Knowing The Word

Weekday devotionals by The Rev. Reagan Cocke

Devotionals

Daily Devotionals

Romans Chapters 9-11, A Few Thoughts Before We Get Back to the Text Next Week!

Tom Wright notices that Romans 9-11 “highlights the peculiar tragedy of the gospel’s revelation of God’s righteousness—namely the ironic failure of Israel to believe in the Messiah. This, too, however, turns out to be held within the strange purposes of God, whereby Israel’s fall, acting out on a grand scale the death of Jesus, is the means by which salvation can extend to the whole world. This cannot mean that Jews themselves are thereby forever debarred from participating i

1 minute ago3 min read

Romans 8:34b-39, God's Everlasting Love Part III

The question of Christian confidence was vital for Paul’s hearers in Rome—as it is, indeed, for many today. The main issue he was addressing, which is as important today, is that people in Paul’s culture (and ours) might well interpret the bad things that were happening to God’s people as signs that God was angry with them, that they had done something wrong. As with Job’s comforters, many in Paul’s day, as in our own, assumed that if someone was in tune with God, they wouldn

1 day ago4 min read

Romans 8:34b-39, God's Everlasting Love Part II

34b Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God [read Psalm 110:1], who indeed is interceding for us. [Read Isaiah 53:12.] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? [Seven bad things symbolically standing for any and everything.] 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as

2 days ago2 min read

Romans 8:31-34, God's Everlasting Love Part I

Paul 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [Jews would think of Isaac, who Paul would see foreshadowing Jesus.] 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? [When God takes the side of the defendant, no amount of evidence can produce an adverse verdict.] It is God who justifies. 34a Who is to condemn?

3 days ago2 min read

All Posts

Start each weekday with a devotional in your inbox

About Rev. Reagan

Reagan Winter Cocke was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He received a B. A. and a Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania where he also met his wife Stephanie.

After a decade practicing architecture, Reagan answered the call to ordained ministry, attending Wycliffe Hall at the University of Oxford where he studied theology, graduating with distinction. He served as an assistant rector at Church of the Advent in Brownsville, TX, before coming to St. John the Divine in Houston, TX, where he has served for nearly two decades.

At St. John the Divine, Reagan has overseen ministries ranging from Adult Education to Prayer Ministry to the Contemporary Service. He currently oversees Youth, Children's, and Family Ministries. He leads several Bible studies and has written a number of devotionals for the congregation.

In his spare time, Reagan enjoys playing pickleball, painting, traveling, cooking, and entertaining alongside Stephanie. They have two children: Catherine, who lives in Austin, and Winston, who lives with them in Houston.

About

Knowing the Word

weekday devotionals by The Rev. Reagan Cocke