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Traveling Mercies…. (devo reflection)

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

As I’m typing this, I’m sitting in the airport. We boarded a flight in Anchorage at 1am this morning, and we’ve finally made it home-adjacent….four time zones and a lot of hours later.

2 Peter 3:8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with
the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

And as I sit here waiting, I’ve thought about this long travel day and all of the blessings sprinkled throughout: a man who had an upholstery business for 40 years and fixed my bag’s busted zipper, a gorgeous pink sky as we flew our first leg, so many smooth flights, the sweet little toddler who smiled and waved as I was stewing about how stinking long it was taking to retrieve this checked bag.

Ephesians 5:16 Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Lord, Teach me to number my days. Give me a heart of wisdom. Help me spend and invest time wisely, with an attitude of grace and love. Thank You for reminding me to pay attention to You, always, because You are always there. Amen.

Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Have a blessed evening.

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God’s glorious handiwork…. (devo reflection)

Psalm 29:1a Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings…

I have seen some of the most amazing views this past week—mountain peaks, blooming flowers, rushing streams. I have had the time, I have taken the time, to slow down, to marvel and appreciate God’s amazing handiwork.

Psalm 29:1b …honor the LORD for his glory and strength.

Vacation often works like that—allowing me to slow down, to marvel. But God is present in my everyday life, too. Sometimes I marvel—rainbows, sunrises and sunsets, but more often, I am so busy doing that I fail to notice and appreciate like I should.

Psalm 29:2a Honor the LORD for the glory of his name….

Father of all Creation, Thank You for Your glorious handiwork on this earth. Help me, daily, to marvel and appreciate Your goodness. Amen.

Psalm 29:2b …Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

Have a blessed day.

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God’s thoughts…. (devo reflection)

Psalm 139:17a How precious to me are your thoughts, a God!…

Lord, I wonder what you think about. I know from scripture that Your thoughts are nothing like my thoughts. I know that You care about things on a much larger scale than I can imagine.

Psalm 139:17b …How vast is the sum of them!

But I also know that You care about each of Your children. You’ve got Your eye on the sparrow, so I know You care about me, too.

Psalm 139:18a Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—

Lord, it’s easy to feel like I can get lost in the shuffle, like with all You’ve got on Your plate, there’s no way You have time to think about me, too. Thank You for the certain knowledge that You care deeply for me. Help me to care for Your people the way You care for me. Amen.

Psalm 139:18b …when I awake, I am still with you.

Have a blessed day.

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Grace upon grace (devo reflection)

Psalm 139:13a For you created my inmost being….

Lord, We are quirky, idiosyncratic people. Help us to give ourselves and each other grace upon grace, knowing that You created us, knit us together, that we are uniquely and wonderfully made by You.

Psalm 139:13b …you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Lord, Help us to be slow to judge, quick to love, quick to forgive. Help us to be patient, kind, and compassion towards ourselves and each other.

Psalm 139:14a I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made….

Lord, Your works are wonderful, we know that full well. And we *are* Your works, even when we forget, even when we lose patience, even when we are disgruntled and angry. Help us to love ourselves and each other the way You love us. Completely and always. Amen.

Psalm 139:14b …your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Have a blessed evening.

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Trust in the Lord (devo reflection)

Psalm 32:8a I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go….

I want to talk about verse 10 today. I do not consider myself to be wicked, but I know that my lack of trust has caused many woes in my life.

Psalm 32:8b …I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

The simple solution—simple but not easy, is imbedded in the verse itself: trust in the Lord, which brings Proverbs 3:5-6 to mind.

Psalm 32:10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.

Lord, Thank You for the reminder that You want me to trust You, that my life will be smoother, less chaotic (not necessarily easier) when I do so. Help me. Amen.

Psalm 32:11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Have a blessed day.

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You are my hiding place…. (devo reflection)

Psalm 32:6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.

If you know me at all, you know that I’m a planner. I usually have a plan and a back up plan just in case. When things don’t go to plan, I can get myself into a state.

Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

But God taught me an important lesson yesterday in gratitude, in being grateful for what is instead of upset about what’s not. He reminded me that He is sovereign, trustworthy, in control. Always and everywhere.

Psalm 32:8a I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go…

Lord of all creation, Thank You for Your peace and Your presence, for reminding me what’s important, for gratitude in the simple things. Amen.

Psalm 32:8b …I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Have a blessed day.

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Room for the unknown…. (devo reflection)

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

It is hard for me to fathom the scene described in today’s verses because it is so far outside of the realm of my experience. At no time in my life has the earth been formless and empty, so I just can’t conceive of what that must have been like, which brings to mind a quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Genesis 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Here’s the trouble, though: I like to think I know a lot, so when I make judgments and assumptions, I don’t usually leave room for all that may exist outside of my realm of understanding. I don’t even leave room for that possibility. Jesus, Help me.

Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Creator of the Universe, Thank You for reminding me that my knowledge is finite, limited, that there is so much in this life (and the next) that I don’t understand. Help me to leave room for the unknown, the unexpected. Help me leave room for You. Amen.

Genesis 1:4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Have a blessed day.

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A reminder to love God and love others…. (devo reflection)

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it….

A friend and I were talking the other day about what happens when you look at one verse of scripture and focus on a different word each time. The first time I read these verses last week, having recently returned from the beach, I focused on the fact that the Lord created the creatures on earth and in the sea.

Psalm 24:2 …for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.

Today, however–probably in part because of yesterday’s sermon, different words hit me, specifically, “and all who live in it….” Those words strike me today as a message of inclusivity, a reminder to love God and love others. God created everyone and everything. We are all His handiwork, even those who don’t acknowledge Him, even those who don’t look or act, vote, love or worship like us.

Psalm 24:3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?

Lord, It is truly astounding how much difference our focus on Your Word can make. Thank You that I can read the same scripture multiple times and take away new truths each time. Thank You that I can share Your word with others. Thank You that we can ponder, question, and discuss Your word to draw us closer to You and each other. Amen.

Psalm 24:4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.

Have a blessed day.

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Caught up in the preparations…. (devo reflection)

Luke 10:38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 

As I read today’s scripture, I think about every party I’ve ever given. I get so caught up in the preparations that I tend to forget that people are coming for us, to spend time with us, not to critique our house, our food, our party-giving skills. I’m a Martha for sure.

Luke 10:39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 

Instead of focusing on appearances, on preparations, on all that still needs to be done, Mary focuses on relationship. She spends time at the Lord’s feet listening to what He says. She doesn’t worry about what hasn’t been done. She invests time in listening, in being present.

Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Lord, Like Martha, I tend to get so caught up in what needs to be done that I forget that this life is about relationship, about listening, about being present in each moment with the people You have blessed me with. Forgive me. Help me to be present. Help me never to forget the importance of relationship. Amen.

Luke 10:41-42 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Have a blessed day.

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A beautiful, compassionate outpouring of love and assistance…. (devo reflection)

Luke 10:34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.

This tale is so rich in lessons. The priest and the Levite had a moral, religious obligation to help the victim, and yet they not only pass by the victim, they move intentionally to the other side of the street. The Samaritan, however, is filled with pity, with compassion, for the victim–implied to be Jewish–even though there is a long history of hatred between Jews and Samaritans.

Luke 10:35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

These actions bring to mind the response of people after a natural disaster. Just like with the Samaritan, there is no judgment for political or religious affiliation, no questions about sexual orientation or world views. There is just a beautiful, compassionate outpouring of love and assistance. And isn’t that Jesus’s point? That everyone–regardless of differences–is our neighbor and that we should treat each other with love and compassion. Period.

Luke 10:36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

Precious Savior, Thank You for this reminder that we should love and care for each other. Period. Help us to see the divisions and barriers we put up that keeps us from doing so. Help us to love others like You love us–fiercely, compassionately, indiscriminately. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Luke 10:37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Have a blessed day.