Daily Photo Parable

Photo ©2011 and Commentary ©2026 by Chuck Davis
Monday, April 6, 2026

The image for today’s photo parable displays a sunset at Lincoln City, Oregon. I was drawn to the beach that late May day by the waves, the clouds, and the warm tones in the sky. But the most interesting feature that I captured is the near mirror-like reflection in the sand. Reflections were used by several of the Bible writers to teach important lessons:

For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was (James 1:23-24 ASV).

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV).

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another… (2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV).

The beauty of today’s photo is multiplied by reflection. God desires that we should reflect His glory. The creation culminates with His image being imprinted upon us. “So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27 KJV). I hope that this photo inspires you to be a mirror, to reflect God’s glory to those around you.

Photo and Commentary (c)2026 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, April 5, 2026

I think about it every year about this time. It was a routine trip to our neighborhood drugstore, until I saw a large banner hanging from the ceiling. In colorful letters it exclaimed, “HE’S ALMOST HERE!”

My heart leaped up in response! For a couple of weeks I’d been immersed in the gospel writers’ accounts of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, following Him from the Garden of Gethsemane where He anguished in prayer, to the long night of illegal trials and torture, to the heartbreak of the cross.

Two wealthy men stepped forward to provide Him an honorable burial, and He rested on the Sabbath day in the sleep of death. Not remembering what He had repeatedly told them would happen (especially the part of “and on the third day I will rise again”) the hopes of His disciples and other followers died with Him.

Women were last at the cross, and first at the tomb. At first light, on the first day of the week, they were the first to encounter the empty tomb. The waiting angel greeted them with these wonderful words (and can you imagine being the one to share this news?!):

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’” (Matthew 28:5-7 NIV)

For forty days Jesus lingered on this earth. He had won the victory, but He had follow-up work to do. He needed to reassure the disciples, and especially Peter, that He still loved them and that they were fully forgiven for deserting Him when He needed them most. He told them He was turning the mission over to them; He was trusting them to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15 NKJV)

He told them He would come again . . .

And since I’d been immersed in this Story, preparing to share in Easter celebration, my heart leaped up in that drugstore, where I’d stopped in wonderment on my way to the pharmacy at the back of the store.

“HE’S ALMOST HERE!”

I resumed walking toward the banner, only to discover when I got close enough, a big picture of the Easter bunny, and a display of Easter candy.

That was an almost Alleluia. Turned out not to be a “praise ye the Lord.” More of a celebration of chocolate and jelly beans.

And yet that big banner made me smile, and does so now, because it reminds me of the truth, Jesus is coming again! You could say the drugstore display had “hoppy news” (pun intended) but the gospel has happy news, the happiest news of all:

Jesus died, rose again, and is coming again! Meanwhile, we have inherited the mission. We have the privilege of carrying the good news of the gospel everywhere we go, fueled by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

So on this celebration day, and every day of our lives, we are invited to sing praises to our Risen Saviour, our Redeemer, our Coming King. Not an almost Alleluia, but a full-throated “praise ye the Lord”!

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, April 4, 2026

Last Sunday on a walk I discovered, to my delight, a sidewalk chalk challenge, in which the juvenile artist tried to goad friends and passersby into a series of hopping challenges. Though the chalkmarks were emphatic, the drawing and the spelling were a bit sketchy, and I sometimes found it hard to figure out. But I’ll give it a try.

As near as I can figure, the above photo shows us where the course begins. The three shaded-in circles seem to be color-coded ways for three participants to keep straight who they are as they hop along. The “asome!” (which I take to be a variant of “awesome!”) offers encouragement right at the start. What “Lava!” signifies I have no clue.

Here, another injection of encouragement is provided with a hearty “good”, after which the color-coded participants must take their positions again, and puzzle over the next command: “Get the cons.” Thus far I had detected no signal that the players were to capture criminals, so I decided that the speller had meant “get the coins,” since there followed a series of gold-chalked circles (one of which you can see at the top) with dollar signs in them. Hop along, land on a coin, and you’re that much richer.

At this point, if I have these in the right order, the participants are heartened by another shot of encouragement (“good job”), after which they resume their positions and respond to the simple command “run.” Helpful triangular shoe-tread designs let them know where to place their feet.

At last, we seem to have come to the end of the challenge course. The artist – choosing again not to be trammeled by basic spelling rules – declares not only the “fenesh” but pats the participants verbally on the back with “vare god!”

And here’s a view back along the course. I’m not sure what the final cryptic symbols are:

Cute, right? Tragically, a steady rain fell the following day, and when I sought to re-examine the challenge course it had been washed away. But what stuck with me was encouragement. Whoever had set this course out was someone who believed that positive affirmations were helpful.

The Bible has quite a bit to say, and demonstrate, about how encouragement makes all the difference. Check out this link:

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/encouragement

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, April 3, 2026

One of the truly annoying – and even disconcerting – things I notice happening is how craftily artificial intelligence is slithering its way into my life. It’s showing up in my word processing, hovering at the left edge of my Microsoft Word documents’ lines, begging me to use it to fine-tune my writing style. It has shouldered its way into my Google searches and tries to be helpful there.

Luckily, its programmers are starting to include warnings, as in the photo above. At first glance, doesn’t that statement sound something like a mild oath, such as “by cracky” or “by George”? Gemini, as it turns out, is Google’s “Personal Assistant,” which promises to help you if you tell it what you want it to do. I haven’t tried it out, and don’t plan to, except I know that even if I so a simple Google search, a whole lot of AI is already at work, guiding me to the answers it thinks I want.

But “There may be mistakes,” this gentle warning tells me. In other words, “Don’t trust me to be absolutely error-free. Keep in mind that I might not have all the facts, or that I might occasionally use the facts I do have in an incorrect way.”

I’m glad they post that warning, because I need it. For several decades I’ve spent time thinking about ways to think clearly and correctly. I’ve learned that it’s easy to fool me unless I reason cautiously and humbly. I hope, as AI surrounds us and infiltrates our machines, that we all become more vigilant about how to think.

And you’ve probably discovered, as I have, that human logic only leads us so far. There’s Bible logic to consider too. The link below offers several eternally-relevant Scriptural thinking patterns. Check them out!

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/thinking

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, April 2, 2026

It is fun to see what images a cell phone can capture. I like how the moon just appears to float although we know it does not just hover there. The moon constantly accelerates towards the earth. Its forward momentum keeps it in equilibrium to establish an orbit.

When we think about our relationship with God, it is healthiest when things stay dynamic instead of just floating in limbo. Let’s think about how we can trust the Lord and use his principles as we move forward.

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Have you ever felt on the outside of an inner circle? At one time or another, we’ve all been there—looking in on an event, a coveted work opportunity, or a tightly knit group of friends, wishing we were part of it instead of observing from a distance.

That feeling of being left out, of whatever is happening, can stir up emotions. It can leave us feeling overlooked, lonely, and even hurt. Part of that response comes from a fundamental human need: we are wired for connection. We long for acceptance. We want to know that we belong.

That human need is a trait given to us, from our Creator. That feeling of togetherness and acceptance is the basis of the family/community God has created.

Scripture reminds us that life with God is not meant to be lived alone, we are invited into His family, one household and called to walk together.

Ephesians 2:19 – “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God”

Think back to the feeling of standing on the outside. Now imagine being drawn in, welcomed with open arms, and embraced as part of the innermost circle, the family of God.

About the image — this English Daisy, which has such striking color and contrast showcasing its distinct circles, was captured in a nearby garden. 

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Perspective makes all the difference which is just another way of saying “you are what you see.”  A rather grim picture of life is painted by the military mind of Napoleon Bonaparte who observed, “There are two levers to set a man in motion, fear and self-interest.”  What a dismal outlook on life.  Somewhere along the way he must have missed all that is beautiful, all that is elegant.  Nature, of course provides examples of both viewpoints, but how much richer we are if we choose to focus on that which enriches.

Take this bird for example, the Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, a species found above 5400 feet in the mountains of Panama and Costa Rica.  There it feeds primarily on small fruits and berries, such as mistletoe and fuchsia, as well as insects.  Its very long tail and prominent crest combined with its silky plumage presents the essence of elegance. These characteristics place it in close connection with the waxwings.  The Phainopepla is its closest relative found in the United States.  During courtship the male will offer berries to the female which to our mind carries an inference of refinement.

Lest we romanticize too much, we’re reminded that balance is also an important factor in maintaining a mental equilibrium.  H.L. Mencken, an American journalist, provides us with that nudge toward reality: “An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup.”