Month: December 2018

1 Peter 4:19 If you suffer for obeying God, you must have complete faith in your faithful Creator and keep on doing right.
This morning, as I read commentary on this verse, there was talk of missionaries suffering for their Savior in foreign lands under harsh conditions, which is definitely applicable, but I feel like even those of us who are never called in that way can learn from this text. A line from John Piper’s commentary resonated deeply: “If we become embittered at life and the pain it deals us, we are not preparing to rejoice at the revelation of Christ’s glory.” 
Col 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters….
We don’t have to be foreign missionaries to understand the pain life deals us. If we are simply trying to follow God’s will for our lives, we are sure to run headlong into pain at some point—the loss of a loved one far too soon, the difficult transition to a new job or routine, the doubts and fears that come from physically relocating, the heartache of betrayal, anger, bitterness, and trying to let it go because it is not of Him nor from Him. Suffering happens as easily here as abroad, but I think the secret to finding His joy is two-fold: 1. Seeking, earnestly, His will for your life, and 2. Seeking to draw closer to Him and trust Him more deeply, no matter the situation.
1 Cor 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Lord, Thank You for this day, this scripture, and the knowledge that we can seek You and serve You anywhere. Thank You for wanting the best for us, for wanting us to grow and mature in our faith, in our relationship with You. When we face trials in this life, help us to seek You and to rejoice as we draw closer to You. No matter our circumstances, help us to seek You, always, with our whole hearts. Amen.
Jer 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.
Have a blessed day.

James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds….
This passage has always been a bit difficult for me because I often equate happiness with joy. Happiness is more earthly, temporary. Joy is more eternal and is rooted in my Savior. And while I still can’t honestly say I rejoice in suffering and trials, I absolutely understand that these difficult periods draw me closer to God in a way that easier seasons can’t.
James 1:3-4 …because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
I have waded through wildernesses where the only thing that kept me going was my utter conviction that, even though I could not see or feel Him, I knew that my Savior was present and at work in the situation because of His promises to never leave me nor forsake me. 
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder of Your steadfast love. Thank You for the conviction that You are with me, even in trying times, even when I can’t feel Your presence. In every situation, Lord, help me to cling to Your steadfast love. Give me wisdom and discernment, Lord, and help me tap into the joy that can only come from You. Draw me closer through every trial. Amen.
1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory….
Have a blessed day.

Luke 1:18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
I have mentioned before my deep connection to “why” questions. I seek to understand fully, which means exploring a situation fully. To me, it seems smart to find answers to pressing questions to be sure I am not led astray. But this scene with Zechariah gives me pause. 
Luke 1:20 “And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
I don’t consider my quest for understanding to be a sign of doubt and unbelief. I consider the quest for answers to be more a course of due diligence, of making sure I understand. But is understanding the nature of faith? Or is faith more about saying, “Lord, I do not get this, but I trust You, I trust that You’ve got this, even if I don’t understand”?
Mark 9:24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the ability to believe in You, Your word, and Your promises even when I do not understand. I believe in You, Lord. Help my unbelief. Strengthen my faith. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way….
Have a blessed day.

1 Samuel 17:37 And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” ….
I love David’s confidence in this verse. He has faced lions and bears while protecting sheep. He knows the LORD protected him during those encounters, and he has every confidence that the LORD will protect him from Goliath as well. David’s attitude is not cockiness. It is total confidence in God.
1 Samuel 17:38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail….
Saul’s clothing David in his, Saul’s, armor reminds me of my fears. “Yes, I trust God, but what about this and this and this? I’d better trust myself, too.” Thankfully, David quickly realizes it is unwise to go to battle in untested armor. Better to go with what works, with what’s tried and true, a pocket full of stones and an unshakable faith.
1 Samuel 17:39-40 …And he tried in vain to go for he had not tested them. So David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five small stones…. His sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for Your presence in my life, and for fighting my battles. Help me remember that the fight is not mine, it is Yours. Arm me with an unshakable faith, even in the face of giants. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Samuel 17:46-47 “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand….for the battle is the LORD‘s….”
Have a blessed day.

1 Cor 9:24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!
One of the things I love about running is that I am competing against myself. I try to be a little faster, a little better with each race. Yes, there is one overall winner, but there are also category winners (for each gender and age category), and, ultimately, if I improve from one race to the next, I definitely consider it a win. I think there are lessons in this attitude for my faith “race” as well.
Phil 3:14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Some runs, some races, are just bad. Sometimes my legs feel leaden, my breathing is labored, my celebration is in finishing the run and nothing else. Some days are like that, too. I get to the end and am just thankful I survived, I did it, and I can try again tomorrow. God is good like that. He wants me to keep pressing on toward Him. 
2 Tim 1:9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time—to show us His grace through Christ Jesus.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your saving grace, mercy, and love. Thank You for those days where I feel like my light is on point, like all those who see me can’t help but see You through me. And thank You for those days where just surviving is a victory. Help me to remember that it is always You holding me together. You are my light and my hope. Draw me closer. Amen.
Heb 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith….
Have a blessed day.

Luke 3:8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor;’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
Again today’s readings bring me back to the idea of bearing fruit. Again I see in my mind’s eye the image of the two vibrant fuchsia buds from my Christmas cactus lying futilely on the dark countertop, their promise destroyed. When I read this scripture today, it put me in mind of folks who revel in their glory days instead of continuing to do great things. Like the memories of riotous blooms in the past, which do nothing to revive the fallen buds, sometimes it is easy to slip into habits of memory instead of action. 
Luke 3:10-11 And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”
Here is the pressing lesson that I take from today’s musings—I must, every day, seek to glorify my Lord and Savior. I can’t rest on my laurels—yesterday, last week, last year, I did this great thing for God. Each morning, my thought should be, “What can I do today, right now, to glorify my Lord and to shine His light, to comfort His people?”
Luke 3:15 The people were waiting expectantly and were wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for revealing Yourself as the Messiah. Thank You for this season of expectant waiting and for the reminder that every day I need to seek to glorify You, to shine Your light. Help me, never, to underestimate the power of Your light within me. Help me, always, to draw closer to You. Amen.
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.
Have a blessed day.

John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last….
I have a Christmas cactus in the back of my classroom. Most of the time, it is extraordinarily plain to look at, but at this time of year, it is breathtaking. Bright fuchsia buds are abundant. I moved the plant to a very prominent place just so I could enjoy the riotous blooms. But when I walked in yesterday morning, two of the buds lay futilely on the counter, their promise never to be fulfilled.
John 15:5 I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in Him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing,
I’ve been reading about being fruitful the past several days during my devotional time, and those beautiful buds, now utterly without promise, put me in mind of those passages. When we remain connected to Christ, rooted in Him, our promise, our potential, can become a reality. We can bloom—in Him, through Him, because of Him. But if we lose our anchor in Him, we become like those buds—futile, potential that can never come to fruition.
Matt 13:21 But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for the scripture You have placed in my path, for these lessons on promise, fruitfulness, and futility. Help me, daily, to root myself deeply in Your word, Your truth, Your love. Help me to bear Your fruit in my life. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 46:5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Have a blessed day.

Luke 6:45a A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart….
We live in a world of judgement. People make snap judgments about you based on what you look like, what you wear, how you act, what you say. It is so automatic for most, this instant judgment based on perception, that we often no longer even realize we are doing it. It is just a part of who we are and how we assess people.
Luke 6:45b …and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up on his heart.
And I’d wager that most of us think we are pretty good at it—assessing, judging, based on a handful of factors. As I type this, I feel the weight of my own judgment—how often am I guilty of this very thing? Far too often. So it is high time I turn the mirror on myself, look at my own words, specifically, and see what they say about what’s in my heart. I pray my words show my deep love for my Savior, but I fear they will reveal how deeply embedded are the ways of this world in my life.
Luke 6:45c For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Lord, Thank You for this day and the reminder to pay attention to my words and select them carefully. Help me, today, to look honestly at what I say and how I say it, so that I can have a better sense of the state of my heart. Help me to use my words to glorify You, to point others to You, to shine Your light. Draw me closer to You with every word I speak, and help me draw others to You as well. Amen.
Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
Have a blessed day.

2 Cor 8:5 …They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
I am way more of a perfectionist than I care to admit. I just always want to be sure that whatever I do, it is absolutely as good as I can possibly make it. But to truly give myself “first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to” others means letting Him use me as He sees fit, and I know that my amazing Savior can work miracles through my messes. He doesn’t want my perfection. He wants all of me, even the things that fall (by my estimation) way short of the mark.
2 Cor 8:7 But since you excel in everything…. see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
God’s been working on my heart with this scripture for a while, and I am convinced that His message to me in this is to give Him everything, to hold nothing back, even the things I deem not good enough or not worthy of Him. He doesn’t just want my best. He doesn’t need my perfection. He wants all of me. Everything.
2 Cor 8:11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for urging me to hold nothing back from You and for using even the things I see as messes. Help me to give You my all, always, to hold nothing back, even if it doesn’t feel good enough. You want my whole heart, Lord. Help me to give it willingly. Draw me closer. Amen.
2 Cor 8:12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
Have a blessed day.

Isaiah 35:3 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way….
Last night, we finally put up a Christmas tree. It is a little pre-lit “Charlie Brown” tree, as my oldest called it, but I see it as a light in the darkness, shining God’s love and mercy, heralding the good news of Christ’s birth.
Isaiah 35:4a …say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear….”
I’ve always loved the lights of a Christmas tree, and I am especially reminded of the light that led the wisemen to the newborn Savior. And the angel perched atop my tree, lovingly made by my mom so many years ago, is symbolic of the angel who appeared to the shepherds, telling them to fear not, for Christ was born.
Isaiah 35:4b “…your God will come…He will come to save you.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the hope of this advent season. Thank You for the ability to uplift and encourage others, and, in this season, for the light and hope of the Christmas tree and the encouragement I find in You. Draw us all closer to You as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior. Amen.
John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Have a blessed day.