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Support and community…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 18:5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. 

Again, to me, this section speaks of the need for support and community–support of your family and friends, support of a community of mentors. I think that God created us for community, though when times are tough and I get in my head, other people are the first things I push away.

Exodus 18:6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

Community can remind us of the truths that we know but have a hard time seeing in the moment. They can hold up the mirror of God’s light and truth for us when we just can’t see either for ourselves. Even when we aren’t feeling being in community, God calls us to edify each other, to build each other up (1 Thess 5:11).

Exodus 18:7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for calling us to community and for the beautiful community You have surrounded me with. Forgive me when I push others away. Help me to allow my community to love and support me, especially when I am struggling. Amen.

Exodus 18:8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them.

Have a blessed day.

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All of my sorrows…. (devo reflection)

Genesis 50:6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”

I don’t think, as a culture, we know how to handle death and grieving well. I know, as an individual, I struggle with both the permanence of the physical loss and the enormity of the emotional pain. Should I cry and sob, scream and wail, exhausting myself with the effort of expending all the emotion? Is it better to stop the tears, bottled up the grief?

Genesis 50:7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt— 

1 Thess 4:13 reminds me that we do not grieve as those who have no hope. Psalm 56:8 reminds me that God knows every tear that I cry, all of my sorrows, so I know the process of grief and grieving is important to the process of healing, and I know that my Creator cares about my grief and pain.

Genesis 50:8 besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. 

God of the grieving, Thank You for the reminder that You care about our heartaches. Help us learn to grieve fully our earthly losses so that we don’t get stuck in our grief and pain. Thank You for the reminder that we do not grieve as those who have no hope. Amen.

Genesis 50:9 Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large company.

Have a blessed day.

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The hope of eternity…. (devo reflection)

Genesis 49:30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 

Today’s scripture reminds me of a poem by Henry Van Dyke entitled “Gone from My Sight”. The poem talks about dying as being borne on a ship to an eternal shore. When loved ones are gone from our sight here, they are welcomed on Heaven’s eternal shore by those who have gone before.

Genesis 49:31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 

Like many, I have a difficult time with the idea of saying an earthly goodbye, so the idea of those souls who have gone before, standing on that distant shore and welcoming my loved one, I find very peaceful. Verse 31 brings all that to mind for me.

Genesis 49:32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.”

Lord of the grieving, Thank You that we do not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13). Thank You for the hope of eternity with You and our loved ones who rest in Your eternal peace. Thank You. Amen.

Genesis 49:33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

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.

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In all circumstances…. (devo reflection)

1 Thess 5:16 Rejoice always…

I remember the first time I truly paid attention to today’s verses. What struck me was how similar they were to a favorite of mine, Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” “Choose Joy” is a life motto of mine, and I love how both of these verses reflect that idea of choosing joy.

1 Thess 5:17 …pray continually…

And as I have grown, I have learned that even though giving thanks in all circumstances can be incredibly difficult, it is possible. Sometimes I give thanks for answered prayers, sometimes for the fact that I don’t face trials alone, that He is with me. It’s not always easy to give thanks in all circumstances, but it is a skill that can be intentionally cultivated just like rejoicing and praying.

1 Thess 5:18a …give thanks in all circumstances;

Lord, I love it when I can see You pulling the threads of my life together so clearly. Thank You for my love of these verses, for my desire to choose joy, for the realization that thankfulness in all circumstances is possible with You. Help me to center myself on You this day and to live in a way that brings You honor and joy. Amen.

1 Thess 5:18b …for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Have a blessed day.

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Here’s the rub…. (devo reflection)

1 Thess 5:14a And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive,  

With school starting this week, I am squarely in “school mindset,” and I chuckled at how closely these verses apply to both school and life. Try to get the idle and disruptive back on track, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. That can be a pretty tall order, especially that last one.

1 Thess 5:14b …encourage the disheartened, help the weak… 

Here’s the rub, though (or the irony or the kicker), it is often myself that I have the hardest time being patient with. I can patiently cajole and encourage and help others all day long (more or less….) but I expect instant perfection from myself. It’s an objectively ridiculous stance, and yet I guarantee that many of you are nodding in agreement as you read. Jesus, Help us.

1 Thess 5:14c …be patient with everyone.

Lord, Thank you for the wellspring of cajoling, encouragement, help, and patience that I often have for others. Help me to treat myself with the same love and care. I am Your deeply love creation. We all are. Help us to never forget that fact. Amen.

1 Thess 5:15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

Have a blessed day.

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What can I learn today? (devo reflection)

Luke 10:25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Two words jump out at me in today’s scripture. In verse 25, the expert is wanting “to test Jesus,” and in verse 29, he is wanting “to justify himself.” This brings to mind 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Neither testing nor justifying is designed to encourage nor build others up.

Luke 10:26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

I was reading and studying in Acts 9 earlier, specifically verse 4 where the Lord asks Saul, “Why do you persecute me?” I would say that the expert in the law in today’s verses could do with a similar question: “Why do you test Jesus? Why do you justify yourself? What are you trying to do, to prove?”

Luke 10:27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Lord, One thing I am gathering loud and clear from Your word lately is that we need to question our own motives to be sure they are pure and we need to seek You with openness and curiosity so that we can hear what You are saying to our hearts. Please help me to always approach scripture with an attitude of “What can I learn today” and not with an attitude aimed at testing You or justifying myself. Amen.

Luke 10:29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Have a blessed day.

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How God shows up…. (devo reflection)

Psalm 94:18 When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.

I am truly awed at how God shows up in my life when I am paying attention. (He’s always there, reminding me of His presence, His love. I just don’t always notice.) This spring, as my heart cries louder and louder in worry, fear, and anxiety, God continues to show up in so many ways, reminding me that I am His, that He sees me, knows me, loves me so very much. He does the same for you, too.

Psalm 94:19 When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.

So I want to encourage you to pay attention to the little ways that God shows up today. This text you are reading from a hot mess on the struggle bus trying to shine His light? That’s God. The sunshine? The cool breeze? The kind word? God. And YOU can help Him shine today by passing along a kind word, a smile, an encouragement, by lifting someone up in the smallest of ways.

Psalm 94:22 But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.

Lord, Thank You for the reminder that You are with us and in us, that we can shine Your light just by being kind to others. Thank You that when I am paying attention, I can see You, Your love, Your goodness, everywhere. Thank You that I can help lift others up in Your name. Help me to see Your love today. Help me to be Your love today. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Have a blessed day.

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Receiving encouragement and support…. (devo reflection)

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

We all have our struggles and burdens…days, weeks, months that are just hard. This morning has me thinking about how God uses other people in our lives–to show His love, grace, compassion, encouragement. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up….” I think community, coming together to support and uplift each other, is an important part of God’s kingdom on earth.

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

I appreciate my ability to be self-sufficient, to take care of myself and others, to get things done. But even I need people, and for someone who is used to DOING, it is hard to sit back and receive encouragement and support. But I think that’s part of what Paul is talking about here–my weakness means I’m not completely self-sufficient. God’s grace means I’m not meant to be. As a believer in Christ, *I* am part of His power on earth for others. And *I* am also in need of that support.

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

Lord, No one likes the idea of being weak, but in You, the ability to admit that I cannot do life alone, that I need other believers–so that I can uplift and encourage them and so that they can uplift and encourage me–that ability, that admission, is a strength because it frees me from the need to try to shoulder the world alone. Thank You, not only for the people that I get to love, pray for, and encourage, but for the people who love, pray for, and encourage me as well. Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Have a blessed day.

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Rock-solid foundation…. (devo reflection)

1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.

God does not want us to accept regurgitated faith. Someone else’s beliefs will not help us when we are struggling and in the pits of despair. He wants us to seek, knock, ask so that we can draw closer to Him in faith and trust.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

So how can we ask and not doubt? What I don’t doubt is God. Jesus. The Holy Spirit. Their sovereignty. Their love. Any questions I have are asked while standing on that firm, rock-solid foundation. It is that foundation that allows me to say, “I don’t understand this situation, but I know YOU, help me to trust, even when I am afraid.”

1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

Lord, Thank You for giving me this strong foundation. Thank You for creating me to be curious and inquisitive. Help me to draw closer to You with every question, every breath. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:20 …Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Have a blessed day.