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“Do not be afraid….” (devo reflection)

Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.”
In both verse 13 and verse 30, one of the first things the angel says is: “Do not be afraid.” Worry, fear, anxiety have been such a part of my life for so long that the angel’s words are a balm to my soul. “Do not be afraid.”
Luke 1:18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
The other thing that strikes me about verse 13 specifically is the fact that the angel tells Zechariah that the Lord has heard his UNSPOKEN prayer for a son, the prayer that he held in the quiet of his heart, the prayer he had probably given up on. Zechariah reacts with disbelief (“How can I be sure of this?”). I feel his disbelief on a gut level as it is something I struggle with as well.
Luke 1:30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.”
Precious Savior, Thank You for the repeated reminder not to be afraid. Thank You for hearing the prayers that we hold in the quiet of our hearts. Thank You for the promise to never leave us nor forsake us (Heb 13:5), for the promise of a divine plan for us (Jer 29:11), for the promise to work all things to our good and Your glory (Rom 8:28). Help me never to lose sight of the fact that Your thoughts are not my thoughts and Your ways are beyond anything I can imagine (Isaiah 55:8). Thank You, Lord. Amen.
Luke 1:37 “For no word from God will ever fail.”
Have a blessed day.
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What if this encounter is only the beginning? (devo reflection)

Matthew 19:16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

I know how God has worked on my heart over the course of my life. I know that rarely is any character flaw fixed the first time (as evidenced by the fact that I still struggle with worry and fear, even though God has been working on me in these areas for years. I’m better than I was but still not where He wants me). This rich man is pretty much dismissed in commentary, but what if this encounter is only the beginning?

Matthew 19:17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

Clearly, the man is seeking, asking, knocking (Matt 7:7). If he’s anything like me, he has to sit with things for a while, but if he continues to seek, ask, and knock, if he continues to bring these issues before God, examining them in light of new information, then it’s possible that “the word of God [that] is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword…” (Heb 4:12) will do its work, changing his heart and mind. I’ve seen this happen in my own life again and again as I meet with God each morning.

Matthew 19:18-19 “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Lord, Thank You for today’s insights into Your word. Thank You for a perspective that I had not considered before. Thank You that You are willing to leave the 99 to go after the one. Help us all to keep seeking, asking, knocking, to keep searching Your word, to draw closer to You. Amen.

Matthew 19:20“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

Have a blessed day.

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The fruit of my lips…. (devo reflection)

Hosea 14:2 Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.

I love the expression “fruit of our lips.” Some translations say “sacrifices of our lips,” which brings to mind Hebrews 13:15, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”

Hosea 14:4 “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.

For me, these verses and thoughts raise the question: How can I use my words, the fruit of my lips, as a sacrifice of praise to my Savior? And in my current grumpy, exhausted mood, the answer seems to be to turn all my negative thoughts into praise to God for the abundant blessings that are all around me if I will only take the time to look.

Hosea 14:5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots….

Lord, I’m grumpy and tired, which makes me much more likely to look for and dwell on every single negative thing in my life. Forgive me. Help me to use the “fruit of my lips” to offer up a “sacrifice of praise” to You for the many, many (many, many) blessings that are all around me if I will only look. Draw me closer to You. Amen.

Hosea 14:6 …his young shoots will grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.

Have a blessed day.

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Sacrifices and offerings…. (devo reflection)

Ezekiel 46:12 “‘When the prince provides a freewill offering to the Lord—whether a burnt offering or fellowship offerings—the gate facing east is to be opened for him. He shall offer his burnt offering or his fellowship offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out, the gate will be shut.

There is much mention in this chapter of sacrifices and offerings. I find the timing interesting as Lent started yesterday, a time where many give up something they enjoy as a sacrifice to God. But there are so many scriptures that reiterate the need to go beyond sacrifice.

Ezekiel 46:13 “‘Every day you are to provide a year-old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the Lord; morning by morning you shall provide it.

Proverbs 21:3 “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” Hosea 6:6 “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hebrews 13:16 “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

Ezekiel 46:14 You are also to provide with it morning by morning a grain offering, consisting of a sixth of an ephah with a third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour. The presenting of this grain offering to the Lord is a lasting ordinance.

Lord, In this season of Lent, where so many are actively tuned to sacrifice for You, help us to tune in to the sacrifices that really matter to You—sacrificing our pride to do for others (even those we deem unworthy of our time, especially those), sacrificing our comfort to seek justice, sacrificing our complacency to love others with Your love. Help us, Lord. Amen.

Ezekiel 46:15 So the lamb and the grain offering and the oil shall be provided morning by morning for a regular burnt offering.

Have a blessed day.

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Turn and live…. (devo reflection)

Ezekiel 33:11 “Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’”

Commentary says of verse 11, “God is not sadistic and cruel, making repentance impossible because He loves to see humanity suffer.” I think that’s one of the most foundational understandings I’ve gotten from my three-year reading of the Old Testament. My child’s understanding of the Old Testament was that God was cruel and vengeful. You didn’t cross Him or He’d get you. My adult study has shown me again and again His love, patience, and compassion and man’s utter foolishness.

Ezekiel 33:17 “Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just.”

This revelation brings to mind Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active.” Why go back and study a text I learned as a child? Because I’m not the same person I was then and my capacity to understand God’s word has grown, too. Why do I need to sit down each morning and spend time in God’s word? Because I’m certain the specious idea of a vengeful God who delights in punishment isn’t the only thing I’ve gotten wrong over the years.

Ezekiel 33:18-19 “If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, they will die for it. And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so.”

Precious Savior, Thank You for helping me recognize and correct my misunderstandings of Your character. Thank You for Your word, which is active and alive. Thank You for the opportunity to know You more, to know You better, every day. Amen.

Ezekiel 33:20 “Yet you Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to your own ways.”

Have a blessed day.

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Even in the chaos…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 54:7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.”
I bristle at verse 7 because God has promised never to leave me nor forsake me (Heb 13:5), so what am I supposed to do with that verse? Commentary helps me to reconcile this by saying that God only allowed the Israelites to *feel* abandoned for a moment. He did not actually abandon them. That I can understand.
Isaiah 54:8 “In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.
I have felt abandoned by the Lord before. Mostly, I think, it was me trying to reconcile all that was falling apart in my life with God’s promises to me. There was a lot of “Why, Lord? Why me? Why the people I love? Why are some healed here and some are taken to heaven? It’s not fair! I hate it! Where are You in all of this chaos?!? You promised!!!” Through this terrible, terrible time, through the chaos, the struggle, the loss, God taught me that He truly IS with me always. He IS making a way in my wilderness, even when I cannot yet perceive it. I can share this hope with others because I have lived it firsthand myself.
Isaiah 54:9 “To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.”
Lord, Being Your beloved child does not mean that life will be easy. There is still heartache and pain. But You promise never to leave us nor forsake us. You promise to walk through the fire with us. You promise we will never have to go it without You by our side, AND YOU KEEP YOUR PROMISES. Always. Thank You. Help us to trust Your presence, even in our fear, anger, and bitterness. Even in the chaos, help us to trust that You are with us, drawing us closer. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.
Isaiah 54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Have a blessed day.
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Faithfulness and praise…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 27:21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise. (NIV)
When I first read this verse, I thought it was a spin on “God knows the heart” (Acts 15:8), meaning God sees a person’s faithfulness by how they praise Him in both good times and bad. Something about that idea really resonated with me. That God can see my love and faithfulness even as I struggle through loss and grief, praising Him in the storms and choppy seas, that makes sense to me.
Proverbs 27:21 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold [to separate the impurities of the metal], And each is tested by the praise given to him [and his response to it, whether humble or proud]. (AB)
Of course, commentary says I’m utterly wrong. It says that a man’s estimation of himself can’t be trusted and that a true judgement can be better formed based on what others say about him (or on how he reacts to that praise—with hubris or humility). While I concede the truth of that idea, I still think my interpretation holds up. My faith can be tested/measured by the way I praise—imperfectly, sometimes shakily, but with a deep trust in the abiding love and sovereignty of my Savior. Thank You, Jesus.
Proverbs 27:21 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised. (NLT)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for Your word, which is “alive and active, sharper than any two-edge sword” (Heb 4:12). Thank You that I can see how my faith has strengthened and grown by looking at how I praise You. Always. Draw me closer. Amen.
Proverbs 27:21 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but a man is tested by the praise accorded him. (BSB)
Have a blessed day.
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God’s love as my guide…. (devo reflection)

Proverbs 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.
Take a moment and read verses 4 and 5. They are directly contradictory to each other. But they bring to mind for me Hebrews 4:12: “…for the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edge sword….”
Proverbs 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.
Like most things, these proverbs must be pondered and applied with the love, mercy, and compassion of Jesus. They aren’t one-size-fits-all. They are blind commands. (For the record, the command is to love each other as Jesus loves us—fiercely, compassionately, mercifully, through our mistakes and missteps, offering love instead of judgement. John 15:12) To be successful, I must use God’s love as my guide everyday.
Proverbs 26:6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the example of Christ. Help me, daily, to love others as You love me—even through my foolishness and messes. Help me to draw closer to You and to shine Your light for all. Amen.
Proverbs 26:7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
Have a blessed day.
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Sacrifice of praise…. (devo reflection)

Psalm 116:17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and call on the name of the LORD. (NIV)

Let’s be honest. Sometimes life stinks. Plans change. Dreams change. People change. It can be tough. Yet what I hear most throughout Psalm 116 is the call to praise God anyway, to praise Him in the storm, in the turmoil, in the change. That’s hard, at least for me, but I am trying to make it a life goal, my sacrifice of praise.

Psalm 116:17 I will offer You a sacrifice to show how grateful I am, and I will pray. (CEV)

Hebrews 13:15 comes strongly to mind when I think of Psalm 116:17: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.” When life is crashing down around me, praise instead of despair becomes sacrifice, choosing to give glory to God instead of lament the losses, is sacrifice. And while I still have so far to go in this practice, I know that God draws me closer each time I reach out to Him in a sacrifice of praise.

Psalm 116:17 I will bring a song of thanksgiving to You as a sacrifice. I will call on the name of the LORD. (GWT)

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the ability to offer You a sacrifice of praise, even when it feels like my world is falling apart. Thank You for being my center, for holding me together, for drawing me closer. Always. Amen.

Psalm 116:1 I love the LORD, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy.

Have a blessed day.

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From everlasting to everlasting…. (devo reflection)

Psalm 110:1 The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

Lord, It is shockingly easy for me to think that life today is so different that You might be surprised at the mayhem and mischief. Nothing surprises You, Lord. From everlasting to everlasting You are God (Psalm 90:2), You are sovereign, You are in control. Thank You.

Psalm 110:2 The LORD will extend Your mighty scepter from Zion….

Lord, Sometimes everything seems to be shifting and changing so quickly that it is hard to keep up and so, so easy to feel off-kilter. But You, Lord, are the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb 13:8). I can—and should—cling to You always as my constant and my rock. Thank You.

Psalm 110:4a The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind….

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for Your sovereignty and consistency especially in this ever-changing world. Thank You that I can cling to You, turn to You, trust You. Always. Draw me closer. Amen.

Psalm 110:4b …”You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

Have a blessed day. I love you.