Today’s Walk in the Word

Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.          —Proverbs 4:23 The leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease. Someone in this country has a heart attack every forty-two seconds, resulting in 610,000 heart-related deaths per year. If your heart malfunctions, you’re in trouble. Solomon spoke […]

Love your neighbor as yourself.                  —Luke 12:31 Founded in 1995 by former First Lady Laura Bush, the annual Texas Book Festival in Austin is one of the country’s most prestigious literary events. Featuring 300 nationally recognized authors, attendance averages 50,000. One presenter encouraged aspiring authors to “Write […]

Search me, O God, and know my heart.                        —Psalm 139:23 Bold white letters on a solid red background of the billboard screamed: “This year thousands of men will die from stubbornness.” In smaller print, it targeted men who neglected medical screenings and died from […]

If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.               —John 7:37 Margaret Bradley, a University of Chicago medical student and veteran marathoner, attempted a Grand Canyon “day run” in 120-degree weather. Unaccustomed to Arizona heat, Margaret died from dehydration. Yes, dehydration can be fatal. At Jacob’s […]

I have given you a land for which you did not labor.                                            —Joshua 24:13 The last sentence of the Declaration of Independence runs: “For the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on […]

You became a model to all the believers.                       —1 Thessalonians 1:7 In 1 Thessalonians 1:9–10, Paul sketches a three-panel picture of authentic Christianity: “You turned to God from idols / to serve the living and true God / and to wait for his Son […]

We all stumble in many ways.                  —James 3:2 The longest winning streak in college sports history ended on January 18, 2012, when Trinity College’s squash team lost to Yale after 252 consecutive victories. It was Trinity’s first loss in fourteen years. Coach Paul Assaiante received an email […]

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.              —Ecclesiastes 1:2 Solomon is the perfect portrait of opulence. He had it all. In a single sentence, he summarized it: “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure” (Eccl 2:10). Even so, he came up empty: “Vanity of […]

You have heard of Job’s perseverance.                           —James 5:11 Most of us grew up hearing the phrase, “She has the patience of Job,” to describe someone who calmly faced adversity. My reading of the book of Job shows him to be far from […]

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart.    —Psalm 9:1 Izaak Walton was thankful for what he had—but most of all, for what he didn’t have: “Every misery that I miss is a new mercy,” he said. When Walton heard of people afflicted with terrible diseases or victims of horrible accidents, […]