Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
This morning’s reading took me to Genesis, to Abram, his loyalty to God, his desire for offspring, his faith in God’s promise. I went in search of commentary on this section, convinced that Abram’s deep belief, counted to him as righteousness, was what my Savior wanted me to explore today. And then I read this little gem: “God doesn’t tell us ‘do not be afraid’ without giving us a reason to put away our fear.”
Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
The truth of this statement resonates deeply with me, and scripture supports it readily—Fear not, for I am with you. Fear not, for I will strengthen you. Fear not, for I have redeemed you.—For someone who worries and frets over so many things, these promises are balm to my soul.
Isaiah 43:1 … “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this promise. Thank You for giving me reason to put away my fear—You are with me, strengthening me, upholding me. You have redeemed me and claimed me as Your own. When my thoughts become anxious and fearful, help me to remember and to cling to Your promises. Strengthen me in my weakness. Banish my fears with Your presence. Amen.
1 Cor 1:9 God will do this, for He is faithful to do what He says….
Have a blessed day.
At work in my mess…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 127:1a Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
Last night I finished a memoir, entitled Fractured not Broken, about a woman who was paralyzed from the neck down in a horrible accident involving a drunk driver. She was only 19 at the time, athletic, intelligent, with her whole life ahead of her. The memoir chronicled her journey, her recovery, her struggles, her faith. The novel was a beautiful testimony of how God was working in her life, even through horror and hardships. It was incredibly inspiring.
Psalm 127:1b …Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
This morning my caustic inner critic is at work again, wondering who I think I am sharing my mundane life, my prosaic struggles through these daily reflections. My story doesn’t hold a candle to the inspiring memoir, but here’s what my inner critic needs to understand: I am a deeply, fiercely loved child of God. I am also infinitely human, flawed, and fallible. I try to be transparent, to share my struggles and missteps, to share my precious Savior, so that others may see Him at work in my mess and find hope in the middle of their own mess. My Jesus is strong enough, good enough, merciful enough to use me to glorify Him if I let Him. Thank You, Jesus.
1 Cor 2:1 And so it was with me….When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the inspiring memoir I just finished. Thank You that You can use even me, even my ordinary story, to shine Your light if I allow. Thank You that You are present in the middle of my mess, that You can and do draw me closer to You through my missteps and adversity. Help me to seek You, to praise You, always. Help others to look at me and see only Your goodness, Your mercy, Your love. Draw me closer. Amen.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.
Have a blessed day.
The how and not the what…. (devo reflection)
1 Cor 10:30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
I am thankful for the people God has placed in my life. They love and encourage me in more ways than they understand. Their thoughts and questions help me dig deeper into God’s word. This morning, on the subject of being vs doing, which I’ve been wrestling with of late, a dear friend shared this gem: “Maybe living wisely is in the how and not the what.”
1 Cor 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
She referenced dear Martha and Mary to illustrate this idea. The WHAT of both women was the same. They were both preparing to spend time with Jesus. The HOW was incredibly different. Martha, so much like me in so many ways, was caught up in physical preparation—preparing the house, preparing the food. She was frustrated that help was available, Mary, but not forthcoming. This scene describes nearly every gathering I’ve ever hosted. I get so caught up in the physical preparation that I lose sight of the point—to spend time with those I love and care about. Help me, Jesus.
Col 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for beautiful friendships that draw me closer to You. Thank You for the idea that “Maybe living wisely is in the how and not the what.” I think You can teach me much about the life You wish for me by pondering that idea. Help me, in all that I do, to focus on loving You, praising You, drawing closer to You. Amen.
Eph 5:20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Have a blessed day.
Because of His mercy…. (devo reflection)
Eph 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and thus is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God—not by works, so no one can boast.
I have a hard time relaxing. For me, it feels selfish, unproductive, wasteful. The irony is that I would tell everyone else about the importance of relaxing and nourishing your soul, but somehow that advice doesn’t apply to me. I truly don’t think it has always been that way.
Titus 3:4-5 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy….
It occurred to me yesterday that perhaps I have tied my own worth to my productivity. Therefore, if I am not being productive, I have no value, no worth. The controller in me can totally see that scenario as it is one more way for me to take control. If I am working, producing, doing, then I have value. Help me, Jesus.
1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for opening my eyes to yet one more stronghold of control I have built. Thank You that my value, my worth comes from You and not from anything I could ever do. Help me to take an honest look at my inability to relax. Help me to see my worth, always, lies in the fact that I am Your deeply loved child and not in anything that I could ever do or produce. Draw me closer. Amen.
Romans 9:16 So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
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.
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.