December 2025 – Page 3

Be the Real Rain

Proverbs 25:14

“Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.”

Imagine a bone-dry Texas summer. The ground cracks like old pottery. Cattle stand around water troughs that echo when they drink. Then, far off, you spot them, big, billowy clouds stacking up on the horizon. Your heart leaps. You can almost smell the rain coming. You tell the kids, “Grab the buckets; it’s gonna pour!” Minutes stretch into hours. The clouds swagger across the sky, full of sound and fury, then drift away without dropping a single drop. Nothing! Just hot wind and broken hope.

We’ve all met walking weather systems, people who thunder about the blessings they’re going to pour out, the help they’re going to give, the love they’re going to show…and then nothing. The check never arrives. The visit never happens. The promise evaporates. Something inside the waiting heart shrivels a little more.

God calls us to be a different kind of sky. He wants us to be the gentle, steady rain that shows up when it says it will. He wants us to keep our promises. That’s the fragrance our Father loves.

Today, let one promise you’ve made become water in someone’s desert. Follow through. Show up.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

The Shepherd’s Comfort

Today’s reading is Psalm 23:4.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”*

From time to time, we all go through a valley. The fear is real, but so is the comfort to come.

Notice where David’s comfort lies. It isn’t in the absence of shadows but in the presence of the Shepherd. Peace doesn’t come because the valley is easy; it comes because the Shepherd is near. His presence transforms fear into courage, despair into hope.

Next we see, the rod of protection. God shields us from dangers we see and from those we never notice. His strength stands guard over our fragile hearts.

Finally there is the staff of guidance. With gentle nudges, the Shepherd sets our feet on the right path, correcting us when we wander, steadying us when we stumble.

And then, the shift: David stops talking about God-“the Lord is my shepherd” and starts talking to Him – “You prepare a table before me.” The valley becomes personal. Fear turns into prayer. In the valley, the Shepherd is a companion.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

The Abundant Life

Our reading today is John 10:10

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.”

Some folks read this and think of heaven. We imagine joy someday, peace someday, abundance someday. But Jesus is talking about today. Look at how He says it. “I have come so that you may have life.” Then He adds, “and have it in all its fullness.” Not later. Not eventually. The abundant life begins the moment you take His hand.

The thief tries to convince you that abundant living is always out of reach. He steals your joy with old regrets. He kills hope with whispered doubts. He destroys confidence with reminders of past failures. But Jesus offers abundance that begins long before we ever enter heaven’s gates.

We’ve all had days when our hearts would beat and our feet would move, but joy was missing. This verse reminds us that Jesus did not come just to get us into heaven. He came to get heaven into us. Abundant life is not about new cars or fine houses, it is about the ability to enjoy whatever blessings God has given to us.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Failed? Try Again!

Our reading is Proverbs 24:16

“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.”

Everybody falls. It’s what you do after you fall that makes the difference in life.

In December of 1914, a massive explosion and fire swept through Thomas Edison’s plant in New Jersey. The blaze destroyed several buildings, wiped out years of work, and caused millions of dollars in damage. Edison was sixty seven years old.

I think that qualifies as a stumble. Most men would have been crushed. His son, Charles Edison, later told the story himself. He said that as the fire spread, he went looking for his father, afraid of what he might find. He found Edison calmly watching the flames. When Charles approached him, Edison said, “Go get your mother and all her friends. They’ll never see a fire like this again.”

What did Edison do next? The next morning he gathered his workers and said simply, “We will begin rebuilding tomorrow.”

Peter denied Jesus three times, but later preached the first Gospel sermon.
David murdered, but repented and started over.
Jonah ran from God, but turned and obeyed.

Good folks fail, but get up and try, try again.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Hard Rows, Holy Ends

Our reading is Luke 2:4-5

“Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.”

This seemed like bad timing. Caesar passes a law, and Joseph and Mary have to respond with a very difficult trip. Joseph didn’t ask for the decree. Mary didn’t request the journey. Yet Caesar’s order sent them trudging eighty miles over rugged hills and wilderness paths. Picture Joseph’s furrowed brow as he packed provisions. Imagine Mary’s quiet sigh as she adjusted her swollen frame for an eighty mile walk. To them, the timing was hard. A pregnant bride. A weary husband. A road that stretched farther than their strength.

Isn’t that how life often feels? A summons we didn’t expect. A burden we didn’t choose. A path that looks more like punishment than providence. We wonder, “Is this really good?”

Joseph and Mary likely wondered the same. Yet what looked like hardship was heaven’s design. The prophecy required Bethlehem. The Savior’s birthplace was set long before Caesar’s decree. What seemed like a bad idea was God’s perfect plan.

We too don’t know ahead of time whether the road is good or bad. But God sees the Bethlehem beyond the road. He knows the manger is waiting at the end.

So when your journey feels hard, remember Joseph and Mary. Remember that God’s wisdom outpaces our worry. He still knows what is best. Trust Him.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Life’s Seasons

Our reading today is Ecclesiastes 3:1

“To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.”

Life moves in seasons. Some days are bright with laughter, others are heavy with sorrow. Yet every season is held in the hands of God. Waiting teaches us patience. Loss reminds us of the treasure of gain. Hardship, though painful, is never permanent.

Even good words can come at the wrong time. Romans 8:28 is true, but spoken at the graveside of a child, it may wound instead of heal. Wisdom is knowing the season you are in—and choosing words and thoughts that fit that moment.

Life is not all sunshine, nor all shadow. It is both. Gain and loss. Birth and death. Planting and uprooting. Balance is part of God’s design. And through it all, His timing is flawless. When our calendars feel chaotic, His purposes remain steady. Nothing is random; every season carries meaning.

So if you find yourself in a winter of waiting, hold on, spring will come. If you are in a summer of joy, give thanks. Whatever the season, remember God is in here. His timing may be mysterious, but it is always for our best. The God who knows when every sparrow falls to the earth, knows you too.

Finding Joy

Our text today is Habakkuk 3:17-18.

In this reading, Habakkuk begins with a scene that feels like winter in the soul. No figs on the branches and no grapes on the vine. The olive trees have failed, the fields are empty, and the stalls echo with silence. Nothing looks hopeful. In the middle of all that loss, Habakkuk makes a remarkable choice. He says he will rejoice in the God of his salvation.

Through the years I have heard people say, “Jesus wants me to be happy.” No! He wants you to find joy. Happiness is only a visitor that comes and goes. It often depends on how full the pantry is or how easy the day feels. Joy is different. Joy is not tied to circumstances. It is tied to God. Happiness can be a spark that lasts an hour. Joy becomes a steady flame that warms a lifetime.

Joy is remembering the sweetness of the old days while forgetting your small apartment, your car that barely started, and the restaurants you could not afford. Joy is knowing that God is good even when the cupboard is bare. Joy reminds us that God is enough.

Find joy today. Everything is not perfect, but the One who holds you is perfect. The vines may be empty, but the Lord never is.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Turn Your Eyes

Our reading today is Matthew 6:22.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.”

It began in Eden. Eve gazed at the fruit and saw more than food—she saw desire. Her longing turned her eyes into a doorway for darkness. Adam followed. Together they traded paradise for pain. The problem wasn’t eyesight; it was heart-sight. To “look” in Scripture often means to long, to covet, to crave.

History repeats the lesson. King Ahab’s greedy glance at Naboth’s vineyard led to murder and judgment. Demas, once faithful, turned his eyes toward the world and abandoned Christ. Judas fixed his gaze on silver, and the shimmer of coins blinded him to the Savior’s love.

What we fix upon shapes who we become. A longing for what is forbidden darkens the soul. But a gaze fixed on Christ fills us with light. Adam and Eve had every tree but one, yet they wanted the one they should not have. Isn’t that the human story?

God is good! He gives us more than enough. Guard your eyes. Guard your heart. Let your longings be holy, and your heart will shine bright with His light.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

Overcoming Sadness

Our reading today is Philippians 4:8

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.”

You heard people say, “I can’t help how I feel.”

We’ve all said it. But Scripture whispers otherwise. Feelings are not dictators; they are followers. And what they follow is the direction of our thoughts.

I learned this truth during a season of weary mornings. Thirty miles of traffic carried me toward a job I didn’t like. Each mile became a rehearsal of disappointments. By the time I arrived, my spirit was drained. Then one morning, clarity came: I wasn’t discouraged because of what had happened—I was discouraged because of what I was thinking. I was reliving old wounds, giving them fresh power.

That realization was liberating. The cure wasn’t to erase the past, but to redirect the present. From then on, when negative thoughts surfaced, I chose to change the subject to a blessing remembered, a promise recalled, or an old good time I had enjoyed.

Paul’s counsel in Philippians 4:8 became my lifeline: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right…think about such things.”

God doesn’t ask us to deny reality. He invites us to dwell on His goodness. Surely there is something lovely in your life: a sunrise, a friend’s kindness, a great family meal. Think on these, and watch how they crowd out despair.

You are not powerless over your feelings. You are the steward of your thoughts. And when you choose what is excellent and praiseworthy, you choose joy.

Your mind is but a garden; thoughts are the only seeds it knows.
If you sow worry and regret, thorns of sorrow will choke the rows.
But if you sow gratitude and grace, then peace will settle in its place.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.

This is the Day!

Our reading for today is Psalm 118:24.

“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

The summer I was eighteen, I worked in a steel foundry. The word was hard and the heat pressed down like a heavy blanket. My hope was fixed on the day I’d leave for college. That thought always helped me make it through the day. One afternoon, I told an older worker how I couldn’t wait for the future. He looked at me and said, “Don’t wish today away. One day you’ll look back and wish you had this day again.”

Though he may not have known it, he was reminding me of what Scripture already said, “This is the day the Lord has made.” Not tomorrow. Not someday. Today.

At eighteen, I could devour pizza and milkshakes without consequence. I could sit on the floor without a second thought. Now, choices come with caution, and getting up requires a plan, a prayer, and perhaps some furniture to hold on to. But here’s the truth: whether we are eighteen or eighty, this day is still a divine gift. Don’t wish it away.

God doesn’t linger in yesterday’s regrets or wait for tomorrow’s dreams. He is here, present in this breath, this smile, this step. Don’t hurry past it. Don’t wish it away. Each sunrise is His gift. This day is not ordinary, because today is the day the Lord has made, especially for you.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.