Marianne's FLASH💥DEVOS Podcast

Dear Readers, Listeners, and Supporters: thank you for coming along with my Flash Devos for the past 180 posts. I need to step away from the computer for now. Unexpected health challenges prevent me from writing and producing these devos. Please help yourselves to the archives. I pray that I will be able to return to this work of my heart. I leave you with a prayer calling in the vision of equanimity in today’s reading from the lectionary.2 Corinthians 8:13-15 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”May we share what we have gathered and ask for what we need, so that in every season we may all feel whole.Dear friend *Deirdre Purdy is a digital creator in Chloe, West Virginia who posts “Pillion Viewpoint” from the back seat of a BMW regularly on “Adventure Rider” magazine. “I can see all the way down the road, like the driver, and anticipate the curves and traffic,” she writes. “I also ride with the clouds, the farms, barns, and churches, 100 year old banks, and county courthouses. Sometimes I make a 1/3 turn and take a shot over my shoulder, aiming without looking, and once in a while catch gold.” See her posts at advrider.com and Facebook. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 126:1-2When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.+Cheer out loud when rescue becomes real. Not maybe he will save us, or maybe he’ll help us, or if we do what’s right he’ll stay. Here and now, no matter what, in this and that and in everything, life changes when the Lord arrives.Tall, heartless, brutal, kind, earnest, every color, shape, location, and time. Jesus is coming for every one of us.My friend *Lily DeCort is an Ethiopian American painter based in Chicago. Her work, ranging from luminous landscapes to evocative abstracts, reflects the liminality of her experience. Through dark skies, peaceful paths, and vast waters, her paintings explore themes of beauty, vulnerability, healing, and the human journey from wonder to loss and hope reborn. Learn more about Lily’s art at https://lilydecort.com/Readers support Flash💥Devos with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. Thanks for your gift! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Malachi 3:17-18“On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him.And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”+“They” means the faithful remnant of believers. As far as we know, God hasn’t changed the stark outcomes for servants or the wicked.Free will allows us choices and forgiveness. Your decision?*Allison May Kiphuth is an artist, sternman, and collector of things who lives in a tiny house in Monhegan, Maine. Her dioramas in antique boxes, unboxed diorama scenes, and watercolor and ink studies of natural objects enchant viewers. Discover her current work at linktr.ee/alliemaykiphuth or her website https://www.allisonmaykiphuth.com/Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Sounds simple. Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 90:1-4, 12 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.+Christmas is an offer to engage with God because giving and receiving matter. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. [v.12] Reset with a spiritual break and feel restored. Subscribe to Flash💥Devos! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Readers, listeners, and followers alike--Thank You! I appreciate your support for my Flash💥Devos + Podcast! As a thank-you gift for November, here’s my review of my friend Andrew’s latest book, just published in October. Andrew’s years of researching and writing “Reviving the Golden Rule” created this remarkable work of scholarship that relates to our world today. The content here could be a life-changing present for a loved one--or someone who’s hard to love.A Review of Andrew DeCort’s Reviving the Golden Rule: How the Ancient Ethic of Neighbor Love Can Heal our Worldby Marianne Abel-LipschutzAndrew DeCort’s latest book, Reviving the Golden Rule, explores the many reasons why we love or hate our neighbors. It’s an encyclopedia of the ways love wins. “Neighbor love is the core and culmination of God’s will for humanity,” DeCort believes. You can come back to this book repeatedly for encouragement, strategy, and lessons in the subtle ways we all fall short.Building on literature of visionaries across faiths and centuries, DeCort traces human detours along with stories of nonviolent love and humility, transformational spiritual practices that change communities. “My hope is that this book can serve as a school for love and revive neighbor love as the most healing movement in human history.”He has done his own fearless moral and ethical inventory and been transformed by devastating personal experiences to come to a truer sense of self as a passionate believer in Jesus. DeCort’s studies of the nuances of othering and dehumanization are insightful and are themselves devastating, as these warped beliefs shape the horrors we see today.For example, he talks about how we dehumanize others – even parts of our own nature– and reject them with our words and actions. These habits of othering act as gateways to such behaviors as what philosopher Judith Butler named “ungrievability.” DeCort explained, “ungrievability means that if you’re grieving, I don’t care. Your pain doesn’t matter to me. What happens to you doesn’t matter. We begin to tolerate levels of suffering that are actually seen as necessary.”Othering heightens the paradox of neighbor love. “When we see others as morally related to ourselves and equally worthy of love, the whole purpose of divine revelation has come to life in us. There is nothing more important than neighbor love for Christian ethics, and everything else flows in and out of it.”In fact, there’s been a significant misunderstanding of what we call the Great Commission, DeCort asserts. “This final invitation from Jesus to continue his work on earth is all about neighbor love, baptism, and belovedness. It’s an invitation to actually embody and practice what he taught across every boundary of identity and difference… That’s not a list of doctrinal statements.”“I’ve written this book to revive the dead dogma of neighbor love and to reawaken us to the living truth that it was since the beginning—a radical vision and practice of being human,” DeCort claims. “If that belovedness and that practice of radical love isn’t crossing every boundary like Jesus said, then we’re no longer extending the movement that Jesus launched.”DeCort’s desire for honest witness inspired him to invite famous atheists to review his book. They commended it. “It was essential to me for the book to be tested, so I looked for someone who has deep disagreements with what I’m writing,” he explained. “I wanted someone to sniff it out and see, is this book actually talking about authentic neighbor love or is it still this pious game that Andrew is playing?”This book is no intellectual game. It’s a serious endeavor, a remarkable work of scholarship, and a generous gift to all who want to live more fully and love the world into a better shape. “Neighbor love makes humanity shimmer and shine in full color like precious diamonds as if for the first time. How was it that I went through life and couldn’t see the glory all around and within me? I am born again, and neighbor love sets me free.” These words close his book, opening a new door for our collective future. Keep this mighty book handy in the days and years ahead.Paperback: IVP Academic, 2025Buy Now: [ BookShop ] [ Amazon ] [ Kindle ] [ Audible ]First published in the Englewood Review of Books, November 12, 2025https://englewoodreview.org/andrew-decort-reviving-the-golden-rule-review/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 118:19-21Let the doors of Creator’s right waysopen to me. I will go through themand give thanks to Grandfather.This is where Grandfather’s good roadbegins, the upright in heart willenter here.I will give thanks to you, for youheard my prayers and came torescue me.+Thanksgiving celebrates the reciprocal nature of God’s love. Doors open; we enter with grateful praise. We wander; Grandfather finds us. It’s our choice to accept rescue.Everyone’s been saved from something. Who or what obligates you to deeper commitment today? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Deuteronomy 3:27-28“Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.”+Next generations might be older or younger. Everyone has a future. By discipling and coaching others now, you can co-create the future you can imagine but will not see.Help others cross their Jordan in good faith.Through their artistic and community based practices, *Olly Costello explores themes of interconnectedness, spiritual ecology, emergence, accountability, Prison Industrial Complex Abolition, Transformative Justice and belonging. “I hope my work can be a small contributing part of creating our new culture, grounded in honoring the inherent sacredness of all beings and pushing us beyond violent cultures.” Discover their inspiring work on Substack @ollycostello and their website https://ollycostello.com/Your prayers, tips, and subscriptions 💥matter! Thank you! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 51:10-12Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.+This beautiful prayer remains “the classic example of repentance in the Old Testament.” Later, Jesus modeled these truths and explained the rewards. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”Look around when you’re in trouble. Who do you see?“Dreaming of Home,” Maria explained, “contains a nest inside a thicket of branches forming her torso. Her head is balanced upon the branch tips and is open (empty?) allowing for something alive to be planted inside. The little birds perched upon her and the nest inside remind me that life goes on for the other life forms that don’t consume the news about the goings on of those weird mammals that seem to control everything.” The piece is part of “Hope in High Branches,” her new series that is “a product of my grappling with the concepts of ‘home’ and ‘nesting’ in these scary times.”*Maria Wickwire creates ceramic sculptures in northwest Washington. Her works reveal feminine archetypes, she writes, “hoping to encourage healing and forgiveness in our sometimes splintering world.” Find Maria on socials and at Mariawickwire.com Subscribers support Flash💥Devos as a gift to the arts and spiritual communities we share. Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15“Now, my sacred family members, we call on you to give firm and wise counsel to those whose hands do nothing. Comfort those whose hearts are on the ground. Help the ones who are weak, and be patient with everyone. Make sure no one gives back to anyone evil for evil. Seek to walk in a good way with each other and with all people. “+Pray for the well-being of everyone in your life.What would shift if you regarded everyone as your sacred family members?How cool that readers support Flash💥Devos enthusiastically. Thanks a ton! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Acts 5:38-39“For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these people; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”+God’s action can be obvious, like a turquoise sky or the flight of a skimmer along the crest of an ocean wave. Sparring with God’s creative nature proves exasperating.It’s not an easy way out but obedience can generate a wise collaboration with God.Your prayers, tips, and subscriptions💥matter! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Romans 2:3-4“Tell me, when you do the same kinds of things that you judge others for, do you think what you have done will be hidden from the eyes of the Great Spirit? Or do you hold bitter thoughts about Creator’s kindness, patience, and willingness to bear with others?” +We silly humans judge our Creator for excessive patience, unreasonable forgiveness, and outrageous mercy.Accept Creator’s kindness. Allow yourself to be drawn back toward the right path today.Dear friend *Bruce Swanson snapped our image for today’s Flash💥Devo. “On the final portion of my morning’s hike, I was hitting about three miles an hour when my eyes caught this lying on the forest floor. Our leaves have changed and some soul found these and arranged them,” he wrote. “It gladdened my heart.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

2 Thessalonians 2:15-17So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Parent, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope,comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.+What we write or speak--rightly or wrongly--launches gospel traditions into the future.Good news strengthens the beloved community for everyone’s benefit.*Marcia Milner-Brage creates in the San Francisco Bay area. “Mostly, I draw from direct observation--people, things, and places. (In art lingo: portraits, still lifes and landscapes.) Thus, I name my world.” For “Bus Garage,” she explained, “It was Sunday, so the open garage was totally filled with yellow school buses. Schools had been in session for 3 weeks.” Find more of her great work on https://www.flickr.com/photos/marciamilner-brage/Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Sounds simple. Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 17:3-5Though you probe my heart,though you examine me at night and test me,you will find that I have planned no evil;my mouth has not transgressed.Though people tried to bribe me,I have kept myself from the ways of the violentthrough what your lips have commanded.My steps have held to your paths;my feet have not stumbled.+This confession shows how to set our spiritual life aright in a frank conversation with God.Everyone notices when our actions align with our beliefs.Your prayers, tips, and subscriptions💥matter! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Jeremiah 23:28-29 “Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”+Straw makes a good sleeping mat or mulch but only matured grain grows life. Be discerning when you speak God’s word. Lives are at risk! Futures are at stake!Swinging a hammer at hardened hearts vandalizes souls. Breathe hope!*Jill Hinners searches for peace and inspiration on or near Minnesota’s lakes and smaller waterways. Jill writes, “I collect iPhone images to document all the natural beauty in this place I’m so fortunate to call home.”Reset with a spiritual break and feel restored. Subscribe to Flash💥Devos! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Romans 14:12,19So then, each of us must give an answer to the Great Spirit for how we have walked on this earth. So then, let us walk the path of peace in a manner that lifts up and strengthens the heart of each person.+There’s a spiritual dimension to how we walk, where we’re going, and what the path means. Let Christ lead the way.Do all you can to strengthen hearts for peace.*Lily DeCort is an Ethiopian American painter based in Chicago. Her work, ranging from luminous landscapes to evocative abstracts, reflects the liminality of her experience. Her paintings explore beauty, vulnerability, healing, and the human journey from wonder to loss and hope reborn. Learn more about Lily’s art at https://lilydecort.com/Prayers, tips, and subscriptions matter! Thanks!💥 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Jeremiah 10:5Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field,their idols cannot speak;they must be carriedbecause they cannot walk.Do not fear them;they can do no harmnor can they do any good.”+People expect gods to perform. Gods of our own creation must give us more than we have. Consider if your devotion to money, power, screens, work, substances, or something else competes with your spiritual commitments. Lord have mercy if we worship a broomstick scarecrow!Consider how your life measures up in light of God’s promises.“Initial D: The Fool with Two Demons” is credited to the Master of the Ingeborg Psalter. After 1205. “An enthroned man wearing a fool’s cap illustrates the opening verse of Psalm 52-”The fool says in his heart ‘There is no God.’” The scroll he holds proclaims this heresy: Non e[st] Deu[s] (There is no God). Two mischievous demons incite him to this thought, while an angel above attempts to warn the fool against such a notion.” from the Getty Museum Catalog. Public Domain.Thanks for being here!💥Great to be with you! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Thank you for reading and listening along to my Flash💥Devos this October. In gratitude, let me offer “Take Me to the Border with You,” my most popular article from 2024. The week I spent at the Mexico/U.S. border in 2019 radicalized me. Sharing ministry of presence and welcoming migrants humbled me. The realities of worldwide immigration, refugees, asylum, and exile scorch my heart. I pray we may all become more faithful neighbors wherever we are. Take Me to the Border with Youby Marianne Abel-LipschutzThe Del Rio area looked simple from the airplane window. The river cut a path, paralleled by a fence, between two mirrored cities that were surrounded by vast, open brushland. Questions prickled the edges of my awareness as I watched the land come into view: How did our society get to this point? Whose border is this? What can we do? Will we do what we can?So many migrants congregated along the Rio Grande between Texas and Mexico in 2019 that I felt compelled to go too. The hundreds, and thousands, and then hundreds of thousands of people migrating northward astonished me. I wanted to witness that yearning for change among so many people from so many places, those who escaped terror and trauma as well as those who saw their only hope for a future on the other side of the border.I wanted to feel swept along in that human vortex from over fifty countries—pushing strollers, walking side by side, riding buses, hiding behind trees, waiting in food lines, moving ahead, seeking a future, everyone breathing at once. I quickly said, “Yes!” when a Christian crisis-response team asked me to join them as a bilingual chaplain in Del Rio, Texas, for a week. I wanted to stand with others in their struggle for a new life. My voice rose with a thousand yeses in many languages, like uncountable monarchs released to the open sky. “Yes,” we cried. “Take me to the border with you.”***I live and work in both Iowa and Guatemala, and I’ve listened to people in both places describe their quest for the border. One year ago, a slight boy named Elver approached me in a rural church. We were volunteering with a mission team on a hilltop overlooking Guatemala, the farthest we could get from a border without trying. There was hardly any work or water. A robin’s-egg-blue, button-down shirt draped lightly and formally over this boy. Eleven years old, Elver had an elegant air, even when giggling and scampering around the churchyard with friends. He had studied me all morning while mothers and children coloured pages on the pews. Finally he sat beside me and confided a raw and tender worry. “Will my father ever make it to the United States?” His dad hadn’t left town yet, but the threat of his absence already affected him profoundly.Elver had probed the options as thoroughly as an adult, seeing danger overflow with impossibilities. “Will my father come back?” “Why can’t I go with him?” His persistent questions ached both his heart and mine. “How far away is your country?” There was no easy answer, though the distance could be measured. A factual reply would only sting. We coloured the same page for a while, the scrape of the pew shifting on the floor the only sound between us. Guatemalans had welcomed me into their country. I didn’t believe this child’s dad would find the same welcome in my country. Our hearts were united, but our countries were worlds apart.***The community shelter where our team volunteered had opened in the spring, organized by city, business, and church leaders. The Border Patrol had requested assistance with the extraordinary influx of people across the international border, so these community leaders had formed the Val Verde Border Humanitarian Coalition to offer hospitality and hope. The Coalition converted an old municipal building a mile from the river into a resource and respite centre for migrating children and families. Other organizations and people from all over the state and country donated thousands of hours and supplies.Coalition volunteers and staff intentionally welcomed people for months from countries as diverse and far-flung as Angola and Chile. These men, women, and children had come across the bridge or “through the water,” as they called it. Once Border Patrol determined that individual migrants and families could be released into Texas with provisional documents, officers delivered them to the shelter. Over the summer, the shelter averaged 60 people a day. One day Val Verde served 226 people.Anticipating new federal laws restricting migrants’ passage, the daily average dropped to two dozen people by the end of August. The Migrant Protection Protocols that took effect in late September effectively closed the border. The change at the Val Verde shelter was dramatic: The well-organized camp had more volunteers and staff than migrants needing respite. Thousands of people were still leaving their home countries daily. But most of these people were nowhere to be seen—with thousands more held in detention, a

Psalm 145:6-8Every tongue will speak of the fearsome power you have shown. I will tell stories of your greatness.All people will retell the stories of your far-reaching goodness and shout for joy at your just ways.Grandfather is kind, merciful, and slow to anger. His greatness is shown by his love, which remains faithful and true.+Give thanks for life itself! Reach across whatever bridge can bring Christ’s hope to others.The power of God’s goodness fills your neighborhood everyday.Your prayers, tips, and subscriptions💥matter! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Luke 11:33-36 “Your eye is a lamp, lighting up your whole body. If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning.“+Jesus offers practical advice for homemakers even though he had no home of his own. “Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room.”When Jesus comes to dwell with us, he chooses to dwell within us.Flash💥Devos is reader-supported with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Job 4:2-6“If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?But who can keep from speaking?Think how you have instructed many,how you have strengthened feeble hands.Your words have supported those who stumbled;you have strengthened faltering knees.But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;it strikes you, and you are dismayed.Should not your piety be your confidenceand your blameless ways your hope?+Cultivating our neighborhoods invests in our future.Invite others to flourish in beloved community.Flash💥Devos is reader-supported with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Mark 11:22-24“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”+Faith challenges our expectations. Jesus promised, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”Boldly trust the Spirit’s creativity in shaping our futures.*Allison May Kiphuth is an artist, sternman, and collector of things who lives in a tiny house in Monhegan, Maine. Her dioramas in antique boxes, unboxed diorama scenes, and watercolor and ink studies of natural objects enchant viewers. Discover her current work at linktr.ee/alliemaykiphuth or her website https://www.allisonmaykiphuth.com/Your tips or subscription💥matter! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Nahum 1:3The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.God’s way is in the whirlwind and the storm,and clouds are the dust of his feet.+When we try to express power through the whirlwind and the dust of our feet, the result looks like Pigpen traipsing through a Peanuts cartoon. Claim your compassion and mercy as an image-bearer of a loving God.Embody the calming force of peace amidst the storms around you.About today’s sculpture “Tetsadi,” from her Life Stories series, Maria commented: According to Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Tetsadi is a Life-Death-Life goddess. The story goes that she carries a large bowl. When turned one way, it’s the womb; turned another way, it’s the breast; turned another way, it’s the grave. According to legend, when someone dies, Tetsadi comes to collect their soul, which she places into her bowl and swirls it around until it gets smaller and smaller and eventually becomes a tiny little dot, like a seed. Then, she flies out into the night and places the little seed into a woman who has just made love so it can come back as a new life. In my little smoke-fired sculpture, Tetsadi is just taking the seed out of the bowl, preparing to accompany it to a new life.*Maria Wickwire creates evocative ceramic sculptures revealing feminine archetypes. “I hope to encourage healing and forgiveness in our sometimes splintering world.” Her studio overlooks Big Lake in northwest Washington. Find Maria and her art at Mariawickwire.comFlash💥Devos is reader-supported with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Luke 20:45-46 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.”+Ouch! Jesus addressed many audiences that included religious leaders. Leveraging appropriate authority, he described what he observed in the marketplaces, synagogues, banquets, and homes of various communities.Would “teachers of the law” hold up to this scrutiny now?Illustration > Marginal drollery from a Cistercian antiphonal, about 1260-1270. Tempera colors.Getty Collection, Los Angeles, CA. Object 83.MH.88.23.Public Domain image.Thanks to people like you, Marianne’s 💥 Substack is a reader-supported project! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Proverbs 6:16-19There are six things the Lord hates,seven that are detestable to him:haughty eyes,a lying tongue,hands that shed innocent blood,a heart that devises wicked schemes,feet that are quick to rush into evil,a false witness who pours out liesand a person who stirs up conflict in the community.+God reveals how to create a holy life with opposites: mercy, compassion, humility, radical honesty, peacefulness, reconciliation, and forgiveness.Choose to live without the things God hates and flourish in eternal community.About the work: Elle writes that “Brighter Days Ahead” is one of the works from UnSilenced II (2021), “the second (almost) annual collaboration among Rebel Art Studio, Voices Against Violence Magic Valley, and the College of Southern Idaho Performing Arts, featuring the work of survivors of intimate partner violence and other forms of abuse.” “Brighter Days Ahead” and their portfolio are available for sale on their website https://www.elleandwink.com/*Elle Billing creates safe spaces for community in rural North Dakota. “I am deeply drawn to surrealism, artistic tension, the multiverse, and alternate timelines,” they write. “In the studio you will find me deconstructing old books, making my own collage paper, and infusing my work with the power of story. Experience their invitation “to co-create the world we want” at https://www.elleandwink.com/Your subscription💥matters! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

1 Corinthians 2:9-11“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard,and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them?+Sometimes a fresh outlook blends forces, colors, and principalities in such a way as to capture our imaginations.What energies are propelling your life into the future?*Scott Takes’ mural “Next Nature” reflects a philosophy about how human cultural activity creates a new nature that includes technology, created things, and futuristic forms. In an interview, Scott said he felt gratified by the abundant positivity his work generated. “The solar system reflected in the final product is meant to signify the bigger picture of nature,” the interview explained, “while Lucille Ball represents a female pioneer and an iconic force for women using humor and gravitas.” He featured Lucille Ball because her show was a favorite he watched with his mother. Explore Scott’s extensive work at https://undergroundartstudios.com/Mural photographed by Marianne Abel-Lipschutz, 2025Your tips, prayers, and subscriptions💥matter! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Genesis 1:21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every wingéd bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.+Honor the physical reality in this image—everything we can see, as well as hidden things like birds in trees, insects on tree bark, microorganisms in the earth and water. Listen as wind ripples leaves. Feel the swift current on cold feet.Consider what is good to God.*Meg West lives near Charlottesville, Virginia, delighting others with her plein air oil paintings since 2000. Her landscapes depict scenes throughout the Shenandoah Valley, as well as Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and beyond. “I enjoy the rhythm and momentum that comes with a steady flow of painting,” she wrote. “We went to Sugar Hollow this morning and David hiked to the waterfalls and I stood in the water and painted,” a unique way to celebrate their 41st wedding anniversary. Find Meg on her blog at http://www.megwestoilpainting.net/Flash💥Devos is reader-supported with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

“Thank you for reading and listening to my Flash💥Devos during September. As my gift to you, I invite you to walk with me around our neighborhood in Antigua, Guatemala. In this article, recently published on FieldFare on Substack, I talk about how I’ve become acquainted with this foreign place in a different time zone with its own climate, geology, languages, people, buildings, history, and cuisine. If we were together, we’d also witness the Divine presence everywhere. I pray that you enjoy wherever you are today as a gift of God; share it with someone new! ❤️‍🔥” Words and images: Marianne Abel-LipschutzIn the Land of Eternal Springby Marianne Abel-LipschutzWe spend most of each year at 5,000 feet above sea level in Antigua, Guatemala, a UNESCO World Heritage city. Known for 16th-century colonial enterprises that spread across Central America, Antigua prizes its Spanish-Baroque architecture with tile roofs, small buildings connected by plazas, and lush manicured gardens. Mystery embellishes history here, where about 46,000 people live in the Panchoy Valley. Our immersion into this city’s life makes the tropical part of our year distinct from our other home in the rural upper midwest of the United States.Whenever we return from the States, it takes me a few weeks to remember what I like about living in Antigua. Elaborate gates and decrepit-looking walls conceal mansions or parking lots. Sometimes the city appears to be disintegrating, as if an older civilization is being recycled. Walls span centuries with degraded adobe, pitted colonial stone, and disintegrating brick rising up from cobblestone sidewalks, eras and peoples smooshed in a slow erosion. Archaeologists complain that the way Guatemalans salvage materials makes time a shifting kaleidoscope that resists order.Thousands of people transit alongside our neighborhood at the city’s northern entrance every day. Street life criss-crosses between ancient and modern times. Ruins of cathedrals and convents lend a sacred presence to secular venues from restaurants and schools to hotels, rock piles, and empty lots. Tired medieval church bells ring a dull thud for early morning services. A statue of St James the Apostle, the patron saint of Antigua, fills a wall shrine inside the McDonalds restaurant, while Ronald McDonald lounges in the plaza outside.We share an alley and walls with the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo, a thriving destination hotel and convention center created from the rubble of the first convent in Latin America, dating to 1538. On clear nights I can hear choral music piped through the hotel’s loudspeakers, conjuring supernatural spirits and howling ghosts. A subliminal spirituality animates my thoughts toward hope and restoration.For now, this place is my other, the entity outside myself that shelters my coming and going. It is not mine; I don’t belong to it nor it to me. We greet one another anew with each visit. Returning to our home base in Antigua reignites my compassion, knowing that people work around the clock to maintain the environment we share. I imagine monks and nuns kneeling on scuffed pews behind crumbling walls, praying for everyone’s wellbeing. One of my Spanish teachers grew up within the ruins of a 16th-century cathedral—her dad was the caretaker. Pigeons and tourists alike tottered through what she thought of as home. Tourists come for the architecture but it’s the people who make this city worthwhile.Antigua is always being reinvented, a living monument to perseverance and survival. Undaunted by recurring floods, earthquakes, and volcanic explosions, Guatemalans have been reconstructing this city with the debris of its previous landmarks since before documentation began. Across every sector, areas are roped off for demolition, almost everything needs maintenance, and city policies mandate restoration wherever possible. It’s all part of the work-around, an orientation of reuse and recycle within Guatemalan culture. Antigua is a city that will never be finished.*****Living in Guatemala is a dance between intimacy and separation. I often feel alienated from the subtropical highland environment that, even after ten years, remains unfamiliar. Having lived most of my life in northern humid continental or subtropical climate zones, I feel sensitive to the disorientation experienced by migrants, refugees, and exiles. All of us try to find places in the world where we can feel whole.Most scenery keeps me at a distance. Postcard-quality mountain vistas, winding roads, dense jungles, and fuming volcanoes decorate many horizons. Highly managed and wild places clash visually. Vegetation prospers so freely that epiphytes subsist on electric cables and single-stalk plants propagate in the volcanic ash on clay roof tiles. Jungle has an omnivorous hunger that consumes itself in ferocious reproductivity. Jungle is tough to enter or escape: encroaching, enveloping, swarming, all-encompassing. I imagine the masked and mythical Mayan ancestors slip

James 6:29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”+Department stores sell “BELIEVE” as a home decoration but reminders aren’t enough. Saying, “I commit to peace” means choices follow; a simple act becomes the next hard thing. Even the disciples fled when Jesus reduced everything to God’s basic plan: “Believe in the one he has sent.” Imagine what we’d miss if the disciples hadn’t come back to accomplish their part of God’s work.Empower others to experience what happens when we believe together.Today’s devotional also appeared this morning in Red Letter Christians’ WakeUps devotional newsletter.Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

John 3:3-5Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”+Birthing transforms parent and child. Choosing to be born again reacquaints us with suffering.Jesus promises love everlasting through it all.Today’s devotional also appeared this morning in Red Letter Christians’ WakeUps devotional newsletter.My friend Lily DeCort is an Ethiopian American painter based in Chicago. Her work, ranging from luminous landscapes to evocative abstracts, reflects the liminality of her experience. Her paintings explore beauty, vulnerability, healing, and the human journey from wonder to loss and hope reborn. Learn more about Lily’s art at https://lilydecort.com/Thanks for subscribing!💥It’s good you’re here! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Romans 14:16, 22-23 Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don’t impose it on others. You’re fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you’re not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you’re out of line.+We can be quick to judge others.Don’t let what you know is good to be spoken of as evil. [v.16]Your tips, prayers, and (free) subscriptions to Flash💥Devos matter! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 94:16-19Who will rise up for me against the wicked?Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?Unless the Lord had given me help,I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.When I said, “My foot is slipping,”your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.When anxiety was great within me,your consolation brought me joy.+These couplets witness human vulnerability. When no one comes to “rise up with me” and no one “will take a stand for me,” hope disintegrates.Divine joy extinguishes wickedness.*Marcia Milner-Brage works from direct observation. Marcia faces the blank page “to transfer all my senses, whether I’m looking outward or inward.” She writes, “For me, being in nature is going to church. Through observing the bounty of the earth, I fulfill my calling.” Find her great work on socials and https://www.flickr.com/photos/marciamilner-brage/Your prayers, tips, and subscriptions💥matter! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 51:10-11God, make a fresh start in me,shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.Don’t throw me out with the trash,or fail to breathe holiness in me.+Imagine God thinking of us as boring chores--trashing some of us, forgetting to breathe in others. Truth is, God does not reject the way our world rejects. Open the book to Genesis whenever you need to remember how God created all things good, and humans — very good. Divine intentions activate resurrection.Invite God to create life with your chaos.*Olly Costello writes, “I hope my work can be a small contributing part of creating our new culture, grounded in honoring the inherent sacredness of all beings and pushing us beyond violent cultures.” Discover their inspiring work on Substack @ollycostello and at their website https://ollycostello.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Romans 12:17-19, 20 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.+Humility and self-discipline flourish together.Tend those places where your influence counts on behalf of others.*Annie Soudain creates local landscapes in watercolors, wax resist on silk, and lino printing in her studio in East Sussex, England. An exhibition catalog said, “Her interest in plants started in her early years spent in Cornwall, on long walks with her mother, most memorably along disused railway tracks where the cuttings were undisturbed and full of flowers and insects.” Annie’s autobiographical book The Marsh, The Sea, and The Sky, and her prints, cards, puzzles, and tea towels are at www.anniesoudain.co.ukFlourishing in authentic relationships with others creates abundance in every setting. Subscribe to Flash💥Devos! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Job 11:13-17“Yet if you devote your heart to himand stretch out your hands to him,if you put away the sin that is in your handand allow no evil to dwell in your tent,then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;you will stand firm and without fear.You will surely forget your trouble,recalling it only as waters gone by.Life will be brighter than noonday,and darkness will become like morning.+Our troubles loom larger than “waters gone by.”Creator activates improbable solutions.My friend and fellow writer *Jill Hinners searches for peace and inspiration on or near Minnesota’s lakes and smaller waterways. Jill writes, “I collect iPhone images to document all the natural beauty in this place I’m so fortunate to call home.”Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

1 Peter 3:3-4 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.+Accessorizing the human spirit proves futile, no matter how lucrative it may be for the multinational beauty and fashion industries. We can’t hide behind makeup, expensive jewelry, or fabulous hair extensions.Dressing up for church or life won’t earn us God’s favor.*Elle Billing creates safe spaces for community in rural North Dakota. “I am deeply drawn to surrealism, artistic tension, the multiverse, and alternate timelines,” they write. “In the studio you will find me deconstructing old books, making my own collage paper, and infusing my work with the power of story.” Experience their invitation “to co-create the world we want” at https://www.elleandwink.com/Your tips + (free) subscription💥matter! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Romans 1:11-12I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. +Today is the first anniversary of my Flash💥Devos! Thank you for making this dream come true — that we can join our hearts in prayer to address the realities we live and face, together and apart. Here are my intentions for this coming year’s Flash💥Devos. Drop your wishes in a message and we’ll pray over those, too! * Let’s encourage one another. The mutuality of our faith is a wellspring around which we can gather.* Let’s stand together in lament and sorrow, in wonder and joy, in silence and community.Stay fresh in the Spirit and alive to your surroundings. *Marcia Milner-Brage works from direct observation, facing the blank page “to transfer all my senses, whether I’m looking outward or inward.” She writes personal essays and, in visual art, drawing, painting, and collage. “For me, being in nature is going to church. Through observing the bounty of the earth, I fulfill my calling.” Find her great work on socials and https://www.flickr.com/photos/marciamilner-brage/How cool that readers support Flash💥Devos enthusiastically. Thanks a ton! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Tomorrow will be the FIRST ANNIVERSARY of my Flash💥Devos + Podcast. Since I launched Flash💥Devos last September 1st, readers and listeners have devoted over TEN THOUSAND minutes in prayer, coming back again and again to contemplate, to reflect, and to be inspired by Divine Presence.I stand with all of you today--loyal followers and subscribers and casual acquaintances alike--offering a prayer of gratitude for seeking mercy and grace in your lives. Spiritual solutions matter. Thank You for subscribing, following, and praying along with me!A few things caught my attention this year:One huge inspiration:* You showed up! :)Two thrilling stats:* More than half of my subscribers are people I haven’t met yet.* People downloaded my Flash💥Devos podcast nearly 10,000 times!Three ways your participation built community:* We chose quietness.* We prayed across thirty U.S. states and eight countries.* We honored diverse world views and practices.Four surprising things I learned with Flash💥Devos:* People drift in and out to read like curious butterflies without a trace.* I didn’t feel strongly about some devos but others did.* Daily devotional reading habits flow through seasonal and weekly cycles.* I’ve picked up hope from these devos more often than I imagined I’d need.Five awesome comments — and many others — refreshed me:* J. offered: “Beautiful presentation, and also a prompt for me to invite a moment of spiritual contemplation into my life. As my spirituality is less defined and traditional, I approach Christian devotions, Bible verses, hymns, etc., much as I do poetry - I let them filter through my mind and see what deeper or applicable meaning emerges for me.”* S. clicked on a purple heart with this endorsement: “Your one minute flash devos are an encouragement! Our [baby] is up 4x/night still and the sixty seconds is what my brain can give focus to for reflection. Thank you!”* A. cheered: “Wow, Marianne. This is the grounding and orientation I needed today. Thank you! I continue to love how simple, short, and lit these invitations are. I echo back to you, ‘Be strengthened in the truth of your witness.’"* M. confided: “Your sharing of devotions comes at a very good time for me. Although 2024 has been a very good year, I’ve really struggled with the state of our country and the world. I’m seeking more positive news than that which I see on the ‘news.’ Your offering comes as an answer to my prayers!”* E. shared: “I grew up in the Lutheran Church, and while I have deconstructed a lot of the junk from the 90s church culture (...the 90s definitely did a number on me), I still have a deep spiritual practice.”Shout out to these artists, friends, and family who gave me permission to highlight their work alongside the scripture and commentary! Please support their creativity! Jill Hinners, Maureen Seamonds, Marcia Milner-Brage, Lily DeCort, Meg West, Maria Wickwire, Olly Costello, Annie Soudain, Elle Billing, Holly Harris, Christina Farrell, Paula Tomy, Allison May Kiphuth, Colective + Arte, Jack Abel, James Abel, Betsy Baker, and Coralee Barrow.Please stay with me for the coming year on Flash💥Devos + Podcast. Let God multiply our efforts for the good of all, for the good of the future, and for the good of this exceptional present moment. Whether you read, listen, or just stop by, thank you!Dedicated to my mother and my brother Steve, companions on the everlasting journeyIrene M. Abel ~ April 1931 - August 1994Stephen F. Abel ~ December 1958 - August 2017 Readers support Flash💥Devos with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. Thanks for your gifts! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Romans 12:3 Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what God does for us, not by what we are and what we do for God.+Right and wrong switch places now. God remains the power greater than all others. God’s grace will always be given.Right-size your relationship to God’s grace.*Allison May Kiphuth is an artist, sternman, and collector of things who lives in a tiny house in Monhegan, Maine. Her dioramas and watercolor and ink studies of natural objects enchant viewers as if we’re walking together and might pick up a feather, a dandelion, or scan the woods at twilight. Discover her current work at linktr.ee/alliemaykiphuth or her website https://www.allisonmaykiphuth.com/Your tips + (free) subscription💥matter! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 73:17-20Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.In an instant they are destroyed,completely swept away by terrors.When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.+Wicked people are the “others” we hate. Yet we too act wickedly, and can be hated.Shift a dismal destiny by loving all others.*Maria Wickwire creates ceramic sculptures in northwest Washington. Her works reveal feminine archetypes, she writes, “hoping to encourage healing and forgiveness in our sometimes splintering world.” Find Maria on socials and at Mariawickwire.com About “According to Legend,” she writes, “The nest is a real one, but the eggs are ceramic. I’m not sure how I came up with her title. Maybe she suggests a story that needs to be told.”Thanks for subscribing!💥It’s good you’re here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Luke 6:1-2 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”+Consider the field you walk through with others. Who’s with you? Questions and answers, given freely, can foster new relationships. Who’s watching matters. Conversations can lead to new places both sides agree to explore.If you change who you walk with, try exploring their fields with them.*Elle Billing creates community on Očhéthi Šakówiŋ land in rural North Dakota. “I am reconstructing characters’ experiences through mixed media with a focus on vintage texts and contemporary themes,” they write. “In the studio you will find me deconstructing old books, making my own collage paper, and infusing my work with the power of story.” Experience their invitation “to co-create the world we want” at https://www.elleandwink.com/About the Ophelia Series, Elle writes, “The series began when I taught Hamlet to a group of deaf high school students in 2017. Ophelia uses the symbolism of flowers (the so-called feminine) to speak truth to power (the patriarchy). She is a truth teller; however, the frames we have for storytelling don’t have space for that. In Joseph Campbell, women are relegated to madonnas or w****s, sirens or saints. ‘Get thee to a nunnery,’ Hamlet says, as Ophelia is used and cast aside. The in-betweenness her character is forced to occupy doesn’t exist. This is for all the times madness is truth, when it is beautiful, when it’s the appropriate response to the ‘rotten state of Denmark’: our partners, homes, and countries are bent on murderous intent and everyone stays smiling.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 24:1-2The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,the world, and all who live in it;for the Lord founded it on the seasand established it on the waters.+We speak of the earth as a hard place, literally, shaped from molten and exploded rock. Yet many origin stories in folklore and scripture describe our world as having formed from liquid chaos (kinda matches the state of our world now, too). Whether hard or liquid, we have never owned this world.Let’s honor our collective heritage with water.My friend and fellow writer *Jill Hinners searches for peace and inspiration on or near Minnesota’s lakes and smaller waterways. Jill writes, “I collect iPhone images to document all the natural beauty in this place I’m so fortunate to call home.”Flash💥Devos is reader-supported with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. Thanks for being here! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Proverbs 19:7The poor are shunned by all their relatives—how much more do their friends avoid them!Though the poor pursue them with pleading,they are nowhere to be found.+Poverty appears as a predicament we consider from a distance, like an unavoidable natural disaster or genocide abroad. Until it strikes us directly, precarity remains a news item. Yet engaging with people creates opportunities. Together we can shift the world into a more welcoming, safer place.Be the one who responds in Love, especially if it’s uncomfortable and unfamiliar.Through their artistic and community-based practices, *Olly Costello explores themes of interconnectedness, spiritual ecology, emergence, accountability, community building, Prison Industrial Complex Abolition, Transformative Justice, and belonging. “I hope my work can be a small contributing part of creating our new culture, grounded in honoring the inherent sacredness of all beings and pushing us beyond violent cultures.” Discover their inspiring work on socials and at https://ollycostello.com/Thanks for subscribing!💥Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Isaiah 65:1“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;I was found by those who did not seek me.To a nation that did not call on my name,I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’+This is how God shows up, is here, everywhere, accessible. Discoverable. No matter what you’ve done or who you think you are. God. Always. Is.Believe that God will always be looking out for you!Readers support Flash💥Devos with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. So grateful for you! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

3 John 1:5-8Dear friend, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers, you make the faith visible. They’ve made a full report back to the church here, a message about your love. It’s good work you’re doing, helping these travelers on their way, hospitality worthy of God!+Students, medical practitioners, teachers, friends, and church groups head out on missions during the North American summer. Pray with them daily. Spend time listening attentively when they return.Maybe your transformation is bound up with theirs.Flash💥Devos is reader-supported with tips and subscriptions. Thanks for being here! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Job 28:20-24, 28Where then does wisdom come from?Where does understanding dwell?It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,concealed even from the birds in the sky.Destruction and Death say,“Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”God understands the way to itand God alone knows where it dwells,for God views the ends of the earthand sees everything under the heavens.+If we have wisdom, we respect the Almighty. God advises us, “To shun evil is understanding.”Sounds simple. Means everything.Reset with a spiritual break and feel restored. Subscribe to Flash💥Devos! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Mark 6:48 Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake.+No one but Jesus has walked on water. Walk on hot coals, tightropes, caminos--yes, we can do those. That buoyant flash ending of a waterski twirl when the engine’s cut and you feel like you’re standing on water--yes, we can do that, too. But walking on water? Only Jesus knows the way.What kind of water can Jesus help you walk on? Trust the power of God working within you. *Lily DeCort is an Ethiopian American painter based in Chicago. Her work, ranging from luminous landscapes to evocative abstracts, reflects the liminality of her experience. Her paintings explore beauty, vulnerability, healing, and the human journey from wonder to loss and hope reborn. Learn more about Lily’s art at https://lilydecort.com/Thanks for subscribing!💥Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Luke 8:22-25A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.“Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.+These experienced fishermen followed Jesus across the lake. Storms disturbed them. Questions swirled. “Who is Jesus?” And, “Where is your faith?”What might happen if you follow Jesus across the water?*Allison May Kiphuth is an artist, sternman, and collector of things who lives in a tiny house in Monhegan, Maine. Her dioramas in antique boxes, unboxed diorama scenes, and watercolor and ink studies of natural objects enchant viewers as if we’re walking together and might pick up a feather, a dandelion, or scan the woods at twilight. Discover her current work at linktr.ee/alliemaykiphuth or her website https://www.allisonmaykiphuth.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Matthew 5:44-48 “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?”+Loving enemies and persecutors feels difficult. Practice, Jesus encourages. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” “Perfect” means integrity, wholeness.Thanks for subscribing!💥It’s good to be here with you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Here is my Thank-You gift to readers and listeners of my Flash💥 Devos + Podcast for July. This good book by a dear friend offers a fresh perspective on the Beatitudes. I pray that Andrew’s honesty and commitment to change reaches your heart, too. Check it out! ♥Finding Presence in the Midst of Pain Blessed Are the Others: Jesus’ Way in a Violent World by Andrew DeCortReviewed by Marianne Abel-LipschutzAndrew DeCort’s Blessed Are the Others sketches the crucial work of reconciling with God about suffering through the Beatitudes. Jesus proclaimed this “divine justice manifesto” to inspire right relationships of mutual flourishing. DeCort draws widely on his international career as a public theologian, pastor, professor, and scholar in this practical and engaging book.He weaves stories from texts, memoirs, and the writings of James Baldwin, Etty Hillesum, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and others whose witness about devastation illustrate Beatitudinal wisdom. “Jesus says there’s no need to suppress the painful reality of being poor humans,” he writes. You can read Blessed Are the Others and weep. Just don’t stop there.You’ll find answers to the pivotal question we all have about the miraculous transformation of grief into goodness. “How does Jesus invite us to flourish in the face of our universal experiences of suffering, conflict, and loss?” Blessed Are the Others explores the Beatitudinal Way as “an endlessly generative, culturally divergent path of humane happiness.” This profound book is easy to hold but hard to believe. DeCort’s disruptive vision of the Beatitudes can make us squirm.He repeats a glorious and unsettling message: the Beatitudes apply to all of us. “These are not random well-wishes as we often seem to assume. Jesus is describing an interconnected path and intentional process of becoming human,” DeCort writes of the austere design of these eight movements or blessings. “Each blessing is accompanied by a promise that speaks to a core fear that we face in choosing to walk this way. The whole path reflects Jesus’s deep sensitivity to the embodied human soul.”The Beatitudes challenge us to cultivate interdependence by “doing our work,” healing the poverty and destitution that scorch our personalities. This is not a simple “Come to Jesus” message. We must bring love to the outsiders within us, DeCort maintains, the parts of ourselves we fear, the internal hatreds and rejections that complicate our inner lives. If not, we will project those wounds, “othering” those around us, “painishing” [sic] them for our suffering. DeCort’s writing on transcending this grief is memorable.“Each blessing is accompanied by a promise that speaks to a core fear that we face in choosing to walk this way. The whole path reflects Jesus’s deep sensitivity to the embodied human soul.”DeCort elaborates on his life-altering encounters with loss, terror, and abandonment during more than a decade in Ethiopia with his wife, their self-exile, and time in North America. After years of resistance, he finally allowed himself “to enter into that haunted house of my own pain.” In counseling, simply composing a therapeutic list of losses shattered his defenses. “As I tried to write that letter to God, electricity surged through my body and up my arms. I felt like I was going to blackout and fall backwards in my chair,” he recalls. “I wept hysterically, hyperventilating with overwhelming distress. It was the closest I’ve ever come to feeling like I was about to die.”Nevertheless, he encourages us to brave the world beyond our fears so we can “enter into the ultimate unionizer of humanity: our grief.” DeCort cautions us: this spiritual work will separate us from the crowd:“This theology leads to a revisionary way of becoming human. It’s poverty-processing, tear-soaked, nonviolent, hungry-and-thirsty, compassionate, God-seeing peace and justice. Humane happiness isn’t winning. It’s learning how to relate to one another as if we’re all actually beloved and the Beatitudinal Way is actually blessed. Jesus’s community found these divergent revisions to be blasphemous betrayals. They called it ‘subverting the nation’ and worthy of death (Luke 23:2).”I loved how DeCort’s study layers the Beatitudes like tree rings that embody the heart of God within us, promising that as we integrate total belonging, we will stand and bear witness while honoring joy in the midst of the crimes of our times. “Creative resistance to violence is one of Jesus’s most groundbreaking teachings,” DeCort asserts.“Jesus proved in the most intimate, ultimate way possible with his own body that humans can do their very worst. And still, God isn’t violent and doesn’t save with violence. God’s salvation is the presence of love, even in pain, free of vengeance.”I highly recommend DeCort’s beautiful book for the ways he coaches us to pursue the difficult work of surrendering to the promises of God. Fifteen pages of resources and questions for reflection at the back offer prompts to e

1 Peter 3:19-22 You know, even though God waited patiently all the days that Noah built his ship, only a few were saved then, eight to be exact—saved from the water by the water. The waters of baptism do that for you, not by washing away dirt from your skin but by presenting you through Jesus’ resurrection before God with a clear conscience.+Whether in a shower or a thunderstorm, every encounter with the divine medium of water can clarify your conscience anew.Allow God’s Spirit to flow through you.*Meg West lives near Charlottesville, Virginia. Her plein air oil paintings depict landscapes throughout the Shenandoah Valley. “I enjoy the rhythm and momentum that comes with a steady flow of painting,” she wrote. Meg shot today’s image for a future painting during a five-day “Unleashed Paint Out” with about thirty artists, sponsored by Allure Art Gallery near Deltaville, Virginia. Find Meg on socials and on her blog at http://www.megwestoilpainting.net/Readers support 💥Marianne’s Substack. Please join in as a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com