Rescuing Luigi

Rescuing Luigi

READ: ROMANS 8:1-4, 38-39; COLOSSIANS 1:13 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ROMANS%208%3A1-4%2C%2038-39%3B%20COLOSSIANS%201%3A13&version=NIV] We waited outside the pole barn on a brisk winter morning to meet our new foster dog. Cheryl, the head of the animal shelter, brought the little terrier out to us. Nearly furless, the dog cowered at the end of his leash. “Poor thing,” Cheryl said. “He’s spent the last six years in a small pen outside with little human contact. He had so many mats, the groomer had to shave him down to his skin.” We named the dog Luigi and went about the challenging job of housetraining him for a future adoptive family. In the first few weeks, the twelve-pound terror dug through the garbage, jumped up on the dinner table, had accidents in the house, and snarled at us. But as the months went by, Luigi began to scratch at the door to go outside. He laid down on the floor while we ate dinner and even snuggled with us for family movie nights. One night, Cheryl called to tell us she’d found a permanent home for Luigi. After a family meeting, we called Cheryl back to tell her we’d decided to adopt him. But here’s the thing. Sometimes, Luigi still jumped on the table, growled at visitors, pawed through the trash, and escaped into the neighbor’s yard. His many flaws made it clear: we didn’t love Luigi because he was perfect; we loved him because he was ours. The unconditional love we have for our temperamental rescue pup reminds me of the unconditional love God has for me. When I snap at my mom or tell a lie, God loves me. When I choose the easy way instead of the right way, God loves me. While I rejected Him and chose sin, He reached out in love to save me (Romans 5:8). God loves me no matter what, and He has also made me a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). His unwavering faithfulness holds me as He works in my life, transforming me to become more and more like Himself (2 Corinthians 3:18). And Jesus’s great love for me makes me want to be a part of His rescue plan for the world—by showing His love to other people who are flawed, just like me. • Sarah Rollandini • Why is it important to remember that we are all like Luigi—imperfect but loved by God? • Read John 3:16-21 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. As imperfect-yet-beloved people, how can we show each other Christ’s unconditional love? (Remember, love can look like setting healthy boundaries, especially in cases of deep hurt. Who are trusted adults you could talk to about this?) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV)

Driving in the Slow Lane

READ: MATTHEW 6:25-34; PHILIPPIANS 1:4-6, 9-11; 4:4-13 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=MATTHEW%206%3A25-34%3B%20PHILIPPIANS%201%3A4-6%2C%209-11%3B%204%3A4-13&version=NIV] As I was driving down a rural highway, I glanced in my rearview mirror and spotted a car very close behind me. Even though I was driving the speed limit, I worried this driver thought I was going too slow. So I stepped on the gas, then suddenly spotted a deer crossing the road, and slammed on the brakes. Thankfully, I didn’t hit the deer or cause a collision. From then on, I decided that faster drivers could just pass me. I was content—and safest— going my own speed. Have you ever felt pressured to speed up? Maybe not behind the wheel, but in life? Well-meaning people can sometimes ask questions that make us feel just a little bit panicked about the future, such as “When will you know what career to pursue?” or “Have you picked your college or trade school?” If God hasn’t provided the answers to these questions yet, it can be easy to grow frustrated and doubtful. But God doesn’t operate the way humans do. He is patient, loving, and all-knowing. He often asks us to wait longer than feels comfortable. He knows that slowing down can allow us to learn to trust in Him and notice His presence in every situation. It can be helpful to remember that God cherishes us as His own children, and He calls us to trust Him with our lives. The surprising thing is, we can have peace in the midst of unknowns as we rely on God in the decision-making process. As a result, we may stand out—and perhaps even encourage others. It’s okay if your future feels uncertain right now. It’s okay if your path differs from those around you. Only God knows what lies ahead, and He loves you more than you can imagine. • Hannah Chung • Has there ever been a time when you’ve felt pressured to have your future perfectly mapped out? God doesn’t expect us to figure out every detail of our futures—that’s His job. Instead, He invites us to rest in Him and seek His wisdom, taking one step at a time as He lovingly guides us. While we may sometimes want to know the whole plan ahead of time, Jesus knows what we need each day, and He will never leave us. • What questions do you have about your future? Consider taking a moment to talk to Jesus about whatever is on your mind. You can be honest with Him about any anxiety you feel—He has so much compassion on you, and He wants to share His peace and comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3-11) [Jesus said,] “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

Making the Grade

READ: ROMANS 6:15-23; GALATIANS 6:7-8; COLOSSIANS 1:22 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ROMANS%206%3A15-23%3B%20GALATIANS%206%3A7-8%3B%20COLOSSIANS%201%3A22&version=NLT] As the end of the semester loomed, I scrambled to improve my grade. But I’d waited too long to turn things around in this class, and I would simply receive the grade on my report card I had earned. My seventh grade English teacher, Ms. Tyson, taught our class with a stern focus on correct grammar and punctuation. Some of my test scores reflected that I hadn’t learned as much about grammar and punctuation as she demanded. When I realized I wouldn’t get the grade I wanted, I shyly approached Ms. Tyson to request extra credit work to pull up my semester grade. She brusquely answered, “No.” Ms. Tyson had no obligation to give me an extra chance. She hadn’t been unfair. After all, even though I felt disappointed, my report card revealed exactly what my work in that class had earned. We earn grades for the efforts we make (or fail to make) in school. Similarly, the Bible talks about what we earn for our choices in life. Scripture tells us that our sin earns death. This death—eternal separation from God—is what we deserve because of all our thoughts, words, and actions that violate God’s good ways. But, unlike with Ms. Tyson, we have another opportunity. In our relationship with God, we aren’t doomed to receive simply what we’ve earned. Romans 6:23 informs us that God’s gift is eternal life through Jesus. When we trust in Him as the payment for the punishment we deserve, we don’t simply receive “extra credit” to improve our grade in life. We receive a complete replacement of our sinful failure with Christ’s holy excellence. Christ’s perfection covers our failings, bringing us into right relationship with God—not because of our good “grades” but because of His great love. • Allison Wilson Lee • Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we don’t have to “measure up” in God’seyes with good deeds or obedience—and we couldn’t even if we tried! Instead, Jesus is the one who measured up in our place through His sinless life, sacrificial death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead. Through Jesus, God generously gives us eternal life, along with countless blessings—none of which we could earn! How is God’s way of grace different from the way the world operates? For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NLT)

Helen Cadbury: The Power of God's Word

READ: ROMANS 1:16-17; 10:1-15 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ROMANS%201%3A16-17%3B%2010%3A1-15&version=NIV] Helen Cadbury was born in 1877 in Birmingham, England. Her father was Richard Cadbury—one of the founders of the Cadbury chocolate company. One night when she was 12 years old, Helen received Jesus Christ as her Savior at a church meeting. The next day, Helen told her best friend about it at school. This girl remarked she was already a Christian because she went to church. “I don’t think going to church makes you a Christian,” Helen said. The morning after this, Helen brought her Bible to school, and she and her friend read it together. That night, after reading more of the Bible at home, her friend also received Jesus as her Savior! The two girls led 80 students to the Lord that year and went on to form a club called the Pocket Testament League. To be in the club, each member was to read a portion of the Bible every day, pray, and share their faith whenever God provided an opportunity. They even sewed pockets in their dresses for carrying a New Testament everywhere. However, a few years later Helen was studying music at college when she began doubting God. She heard views different from her own gospel-centered one. But after her father’s death, she came home to help with his programs for social reform, and there she rediscovered her faith. Later, in 1904, she married Charles Alexander, a song leader who did evangelistic work. Wanting to reach more people with the Bible, Helen told him about her old club, and together they started it up again. So, in 1908, the Pocket Testament League was reborn! To this day, the League has not ceased its efforts to bring many people to Christ, now offering online tools teaching others how to share their faith. Helen believed strongly in the power of Scripture, saying, “If we could just get them to read God’s Word for themselves, surely they would come to Christ!” Helen died in 1969 at age 92. Romans 1:16, the verse on her tombstone, summarizes her life’s work: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” • Kayla James • How have you seen the power of God’s Word in your life? Consider taking a moment to thank God for this and ask Him to help you notice who He might be calling you to share His Word with. • To read the story of one of the people who put their trust in Jesus after reading a pamphlet from the Pocket Testament League, download the free Unlocked app and search for “Rescued: Mitsuo Fuchida” (published on June 21, 2022). How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103 (NIV)

When I'm Overwhelmed

READ: PSALM 61:1-5; ISAIAH 41:10 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALM%2061%3A1-5%3B%20ISAIAH%2041%3A10&version=WEB] What should I do? What if this doesn’t turn out? What will I do next? These questions are overwhelming. It’s easy to start overthinking everything and become stressed out about the decisions we have to make, both big and small. It’s easy to be worried about the future and how each decision is going to affect our lives. When I begin to feel overwhelmed, I try to take a step back and remind myself that God is in control. God has taken care of me all my life, and I don’t have to worry about the future because He is already there and He loves me with an unstoppable love (Romans 8:28-29, 38-39). One of my favorite verses in the Bible is in the psalms, in chapter 61. When David is growing faint and overwhelmed, he prays, “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (verse 2). Generations later, we find out that the Rock is Jesus (Matthew 7:24-27). Once we know Jesus, we are never alone (Matthew 28:20). We don’t have to be afraid. Even when a lot is going on in our lives, even when there are decisions to make, or even when something goes wrong, we can still trust Him—because He loves us. Whenever we get overwhelmed, we can run to the Rock that is higher than we are. • Bethany Acker • Can you think of a time you felt overwhelmed? Were there any ways God showed you His love and nearness—perhaps through something you read in the Bible, a way people showed you kindness, a quiet moment in nature, or something else? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this. • Jesus died and rose again so we would never have to be alone. He is with us all the time. And He wants us to bring Him anything that overwhelms us, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Consider taking a moment to tell Jesus, unfiltered, about whatever is on your mind today. • In Christ, we have a family of brothers and sisters who also know Him. We are not made to walk alone, especially when we’re overwhelmed (Galatians 6:1-10). When you’re feeling overwhelmed, who are trusted Christians in your life you could talk with? From the end of the earth, I will call to you when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2 (WEB)