Embracing God's Complex World
A daily devotion for navigating changeNovember
November 1 – The Antechinus
Therefore, humble yourselves before God's mighty power, that you may be exalted by God on the appointed day. (1 Peter 5:6) The Antechinus, a small marsupial, reveals a profound truth about humble sacrifice. Dedicating its life to a single breeding season, the male...
November 2 – The Present Moment
Enough of worrying about tomorrow! Let tomorrow take care of itself. Today has troubles enough of its own. (Matthew 6:34) As the Australian Pelican glides effortlessly over coastal waters, its keen eyes are fixed on the present moment, scanning for its next meal. With...
November 3 – Embracing Diversity
If we love God, we should love our sisters and brothers as well; we have this commandment from God. (1 John 4:21) The Australian green tree frog is a marvel of adaptability, possessing the extraordinary ability to modify its skin colour to seamlessly blend into its...
November 4 – Power of Adaptation
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, familial love; and to familial love, truly...
November 5 – Journey Home
While still a long way off, the father caught sight of the returning child and was deeply moved. The father ran out to meet him, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (Luke 15:20) Each year, the Short-tailed Shearwaters embark on an extraordinary journey, spanning...
November 6 – Unity in Diversity
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you," any more than the head can say to the feet, "I do not need you." (1 Corinthians 12:21) In the intricate tapestry of the Australian mangrove ecosystem, each thread - from the sturdy mangrove trees to the scuttling...
November 7 – The Humble Lichen
God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to the lowly members, that there may be no dissension in the body, but that all the members may be concerned for one another. (1 Corinthians 12:24-25). Lichens are the symbiotic partnership between fungi and...
November 8 – Building Each Other Up
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you're already doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11). In the Great Barrier Reef, countless coral polyps construct their intricate homes upon the remnants of generations past. Each tiny creature contributes to the...
November 9 – Small Beginnings
God gives strength to the weary, and empowers the powerless. (Isaiah 40:29) In the vast forests, the Eucalyptus regnans (Mountain Ash) symbolises the extraordinary potential hidden within the most unassuming of beginnings. This towering giant, the tallest flowering...
November 10 – Partnership
For God didn't give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, of self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7) The Mulga Parrot offers a striking example of the transformative power of partnership. These vibrant birds form lifelong bonds with their mates, working...
November 11 – Hidden Springs
Dismiss all anxiety from your minds; instead, present your needs to God through prayer and petition, giving thanks for all circumstances. Then God's own peace, which is beyond all understanding, will stand guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians...
November 12 – Songs of Belonging
You must love the Most High God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. (Luke 10:27) The tiny mother Fairy Wren imparts a unique call to its young, a melodic thread that fosters connections...
November 13 – Branches of Blessings
Let us always think how we can stimulate each other to love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24) In the Australian bush, the Eucalyptus tree demonstrates a profound truth about the interconnectedness of all life. As the tree grows and matures, it periodically sheds its...
November 14 – Communal Wetlands
People who don't provide for their relatives, especially those in the immediate household, have denied the faith and are worse than unbelievers. (1 Timothy 5:8) The coastal wetlands are a marvel of interconnectedness and mutual support. These intricate ecosystems...
November 15 – Caper White Butterfly
When any acknowledge that Jesus is the Only Begotten, God dwells in them and they in God. We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them. (1 John 4:15-16) Each year, the Caper...
November 16 – Rhythms of the Spirit
The Spirit, too, comes to help us in our weakness. For we don't know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit expresses our plea with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26) The ancient Kimberley coastline bears witness to the ceaseless dance of the tides, a...
November 17 – Shaped by Living Water
And I pray that God, out of the riches of divine glory, will strengthen you inwardly with power through the working of the Spirit. May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, so that you, being rooted and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:16-17) The Chillagoe Caves in...
November 18 – The Delicate Balance
After all, "The earth is our God's, and everything in it." (1 Corinthians 10:26) In the crystal-clear waters of Shark Bay, Western Australia, vast seagrass meadows sway gently with the currents, creating an underwater tapestry of life. These seemingly simple plants...
November 19 – Karri Trees
Though invisible to the eye, God's eternal power and divinity have been seen since the creation of the universe, understood and clearly visible in all of nature. Humankind is, therefore, without excuse. (Romans 1:20) In the forests of Western Australia, the majestic...
November 20 – Small Beginnings
The truth is, if you have even as much faith as the tiny mustard seed, you can be able to say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20) The Murray River, Australia's longest river, begins as a...
November 21 – the Enduring Cycad
Grass withers, and flowers wilt, but the promise of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8) The Cycad, a living testament to the enduring nature of God's promise, has stood the test of time. These ancient plants, which have witnessed the rise and fall of countless...
November 22 – Scribbly Gum
We all go to the same place. All forms of life are from dust, and return to dust. (Ecclesiastes 3:20) The Scribbly Gum moth leaves behind intricate patterns etched into the bark of Eucalyptus trees. These distinctive scribbles serve as a poignant reminder of the...
November 23 – Nourishment of the Soul
What would you gain if you were to win the whole world but lose your self in the process? What can you offer in exchange for your soul? (Matthew 16:26) In the depths of the ocean, the Basket Star extends its intricately branched arms, filtering the water for...
November 24 – Cathedral of Creation
In your hearts, set Jesus apart as holy and sovereign. Should anyone ask you the reason for this hope of yours, be ever ready to reply, but speak gently and respectfully. (1 Peter 3:15) In Western Australia's Kimberley region lies the Bungle Bungle Range, a testament...
November 25 – Enduring Hope
Like a sure and firm anchor of our lives, that hope extends beyond the veil. (Hebrews 6:19) The Organ Pipes, a striking volcanic rock formation in Victoria, Australia, stand as a metaphor to the transformative power of hope over vast stretches of time. These towering...
November 26 – Butterfly Triggerplant
I pray that God will enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see the hope this call holds for you—the promised glories that God's holy ones will inherit. (Ephesians 1:18) The Butterfly Triggerplant has a delicate flower that holds a profound lesson about the...
November 27 – Metamorphosis
The truth of the matter is, no one can enter God's kindom without being born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5) The northern banjo frog begins its life submerged in water as a tadpole. Through a remarkable process of metamorphosis, it gradually transforms, growing...
November 28 – Depths of Spirit
The wind blows where it will. You hear the sound it makes, but you don't know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8) The Eta Carinae nebula is a bright and chaotic cloud of gas and dust in the Milky Way...
November 29 – Love Reflected in Creation
Yes, God so loved the world as to give the Only Begotten One, that whoever believes may not die, but have eternal life. (John 3:16) The Flinders Ranges in Australia hold a remarkable testament to the enduring nature of God's love - the Ediacara fossils. These ancient...
November 30 – Symphony of Gifts
And to some, the gift they were given is that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11-12) The Nardab Floodplain in Kakadu National Park, is a vast expanse that comes to life during the wet...