Daily Devotions and Podcasts
Prayer: Lord, help me to see You in every part of my day, even in the places I least expect. Open my eyes to Your presence in the ordinary and the extraordinary moments of life. Amen.
The Cathedral of Hope Devotion Ministry began as an answer to Progressive Christians who wanted to start their days with a little insight, observation, or wisdom about the Christian faith from their own point of view. Conservative internet devotions were abundant, but there was not much out there for liberal thinkers. The need was clear.
Being a large church, we had a generous amount of writing talent available and also a large number of congregants with theological training who were not on the pulpit. In the early days of the ministry, most of the writing was done by the clergy, but gradually the majority of the writers emerged from those lay volunteers.
That dynamic is still in place as new authors are always joining in to keep the ideas fresh. It’s a fitting structure for any center of progressive thought. This particular Body of Christ has many voices and each one has a unique and important story to tell.
READING Zechariah 8:16-17 These are the things that you shall do: speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these are things that I hate, says the Lord.” WORDS OF HOPE The Prophet Zechariah is speaking to the people of Israel and about God’s promise to restore Jerusalem. It is something many of the Old Testament prophets speak of, Rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem and a return to the glory days of that city. He also gives some advice for people and it’s very similar to the advice given by Jesus. He admonishes people to seek justice, speak truth and make peace. A very simple message with a very simple goal. It’s the same goal and advice we receive from the Ten Commandments and considering Jesus was a Jew it’s not surprising that his teachings were similar. Essentially these words offer a framework for living a good life and creating a healthy community. They are words that are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. Perhaps if we took this to heart we could really bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. PRAYER May we listen to the words of the prophets and take their advice for living a good life to heart. In that way, may we find peace, happiness and abundant life. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
Send us a Message
Have a question? We’re here to help. Send us a message and we’ll be in touch.
Words of Hope Podcast
Click images below to reveal the entire Devotion. Click Show More button for more past Devotions.
READING Zechariah 8:16-17 These are the things that you shall do: speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these are things that I hate, says the Lord.” WORDS OF HOPE The Prophet Zechariah is speaking to the people of Israel and about God’s promise to restore Jerusalem. It is something many of the Old Testament prophets speak of, Rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem and a return to the glory days of that city. He also gives some advice for people and it’s very similar to the advice given by Jesus. He admonishes people to seek justice, speak truth and make peace. A very simple message with a very simple goal. It’s the same goal and advice we receive from the Ten Commandments and considering Jesus was a Jew it’s not surprising that his teachings were similar. Essentially these words offer a framework for living a good life and creating a healthy community. They are words that are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. Perhaps if we took this to heart we could really bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. PRAYER May we listen to the words of the prophets and take their advice for living a good life to heart. In that way, may we find peace, happiness and abundant life. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
SCRIPTURE ļ»æ Jude 17-25 But you, beloved, must remember the words previously spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, for they said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.” It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions. But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on some who are wavering; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies. Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. WORDS OF HOPE If ever there was a set of instructions for being a Christian, there is no doubt in my mind that this part of the epistle of Jude would be included. What stands out to me? It’s their somewhat simple direct instruction on how to deal with having mercy. There is a reflection of the prayer, we call the Our Father. In that prayer, it says, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. In this passage, we are told to look forward to the mercy of Jesus when he comes and have mercy to others. Specifically hear the mercy is to be shown, it seems, to those who are having trouble accepting or understanding Jesus‘ message. And all of this opens with a warning about those who will not listen to the message at all and who scoff and cause the division. The epistle of Jude was not written specifically to any one group as were, for example the letters to the Romans or the Galatians. And as such, it is not geared towards any specific issue or a problem that one group of Christians is having. It is meant to build up all Christians. The last part of this letter which is the last of the entire epistle, is referred to as a doxology. A small, short prayer praising God. For me, it is one of those verses from the Bible that is short, to the point, and makes an excellent focal point for meditating on the word. PRAYER Merciful Savior. We revel in your mercy and we live in your forgiveness. Help to keep us from falling; help to remove the blemishes of sin that we might have so that we can indeed be in the presence of your glory with rejoicing Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
SCRIPTURE ļ»æ Acts 5:14-15 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. WORDS OF HOPE Buried within this story from Acts chapter five is a quiet, extraordinary beauty—a hidden gem of Scripture that invites us to pause, reflect, and discover the deeper wonders often overlooked. The stories of ‘signs and wonders’ being done had made Peter and the other apostles popular among the people. The positivity of their ministry and their miraculous acts not only made them visible but brought others into their community of believers. And so moved by the stories and rumors of healing, people carried out their loved ones to the street, hoping that Peter’s mere shadow would pass over them. In Hebrew thought, the “shadow” can represent the presence of someone powerful and sacred. Just as touching a high priest’s robe or other objects could mediate God’s blessing, so too the shadow symbolized an indirect contact with holiness and healing. Such extraordinary faith in the blessings passed down through human agents gave hope and healing in a hopeless and sick world. The apostles, being the conduits of God’s blessings, confirmed that the message of Jesus was true. It was the combination of God’s power and the faith of the people that brought such blessing to ones who so desperately needed it. All from a mere shadow. As you hear and digest this hidden truth, think about the people around you and even the chance people whom you will pass along the way. People and situations that so much need a shadow to pass by. Just as Peter’s shadow was a conduit for God, our very lives, actions, and witness can channel God’s blessings to others when aligned with Him. A person known to me refuses to let their feet hit the floor before they are done praying for the loved ones in their lives and for the places in which they will find themselves that day. Then, they move gracefully through the day, being ever more keenly aware of how their ‘shadow’ is bringing love, peace, healing, and blessing. How can our shadows bring healing this day? How can we be a channel of blessing today? PRAYER Lord, May our lives, like the Apostles’ shadows, carry Your presence, healing, and blessing to those around us. Help us walk today with faith, bringing comfort, hope, and Your love in every step. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs
Get Devotions sent to your Email!