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The love of Christ…. (devo reflection)

Ephesians 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being….

This prayer from Paul, found in verses 16-19, is beautiful. He prays that through Christ’s power, our inner being will be strengthened by His Holy Spirit, so that Christ is and remains firmly in our hearts, established and rooted there through faith in Him.

Ephesians 3:17 …so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love….

He prays that because we have such a firm foundation in Him, that we may more fully understand how all encompassing is His love, more fully understand that His love is so grand, so amazing that it surpasses anything we can truly comprehend, and he prays that even though Christ’s love surpasses our knowledge, that we may be filled with that love, filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:18 …may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ….

Lord, Thank You for Your great love of us. Thank You for people like Paul, who went to great lengths to ensure everyone had access to the Good News of Christ. Help me to live Paul’s prayer and to share its truth, Your truth and love, with everyone I encounter today. Amen.

Ephesians 3:19 …and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Have a blessed day.

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Because of his great love for us…. (devo reflection)

Ephesians 2:3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

When thinking about God’s undeserved grace, I remember an incident from when my boys were little. Many of the specifics had faded: We had planned some treat for them for the afternoon, but their behavior had been less than ideal that morning. I remember distinctly saying to the hubs, “These boys do NOT deserve….”

Ephesians 2:4-5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Even at the time, I remember thinking how ironic my words were, how much I didn’t, don’t, deserve God’s grace but receive it lavishly nonetheless. I have no memory of whether the boys got their treat that day, but I always think of that incident when I think how undeserving I am of God’s grace, yet He lavishes it upon me regardless.

Ephesians 2:6-7 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Lord, Thank You for Your all-encompassing grace. Help me to extend that same grace to all I encounter. I don’t deserve it, I can’t earn it, but I am eternally grateful for it. Thank You. Amen.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Have a blessed day.

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A manifestation of our love of God…. (devo reflection)

Ephesians 1:15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people….

Commentary says of verse 15, “The real evidence of God’s work in us is not the love we claim to have for Him, but our love for His people that others can see.” What if the way we visibly love, care for, and edify others is how God measures our love for Him? Let that idea sink in a minute.

Ephesians 1:16 …I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

I have all kinds of complicated feelings about this idea. “If I can’t earn God’s love, why am I being judged on my love for others?” Loving others is not a means to earn His love. If they’ll know we are Christians by our love, then said love of others is a manifestation of our love of God, not a means of earning His love.

Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Lord, I want to know You better. I want to love You well. And You tell me again and again that the way to love You well is to love, care for, and build up Your children. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Ephesians 1:18-19 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

Have a blessed day.

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His own special treasure…. (devo reflection)

Deut 14:2 …the LORD has chosen you to be His treasured possession.
Lord, As someone who often struggles with self-esteem, this scripture is a beautiful gift. Thank You for considering me Your treasure. Help me to live confidently as Your daughter.
Deut 7:6 …the LORD your God has chosen you to be His own special treasure.
Lord, Be with all those who struggle, who see themselves as less than, who see the perfection of social media imagery and feel they can’t ever live up. Help them to see themselves—help us to see each other—as You see us: Your own special treasure, fiercely loved exactly as we are.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people…God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for calling us out of our darkness and into Your glorious light. Help us to live as sons and daughters of the one true King. Help us never to forget who we are and Whose we are. Thank You that we are Yours. Amen.
Eph 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you….
Have a blessed day.

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An aroma pleasing to the LORD…. (devo reflection)

Numbers 29:2 As an aroma pleasing to the LORD….
The word aroma has a positive connotation. When I think of aromas, I think of the yeasty scent of bread baking, the spicy scent of cinnamon and apples, the sweet floral scent of spring. The word odor has a negative connotation: body odor, nasty socks, flatulence, poop. Both aromas and odors are pervasive. They are not easily contained to a specified area. 
Numbers 29:8 Present as an aroma pleasing to the LORD….
If our actions were scents, I can easily divide several into odors and aromas, negative and positive. Ephesians 4:31 and 1 Peter 2:1 give a long list of offensive odors: bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy. Meanwhile, Galatians 5:22-23 and Colossians 3:12-13 provide an extensive list of pleasing aromas: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, compassion, humility, meekness, forgiveness.
Numbers 29:13 Present as an aroma pleasing to the LORD….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that our actions carry with them a scent that reaches all the way to You. Help us to always act in such a way that provides an aroma pleasing to You and not an offensive odor. Help us to root out and eliminate offensive odors from our behavior. Draw us closer to You. Amen.
Numbers 29:36 Present as an aroma pleasing to the LORD….
Have a blessed day.

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Seeing God’s potential in each other…. (devo reflection)

Gen 29:35 Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I will praise the LORD!” ….
The contrast between Judah’s birth in Gen 29 and his actions in Gen 37 is a sharp one. Leah and Rachel were having a bitter battle with offspring as their pawns. Finally, with the birth of Judah, Leah seems at peace—she’s not vying for position with her husband, she’s not trying to outdo her sister. She seems content, to the point she names Judah to commemorate the fact that she is celebrating what God gave her. This is an occasion for much hope and it contrasts sharply with the Judah we see is Gen 37.
Gen 37:26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?”
The Judah of Gen 37 seems cold and calculating. He says, essentially, “If we are going to do away with our brother anyway, why don’t we just sell him? Then at least we’ll gain something from the situation.” The words, the thoughts, the actions, seem unforgivable. How could anyone be so callous and heartless? How could there be any redeeming such a soul? But God, in His infinite mercy, is able to do so much more than we can humanly conceive (Eph 3:20). This calculating, treacherous schemer is a direct ancestor to our Savior. Even in this seemingly impossible situation, God is making a way. Thank You, Jesus.
Gen 37:27a “Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” …
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the richness of Your word, of Your love, and of Your mercy. Thank You that You can redeem even the most hopeless situation. Thank You that You don’t see only what we’ve done but also what we can do for You. Help us to see Your potential in each other, Lord. Help us to remember that You are making a way, even if we can’t yet perceive it (Isaiah 43:19). Draw us closer. Amen.
Gen 37:27b …His brothers agreed.
Have a blessed day.

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Wholly familiar and utterly new…. (devo reflection)

Gen 9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons….
Genesis 9 seems at once wholly familiar and utterly new. This is the chapter where God sets the rainbow as the sign of His covenant with mankind to never destroy the earth by floodwaters again. In the story of Noah told in children’s books, the rainbow is the end of the story.
Gen 9:20-21 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.
But in Gen 9, the rainbow is not the end of the story. Noah, who was once so closely connected to God, so highly favored by God, now lies drunk and naked in his tent. How did this happen? Did he become complacent in his relationship? Did he get so distracted by earning a living from the soil that he lost sight of his vital connection with his God? Is the lesson here to stay vigilant, stay rooted firmly in God so that we do not get distracted by the things of this world?
Gen 9:23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your covenant with mankind. Once again I feel unsure of exactly what to make of this chapter, Lord, but I trust You are taking me through Genesis for a purpose. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord (Eph 1:18). Help me to understand Your word. Draw me closer. Amen.
Gen 9:13 “I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”
Have a blessed day.

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Life abundantly…. (devo reflection)

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever….
My default these days seems to be grumpy, and that is not good. “Choose Joy” is more than a gimmick, it is a life philosophy, and my precious Savior has given me what I need to choose joy, no matter my circumstances. He has given me the Holy Spirit, who is always with me, to help me navigate life on earth. The Holy Spirit can and will help me tap into my Savior’s joy. I just have to make the first move. Jesus, Help me.
Acts 7:51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised….You always resist the Holy Spirit!”
With this grumpy disconnect between my head and my heart, I feel stiff-necked and resistant. My Savior came to give me life abundantly (John 10:10). He does not want me in this grumpy space. I cannot glorify Him if I don’t open my heart to His joy. Jesus, Help me. 
Eph 3:16 I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this message. Thank You for the Advocate, the Helper, the Holy Spirit inside me that keeps me connected to You despite the best efforts of this world to draw me away. Help me to breakdown the interior barriers keeping me from embracing Your joy fully and completely. Adjust my attitude. Draw me closer to You, Lord. Help me to claim Your joy in my life and to glorify Your name. Amen.
Eph 3:17 …so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith….
Have a blessed day.

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This work in progress…. (devo reflection)

Phil 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
I have a dear friend, a phenomenal artist, who puts speed videos on social media that are incredible to watch. In the middle of the video, I see a beautiful picture and think, “What’s left to do?” But with a few deft strokes—outlines, contouring, shading—what was a beautiful work in progress becomes a magnificent finished product. 
Psalm 138:8 The LORD will fulfill His purpose in me….
I, too, am a work in progress, though in my impatience and misguided efforts, I often try to snatch the brush from the Master’s hand. Thankfully, He is incredibly skilled at His craft. He can blend my mistakes and missteps into the masterpiece He is creating through this life lived to glorify Him. Thank You, Jesus.
1 Cor 1:8 He will sustain you to the end….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the gift of recognizing the beauty in the unfinished masterpiece, and for this work in progress which is my life. Thank You for taking the mistakes and missteps, the trials and triumphs, the good, the bad, and the less-than-ideal and using all of it to shape my life into Your masterpiece. Thank You that I am Your work in progress. Draw me closer. Amen.
Eph 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece….
Have a blessed day.

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Rooted in Him…. (devo reflection)

Jer 17:7-8 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him, They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream….”
I am not a gardener. It’s not that I don’t like plants. It’s just that I have to work really hard at keeping them alive. But I have noticed that every time a piece falls off a plant, my instinct is to put the fallen piece in water to see if it will root. Many of the pieces do put out roots, and I’ll eventually plant them in dirt to see if I can keep them alive. And the cycle continues.
Col 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him….
God, the Master Gardener, is good at taking those fallen pieces and rooting them in Him. With time, patience, nurturing, He can take something that once appeared dead, useless, and turn it into something vibrant and thriving. He can do that with people, too. With time and love, grace and mercy, He can take someone considered too far gone to save and give them new life in Him. Thank You, Jesus.
Eph 3:17 Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder. Thank You for the hope that comes from tending plants and the hope that is firmly planted in You. Thank You for Your willingness to take what others have cast off and given up on, to root them in Your fierce love and grace, to give them new life. Draw us closer to You. Amen.
Heb 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure….
Have a blessed day.