Yesterday at my women’s Bible study, we were reading through Luke 1 when something unexpected leaped off the page for me. As I read, I suddenly saw a connection between the names Theophilus—“Friend of God”—and Emmanuel—“God with us.” The insight filled me with excitement, but it also lingered long after the study ended, stirring deeper questions in my heart.

Later that night, unable to sleep, I picked up my Bible again and reread Luke 1. I wanted to understand why this connection was affecting me so profoundly. As I prayed and did a bit of research, I sensed what the Holy Spirit had been trying to highlight: through Christ—Emmanuel—I am invited to become a true friend of God.

But as I continued reading, another question surfaced. Why did the angel Gabriel respond so differently to Zechariah and Mary when their questions seemed so similar? Zechariah asked, “How can I be sure?” and Mary asked, “How can this be?” On the surface, both appear to be asking the same thing.

But the more I sat with it, the more I realized that Gabriel was responding not only to their words, but to the heart behind their words. One question came from doubt; the other from sincere curiosity. Gabriel gently explained the miracle to Mary, but he disciplined Zechariah. Perhaps the angel expected more faith from a priest—someone who had spent a lifetime immersed in God’s promises.

The conclusion I came to was simple but profound: our tone and motives matter. God sees not just what we say, but why we say it. We can hide our true intentions from people, but not from Him. And even with people—while they cannot see our hearts—they can still hear our tone.

So let me ask you, as I asked myself:

When you speak, what do others hear—doubt and fear, or faith and trust?

God bless you 🙏🏼

Iamsosasmama ❤️

Studying Genesis 18 and seeing how Abraham, a close friend of God, humbly negotiated with God about people he barely knew was both fascinating and challenging to me as a believer. There are many lessons to glean from this chapter, but today, I am choosing to focus on the life of Abraham’s nephew, Lot.

Initially, observing Abraham’s negotiation with God, I thought it was primarily because of his concern for his nephew. However, as the number of righteous individuals Abraham negotiated for dropped to ten and he stopped, I began to wonder what might have been on his mind. Although God would have granted Abraham’s request had he continued, why did Abraham stop at ten? What thoughts were running through his mind?

While studying, I considered that Abraham might have been disappointed in Lot for not winning souls outside his family, seeing that only Lot and his family were saved in the end. Was Lot simply watching people sin, going about their business without intervening? Or did he try to call for repentance, but no one responded?

Then I came across 2 Peter 2:7-9. Reading this passage allowed me to see things from Lot’s perspective. His heart bled for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Just being among them was already torturous for his soul. I bet he tried several times to preach to these people, not just when he attempted to protect the angelic beings in Genesis 19. Hence, God saved only Lot and his family.

Why does Lot’s story resemble Noah’s story so much? (Just my wandering thoughts.)

I can see why our world and communities today can seem like Lot’s and Noah’s, and why our hearts bleed for lost souls. It is my prayer that we don’t give up praying or grow weary in reaching out to souls within our spheres of influence. Whatever you’re doing to advance the kingdom, keep at it. The Lord knows and has a plan for how He will protect those who are truly His. It is my prayer and desire that we all genuinely change our ungodly ways, turn to our Maker with all sincerity, and not harden our hearts.

Shalom,

Sosasmama 💝