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DAILY READING Mark 12:1-12 FIELD NOTES The parable Jesus tells in Mark 12:1-12 took little imagination for its hearers to understand. Unlike most of his parables which cloaked his meaning and caused the hearer to think deeply, this parable’s meaning was obvious to the chief priests, scribes and other bystanders. The imagery Jesus used –…

DAILY READING Colossians 2:6-15 FIELD NOTES “Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong, and vigorous in the truth you were taught.” (Col. 2:7, NLT) I am not much of a gardener, but I do enjoy having fresh herbs outside my kitchen. Several…

DAILY READING 1 Timothy 6:11-21 FIELD NOTES Have you ever played the game where you are given an imaginary sum of money — like a million dollars — and you have to come up with ways to spend it? Maybe you give some to your favorite charity, or you buy a fancy boat and a…

DAILY READING Luke 4:16-30 FIELD NOTES A few years ago I traveled to Israel with a group from our church. It was my first trip there and I was overwhelmed by seeing the actual places where Jesus walked and taught.  One of the most impactful places we visited was Jesus’ hometown, Nazareth. It’s a bustling…

DAILY READING Psalm 113 FIELD NOTES Have you ever wondered why the Psalms say over and over we should praise God? In today’s psalm, the word praise occurs 5 times in 9 verses. What is it about praising God that’s so important?  For one reason, God deserves it. He is the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer…

DAILY READING Genesis 24:1-10 FIELD NOTES When I was a young mother raising preschoolers, I had a friend who was 10 or so years ahead of me in the childrearing process. I remember her telling me one day that she had been praying for her children’s future spouses, even years before her children were old enough…

DAILY READING Psalm 127 FIELD NOTES One of the reasons we are often tempted to take control of a situation and work according to our own plan, is that we feel the pressure of time. We have no time to delay and no time to pray. However, when we take matters into our own hands,…

DAILY READING Psalm 127 FIELD NOTES We know that it is important to work hard and do our best, but as Psalm 127 explains, if the work that we do is not of God, then it is in vain.  1 Unless the Lord builds the house,    the builders labor in vain.Unless the Lord watches over the city,    the guards stand watch in vain.2 In vain…