“Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’” — John 21:12
Meal Time
There is something unique about sitting down with someone at a table to share a coffee and snack, or sharing a meal with someone. It creates a moment of intimacy with that person or those people. You stop, you put life on pause and you connect specifically with that person or people.
In sports, “team meals” are frequent. There are pre-game meals, post-game meals and there are also team meals just for the purpose of spending time together as a team. Team meal tables are typically full of numerous conversations, discussions and sometimes even practical jokes — all of which deepen and strengthen relationships between two or more people as they talk and get to know more about each other.
In the hockey world, “shoe checks” are a frequent prank that occur around the team meal table. A shoe check involves one player sneaking under the table with a gob of butter on a knife. That player then wipes the butter on the toe of an unsuspecting teammate’s shoe. The goal is to pull this off undetected, and once the prankster is back in their chair, someone starts a glass tapping symphony amongst the team. Everyone then checks their shoes for the unsuspected gift of butter on their shoe. The victim then holds their shoe up in the air and a round of applause ensues.
Jesus had appeared to people a number of times after He had risen from the dead; these instances are recorded in the four gospels. In John 21, we read about his final appearance to a number of the disciples, before returning to the Father. Jesus called them to come share a meal: “Come have breakfast.”
Why? He could have met them in the market, or in a synagogue, or any number of places or situations. I suggest that He desired to have one more intimate time with his friends, the disciples, and a meal lends itself to do just that. What motivates us to grow intimacy with others? Love! There are different kinds of love and intimacy, but as one increases so does the other.
We all desire to have close friends, people we can have a level of intimacy with. It’s part of us being healthy. So how do we develop and grow intimacy? First, you spend time with someone; unstructured and spontaneous is very ideal. Next, when you are transparent with each other and share emotions, thoughts, hopes and feelings, then intimacy deepens. Thirdly, mutual submission places people on equal ground. It makes all involved feel valued, and having your opinion count to someone else is very important.
Later on in John 21, Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him, and then tells Peter to go love people “just as I have loved you.” If you love God, then go love the people He has placed in your life.
– Brian D Miller, Head Trainer – Peterborough Petes Hockey Club
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“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness.” — Titus 1:1 (ESV)
I used to identify everything wrong with me and then work like crazy to fix it. Not disciplined enough? I’d create a harder training schedule. Losing my temper too much? I’d white-knuckle my way through games, trying to control my emotions. Not confident enough? I’d repeat affirmations and try to psych myself up.
And you know what? Sometimes it worked. For a little while. But it was exhausting, because self-improvement is a treadmill that never stops. There’s always something else to fix, another area to improve, another weakness to address. I was trying to transform myself through effort, and it was crushing me.
Look at what Paul says in Titus 1:1 (above). He introduces himself as “a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness.”
Notice the order: Knowledge of truth leads to Godliness, not the other way around. Paul isn’t saying, “Work really hard to be Godly and then you’ll know the truth.” He’s saying, “Know the truth, and Godliness will follow.”
Are you trying to change yourself through effort? Or are you abiding in the One who transforms? Are you grinding alone, trying to fix everything that’s wrong with you? Or are you staying close to Jesus, letting His presence shape you?
One way leads to exhaustion. The other leads to life. You don’t have to try so hard. You just have to stay close. Choose His presence over your performance. His pace over your grind.
Josiah (left) and Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes, April 11, 2026. (Photo via X/@Canes)
Not a bad week for star Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin.
On Tuesday, he put home an overtime game-winner for Carolina’s 50th win of the season, just the fifth 50-win season in franchise history. It marked his first goal of the season. As a defenseman, he doesn’t typically add a ton of offense for the Hurricanes, but injuries have limited him to only 39 games this season, the fewest of his 11-year career.
On Thursday, the 31-year-old was given a night off to rest as the Canes played in Chicago, but a Slavin was still on the ice. Jaccob’s 27-year-old younger brother, Josiah, made his debut for Carolina. It was his first NHL action since 2022, when he played for Chicago.
Then on Friday, the Hurricanes announced that Jaccob had been named the team’s nominee for the 2025-26 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which honors the player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.” Jaccob has long been active in supporting organizations such as International Justice Mission, Compassion International, the Raleigh Dream Center, the Raleigh Rescue Mission, and the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation.
But Saturday was the ultimate highlight. Jaccob was back in action, as was Josiah, and for the first time in the NHL, the brothers took the ice for the same team.
“Just pure joy,” Jaccob said during a first-intermission interview. “I mean, obviously, growing up together, played a lot of mini sticks together, played a lot of backyard hockey together. But, to finally be able to be here in the NHL with him — that’s just joy. It’s awesome — thankful for this opportunity.”
“It’s been nothing but awesome,” Josiah said. “I mean, he’s been five years older than me, so I’ve been catching up pretty much my whole life. Just to get this opportunity is nothing but special.”
"Close-knit family, we all love Jesus, and we're just happy to be here together" Both Jaccob and Josiah Slavin joined to discuss things in a very special first intermission interview#CarolinaCulture#TusksUp#NHLpic.twitter.com/wGHzuOMRxg
Jaccob tallied an assist in 26 minutes, 54 seconds of ice time, while Josiah, a left wing, logged 14:04 as Carolina defeated the Mammoth in Utah, 4-1, for its 52nd win of the year. Heading into Monday’s matchups, the Hurricanes own the best record in the Eastern Conference (52-22-6).
Their parents, Robert and Wendi, and older sister, Jordan, also traveled to Utah to take in the special moment in person, though brothers Justin and Jeremiah were unable to make the trip.
“We have a close-knit family,” Jaccob said. “We all love Jesus, and we’re just happy to be here together.”
Robert echoed those thoughts when he and his wife were interviewed for the Canes’ broadcast as well.
“Five kids that love the Lord and they’re always there for each other, no matter what happens,” Robert said.
Josiah’s time with Carolina was short-lived, however, as he was sent on Sunday back to the Chicago Wolves, the minor league affiliate of the Hurricanes. In 66 games this season with the Wolves, he has registered 25 points (six goals, 19 assists).
No matter where he’s playing, though, Josiah will continue pointing teammates to the Lord. He said in December that he’s leading a discipleship group amongst the Wolves, and they have up to 13 guys attending the team chapels, with five or six also going to church together when their schedule allows.
Undoubtedly, he’s taken a cue from his older brother, who’s long been one of the most outspoken Christ-followers in the NHL. With the platform Jaccob’s been given through hockey, even his time with the recent U.S. Olympic hockey team, he’s given glory to God.
He suffered a lower-body injury in preseason training that forced him to miss 29 regular-season games. He came back for two games before an upper-body injury knocked him out for another 10 games. For a time, it was questionable whether he’d be able to play in the Olympics.
“I just look at it with gratitude,” he said in February, after Team USA won gold. “… Just thankful for God, and protecting me while I was over there, but also through this season with the injuries that I had at the beginning of the year. Just trusting His timing with it all, and getting to a spot where I was healthy enough to go and play. So, again, I look at it with gratitude.”
In March, Jaccob returned to the Sports Spectrum Podcast and touched on the mantra many athletes say about praising God in the good and the bad. He was asked about why we should do that.
“I think the biggest reason why, as a Christian athlete, is we look at what Jesus did on the cross,” Jaccob said. “Going into a game, we know that we are sinners saved by grace. So we’re playing from the identity of, ‘All right, I’m out here as a chosen vessel of God to glorify God.’ And whether you’re in the office working, whether it’s a sport you’re playing, whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, that is where God has you, so you’re going to do your work for God’s glory. So the reason why is because He’s worthy of it.
“One thing I’ve always prayed before games is: Christ died for me so I’m going to play for Him. If He was willing to give His life for me, I feel like the least I can do is play for Him with the platform He’s given me, the abilities He’s given me, and really just glorify and honor Him through the sport of hockey, or through loving my wife, parenting my kids, whatever it is.”
With two games remaining in the regular season, Slavin and the Hurricanes are looking to match the franchise-best win total of 54.
Manny Machado is a third baseman for the San Diego Padres. He is one of many baseball players who have opted to have Lasik eye surgery to improve vision. He noticed he was struggling to see during night games and hoped for improvement. Many players who have this kind of procedure note better vision and an increased ability to recognize the difference between fastballs and off-speed pitches.
Good eyesight is essential not only for athletes, but nearly everyone. Poor eyesight can be a hinderance to whatever role we find ourselves in.
In our walk of faith, if we didn’t have Jesus, we’d be stumbling along without hope or direction like a blind man. In John 9, we read a story about a man who was well known in the community as being blind from birth and would beg for money. As we read this story, we can put ourselves in his shoes and think about how bad things would have been if Jesus didn’t come to where he was and help him. How wonderful it was for God to come in the flesh and heal this man’s body and soul! Throughout eternity, this man will thank God for showing him mercy.
When Jesus reached out with compassion to give sight to the blind, the Pharisees demonstrated spiritual blindness by focusing on their nitpicking rules about the Sabbath (vv. 13-16) rather than rejoicing with this man about finally being able to see birds, fish, trees and flowers after being blind for a lifetime. Sadly, the Pharisees didn’t care about the wellbeing of this man and tried to shut the door to Heaven in his face. In contrast, Jesus ignored the frowns of the Pharisees and made a way to give hope to a hopeless man, for both the present and future.
Jesus made mud and gave instructions to the blind man to deliver his healing. The desperate man did as Jesus said. “After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ‘Go,’ he told him, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing” (John 9:6-7). Suddenly, everyone noticed the difference and knew Jesus had incredible power. Most people rejoiced with the man, but the Pharisees did not.
After Jesus gave sight to the man’s eyes, He also saved his soul. Though the Pharisees threw the blind man out of the synagogue when he spoke about the infinite power of Christ, Jesus overruled them. “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him” (John 9:35-38). This helpless man received grace and forgiveness for his sins and saw the divine nature of Christ better than the religious leaders of his day.
Are your eyes open spiritually to see Jesus move, or are you so focused on how you think things should be that you can’t see Him work right in front of you? Don’t let your poor spiritual eyesight be a hinderance to your calling!
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” — Luke 15:20
My oldest son runs both cross country and track in college. We always enjoy getting to watch him race. Some races we get to see, but others we just have to hear about secondhand due to conflicting schedules or meets that are farther away. Most of the stories encompass both the thrills of victory and the agonies of defeat, whether it’s a new personal best, the discouragement of not hitting a goal time, or some challenge faced along the way.
One story he shared inspired this devotional — and I share it with the prayer that it will inspire each of us in the race of faith.
My son was watching his friend and teammate compete in the mile at an indoor track event in North Carolina. His friend led the race from the start. On his final turn of the track, as he headed to a first-place finish, he got passed — his first-place finish taken away by hundredths of a second. As the winner passed, he looked back and made the “shush” symbol.
The race was over, at least from man’s perspective, but that wasn’t the moment when this young man won the real race. He later regretted the gesture he made and made a point of finding my son’s team. He wasn’t able to apologize directly to my son’s teammate, but he did ask that the apology be passed on to him. He said that he didn’t know why he had done that; it wasn’t his usual character.
Did the angels cheer? I hope so. I know I did in my spirit when I heard about this young man making the effort to right a wrong.
I can relate. How often do I say or do something I regret? The enemy would have us live like failures, but the truth is that victory is ours in Christ. It comes when we turn from wrong and look to Christ to do what is pleasing to Him. The best part is that the One we have truly wronged just happens to be the fastest runner of all time. He knows we are a long way from where we need to be, but still He runs with open arms.
