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 ļ»æ Jonah 1:7-10 As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Deliverance belongs to the Lord!” Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out onto the dry land. WORDS OF HOPE I always remember hearing the story of Jonah and the Whale as a child. I guess it was more believable that he was swallowed by a whale than a “big fish”, but I think the story as told to children misses the point. Jonah was swallowed by the fish because he was running away from God. He had been tasked with carrying God’s message to the great city of Nineveh and that overwhelmed him. He was so reluctant that he tried on escape on a ship, and we all know where that led. The point is not about being swallowed by a whale, but perhaps it is about being overwhelmed by missions that feel a bit like facing a whale: big, scary and a lot of work. The moral of the story to me is that sometimes we must face our fears and just buckle up and do the work before us. In the end just following God’s plan seems a lot easier than enduring time in the stomach of a big fish. PRAYER May I use the strength that God gives me to do the work before me. May I always remember how Jonah made his task much more difficult that it was by trying to run away from God’s guidance. Amen DEVOTIION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
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Words of Hope Podcast
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READING ļ»æ Jonah 1:7-10 As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Deliverance belongs to the Lord!” Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out onto the dry land. WORDS OF HOPE I always remember hearing the story of Jonah and the Whale as a child. I guess it was more believable that he was swallowed by a whale than a “big fish”, but I think the story as told to children misses the point. Jonah was swallowed by the fish because he was running away from God. He had been tasked with carrying God’s message to the great city of Nineveh and that overwhelmed him. He was so reluctant that he tried on escape on a ship, and we all know where that led. The point is not about being swallowed by a whale, but perhaps it is about being overwhelmed by missions that feel a bit like facing a whale: big, scary and a lot of work. The moral of the story to me is that sometimes we must face our fears and just buckle up and do the work before us. In the end just following God’s plan seems a lot easier than enduring time in the stomach of a big fish. PRAYER May I use the strength that God gives me to do the work before me. May I always remember how Jonah made his task much more difficult that it was by trying to run away from God’s guidance. Amen DEVOTIION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
SCRIPTURE Jonah 1:1-5 One day long ago, God’s Word came to Jonah, Amittai’s son: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.” But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from God as he could get. But God sent a huge storm at sea, the waves towering. WORDS OF HOPE ļ»æ Jonah’s flaws are so relatable. He chooses to disobey God. Yet in verse 9, he tells the sailors, “I worship God.” Have you ever decided that your way was better than the Lord’s? Have you tried to maintain the appearance of faith while actively running away from it? I learned about a Married Men’s virtual Life Group at the church of a well-known and influential pastor. During a chat with the group leader, I told them I was married to a man. I wanted to show up as my most authentic self. The group leader said someone from their senior leadership team would reach out. They never did, even after I followed up. This wasn’t the first time a church rejected me for being gay, but the experience still stung. In my heart, I could hear the words of Jesus: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34) Did I listen and forgive the church leaders? Of course not. Like Jonah, I chose to run, not to another city, but into the darkness of resentment and depression. I lost an entire day of work feeling sorry for myself and googling churches that would validate my identity. I considered never listening to the pastor’s sermons again, and felt guilty for supporting someone with views so different from mine. This suffering was my version of the storm God sent Jonah. Eventually, I realized that it wasn’t a punishment. It was an act of love to get me back on course. I took away several lessons: Anchor to God’s unconditional acceptance and approval instead of human validation. My spiritual practice is richer when it’s not in an echo chamber. I can take a religious leader’s wisdom that resonates and leave the parts that don’t. Forgiveness is about setting yourself free from negativity and aligning with God’s love, not condoning another person’s actions. We all face storms. I hope sharing this story helps you weather your next one and follow what God is calling you to do. PRAYER Lord, I’m ready for Your assignment. Speak to me and give me the courage to obey. I trust that Your Love will bring me through every storm. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Logan Alexander Johnson
SCRIPTURE ļ»æ Judges 6:39-40 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew. READING "The opposite of faith is not doubt -- it is certainty." - Anne Lamott WORDS OF HOPE In Judges 6, we meet Gideon at a moment of deep uncertainty. God has already called him to deliver Israel, but Gideon hesitates. He asks for a sign: first, that a fleece would be wet with dew while the ground stays dry, and then the reverse. Miraculously, God graciously answers both requests. When we first look at this story, it seems that Gideon displays doubt. Given how overwhelming the stakes can be to being Israel’s deliverer, I think it’s less about doubt and more about assurance. Gideon is not testing God out of rebellion; he is seeking clarity in the face of fear. How often do we find ourselves in Gideon’s shoes? We’re looking up phone numbers for a real estate agent and a mover. Suddenly, what felt like a nudge now doesn’t seem so sure. The new job offer looks like a win-win, but you don’t know if you’re ready or qualified. That person you’ve been seeing is everything you’ve hoped for, but you’ve been hurt before and you’re not sure you want to leap again. Are you asking for a sign because you doubt or because you just need that little bit of extra assurance? What’s striking in Gideon’s story is that God doesn’t rebuke Gideon for what could be perceived as doubt. Instead, She does exactly what she always does. She provides reassurance. Looking for signs shouldn’t become our default setting when making a meaningful decision and that’s not what this story is implying. Instead, it reveals something important about the nature of God. He is compassionate with our fragile faith. The story isn’t about Gideon’s uncertainty; it’s about His patience. Anne Lamott got it right: Faith is not the absence of questions or being fearless in the moment. It is the willingness to move forward even when resolutions to the questions are not fully resolved. PRAYER Gracious God, You know how often we long for clarity and reassurance. Thank you for your patience with us when our faith feels small. Give us wisdom to discern your voice, courage to trust your leading, and strength to act when the time comes. Help us to move from hesitation to faithful obedience. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs
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