He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.  Micah 6:8
 
 
I have this terrible habit. I call it “waking up in the middle of my story”. In the hard things in life, it’s when I finally realize the truth of my circumstances and wonder how in the world I got there.
 
Recently, I’m waking up in the middle of a new story. When the reality I’ve been living doesn’t stack up to the truth, I wonder where I could have gone wrong. Why didn’t I see this before? Where was I?
 
When I wake up to discover that our Constitution which states “liberty and justice for all” doesn’t really mean “all”, I’m waking up to the nightmare that is everyday reality for people of color. When I realize that police kill Black people without justification and with impunity, I’m waking up to the horrible reality of police brutality and the injustice in the “justice” system.
 
Systemic racism in the U.S. is real. It has not been eradicated, despite numerous Constitutional amendments, laws, and litigation.*1 Yet, white Americans may view events in the news as racist without seeing the interconnectivity of these events as part of the bigger picture of systemic racism.

Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, puts it this way:  ”There is a collective grief that Black Americans feel [that] where white Americans have often used these as individual incidences, Black Americans understand that this is part of a collective history and when we see this, we always know that this can happen to our own communities.” She adds, “There is a sense that white Americans will tolerate so much pain, so much suffering, the lack of Black Americans having their civil rights and full citizenship, until something so egregiously horrifying occurs that they can no longer be in denial about that. And I think we're just tired of having to prove our humanity only when the most inhumane thing happens to us."*2

While white people may react defensively, we who live in this society are complicit because we are part of the same community. To paraphrase Tim Keller, author and pastor, the biblical concept of community means that by being part of a community, you share in its responsibility. In a powerful example, Keller says that because no one resisted the Nazi regime, it was successful in killing Jews. Everyone in that society was part of the system. They supported it by participating even when they didn’t know what was happening or when they looked the other way. They were all responsible for it.*3 We are all collectively part of the same society and bear responsibility. And we cannot afford to be silent to injustice. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
 
In our key verse, the prophet Micah does not remain silent about things that matter by calling out the sins of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, specifically the sins of abuse of power, oppression, and injustice.  When the leaders ask Micah what they can do to move back into God’s good graces, Micah tells them what God requires of them. Note that he does not say the following is optional. They are commanded “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
 
Over the next several posts, we’ll unpack this particular verse. For today, let’s start with the first command. What does it mean to act justly? Justice is truth in motion with a sense of fairness. In order to act with justice, we must first become informed. Just as a jury must hear both sides of the case before making a decision for justice, so should we open-mindedly become informed of the facts.
 
In this digital age, we are bombarded with news on every front. By choosing reputable news sources (and not believing everything we read on social media), we become better informed. By reading books and articles written by sociologists, activists, and other experts, we become particularly informed on the issue of racism and how it has become institutionalized in many parts of our society. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo is a good place to start. Choosing books by Black authors broadens our perspective. I highly recommend When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele. Click here for a downloadable list of suggested readings, videos, and resources.
 
When we seek the truth with an open mind and heart, we realize that the very whiteness of our skin determines in many unjust ways our quality of life. “White privilege” is not so much about what you get as a white person as much as what it protects you from. While white privilege absolutely opens the door to opportunities for education, employment, and wealth creation, it also protects white people from fear of police brutality, from fear of being incarcerated for having done nothing wrong, and from fear that you or your loved one could be shot and killed at any moment for no good reason.
 
Becoming informed is an ongoing process, but just knowing the truth is not enough. We must act on it. Just as faith without works is dead (James 2:26), knowing the truth and not putting it into action is useless. A good place to start is to give your time and resources to organizations that are making a difference. Click here for suggestions. Dr. King said, “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment.”*4
 
Liberty and justice for all isn’t a zero-sum game. There is enough for all to live in this country with dignity, respect, and yes, even dreams. The dream of a young, Black pastor assassinated in 1968 for daring to speak up still lives on in this current generation. May we act justly as we work urgently to implement needed changes. And may we all wake up soon in the middle of a new story, one of reconciliation, peace, and liberty and justice for all.
 
  
Lord, You are always on the side of the oppressed and their cries for justice do not go unheeded. Help me remember we all are created in Your image, God, and we are all Your children. Give me eyes to see injustice, the motivation to change it, and the will to act justly in all I say and do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
 
NOTE 1:  These include the 13th amendment to abolish slavery, the 14th amendment granting citizenship to former slaves, the 15th amendment granting voting rights to Black men, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act of 1968, litigation such as Brown v. Board of Education (outlawed segregated schools) and Loving v. Virginia (allowed interracial marriage), plus the Civil Rights Movement itself.
 
NOTE 2:  From Own YouTube Channel, 6/9/20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Le2IQh1uGw
 
NOTE 3:  From Racism and Corporate Evil: A White Guy’s Perspective
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhJJcTKTVGo
 
NOTE 4:  From Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have a Dream…” speech, 1963
 
 
 Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2020 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the sands at low tide behind Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out.  Psalm 10:14-15
 
 
My day starts early in order to be one of the first to arrive. A steep ride in a bus with special brakes takes me to the top of this vertical ascent. Walking through a large tunnel adds to the suspense. I step inside the large Art Deco-styled elevator with its shiny brass walls and mirrored ceiling. On the descent downward, my thoughts envision the original owner riding this same elevator. It is not a pleasant thought. The lurch, signifying the elevator has arrived at its destination, jolts me out of my disturbing ruminations. I shift my musings to more positive thoughts.
 
Exiting the grand elevator, I follow the crowd out and around to the outside of the building. The view is unbelievable with mammoth mountain ranges and mysterious lakes covered in fog, all under a canopy of a brilliant blue sky. This breathtaking beauty belies the evil that was once concocted here.
 
Perched atop the rocky peak of Kehlstein Mountain in a tiny corner of Bavaria in southeastern Germany, almost totally surrounded by Austria and only about 30 minutes from Salzburg, sits the Eagle’s Nest. Called Kehlsteinhaus in German, Eagle’s Nest is the mountain-top home that was given to Adolf Hitler by the government in 1939 for his 50th birthday. Today, the house is now a restaurant surrounded by a national park with commanding views of nearby mountains. Down below lies the lovely town of Berchtesgaden and its colorful buildings adorned with frescoed walls, ancient churches, and flowing fountains.
 
As I walk the paths around Eagle’s Nest with my camera at the ready, I admire the incredible views, but I shudder as I think about the evil plans hatched here on this beautiful spot as well in the neighboring valley where one of the Nazi headquarters operated. The violence perpetrated from the execution of those plans impacted tens of millions of people, sending countless to death camps and terrorizing and abusing scores more. Yet no sign exists here that even mentions Hitler. While the information center in Berchtesgaden does contain exhibits on this horrific history, I wonder if there is a desire here in this gorgeous place to forget the nefarious past and its horrors, perhaps to deny that evil reigned here. On the outside, everything looks normal and beautiful.
 
Violence and abuse are not limited to history. Even today, during this pandemic, there is a silent epidemic of domestic abuse. It may not make headlines like masks, testing, and contact tracing. But calls to abuse hotlines are up significantly over normal levels and it’s happening all around the world. Sheltering-in-place takes on a whole different meaning to someone who is a victim of abuse and is now in lockdown mode 24/7 with their abuser. For example, calls to domestic abuse hotlines in Los Angeles are more than double the usual number. Other US cities are seeing similar spikes in call volumes. In the UK, calls are up 66% and website traffic has increased almost 1,000% on domestic abuse help websites. In both the UK and France, local authorities are providing alternative ways for victims to contact the police. If you or someone you know is a victim of either domestic abuse or violence, there are resources that can help (see below).
 
What do we do as a society in the face of domestic violence and abuse? Do we try to ignore it on the grounds that it isn’t happening to us or to anyone we know? Or is it? Perhaps everything on the outside looks normal, but there are far too many homes that hide the evil within. Statistics alone tell us that at least 25% of all marriages are abusive. And abuse does not discriminate. It can happen to anyone.
 
What can we do? We can pray. We can cry out on behalf of those trapped in abuse. Psalm 31:22b says, “Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.” Sending up prayers to the Almighty God to protect those who are trapped in abuse is something we all can do. Also, giving our resources to local battered women’s shelters can help provide safe haven for many women and their children as they escape their abusers. Supporting domestic abuse hotlines helps increase their capacity to reach those in need.
 
As our key verse says, God sees those in need and sees the crimes committed against them. He will help those who are oppressed and will hold perpetrators accountable. If you are a victim of abuse now or were in the past, know that God sees you. He knows your pain. Turn to Him and He will heal you (Psalm 30:2*). He is powerful to rescue you, too, if you are currently in an abusive relationship. Nothing is impossible with God and He is always on the side of the oppressed (Psalm 103:6**).
 
Just as the evil plans devised at Eagle’s Nest do not define the place today, neither does our past define us. We can stand with God on the beautiful mountain top and know that nothing is so awful that God’s healing power can’t overcome. We are created in God’s image. His love, as seen on the Cross in His Son Jesus, defines who we are and whose we are. We are bought with a price. We are His.
 
 
Lord God Almighty, You are in control even when it seems evil will win. Rescue those trapped in abusive situations. Come to their aid, Lord, and provide protection and healing. Help me to be sensitive to those around me who may be victims of abuse. Use me to help unlock their chains to set them free. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
 
*Psalm 30:2 - LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.
 
**Psalm 103:6 - The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
 
 
NOTE: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse and/or violence, here are some US resources:
 
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available around the clock and in more than 200 languages: call 1-800-799-SAFE or chat with their advocates here or text LOVEIS to 22522. Their website is https://www.thehotline.org/.
 
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) - https://www.ncadv.org/ (Note that NCADV has a “safe exit” button on their website so browsing history to this site cannot be tracked.)

Helping Survivors is a resource center that assists victims of sexual assault or abuse. Their helpful guide to domestic violence and sexual abuse contains information to identify abuse and to help victims. It can be found here: https://helpingsurvivors.org/domestic-violence-and-sexual-abuse/

 
For immediate dangers, call 911.
 
 
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2020 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photos of the view from Eagle’s Nest, the present-day restaurant that was Eagle’s Nest, and the town of Berchtesgaden, Germany.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Eagle's Nest atop Kehlstein Mountain, Germany:

Berchtesgaden, Germany:

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33
 
 
We are living through unprecedented times. Turning on the news or reading the newsfeeds overwhelms us with the facts, statistics, as well as speculations and predictions of this global pandemic. Feelings of anxiety and fear threaten to overtake us as we just try to make it through another day.
 
Life as we know it has changed. For some of us, we or our loved ones have experienced first-hand this horrific disease. But for all us, we’ve experienced loss on some level.
 
Losses come in different forms. During these turbulent times, we may experience loss of work, loss of income, loss of food security, loss of health, and loss of social contacts. Daily routines are turned upside-down. Schools are closed. Work has gone virtual or is nonexistent. Visiting family and friends is taboo. Even regular exercise has changed. Perhaps the most pervasive loss is that of perceived control over our lives.
 
Grief is working through our sense of loss. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, in her book On Death and Dying, identifies five stages of grief:  denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. While each loss may be different and have varying intensities, seeing losses through the lens of these stages is helpful. Often denial is the first stage, but as we begin to process our grief, we learn that these stages are not necessarily linear, and I would add, that we may not experience each stage with every loss.
 
In processing loss, we first need to acknowledge that we are indeed experiencing a loss. Identifying and naming the specific loss is helpful. After we acknowledge that we suffer a specific loss or losses, then we can begin to work through our grief.
 
Sometimes we get stuck in a particular stage in the grief process. Often depression is where folks get stopped and unable to move forward. With so many small and large losses, we can feel overwhelmed. And we lose hope.
 
Yes, life as we know it has changed. But this pandemic will not last forever. The more we practice shelter-in-place, social distancing, and good hygiene, the sooner we will come through this crisis. And when we do (not if, but when), life may look very different than it did before the pandemic. History tends to repeat itself. If the 1918 influenza pandemic teaches us anything, it shows us that the pandemic will end eventually. Life will go on. It may take a while to recover both physically, emotionally, and financially, but we will recover.
 
Taking the time to stop and process our thoughts and feelings is necessary. We absolutely cannot allow our feelings of fear and anxiety to rule. Focusing our minds on God and what He has to say about fear and anxiety gives us comfort and hope. Click here for a list of Bible verses previously posted on fear and anxiety. When we feel unable to tap into this power, we can seek out a trusted friend or a trusted professional (via Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime) who can help us wiggle out of the chains that emotionally bind us. When we work through our grief, we come out on the other side of it stronger and more resilient. And that, my friend, places us in a position of peace and hope.
 
In John 16, Jesus tells His disciples that He will be going back to the Father. He says that they will experience grief (at His crucifixion), but that their grief will turn to joy (at His resurrection). He comforts them by saying, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
 
There is no loss too big that Jesus cannot overcome. There is no loss too painful that Jesus cannot heal. As we endure the impact of the coronavirus, may we take heart: Jesus has overcome the troubles of this world, including those caused by the pandemic.
 
 
Lord, You know my heart. Help me not give into fear and anxiety but to trust that Your plans never fail. Give me the hope that comes from knowing You indeed have and will continue to overcome the troubles of this world, now and always. Amen.
 
 
Coming soon!!!!!! My new devotional book on grief will be published in the very near future.  Stay tuned for more information. In the meantime, check out my blogs on grief posted previously by viewing archives from July 2014 to September 2015. Click here to begin.
 
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2020 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Fitzroy Bay, near Wellington, New Zealand.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.  Ephesians 1:7-8
 
 
As a child, I went to church every Sunday with my family. It was a large urban church and one where my family had attended for generations. During the worship service, we would stand to sing hymns. Every time we sang a hymn where the words spoke of the blood of Jesus, my brother Logan would become faint. It literally made him sick to think about blood, even in a song. One of those hymns is entitled Nothing but the Blood, penned by Robert Lowry in 1876. The first verse is:
 
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
 
Growing up, I’m sure I sung that hymn many times (and even as an adult) and never fully grasp the powerful meaning behind the words. As a young child, I’m sure my brother didn’t fully understand either as he focused only on the word “blood”. How ironic it is that years later, he became a paramedic and served the community in that capacity for almost 30 years!
 
God does have a sense of humor and irony is often the medium. On Easter morning, I opened my devotional book to discover the title of that day’s reading was “Risen”. Ironic. Or maybe it was just one of many coincidences God orchestrates to get my attention. In this chapter, the author* uses the analogy of antibodies in blood to represent Christ’s work on earth and on the Cross. In this season of pandemic, as I read the word “antibodies”, it leapt off the page. Antibodies are proteins that develop in blood as a response to infection. They help the body to fight the infection, but they also linger on to be at the ready to fight again should that disease invade once more. What I find curious is the analogy: antibodies to fight infection are compared to Jesus and His resurrection power.
 
When Jesus left heaven to be born in a manger as a baby, He purposefully put on human flesh with all of its constraints. Although Jesus never sinned, He was exposed to the sin of this world. On the Cross at Calvary, Jesus took on all the sin from every one of us. He died a horrific, excruciating death by crucifixion. His bloody sacrifice paid the penalty for our sins - every wrong thought, word, and deed, including trying to live life without God. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead. His resurrection overcame the bonds of death, secured our salvation from God’s judgment, and allowed us to have a relationship with God the Father.
 
Just like the antibodies in our bloodstream protect us from disease, Jesus’ power through His death and resurrection protects us from sin and death. When we invite Jesus to be our Savior, His blood cleanses us of our sins. When we acknowledge Him as Lord, His resurrection power enables us to live the abundant life He offers now and forever. It doesn’t mean we will never sin again, but we hold in our spirits the power that gives us strength to resist temptation, much like antibodies in our bloodstream give our bodies the strength to resist disease. When we fall short and ask Jesus for forgiveness (1 John 1:8-9**), He readily forgives us, for He has already paid the price for our sins, for sins past, present, and future.
 
Jesus willingly exposed Himself to the sin and death of this world in order to save and protect us. By acknowledging His redemptive power created through the bloody work on the Cross, we share in His power to overcome - to overcome the sin that so entangles us, to be free to live and love in ways that honor God, and to enjoy the abundant life that He so freely offers.
 
In a time when most of us are sheltered at home, it is indeed Good News that we have a Savior who came and redeemed us by His blood shed for us on the Cross. While tempers may flare, frustrations may run rampant, and hurtful words may be spoken, know you can be forgiven. You have the power within you through Christ to overcome temptation, even in the worst of times. When we are consumed with worry over our health, loved ones, jobs, and economic situations, we can trust the One who overcame. When we choose to live under His lavish grace, purchased for us through His blood, we can experience the abundant life through the fruit of His Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
 
May the blood of Christ take on new meaning for you in this Easter season and may you have hope of overcoming. Through Jesus’ sacrificial death and powerful resurrection, and by His blood shed for you, you have the power and strength to be who God desires you to be. May you sing these words with understanding and grasp the truth behind them: What can wash away my sin? What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
 
 
Dear Jesus, thank You for washing away my sins and for making me whole again through Your blood shed for me. Forgive me when I think, speak, and act in ways that are hurtful to others and not honoring to You. Help me claim Your resurrection power to overcome any obstacles I face now. Show me how to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit in my life today. By Your grace, I pray. Amen.
 
 
*Jennifer Kennedy Dean in Prized.
 
**1 John 1:8-9: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
 
 
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2020 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the Church of Saint-Séverin in the Latin Quarter of Paris, France.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel, because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.  Genesis 35:7
 
 
I’m an old movie buff. I’ll take a movie from the 1930’s-1950’s any day over a contemporary film. With life as we know grinding to a halt due to the coronavirus, I find myself with a bit more inclination for movie-watching.
 
In the 1954 Hitchcock thriller Rear Window, James Stewart plays Jeff, a photographer who is home-bound with a broken leg. Bored from being cooped up at home, Jeff turns to spying on his neighbors with his camera and binoculars from his window at the back of his apartment. He becomes convinced that he’s witnessed a murder. While the plot continues in true suspenseful Hitchcock style, Jeff portrays a man ruled by his deep-seated fears. But he also deals with his fears of the immediate danger of suddenly being pursued by his murderous neighbor. He is helpless to defend himself. He cannot protect his fiancée, played by Grace Kelly, when she enters the presumed murderer’s apartment.
 
Rear Window speaks volumes about voyeurism as well as the society during which it was made. However, it also speaks to our own fears and curiosities. In a time when many in this country and around the world are mandated to stay at home, we, too, can feel bored and “cooped up”.  We, too, can be overly curious and even obsessed about what’s going on around us and in the world by staying glued to the news. We rationalize that the more we know, the more we can control. We, too, can experience fear as we look through our own rear window and realize we live in uncertain times and in circumstances beyond our control. Our perspective, like Jeff’s in Rear Window, can become narrowly focused on our sudden confinement as we practice extreme, but necessary, social distancing, while we harbor feelings of fear. But unlike Jeff, we don’t have to choose to react in fear.
 
On another level, there are lessons to be learned through metaphoric rear windows. This backward-looking perspective can aid us as we peer through the windshield and glance out the side windows.
 
In Genesis 35, God directs Jacob to move his family to Bethel and to build an altar to the Lord. This altar is a specific reminder to Jacob and his people that God delivered him when his brother Esau pursued Jacob with the intent to harm him. But this physical altar of stacked stones also reminds Jacob of how God was always with him in past difficulties and that He will surely be with him in the future. In looking back at God’s faithfulness, Jacob has the courage to look forward to the future.
 
Looking back, we, too, can see more clearly where we’ve traveled through life to get to where we are now. We can see through the rear window how God worked on our behalf. Believing He is faithful, we carry that faith forward to help us navigate through uncertainty and difficult circumstances. When we see how God has worked in our lives in the past, gratitude has room to surface in our hearts to replace fear. Even joy – yes, joy - can grow when we thank God for how He has cared for us in the past. We trust He will care for us in the future when we cast our anxiety on Him (1 Peter 5:7*). We don’t have to give into fear because we know that God is with us in all circumstances (Joshua 1:9**). While fear may try to worm its way back into our minds and hearts, with a mind focused on God and His faithfulness and a heart overflowing with joy and gratitude, fear can be left by the wayside, seen only through the rear window.
 
 
Lord God, as I reflect on the past, I thank You for the ways You have worked in my life. You are faithful and I do not need to be fearful. Fill my heart and my mind with gratitude and joy as You lead me through the difficulties of the present and the uncertainties of the future. Amen.
 
 
*1 Peter 5:7  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
 
**Joshua 1:9  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
 
 
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here. For a free (no strings attached!) downloadable PDF of Bible verses on overcoming fear and anxiety, click here.
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2020 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of winding road to Mt Difficulty winery in Central Otago, New Zealand.
 
NOTE: Interested in learning about the similarities between this current pandemic and the 1918 pandemic of influenza? I highly recommend the short, but informative book The Influenza Pandemic of 1918 by Virginia Aronson (available for free from the app Internet Archive or https://archive.org/). If you’d prefer a synopsis, click here for my essay on the 1918 pandemic based on facts from this book.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”  Luke 8:22-25
 
On Monday, after returning from a trip, I do my grocery shopping. I buy the usual items, including the typical pack of toilet paper. On Thursday, I stop by my local supermarket for a couple of items that I realized I had not bought earlier. Upon entering the store, I’m checking my phone for my very short grocery list when I hear a man passing by with his cart say, “I’ve never seen a grocery store so crowded!” I look up from my phone and my eyes fall on the numerous check-out lines, each several persons deep with each customer’s cart filled to overflowing. Having been away from home for a while as I traveled to a country that had been untouched by the coronavirus, it takes me a second to realize what I’m seeing:  hoarding, with the underlying emotions of panic, fear, and anxiety.
 
I begin my shopping with the basket slung over my arm as I weave in and out of the mob of shoppers, each pushing a full cart loaded up with all kinds of items. I have to wonder if they truly need all of them. By this time, I’m wondering if I’m missing something by my lack of panic. When I notice that the pasta aisle is 75% cleared out, I do ask myself if I need any pasta but decide I don’t. After placing the 5 or 6 items I’m buying in my basket, I go to the check-out counter where I’m thankful to see the express lane, now converted into self-checkout, has a short line. It’s not until I’m home and am texting a friend on the East coast who tells me there is no toilet paper where she is that I realize I should have checked out the toilet paper aisle at the store. Just out of curiosity, of course!
 
The next day I read in my newsfeeds about the panic over toilet paper. Apparently, when told to stock up on household supplies to last a couple of weeks, people instantly gravitate toward hoarding toilet paper. According to this article, by hoarding this commodity, we feel a sense of control, like we’ve done all we can do to protect ourselves from this pandemic called CoVid-19 or coronavirus.
 
The reality is we have not. Nor can we. We can take precautionary measures and I’m all for that, like social distancing and hand sanitizing. But the reality is we are not in control of this coronavirus of epic proportions. But I know Someone who is.
 
God. God alone is in control of this world when the globe seems to spin out of control. That’s true when times are normal and it’s definitely true during this most unusual time. While fear of uncertainty and fear of the unknown are normal human feelings, we don’t have to surrender to our fears.
 
When the disciples head across the Sea of Galilee, a storm rips across the waters, tossing the boat and creating a lot of fear and panic in the hearts of these followers of Jesus. Exhausted from teaching and healing, Jesus is sleeping in the stern of the boat, seemingly heedless of the waves rocking the small vessel. As their boat fills up with water, the disciples, realizing they are in serious trouble, wake their Master. It’s almost as if He is their last resort. Jesus stands up in the boat and sharply tells the wind and the waves to stop. Miraculously, they do. Even though the disciples have witnessed other miracles by Jesus, they are still amazed at His power and authority over the sea and the wind. Jesus rebukes His disciples for the small amount of faith they have. Perhaps Jesus allowed them to experience fear for a time so they can learn that it is through Jesus that storms are calmed and fears arrested. Maybe they should have woken Him up first before trying to bail the water out of the boat by themselves.
 
For those of us who profess Jesus as our Savior, how big is our faith? Do we have faith enough to believe He is Lord of ALL of our difficult circumstances? Are we, like the disciples, trying to bail water in this current pandemic on our own while we forget Jesus is in the boat with us? He alone has the power to calm our anxious hearts and give us peace.
 
We have a choice. We can choose to give into fear, panic, and hoarding. Or, we can choose to trust the One who calmed the waves and the wind to calm the storm raging in and around us.
 
One way to rebuke the fear and receive God’s peace is to focus on who God is and how we have hope in Him. We can do this by parking our minds on God and His Word. See previous blog entitled Alphabet Prayers (posted 1/1/20) for attributes of God on which to focus. Also, click here for a free, downloadable PDF of Bible verses that speak to overcoming fear and receiving His peace and hope. Select a verse (or two) and read or recite it when fear threatens to overcome you.
 
May we be people of faith, not fear. May we be generous and giving, rather than selfish and hoarding. May we hold onto peace rather than panic. P-a-n-d-e-m-i-c doesn’t have to spell P-a-n-i-c. When we add God to our perspective, with just another “e” for Elohim (Hebrew for God), it can spell P-e-a-c-e.
 
 
Jesus, You are Lord over all, including this coronavirus and my fears. Give me Your perspective and hope. Grow my faith so that I can experience peace instead of panic. When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. Amen.
 
 
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2020 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Lake Hayes, near Arrowtown, South Island, New Zealand.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.  Isaiah 1:17
 
 
Surrounded by stones of brown and beige constructed into several levels, I stand in the middle of an icon, where crumbling walls bear witness to drama through the ages. The Colosseum in Rome is a massive structure symbolic of Italy itself. Built in the 1st century to seat over 80,000 spectators, thousands of commoners as well as a few emperors came here to see, and perhaps to be seen. Gladiators wanting to make a name for themselves fought here. Hunters killed wild animals for sport within these walls. But there were other kinds of entertainment, too. During breaks in the main program, common criminals were forced into the area, naked and unarmed, to face wild animals that would literally tear them to pieces. Some of those “criminals” were Christians whose crimes were simply not worshiping the Roman gods.
 
As I wander around the Colosseum with camera in tow, my lens brings into focus a simple cross. Juxtaposed against this historic backdrop, the cross initially seems out of place. While the cross is an instrument of cruel punishment, it is also a symbol of the power of Jesus’ resurrection. As I ponder this cross situated to memorialize those martyred Christians, I wonder how people could watch, and even applaud, as someone was being torn to pieces by a lion. But more importantly, how do we respond to brutality in our world today?
 
Religious persecution is not confined to 1st century Rome. According to opendoorsusa.org, today 245 million Christians suffer persecution for their faith around the world. One in nine believers experience high levels of persecution. And that doesn’t even include people of other religions who are also punished for their faith. Clearly, religious persecution is still an issue today. Yet the Church Universal is largely silent. How do we acknowledge the issue and how do we respond?
 
Oppression is not limited to persecution. In the Roman world, slavery was the number one business as the Romans routinely conquered, captured, and enslaved their enemies. I wonder how many times God’s heart has broken over the brutality and inequality regarding slavery throughout the ages. How often does His heart break now for those forty million souls trapped in modern slavery, including those in forced labor and those being sex trafficked?
 
Perhaps another form of oppression is the most silent epidemic of all:  domestic abuse and violence. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) defines domestic violence as “the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.” According to the NCADV, 20 people experience domestic violence every 9 seconds in the US. That’s 10 million people annually. And one third of all female murder victims are killed by an intimate partner.
 
Abuse is not limited to physical assault. Abuse can be verbal, psychological, emotional, or spiritual. It is about power and control. Today, 25% of all marriages, including Christian marriages, are abusive on some level. Lest we think it can never happen to us, abuse does not discriminate. Anyone, regardless of race, religion, gender, or socio-economic status, can become the victim of abuse.
 
Why is abuse so rampant? The victims are mostly (not always) women who often lack the power and the economic resources to escape their perpetrators. Why are churches reluctant to talk about it? Many times, it’s considered a “private matter”, a family issue.
 
In our key verse today, we see the Israelites “going through the motions” of their faith. Their prayers and sacrifices to God ring hollow and God calls them out. He judges them for giving Him only lip service and demands they strive for justice, mercy, and compassion.
 
How do we fight for justice with mercy and compassion? A good place to start is to become informed. Numerous websites and organizations have information that can open our eyes to these global and local issues. But information alone is not enough. Compassion motivates us to respond with mercy and justice. How do we develop compassion? This profound quote from Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision International, is both convicting and motivating:  “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.”
 
When we choose to gain knowledge of the issues around us and choose to see the world through God’s eyes, then the Holy Spirit can empower us to respond with compassion, mercy and justice. We can put our faith into action by praying for those who are persecuted, enslaved, or abused. We can give our time and money to worthwhile ministries that strive to help the oppressed. By doing so, we can share the love of Christ and the hope of the Cross to those who are suffering within our communities and beyond.
 
As I think back on that lone cross in the Colosseum, I’m reminded that Jesus, with arms opened wide, hung on the Cross, so that all of us might enter into a relationship with God. His love stretches through time and space to those victimized through persecution, slavery, and abuse. May our love emulate His, with arms opened wide, to embrace all people, to stand up for what is true and right, to seek justice, to help the oppressed, and to defend the powerless. Let’s don’t just go through the motions of our faith. Let’s put our faith into action today.
 
 
Father God, how Your heart must break with the sufferings of this world. Break my heart with what breaks Yours. Teach me compassion and help me act on that compassion by showing justice, mercy, and love. Do not let my faith be hollow words but actions that make a difference for good in the sufferings of others. Amen.
 
 
NOTE: There are many organizations that fight religious persecution, modern-day slavery, sex trafficking, and domestic abuse and violence. Here are several national and international organizations to help you become more informed.
 
Re religious persecution:  
International Christian Concern (ICC) – find them at https://www.persecution.org/
Open Doors USA at https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/
 
Re slavery and sex trafficking:  International Justice Mission at https://www.ijm.org/.
 
Re domestic abuse and violence:
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) - https://www.ncadv.org/ (Note that NCADV has a “safe exit” button on their website so browsing history to this site cannot be tracked.)
 
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, the National Domestic Violence confidential hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) and their website is https://www.thehotline.org/.
 
ADDITIONAL NOTE:  If you are concerned about the fiscal responsibility of these or other charitable organizations, check out Charity Navigator to see info and ratings at https://www.charitynavigator.org/.
 
 
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
 
Text and photographs copyright © 2020 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photos of the Colosseum, Rome, Italy.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

A cross at the Colosseum:

Another view of the Colosseum:

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.  2 Timothy 1:7
 
 
Home to cobblestoned streets and pastel-colored buildings, the picturesque Austrian town of Innsbruck spans across the river Inn. “Brücke” in German means bridge. Literally, Innsbruck means “Bridge over Inn”.
 
The local tour guide walks us around the Old Town as she regales us with stories of Innsbruck’s history. Maximilian I was Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in the early 16th century. While Maximilian I accomplished much in terms of maintaining and expanding his empire, according to legend, he was concerned about what legacy he would leave behind when he died. He apparently was so consumed with his eventual death that he had his coffin carried with him wherever he went! Our guide points out an awning made of pure gold shingles on a building nearby. She tells us that Maximilian I authorized the construction of this golden roof to ensure he would be remembered long after he was gone.
 
According to dictionary.com, the word “legacy” means a gift of property or anything handed down from the past. While we might think of legacy in terms of inheritance, the Bible defines legacy as something of everlasting value handed down to the next generation. Often, biblical legacy is passing along stories of how God has worked in our lives as we see from Psalm 145:4: “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”
 
1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” God has gifted each of us uniquely and we are called to use these gifts to love and serve others. Sometimes these gifts are talents and passions that drive us to create, to lead, or to help others. It’s a way of leaving a lasting legacy.
 
The power of one is all it takes to spark change, to lead a movement, to simply stand up for what you believe in. When God is leading us, He gives us a spirit of power, not of timidity, as our key verse in 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us. In today’s world, I think of a teenager who has turned our anxieties over the future into a conversation that is making a difference. On her own, Greta Thunberg began protesting against climate change every Friday. Not even her parents supported her at first and she endured (and still does) demeaning remarks meant to discourage her. Greta’s courageous and tenacious pursuit of change teaches us that the power of one cannot be underestimated. She saw a need and worked to make that need known. As a result, we as a global community are more aware of climate change and more motivated than ever to reverse it. The power of one – can you imagine the changes we can make and the legacies we can leave behind if we can grasp the power of the Spirit of God? When He leads us, when we follow Him, to do good, to love and serve others, there is no end to what can be accomplished for this generation and for those that follow. It’s the power of the One True God working through one person.
 
Perhaps what you are passionate about isn’t global change. Maybe it’s something on a smaller scale. When asked what is the greatest commandment of all, Jesus replies in Mark 12:29-31:  “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” While we’re not all called to lead an international movement, I do believe we are called to love God and love others. Maybe that’s a legacy of one person at a time, starting with those in our immediate sphere of influence.
 
As I take the gondola up high above Innsbruck to the mountain range called the Nordkette, I discover written on a window in the visitors’ center this quote from T.S. Eliot:  “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” While this quote is sometimes misconstrued, Eliot is saying we are capable of more than we think we are. But we will never know until we lose the fear of failure. There is always risk in starting something new. When we break free of the fear of failure and step out in faith, trusting that God equips us for what He leads us to do, His Spirit empowers us to accomplish more than we can imagine or dream.
 
While Maximilian I may have been forgotten by many, except perhaps students of history, he left his imprint on Europe today. Greta Thunberg started a conversation that millions can join. What is it that God has laid on your heart to do that has a lasting legacy in your sphere of influence? It only takes the power of One.
 
 
Lord, I thank You that I am uniquely created by You and endowed with special gifts, talents, and passions. May I use those for good, for Your glory and for Your service to those in my sphere of influence today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
 
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
 
Text and photographs copyright © 2020 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo from the Nordkette outside of Innsbruck, Austria.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Picturesque Innsbruck and the River Inn:

Another view from the Nordkette, Austria:

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.  Mark 1:35
 
 
Every Sunday, she sat in the same front-row pew. As the sermon progressed, so did her eyelids as they slid down to close shut. The fact that she slept through every sermon did not go unnoticed by the pastor. Annoyed, he mentioned it to one of his elders. And that’s when his attitude toward her changed. The elder explained that every Saturday night, this faithful woman stayed up all night, praying for the pastor, his sermon, his family, his church. Humbled, the pastor changed his perspective from annoyance to awe.
 
Like this woman of prayer was misunderstood by her pastor, the practice of prayer can be misunderstood, too. Prayer isn’t complicated with lofty words and lengthy sentences wafting up to the heavens. It isn’t so much a duty as it is a privilege. Perhaps we feel guilty when we don’t pray regularly. Maybe we feel ashamed to be able to pray only for a few minutes. Perhaps our prayers are stuck in a rut and have become dull, routine, and rote.
 
The Bible records many instances where Jesus finds a solitary place to pray. Some of these times are when Jesus refocuses on His mission and purpose, like in the key verse above in Mark 1:35. Sometimes, He slips away to a quiet place to pray for discernment, like in Luke 6:12-13*, when He chooses the twelve disciples. In Matthew 14:13-14*, we see Jesus getting alone with His heavenly Father to pray and grieve the loss of His cousin, John the Baptist. Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus frequently talking with God the Father in prayer.
 
Prayer is simply a conversation with God. That conversation can take place anytime, anywhere. It can be long or short. Prayer can be first thing in the morning or the last thing at night. First Thessalonians 5:16-18* reminds us to pray continually, which means prayer can start out in the morning, and like a good conversation with family or friends, it can continue throughout the day.
 
When I need to breathe new life into my prayers, there is one practice I find to be helpful. This method takes my focus off of me and places it where it belongs:  on God. I call it “Alphabet Prayers”. I don’t recall where or when I discovered this practice, but I have found it to be helpful in creating a new vibrancy in my conversation with God.
 
How do Alphabet Prayers work? There are several basic components to prayer that are often expressed as the acrostic ACTS:  Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (Petitions). The Alphabet approach focuses on the Adoration component. It is essentially praying through the alphabet praising God for His attributes that begin with each letter of the alphabet. Before I go any further, just know that the whole alphabet doesn’t have to be prayed through each time! Just do what you can.
 
For example, I praise God for being the Lord God “Almighty”. I thank Him for the “Beauty” of His creation. I praise Him for being the “Creator” of the heavens and earth, my “Deliverer”, and my “Eternal” Father. I recognize His “Faithfulness”, His “Goodness”. And so on.
 
By the time I reach “Z”, my mind and heart are more in tune with His Spirit. There is nothing rote about my conversation with God and I have shifted my focus off of me.
 
Alphabet Prayers can revolutionize your prayer life, too. If you have trouble thinking of various names and attributes of God with each letter of the alphabet, click HERE for a free, downloadable PDF to help you get started. Take the Alphabet Prayers into your life and let it change the way you think about and practice prayer. Whether you withdraw to a solitary place, or pray in the midst of life’s busyness, or even stay up all night to pray, wherever you are, you can keep the conversation going!
 
 
Heavenly Father, prayer is such a privilege I have with You, the God of the Universe. It’s made possible by the sacrifice of Your Son on the Cross. May I not take the power of prayer for granted. Show me how to inject vibrancy into my conversation with You. Make me a teachable prayer warrior for Your sake. Amen.
 
 
*Luke 6:12-13 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.
 
*Matthew 14:13-14 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
 
*1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
 
 
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2020 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of mountains surrounding Seefeld, Austria, at twilight.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6
 
 
Near Lucerne, Switzerland, is a massif of mountains called Pilatus. The peaks are often collectively called Mount Pilatus. The world’s steepest cogwheel railway, with its bright red trains, carries passengers up the steep incline, past grazing cattle to the snow-covered summit. The tallest peak at 7,000 feet above sea level is slightly taller than the famed Matterhorn.
 
Varying legends claim Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Jesus’ day, as the namesake of these mountains. One legend says he is buried here. Another legend says the peaks’ profile appears to be a man lying on his back, presumably Pilate. Yet another curious legend pertains to Pontius Pilate’s soul which purportedly came here to these mountains to find peace and rest. When storms create havoc on Lake Lucerne at the foot of the mountains, the locals will say “Pilate is washing his hands free of the blood of Jesus Christ.”
 
In John 19, we see this Roman governor question Jesus several times, trying to appease the blood-thirsty crowd whose chief aim is to see Jesus crucified. After Pilate repeatedly tells the crowd he finds no basis to charge Jesus with any crimes, he literally washes his hands in front of the people to signify he is not responsible for Jesus’ death (see Matthew 27:24). Even though it appears Pilate is somewhat curious about who Jesus really is, he seems to be more afraid of the crowd. To keep control over the rowdy mob, he hands Jesus over to be flogged and crucified. I find it interesting that as Jesus was crucified, Pilate had a sign created that said, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews”. When questioned by the chief priests as to why he had not written that Jesus only claimed to be the King of the Jews, Pilate doesn’t budge in his interpretation of Jesus’ identity.
 
I wonder whether Pilate chose his words intentionally to indicate his own belief in Jesus or to ease a guilty conscience. As he tells Jesus in John 19:10, Pilate has the power to free Him. The fact that he cowered to the crowd’s angry demands instead of setting Jesus free makes me speculate if Pilate felt guilty, despite his hand washing and proclamation otherwise, in allowing an innocent man to die. I’m curious if he indeed, in accordance with the Mount Pilatus legend, searched for peace from his guilt. Did he ever find it?
 
How do you search for peace amidst your own guilt or in the middle of your own mistakes and errors of judgment? In dying on the Cross, Jesus takes all our mistakes, bad decisions, and guilt on Himself and exchanges them for peace with God and peace within ourselves. This peace is not as the world understands peace (see John 14:27*). It’s divine, supernatural peace that is not conjured up within ourselves. It is peace that is available to us through the Holy Spirit when we refuse to be steered by our thoughts of worry and guilt and instead park our minds on God and trust only in Him. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
 
When we confess our sins, including all our bad decisions and mistakes, we are forgiven (1 John 1:9**). Pontius Pilate washed his hands of Jesus’ blood, but we have the assurance that Jesus’ blood covers all of our baggage when we leave it at the foot of the Cross. His power over death liberates us. We are free from guilt, free to live as He would have us live, and free to be at peace.
 
Our key verse today speaks of Jesus born long ago as a baby, full of humanity, yet completely divine. At this time of year, may the Christmas season remind us not just of “peace on earth” but that Jesus was born on Christmas to die and be raised to life on Easter. Like the shepherds on that first Christmas night, may we worship Jesus, the Prince of Peace, born in a manger, who forged our peace with God on the Cross.
 
 
Lord Jesus, before there was Easter, there was Christmas. Thank You for Your ultimate sacrifice that began in a humble manger and culminated on the Cross. I thank You for being the greatest gift of all. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) This Christmas, Lord, may I confess my sins before You and find peace as I unwrap Your gifts of salvation, forgiveness, and love. Amen.
 
 
*John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
 
**1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
 
 
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
 
Text and photographs copyright © 2019 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of view from Mount Pilatus.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
 
 
Mt Pilatus’ steep cog-train railway:

​Another view from Mt Pilatus: