St. Andrews Lutheran Church

24/06/2026

Daily Devotions - Wednesday, 24th

Text: "He will again have compassion on us." – Micah 7:19

Devotion:
Notice the word "again." This is not God's first time showing mercy. He has done it before. To Abraham, when he lied. To David, when he murdered and committed adultery. To Peter, when he denied Christ three times.
And He will do it again. Today. Tomorrow. Next week. Next month when you fail in the same old way. God's compassion is not a one-time event—it is His permanent character.

Luther said: "God is not a God of wrath to those who believe, but a God of compassion." Your sin is old news to God. His mercy is fresh every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). You don't exhaust God's patience—you demonstrate His glory.

When you sin today (and you will), don't run away. Run toward Him. He is already compassion-ready.

Prayer: Merciful God, thank You that Your compassion is not used up. I will fail again, but You will forgive again. Let me run to You, not from You. Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria – AAHollas

23/06/2026

Daily Devotions - Tuesday, 23rd

Text: "He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love." – Micah 7:18

Devotion:
Here is a sentence that should make you sleep peacefully tonight: God does not retain His anger.
Think about how you hold onto things. A rude comment. An unfair criticism. A broken promise. You replay it. You nurse it. You keep it warm in your heart like a fire waiting for fuel.

God does not do this. When He forgives, He releases. His anger was real—sin is not a joke. But His anger has an expiration date. Why? Because His love is not a fleeting emotion. It's steadfast—it endures. It outlasts His anger. It outlasts your failures.

If you are still carrying guilt for something God has already released, you are holding what He has dropped. Let it go. He has.

Prayer: Father, I confess that I often hold onto guilt longer than You do. Teach me to receive Your forgiveness fully. Help me to believe that Your anger is gone and Your love remains. Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria – AAHolla

22/06/2026

Daily Devotions - Monday, 22nd
Text: "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression?" – Micah 7:18

Devotion:
Have you ever asked the wrong question about God? Most people ask: "How can God forgive me after what I've done?" But Micah flips it. He doesn't ask if God can forgive. He asks who is like God in forgiving.
Our world is full of grudges. We remember hurts. We keep score. We demand payment. But God? He pardons. He doesn't just overlook sin—He actively removes it. The word "pardoning" means to lift up and carry away. Like a father carrying his child out of danger.

Today, stop asking whether God is angry enough to punish you. Start asking: Who is like Him in mercy? No one. Not your boss. Not your friend. Not even yourself. God is in a category of His own—the God who delights to forgive.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to ask the right questions. Not "How can You forgive me?" but "Who is like You?" Break my habit of comparing Your mercy to human forgiveness. You are alone in Your grace. Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria – AAHollas

21/06/2026

🍫 Father's Day can feel a bit like dark chocolate.
For some, it is sweet. For others, it carries a certain bitterness. For many, it is a mixture of both.

In Micah 7:18-20, we are invited to lift our eyes beyond our earthly experiences and to look to our heavenly Father, a Father like no other.

❤️ He delights in showing mercy.
🌊 He casts our sins into the depths of the sea.
🤝 He remains faithful to His promises forever.

Whatever Father's Day means for us this year, we are not defined by the fathers we had or by the fathers we have been. Through Jesus Christ, we are beloved children of God.

In times of failure, we are met with mercy.
In times of guilt, we are given forgiveness.
In times of uncertainty, we are held by His faithfulness.

Therefore, with Micah we stand in wonder and ask:

"Who is a God like You?" (Micah 7:18)

There is no Father like our Father.

🍫 Father's Day can feel a bit like dark chocolate.For some, it is ...

21/06/2026

A Father like No Other (Trinity 3 2026)

20/06/2026

19/06/2026

Daily reflection: Friday 19 June 2026
Carrying God's Warmth into the World

📖 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others. Matthew 5:14-16

🕯️ A fire does not keep its warmth to itself. Everyone gathered around it benefits from its heat and light. In the same way, God's love is not meant to be kept to ourselves. Having received His love, we are called to share that warmth with others.

Jesus calls His followers the light of the world. Through the Holy Spirit, He sends us into our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities as His witnesses. We do not shine by drawing attention to ourselves. Rather, our lives point beyond ourselves to Jesus Christ. Through faithfulness, integrity, hope, and love, others catch a glimpse of His goodness and grace.

Today, God invites us to carry the warmth of Jesus Christ wherever we go. May our lives reflect His light, so that others may come to know the One who warms cold hearts and brings hope to a weary world.

🙏 Lord, thank You for warming my heart with Your love. Send me into the world as a bearer of hope, kindness, and compassion so that others may experience the warmth of Christ through me. Amen. (HPvF)

18/06/2026

Daily reflection: Thursday 18 June 2026
Warm Hands of Service

📖 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. John 13:14-15

🕯️ There is something comforting about standing in the gentle warmth of the sun after a chilly start to the day. Simple things often bring unexpected comfort. In the same way, small acts of service can make a big difference. A meal prepared, a lift offered, or help freely given can lighten another person's load.

Jesus showed His love by serving others. He knelt to wash His disciples' feet and taught them to do the same. Through the Holy Spirit, He teaches us to reflect His love through ordinary acts of humble service become opportunities to follow His example.

Today, God invites us to look beyond ourselves. As those who have been served by Jesus Christ, we are free to serve others. Through willing hands and humble hearts, the love of Jesus becomes visible in everyday life.

🙏 Holy Spirit, open my eyes to opportunities to serve. Use my hands and my life to reflect the love of Christ. Amen. (HPvF)

17/06/2026

*Daily reflection: Wednesday 17 June 2026*
*The Warmth of Presence*

📖 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

🕯️Many people love wrapping themselves up in a blanket on a cold day. The blanket does not take the cold away, but it helps you to endure it. The same is true for life. Sometimes people do not need answers or solutions. They simply need someone beside them. A listening ear, a quiet visit, or a shared prayer can remind a hurting person that they are not alone.

Jesus promised never to leave His people. Through the Holy Spirit, He remains with us in every season of life. In the same way, He calls us to walk alongside one another and to help carry each other's burdens. Often, God's comfort comes not through explanations, but through the gift of a caring presence.

Today, God invites us, through the Holy Spirit, to slow down and notice those who are struggling. We may not be able to fix every problem, but we can be present. And as we walk alongside others, the Holy Spirit enables us to reflect the comfort, compassion, and peace that Jesus Himself brings.

🙏 Lord Jesus, thank You for being with us. Help me to be present for others and to share their burdens with love and compassion. Amen. (HPvF)

16/06/2026

Daily reflection: Tuesday 16 June 2026
Warm Words for Cold Days

📖 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29

🕯️On a cold winter’s day there is something comforting about wrapping your hands around a warm cup of coffee. The warmth brings relief and helps us face the day. The same is true for words. Words have the power to warm or wound. A kind word can bring comfort to a heart grown cold through worry, loneliness, or disappointment, while harsh words can bring further coldness.

Paul reminds us to speak words that build others up and give grace to those who hear. The Holy Spirit also works through ordinary conversations. God can use a phone call, a message, a prayer, or a few caring words to strengthen someone who is struggling. Through these simple acts, God brings His love and encouragement to people in ways we may never fully see.

Today, God invites us to be people whose words bring warmth rather than coldness. Instead of tearing down, God, through His Holy Spirit, enables us to encourage and support one another. And as we ourselves have been comforted by God's love, we are able to share that same warmth with others, so that they too may receive His kindness, encouragement, and grace.

🙏 Holy Spirit, guide my words today. Help me to speak with kindness and encouragement so that others may experience Your love. Amen. (HPvF)