Month: January 2026

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Mortality and the Path of Life

Links for today’s readings:

Jan 30  Read: Job 32 Listen: (2:12) Read: Psalms 15-16 Listen: (2:03)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Jan 31  Read: Job 33 Listen (3:00) Read: Psalm 17 Listen: (1:58)
Feb 1  Read: Job 34 Listen: (3:26) Read: Psalm 18 Listen: (5:47)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 16.9-11

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

    my body also will rest secure,

10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,

    nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

11 You make known to me the path of life;

    you will fill me with joy in your presence,

    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Reflection: Mortality and the Path of Life

By John Tillman

The “Colbert Questionert” is a recurring segment on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Some questions are light and some weighty. One weightier question is “What do you think happens when we die?”

Guest’s answers are a mismatched pastiche of mostly vague scientific, philosophical, or theological takes. Ryan Gosling answered, “We wake up.” Keanu Reeves said, “The ones who love us will miss us.”

Modern westerners might be the most death-avoidant culture in the world. If we aren’t fully in denial about dying, we employ endless tactics to delay discussing, thinking about, or preparing for it. But death is an undeniable reality of our existence. We need more than a quick questionnaire. We need meditation and lament.

If you pull verse six out of psalm 16, it sounds like a simple praise for happy, peaceful blessings. “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” (v. 6) But the opening line and the closing section of the psalm make clear that the psalmist has suffering, danger, and death on the brain. It’s a lament disguised in the clothes of praise.

Praise in the midst of suffering, persecution, or death is often found in lament. Federico Villanueva, in the Asia Bible Commentary Series says, “Confidence or trust in God arises out of lament,” and “It is in the context of lament that the opportunity to trust in God best presents itself.”

Meditating on mortality is not morbid. It brings wisdom, inspiration, and energy for today. Remember, we will die. Remember also, that in Christ, we will live again and evermore.

While considering death, the psalmist’s lament provides an opportunity to trust God and praise him. Taking the “Colbert Questionert,” the psalmist might say, “God will keep me safe. He will not abandon me to death’s decay. A path of life is open for me and on that path I will find joy and pleasures for eternity in God’s presence.” (v. 9-11)


There is only one path to life and Jesus is its pioneer. (Hebrews 2.9-11; 12.1-3) He makes it known to us and asks us to make it known to others. Many paths may lead to Jesus, but no path leads to life unless it first comes through him. (John 14.6-12) Ask others to join you on this path. Share with them the delightful inheritance we have by adoption into the family of Jesus. Their path of life could start today.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Jesus taught them saying: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me! Let anyone who believes in me, come and drink! As scripture says, ‘From his heart shall flow streams of living water.’” He was speaking of the Spirit which those who believed in him were to receive; for there was no Spirit as yet because Jesus had not yet been glorified. — John 7.38-39

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Our Delightful Inheritance

With headlines that remind us of all that we lack, do we see God as our all?

Our Delightful Inheritance
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We Need Renewal — Worldwide Prayer

Links for today’s readings:

Jan 29  Read: Job 31 Listen:(4:16) Read: Psalms 13-14 Listen: (1:43)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 14.2-3

2 The Lord looks down from heaven

    on all mankind

to see if there are any who understand,

    any who seek God.

3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;

    there is no one who does good,

    not even one.

Reflection: We Need Renewal — Worldwide Prayer

By John Tillman

In Psalm 14 we see a picture of a searching God. He is searching, looking, hoping to see someone, anyone who is searching and looking for him. No one is. All have turned away to something else.

Sometimes when we read in the scriptures that there is no one who does good, we fool ourselves by thinking we are the exception. But God is clear. We are all corrupted and broken.  

The scripture says we do not seek God, but instead have turned away to corruption. That corruption is the reason there is no one who does good—even the good we do is corrupted. 

Each one of us desperately needs the renewal and redemption entreated by both the above Psalm and the prayer below.

A prayer for renewal from the USA:

Father, 

We praise you for your Son who broke into history and through his life, crucifixion, and resurrection enables us to break out of our fallenness. We rejoice in the gift of His Spirit who leads us into abundant and eternal life.

Please forgive our failures in thought, speech, and action, those we omit as well as those we commit. We ask that you bring refreshment, revival, and renewal to your Church. Please visit the world again and again with awakenings by your Spirit that will sweep humanity into your Kingdom and bring greater justice and mercy into our homes, communities, and nations.

May our worship, witness, and work be prompted and empowered by the Spirit of Jesus. Grant that our assemblies and quiet moments be avenues of praise to the Triune God and guidance and power to God’s people in this our day of opportunity. We draw near to you and listen for the words of comfort and challenge that you know we need.

Source: Prayer from Hallowed be Your Name: A collection of prayers from around the world, Dr. Tony Cupit, Editor.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. — Matthew 5.6

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Ache for Renewal

It is good for us to work…grow…or upgrade…But there is a danger of enacting a secular (and selfish) ritual of self-improvement.

Ache for Renewal
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Human Decency

Links for today’s readings:

Jan 28  Read: Job 30 Listen: (3:14)  Read: Psalms 11-12 Listen: (1:59)

Scripture Focus: Job 30:24-26

24 “Surely no one lays a hand on a broken man
    when he cries for help in his distress.
25 Have I not wept for those in trouble?
    Has not my soul grieved for the poor?
26 Yet when I hoped for good, evil came;
    when I looked for light, then came darkness.”

Reflection: Human Decency

By Erin Newton

Human decency is a set of accepted moral standards. There is an expectation that people will act using human decency. We expect strangers to avoid violence, help the weak, and work for the betterment of society.

This is why Job says Surely. The word highlights, emphasizes, and intensifies the concept he’s about to state. Surely people don’t hurt hurting people. Job is relying on the universal concept of human decency.

Even in the ancient world, it was not the accepted standard for people to harm those who were already suffering. They did not assault those asking for help. Human decency isn’t a modern philosophy; Job’s view of the world is grounded in it.

By now, we’ve read through the stories of Job’s suffering and his friends’ poor assessment of his supposed guilt. Over and over Job has pleaded his innocence and questioned his suffering. If humans are expected to treat each other with kindness and respect, shouldn’t God also treat humans in such a way? This is Job’s mindset.

He feels beaten down by the divine hand because his suffering does not fit into their perspective of retribution. But something is not right for Job. He’s innocent and suffering.

This is one of those times that Job is expressing the fullness of his misery. He’s not holding back his words. He’s suffering and bringing it to God demanding that he answer. He brings human morality to the forefront. He knows that there are those who do hurt the helpless, but everyone can see how wrong that is. Is God acting wrong? Job is asking that sort of question.

As we wake up each morning, hesitant to turn on the news fearing another headline that brings heartache, grief, fury, and rage—we are hoping for human decency to prevail. We also are hoping for God to step in—fix our suffering, tell us why this is happening when we are trying so hard to do what is right. Like Job, we must keep asking and bringing into the argument that this is not how people are supposed to act.


We can rest assured that God can handle our doubts about his seeming inaction or his silence. In much the same way we keep calling our representatives, we plead with God. We keep coming to him: “Surely this is not ok. We are asking for light and all we see is darkness.”

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Show us the light of your countenance, O God, and come to us. — Psalm 67.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Prayer When None Are Faithful

We relate to the psalmist’s cries…The costs of lies are all around us. Violence. Confusion. Desperation. Loss of life.

Prayer When None are Faithful—Readers’ Choice
Read more: Help That Brings Hope—Guided Prayer

Let us…be the kind of help that Job hoped for in the lives of those around us.

Help That Brings Hope—Guided Prayer
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Break Their Fangs

Links for today’s readings:

Jan 27  Read: Job 29 Listen: (2:26) Read: Psalm 10 Listen: (2:13)

Scripture Focus: Job 29.17

17 I broke the fangs of the wicked

    and snatched the victims from their teeth.

Reflection: Break Their Fangs

By John Tillman

Need to stop a lion, a bear, a wolf, or a viper? Break their fangs.

Broken teeth are bad for any animal but predators are especially reliant on the large teeth that help them capture, hold, and kill prey. No matter how powerful, how large, how fast, or how fierce a predator is, a broken fang means death. Job considered breaking the fangs of the wicked righteousness.

Job often focused on being innocent of wrongdoing. He challenged anyone to point out sin he committed. They couldn’t. He asked God what he had done wrong. God stayed silent. In his final speech, Job focused more on good things he did.

Job’s righteous resume lists actions benefiting the vulnerable. Job was a friend to the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the foreigner. He was eyes for the blind, feet to the lame, a father to those in need, and a legal defender for the immigrant stranger.

As they did then, powerful and wealthy people today take advantage of these and other vulnerable groups. They prey on the weak. Job defined righteousness as not just helping the weak, but incapacitating those preying on them—breaking the predators’ fangs.

Fangs grasp victims, preventing escape, damaging victims, weakening resistance, and sometimes injecting deadly or paralyzing venom. As Christians, breaking the wicked’s fangs does not mean violence but breaking the means used to poison, paralyze, damage, and hold captive the vulnerable.

What might this look like?

Legislation might “break the fangs” of debt, pornography, prejudices, labor abuses, or pollution but political solutions aren’t enough. Churches “break fangs” in their communities in many ways, such as paying off medical debt, supporting pregnant women and mothers, ministering to incarcerated and recently released prisoners, or providing cars, jobs, and safe housing to victims escaping abuse. Individuals “break fangs” by supporting charities that help the fatherless, the immigrant, and other outcasts.

Breaking the fangs of earthly wickedness is about more than saving victims from earthly sufferings. It points to Jesus’ ultimate snake-crushing salvation. John the Baptizer’s doubts about Jesus’ identity were eased by evidence of his earthly actions. Our limited imitations of Christ’s earthly actions ease people’s doubts and reveal Jesus’ true nature as the ultimate savior of all things that will be saved.

Are you on the side of the snake-crusher, the fang-breaker? How are you and your faith community participating in breaking the fangs of the wicked?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Show us the light of your countenance, O God, and come to us. — Psalm 67.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Righteousness Sets Things Right

Job defines his righteousness by his use of power, wealth, and influence to benefit the weak, the marginalized, and the victimized.

Righteousness Sets Things Right
Read more: The Righteous Judge — A Guided Prayer

“Break the arm of the wicked man;

   call the evildoer to account for his wickedness

   that would not otherwise be found out.”

The Righteous Judge — A Guided Prayer
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Where is Wisdom — A Guided Prayer

Links for today’s readings:

Jan 26  Read: Job 28 Listen: (2:44)   Read: Psalm 9 Listen: (2:21)

Scripture Focus: Job 28.20-21

Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?
It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds in the sky.

Reflection: Where is Wisdom — A Guided Prayer

By John Tillman

As you enter January’s final week and consider the year to come, pause to seek God’s wisdom in a responsive prayer inspired by Job’s words.

Lord, where can we find wisdom?

“There is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined…
But where can wisdom be found?
Where does understanding dwell?”

Reflect briefly on some decisions you have made. Move chronologically backward. Spend no more than sixty seconds weighing each one as wise or unwise.

Reflect on one from yesterday.

Then one from the weekend.

Then one from last week.

Then one from two weeks or more.

Now return to the words of Job on wisdom’s value.

“No mortal comprehends its worth;
it cannot be found in the land of the living.
The deep says, ‘It is not in me’;
the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed out in silver.”

Reflect on some places you have looked for wisdom.

Articles? Advisors? Academic research?

Thank God for human wisdom! We must, however, confess to God that human wisdom can only take us as far as human understanding, which even the greatest of scientists would admit continually finds more questions than it answers.

Ask God to open to us the true and timeless wisdom that comes from one unlimited source.

“God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,
…he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.
And he said to the human race,
‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom.’”

Thank God for his wisdom that is first of all pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (James 3.17).

Ask God for his continual grace to grant you his wisdom in each moment of the remaining week, the remaining month, and the rest of this year.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

Deliver me, O Lord, by your hand from those whose portion is life in this world. — Psalm 17.14

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Wisdom—A Spouse, A Path, A Healer

Wisdom is like a healer…gives our bodies nourishment for what needs to grow and medicine for what is sick…Forsaking wisdom is slowly poisoning ourselves.

Wisdom—A Spouse, A Path, A Healer
Read more about Wisdom Versus Obedience

Wisdom is mined from a deep relationship with God. It is refined in the crucible of life.

Wisdom Versus Obedience