Harmony can be defined as, “the pleasing combination of different musical notes.”

Romans 8:27-28 says, “And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Most of us are familiar with the second portion of this text, “all things work together for our good,” but the full context describes a harmony between what we desire in our hearts and God’s will.

When we submit our desires and plans to God, he will make all things work together for our good in harmony with his plans.

Dear Lord, You know everything and know best how to give us what we need. If we love and trust you, you will use us for your plans and our good in a harmonious, pleasing combination, for this we thank and praise you. Amen.

E=MC2

I think we are all familiar with this famous equation. It appears pretty simple, but the ideas that resulted from this simple concept were the seeds of what became the incredible power in nuclear bombs and nuclear power.

In a similar way, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1 about the simple, and what the world considers “foolish” plan, of salvation through Jesus Christ, but that is the most powerful and amazing expression of God toward people.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:23-25, “So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense, But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.”

Dear Lord the magnitude of your simple plan, saving us for eternity by accepting what you did through Jesus Christ, dwarfs any discovery we, as people, can make. Help us appreciate the simplicity and the power of this for ourselves and share it with others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon, King of Israel after David, who, when asked by God what he wanted, asked for wisdom, rather than riches or power. As a result, God granted him wisdom, riches, and power. In Ecclesiastes he writes about his search to understand what life is about, and the conclusions he reaches.

In chapter 3 he starts by describing how there are different seasons in life, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up….” and so on.

His conclusion in Ecclesiastes 3:11-13, he says, “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.”

We will go through seasons in our lives, good times, difficult times, and we will not know what work God is doing in and through our lives during these periods. What we can know is that God is in control and has a reason, so as Solomon says, we should be happy and accept what life brings along, focusing on and enjoying the gifts God has given us.

Dear Lord, You have given us all so much to be thankful for. Help us reflect on these things, and live the seasons in our lives with happiness and enjoyment. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Do you ever notice how some things are simple on the surface, but when you learn more about them, you find they are much more complex and sophisticated then they first appear. For example, we know we need to eat a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, protein, starch, fats… but why? If you learn more about nutrition you find out that our bodies break the foods down into different components and chemicals. Even deeper some of these chemicals and components are used to provide fuel, dissolve other nutrients, or support other functions in our bodies. So the simple concept of eat well and be healthy really is a very sophisticated science that we are still discovering.

In ways, Christianity is the same. On the surface, and most important, is our acceptance of God’s salvation by believing Jesus Christ saved us. However, the more we study and meditate (actively think about) the words in the Bible and what God is doing, we realize the complexity of it all. Why did Jesus Christ have to be sacrificed? Why do some people accept and others don’t? How does the Holy Spirit come into our hearts? What is a soul? What is our Spirit? The more we learn, the more we realize there is to learn.

In Mark 4:11 when his disciples asked what the parable of the sower and the seed meant, Jesus said, “You are permitted to know some truths about the Kingdom of God that are hidden to those outside the Kingdom.” and in verse 13, “But if you can’t understand this simple illustration, what will you do about all the others I am going to tell?”

Jesus will provide us the wisdom we need to understand, if we take the first step. In verse 24 Jesus tells his disciples and us, “And be sure to put into practice what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand what I tell you.”

Dear Lord, strengthen our faith and help us come to a deeper understanding of your word and your plans. Inspire us to use this understanding to do your will with our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

I heard this quote recently, and it stuck with me. “Many books can inform you, but the Bible can transform you.” It reminded me of the passage in Romans.

In Romans 12:2 Paul says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

When we read the Bible and let the Holy Spirit work in our hearts and minds, more than just learning, we are transformed into new people, who see things in life differently.

Dear Lord, transform us, so that we may know and do your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.