By Gary Piper of Fort Gratiot, Michigan USA

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

There are times when we think we know someone, but it turns out we don’t know them as well as we thought. To me, there is no more devastating feeling than thinking I am alone in a dark, life-sapping cavern of despair. My personal mission statement goes like this, “I will do everything I can to make Jesus Christ as real as I can to as many people as I can!” However, before I can succeed, I need to be as real as I can to Jesus. I need to pull off the many emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual masks I hide behind to allow Jesus to become real to me.

In his book Healing for Damaged Emotions (Kingsway Communications, 2015), David A. Seamands writes about the Jesus we need to know. “If he merely understood the fact of our weaknesses, that would be good enough. But I’ve got better news for you. He even understands how we feel about our weaknesses—not just the crippling emotional hang-ups and inner conflicts, but the pain that comes from them. He understands… the feelings of abandonment and loneliness and isolation and rejection.” He’s been there.

Please read the quote again. If you know someone who is dealing with dark, life-sapping caverns of despair, then share your story of Christ’s hope. We need to make Jesus real to as many people as we can.

Jesus is more than a character who jumps out of the pages of the Bible when you think you need him. He is, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, alive in your heart, spending every moment of your life with you!

Prayer Phrase

“Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

Deepening Roots

A tree with superficial roots will wither during drought, or severe storms may uproot it. A tree whose roots go deep is stable and draws from deep waters. Imagine yourself as a tree by a river or stream. Sense your roots extending deep into the earth in search of God’s Spirit. Reflect or pray about what you hope to find as your spirit searches for deeper identity in God.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.