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…lead me to the rock that is higher than I…. (devo reflection)

Psalm 61:1 Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

Lord, Thank You that You hear my cries of distress, that You listen to my prayers when I call. Thank You for knowing me by name, for knowing every hair on my head, every breath in my body. Thank You for loving me fiercely and completely.

Psalm 61:2a From the ends of the earth I call to you,

Father, Thank You that I can call to You any time, any where, in any situation. Thank You for prioritizing me, Your deeply loved child, no matter where my distress falls in the continuum of life’s hardships. Thank You for caring, for responding, for loving me always.

Psalm 61:2b …I call as my heart grows faint; 

Precious Savior, Thank You that You are the Rock that is higher, stronger, more solid than I. Thank You that I don’t have to do this life alone. Thank You that when I call on You, You hear, You respond, You comfort me. Always. No matter what. Thank You. Amen.

Psalm 61:2c …lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Have a blessed day.

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Not losing heart…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 4:15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

I think this is the first time I have noticed that both verse 1 and verse 16 talk about not losing heart, reminders at both the beginning and the end of the chapter to hold on. As I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, this time of year, losing heart is pretty easy for so many reasons. So the reminder to not lose heart is pretty important for me.

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 

I think the key to not losing heart is being renewed day by day, finding those things that nourish my soul, like time with family, reading a good book, texts with friends, noticing and recognizing the many, many little moments in each day where God shows His love and presence.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for understanding the struggle to not lose heart. Thank You for the reminder that You are with us, that You see our struggles, that You love us deeply, that we are not alone. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  

Have a blessed day.

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Drawing closer…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 4:12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 

Precious Savior, You go before us today. You know all that we will encounter. You can use all things for our good and Your glory if we will allow. Thank You for Your presence and Your willingness to use all things to draw us closer to You.

2 Corinthians 4:13a It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” 

Lord, Everything starts with our faith in You. Help us to root ourselves firmly in You–Your word, Your will, Your love and mercy. You tell us that with faith the size of a mustard seed we can move mountains in Your name. Help us to believe and to live that faith.

2 Corinthians 4:13b …Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 

Holy Father, Thank You for the Risen Lord, for a faith that is not severed by death, for the power of prayer and the power of belief. Thank You that You are with us always. Be with us today, Lord, no matter what we face. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.  

Have a blessed day.

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Hold on…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 

Today’s scripture reminds me that life is not always easy. There are seasons where we are hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. But I have heard it said and I believe that, “The worst thing is never the last thing.” Death doesn’t win. Hate doesn’t win. Despair doesn’t win.

2 Corinthians 4:9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 

God wins. Christ wins. Love wins. We see it on the cross, in the empty tomb, in the risen Savior. So whatever you are going through right now, hold on–to God, to Jesus, to love, mercy, and grace, to hope. The worst thing is never the last thing. Jesus promised, and He always keeps His promises.

2 Corinthians 4:10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 

Precious Savior, I know that there are a lot of hurting hearts in this world. There are a lot of folks struggling, feeling hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. Help them to hold on to You, to hope, to love and grace and mercy. Please, Jesus. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 

Have a blessed day.

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Shining His light…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.    

“Let light shine out of darkness,” verse 6 tells us this morning. That’s a tall order sometimes. But have you ever noticed just how much light a tiny little light can shed? The barest illumination can shine as a beacon in total darkness. So our light can shine His glory. The darker it is, the easier it will be to see, but even in the light, it’s there.

2 Corinthians 4:5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

And while we have the power to shine His light, we must remember that “we have this treasure in jars of clay.” The light is His, not ours. We just shine it back to Him. It is His “all-surpassing power” that is shining through. We are simply earthen vessels, doing our best to shine for Him, in Him, and with Him.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

Precious Savior, Thank You for Your light, which shines in us. Thank You for the power to shine that light wherever we are. Thank You that in the darkness, our little light shines even brighter. Help us to face this day with you, to shine for You, to give each other hope in You. Always. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

Have a blessed day.

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Do not lose heart…. (devo reflection)

2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.   

Especially this time of year, I have a difficult time with not losing heart. Spring is tough for me for a number of reasons: The school year is drawing to a close. We’re all exhausted, but we’re not quite finished with it. The slog from winter to spring can be hard. It’s not really warm, but it’s not cold either. There’s lots of rain and mud. Allergies are in full swing and immune systems are weak. For so very many reasons, Spring can be tough.

2 Corinthians 4:2a Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God….

However, I do still have a ministry, and it is through God’s mercy that I do, so I have an obligation not to lose heart. My ministry is a pretty small one, but that’s ok. A friend of mine recently called me “an awesome supporter of people.” I can’t think of a better description of what I try to do with my little ministry–support people, encourage people, uplift people–because I know life can be hard and losing hope can be so easy. You have a ministry, too, whether you realize it or not.

2 Corinthians 4:2b …On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the ministry that You have given each one of us. Thank You for the ways–little and big–that You call us to minister in Your name and to each other. Help us not to lose heart as we praise Your name. Help us to cling to Your mercy. Always. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

Have a blessed day.

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Keep moving forward…. (devo reflection)

Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 

I’ve got a lot going on in my noggin this morning. I’m trying not to berate myself for things I left undone for others (a simple oversight, but it’s hard for me to let go of blame), and I truly do not understand today’s verses in light of what I know of church and religion. (Driving out demons? Speaking in tongues? Picking up snakes? Drinking deadly poison without being harmed? These are not things I have seen in my religious experience.)

Mark 16:18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

So what can I take from these last four verses in a chapter where Jesus has risen from the grave and gone before the disciples–even though they let Him down in the last hours of His life–to continue the Kingdom Work? Keep moving forward. Don’t get stuck in the blame game. Don’t get stuck in confusion. If you don’t understand, go with what you know. God is love. Jesus is love. Love wins. Keep loving. Keep moving forward.

Mark 16:19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

Precious Savior, I am a perfectionist at heart. So when I forget things that are almost ingrained at this point, I get angry with myself. When I don’t understand Your word, I’m tempted to throw my hands up and walk away. Help me to pause, to breathe, to praise Your name, to keep moving forward in You. Amen.

Mark 16:20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Have a blessed day.

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Everywhere. Always…. (devo reflection)

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Clinging to His promises…. (devo reflection)

Mark 16:9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 

The version of the Bible I am reading contains the following note before today’s section of verses: [The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.] I find this note incredibly interesting. Why were verses 9-20 included in later versions but not in the original? Who first added these verses? What was their objective in doing so?

Mark 16:10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 

I’m not sure I find the content of the verses surprising at all. Those who thought Jesus was the Messiah had a very specific idea of how He would save them and from what He would save them. They are mourning the loss of that ideal. Many of them also fully grasp that He was God incarnate because of the anomalous happenings at His death. They were mourning the loss of a Savior they didn’t even know that they needed. I don’t think it’s too surprising that folks didn’t believe yet that He had risen.

Mark 16:11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

Precious Savior, Thank You for who You are and who You are to me. Thank You for having a plan that was bigger, greater, than anything we could hope or imagine. Thank You for going ahead of us as you promised, even as we are struggling with doubt and grief. Help us to cling to Your promises. Always. Amen.

Mark 16:12-13 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

Have a blessed day.

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“Just as He told you.” (devo reflection)

Mark 16:5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

Jesus knew before His death all the ways his disciples would fail Him. He knew of the betrayal. He knew of the denial. He knew of the lack of vigilance while he was praying. None of that was a surprise to Him. And yet…

Mark 16:6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 

Jesus could have belittled and berated the disciples in the message He left for them, but that is not who He is. Jesus chose to encourage and remind. He reminded them that He was going ahead of them to Galilee, that His death was not the end of the ministry, that it was “just as He told you.”

Mark 16:7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”

Precious Savior, Thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You for knowing the many ways we will fail You yet loving us anyway, going ahead of us, meeting us on the other side. Help us to give ourselves and each other grace upon grace. Amen.

Mark 16:8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

Have a blessed day.