Explore every episode of the podcast Be Still: Daily Devotional

No reading today. The Examen is a practice of prayerful review, looking back with God over what has been, noticing where you were drawn toward life and where you were drawn away from it.

Give it the quiet it asks for.


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today's reading: 1 Samuel 20

Closing song: "Be Still"
Written by Jason Phillips; Casey Corum
© 2019 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing (ASCAP). World Wide admin Vineyard Music USA. Used by permission. CCLI 7126279
Listen: https://youtu.be/l1gofYxnWpE

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today's reading: Psalm 37

Closing song: "Let Your Glory Fall"
Written by David Ruis
© 1992 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing (ASCAP). Used by permission. CCLI 785489
Listen: https://youtu.be/1T5JeKgopj8

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today's reading: Philippians 4

Closing song: "Arms of Love"
Written by Craig Musseau
© 1991 Mercy Vineyard Publishing (ASCAP); Vineyard Songs (Canada) (SOCAN) (adm at IntegratedRights.com). Used by permission. CCLI 824481
Listen: https://youtu.be/0voHuS1V57s

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today's reading: Psalm 71

Closing song: "You Don't Have To Lose Heart"
Written by Adam Russell; Casey Corum; Jack Mooring; Leslie Jordan
© 2021 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing/ASCAP; Integrity's Praise! Music/Little Way Creative/BMI; Integrity's Alleluia! Music/Jack Mooring Worship/ASCAP. Used by permission. CCLI 7170167
Listen: https://youtu.be/kdC-xOfC5Kc

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today's reading: 1 Samuel 16

Closing song: "Prayer of Consecration"
Written by Jonny Riggs; Rich di Castiglione
© 2021 Vineyard Songs (UK/Eire); Integrity Music (adm at IntegratedRights.com). Used by permission. CCLI 7185118
Listen: https://youtu.be/4jlrvO_FwHU

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

No reading today. The Examen is a practice of prayerful review — looking back with God over what has been, noticing where you were drawn toward life and where you were drawn away from it.

Give it the quiet it asks for.

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today's reading: Nehemiah 2

Closing song: "You Make Everything New"
Written by Adam Russell
© 2015 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing (ASCAP). Admin. worldwide by Vineyard Music. Used by permission. CCLI 7051261
Listen: https://youtu.be/iPTsDdRw4tE

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today's reading: Psalm 61

Closing song: "Invitation Fountain"
Written by Michael Pritzl
© 2000 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing (ASCAP); Vineyard Worship Publishing USA (BMI) (all adm at IntegratedRights.com). Used by permission. CCLI 3483224
Listen: https://youtu.be/nmK57vAajDg

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today's reading: Hebrews 13

Closing song: "We Say Yes"
Written by Casey Corum; Jim Zartman
© 2015 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing (ASCAP). Admin. worldwide by Vineyard Music. Used by permission. CCLI 7038280
Listen: https://youtu.be/q_Q3McCBDg4

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today's reading: 2 Corinthians 4

Closing song: "The Hidden Place"
Written by Harmony Smith; Krissy Nordhoff; Mitch Wong
© 2020 Integrity Worship Music/Vineyard Songs (UK/EIRE)/PRS; Integrity's Alleluia! Music/Nordinary Music Publishing/SESAC; Integrity's Praise! Music/BMI (adm worldwide at CapitolCMGPublishing.com; excluding the UK & Europe which is adm by Integrity Music). Used by permission. CCLI 7160466
Listen: https://youtu.be/XZVqo-FuvwM

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today's reading: Psalm 50

Closing song: "You Are God"
Written by Dana Masters; Casey Corum; Tina Colón Williams
© 2021 Mercy/Vineyard/ASCAP; Integrity Worship Music/ASCAP (all adm at IntegrityRights.com). Used by permission. CCLI 7178153
Listen: https://youtu.be/ag4DYWGFJvc

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

No reading today. The Examen is a practice of prayerful review — looking back with God over what has been, noticing where you were drawn toward life and where you were drawn away from it.

Give it the quiet it asks for.

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
______

Today is February 17th.

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the book of Genesis chapter 47.

"1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”
“Your servants are shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please l
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you,6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 10 Then Jacob blessed[b] Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children."

The story of Joseph is long and full of family drama including deceit, pain, jealousy, disappointment, and finally... after a long time...redemption. Think about your own family situation. Is there family drama? Or perhaps you wish you had some family drama, because you aren’t connected to family and feel alone. Take a moment to bring your feelings about your family situation to God

As you hear the passage read again… pay attention to Jacob, Joseph’s father. He tells Pharaoh “my years have been difficult”. Jacob had watched his children struggle, and watched them fight, and had probably experienced disappointment as a result. Perhaps Jacob wondered what he could have done differently... Can you identify with that sentiment?

"1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”
“Your servants are shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you,6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed[a] Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children."

This passage ends with Joseph forgiving and providing for his family, even after they had caused Joseph great pain. Joseph didn’t respond out of anger to his family’s faithlessness, but he responded out of God’s faithfulness. As we end our time of prayer, what is God’s wisdom to you for your own family situation? Ask God for grace to response in the ways that he is leading you.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Credit:
Take Me With You - Vineyard Worship/Samuel Lane (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
______

Today is February 16th.

Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from Romans chapter 1.

"16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Paul says that He is not ashamed of the Gospel. As we begin, take a few moments to think about how you would define ‘the gospel’ message? The word gospel itself means ‘good news’.
If someone asked you today 'what is the good news that Christians talk about’, think about how you could answer them, in your own words, and in your own experience?

This phrase ‘righteousness of God that is by faith from first to last...’ has a lot of meaning packed into it. For Christians, righteousness means to be without sin, to be fully right with God, and to demonstrate his just and right ways in the world. Paul tells us here that the gospel makes us right with God by faith from first to last! So the good news is that it’s our faith in Christ – and only our faith in Christ – that confers on us God's righteousness. Not anything we do, or any action we take. As you hear the passage again, thank God that you are fully right with Him because of Christ.

"16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Does it seem easy for your faith in Christ to take on a religious sensibility? For your faith to be expressed more in dos and don’ts, or rules and ritual, or apathy, than in your actual, thoughtful, emotional and spiritual awareness of the powerful thing Christ has done for you? Sometimes our faith needs to be stirred up. Sometimes we forget that we actually believe the gospel is true, and that it has power. As we end of our time, ask God to increase your faith so that you might know the power of the Gospel again.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Credit:
No Longer Strangers - Vineyard Soul (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
_________

This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
______

Today is February 13th.
 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. 
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”  
 
Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew, 3:1-5 .

 
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.
 

John the Baptist spent his ministry in the wilderness, preaching repentance and pointing people to Jesus. He seemed strange to his contemporaries, just like he seems strange to us. The word ‘repentance’ also seems strange to our modern ears. For some, that word calls to mind stereotypes of angry religious preachers. For others, it seems irrelevant. For others, it creates feelings of shame. What does the word ‘repentance’ bring to your mind? How does it make you feel?
 
The Greek word that repentance is metanoia. It implies a drastic reorientation of mind and heart… a turning point in someone’s experience of reality that changes everything. As you hear the passage read again… consider that John is inviting his listeners to enter a radical new understanding of life, of meaning, and of ultimate reality. Ask yourself, What is it you need to turn away from in order to turn toward God’s new reality for you today? Listen to John’s call to you…
 
Repentance is a word that should be filled with a sense of encounter, power, and meaning. It reminds us that there is purpose and direction to our life, and that we were made for so much more than we often realize. Repentance does imply that we turn away from sin… but what is even more important is what we are turning to face, and to encounter: God, Father, Son, and Spirit. As we end our time of prayer today, imagine yourself turning toward God, and ask Him again to reorient you to His presence.
 
Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Music - Kyrie Eleison - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
______

Today is February 12.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.  

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”   
  
Today’s reading is from the book of Exodus, chapter 19.


The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day.  On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.


This story from the OT book of Exodus is an amazing one, recounting an encounter with God. As we enter into prayer today, consider a time you felt a profound sense of God’s closeness... have you ever had a spiritual experience of the Lord that felt like an ‘encounter’? If so, take some time to recall that experience. If not – speak to the Lord about that.
  
Listen to this text again and enter into what it might have felt like? The people experienced God in a sensory way: they felt, smelled, and saw something that was ‘out of this world’. Imagine the impact of this sort of experience.
  
As we end our time of prayer today, speak with the Lord about what this passage has called to mind. Ask God to continue to reveal himself to you, in still, small ways.

Lord God, Almighty and Everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day. Preserve me through Your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity. And in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of Your purpose, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: No Rush - Heaven and Earth - (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
______

Today is Tuesday, February 11.
 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.    
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”     
    
Today’s reading is from the Book of 1 Timothy, chapter 3, The Message Version 
   

If anyone wants to provide leadership in the church, good! But there are preconditions: A leader must be well-thought-of, committed to his wife, cool and collected, accessible, and hospitable. He must know what he’s talking about, not be overfond of wine, not pushy but gentle, not thin-skinned, not money-hungry. He must handle his own affairs well, attentive to his own children and having their respect. For if someone is unable to handle his own affairs, how can he take care of God’s church? He must not be a new believer, lest the position go to his head and the Devil trip him up. Outsiders must think well of him, or else the Devil will figure out a way to lure him into his trap.  
 

Leadership is fraught in our world. We are all too familiar with leadership failures, leadership egos, and leadership disappointments. This scripture must also be familiar with that sort of bad leadership vibe... because the author is taking a good bit of time explaining what leadership integrity looks like to Timothy – a young leader in the church. As we enter into a moment of reflection, what seems more real to you: examples of excellent leadership, or examples of dumpster-fire leadership? 
   
I appreciate the things that scripture commends as integrous leadership: a good reputation. Commitment and faithfulness. Being a non-anxious presence. Being available, and hospitable. Someone who’s smart, gentle, who doesn’t push other people around. Someone who walks the walk and doesn’t just talk the talk. Someone who’s wise. And generous. And who’s ego isn’t overinflated. I believe that the world needs more leaders like this. Listen to the passage again and try to find one descriptor that feels really important to you – something you might be able to work towards developing in your own life.  

As bad as bad leadership can be, a good leader really is an absolute gift. In my life, I’ve been led by some amazing leaders –not perfect, but kind, wise, thoughtful, attentive. My parents are leaders like that. When I was a student, I had mentors in Young Life and at church who really poured into me. Even now, as a 52 year old, I am grateful for faithful and generous leaders in my life who care for me, pray for me, and help me become who God made me to be. Do you have anyone in your life who you’re leading in that sort of way? Take time now as we end, and allow God to stir up your heart for someone who might be able to lead well, and with grace.

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
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Today is February 10th

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from 2 Corinthians chapter 8.

"8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving."

Today’s reading describes an unusual equation: take a severe trial, add to it overflowing joy, add to it extreme poverty, and Paul says that all of these things added up to rich generosity demonstrated by the Macedonian believers. Does this demonstration of generosity and joy amid trial and poverty surprise you? Do you regularly demonstrate financial generosity? How easy, or difficult, is this for you to be generous, especially when you see financial challenges in your life?

Paul calls the generosity of the Macedonian believers a grace and writes that they viewed sacrificial giving as a privilege. He also encourages the Corinthian believers to follow their example and excel in the grace of giving. As you hear the passage read again, can you listen as though Paul’s words are directed to you personally?

"8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the
privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving."

See that you also excel in this grace of giving. Do you experience giving as a grace? More often, we experience receiving as a grace. Look for an opportunity today to give generously; if you aren’t already giving sacrificially to your church community, then maybe today you could begin; or perhaps you are able to give over and above a tithe to additional missions or ministries that are doing good in the world around you. Maybe you are already generous with your finances in those kinds of ways: take a moment and recognize it as a sign of God’s grace, and thank God that you get to partner with him in doing good!

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Credit:
Generous God - Vineyard Soul (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
______

Today is February 9th.
 
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. 
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”  
 
Today’s reading is in two parts, from Genesis 39:1-6 and 20-23.
 

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his househo ld, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate….

Just a little while later, Joseph finds himself in a much different situation:

Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, he Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.


In the first part of our reading, Joseph was living a flourishing and blessed life. In the second part, Joseph was deprived and alone, languishing in prison. Which scene best represents how you are feeling today: flourishing, or imprisoned? Free, or constrained?
 
God’s blessing was with Joseph during both times of his life: both in prospering circumstances, and in difficult circumstances. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul writes that he knows what it is like to be in need, and he knows what it is like to have plenty… and that in each case, the secret to being content is knowing and being strengthened by Christ. As you listen to the reading again, pay attention to how God never left Joseph.
 
Very often we are tempted to let our circumstances determine our sense of God’s presence with us. As we close, talk with God about the circumstances of your week. Invite the Holy Spirit to draw your attention to the presence of God with you today.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Music - You're Always With Us - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
_________

This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
_________

Today is February 6th.
 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. 
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”  
 
Today’s reading is from 2nd Corinthians chapter 4.
 

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
 

In ancient times, things of value were hidden in clay jars… which were common objects not worthy of holding treasure. Paul is writing to the church in Corinth and telling them that we ourselves are like ‘jars of clay’ – ordinary people who hold the treasure of Christ in us, through the Holy Spirit. How does it make you feel when you hear that God has chosen you as a vessel to hold his love and his power?

Paul also describes how fragile these vessels are. He described himself using words like hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down? Do any of those words describe how you feel today? Are you perplexed by something today? Do you feel hard pressed by a particular situation you are facing?

As you hear the passage again, can you offer your situation to Jesus, and ask Him to make you aware of how His life is at work in you in the midst of what you are facing?
 
Paul isn’t describing a totally hopeless situation – he juxtaposes the challenges that he is facing alongside the hope that he has found through life with Christ. As you walk through your day today, ask God to fill your mortal body with the life of Christ, that you may know the hope of his presence, no matter what challenge you are facing.
 
Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Music - Sing Out - Heaven & Earth - (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
_________

Today is February 5.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the book of 2 Kings, chapter 4.


One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!” But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.


I recently heard a story of someone who went on a mission trip to serve a church in a different country. And he was blown away at the hospitality he was shown. He arrived to a host family of modest means who opened their home to him. Not only did they welcome him into their home and family, they insisted that he sleep in their bed, while they slept on the couch. The story in today’s reading is similarly a story of radical hospitality, where a couple made a room for Elisha to stay whenever he passed through town. Think about a time where someone showed you hospitality to you in a way that caused you to pause and say, “Wow this is really extravagant!”

In this story we see that biblical hospitality isn’t just about the details—not just about cleaning the bathroom or sweeping the floors, planning a special meal, or preparing a room for a guest. When we make space for others and when we serve others, we make space for God, and we serve God. As you listen to the passage again, pay attention to how a simple act of hospitality made room for God, and how it changed a couples’ life forever.

Being hospitable doesn’t require you to offer up a nice room in your home or even prepare a fantastic meal. Think less of it as a formula and more of an invitation. As we close our time today, ask God how he might be inviting you to show hospitality to someone in your life. Who is one person who God is highlighting?

Ask him to speak to you about how you can extend the grace of hospitality. And as you do, remember that you are making room for God to move.

Lord God, Almighty and Everlasting Father, You have brought me in safety to this new day. Preserve me with Your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin nor be overcome by adversity. And in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of Your purpose through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Music: All The Same - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
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Today is Tuesday, February 4.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.    
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”     
    
Today’s reading is from the Book of Psalms, chapter 56.    
   

3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 
4     In God, whose word I praise— 
in God I trust and am not afraid. 
    What can mere mortals do to me? 
  
5 All day long they twist my words; 
    all their schemes are for my ruin. 
6 They conspire, they lurk, 
    they watch my steps, 
    hoping to take my life. 
7 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape; 
    in your anger, God, bring the nations down. 
  
8 Record my misery; 
    list my tears on your scroll— 
    are they not in your record? 
9 Then my enemies will turn back 
    when I call for help. 
    By this I will know that God is for me. 
  
10 In God, whose word I praise, 
    in the Lord, whose word I praise— 
11 in God I trust and am not afraid. 
    What can man do to me? 
  

The psalmist begins by declaring: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you". This verse highlights a fundamental choice we face in moments of anxiety. Do you turn inward and let fear dominate, or do you, like the psalmist, intentionally choose to place your trust in God? The psalmist acknowledges the reality of human threats and schemes, but immediately redirects his focus to the power and faithfulness of God. Can you identify any place of fear that God is inviting you to re-orient, away from fear and towards trust in God? 
   
The psalmist is vulnerable and honest with God. He asks God to notice his suffering, and declares that God will turn back his enemies when he calls for help. Do you believe that God sees your suffering, and that he will fight for you? As you hear the scripture again, consider a place in your life where you feel vulnerable, or even under attack, and trust that God is fighting for you.  
 
Take some time today to actively praise God, either through singing or spoken words, even if you don't feel like it. If you are feeling overwhelmed or afraid, write down the things that are causing your fear and ask God to notice your pain. Make a choice to trust in God’s power and presence. Ask God to show you how to rely on his word and to quiet your fears.

Music: Great Are You Lord - Vineyard Worship

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
_________

Today is February 3rd

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from 1 Corinthians 16

"13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love."

This is a short reading, set at the end of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. In between greeting individuals, Paul gives these imperatives to the young church: Be on your guard. Stand firm. Be courageous. Be strong. Do everything in love. The first four of these instructions sound like words a coach might offer their players: both offensive and defensive instructions. When you hear these kinds of exhortations, how do they make you feel? Does one of the four feel particularly relevant to you right now?

Do everything in love. Imagine being on your guard, standing firm, being courageous, and being strong… all wrapped up in demonstrations of love. Does this feel possible to you? To be strong and courageous… and loving? To stand firm and be on your guard… in a loving way? As you hear this brief passage read again… think about what comes most naturally to you. Are you more naturally ‘on your guard’, or ‘loving’. Which do you need to practice with more intentionality?

"13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love."

Jesus himself is our model for strength, courage, and love. And it is only through the Holy Spirit that we are able to follow in His way…. Bring to mind a specific situation or relationship in your life in which you need strength, courage, or love—or possibly, all three! As we end, pray and ask God to give you the ability to demonstrate Christlikeness.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Credit:
Make Us Like Jesus - Vineyard Worship (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

**After much prayer and reflection, we want to share that Be Still will conclude on February 17, 2026. Since 2023, it has been a gift to walk together through daily moments of Scripture, prayer, and stillness. We are deeply grateful for every listener who has made space to meet with God through this devotional. The full archive of episodes will remain available as a resource for anyone who wishes to continue engaging with Be Still. While new episodes will no longer be released, we trust the Lord will continue to use these moments to draw hearts closer to Him. Thank you for being part of this journey.**
_________

Today is February 2nd.

Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today Christians celebrate the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2.


When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took [Jesus] to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”


This is a beautiful passage that tells the story of both consolation and desolation. Simeon experienced consolation when the awaited Christ child was presented to the Lord in the Temple. And we can imagine that Mary, mother of Christ, experienced desolation at Simeon’s words about her son, and about a sword piercing her soul. Imagine how Simeon felt when he took Christ into his arms. Now, imagine how Mary felt hearing the prophetic words of Simeon.

Jesus is present to us in times of both consolation and desolation. As you hear the passage read again, ask Jesus to draw near to you in whatever season you find yourself.

Jesus was presented to Simeon as an infant – but Simeon, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, received him as messiah and as the consolation of Israel. When Jesus first was presented to you, how did you perceive Him? Did you feel moved by the Spirit, like Simeon did? Did you marvel at what was said about him, like His parents did?

As you end your time of prayer, reflect on how it was that you first received Jesus: as consolation? As messiah? How else might you describe your first experience of Jesus?

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: How Glorious You Are - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)

Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today is January 30th.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is Psalm 43.

Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause against an unfaithful nation. Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked. You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

The writer is moving between hope and anxiety, faith and doubt, in this psalm. He asks God to vindicate and rescue him from his enemies. In both this Psalm, and the one right before it, the writer is describing a sort of spiritual depression: the sense that God is far off. How do you feel, knowing that even the writer of this Psalm experienced the feeling of being rejected by God?

Does that knowledge feel like a consolation or desolation for you? As you hear the passage read again, pray along with the psalmist.

Can you make verse three of this psalm a prayer for yourself today? Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me. Do you know someone in a time of spiritual depression who might be encouraged by this passage? Who might need the faithful care of God? Pray for them today as well.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: You Don't Have To Lose Heart - Vineyard Worship, Joshua Miller - (YouTube)


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 29.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the book of Acts, chapter 21.


Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” 26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

This passage reminds me of the demands that are placed on us by other people. People are coming to the Apostle Paul and placing extraordinary demands on him, saying “If you want to prove yourself faithful to God, you need to do this… you need to do that.” Consider for a moment an extraordinary demand that is being placed on you today by someone else... from a family member—a parent or sibling or the demands of parenting a child. Or the demands from your job… from a boss or coworker. Can you allow yourself to feel the pressure of those demands for a moment?

Bring all of that to the Lord today and tell him how you feel. How does Paul respond in that moment? We know from his writings that he was motivated by Christ’s love. Not by people pleasing. Not by his own reputation. In other words, if he ever goes above and beyond, it’s because of Christ, not because of some external demand. Listen to the passage again, and ask yourself where Christ is in the midst of the demands you are facing.

As we close our time of prayer, remember this: You have the same Holy Spirit as the Apostle Paul. If you don’t know how to respond to a demand from someone on you, if you are confused about a decision you need to make, remember that the Holy Spirit lives in you and guides you. Ask him to guide you by his Spirit and through his Word. And trust that he will show you what to do today.

Lord God, Almighty and Everlasting Father, You have brought me in safety to this new day. Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin nor be overcome by adversity. And in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose through Jesus Christ, ou Lord. Amen.


Music: "If You Say Go" - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 28.


The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.    
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”     
    
Today’s reading is from Psalm 119, beginning in verse 89. 
 

Your word, Lord, is eternal; 
    it stands firm in the heavens. 
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations; 
    you established the earth, and it endures. 
91 Your laws endure to this day, 
    for all things serve you. 
92 If your law had not been my delight, 
    I would have perished in my affliction. 
93 I will never forget your precepts, 
    for by them you have preserved my life. 
94 Save me, for I am yours; 
    I have sought out your precepts. 
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me, 
    but I will ponder your statutes. 
96 To all perfection I see a limit, 
    but your commands are boundless. 
 
     
 This psalm in it’s entire is the longest psalm in the bible, and it’s focused on glorifying God and his word. The words for word… sometimes ‘law’, sometimes ‘precepts’, sometimes ‘statues or commands’ – together build a picture that the psalmist is glorifying God’s revelations, God’s discernment, His instructions. The psalmist is saying than in a world where everything changes, where rules change where values change, where people change… God’s word is stable. It’s the only stable thing we have, actually. As you come to prayer today, think about all of the ever-changing things in the world around you. Does that ever feel disorienting?  
   
Our world, for many people, feels like a sea filled with waves, storms, and winds blowing in opposite directions. It doesn’t feel like anything has a firm foundation: even truth. Or virtue. It feels like nothing is enduring. Cultural rules change faster than we can keep track! So do allegiances. The psalmist is describing what we feel – that sense of homelessness, the sense of confusion, the same that we don’t ever have a firm foundation for truth. Listen again for the consolation that the psalmist has found in God’s enduring revelation. God doesn’t change. God always loves mercy and justice. God always is compassionate. God always is willing and wanting to forgive. God always, always, always, offers grace.  
   
Many of us grew up in religious environments where God’s word felt like a bunch of arbitrary rules. Or we grew up in secular environments where cultural norms felt like a bunch of arbitrary rules! Either way, the revelation God brought to the world in Christ is that God’s word isn’t a list of rules…. God’s gracious revelation to us is in Christ, our brother. The spirit, our helper. And they are an ever-present foundation, a tall strong tower to find protection in. I would love for you to, this year, work to read scripture with these sorts of eyes… to read the Bible looking not for a list of rules, but for the steady, firm, and consistent presence of your good and gracious Father God. If you don’t read the Bible regularly, would you consider giving yourself a time each week to sit down, read, journal, and pray. If you don’t understand what you read, look for the passage on a web resource called The Bible Project and there’s a good chance you’ll find a video that will help you understand what’s going on in the book or text you’re looking at.

Music: Dwell - Vineyard Worship


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is January 27th   
  
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.   
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”   
  
Today’s reading is from Psalm 71, The Message Version 
  
You got me when I was an unformed youth, 
     God, and taught me everything I know. 
Now I’m telling the world your wonders; 
     I’ll keep at it until I’m old and gray. 
God, don’t walk off and leave me 
     until I get out the news 
Of your strong right arm to this world, 
     news of your power to the world yet to come, 
Your famous and righteous 
     ways, O God. 
God, you’ve done it all! 
     Who is quite like you? 
You, who made me stare trouble in the face, 
     Turn me around; 
Now let me look life in the face. 
     I’ve been to the bottom; 
Bring me up, streaming with honors; 
     turn to me, be tender to me, 
And I’ll take up the lute and thank you 
     to the tune of your faithfulness, God. 
I’ll make music for you on a harp, 
     Holy One of Israel. 
  
The Psalmist considers his own life with God: from his youth to the end of his life… in times of trouble and in times of honor. Take a moment to orient yourself today: how old are you? How long have you been following the Lord? Do you feel like you are ‘staring trouble in the face’, or ‘streaming with honors’, or somewhere in between? 
  
Reading the Psalms helps us to remember that God is near to us in every season of life: young or old; troubled or encouraged; full of doubt, or full of faith. As you hear the passage read again… listen for a word or phrase that helps give words to the season you find yourself in today. Remind yourself that even now, God is with you.  
  
You got me when I was an unformed youth, 
     God, and taught me everything I know. 
Now I’m telling the world your wonders; 
     I’ll keep at it until I’m old and gray. 
God, don’t walk off and leave me 
     until I get out the news 
Of your strong right arm to this world, 
     news of your power to the world yet to come, 
Your famous and righteous 
     ways, O God. 
God, you’ve done it all! 
     Who is quite like you? 
You, who made me stare trouble in the face, 
     Turn me around; 
Now let me look life in the face. 
     I’ve been to the bottom; 
Bring me up, streaming with honors; 
     turn to me, be tender to me, 
And I’ll take up the lute and thank you 
     to the tune of your faithfulness, God. 
I’ll make music for you on a harp, 
     Holy One of Israel. 
  
The Psalmists are often turning their attention from ‘looking at trouble’ to ‘looking at life’. The Biblical writers don’t deny trouble, darkness doubt, or pain… but, at the same time, they show us how to broaden our attention to include the faithfulness of God, and to the news of His power to save. Is there a situation in your life where you are forgetting to turn your eyes to God’s faithfulness? As we end, remember a time where you’ve seen God’s provision in a time of trouble. Ask God to help you keep your eyes turned toward Him. 
  
Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   
  
Music: Invitacion Fountain - Vineyard Worship/Steve Jones Invitacion Fountain (feat. Steve Jones) (Live) 


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is January 26th.

Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from 1 Corinthians 10.


For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness… These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!


Paul is reminding the church in Corinth that even the ancients of the faith from the time of Moses did not always demonstrate faithfulness… even after they had experienced miraculous things like their deliverance out of Egypt, and God’s provision for them in the desert. Do you ever struggle between faithfulness and faithlessness? “Be careful that you don’t fall!” How do these words make you feel? Do they feel kind, like words spoken by an attentive caregiver, who wants you to stay safe and sound? Do they make you feel defensive?

As you hear the passage read again… consider your own spiritual foundation: does it feel firm? Insecure?

David, the shepherd King and OT Psalmist, prayed that God would search Him and know His heart. Today, invite the Spirit of God to search you and know you in the same way. To show you places where you are standing firm? Can you also invite God to call to mind areas in your life where you should exercise spiritual care?

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: Take My Life - Vineyard Music/Scott Underwood - (YouTube)


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is January 23rd.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the book of Jeremiah, chapter 22.


This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and proclaim this message there: 2 ‘Hear the word of the Lord to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates. 3 This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place. 4 For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these commands, declares the Lord, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.’”

The Prophet Jeremiah is communicating the heart of God to the palace of the King of Judah: to do what is just and right in the eyes of God… to rescue the oppressed and protect the vulnerable. The power of God is demonstrated in counter-cultural ways throughout scripture, and in this case, Jeremiah is speaking the truth about power to the people in power. He is reminding them that the power they have is meant to serve those who are vulnerable—orphans, widows, refugees, children…

Jeremiah is speaking a warning to those in power about how they prioritize these people. What might Jeremiah say to us today? As you hear the passage read again… ask God to help you hear these words in your own life. Consider what it means for you to ‘be careful’ to carry out His commands to do what is just and right with vulnerable people in your life.

There are times as Christians when we will be called to say or to do something that is counter cultural. Can you recall a time that you’ve stepped out or taken a risk to demonstrate the upside-down nature of the kingdom of God? Ask God to give you both conviction and courage to ‘do what is just and right’ in His eyes today.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: "Roll Like A River" - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 22.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from Psalm 46.


God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Welcome to prayer today. As you come to pray, consider how it is you are drawing near to the Lord. Do you come seeking refuge or help? Do you come full of fear? Do you come with a sense of victory, or strength? Talk to God about the condition of your mind, your body, and your heart.

Listen to the scripture again allow the words to strengthen and encourage you... Is there an image that stands out to you?

The Lord Almighty is with us. He is with you. God – the uncreated creator of all that is, the eternal and almighty God: he draws near to you. He is your fortress. He is your strong tower in times of trouble. AS you end your time of prayer today, ask God for His protection – for his ever-present help over your family or friends, over your local church, and over your sisters and brothers in faith... Pray in particular for those who are vulnerable, who are in trouble. And as you pray, offer God your time, money, or energy toward situations that are in need of practice acts of mercy or justice.

Lord God, Almighty and Everlasting Father, You have brought me in safety to this new day. Preserve me with Your mighty power that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity. And in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of Your purpose through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: Nothing Is Too Hard For You - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 21.


The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.      
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”     
    
Today’s reading is from Psalm 145.   
 

The Lord is good to all; 
    he has compassion on all he has made. 
10 All your works praise you, Lord; 
    your faithful people extol you. 
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom 
    and speak of your might, 
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts 
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, 
    and your dominion endures through all generations. 
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises 
    and faithful in all he does. 
14 The Lord upholds all who fall 
    and lifts up all who are bowed down. 
 
  
I’m going to read this section of Psalm 145 again, from The Message translation: 
 

God is good to one and all; 
    everything he does is soaked through with grace. 
10-11 Creation and creatures applaud you, God; 
    your holy people bless you. 
They talk about the glories of your rule, 
    they exclaim over your splendor, 
12 Letting the world know of your power for good, 
    the lavish splendor of your kingdom. 
13 Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; 
    you never get voted out of office. 
God always does what he says, 
    and is gracious in everything he does. 
14 God gives a hand to those down on their luck, 
    gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. 
   

Sometimes reading scripture in different translations can really help us hear it with new ears. This year, in your time of reading the Bible, you might consider doing that. In this text for example, I so love the Message’s translation of the lines: God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. Listen again to the first version and find a word or phrase that sticks out to you. 

Is there any area of your life where you feel ‘ready to quit’? Maybe school has just started up and you’re feeling down about it. Maybe an area of ministry feels dark and unsuccessful. Maybe a relationship with a parent is pulling you out of sorts. Could be your faith feels threadbare right now. Whatever it is, bring that area to the Lord. Speak honestly to Him about your weariness. And ask him to ‘give you a fresh start’, ‘to lift you up where you feel bowed down’.  


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is January 20th

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John chapter 10.

John 10:11-16
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

What image comes to mind when you think of Jesus, the Good Shepherd? Jesus with a little lamb over his shoulder in a idyllic green pasture, with a big smile on his face? That’s not the image in today’s reading. It’s a dangerous picture, with wolves intent on killing the sheep. What does this image tell you about what it means to be a follower of Christ? What are the dangers around you?

The Good Shepherd is the one who defends the sheep, even at the cost of his life. Jesus laid down his life on the cross for you to save you from many dangers to your soul. And he continues to protect you today. As you hear the passage again, can you thank Jesus for all of the ways that he defends and protects you?

John 10:11-16
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he
abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

As we close our time today, pray for the sheep that are not yet gathered in. Bring before the Good Shepherd one person that’s not yet under his care and protection.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Credit:
Good Shepherd (Lead On) - Vineyard Worship/David Ruis
GOOD SHEPHERD (LEAD ON) [Official Lyric Video] | Vineyard Worship feat. David Ruis


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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Today is January 19th.

Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the book of Jeremiah, chapter 18.


This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.


We like to think that we are the ones that shape the events of our lives. But Jeremiah sees a picture that is very different. The Lord is like a potter, and the earth and everything in it are the clay. From the course of world affairs to our personal lives, it is the Lord who shapes what he sees best. How do you feel about this sentiment? Is this notion unsettling to you, or does it bring you peace?

It is not as though the potter is unfeeling or uncaring. The potter is responsive to the clay. As the clay stays soft, as it were, to the purposes of the Lord, then there is blessing. As you hear the passage read again, can you pray that you are like soft clay in the hand of the Lord?

This passage isn’t mainly about individual people being like clay, but nations. As we close our time, can you pray for your nation, and all nations, to be like soft clay in the hands of the Lord, in order to fulfill his kingdom purposes?

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: Form Us - Vineyard Soul - (YouTube)


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

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This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 16th.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John chapter 8.

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Have you ever been caught in a situation where your sin was exposed? How did you feel at that moment? When someone calls you out and confronts you over something you’ve done wrong, or some pattern in your life, what is your primary reaction—embarrassment, defensiveness, humiliation, anger?

In this story, Jesus shows that when it comes to confronting our sin, he deals with us mercifully. He drew the attention away from the woman and onto himself. He removed the fear of judgment so she could be free to change her life and leave her sin behind. As you hear the passage again, consider a sin in your life that feel has gone unaddressed for fear of being exposed. Ask Jesus for his mercy to enter into that area of your life.

As we close our time today, ask the Lord for grace that you may leave your sin behind and follow him in freedom.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: You're All I Need - Heaven and Earth - (YouTube)


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 15

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from Psalm 86.

Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. 5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. 6 Hear my prayer, LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. 7 When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me. 8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. 9 All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. 10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.

Welcome to prayer today. So many of us are moving so quickly, even when we’re trying to Be Still, that we’re not fully present. Can you recall the scripture that we just read? Or, perhaps, were you so distracted that the words already have escaped your mind?! Take some time as we begin and offer any distractions, worries, or to-do's to Jesus.

As we listen again to these words, try to hold them in your mind or heart.... they tell you some profound things about the character of God.

What stands out to me right now is verse seven: ‘when I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me’. The psalmist knows that god will answer. He does not ‘hope’ for it. He knows it. As we end our time of prayer today I want to pray for you, that you will know God, in all of his goodness:

“Father God, we are poor and needy. Please draw near to my sister or brother and demonstrate to them your abounding goodness, forgiveness, and love. Please guard their life and their health. Jesus, be near to your people, and grow us in knowledge of you. Amen”

Music: My Soul Depends On You - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 14th.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.    
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”     
    
Today’s reading is from the book of 1 John, chapter 5.   
 
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 
 
As we enter into prayer today, would you take some time and consider what word you would use to describe how it is YOU approach God? Is it confidence? Fear? Tiredness? Are you rushed? Get quiet for a few moments and think about how you felt just now – before you hit play on Be Still? Share that feeling with God. 
 
These words from first John aren’t meant to tell us that every single thing we pray for will be given to us. We all know that’s not the case in our real lives. It’s meant to speak to something far deeper… that God desires proximity with us. That God hears our prayers. That God’s will is sufficient for us. And most importantly: that God has granted us eternal life, with Him. John’s words are meant to bring comfort to a people who are used to God keeping them at arms length, because of His holiness. They are used to the idea that ‘approaching God’ would come with fear and trembling, like when the priest would enter into the temple. As you listen again, let yourself wrestle with these two truths: God wants us to be near to Him and He hears our prayers….. and sometimes, we feel otherwise.  

What do you think it means to ‘ask according to God’s will?’ That seems to me to have to do with our prayerfulness coming out of deep connection with God. That our prayer would be informed by discernment about what God is up to. IT also seems to me that a lot of times I THINK my prayers are according to God’s will. And yet I don’t feel like I ‘have what I asked of him’. Do you relate to that tension? How do you sit with those realities? As we end today, join me in being vulnerable and authentic with God and talk with Him about things or prayers that haven’t been answered, and that I don’t understand. He loves you, and wants to accompany you as you seek Him in this confusing space.   


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 13th.

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from Psalm 30, the Message version.

I give you all the credit, God—
you got me out of that mess,
you didn’t let my foes gloat.
2-3 God, my God, I yelled for help
and you put me together.
God, you pulled me out of the grave,
gave me another chance at life
when I was down-and-out.
4-5 All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God!
Thank him to his face!
He gets angry once in a while, but across
a lifetime there is only love.
The nights of crying your eyes out
give way to days of laughter.


We all have moments when life doesn’t seem to work for one reason or another. The psalmist gives voice to the emotions we feel in those moments. What is one place in your life that doesn’t seem to be working at the moment? How do you feel about that?

“I yelled for help and you put me together.” When we hit a wall, when our lives fall apart, we sometimes yell at our circumstances, or even yell at God. The Psalmist, though, yelled for help from God. As you hear the passage read again, can you turn your frustration into a yell for help from God?

As we close our time today, remember that God is with you across a lifetime. Ask God to give you a long view of his love so that you may trust him in this moment.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Credit
All Things by Heaven and Earth
youtube.com/watch?v=NaqTc8pyM-E


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 12th.

Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the Book of Genesis chapter 12.


The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.


“The Lord had said to Abram…” Throughout the scriptures, one of the things that distinguishes Yahweh is that he speaks; he is not silent or mute. He speaks in visions, dreams, an audible voice, and a quiet word speaking within. Have you ever had a sense that the God is speaking to you? What has the Lord been speaking to you recently?

Abraham is called the father of faith because when he heard God speak, he obeyed. He acted. Not knowing the outcome or the destination, he did what God asked him to do. In what area of your life is God asking for obedience? As you hear the passage again, ask the Lord to give you more faith to be obedient to what he is asking of you.

God desires not only to bless you but to bless others through you. As we close, ask God to bless one person through you today. Pray, “God make me a blessing today."

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: Anything and Everything - Heaven and Earth - YouTube


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa

Today is January 9th.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John, chapter 5.

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.

We struggle sometimes knowing what God is like. Jesus tells us that we can know what God is like because when we look at Jesus we see God. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. When you think about the stories of Jesus that you know, what kinds of things do you see Jesus doing? What does that tell you about what God is like?

Jesus shares the secret of how he lived his life. Everything he did was dependent on his relationship to God. He lived a life of utter dependency and complete intimacy with the Father and is the model for how we all are meant to live. Where in your life are you dependent on the Father right now and where would you like to increase your dependency on him?

As the passage is read again, consider how the Father loved Jesus and was pleased to show him all he does. Consider how much he loves you.

As you go about your day, can you pray, “Father, give me eyes to see what you are doing, and enable me to do all things by your strength at work in me.”

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Heaven's Work - Vineyard Soul - (YouTube)


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 8

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.  

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”   
  
Today’s reading is from Psalm 69.

Save me, O God,
for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
looking for my God.
Those who hate me without reason
outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,
those who seek to destroy me.
I am forced to restore
what I did not steal.
You, God, know my folly;
my guilt is not hidden from you.


This psalm is a cry for salvation, both from being ‘in over my head’ with something, as well as from ‘my folly, my guilt’. As you enter into prayer today, consider what it is you need to be saved from? Is there a place in your life where you feel out of depth? Is there an area of guilt, or sin that has a hold on you?
  
Do you ever forget to call out to the Lord in times of great need? Do you feel ashamed when you are struggling, or embarrassed about some ‘folly’ - some situation where you should of known better?

The Bible is full of people who feel as though they’ve ‘lost their foothold’, and who yet call out to God. Listen to the psalm again, and ask God to highlight a particular word or phrase for you to pay special attention to.
  
Our psalmist sounds so exhausted. He is worn out. His throat is parched. His eyes fail, looking for His God. And yet. He calls out to the Lord! And the Lord: He inclines, and He hears his cries. God demonstrates His love by continually inclining his face toward us, by inclining His presence toward us, by inclining his grace toward us. Allow yourself today to experience the gaze of God’s loving presence upon you. And – if you know someone who feels like ‘their eyes are failing, looking for God’... intercede for them by name this week.

Lord God, Almighty and Everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music: Sing Out - Heaven and Earth - (YouTube)


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 7.


The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.    
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”     
    
Today’s reading is from the Book of Ephesians, chapter 4.    
   

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.   
1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children. 
 
  
I am glad you are taking time to Be Still today. As we enter into our time of prayer, consider these three incredible words from the passage we just read… perhaps three words you missed while paying attention to everything else: Paul says that you are ‘dearly loved children’ of God. Which implies you love God dearly. How near – or far – do you feel to a dearly loved Child of God right now? 
   
Paul is speaking to the Ephesian church – giving them a specific example of what it means to ‘follow the example’ set before us by Christ himself: in our speech, and treatment of one another. You may notice that the words Paul uses in the first bit are action words. They are not only things we might feel…. They are feelings we might express in the way we treat others: being unwholesome, or crude. Bitterness or anger or rage – which all too often spill out sideways into our actions. As you listen to the reading again, I’d encourage you to do so with humility and curiosity: is your speech generally filled with compassion and forgiveness? Is the way you talk to and about others generally helpful to them? Or might you have succumbed to the temptation of anger? Bitterness? Slander or gossip? Be honest before the Lord. 
   
One the one hand, our culture today can sometimes be experienced as a purity patrol…. Where our speech gets policed and we’re afraid to say the wrong thing! On the other hand, our culture today has a problem with angry and bitter and untrue speech – social media platforms and online comment sections are proof of that. Paul doesn’t just tell Christians to ‘be nice’ or ‘don’t say mean things’. Paul says: you’re supposed to have the same heart for others that He has for you: a heart of kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. This week, and maybe forever – when you go to open your mouth or post online… as yourself: is this kind? Is it compassionate? Is it helpful? If not… do I need to practice forgiveness in some area?

The Bible says that the things that come out of our mouths reflect the state of our heart. That’s not always a pretty picture. This year, if you struggle with your patterns of speech, with coarseness, with anger, or with gossip… be serious about your commitment to follow the way of Christ – as God’s dearly loved children. 


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

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Today is January 6th.  
  
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”   
  
Today Christians throughout history have celebrated the Epiphany, the commemoration of the Magi’s visit, the first manifestation of Christ as savior of Gentiles as well as Jews. Epiphany is among the church’s oldest and most important celebrations.  
  
Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2.  
  
Matthew 2:1-3, 7-12 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him… 
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 
  
 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. 
  
The Magi were the wise and learned of the day. They were astronomers and astrologers—the two were one in the same in the ancient world—who believed that what they saw in the heavens were a sign of God’s activity on earth. The larger point is that from the beginning, Jesus wasn’t just born king of the Jews—he was king of Kings, one who is worthy of worship of all people. As you think about your relationship with God, have you seen something, a sign perhaps, that brought you to your knees to worship Jesus? What brings you to worship Jesus today?   
  
The Magi brought treasures to Jesus that were costly. They brought the finest gifts and presented them to Jesus. They took considerable time and risked their lives to travel many miles. As you hear the passage again, consider, What costly offering can you joyfully give to Jesus today?  
  
Matthew 2:1-3, 7-12 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him… 
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. 
  
As you continue through your day, consider how you might seek Jesus and worship him with the gifts that you have.    
  
Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  
  
Music: Doxology Anthem (Lord We Praise You) - Vineyard Worship 
DOXOLOGY ANTHEM [Lyric Video] | Vineyard Worship 


Be Still: Daily Devotional with Eric and Julia Pickerill.
Originally produced at Vineyard Columbus and republished by permission.

Subscribe: Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-still-daily-devotional/id1662156224 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1vRcmmVmxUU579ZsOFcT1X | Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c57a529f-db23-427f-87fb-e01cb8ca6b78

More at pickerill.casa