Monday,
March 30, 2026
HAND
SURGERY INTERUPTION
Beginning
tomorrow, March 31,2026, there will be an interruption in these devotionals. Thank
you for your interest in them and for your prayers.
Also,
in another disclosure, many of you know that my wife has been diagnosed with
moderate to severe Alzheimer’s dementia. Sometimes this produces stress so, I
would appreciate prayer regarding this as well.
Ron
Abbott
Sunday,
March 29, 2026
Shouting Stones Day
Luke 19:37-40
37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of
Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God
with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace
in heaven, and glory in the highest.
39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him,
Master, rebuke thy disciples.
40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should
hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
Today is Palm Sunday and palm branches are our focus but it might as easily be called
Shouting Stones Day. This was Christ’s appointed day of praise. The whole
creation was aware of the divinity of Messiah and humans mindlessly agreed.
Palm branches were regarded as tokens of joy and triumph and were customarily
used on festive occasions (Leviticus 23:40, Nehemiah 8:15). Kings and
conquerors were welcomed with palm branches being strewn before them and waved
in the air.
Additionally, Palm
Sunday is like the Tabernacle procession. The Feast of
Tabernacles or Sukkot is a seven-day celebration where the
Israelites (or Jewish people today) build a temporary shelter with a roof of
palm leaves or similar vegetation. They eat their meals in the temporary
shelter to help them remember that God protected and provided for them during
the exodus. On the seventh day of Tabernacles is the Hoshana Rabbah,
which includes circling the altar seven times, repeating a prayer that begins
and ends with the word hosha῾-na (meaning, “Save, please!”). The
last circling involves the bundle of willow branches.
The worshipping
rocks became the weeping earthquake in Matthew 27:51 as
Jesus died. Even Paul mentioned the groaning creation in Romans 8:22. But what
the creation knew and acknowledged; man seemed unaware.
Luke 19:41-42
41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least
in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid
from thine eyes.
Dear Lord, I don’t want to be dumber than a box of rocks! Let me praise
and acknowledge you today. AMEN
Saturday,
March 28, 2026
1 John
5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we
have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
God
always gives us enough evidence for belief while withholding just enough to
accommodate the doubter. A good case can usually be made in either direction so
faith must make up the difference.
Sometimes a light surprises –
William Cowper 1779
Sometimes a light surprises the
Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord, who rises with healing in His wings:
When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining, to cheer it after rain.
In holy contemplation we sweetly then
pursue
The theme of God’s salvation, and find it ever new.
Set free from present sorrow, we cheerfully can say,
Let the unknown tomorrow bring with it what it may.
It can bring with it nothing, but He
will bear us through;
Who gives the lilies clothing will clothe His people, too;
Beneath the spreading heavens, no creature but is fed;
And He Who feeds the ravens will give His children bread.
Though vine nor fig tree neither their
wonted fruit should bear,
Though all the field should wither, nor flocks nor herds be there;
Yet God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice,
For while in Him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.
Thank you, Lord, for surprising,
joyful answers to our prayers. AMEN
