I have heard it said that, “everyone learns from experience, but it doesn’t have to be your own experience.”

This is essentially the situation written about in Zechariah 1. Zechariah, who was a prophet during the time the Jews were allowed to return to Israel after the Babylonian captivity, was given a message to deliver to the Jews. In verses 4-6 he says, “Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’ Where are your ancestors now? They and the prophets are long dead. But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said.”

Essentially, God was saying, “learn from someone else’s mistakes, so you can avoid the consequences that they experienced.” We can read Bible history and see the consequences of disregarding God’s direction, and we can see these things in more recent history, as well. We should be using these lessons as guidance to keep us on the right path.

Dear Lord, You provide us many examples from which to learn, in the bible and in modern times. Help us take these lessons to heart so that we avoid the problems others have made for wrong choices, and experience the blessings of following those good examples. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Some years ago there was a popular business book with the title, “Hope is Not a Method,” and a few years later there was another business book on the shelves called, “Hope is not a Strategy.” At the time I thought about those statements, and thought they made sense. If all we do is hope for something to happen, it doesn’t really accomplish anything.

However, just because Hope is not a method, doesn’t mean hope is not an important part of our lives. Hope is an attitude, and a way of living. Particularly as Christians, hope is essential to our way of life.

Hebrews 6:18-19 writes, “So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.”

Dear Lord, you teach us to have hope in your promises. It is the positive hope in those promises, mostly the promise of eternal life that makes us optimistic and confident as we live our Christian lives each day. Strengthen our hope so that we may live boldly for you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

There is an expression used by people who modify cars for racing when describing a car someone has put more work into making look good, than making the car faster, they say, “all show and no go.”

This sounds a bit like what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 4:19-20 where he writes, “But I will come—and soon—if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.” He was concerned about some of the people in the church at Corinth putting more into sounding good than actually doing.

We need to reflect on our own lives in this light, making sure that we are actually living the lives God desires, not just talking.

Dear Lord, living by God’s power as Paul describes it, means surrendering to God’s will, and letting his power work in us. Help us think about how this applies in our lives, and put it to work. In Jesus’ name we pray. 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 this simple plan 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.

Have you had the opportunity to work closely with a team to accomplish a common objective. It could have been with a sports team, an informal team of people at work, a startup team for a new business, a band, a military unit, or overcoming a challenging time with your family as a team. There is something particularly fulfilling, hopeful and uniting in these occasions. Often, the more difficult the challenge, the more powerful the experience is for us.

Paul writes about this to the Church in Philippi, in Philippians 2:1-2, saying ” Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.”

It is that working together with “one mind and purpose” that makes all the difference. How much more fulfilling it will be for us when that purpose is God’s work, in our family, church, community, or friendships.

Dear Lord you made us and you put this trait into each of us, that when we join together in a team with trust and respect for each other and take on a challenge, your love is shown through us and builds bonds between us, making us even more capable of doing your will. Give us all the opportunity to experience this, and use it in your work. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.