Exodus 23:1 “Do not spread false reports….”
Rules can feel incredibly restrictive and oppressive. Often those being governed by the rules chafe under their weight, wishing only to be free. As a teacher and a parent, I have seen the power and necessity of rules again and again. That doesn’t mean I always like them or that they are always easy to follow. But they are important, even when they are annoying.
Exodus 23:2 “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong….”
God’s rules are no different. He wants us to lead rich, full lives, he wants us to enjoy all that He has planned for His beloved. If we are weighted down by sin, we aren’t free to focus on Him, His love and mercy. It’s also important to remember the lessons learned from the Pharisees and Sadducees, who followed the laws so closely that they lost sight of the sovereign God at the root of them.
Heb 12:1 …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your deep and abiding love for me. Thank You for loving me so much that You want to help me avoid getting tangled up in sin, so that nothing keeps my focus from You. As hard as it is to say sometimes, thank You for correcting me when I get off track and start down a dangerous road. I love You deeply, and I want to live a life of freedom in Your sovereign care. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 43:1 But now this says the LORD who created you…: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine.”
Have a blessed day.
These truths that I cling to…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 62:6 He alone protects and saves me; He is my defender, and I shall never be defeated.
Sometimes life makes no sense. Sometimes circumstances lead me to fear. Sometimes my faulty feelings and perceptions lead me to worry. Sometimes stress and exhaustion lead me to throw in the towel before I have finished what You called me to do. In those times especially, Lord, help me to cling more closely to the things I know to be true.
Exodus 14:14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only be still.
I know that I am deeply, completely, fiercely, and unconditionally loved by my Creator and Savior. I know that this world is not my home and that praise and accolades from the world are empty. I know that my Redeemer holds me securely in the palm of His hand, even when it feels like the world is upside down. I know that He can and will use all that I am, all that I have, and all that I endure to draw me closer to Him.
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God….”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reality of Your presence and Your overwhelming love for me. Thank You for these truths that I cling to, for being present in every storm and struggle, for Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Help us, no matter what we face, no matter what we feel, to lay our burdens at Your feet and to wrap ourselves in Your loving peace. Draw us closer. Amen.
Isaiah 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness….
Have a blessed day.
A Life in Progress…. (devo reflection)
|
|
|||
1 Peter 5:6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor.
In my head, I hear a fragment of song from my childhood about the difficulty of humility in the midst of perfection. (Any Mac Davis fans out there?) My instinct is to laugh at the idea of perfection. I am the ultimate work in progress, trying every day to be a little better than the day before. What I want is to live a life that allows my Savior to say to me when we meet face-to-face, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” But I know that some days I get a little too big for my britches. Jesus, help me.
1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.
Part of humbling myself is casting all my anxieties on Him because He cares for me. Sadly, handing my cares to God, putting them at His feet and leaving them there, is an area where I continue to struggle—not because I think I can handle my own anxieties, but because I tend to be incredibly stingy when it comes to handing them over to my Savior AND LEAVING THEM THERE. I tend to keep a white-knuckled death grip on them, thinking that somehow that allows me to remain in control of them instead of them controlling me. Jesus, help me.
1 Peter 5:8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that I am a work in progress, Your masterpiece in the making. Thank You for the reminder to humble myself, to give my worries and fears to You. Thank You for cautioning me to look out for anything that separates me from You, including my ego, my anxieties, and my fears. Help me to live a life pleasing to You. Help me to remember that You are always fighting for me. Draw me closer. Amen.
Exodus 14:14 The LORD Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.
Have a blessed day.