11/18/2025
{Scripture Reading} A Joyful Heart
(Psalm 116:7) Return to joy, my soul, for the Lord has been kind to you.
Lectio: (Reading) Read slowly, reflecting on and analyzing this verse repeatedly. Ask yourself: Which word or phrase resonates with me most?
Key words that resonate deeply: 'My soul,' 'Return,' 'Peace,' 'Joy,' 'Kindness,' 'Loyalty,' 'Loyalty,' 'Loyalty,'
'Return': Returning to the Father's embrace. 'Peace': Peace in Christ. 'Joy': Joy in Christ. 'Loyalty': Overflowing grace of the Lord. Who is God? Who is Christ? 'Loyalty': God's eternity, immutability, self-existence, covenant, mercy, grace, and compassion, slow to anger.
(Meditatio): How do these powerful words connect to my life?
Where am I? Have I returned to the Father's embrace? Am I at peace? Do I have joy? Do I dwell in Christ? Let me count the blessings God has bestowed upon me. Jehovah is the self-existent, eternal, and unchanging God. He has given me His beloved Son, abundantly bestowing upon me all that I need, with love and grace overflowing, making my cup overflow with blessings.
Oratio (prayer) is responding to God's word in prayer; it can be confession, thanksgiving, seeking help, or praise.
My prayer: Loving Lord, my heart will find peace, for You have been so kind to me. Lord, I confess that I am often uneasy, forgetting Your grace, relying on myself instead of trusting in You. Forgive my unbelief, cleanse my heart, and bring me back to Your embrace. Thank You for sustaining me in difficulties and comforting me in weakness; Your abundant grace has never left me. Fill me with Your grace, dispel my fear, and grant me peace in Your presence, trusting in Your faithfulness. Lord, You are a God of abundant grace; Your love endures forever. My heart will find peace, for You are my refuge. I will worship and praise You all my life, for You have been so kind to me, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
(Contemplation): Sitting quietly, passively, and humbly enjoying the peace and joy that comes from repentance, thanksgiving, supplication, and praise. For my heart has returned to the peace of Christ.
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11/15/2024
Compassion Brings Healing
"And if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:10-11)
When we are in pain, we often instinctively hug ourselves tightly, like a wounded animal curling up in its burrow to heal. This is a natural human reaction, and understandable. When we are injured or experiencing great suffering, we do need time for God to heal us.
However, let us not forget another way of healing: step out of our own cave, open our eyes, and serve those who are also suffering. As disciples of Jesus, we are sent to places of poverty, loneliness, and all kinds of hardship. God gives us the courage to accompany wounded souls and find joy in Jesus within them.
When we allow God's mercy to flow in our hearts, we create a world full of hope and love. In caring for others, God is also quietly healing our own wounds. Ultimately, we and those we care for are all healed in God's love.
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November 13, 2025
Joy Endures Forever: Finding Your Way Home Amidst Anxiety
(Psalm 19:8) "The precepts of the Lord are right; they give joy to the heart, and the commands of the Lord are clean; they give light to the eyes."
Our certainty of joy does not stem from favorable circumstances, but from the faith given by the Holy Spirit. This faith is deeply rooted in the Word of God, for His Word is the fountain of life and the light of our hearts. When we meditate on His precepts in our devotions, our hearts are reawakened; when we obey His commands, our eyes are opened and we see hope.
On our devotional journey, we must learn to perceive a profound truth: joy is not merely happiness; it is a deeper existence that embraces sorrow and joy, pain and comfort. It is not a superficial emotion, but a life force from God, a strength that sustains us even in our most vulnerable moments.
This joy will not vanish with changes in external circumstances. Even when we face anxiety, illness, failure, or even death, it still whispers in our hearts, reminding us: you are not alone, you are still on your way home.
The Holy Spirit continually conveys this message to us: God's joy is an eternal companion. It is with us from the moment we are born, and it waits for us in our last breath. It is equally real in the highs of success and the lows of failure. This joy is not a fleeting emotion, but a profound presence, a love that will never leave.
When anxiety weighs on your heart and darkness shrouds your vision, remember: the way home lies in this joy. And the source of this joy comes from drawing near to God and His Word in your daily devotional life. It is not a distant destination, but an invitation to open the Bible now and begin meditation. Let us pause, take a deep breath, follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and surrender our hearts to the Lord who will never forsake us. For in Him, joy endures forever.
November 12， 2025
All is grace
"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Morning light and dew, a warm house, simple food, the fruits of labor, moments of rest, the innocent laughter of children, the warm care of parents, the wisdom and admonitions of grandparents—these are all gifts freely given by God.
However, God's grace also shines in the storms: When work wearies us, God teaches us to rely on Him; when children are disobedient or even rebellious, God teaches us patience and love; when parents fail or make mistakes, God lets us experience the Father's perfect love more deeply; when grandparents are ill and need care, God shapes our heart with compassion.
God's love never ceases to amaze us. Even failure, loneliness, and tears are used by God to refine our faith. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) This is our hope: in darkness, God still weaves light; on the rugged path, God is still with us, leading us to eternal love.
Therefore, we give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Today, let us pause to count our blessings, not only for the sunshine but also for the rain; not only for laughter but also for tears. For in all circumstances, God's love remains unchanged, and He works all things for our good. Amen.
November 11, 2025
FINDING LIFE
"Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25)
Matthew 16:25 reveals a profound truth: only by letting go of the ego can we truly find the source of life—the 'I' created by God.
Conflict, anger, desire—the root of these emotions lies in the ego's misinterpretation of the world. A wise man once said, "When the ego arises, all things arise with it; when the ego fades, all things fade with it. Therefore, only through self-examination to destroy the ego can true growth and healing occur." This statement reveals one fundamental truth—the world or people we perceive are actually products of self-projection.
The ego is like a mirror, reflecting our various judgments and perceptions of the world. However, this mirror is often clouded by the desires of the ego, leading to erroneous reflections: we misjudge others, misunderstand situations, and even misidentify ourselves. These errors do not stem from the nature of the external world, but from the distorted interpretation of reality by the inner world formed within the self.
The goal of life is not to fulfill one's desires, or to strive to create a superficial and false role constructed by society, but to discover that transcendent self—the original "I" created by God in the beginning. This self is untainted by the world, undriven by inner fears, bravely removing the mask to face God, humanity, and oneself with a true and unpretentious face. To achieve this, one must first let go of familiar yet superficial personal identities, for they are merely illusions, a spiderweb woven by the self, unable to withstand the test of time.
Meditation is a door to the depths of the soul, helping us to understand the core message of Jesus. Meditation is the path to this transcendence of self, to "lose one's life for Jesus." When we meditate quietly, turning our attention from ourselves to Jesus—His love, His presence, His truth—we willingly relinquish the self and rediscover ourselves in Him. This is not only a spiritual transformation, but also the reshaping of a completely new self. It changed our understanding of the meaning and value of life, and profoundly changed our lives themselves.
In the silence of meditation, we let go of everything happening around us, no longer seeking to control life, but learning to surrender to higher wisdom. At that moment, we no longer live in ourselves, but in truth.
As the ego gradually fades away in the silence grounded in truth, the false realities constructed by the ego will also crumble. Once the ego is no longer dominant, we can see things as they truly are, no longer deceived by illusions, nor bound by emotions.
To truly renounce this illusory ego is not to escape the world, nor to hide oneself, but to bravely destroy the ego that creates illusions through profound self-examination. Only in this way can we return to pure existence, encounter God, encounter truth, and encounter the blessings God wants to bestow upon His people.