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God of love, mercy, and compassion…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 25:9 In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

I’m not going to lie–verses like 10-12 today are hard for me. A God of vengeance and destruction has always been difficult for me to stomach. My God is a God of love and compassion, a God who loved His creation so much that He sent His only Son to die for us so that we could live for Christ.

Isaiah 25:10 The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain; but Moab will be trampled in their land as straw is trampled down in the manure.

Perhaps I’m naive, but I don’t think a God who would send His Son in exchange for us would give up on people easily. I think He would hold on until there was no possible hope of redemption (which is death because as long as we have breath in us, we have the choice to turn to Him). He doesn’t beg, plead, or grovel, but He leaves that door open as long as there is any possibility we might wise up and turn to Him.

Isaiah 25:11 They will stretch out their hands in it, as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim. God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of their hands.

Precious Savior, Thank You that You are a God of love, mercy, and compassion. Thank You that You love us fiercely, even when we refuse to turn to You. Thank You that You want us to come to You, but You would never force us. You allow us the choice. Help me to choose You–every minute of every day. Amen.

Isaiah 25:12 He will bring down your high fortified walls and lay them low; he will bring them down to the ground, to the very dust.

Have a blessed day.

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Fiercely, unconditionally, eternally…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines.

Lord, You know that I struggle with death, with earthly goodbyes, with letting go of those who have gone before. Thank You that You know my heart, that You love those I love more than I am even capable of loving. Thank You that the moment someone takes a last breath here, they open their eyes to You, to eternity, to the loved ones who have gone before.

Isaiah 25:7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;

Father, Thank You that we do not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13), that You care for us and about our sadness so much that You collect every tear in a bottle (Psalm 56:8), that You understand our sadness but that You hold our loved ones securely in the palm of Your hand and You always have.

Isaiah 25:8a …he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces;

Precious Savior, Thank You that You gave Your life for us, that You love us fiercely, unconditionally, eternally. Thank You that this world is not our home, that You have gone ahead to prepare a place for us (John 14:3), that our loved ones who have gone before are securely in Your care, happy and whole. While I am on this earth, help me to shine Your light, knowing when You call me home, I will be reunited with You and with those I love. Amen.

Isaiah 25:8b …he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.

Have a blessed day.

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Comparisons and analogies…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 25:4a You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.

What strikes me in today’s verses is the number of comparisons and analogies used to convey Isaiah’s point. It puts me in mind of the fact that on this side of the veil, comparisons and analogies are all we have because we are seeing “through a glass darkly” (1 Cor 13:12).

Isaiah 25:4b For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall

Seeing some of the beauty and majesty of God’s creation on earth makes me wonder how amazing heaven will be. If the vistas and overlooks I’ve seen pale in comparison, and I think they do, how truly inspiring is what comes next?

Isaiah 25:5a …and like the heat of the desert.

Precious Savior, Thank You for comparisons and analogies that can help us understand the things of heaven, which we cannot truly comprehend on this side of the veil. Thank You for the beauty and majesty of this earth and the fact that it pales in comparison to Your eternal glory. Amen.

Isaiah 25:5b You silence the uproar of foreigners; as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is stilled.

Have a blessed day.

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Thank You…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 25:1a Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name,… 

Lord, Thank You that You are who You are and You are who You are to me. Thank You for the desire to strengthen my relationship with You and the ability to get to know You better through Your word and Your people. Help me, daily, to draw just a little bit closer to You.

Isaiah 25:1b …for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.

Father, Thank You for being bigger than my feelings, for being big enough to handle my questions, and I have so many questions. Thank You for hearing my questions, even if You don’t always choose to answer them. Thank You for being with me, even when I am angry or bitter or afraid.

Isaiah 25:2 You have made the city a heap of rubble, the fortified town a ruin, the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.

Precious Savior, Thank You for being the source of every good thing, for being the source of every comfort. Thank You for caring so much about my tears that You collect them in a bottle. Thank You for the care with which You created me and for the blessings You lavish upon me. Help me to seek You, to see You, to draw closer to You always. Amen.

Isaiah 25:3 Therefore strong peoples will honor you; cities of ruthless nations will revere you.

Have a blessed day.

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Much to ponder…. (devo reflection)

Acts 9:40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 

Commentary on Acts 9 has given me much to ponder today. In regards to the beginning of verse 40, commentary says: “Yet Peter sensed a specific leading…” so he sent the others out of the room. Towards the end of verse 40, when Peter says, “Tabitha, get up,” which is so reminiscent of Jesus’s actions in Mark 5 and Luke 8, that commentary says, “Peter simply tried to do as Jesus did. Jesus was his leader.”

Acts 9:41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 

Acting on those little “God-nudges” and “simply trying to do as Jesus did”–those are two excellent pieces of advice. Even if those nudges aren’t God-sent, if it leads you closer to God and leads the other person closer to God, God can (and will and does) use it. If in all things we try to “simply do as Jesus did,” our actions will bring us and others closer to Him in the process.

Acts 9:42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 

Precious Savior, Sometimes we try to make life so difficult. Forgive us. Thank You for Peter’s example to listen to Your still small voice, to act in ways we feel You calling us to act, to simply do as You did–love God, love others. Help us to be Your hands and feet and heart in this world. Draw us closer. Amen.

Acts 9:43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

Have a blessed day.

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Acknowledging the impact of others…. (devo reflection)

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In the quiet…. (devo reflection)

Acts 9:32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda.   

This chapter has me thinking about Saul and about appearance vs reality and what we can see vs what’s happening inside. Saul had a divine experience on the road to Damascus. He was the only one who heard Jesus. He was the only one encased in darkness. It was in his heart that the transformation took place.

Acts 9:33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years.

The disciples didn’t trust his transformation. The Pharisees were probably livid about the whole thing. Many of the followers of The Way were leery when it came to Saul, yet Saul trusted, and Saul walked forward in his new relationship with Christ, trying to do what God was calling him to do.

Acts 9:34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.

Precious Savior, You come to us in the quiet of our hearts. You whisper Your truth to us in the quiet moments. Your impact on our lives is not necessarily something the world can see or understand, and I think that is by design. Help us to trust Your still small voice speaking to our hearts. Help us to draw closer to You with each breath, each day. Help us to choose You and not this world. Amen.

Acts 9:35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. 

Have a blessed day.

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The epitome of “But God”…. (devo reflection)

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Strength and courage…. (devo reflection)

Acts 9:26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 

Today’s scripture has me thinking about disciples and apostles. I had to do a Google search, but by I now know that a disciple is a student, a learner, where as an apostle is “a messenger, one who is sent to teach,” primarily “those who met and followed Jesus during His life” and are “called by Him to spread the gospel.”

Acts 9:27a But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. 

And while Saul now technically seems to fall into both categories–disciple and apostle, the disciples don’t trust him, and I can’t really blame them. They are probably afraid for their lives. But Barnabas sees him, sees his experience, sees his potential, sees that he has been called by God, and Barnabas helps him.

Acts 9:27b He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

Lord, Give me the strength and courage to be a Barnabas in a world full of disciples scared of Saul. Give me the strength and courage to act as Your hands and feet when the world sees a person as they used to be. Help me to shine Your light, to praise Your name. Always. Amen.

Acts 9: 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 

Have a blessed day.

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Seeking, seeing, trusting…. (devo reflection)

Acts 9:23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him… 

The Jews are conspiring to murder Saul because of his devotion to the Way. Now, where have we heard that before? Was the irony of this situation lost on Saul? And now that I think about it, why did the Jews want to kill him?

Acts 9:24a …but Saul learned of their plan. 

Was it because of his devotion to the Way? Was it because he killed so many followers of the Way and now he’s preaching to them? Was it because they just didn’t like him on principle because of his former ways, regardless of his current beliefs?

Acts 9:24b …Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the curiosity that Your word inspires. Help me to seek You, to see You, always. Help me to trust where You lead me. Amen.

Acts 9:25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

Have a blessed day.