The Up Devotional

[Note: I’m on vacation next week so the devotional will go on pause after today and will return on March 20th.] Certain events and experiences can shake and unsettle us. A world war can do that. So can events like September 11, 2001. I still remember the day. When terrorists flew planes into the World […]

In John 18:36 when standing before the Roman governor, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Let me note a few things. First, his kingdom isn’t just about heaven. It includes heaven but is not limited to heaven. He teaches us to pray that God’s kingdom comes and his will is done “on […]

Abraham Heschel tells a story about a man who was a prince. However, he was taken away to live in captivity in another country. He was now surrounded by crude and illiterate people. Over time something can happen. You start to blend in to the people around you—even if they were very different from you […]

Did you know that Jesus prayed for you?  In John 17 he prayed for his apostles. But then in verse 20 he said this: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message…” That means us! A little while ago I went through and […]

When I was young we would go camping. I loved it. We would set up tents, ride our bikes, go waterskiing and cook marshmallows around the fire. When it got dark my parents would bring out some glow sticks. They were plastic tubes with liquid in them. When you bent them something broke inside. That […]

You learn a lot from someone by watching them under pressure. Do they stay true to themselves? Do they buckle?  I can’t imagine the pressure and intensity Jesus must have felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. His betrayal was at hand. He was about to be tortured and crucified (and he knew it). Soldiers arrived […]

“Follow your heart. Go with your gut. Trust you feelings.” These are popular statements. And before I sound too negative, let me just say there are times when your heart, gut and feelings have important things to teach you. But they’re not God. It follows, therefore, that if your heart, gut, or feelings urge you […]

A person with integrity is someone who acts with whole-hearted (or complete) goodness no matter the situation. It’s easy to show integrity when everything is working out fine and when everyone agrees about what should be done. It’s more difficult, however, under pressure. M. Scott Peck says: “Stress is the test for goodness. The truly […]

Integrity. We know it’s good. We like to see it in ourselves and in others. But what is it? A popular definition is that it is doing the right thing when no one is looking. When a lot of people are watching you there is social pressure to do the right thing. They will see […]

We live in polarizing times. There are days when I feel that our news programs, social media feeds, and ways of communicating, are set-up to be combative and divisive. But hear this warning from Colossians 4:6: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer […]

“…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). An enduring praise song from the 1990’s is Matt Redman’s “The Heart of Worship.” The song emerged after a […]

It’s great when a friend prays for you. Perhaps they pray that you ace your lab test or that you know how to respond to a friend who is being difficult. It feels good when someone prays for you. And you certainly need to trust God’s wisdom and timing in the process. But that friend […]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Some Christians are in the habit of putting ashes on their foreheads because they symbolize our mourning and regret for sin. In fact, we’ll do that tonight at a youth-led service at the church I pastor. [This one is in-person only and at 7pm.] Ashes also symbolize our mortality. This recalls […]

Today is known as Shrove Tuesday. It’s the day before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. The name comes from a practice in England to “shrive” on this day—meaning confessing our sins and seeking God’s forgiveness. Since many people fast during Lent, there was (and is) a custom of using up fatty foods on this day […]

When someone says they want peace, what do they mean? It somewhat depends on the context. If two diplomats are talking about peace, they are most likely thinking about peace between countries. If a parent says they want some peace and quiet, he or she is most likely wanting their kids to stop being so […]

John Bunyan was a preacher who was thrown in jail in the 17th century. He was separated from his wife, children and congregation. A colleague named John Owen was a theologian who had a lot of influence, even in the government. Owen tried to get Bunyan released. He used his connections to do so, but […]

We’ve been talking about providence—that we are upheld and guided by God’s invisible hand. Today I encourage you to think about how this is true not only with respect to big things like global movements or world wars, but the little day-to-day details of our lives.  Consider Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:29-31: “Yet not one […]

In the previous devotional I talked about providence—that we are upheld and guided by God’s invisible hand. It’s easy to believe in providence when everything is going your way. But what about our moments of personal pain? Consider Jesus and his words on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He […]

Many people think that their lives unfold according to chance. But that contradicts the biblical teaching about providence.  The word “providence” sounds like “provide.” A provider in a household anticipates what is needed and then ensures those needs are met. In a similar way, our Provider sees the needs of his people. Since he is […]

An enduring devotional work from the fourteenth century is The Scale of Perfection by Walter Hilton. Hilton was writing to those seeking a deep spiritual life. More specifically, he was writing to a fellow believer most likely in a convent at the time. Among other things, he wrote about humility. His words certainly stand in […]

Sometimes a new word is created. It might not ever make it into a dictionary, but people use it anyway. An example would be “hangry.” When you get really angry because you’re hungry, you’re “hangry”! Here’s a new one that I’ll throw into the mix: Freedience. It brings together two faith-based ideas which appear to […]

In the previous devotional I talked about joy. In an age like ours when so many people have become accustomed to instant gratification, we can mistakenly think that joy is easily attainable and sustainable in our hearts and minds. Not always. It’s more like a diet than it is a pill. I’m not talking about […]

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence…” (Psalm 16:11) We live in the age of the quick-fix. Instant gratification is on the menu. If I have a craving for a cheeseburger I can go to a drive-thru window. If I want my house to […]

I recently had the opportunity to interview the Rev. Dr. Sarah Han. She’s a professor at Tyndale University in Toronto (and also a friend) who is writing a book about “margin.”  Having margin in your life is having mental and emotional space in your life. It’s also having a schedule which isn’t consistently jam-packed. Sarah […]

The Mandalorian is a TV series and a part of the Star Wars enterprise. The main character is a bounty hunter named Din Djarin. Every once in a while he meets up with the Armourer—a lady who offers wisdom and, as her name suggests, makes armour. During one of their conversations they are talking about the […]