Romans 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had….
The commentary I read this morning about this scripture, specifically verse 7, contained the following gem: “The great end in all our actions must be that God may be glorified; nothing more….” What a simple yet profound statement. If we have the same mind toward each other that Christ had toward us, how different would our actions and interactions be? If we focus on His will, not our own, how different would our results be?
Romans 15:6 …so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord, I know I am guilty of putting my wants, needs, and attitudes before Your will, but what I want most in my life is to glorify You—in my thoughts, my actions, my words, and my attitudes. Help me to keep that goal—glorifying You, shining Your light—at the forefront of all I do. Before I think, act, speak, help me to ask how my thoughts, actions, and words will glorify Your name.
Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, and for Your will for my life. My selfish streak can be quite wide and stubborn, Lord, but I want to glorify You more than anything. Root out all that is selfish and self-serving within me, Lord, so that in all things I can earnestly and honestly say, “Thy will be done.” Draw me closer, Lord. Amen.
John 17:21 May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us….
Have a blessed day.
Infusing my human frailty with His eternal strength…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry.
I have been on the mountaintop with my Savior—shining moments of joy and affirmation such has holding my newborn babies in my arms for the first time. Those moments are glorious, and praise comes so easily during those times. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 40:2a He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of mud and mire….
I have also had my share of slimy pit moments, bogged down in the mud and mire, feeling helpless and hopeless and wondering how I will have the strength to take the next step, the next breath. My precious Savior is with me in those moments, too. He is holding me, carrying me, infusing my human frailty with His eternal strength. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 40:2b …He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
Lord, Thank You for this day and the reminder that You are with us always—in the glorious mountaintop moments, but also in the horrendous, difficult moments in the slimy pits of life. You never leave us, and when we are at our weakest, Your strength is all we need. Help us to draw closer to You, to lean into You, to shine Your light. Always. Amen.
Psalm 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Have a blessed day.
Joy in Your presence…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 16:1-2 Keep me safe, my God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.”
This morning I find myself on edge. My nerves are frayed. It’s not really one thing causing the issue. It’s many, many little bitty things that seem to be piling up. Kept in perspective, it would not be a problem. But sometimes it’s dangerously easy for me to let my circumstances get out of perspective.
Psalm 16:5 LORD, You alone are my portion and cup; You make my lot secure.
My usual prayer time was spent breathing deeply, mindfully, and repeating to my Savior: “You’ve got me. You are holding me. You are in control” over and over and over again. On the surface, it probably seems rather ridiculous, but I found that as I breathed deeply and kept repeating those words, an insular bubble seemed to form, at least mentally. Jesus and I are in the bubble. He’s got me in the palm of His hand. All the world’s chaos is outside of it, harmlessly bumping the elastic surface and skittering away. I found the entire exercise to be deeply calming. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 16:8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that while the world will always be full of chaos, demands, and obligations, I am in this world but not if it. Thank You for the reminder that You are holding me, surrounding me with Your peace, which surpasses all understanding. Thank You for helping me tap into that peace at a time when I am feeling overwhelmed with chaos. Help me always to choose Your peace, Your joy, Your love, instead of the chaos of the world. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 16:11 …You will fill me with joy in Your presence….
Have a blessed day.
All the time…. (devo reflection)
1 Peter 4:11a If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.
If we believe that we are Christ’s hands and feet in this weary world, then our words and actions are an extension of His love. That is a beautiful thought until I stumble upon unChristlike words and actions in my own daily life. Jesus, Help me always to shine Your light, to reflect Your love, even when I’m tired, grumpy, or discouraged. I want to always point others to You. I want others to see Your light and Your love reflected through me, not just when I’m in a good space, but all the time.
1 Peter 4:11b If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
Lord, I’m awfully bad about trying to function in my own strength. The desire to be self-sufficient and self-reliant is so strong, but I don’t want people to see me and think, “Look how strong she is.” I want them to see Your strength in my actions. I know I can’t do life without You, Lord, and I don’t want to. Help me to lean in to Your strength always.
2 Cor 13:5 …Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you…?
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the truth of Your words, Your love, and Your strength. Thank You for Your presence in my life, Your fierce love, and Your amazing grace. Draw me closer, Lord. Help me to glorify You in all I say and do. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11c …To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Have a blessed day.
The state of my heart…. (devo reflection)
Acts 24:16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
This scripture put me in mind of a poem entitled “The Man in the Glass,” which basically says that you can fool everybody but yourself when it comes to who you are and how you got where you are in life. To me, Acts 24:16 speaks to being able to look at yourself and know that who you are, who the world thinks you are, and who God knows you to be match.
Acts 23:1 … “I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”
I know my caustic inner critic often makes a squeaky clean conscience difficult, but sometimes a stinky attitude can be just as bad as motives that are less than honorable. One devotional I read today did not equate blamelessness with perfection but rather with doing the correct thing in all situations. If you mess up, apologize. If your attitude is stinky, change it (and apologize if you offended while you were in that mindset).
1 Cor 10:32 Do not become a stumbling block….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that my attitude is important and that You and I both know what my heart looks like, even if I can fool the world. Help me always to be honest with myself and with You about the state of my heart. If my attitude is stinky, help me to be aware and to actively seek to change it. Help me not to be a stumbling block to others but instead to point them to You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Have a blessed day.
Spreading the Good News…. (devo reflection)
Phil 1:12 And I want you to know…that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.
Perspective can make a significant difference in a situation. Unfortunately, when bad things happen, my first response is often, “Why me? Why this? Why now?” One of my readings today asked: “Are you willing for God to use your circumstances to demonstrate His saving power to those around you?” Jesus, Help shift my focus so that, no matter my circumstances, I seek to show others Your saving power through my reaction.
Gen 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good….
That shift in focus feels revolutionary. With it, my question shifts from “Why me?” to “How can I use this to shine Your light?” And that is truly what I want more than anything—to show others the fierce love and unfathomable grace of my Savior. Help me, Jesus.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him….
Lord, Thank You for this day and for this reminder. Thank You for the difference made by a slight change in perspective. Help me to view my circumstances through the lens of “How can I use this situation to shine Your light for others?” Draw me closer. Give me strength. Amen.
Luke 21:13 This will be your chance to tell the Good News.
Have a blessed day.
You did not forsake them…. (devo reflection)
Nehemiah 9:17a They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them….
I wonder if God ever gets frustrated with me. I know I frustrate myself. I feel like I keep fighting the same battles over and over. For me, those battles center around giving up trying to control situations I can’t and trusting God has got me, even when I feel like life is spinning out of my control. Jesus, Help me.
Nehemiah 9:17b …They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage….
The Israelites typify my internal struggle. On the one hand, I read about them and shake my head in disgust. What is wrong with them? God’s got them. He’s leading them. He has proved to them a history of caring for them, and still they cannot trust?!? Still they would rather return to slavery than march forward in God’s will to freedom?!? But the control freak in me gets it. By returning to slavery, to the familiar, they know what to expect, which allows them to FEEL more in control, even though they are not. Jesus, Help me.
Nehemiah 9:17c …But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for loving me too much to leave me where I am. Thank You for continuing to call me on my control and trust issues. Help me, Jesus, to give up trying to control situations I can’t and to fully trust what I know in my heart to be true—You are sovereign, You are in control, and You love my loved ones more than I am even capable of loving. You’ve got us, all of us, securely in the palm of Your hand. Draw us closer. Amen.
Nehemiah 9:17d …and You did not forsake them.
Have a blessed day.
Hope in God…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God….
To date, my hubs and our oldest have walked over 900 miles. Walked. On foot. Step by step. I’ve prayed them through every single mile and then some. But their spirits are starting to flag. My oldest is homesick and suffering from “the grass is greener” syndrome, imagining, I’m sure, all the fun he’s missing out on at home. The hubs is flagging from the continual wear of “pushing the rope,” trying to keep our son encouraged and moving forward when most days he just wants to quit. Jesus, Help us.
Psalm 42:8 By day the LORD commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me….
As a parent, I want my son, both my sons, to understand that Jesus brings us to the end of ourselves so He can show us how far He can take us when we allow Him to take control. I want him, both of them, to realize in life that we often are called to do difficult, sometimes seemingly impossible things, and if God’s calling us to do it, HE will help us through it, step by step, moment by moment, but we have to trust Him and allow Him to work in us and through us. Jesus, Help us.
Psalm 42:11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this awkward and uncomfortable space You have brought us all to. I don’t like it here, but I recognize that You are teaching ALL of us about trusting in You, about coming to the end of ourselves and letting go of control so that You can work through us and in us. I love this precious family so very deeply, Lord. I know You love us more than we are capable of understanding. Help us all to trust You, to lean into You, to allow You to lead us. Draw us closer. Amen.
Psalm 43:3 O send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me….
Have a blessed day.
Defining myself through the eyes of my Savior…. (devo reflection)
Proverbs 31:10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
My caustic inner critic cackled as I read this morning’s scripture. Mentally, as I read through Proverbs 31:10-31, she pointed out all the ways I fall short of the description of “The Wife of Noble Character.” She delights in my mistakes and missteps, pointing them out, derisively, at every opportunity. She’s a real peach. Jesus, Help me!
Proverbs 31:11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
I’m sure most people are able to take their inner critics with a grain of salt, tell them to “shut it” when they get mouthy, and move forward anyway. I’ve really had to concentrate on defining myself through the eyes of my precious Savior and not through the acerbic comments of my inner voice. Jesus, Help me!
Proverbs 31:28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for helping me to see that my inner critic doesn’t define me—You do. Thank You, in the words of a dear friend, for uniquely making me for this family that You have blessed me with, for equipping me with the tools I need to be a good wife to the hubs and mother to our boys. Help me to be the best wife and mother I can be to help this family whom I love so deeply find their way and their strength in You. Draw us closer. Amen.
Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
Have a blessed day.
Valuing people over possessions…. (devo reflection)
Rev 3:17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
Our culture values stuff. The premise of almost any commercial is “If you buy this product, your life will be enriched.” Therefore, it is not surprising to me that every semester when I talk to students about future careers, there is always at least one who doesn’t care what he does as long as he “makes bank.” Most everything in our culture indicates that money means happiness, or at the very least, having money means you can buy happiness.
1 Cor 13:3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
I wonder what would happen if, as a culture, we shifted our focus away from making money and acquiring things and toward loving others? What if, instead of chasing after the almighty dollar, we chased after others, showering them with love and compassion? I almost can’t imagine such a world, but wouldn’t it be astounding to witness?
Psalm 22:19 But you, LORD, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for this scripture. Thank You for these thoughts that I will continue to ponder in my heart. Help me as an individual and help our culture to value people over possessions, to value helping others over “making bank.” Draw us closer to You. Remake us in Your imagine. Amen.
Luke 1:46-47 … “My soul glorifies the LORD and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior….”
Have a blessed day.