The Daily Memo

Why is it that when we say, “This is the last potato chip I’m going to eat,” five minutes later we’re looking for more? Michael Moss answers that question in his book Salt Sugar Fat. He describes how America’s largest snack producers know how to “help” people crave junk food. In fact, one popular company spent $30 million a year and hired “crave consultants” to determine the bliss point for consumers so it could exploit…

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. (Isaiah 61:1) The Hebrew for “brokenhearted” is a conjunction of two words: leb, which is the heart, and shabar, a word that means “broken,” or “to break, to rend violently.” Isaiah elsewhere uses shabar…

Prayer is a truly remarkable privilege, and we must be careful to treat it as such. Have you ever paused to consider why a holy God would condescend to even listen to our petitions, let alone answer them? The Lord is so perfect that the smallest hint of sin is incompatible with His presence. Human beings, on the other hand, are inherently sinful. Yet God wants to commune with us, so He made a way for that to be possible. Before Jesus’ death and resurrection, priests…

Once we come to accept that we can never find or hang on to the life we have been seeking, what then? As Dallas Willard writes, it matters for all the world to know that life is ahead of us. I meet many faithful Christians who, in spite of their faith, are deeply disappointed in how their lives have turned out. Sometimes it is simply a matter of how they experience aging, which they take to mean they no longer have a future. But often, due to circumstances or wrongful…

If you had a friend who called or dropped by your house only when he wanted something—who never reached out to show concern or to see if you needed help—it’s likely that the friendship wouldn’t last long. Why? Because there’s no intimacy there, no true relationship. We might be tempted to shake our heads at such selfishness, but it’s far too easy to treat God the same way. Sadly, many Christians reach out to Him in prayer only when they…

People enjoy feeling in control of their own schedule, and it can be frustrating when things don’t go according to plan. Yet whoever truly desires to walk in obedience to God must cooperate with His time frame. Consider how you pray about situations in your life. Without realizing it, you may be demanding that the Lord follow the schedule you’ve constructed based on your very limited human wisdom. Yet if we believe God is who He says He is, how can surrendering…

The man possessed by many demons asked Jesus, “Why are You interfering with me?” You know the answer. It’s the same one He has for you. Because He loved him. And He loves you. If we are to find healing and true joy, we need to lean into His interference. And to do that, we must first ask ourselves the question, what part of our lives is He interfering with? Think about it. Picture Jesus approaching you with searching eyes that look straight into your soul,…

Every woman can tell you about her wound; some came with violence, others came with neglect. Just as every little boy is asking one question, every little girl is, as well. But her question isn’t so much about her strength. No, the deep cry of a little girl’s heart is, Am I lovely? Every woman needs to know that she is exquisite and exotic and chosen. This is core to her identity, the way she bears the image of God. Will you pursue me? Do you delight in me? Will…

There are many urgent and practical needs in the world, such as those related to marginalized communities, natural disasters, and struggling families. As a result, prioritizing time with the Lord in His Word and prayer may seem less pressing, but it’s not. Let’s consider reasons for making meditation a daily practice in our life. The primary reward of meditating on Scripture is personal intimacy with God. Think of a good friend or family member. Your closeness…