Mount of Olives Church

We have come to the end of our daily devotionals at this time. Our prayer is that they have helped you during the challenges we have faced in dealing with COVID-19. With life starting to return to some of the old normal, I thought it might be good, in this last devotional, to spend a little time examining what this period can mean for our lives. What are some of the lessons learned? We have learned many lessons. We have learned that too often in the past, we have taken many things for granted. We have seen the value of Christian Community. We have found ways to be together which was vital. We were able to spend more time with our families, especially our children, which was a blessing. And as we did, we were able to teach them more about the need to be patient and what “delayed gratification” looks like. We were reminded, if we needed to be reminded, that life can be very difficult sometimes. But we also found greater strength through more prayer and Bible reading. We learned the treme...

“Courage isn’t having the strength to go on – it is going on when you don’t have strength.” - Napoléon Bonaparte Many people only take new steps when the future and the outcome look promising. However, what do you do when things are challenging? For those of you who wait for things to be favorable, you will find you will never really move ahead. You will always remain where you are. It must always be remembered that even when we don’t have the strength, we can move on because God is our strength. As the children of Israel were getting ready to cross the Jordon River into the Promised Land, God gave a charge to their leader, Joshua. As you read this exhortation to Joshua, imagine God is actually speaking these words to you. Joshua 1:9 NRSV I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. You can go on and have courage because God is your strength. Carry on! Pray with me: Heavenly Father, in those momen...

Throughout the scriptures, the people of God are commanded by God to remember His faithfulness. He often tells them that in the future they should stop and remember what He has done to rescue them. The Passover meal and celebration is all about remembering God’s faithfulness. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in instituting the Lord’s Supper, tells the disciples “to do this in remembrance of Me”.  Another example is when the children of Israel cross over the Jordan River, and God tells them to create an altar for remembrance. Joshua 4:1-7 When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the  Lord  said to Joshua: “Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, and command them, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight.’” Then Joshua summoned the twelve men from the Israelites, whom he had appointe...