The Long, Hard Chill of Winter
Are you ready for the long hard chill of winter? Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything (James 1:2-4 NLT). Are you a winter person? Over the years, I’ve learned that there are winter people and that there are summer people – some folks who prefer the cold and others that prefer the heat. I guess I’m one of those summer folks. I’m not big on cold weather. So as much of the U.S. has come has endured a long stretch of cold and ice, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on the long, hard winter for a bit. I was surprised that there are some interesting similarities between handling a long, hard, cold spell, and dealing with periods of trial, temptation, and trouble. Prepare for It: One of the keys to enduring a hard freeze and a period of really cold weather is to prepare for it appropriately. Make sure the outside spigots are covered and insulated. Check out the heating system, so you know it is ready to handle the load. Provide cover and warmth for pets and tender plants. Locate the proper tires or tire chains if the roads are impassable. Fill up the pantry with food and the cars with fuel to make sure you aren’t caught unprepared and left stranded. While we usually can know in advance when very cold weather is approaching, our spiritual times of trial are a little more unpredictable. However, even though we don’t know exactly when these tough times are going to come, we can be sure they will come. Spiritual preparation is crucial. Having a regular time to be with the Lord – a familiarity with prayer and Scripture – is essential. Jesus used his knowledge of both the heart of God and the will of God to help him through his time of testing. In addition, having supportive relationships with fellow believers is crucial to help us weather these times which are much harder to endure alone. Dress Appropriately: As the winter chill sets in, appropriate dress helps deal with the wind’s bitter bite and the chill that infiltrates all the corners of our routine. Dressing in layers, having an appropriate coat, and wearing the right kinds of clothing close to our skin all make the winter chill bearable. Having the right shoes and gloves helps immensely. A good hat, cap, or hood helps the body retain much of its warmth that is lost if the head is uncovered. The cold isn’t so cold when we dress appropriately. Spiritual dress is equally important if we are to endure the bitter times of testing, trials, and troubles. The apostle Paul twice refers to this as spiritual armor – the dress we need to withstand, defend, and win our battles with the evil one. This spiritual dress is even more important for us than winter clothing if we are to survive Satan’s chilling attacks. Realize that this Time Will Pass: Winter isn’t forever. The season of bitter chill will pass. Good things lie beyond the cold weather and the bleak landscapes. Spring awaits us. Life with all its beautiful colors will burst forth, bringing with it warmer temperatures, longer days, and different times. Our spiritual times of chill also are not forever. As children of God, we’re destined for better things – more glorious things. For most of us, a season of trials is over sooner than we feared and the joy returns to life leaving us with renewed vigor and joy. Even when our physical circumstances don’t change quickly, we know we have an eternal home with God that is without the bitterness of temptations, trials and troubles. The great reassurance we have in Christ is that good things and joyous times await us in our future. Learn to Value the Good Tough Times Bring: As much as the winter chill can be hard to endure, it does bring good results. The hard cold of winter helps rid our world of pests and weeds. It forces us into periods of rest and retreat. It offers some of our trees and outdoor plants a time to grow in ways that are not readily seen, but desperately needed. While we don’t ever volunteer for spiritual times of temptation, trial, and trouble, these too, offer us the opportunity to grow in necessary ways. These times slow us down, make us depend more upon God, and strengthen us in ways the easy times and good days can’t. When we realize that our task on earth is not to find ease and comfort, but instead to develop an enduring faith and a holy character, then we can welcome these times knowing that God is at work in us to make us more like him. Even if you are a winter person, I hope that you can see the importance of these observations. Troubles will come. Satan will make sure temptations assault us at our most vulnerable times. Trials are a part of human living. However, if our heart is set on our Savior and our desire is to please him and become more like him, then even the chill of this unwanted time can be a time of blessing. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us-they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (Romans 5:3-5). About the author: Phil Ware has authored 11 years of daily devotionals, including VerseoftheDay.com, read by 500,000 people
Not Left as Orphans
What can we expect the Spirit to do for us? Years ago, we were going to a new church. When it came time to head home one evening, we could not find our 22 month old son. He had been with us just a few moments earlier, but as they were turning off the lights and closing up the building, Zach was nowhere to be found. This was new turf for him. He didn’t know his way around. We didn’t know his favorite places in the building. All the lights, except a few in the foyer, were off. Donna and I were frantic! What if he made it to the street with it already dark outside? Where could he be? How had he gotten away so quickly? Why wasn’t he crying if the lights had been turned off on him? I went out and began a search of the parking lot and the street. Donna began a search through all the classrooms in the children’s wing. She found him in a classroom with the lights off but with a window that let the light from the parking lot outside filter in through the window. Zach was perfectly happy playing with a few toys in near total darkness as he talked and sang unaware of his crazed parents looking for him. Most of us know the terror of a child being momentarily lost or of our being lost and left alone as a child with our parents desperate to find us. Adults left behind can be even more painful – being left at the altar, being left alone in ER after a loved one has passed, being left to pay the bills after a business partner has stolen funds, being left by a rebellious child who has run away from home determined to leave behind all the values we hold dear, or being left alone after having been served divorce papers by an officer of the court. Jesus’ disciples were about to be left behind by their Lord. So Jesus shared with them some of the most beautiful and comforting words ever recorded: [Jesus said,] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:1-3). As beautiful as these words can be in times of death, the question remains: “What do we do when we feel alone today?” Jesus’ words of comfort didn’t stop with the promise that he is preparing a place for us with the Father and coming back to take us home with him. Jesus makes the following promises based upon the Holy Spirit’s coming to us and living in us: “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you” (John 14:18). “I too will love [you] and show myself to [you]” (John 14:21). “My Father will love [you], and we will come to [you] and make our home with [you]” (John 14:23). “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). Because of the Holy Spirit within us, Jesus reminds us that we will never be alone. The Spirit will live in us and make our heart the home for “all the fullness of God” living within us (Ephesians 3:16-19). We are never abandoned, forgotten, or on our own. God is not only near, he is also present within us. Until the Father is ready for us to come home to him, He chooses to make his home in each of us! We are never left behind. The Spirit is always there with us, within us, to do God’s work and bring God’s blessings to us! (For a list of some of the things the Spirit does for us, with us, and through us, see the list at the end of this article.) Several months ago, I walked out into a field from my truck on a cold, dark, crisp morning two hours before the sun came up. There were no clouds in the sky. It was a new moon so there was no moonlight. The first two hundred yards of my half-mile hike was a bit treacherous, so I used a green light to walk carefully yet not scare the wildlife. Once on an old ranch trail, I turned off the green light and my eyes began to adjust, After four hundred yards, my eyes had adjusted to the darkness and I looked up into the inky black darkness of the moonless sky and was amazed. The sky was not dark at all. In fact, the deepest “darkness” was still a dull faint glow as billions and billions of stars merged into the night background. When my eyes focused on a few clusters of stars, the background became dark and the stars were everywhere – all sorts of brightness, but everywhere in their dazzling array like diamonds under a light scattered across black velvet. I had to stop. The Holy Spirit immediately called up the words of Psalm 8:1-5 and I uttered them instinctively out loud – not once or twice, but three or four times, rhythmically repeating them without regard to scaring off the wildlife. As we look at all the Holy Spirit does for us while indwelling us, we cannot help but be awestruck. Like the shimmering stars in the darkest night sky, there are layers upon layers and grace upon grace to the Spirit’s work in us, for us, and through us. What follows is a bit of a visual reminder of SOME of the things the Spirit does for us followed by
Today’s Verse – 2 Thessalonians 1:3
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. —2 Thessalonians 1:3 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… “Please increase my faith, O, LORD.” “Please increase my strength, dear God.” “Please increase my wisdom, Father.” We often pray for these kinds of things, but when was the last time you prayed asking God to increase your capacity to love, and your congregation’s capacity to love others? Can you think of anything more exciting to say about your friends and fellowship than to say, “The love everyone has for each other is increasing, and that love for those around them who don’t know Jesus is growing!” Let’s pray and act to make this dimension of our love real and noticeable to the broken world that is fractured all around us! My Prayer… Holy God, may your love fill me as I seek to share it with those I meet each day. May this love grow and increase so that others may readily see its benefits and recognize that it is a direct response to the lavish love you have shared with me. I trust that as I seek to grow in love, the Holy Spirit will empower me to love in greater ways (Romans 5:5), ways that are beyond my capacity, so that others recognize it is your love working through me. Through the power of your Spirit, please empower my love to increase! In Jesus name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Love is Always Demonstrated
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, I made people nervous during My ministry by including women. I served them, ministered to them, and included them in My ministry while others treated them as less than worthy — as you will see in the verses below. I was willing to talk to them in public (John 4:27) when tradition considered such a thing wrong for a rabbi to do. I also let Mary sit at My feet in the position of a rabbi-in-training with Me as her teacher (Luke 10:38-42). I readily accepted into My fellowship women who had bad reputations, but who turned their lives around because of My grace, My teaching, and My love — turning a life around because of Me is one of the major truths in today’s verses. In the two episodes below that Luke records from My life, you will see several women who were important in My ministry. We could talk about why they were important and the roles they played and the way I turned around their lives, but I want to point you to a key truth. Love always finds a way to demonstrate itself. Genuine love is more than feelings, thoughts, or a passing fancy. Love shows itself! Love demonstrates its authenticity. If love is real, love shows itself by its actions! Verses to Live Notice how the formerly sinful woman from the city demonstrated her faith and her very tender love for Me. Then you will also notice a group of women who helped support Me as part of their love for what I had done for them. Remember, love demonstrates its authenticity, just as these women did! Once a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to be a guest for a meal. Picture this: Just as Jesus enters the man’s home and takes His place at the table, a woman from the city — notorious as a woman of ill repute — follows Him in. She has heard that Jesus will be at the Pharisee’s home, so she comes in and approaches Him, carrying an alabaster flask of perfumed oil. Then she begins to cry, she kneels down so her tears fall on Jesus’ feet, and she starts wiping His feet with her own hair. Then she actually kisses His feet, and she pours the perfumed oil on them. Simon (thinking): Now I know this guy is a fraud. If He were a real prophet, He would have known this woman is a sinner and He would never let her get near Him, much less touch Him… or kiss Him! Jesus (knowing what the Pharisee is thinking): Simon, I want to tell you a story. Simon: Tell me, Teacher. Jesus: Two men owed a certain lender a lot of money. One owed 100 weeks’ wages, and the other owed 10 weeks’ wages. Both men defaulted on their loans, but the lender forgave them both. Here’s a question for you: which man will love the lender more? Simon: Well, I guess it would be the one who was forgiven more. Jesus: Good answer. Now Jesus turns around so He’s facing the woman, although He’s still speaking to Simon. Jesus: Do you see this woman here? It’s kind of funny. I entered your home, and you didn’t provide a basin of water so I could wash the road dust from My feet. You didn’t give Me a customary kiss of greeting and welcome. You didn’t offer Me the common courtesy of providing oil to brighten My face. But this woman has wet My feet with her own tears and washed them with her own hair. She hasn’t stopped kissing My feet since I came in. And she has applied perfumed oil to My feet. This woman has been forgiven much, and she is showing much love. But the person who has shown little love shows how little forgiveness he has received. Jesus (to the woman): Your sins are forgiven. Simon and Friends (muttering among themselves): Who does this guy think He is? He has the audacity to claim the authority to forgive sins? Jesus (to the woman): Your faith has liberated you. Go in peace. Soon after this incident, Jesus preached from city to city, village to village, carrying the good news of the kingdom of God. He was accompanied by a group called “the twelve,” and also by a larger group including some women who had been rescued from evil spirits and healed of diseases. There was Mary, called Magdalene, who had been released from seven demons. There were others like Susanna and Joanna, who was married to Chuza, a steward of King Herod. And there were many others too. These women played an important role in Jesus’ ministry, using their wealth to provide for Him and His other companions. (Luke 7:36-50; Luke 8:1-3) Response in Prayer Loving Father, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart and the actions in my life demonstrate my love for Jesus and what He has done, is doing, and will do to bless my life and bring me home to You. It is in Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
09 Feb 2026
What is making you anxious? Is it a health issue, or finances or family relationships or work/business? Jehovah cares for all of us. He is concerned about everyone. Severally, His word admonishes us not to be anxious and to be sure that He will help us, no matter what we are going through. 1 Peter 5:7.
Quiet Waters
Is there hope for those stuck in the long stretches of life without peace? Sitting on the fishing deck of a nearby lake, all I see is peaceful and serene. A light breeze stirs the surface to quiet ripples. Flags on the docks of the lake-dwellers indicate an early start to the winds that will follow. An egret glides smoothly across a small inlet to fish in the shallow water. What could be more peaceful? Somewhere in the distance, however, there is the sound of what is to come. A motor ignites with a healthy roar and the day is on. Shortly, the lake will be filled with the noise of boats – ski boats, fishing boats and those angry little hornets called Sea-doos, the motorcycles of the waterways. This rhythm is the daily cycle, the transformation from peace to chaos and back again. This rhythm of a day on the lake strikes me – life is not so different. Few of us can hold on to those peaceful moments very long without interruption. Most of us have the promise of the return of peace. As the old country song says, “Life has its little ups and downs.” For some, however, a time of peace never seems to appear. Their lives are stressful from daybreak to dark – and often stressful through the night. Those long stretches without peace are difficult times! Most of us have experienced them for periods, but few of us for what seems to be forever. Is there hope for those stuck in the long stretches of life without peace? For most, the return of pace can be found in focus. If I am seeking silence, every noise is an irritant! On the other hand, if I am hammering loudly, few extraneous sounds have meaning. Perhaps we should learn a lesson here. To seek quiet in a time of noise can be perplexing, but to chose to follow the natural cycle of time and place may well be enjoyable. If you look for the quiet on the lake in the middle of the day, then you will be disappointed. Quiet comes in quiet times and quiet places. Don’t try to force life against the grain or you will constantly be irritated! Now, does this mean “go with the flow” when choices of sin and righteousness are involved? Of course not! Choosing the wrong never brings peace! I am only referring to the natural flow of life, busy-ness, and noise. When it comes to inner peace, there is no true peace without God. All the adjustments to the times and places will not compensate for the stress of an undirected life. Regardless of the question, God is always the answer – He can be our peace in the middle of life’s busy-ness and noise. I may choose to sit on the dock in the early morning to find the quiet of the lake. David, the shepherd king, knew the true source of real peace and quiet: [The LORD who is my Shepherd] makes me lie down in green pastures;He leads me beside quiet waters.He restores my soul;… (Psalm 23:2-3 NASB). Many are searching for the quiet waters in a world of raging storms; we all need the constant restoration of our souls. May you find this grace in your quiet place and the restoration of your soul! About the author: Bill is a long time minister in Nacogdoches, Texas who loves world missions. His passion for ministry has led him all over the world. In addition to his work as a minister, he is also a licensed professional counselor. Bill’s family is also involved in ministry and service to the world and community.
A Dry Time
Who around you needs more than just a drink? A friend of mine calls them dry times. Dry times are those times in your life, more specifically in your spiritual life, when there seems to be a void. A time when all the things you typically do to nourish your soul seem to have stopped working. Some of you understand the dry times very well. You have lived through them. You may be going through one right now. Maybe you have recently come out of such a time. Here are a few examples of how a dry time may express itself. You are going through life pretty much like you always have, but one day things seem different. The sky is not as blue. The breeze is not as cool. The sunshine is not as bright. The snowfall is not as white. Rainbows don’t provide much of a thrill. And very few things seem to give your heart much of a thrill. You are doing the same things you have always done. Except now you are enjoying it less. Very few things seem to excite you. When you try to describe how you feel you use the word “bored” more than you have in a very long time. Your job once gave you a reason to get up in the morning. It was challenging. It was rewarding. Now, it is a job. You go. You put in your time. You come home. Nothing has changed. It is the same job. Nothing has gone wrong. You still like the people you work with and you still are paid well for your efforts. But, it just seems to bore you. You have a great family. You love them. You would die for them. You long to be with them every opportunity you have. When one visit ends you begin planning the next one. When you are together you laugh, you cry, you really enjoy your family. You have a wonderful marriage. Your children are healthy. They are doing well in school. Life is good on the home front. But, something seems to be missing. You have an amazing spiritual network. You have been on mission trips with some of them. You have taken vacations with some of them. Your children have grown up together. You have attended weddings, funerals, ball games, parties, seminars, workshops, and baptisms together. You look forward to being with them every opportunity you have. But, it seems stale. Your personal spiritual life seems to be going well. You are doing all the right things. You read you Bible regularly. You pray consistently. You participate in an enriching small group. You occasionally teach a class. You sing on the praise team. You are even thinking about chaperoning a youth trip. You love your church. You love God. You love God’s people. But, you feel empty. Songs that once moved you to tears now seem old and tired. Sermons that should touch your heart do not. Prayers seem shallow and repetitious. When people around you are weeping with compassion you are gazing out the window or checking your phone for messages. There is no place you would rather be than in an assembly worshiping God, but you just don’t feel anything. It is a dry time. What do you do? Where do you go when your well is dry? Where do you go when your heart is empty? Where do you go to find joy? Where do you turn to when you need to be refreshed? Where do you go when your soul needs to be restored? Where do you go when you need hope? John tells a story about a woman going through a terribly dry time (John 4:4-42). In fact, dryness was about all she knew. Her home life, if you call it that, was a complete mess. She was lonely. She was rejected. She was isolated. Perhaps the saddest part of her story was that she had reached the point that she was resolved that this was all that her life would ever be. At one time she longed to have a real relationship, but that was so long ago she could barely remember what it was like. As was her routine when this Samaritan woman needed to refill her water jars, she went to the same well where she had always gone for water. She made sure she went during the middle of the day so that she would not bother anyone, and would not be bothered by anyone. When Jesus initiated a conversation with her, she was reluctant. Almost annoyed. Yet, there was something about Him that caught her attention and took her completely by surprise. He seemed to care about her. He had no ulterior motive. He listened to her. He answered her questions. He actually heard her. He knew her even though she had never met him. He talked to her like a real person. He treated her like she mattered. He gave her hope. He offered her a solution to her dry world. “This water,” Jesus said, “if you will drink it will quench your thirst. You’ll never be thirsty again. This is living water.” She drank the water. She came to the well to fill her jars with water. She left having had her dry and empty spirit refilled and refreshed. As she shared her story others came from their dry world to drink of the living water. Are you in a dry time? Follow the example of the woman at the well. Spend some time with Jesus. Get alone with Him. Dig into the Word. Go to a place of beauty and soak it in. Be still. Call or visit an old friend. Listen to your favorite music. Take a long walk. Rest. Listen. Play with a child. Serve someone who cannot return the favor. Drink from the well of living water. After you drink, share your story. You never know who else might be going through a dry
Lay Your Burden Down
How long are you going to keep carrying all that luggage? On August 15, 1930, a New York State Supreme Court Justice named Joseph Carter hailed a cab and was never seen or heard from again. The FBI thought his disappearance might be related to his work as a judge because of mob cases heard before his court. But since there was no hard evidence to support this theory, the case remains open to this day. All the work led investigators to a dead end. The only clue was a note Joseph Carter left for his wife, which said: “I am very, very tired. Love, Joe.” That was it, no one ever heard from him. I can’t help but feel that there are a lot of us who feel the same way. And Jesus has something to say to the person who is exhausted, worn out, frustrated, and weary. Jesus invited us to accept his offer of rest. “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29). While we are looking forward to the rest that awaits us in heaven, I don’t think Jesus is talking about heaven in this situation (Matthew 11). I think he’s offering rest for our souls here and now. Somebody to help carry our burden. The apostle Paul would later say, “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). We can do that for one another. There have been some times in my life when I’ve gone through some things that I just don’t think I could have handled if I didn’t have brothers and sisters in Christ to be there for me. But what we do for one another in a small way, Christ does for us to a much greater measure. Whatever burden you are carrying right now, Christ says he’ll be there for you. Whether it’s problems in your marriage or your children are in trouble at school or with the law. Maybe it’s burdens of loneliness, burdens of taking care of sick relatives, burdens of disappointment, or burdens of rejection, or the oppressive burdens of addictions. Maybe it’s the burden of not knowing which way to turn next. Life is filled with stress, with cares, and with worries. The reality is that life can be very difficult, but these are the very kinds of burdens that Jesus wants us to bring to him. Jesus is saying, “Come to me all you who are struggling with life in any way, and those of you who have burdens that you can’t carry alone, and I will help you with your struggles.” Do you remember the last time you made a trip to the airport with all your luggage? A couple of years ago, we took our daughter to the airport. She had absolutely crammed her suitcases as full as she could get them because she was moving to Germany. One of them weighed 65 pounds and the other one weighed 83 pounds. Fortunately they had the little wheels on them because I can’t imagine what it would have been like if we had to lug those things all over the airport trying to find the right ticket counter. And, I want to tell you, when the ticket agent took those suitcases from us and we didn’t have to carry them around anymore, that was a wonderful feeling. No more burden. That’s what Jesus does for us. Jesus is always on the lookout for hurting people. People who are bold enough to admit, “Lord, I need some help. I can’t carry these problems alone.” And he’s promised to do it. He said, “Come to me … and I will give you rest.” About the author: Alan Smith ministers with the Church of Christ in White House, Tennessee and publishes the email devotional “Thought for the Day.”
Today’s Verse – Matthew 5:43-45
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” —Matthew 5:43-45 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We often talk about the privileges of being a child of God. We’re blessed with things like forgiveness, salvation, an eternal future in glory with him, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and our ultimate victory when Christ comes. One of the greatest privileges we get, however, is the opportunity to act toward those who dislike and even hate us in ways that reflect the character of God as demonstrated by Jesus. Anyone can return hate for hate, but it takes children of God to return a blessing and a prayer of deliverance for their enemies. My Prayer… Father, thank you for loving me when I was still an enemy to you – ungodly, powerless, and a sinner (Romans 5:5-8). Thank you for using the death of your Son to gain my attention and offer me the opportunity to accept or reject your love. As you have promised, please pour your love into my heart through the Holy Spirit, so that I can love my enemies as you have loved me. In the name of your ultimate Gift of love, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
When You Think You Know Better
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, Frustrated! Yes, I was frustrated at this precious man in today’s verses who disobeyed My direct command not to tell anyone except the priests that he had been healed of leprosy. I understand why he did it. Most mortals would have difficulty not telling everyone they had been healed. Most people would find it very hard to do what the law required first. But showing the priests that you were healed was what the Torah required. The priests were already starting to think I was trying to upstage them. So I had very good reasons to instruct the man not to tell anyone else after showing himself to the priest. Besides, you have seen in previous days’ readings how the people wanted a miracle-worker more than they wanted a Lord Who called them to change their lives so they could live for the kingdom of God. Frustrated! Not only was I frustrated, but the Father’s plans for Me were temporarily frustrated. So I want to remind you of something essential: I want you to obey Me even when you think you know better what to do! However, there is also another important truth I want you to learn from My interaction with this man who had leprosy: My miracles were not for My benefit. Recall that I refused to use my miraculous power for My benefit and My reputation when the devil tempted Me in the wilderness. Notice carefully how I healed this man with leprosy: I touched him — sharing his uncleanness and ostracism — then I healed him with a direct command. I shared a touch of grace before I spoke his healing. Why is it so important to Me for you to see this truth? Simple. This event tells you a major reason why I came. I am One with the Father. My words have power — creative and healing power. Just as the Father spoke the universe into existence, when I speak, My words have power. Demons are cast out, people are healed of their diseases, and you should obey. I speak the very words of God! I have the authority to ask you to obey Me because of Who I AM. But if you listen to My words and watch My actions, I demonstrate how much God loves you. So I ask you to obey — not just because of My authority, but also because you recognize My great love for you and My desire to make you whole! Verses to Live I am One with the Father. My actions show the Father’s heart. God is not a god far off, but a Savior Who has come near to you in Me, Jesus of Nazareth. What I do shows the Father’s love for you. In this story, you see God touch a man who would not be touched by another mortal because of his illness. Fear of contracting the disease, societal pressures, and the laws of the Torah to protect the people of Israel prevented human touch with someone who had leprosy. So with the stretch of My arm and the touch of My hand, I demonstrated My love. I AM willing to bear your uncleanness and ostracism so you can be made whole. Another time in a city nearby, a man covered with skin lesions [leprosy] comes along. As soon as he sees Jesus, he prostrates himself. Leper: Lord, if You wish to, You can heal me of my disease. Jesus reaches out His hand and touches the man, something no one would normally do for fear of being infected or of becoming ritually unclean. Jesus: I want to heal you. Be cleansed! Immediately the man is cured. Jesus tells him firmly not to tell anyone about this. Jesus: Go, show yourself to the priest, and do what Moses commanded by making an appropriate offering to celebrate your cleansing. This will prove to everyone what has happened. Even though Jesus said not to talk about what happened, soon every conversation was consumed by these events. The crowds swelled even larger as people went to hear Jesus preach and to be healed of their many afflictions. Jesus repeatedly left the crowds, though, stealing away into the wilderness to pray. (Luke 5:12-16) Response in Prayer Father God, forgive me. I confess that there are times when I see Your commands, Your call to certain behavior — Your demand for holy character and gracious compassion — to be hard, burdensome, and limiting. I know, O God, that You have the authority to demand this of me. I realize that Your desire is for my wholeness as well as my holiness. I realize that You have demonstrated Your great love for me in Jesus — entering my world, bearing my sin, sharing my burdens so that I can be Your child. Thank You! In the name of Jesus, I thank You. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.