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Changing the narrative of power…. (devo reflection)

John 15:11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

This world is all about hierarchies and power dichotomies. Who’s in charge? Who has power? Who are the underlings? But Jesus strives for another way. Not only does He want us to have His joy, for His joy to be complete in us, but He calls us friends, not servants. He is all about changing the narrative of power structure.

John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

He could absolutely have kept the title of “Big Boss,” but He calls us friends, He invites us in. I think He does this originally with the disciples because He knew He would not be able to stay with them and He wanted them to be as passionate about the Kingdom cause as He was. He wants the same for us. He wants His kingdom to be our kingdom, His mission to be our mission.

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—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 

Lord, Thank You for choosing me and appointing me so that I could bear fruit. Thank You for calling me friend, for treating me as co-heir to God’s kingdom. Thank You for the trust implied by those actions. Help me to live up to that trust. Amen.

John 15:17 This is my command: Love each other.

Have a blessed day.

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Choose joy…. (devo reflection)

John 15:11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

When I did a quick internet search for the difference between joy and happiness, I found the following on Compassion International’s website: “Joy is an inner feeling. Happiness is an outward expression. Joy endures hardship and trials and connects with meaning and purpose. A person pursues happiness but chooses joy.” Choose Joy is a life motto of mine.

John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

We are two weeks into the new school year, and I can honestly say that I feel a joy in my job unlike any I have experienced in previous years. Trust me when I say that it is NOT because everything is perfect. There’s a lot going on in education right now that is unsettling. But I feel like I am exactly where I’m supposed to be, I trust that God has me where He needs me in this moment. That feeling is a true gift.

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.   

Precious Savior, You know how much I worry and fret about all the things. Thank You that in this moment I am able to simply be where You have me, to feel Your joy for the people I am able to interact with in this moment. Help me to simply, fully live in Your joy and not doubt or fret. Thank You for this incredible gift. Amen.

John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command.

Have a blessed day.

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Remain, abide, continue, live… (devo reflection)

John 15:9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.  

Remain, abide, continue, live…Various translations of this scripture use these synonyms for the end of verse 9. Essentially, Jesus tells us to love as He has loved us, to love as God loves us, to live in that love as we go through each day.

John 15:10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

God loved Moses, even as he gave all those excuses. He loved the Israelites, even as they grumbled. Jesus loved the adulterer, even as He told her to go and sin no more. He loved the Pharisees, even as they hung Him on the cross. Jesus is urging us to remain in that love which is fierce, deep, unconditional, all-encompassing.

John 15:11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the unfathomable love that You have for us. Thank You for desiring that Your joy may be in us and that our joy may be complete through You. Help us to remain, to abide, to continue, to fully live in Your love, Your grace, Your joy. Always. Amen.

John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 

Have a blessed day.

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Abiding, not withering…. (devo reflection)

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 

I love the look of cut flowers. They are beautiful, they just aren’t very practical. Even if you use all the tips and tricks to keep them fresh, eventually, they will wither. This is what happens to us, too, when we do not remain intentionally rooted in Him. And even though I spend every morning in my recliner with my coffee and my bible, talking to Jesus, drawing closer, abiding in Him, it never takes me long to unintentionally slip into “I can do it myself” mode, like a wayward toddler.

John 15:6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 

It’s not even that I intentionally try to show Jesus my strength. I swear I think I’m doing the right thing. “Hey, Jesus, Look how independent I am. See how strong You made me?” But just like those cut flowers, no matter how brightly I may shine momentarily, I’ve already begun to wither because I’m no longer rooted in Him.

John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that I must stay rooted in You. Thank You for the strength, grace, and peace that Your presence provides. Help me, daily, hourly, moment-by-moment, to draw closer. Help me stay firmly rooted in Your love. Amen.

John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Have a blessed day.

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Things of eternal value…. (devo reflection)

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 

My daily devotional today contained the following: “…apart from [God] you can do nothing: that is, nothing of eternal value.” I’m not sure why that struck me like it did, but it really caught my attention. I can do lots of things apart from God, but none of them will have eternal value, none will further His kingdom..

John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

Lord, as I go throughout my day, help me to abide in You. When I stay centered on You, I can root myself in your love, ground myself in Your peace. The chaos of the world, which never truly goes away, can’t touch me at my core when You are my center. Thank You.

John 15:4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

Lord, Sometimes the daily grind seems futile. Help me to remember that in You, it’s not. With You, I can shine Your light and further Your kingdom. Without You, I can do lots of things, but none of them are of eternal value. Help me to seek You, to see You, always. Help me to partner with You daily. Amen.

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 

Have a blessed day.

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Because He loves us so deeply…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 12:14a Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you…. 

Two things jump out at me from this section: One is that God wants us, not what we have…a definite “duh” moment, but there it is. He has everything, but He wants a relationship with us. That’s big. He doesn’t shower us with blessings daily so He can gain something from us other than our attention, our time, our relationship. Because He loves us so deeply, He wants us to experience the joy of relationship with Him.

2 Corinthians 12:14b …After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

The other thing that jumps out at me deals with verse 15 and the idea of humility and the need for recognition. Commentary says that Paul doesn’t resent the Corinthian Christians for not appreciating his sacrifice and service, but he is hurt. I know there are areas where I give and I strive, areas that are not noticed or appreciated (at least not in the way I think they should be). I know this says not great things about me and my need for recognition, and I continue to struggle. Jesus, Help me.

2 Corinthians 12:15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?

Lord, Thank You for Your deep, fierce, unending love of me. Thank You for the reminder that I still have work to do in the area of humility. I don’t want this life to be about me. Ever. Help me to lay down my pride and to do all things for You alone. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.

Have a blessed day.

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For when I am weak, then I am strong…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 12:9a But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” … 

I cannot think about these verses in 2 Corinthians without thinking about Isaiah 55:8, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” Humans think of weakness as a bad thing. God knows His strength can be perfected in us only through our weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9b …Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Humans think that boasting is about self: look how great I am. God wants us to boast about His goodness, His presence, His sovereignty in our lives. Humans define individual strength as the ability to do it all without assistance. God says that we can only be truly strong when we rest in Him.

2 Corinthians 12:10a That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties…. 

Precious Savior, Your thoughts are truly nothing like our thoughts, and to rest securely in You, we have to turn our focus from what the world says about strength and weakness, about boasting and resting. Help me to draw closer to You always. Strengthen me in my weaknesses. Help me to shine Your light for all. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:10b …For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Have a blessed day.

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His steadfast presence and love…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 12:7b …Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 

Two lines from yesterday’s reflection bother me. One is in verse 7, “I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.” The other was my own, “I’m pretty sure that’s why God places thorns in my life.” I don’t like the idea that God causes my pain, that He inflicts me with trials.

2 Corinthians 12:8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

I am a sinner saved by Grace. Jesus paid the price for my sins. He is with me always. Even when I can’t stand under the weight, He is the reason I can still breathe, because He is with me even in the chaos. I think what’s important is not the trials or where they come from but my Savior and His steadfast presence and love always.

2 Corinthians 12:9a But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” …

Lord, Thank You for the ability to struggle with Your word, to reconcile my struggles with Your fierce, unending love. Thank You that  I don’t have to have all the answers nor understand perfectly in order to use Your word as a light for my path. Thank You that Your grace is sufficient for me and that Your power is perfected in my weakness. Thank You. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:9b …Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Have a blessed day.

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Thorns in my life…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 12:7b …Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  

I do not like to suffer. I’m not a fan of being inconvenienced. I’m pretty sure my strong Type A personality–a plan and back up plan for every possibility–developed from my desire to not be put out if at all possible. I’m pretty sure that’s why God places thorns in my life.

2 Corinthians 12:8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 

I am wildly independent. I like to be self-sufficient. It’s ok if you need me, but I should not need you. (It feels shocking to say, but think about it. We all love to help others, but we don’t want to be the ones being helped.) God created me and knew that if I had no thorns, I’d come to rely solely on myself instead of centering myself on Him each day.

2 Corinthians 12:9a But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” … 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the way that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank You for understanding my fiercely independent streak. Thank You for hardwiring me to know that I need you, desperately, in my life. I don’t like weakness, but I am so thankful that I know that I can’t take on the world without You. Your grace is sufficient for me. Your power is perfected in my weakness. Thank You. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:9b …Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Have a blessed day.

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Re-centering ourselves…. (devo reflection)

1 Thess 5:19-22 Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

I am not feeling very peaceful this morning, so the “God of peace” spoke to my weary soul. It’s nothing big, just lots and lots of little things that keep piling up and piling up. Death by a thousand cuts if you will. But God’s peace can be mine even in these conditions.

1 Thess 5:23a May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.

For me, I think, the process of finding that peace at the moment is mental. I am letting these little things pile up until they feel like a huge, towering, impenetrable mass. That’s me. Not God. God can blanket me with peace in all circumstances, current annoying non-crisis included.

1 Thess 5:23b …May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that You are here, You are with me always, that You want to cover me with Your peace, but I have to allow it. Thank You for the perspective on all the little things this morning. I don’t even realize when my focus shifted from You to my mess, but I see that it has. Help me to re-center myself on You. Amen.

1 Thess 5:24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Have a blessed day.