READ: MARK 10:46-52; 1 PETER 2:9

"Mom, look!” The whole drive home from the eye doctor, I kept pointing at the world outside the car window. For the very first time, I could read the billboards over the interstate and make out the vibrant green leaves on the trees. Everything that was once dull and blurry had become bright and detailed.

But as the weeks and months went on, my glasses grew smudged and dusty—an inevitable byproduct of sticky fingers and many childhood adventures. So, I would climb down the stairs to my dad’s office and pull out a small bottle of glass cleaner from his desk. A few swipes of a rag later, the world was clear again.

In a similar way, the moment I made a decision to follow Jesus, a veil was lifted. The whole world around me became clear, vibrant, and beautiful. But over time, my spiritual vision became clogged and dusty again. Sin, struggles, shame—all of these smudged my spiritual glasses.

In order to see myself, the world, and God clearly, I have to step into His presence and reacquaint myself with the truths of His Word. When we stop cleaning our spiritual glasses, we forget how clear and detailed the world can be. Soon all we see are smudges and dust. But God waits patiently for us to turn our gaze to Him so that we might see clearly again. • Janise Holmes

• If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, believing that He died and rose again to save us from sin and death, we have His Holy Spirit living within us. The Holy Spirit transforms us and helps us see everything through the lens of the gospel, or good news. How does the gospel affect the way we see ourselves, the world, and God? (For more about the gospel, check out our "Know Jesus" page.)

• We all have times when it’s hard to see clearly, especially when we’re hurting or weary or when we’ve experienced something really hard or confusing. But God longs to remind us of the truth of His love. What are some ways you can be intentional about spending time with God this week and being refreshed in His presence through reading or listening to His Word, talking with Him in prayer, and gathering with His people?

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 (CSB)

READ: PSALMS 25:16-20; 28:6-9; 38:1-8; 138:1-8

One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm 138:8. It says, “Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me. Your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever. Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.” This verse is incredibly comforting to me, and it genuinely applies to every aspect of my life.

In the psalms David wrote—including Psalm 138—he alludes to God, or Yahweh, saving him from his enemies, and he expresses his gratitude for God’s goodness. As I read Psalm 138, I can’t help but think of the enemies God has saved me from: sin, shame, and separation from Him. Because Jesus sacrificed His life for mine, then rose from the grave, I can be forgiven from sin, set free from shame, and reconciled to God. There’s no reason for me to fear anything now!

But I still have so many concerns and fears. I agonize over almost everything—from my schedule to my personal goals to my relationships— rather than entrusting them to God. It’s difficult for me to rely on Him, even though I know how much He loves me.

Learning to trust God is a lifelong process—a process that will only be complete when Jesus returns and makes all things new (Philippians 1:6). But it helps to remember that His lovingkindness is greater than our past, present, and future concerns. He’s able to conquer the concerns we’ve spent hours, days, and even years worrying about. Because He conquered our greatest enemies on the cross, we can trust Him to conquer everything else we fear. • Grace McCready

• Can you think of any ways you’ve seen God’s loving kindness in your life? Consider taking a moment to remember and thank God for these things.

• Learning to trust is not simply an individual activity. God places us in community with His people (the church), and it’s in this community that we learn to trust Him together. Who are Christians in your life you can be honest with about your concerns—people who will listen well, pray with you, and point you to Scripture?

• What are your deepest concerns right now? Consider taking a moment to bring these to God (1 Peter 5:7). He may not answer our prayers the way we expect, but we can rest assured that He is working in all things for the good of those who love Him, transforming us to become more and more like Jesus. And on the day Jesus returns, all our concerns will be done away with! In the meantime, we can rest securely in His love, knowing He is always with us. (Romans 8:18-39)

Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me. Your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever. Don’t forsake the works of your own hands. Psalm 138:8 (WEB)

READ: ROMANS 8:18-39; REVELATION 21:1-5

Think of your favorite T-shirt. How long have you had it? How much have you worn it? Is it the same now as it was on the day it was first made? Probably not. Why? Because of something scientists call entropy.

Entropy is something we’re all familiar with, even if not by that name. It’s one of the laws of physics that states how, over time, order gives way to disorder. When it comes to T-shirts, that means the fabric wears down and the threads can’t hold tension as well, until one day you realize your favorite T-shirt is stretched out and full of holes. And for living things, like the human body, it means that we age, and our bones, muscles, and organs gradually become weaker and more susceptible to disease until one day, the body can no longer function properly…and dies.

Entropy is everywhere—it’s even present in the fabric of the universe itself. Scientists tell us that in a number of years—a number so huge it’s impossible to fathom—entropy will cause the universe to die too. How that will happen exactly is a topic of debate, but one day, scientists say, everything at the subatomic level will break down, and the universe will be no more.

Now, there are lots of reasons why Christians need to be discerning when it comes to what scientists say about the universe, because not all scientists view it as God’s creation or believe what God says about it. And God has said something amazing about the universe.

In the Bible, Jesus says that when He returns, He will make all things new. He won’t just give us new, immortal bodies and make a new earth free from sin and death—He will make the heavens new too. The fabric of the universe will no longer be defined by a tendency toward disorder and decay. Instead, all of creation—even the laws of physics—will be made new and eternal. So, while scientists debate how the universe might end, we can take comfort knowing it won’t. Jesus promises to intervene and put an end to entropy for all eternity. • Courtney Lasater

• Have you heard things about humanity, the world, or the universe that make you feel hopeless? When we were hopelessly lost in our sin, Jesus intervened on our behalf at the cross (John 3:16-17), and He promises to intervene again one day when He returns to make everything new—all because He loves us. Consider taking a moment to pray, bringing Him any messages of hopelessness or despair you’ve heard. You can always ask Him to remind you of the hope and peace of His promises.

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5 (NLT)