomers changed culture. Gen X—hey, that’s me!—were the latchkey kids who learned independence and watched the digital age begin. Millennials, Gen Z, Alpha, and now Beta each have their own defining moments too. Every generation will eventually be remembered for something.
But Peter gives us a different name: A chosen generation. And this one isn’t determined by what year you were born.
God chose us to be His people—not because of what our generation accomplished, invented, survived, or changed, but because of His mercy.
Whatever generation your birth certificate puts you in, if you belong to Christ, you belong to another one too.
You are chosen.
Called out of darkness and into His marvelous light.
And that’s a generation worth being part of.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible