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.
SCRIPTURE 1 Peter 1:8-12 Although you have not seen him, you love him, and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. ļ»æ Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace intended for you made careful search and inquiry, inquiring about the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings intended for Christ and the subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look! WORDS OF HOPE This passage from Peter has the great Advantage of being applicable to almost anytime or place. Clearly, Peter is talking to people who are not witnesses to Jesus‘ life, death, and resurrection. He reminds them that even though they have not been direct witnesses they still believe; they still love Jesus; and they are still capable of feeling the certainty and the joy of salvation. Of course, this applies to today’s believers as it did to those to whom Peter was writing. We are only able to see Jesus in the words of the Gospels. We are only able to feel the presence of Jesus in our hearts and not with our eyes and ears as the disciples were able to do. Peter reminds his audience that the prophets had been clear about the coming Messiah. And while those of us who are not of Jewish descent, may not always feel close to the words of the Ancient prophets; even we can look and see how they were serving the future generations to whom they were writing. This is why we still read those ancient words. This is why we still look to them to understand how they were fulfilled by Christ Jesus. So today in your devotional time, reflect back on all you have heard and been taught and seen about the risen Christ. Jesus came to restore the connection between God and humankind which had been lost. Remember that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, lives within you and that Jesus gives you a way to understand, and grace to act on that presence of God within your heart. PRAYER Great Creator, though we cannot see you or your Christ in the way the early disciples did, we long for your presence in our lives. We pray to be able to live the life you have given us so that we reflect your love and the sacrifice of Jesus. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
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Words of Hope Podcast
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SCRIPTURE 1 Peter 1:8-12 Although you have not seen him, you love him, and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. ļ»æ Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace intended for you made careful search and inquiry, inquiring about the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings intended for Christ and the subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look! WORDS OF HOPE This passage from Peter has the great Advantage of being applicable to almost anytime or place. Clearly, Peter is talking to people who are not witnesses to Jesus‘ life, death, and resurrection. He reminds them that even though they have not been direct witnesses they still believe; they still love Jesus; and they are still capable of feeling the certainty and the joy of salvation. Of course, this applies to today’s believers as it did to those to whom Peter was writing. We are only able to see Jesus in the words of the Gospels. We are only able to feel the presence of Jesus in our hearts and not with our eyes and ears as the disciples were able to do. Peter reminds his audience that the prophets had been clear about the coming Messiah. And while those of us who are not of Jewish descent, may not always feel close to the words of the Ancient prophets; even we can look and see how they were serving the future generations to whom they were writing. This is why we still read those ancient words. This is why we still look to them to understand how they were fulfilled by Christ Jesus. So today in your devotional time, reflect back on all you have heard and been taught and seen about the risen Christ. Jesus came to restore the connection between God and humankind which had been lost. Remember that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, lives within you and that Jesus gives you a way to understand, and grace to act on that presence of God within your heart. PRAYER Great Creator, though we cannot see you or your Christ in the way the early disciples did, we long for your presence in our lives. We pray to be able to live the life you have given us so that we reflect your love and the sacrifice of Jesus. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
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
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