Psalm 91:14a “Because he loves Me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him….”
I am deeply human, which means I am often ridiculously fallible. The struggle from yesterday’s devo reflection is a prime example. Thankfully, my Savior doesn’t hold perfection as a criteria for love, grace, and mercy. I love Him deeply, even through my mistakes and missteps, and He knows my heart. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 91:14b “I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name.”
In a world where the spoils usually go to the fastest, the strongest, the most cunning, I’m a huge fan of the underdog, the one who is so utterly under-matched for the competition but has such heart, such courage and determination. I think God is, too. He asks us to love and acknowledge Him. We don’t have to be the best, we just have to be completely His. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 91:15 “He will call on Me, and I will answer Him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your grace and mercy. Thank You that You don’t reserve Your love for those who deserve it, that You can take a fallible yet devoted heart and use it for our good and Your glory. Thank You for listening to and understanding our hearts, Lord. Help us to praise You always. Draw us closer. Amen.
Psalm 91:16 “With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”
Have a blessed day.
The fickle nature of time…. (devo reflection)
2 Peter 3:8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
In just under a month, the hubs and I will celebrate 22 years of marriage. It feels at once like a long time and a blink of the eye. And daily I have kids chomping at the bit, waiting for the 3:05 bell. The day drags for them, but the afternoon and evening fairly fly until they are back in desks once again, waiting on the 3:05 bell. Time is certainly interesting.
Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.
I am bound by time. Perhaps it stems from decades of school bells, alerting me to the next block, but “What time is it?” is a crucial component in the way that I function. But God doesn’t work that way. Time for Him, with Him, in Him, doesn’t function as it does for me. That clock, which is an ingrained part of my day, doesn’t even exist for Him. It’s totally irrelevant. Jesus, Help me.
Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reminder of the fickle nature of time. Time feels like such a crucial part of my life, Lord, but I’m pretty sure it’s rather irrelevant in Yours. Help me to wait patiently in joyful hope for all that You have in store. Help me to use my time on this earth, no matter how much time that may be, to shine Your light and point others to You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Have a blessed day.
My strength and my song…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 118:1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!
It’s Saturday, and I had to set an alarm for 5 am to get one of my boys somewhere he really didn’t want to be. (Truthfully, we both just wanted to sleep in.) This could have started out as a very bad day, but as I was heading back home from the crazy-early drop off, the song “Overwhelmed” by Big Daddy Weave came on, and I realized it truly reflected my feelings—overwhelmed by God, His presence, His mercy, His grace, His goodness. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 118:14 The LORD is my strength and my song….
I have tried this semester to express gratitude before my feet even hit the floor in the mornings. Some days I forget, but most days, taking a moment to thank my Savior before I get up really gets my day off to the right start. As with any day and any life, there’s always stuff that makes me grumpy, sad, mad, scared, but the beauty is always there, too, the gifts, the blessings and joy. And when I constantly seek them, I begin to see them every where. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this attitude of thanksgiving that truly seems to be rooting me more firmly each day in Your steadfast love. Thank You for a smooth morning, even though it started earlier than I would have preferred. Thank You for this amazing family I am a part of. Thank You for an abundance of people, experiences, and blessings for which to be grateful. Help me to cultivate this grateful heart. Help me to shine Your light. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 118:28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to You; You are my God; I will extol You.
Have a blessed day.
Unshakable…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 16:8 …With Him at my right hand, I will never be shaken.
Yesterday I volunteered to share my devo reflection to begin a meeting at church. I stumbled when I read the following: “Yet if I keep my eyes on You, if I will center myself on Your fierce love, I will NEVER be shaken by any doubt.” The line gave me pause because anxiety, worry, and fear often crowd my mind, especially when life feels chaotic. Does that mean I’m not living my faith?
Matt 7:9-10 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
I’ve been pondering and praying about this since last night, and I was reminded by my precious Savior of when my boys were little and we had a terrible storm. We were safe inside, yet they were still afraid. As their parent, I wasn’t angry about their fears. In fact, I sought to reassure them further that they were safe and protected. And now, all these years later, they don’t struggle so.
Matt 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you….”
Precious Savior, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for understanding my doubts and fears and for loving me and reassuring me through them. My faith is so much stronger than it was, and even when I am afraid, I KNOW You hold me securely, I KNOW that I am Your deeply loved child. Even if this world crumbles to dust, I KNOW that my eternity is with You. Those truths are unshakable, and that is solely because of You. ‘Thank You’ feels so inadequate, and yet, I know You know my heart. Draw me closer, Lord. Help me to shine Your light, so that others can understand Your unshakable truth. Amen.
Psalm 16:10 …You will not abandon me….
Have a blessed day.
Even this…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 16:8a I keep my eyes always on the LORD….
Lord, Forgive me for all those times I take my eyes off of You, fretting instead about things I cannot change or things that may or may not come to pass. Give me the strength, always, to fix my eyes solely on You, to trust Your direction and Your care, to know that You have me safely in the palm of Your hand, that You can and will, if I allow, use anything and everything I experience for my good and Your glory.
Psalm 16:8b …With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Lord, Thank You for providing me with a firm foundation, for being my rock and my shelter. The circumstances of my life sometimes whisper “Can He handle even this?” Yet if I will keep my eyes on You, if I will center myself on Your fierce, unending love, I will NEVER be shaken by any doubt. You ARE big enough, powerful enough, loving enough, and merciful enough to handle ANY circumstance that life throws at me. Help me NEVER to lose sight of that fact.
Psalm 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this truth. Thank You for being my portion and my cup, for making my lot secure (Psalm 16:1). Help me, no matter my circumstances, to keep my eyes on You, to keep my heart in line with Yours, and to close my ears to the lies and deceit of this world. Draw me closer. Fill me with joy in Your presence (Psalm 16:11). Amen.
Psalm 16:10 …because You will not abandon me….
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.
Refocusing on my Savior…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 51:7a Clean me with hyssop, and I will be clean….
This morning during prayer time, I found my thoughts bouncing around like pinballs in a pinball machine. I would begin a focused prayer and end thinking about who owes make up work or the difficulties I know students are facing. From a prayer standpoint, it was beyond frustrating, but I kept trying to refocus myself on my Savior and my conversation with Him. Help me, Jesus.
Psalm 51:7b …wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
This morning’s focus issues underscore for me why I need my precious Savior so desperately. I am human, and therefore fallible. Sometimes even my best attempts, like my attempts at focused prayer this morning, end in failure. My precious Savior knows my heart. He knows my anxious thoughts. He knows the prayer concerns on my mind even when they get lost in the labyrinth of life rolling around in my head. He loves me fiercely, sometimes despite myself. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 51:10a Create in me a pure heart, O God…
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for hearing my concerns, even when they get lost in the chaos of my thoughts. Thank You for being my compass, my center, my rock, and my refuge. Create in me a pure heart. Help me to focus my anxious thoughts on You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 51:10b …and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Have a blessed day.
Even if we can’t see it…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 139:13 For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I think many of us, when we look at ourselves, immediately see the things we don’t like, the things we wish we could change—features we find a little too big, traits that are a little too quirky or weird to be cute. We pick ourselves apart until we can’t even bear to look any more. But our precious Savior doesn’t see us that way. He sees us through the loving eyes of a Creator and Father. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 139:14 I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made….
Think of a cherished lovey from your youth, or of the story of the velveteen rabbit. The bare patch where all the fur has been worn off from years of hugs isn’t a sign of damage. It is a symbol of years of love and companionship. The missing eye or popped seam isn’t proof it’s ready for the garbage but rather proof of the inseparable friend and confidant it has been. It is all the more dear and loved because of its imperfections, and so are we—even if we can’t see it.
Psalm 139:15 My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder to see past the surface, to see the beauty underneath. Thank You for fearfully and wonderfully creating each of us—so uniquely different, yet absolutely the way You designed us to be. Give us eyes to see ourselves and each other the way You see us, as Your deeply, fiercely, unconditionally loved children. Help us to share Your light, Your love, and Your hope with everyone we meet. Draw us closer. Amen.
Psalm 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed body….
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.