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 Matthew 24:23-24 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. WORDS OF HOPE Sometimes I think we are all looking for a Messiah, someone to come in and fix everything. And we want it to happen fast. Maybe that’s why politicians who claim to have all the answers seem so popular. After all, messiahs make everything so much easier. We can feel free to make a mess of our lives if we believe there is an easy fix. A “get out of jail, free” card. A magical solution to everything. We can feel free to continue to sully the earth and destroy the environment, as long as we believe some outside force will magically make everything better. Isn’t that what some preachers tell us? If I read the words of Jesus correctly, he never really says any of that, and he warns us of false Messiahs, prophets and tricksters. He doesn’t even claim that for himself. What he offers us is a way. A way of living and behaving that can bring heaven to earth. It is not cheap salvation, but a process that takes time and work and most of all an ethical compass that reminds us, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” PRAYER May we remember that we are God’s hands here on earth. May the words of Jesus guide our work and our lives that we may indeed bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
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Words of Hope Podcast
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SCRIPTURE Matthew 24:23-24 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. WORDS OF HOPE Sometimes I think we are all looking for a Messiah, someone to come in and fix everything. And we want it to happen fast. Maybe that’s why politicians who claim to have all the answers seem so popular. After all, messiahs make everything so much easier. We can feel free to make a mess of our lives if we believe there is an easy fix. A “get out of jail, free” card. A magical solution to everything. We can feel free to continue to sully the earth and destroy the environment, as long as we believe some outside force will magically make everything better. Isn’t that what some preachers tell us? If I read the words of Jesus correctly, he never really says any of that, and he warns us of false Messiahs, prophets and tricksters. He doesn’t even claim that for himself. What he offers us is a way. A way of living and behaving that can bring heaven to earth. It is not cheap salvation, but a process that takes time and work and most of all an ethical compass that reminds us, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” PRAYER May we remember that we are God’s hands here on earth. May the words of Jesus guide our work and our lives that we may indeed bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
SCRIPTURE Psalm 57.1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me; for it is in you that my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge. WORDS OF HOPE The Israelite King Saul was hunting to kill the young warrior David who had sought refuge and hid in a distant cave. Sometimes the world around us may be turned upside down with dangerous threats and loss. Like David, we too need a sure and safe refuge to anchor our lives and quiet the worries of our heart. The world may offer potential solutions or mind-numbing options, but David models for us the best solution for these moments of crisis... turn to God's loving care. You may hide under the protection of God’s wings and still get scratches and a nosebleed, but you won't end up mortally wounded! In all things, give praise to God! In I Chronicles 16:8-9, we read: "Give thanks to the Lord, call on God's name, make God’s deeds known among the people. Sing, sing praises to God." David didn’t stay hidden in that cave. After he fought the Philistines and recaptured the Ark of the Covenant, he brought it safely back to Israelite territory and ordered celebrations. This verse begins a hymn of praise to God. Since then, many official statements and hymns have been composed to praise and thank God. But, what about your personal life experience? Is it filled with genuine thanksgiving to the Creator God? What is your personal hymn of praise? Each of us receives more blessings per hour than we can count. Do thanks flow off your tongue giving thanks and praise to our Lord? Praising God's nature and love is the basis of our spiritual life. From ancient rabbinic literature it is said: "In the world to come, all sacrifice [and offering] will cease, but the sacrifice of thanksgiving will remain forever; equally, all confessional statements will cease, but the confession of our thanksgiving to God will remain forever." Let it be so in our lives. PRAYER Lord God, as I journey through daily activities, may the multitude of these divinely inspired words help me to focus on your desires for my life. Keep me safe and on the right path with you. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE ļ»æ Nehemiah 8. 2-4 So, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand…And he read from it facing the square … from early morning until midday, in the presence of the women and the men and all those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood all the Levite Priests. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it, all the people stood. WORDS OF HOPE All of us have heard a sermon, or perhaps many sermons, that have truly transformed our lives. The Bible, especially the Hebrew Scriptures, has its share of sermons, too. This one delivered by Ezra the scribe transformed the lives of an entire nation. And all he did was read aloud the Books of Moses. The people were profoundly changed by the Word of God. Nehemiah, the first Governor of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period, likely recounted this Hebrew Scripture event as a first-hand witness. As a background to the story, the people, after many years in Babylonian captivity, had just returned to their homeland. Many of them had not had the opportunity to hear a reading of their own Holy Scriptures for decades. The young among them had never heard it. Ezra’s public reading was more in the nature of the headline act at a rock concert. A special stage had been constructed for the event and his backup vocals were a team of venerable Levites, the famous tribe of priests who could answer scripture questions on the spot. It was a Revival even beyond the level of the legendary Billy Graham Crusades from the middle of the last century. Ezra’s formula was one of faith in the power of the word when read aloud, accurately interpreted, and applied, to inspire spiritual renewal. He was building a cohesive community with a shared commitment to follow God's laws of mutual love. The event also reminds us that this was a time in the history of the children of Israel when their patriarchal society gave way to welcoming all women as well as young people who were old enough to understand the message. All were included. Some were shocked, saddened by their years of neglecting their own scriptures, but Ezra reminded them that the ultimate purpose of God's Words is to inform us of the salvation they bring. Today, we have the privilege of hearing God’s message read every Sunday at church, and being a literate society, every day in our own homes if we choose. The next time you are asked to please rise for the reading of the Gospel, remember that Ezra’s congregation stood from early morning until noon to hear the reading of God’s Word. In your own life, whether in church or during those voluminous conversations on social media, do you stand for the Word of God? PRAYER God of Salvation, may your Words always be our own Words and may they always be words of Hope. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
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