Acts 9:6 … “Lord, what do You want me to do?”…
I’m a big fan of flashing neon signs from God: “Beth—THIS is what I want you to do.” As you can probably imagine, those don’t usually happen. More often, I pray and fret and wait, and agonize over whether I’ve missed or misinterpreted something, and pray and fret and wait.
Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it….”
And then there are the times when the only way to go is glaringly obvious—forward, through the pain, through the fear, through the chaos and confusion. Those are the times when I struggle—Why, Lord? Why this? Why us? Why now?—but they are also the times when I cling most closely to His promise in Matt 28:20: “…And I will be with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.
Lord, Thank You for this day, this scripture, Your guidance and direction. Thank You for understanding how difficult life can be and for giving us strength, wisdom, and discernment to understand Your will for us. Thank You for Your willingness and ability to use everything, even our missteps, for our good and Your glory. Draw us closer. Amen.
Proverbs 3:6 Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.
Have a blessed day.
A way through my bitterness…. (devo reflection)
Isaiah 43:18 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.”
I’m a planner, which can be a wonderful thing. It takes time, dedication, planning—obviously. When things go according to plan, it’s beautiful. But when they don’t, especially if it is because of someone else—making decisions without asking me, dragging their feet, etc, I am left with bitterness. All my planning. All my effort. Wasted. It is frustrating and utterly futile, and I KNOW it doesn’t bring me closer to God, yet bitterness is something I’ve struggled with for years. Jesus, Help me.
Isaiah 43:19a “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”
Bitterness, which is at the root of my disappointment when life doesn’t go as I’ve planned, places a huge barrier between me and my Savior. It’s hard to be grateful when I am bitter. It’s hard to be loving and kind. It’s hard to perceive the new ways in which God is working when I am so stuck on what *I* wanted to happen. My precious Savior, who loves me deeply, is waiting to pour out HIS blessings into my open hands, but I am so focused on MY way, MY anger that all I have to offer is clenched fists and a bitter, frustrated heart. Jesus, Help me.
Isaiah 43.19b “I am making a way in the wilderness….”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the realization that I am dealing with bitterness and that I can choose to let it go or I can choose to let it separate me from You. That choice is a no-brainer, Lord, and yet I still make the wrong choice, embracing my bitterness and disappointment instead of my Savior. Help me, Jesus, to let go of all bitterness so that I can wrap myself in Your peace. Draw me closer. Amen.
Matt 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven….
Have a blessed day.
A life of freedom in Your sovereign care…. (devo reflection)
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.
Return to Me…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
The note at the beginning of Psalm 51 tells us that it was written “when the prophet Nathan came to [David] after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.” He willfully sinned and realized the evil of His act. He implored God to forgive him, not according to David’s character, deeds, or goodness but according to God’s unfailing love and great compassion.
1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is really a murderer at heart….
It’s pretty easy to stand in judgement of David and his transgression. Adultery is wrong. But scripture tells us that hate and anger are, too, because they separate us from God. He feels so strongly about them that He equates those who feel those emotions to murderers. I know that there is no “Scale of Sin” showing the worst offenses down at one end and those that aren’t so bad at the other. Adultery is sin. Anger is sin. Hatred is sin. I don’t know about you, but I am beginning to feel the need to implore my Savior using David’s own words: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions.”
Psalm 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this insight. Thank You for the reminder that sin is anything that separates me from You. Thank You for Your unfailing love and great compassion, for valuing my life and my relationship with You so much that You sweep my offenses, no matter how big or small, away like a cloud. Help me to guard my relationship with You diligently and not to let anything come between us. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 44:22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.
Have a blessed day.
Claimed and cleaned…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of Your unfailing love. Because of Your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.
I have a pair of white capri pants with a lovely pink stain on the seat from an unfortunate laundry mishap involving a homemade tie-dyed shirt. I have tried bleach (several times), Oxy-Clean, everything I can think of, and while the stain is much lighter than it was, it’s still there. I’m not sure it will ever come out.
Isaiah 1:18 …”Even though your sins are like scarlet, they’ll be white like snow….”
This laundry mishap came clearly to mind when I was doing my reading this morning. David’s sin with Bathsheba was HIS doing, yet nothing he could do after the fact could remove the stain. And his plea for compassion and mercy is not based on his worthiness but on God’s unfailing love and mercy for His children.
Isaiah 43:1 But now, this is what the LORD says—He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your fierce and unending love for Your children. Just like the laundry mishap, Lord, I am prone to making mistakes and missteps, some by accident and some by blatant disregard. Thank You for Your unfailing and steadfast love and mercy. Thank You that for Your sake, You wash me clean. I am not worthy. I can never earn Your forgiveness. I certainly can’t do it on my own. Thank You, precious Savior, for restoring me to Yourself, for cleansing me of my sins. Help me never to take Your mercy for granted. Help me always to shine your light. Draw me closer to Your heart. Amen.
Isaiah 43:25 “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.”
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.
Willingly and intentionally choosing…. (devo reflection)
Isaiah 65:2 All day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people, who walk in the wrong path, who follow their own imaginations….
As a parent and a teacher, it is incredibly frustrating to see a child headed down the wrong path. It is especially frustrating when you know those wrong choices can easily lead them to be hurt—physically or emotionally. To try to lead and guide them, to end up being rebuffed for my efforts, to have to help them deal with the fallout of their choices—these are very difficult things.
Jer 7:24 Yet they did not listen or pay attention, but they followed the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.
God is the Creator of the universe. He could have preprogrammed us to obedience, but He doesn’t want automatons. He wants people who willingly and intentionally choose Him, which means He allows us our stubborn disobedience, even if it hurts us, even if it hurts Him.
Deut 32:15 But Israel soon became fat and unruly; the people… abandoned the God who made them and they rejected the Rock their Savior.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for loving us enough to let us choose You, even if it takes a while. Thank You for Your goodness and mercy, for Your grace which surpasses all understanding, for Your fierce love. Help me to lay aside my stubbornness and choose You. Always. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 106:25 They grumbled in their tents and did not listen to the voice of the LORD.
Have a blessed day.
This beautiful place…. (devo reflection)
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
Lord, Thank You for the twists and turns that have brought me to this point in my life. Thank You for every broken heart and broken dream that led me to this beautiful place. Thank You for giving me a life so much richer and more nuanced than I could have ever dreamed for myself. I am so grateful.
Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.
Lord, Thank You for allowing me to hear and respond to the call of Your heart, for sitting with me each morning, for calling me to task on these things within me that cause barriers to You. Thank You that, with every loss and disappointment, I know I’m safe and protected in Your arms. Help me grow closer to You with each passing day.
Isaiah 43:19a See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your love, grace, and mercy. There are so many things in this life I don’t understand. Thank You that this life and its confusion are not my home, that my ashes will be turned to beauty and my mourning into dancing. Thank You for the family and friends You have blessed me with, so many wonderful people for whom I am so thankful. Help me, daily, to live with an attitude of joy and gratitude, giving You glory. Always. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 43:19b …I am making a way in the wilderness….
Have a blessed day.
Rest for my soul…. (devo reflection)
Jer 18:15 Yet My people have forgotten Me; they burn incense to worthless idols, which make them stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths….
When I read this scripture this morning, Heb 4:12 immediately came to mind: “For the word of God is alive and active.” While today’s generation was not the original intended audience, this verse still very much applies today. While the ancient audience set up physical idols, there are so many things, physical and otherwise, today that take our attention from our LORD, that cause us to stumble in our ways. Jesus, Help me.
Isaiah 28:12 God has told His people, “Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest.” But they would not listen.
As easy as it is to sadly shake my head and mutter, “Those fools,” I know that I, too, am guilty of refusing God’s rest. How many times have I lamented my exhaustion? How many times have I confessed my propensity to worry and fret? How long before I truly listen to my precious Savior so He can restore my soul in His place of quiet rest? Jesus, Help me.
Jer 6:16 …But you said, ‘No, that’s not what we want!’
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for loving me through my stubbornness and refusal to listen. Thank You for Your Son, who restored my right relationship with You. Thank You for not giving up on me, even when I am dripping with exhaustion and stress and STILL steadfastly refusing to do things Your way. Help me to listen and obey. Grant me to Your rest for my soul. Amen.
Jer 6:17 …But you replied, ‘No! We won’t pay attention!’
Have a blessed day.
Focused on my Savior…. (devo reflection)
Col 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Currently, I have three devotions I read along with my morning bible study. This morning, two of the three dealt with staying focused on Christ, ironic since I found my mind constantly wandering to my laundry list of things to do today. To stay focused on my Savior this morning took way more effort than it should have, which is a clear sign I need to reorder my priorities. Jesus, Help me.
Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith….
My morning prayer and study time is crucial for so many reasons, focus chief among them. But the nature of the world is intrusion, insistence that this thing, no this one, no this, is so critical that it must be dealt with NOW. The frenetic pace of the world’s demands makes it dangerously easy to shift our focus away from our Savior and onto the “whack-a-mole” demands of life. Jesus, Help me.
Matt 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reminder of the need to stay focused—first and foremost—on You. This world is loud and insistent, and it wants my full attention, but I can never find true peace, Your peace, peace that passes all understanding, unless I keep my eyes, my mind, my heart focused on You. Help me, Lord. Draw me closer. Amen.
Isaiah 26:4 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You.
Have a blessed day.