This Sunday, our congregation looks at the story of the woman at the well in John’s gospel (Jn 4:1-42). I’m not quite sure why, but for many years, I have stopped this story at her leaving to tell others and miss that the scene doesn’t finish there. The disciples try to feed Jesus as the woman leaves to tell others. Jesus tells them that He doesn’t need that physical food when there is a harvest at hand, and then the people who have heard about Jesus from the woman come, experience Him, and believe in Him more fully.

As I read about the woman at the well this time, it really challenged me. We are sent to share Jesus with others, but more importantly, we are called to share in a way that points them to an encounter with Jesus of their very own. I started to reflect and ask the question: Do I ever focus too much on my experience, forgetting to point them to Jesus altogether? Our experience matters because it plants a seed, but faith in Jesus is more than telling stories; it’s about real experience that leads us to the realization that the only way forward and for true fulfillment in life is a life lived through and surrendered to Jesus.

We only come to this surrender when we meet Jesus in the midst of our own personal brokenness. Someone else’s story might make us curious. It might help us take steps to learn more or meet with Jesus on our own. But until we see our deep need for a savior and meet our only savior, Jesus Christ, we won’t really surrender our lives to Him. It might be a great idea; we might go through the motions of doing the “right thing,” but when we really experience Him in our own lives, that’s when our lives really change.

Sometimes we have very real encounters with Christ; sometimes we are called to share them with others, but once we do, we have to point to Christ, get out of the way, and let them meet Him for themselves.

Today I challenge you to meet Christ, to share your story, and let Him have encounters with those you shared your story with.

Reflection Questions

1. Do I share my encounters with Christ with others? If not, what is stopping me? If yes, am I pointing others to encounter Jesus for themselves?

2. How can I intentionally share my encounter with Christ in a way to point them to their own encounters with Him?

Lord, help us to meet you and invite others to encounter you so more would really know you. Amen

Things are shifting; it’s not that time has magically appeared or that our finances are magically in the place where they need to be so I can continue this little side project. The reality is I realized God was working on me as I helped pour into others through writing these simple, short blog posts each week. While it would be wonderful if this blog could bring in extra money for my family, my true hope is that this blog will continue to be a place that others can encounter God, put their faith in Christ, and grow in their relationship with Him.

You will notice that I’m now hosting my blog in a new place (Substack) and that they encourage readers to subscribe and start paying a monthly or annual membership fee to the writers they are most interested in. I don’t want to hide the content I write behind paywalls. So, if you want to subscribe, the reason to do it isn’t for something you will get out of it but will be to support a writer who is doing his best to share Christ freely with all those he meets. I will do the occasional giveaway of books, devotionals, Bible studies, etc., for my subscribers as a thank you, but please don’t subscribe in hopes of receiving something.

This change frees me from what were pretty substantial costs to keep the blog online so I can focus on helping others grow with Christ while I grow with Christ. Please know that I would love your support in this journey if you have the few extra dollars to tip or subscribe with. Also, know that if you tip or subscribe, your money is going to help me and my family as we serve the Lord in our local ministry context and community. However, if you don’t have the money to tip or become a paid subscriber, know that I’m glad you are here and hope that my writing can help you draw closer to the Lord. If you want to get an email every time I post something, you can become a paid or free subscriber below.

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This morning, my daughter and I were playing “castle building” with blocks. She insisted that we build the castle on the tile floor near the fireplace, even though I explained that it was possible to build a castle on the carpet if we made a wider foundation. You see, the only way she knows to build a castle is to stack a single block on top of another. So, it instantly falls down on the uneven carpet. She has learned that building on the tile allows her method to stretch higher and higher. Then, as she watched me build, she thought maybe she could use her method on the uneven carpet, but it failed, and she got really upset. She felt as though I had lied to her. 

Today’s passage opens with Jesus and the disciples walking through a field on the Sabbath and eating some of the kernels as they went along. This upsets the Pharisees, who see this as ignoring the law. The second scene in today’s passage is Jesus healing a man’s shriveled hand on the Sabbath, again upsetting the Pharisees and teachers. In both cases, Jesus challenges them. In the first, pointing out the irony in that David stole food from the temple to eat (1 Samuel 21:4-6). In the second, asking if it is better to save a life or destroy it on the Sabbath, calling into question the purpose of the laws the Pharisees and teachers are worked up about. 

In both cases, Jesus being the Messiah (fully human and fully divine) is illustrating the point of that more than anything else: God’s will is of ultimate importance. Now, clearly, my illustration of my daughter and me playing with blocks can’t keep up with all the intricacy of today’s passage; however, I think it can illustrate one small thing about the Pharisees and the teachers. They were focused on doing things “the right way”; some may have even been doing it genuinely for that reason. But Jesus was focused on more than just doing it the right way; he was focused on the Father’s will. Kelsey was focused on doing it the way she understood but was missing that building it another way might make a stronger, sturdier castle to enjoy. 

Join me in reflecting on how we are building our castles today. Are we focused on simply doing what we know the right way, or are we leaving room for Jesus to lead us in new directions to accomplish the Father’s will and build a more beautiful kingdom than we could ever imagine?

Lord, lead me to let go of the comfort of tradition when you are leading to help your kingdom grow as you desire. Amen

At this point in Luke’s Gospel account, we are realizing that Jesus is gaining quite a following. People want to hear what he has to say. Many, I would venture to guess, want to witness or experience a miracle. Yet in this scene, we hear about Jesus calling his disciples. He focuses on a smaller group. The majority of this scene even focuses on one disciple: Peter.

Jesus uses the fisherman’s boat to help teach and address the crowd. He uses the acoustics of the water. But that isn’t the focus. We don’t even know what he taught them. We do know, however, that after teaching, he tells the fishermen to let down their nets. For many reasons, this is strange. For one, fishing is often more successful at night. Peter also points out that they have already done the best they could do the night before.

Jesus instructs them to do so. Peter complies, as he witnessed Jesus heal his mother-in-law and knows what he is capable of. And then there is the miracle many wanted to see. I’m pretty sure this miracle was for the benefit of Peter and the other fishermen. It was more for them than for the crowd who came to hear him teach.

Jesus calls these fishermen to something new. Something that will change their lives completely. He not only calls them to leave their families. According to Luke, he calls them to leave “EVERYTHING” (5:11). Yet he uses what they intimately know to ultimately call them to a new vocation. A vocation of working to draw people to God like they would have worked to draw fish into their nets.

I got my Bachelor’s in Information Technology. I was blessed to find a job in the field. I truly felt called to what I was doing. I got to love people who had tech issues every single day. It was a significant blessing to provide well for my wife, Elizabeth, and me. I had felt the call to ministry in high school. I had not forgotten. I just didn’t know when a transition to full-time ministry would happen.

Then one day, God’s call became real. A church three hours from Elizabeth’s and my home was looking for an associate pastor. I would finally be moving towards the call God had placed on my life years earlier. However, it would come with major changes. Pastor salaries are very different from Senior Network Engineer salaries. We had lived in the same town where we had both been raised. This meant there would be no more surprise meals. One of our moms would no longer leave a crockpot on our counter when we came home from work. And it would mean Elizabeth would have to find a new teaching job.

I can’t imagine what Peter felt like as this entire scene unfolds. Peter has seen Jesus heal his mother-in-law. He is asked to drop nets when he knows his profession well, and this “teacher” isn’t a fisherman. Yet he does it anyway. When he witnesses this miracle, he is like Isaiah. He recognizes his brokenness and unworthiness to be in the presence of Jesus. Yet, Jesus still calls him to leave everything, be a disciple, and ultimately fish for people.

When we encounter God’s call on our lives, it’s scary. Our worlds are going to be turned upside down. The comforts of this world aren’t the reason we follow Christ. We follow Christ because of who he is and what he has done for us.

I’m pretty lucky. Elizabeth found a new teaching job. The congregation we are part of has become like a second family. They have always been present and supportive, even though no one is breaking in to leave surprise meals. When I had open-heart surgery, some drove all the way to Cleveland Clinic. They prayed with me the night before surgery and sat with Elizabeth. They dropped off meals and, most importantly, prayed for the surgery and my recovery. God warmed me up to following His call. The way he called me was with a transition, and yet these fishermen were put on the spot.

Christ transformed the fisherman’s vocation into something beautiful for His kingdom. So maybe you aren’t a fisherman, and maybe God isn’t calling you to a totally new vocation. God called an IT guy to go from fixing computers to “fixing” (sharing Christ’s love with) the brokenhearted. What about your profession helps you see where God is calling you?

It might cost a lot by the world’s standards. However, there is no greater fulfillment than walking with our Creator and Savior.

Lord, help us know and trust where you are leading, no matter the cost. Amen.

These are only a few of the things that people argue over. Some I listed carry more weight than others. However, at the end of the day, none of these weigh quite as much as the questions asked of Jesus before and after his message in the synagogue we read today (Luke 4:14-30).

Before we arrive at today’s passage, Luke records that Jesus was tempted by the devil three times in the wilderness. Each time, however, Jesus responds with scripture and remains faithful to God’s plan for him over following the devils temptations to use his divine power for self.

Then Luke records Jesus reading from the scroll of Isaiah (61:1-2) and stating that it has been fulfilled in his reading. He is telling his hometown that he is the Messiah the prophets have long spoken of. Instead of awe and excitement, they share doubt of Jesus’s statement.

He doesn’t give into their doubt but uses scripture to point out that their doubt in many ways is just like that of their people with the profits of the past, and yet that doubt and sin doesn’t stop God’s message from going to those who need to hear it.

As I sit and reflect on this passage, I come to a few questions. How well do I know God? How do I know the difference between what people want and God’s will? Would I be able to share God’s word as a response to people’s doubts when God calls me in a specific direction?

It always amazes me the way in which Christ quotes scripture as the devil tempts him, and when the people doubt him, he again shares the history found in scripture to point out the sad truth of how God will respond to their doubt based on the way he responded to his people in the past.

We don’t worship the Bible, but we worship the one who is revealed in the Bible. This passage inspires me this week to be thankful for His word and to be thankful for my time in Scripture, which can help me in the moments I need to discern God’s will or need to share my reasoning for going against the world’s expectations, even within the Church today.

Where is God calling you to remain firm in who He is instead of what others expect or believe about you?

Lord, lead me to know you more intimately through your word and trust your desires above those of this world. Amen.

This week, we look at Luke’s account of John preaching repentance and baptizing those in the Jewish faith (Luke 3:1-22). He is warning the people of just how important their repentance is. He is calling out their sin and how they have turned from God. Yet John isn’t the final message on this. Jesus is baptized, and if we keep reading, we will see that all John is saying is true, and repentance is only part of the equation. John’s sermon and baptism are calling forth to something bigger; it’s laying the groundwork to remind the people of who they are in God’s world and the importance of seeing their proper place in it and the life God has called them to. As they hear these words, they should be reminded of their past failures and how they were punished when they sinned, but they should also remember how God saved them when they were close to Him. 

I may not have made all the preparations I needed to entertain my four-year-old daughter. But Elizabeth made the shopping list, and we got out before the storm and bought what we needed to stay in and stay warm in the weather that was predicted and coming. Today I pray and hope that I have heard John’s message about repentance— yes, but I also wish to respond to Jesus’ message of faith in Him. That I would put into action the life of faith John describes and Jesus exemplifies. The prayer is that it would be more than actions taken but a way of handing my being, my heart, my existence over to the one who created me. I don’t want to live this life out of fear for the things that could happen to me if I don’t. I want to live the way John and Christ call me to because of the fact I will then know I’m who God made me to be. 

Lord, lead us to turn from the world’s understanding and to your design for us, our neighbors, and our world. Show us what fulfillment in you is all about. Amen

What do you need to turn away from to see Christ more clearly? 

In my devotional time, I have often turned to the Book of Common Prayer to help guide my daily worship. I often fail to use it every day as intended but pick it up as often as I can. There is a comfort in that others around the world have and still rely on it as a guide. A guide that considers the whole of our faith and builds a rhythm of daily worship. This year during my family’s Christmas break, I stumbled upon the book “Be Thou My Vision” by Jonathan Gibson. It is much like the Book of Common Prayer but designed by pulling several sources together for a once-a-day 31-day liturgy. I have chosen to use this devotional tool in 2025 and invite you to join me. The introduction of the book shares the details on how it works, but to help you decide if you would like to join me, it takes about 20 to 30 minutes of your time to work through the reading, prayer, and scripture each day. It is repetitive if you choose to use it as it will repeating it each month. However, the scripture reading isn’t. It encourages paring this book with a Bible in a year reading plan that it prompts you to read each day (I’m currently using M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan as included in the book). The repetitive components are spread across 31 days and help you internalize the truth of our faith. 

What does this have to do with a new year? Well, I know many make resolutions related to their fitness and faith. I would like to take a moment and encourage anyone who struggles to see the blessing of 2024 or just wants to deepen their appreciation and relationship with God in 2025 that there are tools, resources, and people who want to do the same with them. We are all part of God’s family, and starting small habits today can lead to deeper faith tomorrow. I have shared links to the book I’m using below if you would like to join me. If you are joining me in using this devotional tool, would you let me know? I’d love to share in this experience together, checking in on your experience and sharing my own with you as we go along this year.  Whether or not you join me in using the same book, I want to encourage you to make time with God a priority this year. I’d love to hear what devotional tools you are using also! My goal has long been to “Practice the presence of God” like Brother Lawrence. And we start in that direction by first prioritizing time with God, and much like a relationship with someone you love, the more time you spend with Him, the more He is on your mind and changing who you go about being. 

Lord, lead us closer to you and help us to worship you with our entire lives in this new year. Amen

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Have you ever been excited and nervous at the same time? I can remember a few times in life that amazing things were happening, but I was also afraid I wasn’t up for the task.The first time I performed in a musical (mind you, I was just in the background). What if I messed things up for someone important? The first time I preached as a high school youth. What if I said something totally wrong about God? The moment I got accepted into seminary. What if I am not smart enough for this? 

Maybe you can think of times similar to the first time you had to present a project to your boss, and a promotion was on the line. How about the moment you found out you got that new job? Or the moment you found out you were going to be a parent? There are many times in this life that we have great opportunities and yet question our abilities. 

How did Mary feel being told she was going to be the mother of the Messiah? How much it must have been to take in. Before she even receives this news, she is being told she is favored. The angel tells her not to fear, and yet I’m sure that only brings with it more questions. Then the big news is dropped, and she is like, “Ummm… how is that possible?” The response is basically, “ God’s going to make it happen.” And she responds wanting it to happen.

After Mary meets with Elizabeth, who too is having a miraculous pregnancy (though in a different way), Mary sings a song glorifying the Lord. Her song and words are about more than herself. They are words about her people. Words about God’s grace to her, her people, the important, and not so important (at least to people). There is history and a future in her song. 

As we come to this final week of Advent, the truest act of love is being announced. The Messiah is coming. He will be one of us. We know the rest of the story: that Messiah will live and deal with what we deal with every day. Brokenness, sorrow, pain, temptation, and suffering. Yet Christ does it in a total, unfailing relationship with the Father, never failing to do the Father’s will. Which leads to the Cross and Tomb.

Praise the Lord! He doesn’t remain in that tomb! He is raised from the dead as he defeated sin and death. We are called to believe in the Messiah’s life, death, and resurrection. We remember a Messiah who left his heavenly throne, arrives as a baby, grows up (leaving the manger empty), lives a sinless life yet is hung on a cross, dies and is buried but leaves the tomb being raised from the dead. Faith in Christ is more than what we think. It impacts our understanding of who we are. It includes both our thought and our action.

As we come to the point of faith in Christ. We may feel like Mary. We may have questions. But God will do the work in us and lead us where we are going next. We just have to accept, and I pray we will sing a song like Mary’s, remembering the past, looking to the future, and celebrating the love of Christ as we approach Christmas.

Advend Devotional 2024Download

Isiah 61:1-11, Luke 4:16-56

There are so many really beautiful things in this life. The colors of a sunrise or sunset at the different times of year that paint beautiful works of art in the sky. Seeing the world through a young child’s eyes at Christmas as they see every experience with awe and wonder. It can even be in eating a meal with your family on a dark winter’s night after a long day of work, laughing as you share stories from your day.

To me, all of these things are little glimmers of the joy we will one day encounter in a truly complete way. That is beyond little pockets of our lives. As we read Isaiah 61, we can see this joy as complete and yet coming in full at Christ’s second coming. Isaiah speaks of every right made wrong, the lowly raised up, and all things restored. Even more beautiful is that we can read Luke chapter four and see that Jesus uses Isaiah’s words to point out that He is the one ushering in that joy Isaiah spoke of.

If we read the gospel account, we realize that joy came at an incredible cost to Christ. He was beaten, broken, and hung on a cross. And yet that is not the end of Christ; he again leaves the cross. Joy comes into the world through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. This week, we hope you will remember the joy of Christ in your everyday life.

Advend Devotional 2024Download