Dr H Reflections

Seeing the unseen ∙∙

Seeing the unseen ∙∙

From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth, sky, and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature. So, they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. – Romans 1:20

Psalms 33:6-9

6 The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars in the sky were made.
7 He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
8 Let the whole world fear the LORD and let everyone stand in awe of him.
9 For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.

“The theory of intelligent design holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause” (https://intelligentdesign.org/).

On Earth, some things are the result of chance and natural processes, while others are obviously not. For instance, if you found a piece of driftwood floating near a beach, you wouldn’t consider it extraordinary. But imagine finding a functioning smartphone half-buried in the sand at the same beach. You would immediately recognize it as designed—its complexity could only come from an intelligent source.

How do we know God exists? Evidence in the natural world points to an intelligent designer. The idea that random chance plus time alone could create the world is far less convincing than the possibility of an intelligent mind behind it all.

Whether we examine the vastness of the universe, from galaxies seemingly without end in the distant recesses of space to black holes, or the intricacy of quantum physics on the smallest subatomic level, there is overwhelming evidence of intelligent design everywhere.

Romans 1:20 tells us that the natural world attests to the existence of an intelligent designer, revealing the Father’s invisible qualities and attributes. It speaks of His eternal nature and limitless power. Like any great work of art—whether a painting, sculpture, or piece of music—creation reflects the brilliance and creativity of its Maker. What we see in the natural world points to a fertile mind with unlimited imagination and creativity. Consider this: how can the irreducible complexity of the natural world happen by chance? Reflect on this a bit.

Irreducible complexity is a key argument used by the Intelligent Design movement. It serves as both positive evidence for the existence of intelligence and purposeful planning in certain biological systems, and as a direct challenge to the traditional evolutionary narrative. In essence, irreducible complexity refers to a system or structure that is not only complex but complex in a specific manner. Every component of such a system must be present and positioned correctly for it to function. It’s essentially an all-or-nothing proposition (Luke Wayne, https://carm.org).

Romans 1:20 presents four clear observations of what the natural world reveals. First, anyone can observe the evidence that nature provides; it is visible and accessible to all. Second, people are capable of understanding this evidence and drawing reasonable conclusions from it. The more we explore the complexity of creation, the less it seems to be the product of random chance, pointing instead to intelligent design. Third, the information offered by nature is limited; it shows that the existence of God is a reasonable conclusion but does not provide all the details we need to understand Him or His character. Finally, because of this clear evidence of intelligent design, individuals are responsible for what they observe and for the choices they make about the Creator of all things.

The natural world calls for a response to the One behind it all.

“Napoleon, on a warship in the Mediterranean on a star-lit night, passed a group of his officers who were mocking at the idea of a God. He stopped, and sweeping his hand toward the stars, said, Gentlemen, you must get rid of those first!’” (Zane C. Hodges). His remark captures the testimony of creation to the existence of a Creator.

REFLECT & PRAY

Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)

Father, I remember a time when I did not believe in You. I had no faith in my heart because I had not yet heard the Truth. Faith is the response of the human heart to that Truth. Thank You for the people You brought into my life who shared it with me.

INSIGHT

Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

What we believe is possible has a profound impact on what we accept as real. In other words, What we believe could happen determines what we believe did happen.

Put simply, if you choose not to believe that God exists or that He intervenes within the time-space continuum, then you can’t believe in miracles. They are inconceivable. Events like the resurrection of Jesus Christ or the extraordinary parting of the Red Sea, where the Israelites crossed safely on dry ground, appear to be impossibilities, dismissed as mere embellishments or myths that could never have happened.

But have you ever paused to contemplate this? Perhaps there was a chapter in your life where belief in God seemed out of reach. Did you ask yourself, “What would it take for me to believe that God exists?”

The miracles of the Bible cry out for explanation, and the only plausible answer is the existence and action of a divine Creator who operates within the time and space continuum. Without God, the dramatic accounts of the Red Sea parting in Exodus or the resurrection of Jesus lose their foundation and dissolve into the realm of legends. Yet for those who believe in God, these events are not only possible—they are logical expressions of His nature and power. When faith enters, the supernatural aligns perfectly with the events in the Scriptures.

Consider this deeply: if God does not engage with human history, if He does not have the power or willingness to act, then the resurrection of Jesus Christ could not have occurred. Such an event demands supernatural intervention—something only possible with God. Without divine power, even the heart of Christianity crumbles into nothing more than an inspiring tale devoid of reality.

But if you believe in God—if you truly open your heart to the idea of a Creator who moves mountains and splits waters—then you see His fingerprints everywhere. You come to recognize that what seems impossible to human eyes is far from impossible for Him. Faith transforms how we view the miraculous, showing us not myths but profound moments where heaven touches earth.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Psalms 33:6 The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.

Faith, described in Hebrews 11:1 as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” and affirmed in Psalms 33:6, where “The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created,” has profoundly shaped the trajectory of untold millions through the millennia.

Faith is the intangible influence that has inspired generations to dream of what could be, driven by the belief in what cannot yet be seen but is deeply felt. Faith channels hope into action and transforms the intangible into something tangible and enduring.

From the beginning of time, faith in the unseen God has guided human understanding of creation and the mysteries of the cosmos. A simple truth—that the Lord spoke, and the heavens were born—has provided understanding and sparked awe and reverence for the living God, the Creator of all that is.

Faith whispers that there is reason to hope, to build, to love, and to try again, even when the outcome remains unseen. Faith transforms the void of the unknown into fertile ground for possibility. It is the force that bridges the gap between the present and the future, between human intention and divine will.

Faith does not guarantee an easy path—it often requires persistence in the face of adversity. Yet, it empowers people to stand firm when logic says to give up, to create beauty in the midst of chaos, and to see infinite possibilities in finite situations. It inspires martyrs to give their lives for truth and artists to craft masterpieces that point beyond human experience to divine glory.

Seeing the unseen reminds us that we do not walk alone, for the God who spoke the stars into existence walks with us still, guiding those with open hearts to achieve the extraordinary. Faith shapes our past, directs our present, and opens the door to a future full of hope and wonder.

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Heart calluses ∙∙

Heart calluses ∙∙

I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. – Romans 11:25

Ephesians 4:18-19

18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.
19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

The most common calluses are those we get on our feet and hands. These external calluses are thick, hardened layers of skin that develop from repeated friction, irritation, or pressure on the skin.

These hardened skin layers or calluses are your body’s way of protecting the underlying skin from irritation and pressure. For most people, eliminating the source of friction or pressure makes calluses disappear.

Internally, calluses are chalklike concretions that form in the tissues or small joints. They can slow or completely paralyze movement. When a bone is broken, set, and recovered, the area becomes thicker and harder than the original bone. The healed area is also called a callus (Barclay).

Ephesians 4:18 Due to the hardness of their hearts.

The Greek word translated as “hardness,” “callousness,” or “insensitivity” is porosis. Porosis is derived from the Greek verb poroo to harden, petrify, render insensitive (Mark 3:5, Romans 11:25, Ephesians 4:18). Poros originally meant a stone that was harder than marble. Finally, the word came to represent the loss of all power of sensation; it described something that had become so hardened and petrified that it could not feel at all (Barclay). Metaphorically, it meant the stubborn unwillingness to learn (Louw-Nida).

Physical calluses are rarely a problem. But spiritual calluses are quite a different thing. It is a state devoid of feeling and mental awareness (Zodhiates). Such hardening is one of the primary characteristics of soulishness, fleshliness, or unbelief.

Before we became children of the King, our lives were often mired in pursuit of superficial, empty things that did not matter. Our minds, shrouded in ignorance, became darkened, leaving us blind to the deeper truths of life. The result was grim and terrible: our hearts were petrified and turned to cold, unyielding stone. Our ability to feel genuine compassion was greatly diminished. We allowed our minds to grow rigid, losing the ability to adapt to new ideas and perspectives (Barclay).

Sadly, even among those who are children of the King, many continue to carry the burden of these hardened hearts. This inner struggle often manifests as a reluctance to embrace change or to connect empathetically with others, holding back the transformative love and grace that our faith calls us to embody.

Spiritual petrification or dullness is the heart’s response to the irritation of sin and its consequences. Repeated sin has a petrifying effect. At first, people may regard sin with concern. When they sin, remorse and regret enter their hearts. But, if people continue to sin, there comes a time when they lose all sensation and can do the most shameful things without any feeling at all. Their consciences have become petrified (Barclay)

REFLECT & PRAY

To eliminate heart calluses, it is necessary to remove what causes them, or they re-form.

Father, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part, You will make me know wisdom. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow (Psalms 51:6, 7).

INSIGHT

The heart describes the root of our unconscious and conscious motivation (Constable). Hardening of the heart is an expression found in both the Old and New Testaments. It occurs many times in the book of Exodus concerning the stubbornness of Pharaoh. Upon closer inspection, sometimes the Pharaoh hardened his own heart. At other times, the God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. In each instance, one of two different Hebrew words is used to describe Pharaoh’s heart: qashah (difficult) or chazaq – (strong). However, in each case, it refers to the Pharaoh’s stubbornness and inflexibility (UBS).

The outward signs of heart calluses include stubbornness, willfulness, obstinacy, and rigidity. When we become set in our ways, we become unwilling to change. We make up our minds and refuse to budge.

In the case of physical calluses, removing the source of irritation is necessary to prevent them from recurring. The same principle applies to the calluses of the heart. However, this creates a practical challenge for each child of the King, as we often do not understand our own hearts as well as we may think we do.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is the most deceitful of all things and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

Yet we are assured that the Father Himself knows the condition of each person’s heart and the source of every callous.

Jeremiah 17:10 I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives.

David carried the weight of calluses on his heart, formed through the hardening that came when he contemplated and pursued his sin with Bathsheba. Yet, out of this brokenness, we receive a powerful example of spiritual introspection and healing. David offers us a heartfelt prayer—a guide to uncover what lies deep within our hearts. Through his example, we learn how to identify and remove the sources of spiritual “heart disease,” allowing us to seek restoration and renewed intimacy with the Father.

Psalms 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

The word “wicked” signifies more than just outwardly sinful actions; it also refers to patterns of thinking, attitudes, or desires that lead one away from God’s truth and holiness. It implies behaviors that can be hurtful, causing pain or sorrow to oneself, others, or even to God.

David is not satisfied with mere surface-level obedience; he desires God to reveal anything hidden in his heart that could lead him astray. This verse illustrates David’s humility and his willingness to surrender his life to God’s guidance. It emphasizes a longing for a life free from sin and focused on eternal matters, described here as “the way everlasting.”

A teachable spirit goes a long way.

Proverbs 12:1 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.

“When we cannot understand ourselves or comprehend our feelings, God invites us to take our internal struggles to Him and ask Him for insight. He understands what we do not, and knows what to do when we don’t” (Stanley).

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Hidden pride ∙∙

Hidden pride ∙∙

The LORD detests the proud; they will surely be punished. – Proverbs 16:5

Proverbs 16:17-22

17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe.
18 Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall.
19 Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be joyful.
21 The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, But the discipline of fools is folly.

Human emotions are as varied as they are complex, ranging from the highs of happiness and joy to the lows of sadness and anger. Most of these emotions—like a smile of joy or a fit of frustration—are easy to spot. But some emotions dwell in the shadows, so subtle that we fail to notice them at all. One particularly elusive emotion is pride. While we often recognize pride when it manifests in boastful or arrogant behavior, there’s another form that is far more insidious and easier to overlook—the hidden pride of understating yourself.

Unlike the hubris of an overinflated ego or outward self-righteousness, hidden pride disguises itself as modesty, shyness, or self-deprecation. It’s the voice inside that rejects compliments or downplays acknowledgment. For example, when someone praises your achievements, admires your intelligence, or commends your hard work, how often do you brush it off or silently cringe instead of graciously accepting the kind words? On the surface, this might seem humble, but lurking beneath can be a form of pride shaped by insecurity.

This type of pride arises from fear and self-doubt, a reluctance to acknowledge our own worth and see ourselves as valuable. By refusing to own our strengths or achievements, we deny not only ourselves but also the gifts and abilities granted to us by God.

Charles Stanley offers an especially compelling analogy on this issue. He writes, “Our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is a long journey that begins at salvation and ends in heaven. Our walk is strewn with adversity, hazards, and dangers to overcome or avoid. One such obstacle is pride. It is a spiritual landmine. It is analogous to an explosive device buried in the ground to wreak horrific physical harm or death. Hidden pride is embedded and often unrecognized in our hearts” (Stanley). When it “explodes,” it causes spiritual damage. Our lives, relationships, and walk with the Lord are often profoundly impacted.

“Our enemy Satan lays spiritual landmines in our path to trip us up, and one of his most effective ones is pride. Therefore, we must learn to detect it quickly in order to guard against sin. Often, we are slow to see and admit that we have a problem with pride because it tends to hide behind feelings of inadequacy” (Stanley).

The story is told of a young man, barely into his twenties, who had recently begun his walk as a child of the King. A college student by day, he was known for his quiet demeanor and a shyness that often served as his shield against the world. Social encounters left him uncomfortable, and he spent much of his time observing rather than participating. To him, shyness was simply a part of who he was, a harmless quirk that defined his interactions with others.

One day, seemingly by chance, he stumbled upon a Christian book buried among the shelves of a campus library. Intrigued but unsure why he felt compelled to pull it out, he flipped through its pages until a startling comment caught his attention. The author remarked that shyness, often viewed as innocent, could actually be sinful. The statement struck him like lightning. Could his natural tendency to retreat from others be wrong?

The author explained that shyness, at its core, was a form of self-focus—a preoccupation with one’s own insecurities, weaknesses, or discomforts. This excessive inward gaze, the book argued, could prevent someone from stepping forward in faith, engaging with others, or fulfilling the Father’s purpose. It was pride in disguise, a hidden trap of focusing too much on self rather than trusting in God’s strength.

It was a stunning revelation the young man had never considered. Could his reluctance to speak up or engage genuinely be rooted in subtle pride? The thought unsettled him, yet it resonated deeply. For the first time, he saw his shyness as more than a personality trait—it was a barrier, a weight holding him back from the fullness of life in Christ.

With a repentant heart, he knelt down that very evening. He poured out his soul, acknowledging his hidden pride masked as shyness. “Father, forgive me,” he prayed, tears streaming down his face. “Help me to trust in You, not my weaknesses. Give me the courage to step out of myself and into Your will.”

REFLECT & PRAY

The proud man with “haughty eyes” is placed in the very worst company in Proverbs, heading the ‘seven abominations’ in Proverbs 6:17 (Kidner).

Father, please reveal all of the hurtful and wicked ways within my heart. I see the hidden pride within, acknowledge it, and release it to You.

INSIGHT

How grievous is the sin of pride? The answer is surprising and unexpected. The Father puts pride in the same category as murder (Stanley)!

Proverbs 6:16-17

16 There are six things the LORD hates– no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent [murder].

All sins are not equal. And there are seven that the Lord detests more than all others. He calls them abominations. “An abomination refers to anything that is abhorred or regarded as disgusting” (UBS). The Hebrew terms translated as “to Him” or “He detests” do not reflect the original Hebrew. The original Hebrew, napšô, literally says, “to His soul.” In essence, pride hurts and grieves the very heart or soul of God.

Ponder that for a moment and consider.

When we are guilty of these seven sins, we actually cause the Father “pain,” “sorrow,” and “disgust” in the deepest recesses of His being. In modern English, we would say, “We bring tears to His eyes” or “We break His heart.”

I would hope that no child of the King who deeply loves Him wants to do that knowingly. When we truly love someone, the last thing we wish to do is harm the person we care about.

Proverbs 6:16-19

16 There are six things the LORD hates – yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.

The Hebrew term translated as haughty eyes is rum, which literally means high, lofty, or exalted. Metaphorically, it has the sense of being raised up, haughty, or proud. The expression of haughty eyes refers to a proud look, suggesting arrogance.

The Scriptures are crystal clear: God hates human pride.

James 4:6 God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. The same thought is found elsewhere in Scripture Proverbs 3:34 and 1 Peter 5:5.

“Proverbs 16:5 says, ‘Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.’ That’s why we cannot serve Him while clinging to our own self-importance. When God is given second place in our lives, the work of the Holy Spirit is hindered. Then we make foolish mistakes because we are focused not on Him but on ourselves” (Stanley).

How can we actualize this in our lives and reduce our pride and arrogance?

The first step in addressing hidden pride is awareness. Take an honest look at your heart. Are there moments where you reject acknowledgment or affirmations? Do you downplay your strengths or dismiss the gifts others see within you? These subtle signs are often the clues we need to unearth this hidden struggle.

Hidden pride is a silent adversary, but it doesn’t have to define us. “The key to overcoming pride is to fix our eyes on God and the depth of His character. He alone is worthy of all exaltation” (Stanley).

Micah 6:8 O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

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I AM the LORD! ∙∙

I AM the LORD! ∙∙

They did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor. – Exodus 6:9

Exodus 6:1-9

1 Then the LORD told Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!”

2 And God said to Moses, “I am Yahweh – ‘the LORD.’”

3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El Shaddai – “God Almighty” – but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them.
4 And I reaffirmed my covenant with them. Under its terms, I promised to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living as foreigners.

5 You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of my covenant with them.
6 Therefore, say to the people of Israel: “I am the LORD. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.”

9 So Moses told the people of Israel what the LORD had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.

Dr. Shane Lopez, a Senior Scientist at Gallup and one of the world’s foremost experts on hope, dedicated his life to understanding and spreading this vital emotion. He believed that hope is both contagious and life-changing. Here are some of his observations. “The tiny ripple of hope you set in motion can change the path of someone’s life. Hope is created moment by moment through our deliberate choices. It happens when we use our thoughts and feelings to temper our aversion to loss and actively pursue what is possible. How we think about the future – how we hope – determines how well we live our lives.”

Dr. Lopez identified several ways we can foster hope in ourselves and others:

• Modeling hope by treating others with the compassion, love, and kindness we also wish to receive.
• Caring enough to support others who are in need of help.
• Becoming a Super-Empowered, Hopeful Individual, someone who believes that the future can be brighter and who works to make it happen despite the obstacles in their way (psychologytoday.com).

Hope, however, does not mean the absence of struggle. The late Billy Graham once said, “The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’”

Similarly, Joyce Meyer observed that “Depression begins with disappointment. When disappointment festers in our soul, it leads to discouragement.” Yet, the spark of hope allows us to endure.

As James Whitcomb Riley put it, “The most essential factor is persistence – the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come.”

Hope also requires trust in God’s promises. When the Father makes a promise, the children of the King can rest in the certainty that it will be fulfilled. But often, before a promise comes to fruition, the Father shakes up the status quo. When He revealed Himself at Mount Sinai, the earth shook. In the future, when He shakes both the heavens and the Earth, as Hebrews 12:26-27 explains, God’s purpose in this shaking is to remove what can be shaken—to strip away what is temporary—so that only the eternal things remain.

This process can feel unsettling, but it’s also where hope thrives. Through the trials, disruptions, and changes, God calls us to focus on what is unshakable. And it’s in those moments of challenge that the ripple of hope begins to grow, transforming us and those around us. When we choose hope, we align with the Father’s eternal plan, trusting that even in the midst of the shaking, He is preparing something far greater than we can imagine.

Just as the Father shakes the heavens and the earth, He often shakes His children—not to harm them, but to refine and prepare them. Yet, we rarely welcome such moments of upheaval. We tend to see them as interruptions or sources of discomfort, especially when they make things feel worse before they get better.

When Moses returned from Mount Sinai, he approached Pharaoh as God had commanded him, boldly asking that the Israelites be set free from their slavery. But instead of liberation, Moses faced rejection. Pharaoh refused and, in retaliation, increased the burden on the Israelites. Now, they were tasked with making bricks without being given straw. Misery deepened. Moses, disheartened by Pharaoh’s response and the people’s suffering, felt he had failed. He blames himself and questions why the Lord asked him to do it in the first place.

Many of us can identify with Moses. He started his mission with zeal, full of faith that the Lord’s plan would succeed. But when everything crumbled, he fell flat on his face. Frustration and self-doubt kicked in, and he complained and whined. Why would God choose someone so inadequate for such an important task? But that was precisely the reason the Father chose Moses. His inadequacy left room for God’s power to be revealed.

Sadly, Moses wasn’t the only one consumed by negativity. After 400 years of backbreaking servitude and making bricks, what could be worse? Try making bricks without straw.

Exodus 6:9 tells us that the people wouldn’t even listen to Moses because of their crushed spirits.

The word translated as crushed is qotser. Qotser has the sense of “broken,” “discouragement,” or “despondency”—literally means “shortness.” When paired with spirit (ruach), it conveys impatience, exhaustion, and utter defeat. The Israelites were overwhelmed by despair. Beaten down, discouraged, and depleted, they became heartsick and just gave up.

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is like a tree of life.

The Israelites’ hope had been deferred for so long that they couldn’t imagine anything changing. Their current pain blinded them to the future promise of freedom. Charles Stanley captures the moment. “When we feel oppressed, and our spirit groans, it is difficult for us to believe the good promises of God regarding our welfare.” Instead of being long-suffering, they figured they had suffered long enough. They had had enough. All hope was lost.

But just as God’s shaking strips away what is temporary to reveal what is eternal, He was working behind the scenes to fulfill His promise to the Israelites. Though they couldn’t see it, their liberation was near. Sometimes, the darkest moments aren’t signs of God’s absence—they’re the moments just before His greatest work is revealed.

When our spirits feel crushed and victory seems impossible, by faith, we remember that the Father’s promises never fail. He has a way of using the storms of life to prepare us for the blessings ahead.

In the heat of the moment, sadly, we are blinded and lose hope.

REFLECT & PRAY

Physical suffering pains our bodies, but emotional suffering and discouragement bring leanness to our souls and ravage our hearts.

Father, remind me again and again and bring to my mind that no matter what my circumstances are or how gloomy and dire my situation seems to be, your answer always begins, “I am the LORD!”

INSIGHT

The irony is that initial failure lays the groundwork for ultimate success. Pessimism and doubt are the fertile soil in which promises are fulfilled.

Matthew 19:26 With God, all things are possible.

The Scriptures are filled with examples of the Father accomplishing the impossible, especially when all hope seems lost. Consider a few awe-inspiring events: raising Lazarus from the dead, protecting the three Hebrew men in the fiery furnace, parting the Red Sea, sending angelic armies to defend Elisha and Gehazi, and the greatest miracle of all—the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

The issue has never been with the Father’s power or faithfulness. The difficulty lies in our discouragement and lack of faith. The Father desires for us to know and believe that He is the answer to all our problems and circumstances. Our physical, emotional, and eternal well-being depends solely on His unchanging character and attributes.

Why did the Father allow Moses to fail at the very beginning of his mission when he first approached Pharaoh? Perhaps if Pharaoh had released the nation of Israel the first time Moses asked, Moses would have received most of the credit. Instead, his attempt completely backfired, and he had to shoulder all the blame.

The people became convinced that Moses was incapable of leading them to the Promised Land. Only the Father could bring them out of Egypt by His mighty hand (Exodus 32:11). As Moses and Pharaoh quarreled over the release of Israel from bondage, it became increasingly clear that the Father was teaching His people to place all their trust in Him. In due time, they discovered that when all else failed, the one thing they could count on was the One who declared, “I am the LORD” (Ryken and Hughes).

“Exodus is a God-centered book with a God-centered message that teaches us to have a God-centered life. Whatever problems we have, whatever difficulties we face, the most important thing is to know who God is. We are called to place our trust in the One who says, ‘I am the LORD.’ . . . When nothing seems to go right, and it is not certain how things will ever work out – even then he says, ‘I am the LORD’” (Ryken and Hughes).

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God has a sense of humor ∙

God has a sense of humor ∙

About noontime, Elijah began mocking them. “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip or is asleep and needs to be awakened!” – 1 Kings 18:27

Exodus 32:21-24

21 Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?”
22 Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.”
23 “For they said to me, ‘Make a god for us who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’”
24 “I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it [the gold] into the fire, and out came this calf.”

“Does God have a sense of humor? He must have if He created us” (Jackie Gleason).

“God has a sense of humor. If you don’t believe me, tomorrow go to Walmart and just look at people” (Carlos Mencia).

“Thank you, God!” she exclaimed. “You didn’t just send help—you sent me a professional!”

God’s sense of humor can appear in the most unexpected ways, and this story reminds us of His creativity and grace. It’s not unlike the biblical account of Moses and Aaron, which has its own humorous twist.

When Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, he left the people of Israel waiting below. Time passed, and the people grew restless—some even thought Moses had died. They decided they wanted to go back to Egypt and begged Aaron to make an idol, something tangible for them to follow. Aaron agreed and made a golden calf for them.

Moses was not dead, and when he came down the mountain and saw what was going on, he was furious. He confronts Aaron about his actions. Aaron’s response is hysterical. Aaron’s explanation might be one of the most unintentionally comedic moments in Scripture:

Exodus 32:21-24

21 Moses asked Aaron, “What did these people do to you that you led them into such a great sin?”
24 Aaron replied, “They gave me the gold, I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

Right!

Because a fully formed golden calf just magically appeared out of the fire. Aaron’s response shows us that even in the most grave or serious situations, God’s Word brims with unexpected humor and humanity.

Through stories like these, we are reminded of God’s character—He operates with wisdom beyond our understanding yet sprinkles moments of laughter and lightness to remind us of His joy.

REFLECT & PRAY

“I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh” (Maya Angelou).

Father, thank You for loving me so deeply and being my heavenly Father. I’m so grateful for the many ways You show Your love and care for me again and again. Thank You for delighting in spending time with me and playing with me.

INSIGHT

One of the most vivid stories in the Bible is the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, a contest to determine whose god was real. Elijah set the stage with a challenge. Was Israel’s God, Yahweh, the one true God? Or was Baal, the god of the Canaanites, supreme?

The terms were simple. A bull was sacrificed and placed on an altar. Neither he nor the prophets of Baal could use man-made fire to burn the sacrifice. They would have to call on their deity to send fire from heaven to light the wood ablaze and consume the offering.

The prophets of Baal went first. From morning until noon, they cried out, pleading with Baal to respond. They danced, shouted, and even cut themselves to get the attention of their god. But the sky remained silent. There was no fire, no answer—just silence.

Elijah, watching the entire spectacle, couldn’t resist a bit of sarcasm. He began mocking them, saying, “Shout louder! Maybe he’s deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he’s sleeping and needs to be woken up!” His taunts underlined the powerlessness of their false god.

This moment was a clear demonstration of Yahweh’s power and presence. It silenced Israel’s doubts and reminded them that there is only one true God. Elijah’s confidence in the Lord and his boldness in confronting falsehood remain an inspiration for believers today.

1 Kings 18:27-29

27 About noontime, Elijah began mocking them. “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be awakened!”
29 They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still, there was no sound, no reply, no response.

Perhaps Baal is distracted; maybe he is daydreaming or occupied and not really paying attention. How un-godlike.

The next taunt is far more cutting and a bit crude. Perhaps he is relieving himself. The Hebrew word translated as relieving himself or busy is sig. Sig literally means dung or excrement. “Holladay says that the Hebrew word here means ‘has to attend to business’ and is a euphemism meaning ‘to relieve himself’” (UBS). Thus, the word picture is a bit graphic of Baal relieving himself, that is, having a bowel movement. Again, how un-godlike. You can fill in the blanks on this one (cf. 1 Samuel 24:3).

Why was there no response from Baal? Elijah derisively suggests that perhaps Baal had gone on a journey or was sleeping. Maybe shouting louder would help.

1 Kings 18:36-39

36 Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command.
37 O LORD, answer me! Answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”
38 Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven . . ..
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The LORD – he is God! Yes, the LORD is God!”

When it was Elijah’s turn, he took things even further to demonstrate Yahweh’s might. He drenched the wood, the bull, and the altar with water—not once, but three times—until everything was soaked and water-filled a trench around the altar. Then Elijah prayed a simple yet bold prayer, asking God to show His power. Instantly, fire from heaven fell and consumed not just the bull but the wood, the stones, the soil, and even the water.

There’s no denying that one of the most unexpected and amusing stories in the Bible is the tale of Balaam and his talking donkey. It starts with God sending an angel to block Balaam’s path as he traveled. Balaam, however, couldn’t see the angel standing in the road—but his faithful donkey could. Trying to protect Balaam, the donkey stepped off the path to avoid the angel. Balaam, unaware of what was happening, got angry and beat the donkey.

This happened not once, not twice, but three times. Frustrated beyond measure, the donkey eventually just laid down in the middle of the road, refusing to move. And then the truly astonishing happened.

Numbers 22:28-34

28 Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.
29 “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
30 “But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?” “No,” Balaam admitted.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.
32 “Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me.
33 Three times, the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”
34 Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing on the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.”

The humor in this moment is undeniable. Balaam, so wrapped up in his anger, didn’t even pause to reflect on the absurdity of arguing with his donkey. He was so blinded by his frustration that he missed the miraculous nature of what was happening right in front of him.

The moral of the story? If your donkey starts talking, don’t make a donkey out of yourself by arguing back, especially when a talking donkey is outsmarting you!

This story isn’t just about humor—it’s also a reminder of God’s playfulness and creativity. Like any loving Father, God delights in connecting with His children in unexpected and even entertaining ways. Whether it’s through a sarcastic prophet, a talking donkey, or the small joys embedded in our everyday lives, God has a way of using moments like these to catch our attention and teach us important lessons.

The question is, are we paying attention? Pray for eyes that see His fingerprints in the ordinary—and the extraordinary. Don’t miss the humor, the joy, and the gentle reminders of His love that He weaves into your daily life.

¯_(ツ)_/¯10-30-2

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