Tori

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I remember it like it was yesterday. Bases loaded. Two outs. Final inning of our softball playoff game. With a full count, I checked my swing on a ball in the dirt—or so I thought. The umpire decided otherwise and called strike three.

Just like that, our season was over, and I blamed myself. Any other mistake, error, or missed opportunity that may have occurred during that game didn’t matter. I was sure that the only thing that would be remembered was my check swing on a clear ball four. I’d be the scapegoat. Thankfully, my strikeout wasn’t immortalized in sports history like many other well-known scapegoats—Bill Buckner, Scott Norwood, or Steve Bartman—but the shame I felt was still real.

Have you ever felt like that? Like all the blame landed squarely on your shoulders, whether or not it was fair? It turns out that the role of the scapegoat is not a fun one to play. I was surprised to learn that the term scapegoat actually comes from the Bible’s description of the Jewish Day of Atonement:

When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat. He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specifically chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land. (Leviticus 16:20-22 NLT)

Our modern use of scapegoat doesn’t come close to the original meaning. We might take the blame for a mistake, but that Old Testament goat was responsible for carrying every sin of the people of Israel into the wilderness. What a vivid picture!

But the good news is that, thanks to Jesus, we never have to bear the weight of our sins—or anyone else’s—on our shoulders. Through His sacrifice, He became our ultimate and final scapegoat. As Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:24:

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you are healed.

We’ve all sinned; we’re all guilty of the wickedness and rebellion mentioned in Leviticus 16 (Romans 3:23). And the ultimate cost of that sin is death (Romans 6:23). But Jesus already paid that price. Through His death and resurrection, our sins have been carried away—never to be counted against us again (Romans 5:1-2).

Let’s take a moment today to confess our sins to God and praise Him that in Christ, they’ve been removed from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).

Father God, thank You for sending Your Son to be our ultimate and final scapegoat (John 3:16). Thank You that when we confess our sins to You, You remember them no more. Free us from shame and guilt, and help us walk confidently in the forgiveness and redemption we have in Jesus.

But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. ... For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:12, 14)

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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. 

My dog is pretty clever. He remembers every person who has ever given him a treat. He knows the names of all our favorite people—and his favorite people, too. We’ve learned to spell certain words around him to keep him from getting too worked up. He even gets extra excited in the car when he figures out where we’re going based on the route we take.

Yet, for all he understands, there are still moments when he simply doesn’t listen. I’ll call him to come inside, and he doesn’t even glance my way. I’ll tell him, “No begging at the dinner table,” and he’ll just widen his puppy-dog eyes. It’s not that he doesn’t hear or understand—he’s just choosing not to listen because he doesn’t want to do what’s being asked of him!

And if I’m honest, my stubborn dog isn’t the only one who practices selective hearing. Sometimes, I do too—even when God is the one speaking to me.

In Matthew chapter 13, we find Jesus teaching a large crowd. He told them many stories in the form of parables, including the parable of the farmer scattering seed. When Jesus is done teaching, His disciples ask Him why He teaches in parables (Matthew 13:1-10). Jesus replies,

“For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.” (Matthew 13:13-15, NLT)

Even people in Jesus’ time practiced selective hearing! They heard Jesus’ parables but didn’t seek to understand their meaning. When we read the Word or spend time in God’s presence, are we truly listening to what He’s saying—or are we simply hearing the words? When we truly open our hearts and minds to God’s Word, the Holy Spirit may bring conviction—and that conviction often calls us to change.

Have you ever practiced selective hearing when God is speaking to you? When God speaks, we don’t want to ignore it! Even if what He’s asking of us seems like more than we want to do, or are capable of doing, remember: He’s calling us into something better—His presence, His healing, and His peace.

Starting today, let’s guard against selective hearing in our faith. May we have “ears to hear” so that we can both listen and understand (Matthew 13:9). When Jesus stands at the door of our heart and knocks, may we hear His voice and open the door so He can come in (Revelation 3:20).

Father God, by the power of Your Spirit, guard our hearts against selective hearing. Help us truly hear Your Word—not just with our ears, but with open hearts and willing minds. Increase our understanding so we may experience Your healing and walk in Your freedom.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Have you ever used a tool for something other than what it was designed to be used for? Sometimes, a little improvisation is the best solution in the moment. I’ve used my car key to open a package when I couldn’t find scissors. When a table wobbles, folding up a napkin to level it is a quick fix.

While these shortcuts can be useful, I’d never forget the original purpose of those items.  I still need my car key to start my car; it’s not really a box cutter.  And napkins? They still belong at my dinner table, not just stuffed under the leg of every chair in my house!

Just because we temporarily repurpose something, doesn’t mean its true purpose has changed. The same can be said about us.

We can turn to Scripture for the truth of our purpose:

Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made…. The people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise (Isaiah 43:7, 21 ESV).

Our Creator made us for the ultimate purpose of His glory. We were designed to praise Him with our lips and with our lives (see also 1 Peter 2:9 and Ephesians 1:11-12). What a beautiful purpose to declare over our lives!

But when life throws us off course, we can forget our purpose. We might start looking to other things to give us meaning or peace. We chase security through success, fulfillment through earthly relationships, or direction through worldly voices. Without realizing it, we’ve started worshipping creation instead of the Creator.

These things might offer momentary satisfaction, but they will always fall short. Worldly things were never meant to carry the weight of our worship. They are stand-ins—cheap imitations of our original purpose.

The good news? Our purpose doesn’t change. Even if we’ve wandered for a while, we can never be broken or repurposed beyond recognition. We don’t need to find a new purpose—we just need to return to our true one. 

Let the Lord remind you today: you were made for His glory.

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens… Worship the Lord in splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth (Psalm 96:1-5, 9)!

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Scripture is quoted from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. 

Do you know someone who always predicts the surprises in movies and TV shows? My dad and my husband are like that. They’re never surprised—ever. The lovable neighbor who turns out to be the bad guy in that award-winning thriller movie? They guessed it was him just by reading the plot description. The surprise ending to the critically acclaimed TV series? They had it figured out by episode two. No plot twist or surprise ending ever catches them off-guard because they're always looking for subtle clues—tiny hints that, when pieced together, make things crystal clear to them long before the big, on-screen reveal.

The book of Esther requires us to be just as observant. Interestingly, God’s name is never mentioned throughout the entire book. But that doesn’t mean that God is absent. It just means we must look a little closer to see how His character is being revealed.

In Esther chapter 2, we read:

This man (Mordecai) had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter. As a result of the king’s decree, Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the King’s harem . ... One day, as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs … became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther (Esther 2:7-8, 21-22).

At first glance, this section of Scripture might seem like a few unrelated facts. But if we dig a little deeper, we can see the hand of God at work—even though His name isn’t mentioned.

Esther suffered the tragedy of losing her parents. But the Bible tells us that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28). Because of that loss, Esther came under Mordecai’s care, eventually leading to her place in the palace. Because she was in the palace, Mordecai was able to warn her about the assassination plot. And because of that, the king’s life was spared. These are not coincidences! These are fingerprints of a sovereign God orchestrating a much bigger plan.

This small snippet is just one example of how the Book of Esther paints a portrait of a God who records every day of our lives, even before we are born (Psalm 139:16)! If you continue reading (and pay attention to all of the clues), you will see that the Book of Esther quietly reveals a God who sees every detail and weaves them together for a greater purpose—one that ultimately leads to the deliverance of His people.

So, what about us? Where might we see God working in our lives in ways that aren’t immediately obvious? What hardships has He used to position us for something greater? What moments, though painful or confusing at the time, later revealed His faithful hand? The story of Esther encourages us to be spiritual detectives—to look closely for clues and to trust that even when God seems silent, He is never absent—and He is always working.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I met one of my best friends during a summer internship. After a summer of working together, we had grown from just co-workers to friends. On the last day of my internship, she said to me, “You’re way more fun than I thought you’d be!” Apparently, her first impression of me was that I was very solemn, maybe even a little standoffish! In reality, I was just shy, a little on the quiet side, and taking my work seriously. Over time, as she got to know me better, she saw me as a whole person, not just an initial impression.

Nathanael might have also made a bad first impression. In John chapter 1, Jesus is getting ready to begin His public ministry by calling His first disciples. Among the first are Andrew, Simon Peter, and Phillip (John 1:40-43).

Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

“Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”(John 1:45-46 NLT)

Ouch! Nazareth was considered a small, insignificant town. Nathanael’s question was more than just a casual remark—it was harsh and dismissive. If I was about to meet Nathanael for the first time and I knew he had said something like that about me, I probably wouldn’t have been thrilled to meet him. I might have made a passive-aggressive comment, maybe I would have been cold and unkind, or maybe I would have refused to meet him at all! But not Jesus.

As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.” (John 1:47)

Instead of taking offense at Nathanael’s words, Jesus praises him for his integrity. Why? Because He already knew Nathanael intimately (John 1:48). He knew he was more than his opinions, snap judgments, careless words, or mistakes.

The same is true about you and me. Jesus knows us intimately (Psalm 139:13, 16)! He is El Roi, the God who sees us (Genesis 16:13). In fact, Scripture tells us that every person that you and I meet was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and that Jesus died so that they might be saved (Romans 5:8). That extends to the person who you have a negative impression of because they disagree with you, the person you know has said something unkind about you, and even the person who made a mistake that negatively impacted you.

We cannot control how others think, act, or speak towards us. But we can control how we treat others, and we should desire to do so in a way that’s aligned with the heart of our heavenly Father (Matthew 5:43-48, Luke 6:27-36). Let us look to Christ as an example and treat everyone as a person who was lovingly created in Christ’s image, with whom He desires to have a relationship—because it’s true! (see John 3:16, 1 John 4:10).

When we treat others with the same grace that Jesus offers us, we not only reflect His love but also create space for transformation in their lives (Romans 2:4). Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to empower us to treat everyone with the same grace and love that Jesus shows us. And as we do, let’s pray that those around us would encounter Jesus in a personal way, just like Nathanael did, and respond with the same awe and worship:

Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!” (John 1:49)

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

One of the first things I did when I got my own house was plant an herb garden. I loved the idea of cooking with fresh herbs whenever I wanted. I wanted parsley for homemade pasta sauce, rosemary for roasting chicken, basil for fresh pesto, and any other herb I could get my hands on.

After the hard work of fencing off an area for the garden, planting the seeds, and watering the ground, I had a beautiful, green, fragrant herb garden growing right next to my back porch. And then, I used them once. After all the time and effort that I poured into my herb garden, all I had to show for it was one batch of homemade pesto sauce. Those herbs had the potential to flavor countless delicious meals, but since I never harvested them, they remained just an herb garden.

In Luke chapter 10, Jesus sends out disciples to towns and villages to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, and tell people that the kingdom of God is near.

These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” (Luke 10:2, NLT)

Paul gave a similar charge to the church in Rome:

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? (Romans 10: 14-15)

Scripture tells us that we live in a fallen world (Genesis 3), meaning that the world is full of people who are hurting, sick, lonely, broken, and empty. Jesus compassionately saw them as “confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36).” Each one of these people has the potential to experience the transformation, restoration, and sanctification that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. However, if no one reaches out to them with the hope of the Gospel, they will remain lost, confused, and helpless.

Let us decide today that the harvest that Jesus spoke of in Luke 10:2 and Matthew 9:37-38 will not be wasted like my herb garden. Let us make a commitment to praying to the Father to send more workers into His fields.

Father God, we thank You that You are the Lord of the harvest. We pray today that You would prepare and send out more people to share Your love and truth with a hurting world. Every day, we see countless people who need to know You. Please give us Your compassion for the lost. Stir our hearts to echo the call of the prophet Isaiah: “Here I am. Send me (Isaiah 6:8).” Equip us with the courage and strength to help gather Your great harvest.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! (Isaiah 52:7)

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Growing up, American Idol was one of my favorite shows. Every Tuesday night, I would park myself in front of the television, listen to all of the performances, write down the phone numbers for my favorite contestants, and spend the night calling in my votes (long before text or in-app voting existed!).

In Exodus chapter 20, we read the Ten Commandments given from God to His people. The second commandment instructs us against idolatry:

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.” (Exodus 20:4-5 NLT)

This command is reiterated in Deuteronomy 29:18-20 as Moses reviews the covenant the Lord has made with His people:

“I am making this covenant with you so that no one among you—no man, woman, clan, or tribe—will turn away from the Lord our God to worship these gods of other nations, and so that no root among you bears bitter and poisonous fruit. Those who hear the warnings of this curse should not congratulate themselves, thinking, ‘I am safe, even though I am following the desires of my own stubborn heart.’ This would lead to utter ruin! The Lord will never pardon such people. Instead, his anger and jealousy will burn against them.”

Warnings of the consequences of idolatry can be found throughout the New Testament as well (Colossians 3:5-8, Ephesians 5:5, Romans 1:23-25).

I would guess that most of us living in America in the 21^st century have not been tempted to bow down and worship statues or images of other gods. However, we would be foolish to believe that this means we are free from the temptation of idolatry. In our culture today, countless things are vying to become our idols.

Perhaps, similar to my American Idol days, we are spending our time divvying out our votes of what is going to get the top spot for our passion, attention, and desire week after week. The idols of sports, entertainment, politics, success, notoriety, control, beauty, and wealth may look different than the idols of the Old Testament, but we still need to be careful of the posture of our hearts towards such things.

In Mark 12:30, Jesus gives us the key to overcoming all forms of idolatry. When asked which of the commandments was most important, Jesus replied,

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”

When we are wholly devoted to loving God, there is no room left for devotion or worship of anything else. Let us desire to uproot and rid our hearts of anything that has become an idol in our lives so that we can make room to truly love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Father God, please forgive me for the idols I have made in my life. Please open my eyes to idols that I am blind to. Give me the strength and discernment to alter the posture of my heart toward them. I know it may be difficult, but I thank You that You promised us in Your Word that everything is possible with You (Mark 10:27). You alone are worthy of our devotion and praise.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I don’t love flying. When the skies are clear and the ride is smooth, maybe it’s not so bad. But bad weather and turbulence can make travel by plane a very unenjoyable experience.

Once, on a work trip, my plane had to fly through a violent storm. Prior to takeoff, all flights into Dallas, Texas, had been grounded because the weather was so severe. We had eventually been given the green light to begin our flight, but as we arrived to land, the storm was still raging. I could hear the hail hitting the outside of our aircraft. The high winds were causing extreme turbulence and keeping us from landing safely. We’d begin to descend for landing, only to have to pull back up and try again, and again, and again.

Sitting across the aisle from me on that flight was a grey-haired captain who worked for that airline, on his flight home for the evening. Throughout the storm, he continued to calmly eat his snacks, drink his soda, and watch a movie on his phone. As the turbulence jostled us around in our seats, he never even looked up from his screen. Watching how unconcerned this pilot seemed brought me peace. He was a captain, after all! He would know if we were in danger. If he wasn’t worried about the storm, maybe I didn’t need to be either.

In Mark chapter 4, we read about a similar storm taking place on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus and His disciples are in a boat that is being tossed about by the winds and waves, to the point where their boat is beginning to fill with water (v. 35-37).

Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:38-40 NLT)

Sometimes, when we’re navigating the storms of life, it can feel like Jesus is asleep in the back of our boat. We may even want to yell, “Don’t You care?!” just like His disciples did. But we learn from Mark chapter 4 that Jesus slept, not because He didn’t care about the storm, but because He knew they would survive it (Mark 4:41).

Throughout his career, the captain on my turbulent flight had probably been through other storms that were just as bad, maybe even worse! Seeing his calm demeanor allowed me to feel at ease as well.

When life begins to feel turbulent, we can keep our eyes on the Captain of our lives for comfort and assurance. Colossians 1:17 reminds us that He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. So, we can be confident that if we keep our eyes on Jesus, we’ll see that He is never worried (Luke 12:25-26, John 14:27)! Let the promise that our God is with us (Isaiah 41:10) and for us (Romans 8:31) give us peace through every season of our lives.

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! (Psalm 46:1-3)

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.