Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Max Lucado’s daily devotional, which is one I read during my morning study, today contained this gem about the disciples: “…they were an ounce more devoted than they were afraid….” That idea, an ounce more devotion than fear, resonates deeply with me. I can never be fearless. My penchant for worry, which often manifests itself as fear, is so strong, but I CAN be more devoted than afraid, even if just by an ounce.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
God can take what seems to me a paltry thing, one more ounce of devotion, of faith, than fear, and use it in great ways. I don’t have to muster enough faith to conquer the mountain in my path, just enough to take the next step and the next and the next. God will multiply that faith, He will fuse it with His strength, and He will use it to accomplish His will. I’ve just got to muster enough faith, enough devotion, to keep moving forward.
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this crucial reminder. The perfectionist in me wants to do everything You call me to exactly right, which often leads to worries, doubts, fears, and inaction. Help me to remember that what You want is for me to choose faith in You over all my fears. Help me, in every situation—worry, fear, weariness—to be an ounce more devoted, to keep taking the next step in Your name and Your power. Give me strength, Lord, to keep moving forward in You and for You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Have a blessed day.
Strength to the weary…. (devo reflection)
Matt 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
This morning finds me weary, worn down, physically and emotionally exhausted. It is a frustrating place to be, one I find myself in far more often than I would prefer, but I know what I need to do—take it to the feet of my precious Savior. Lay down my burdens. Seek His renewal, His peace, His strength. Help me, Jesus.
Isaiah 40:29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
He has set a task before me, one that He uniquely created me to fulfill. I know He has called me, and I know that He will give me strength in my weakness IF I will allow, IF I will humble myself and allow Him to work through me. Help me, Jesus. I cannot do this by myself, and You aren’t asking me too. Infuse me with Your strength.
Isaiah 40:31 …those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Lord, Thank You for this day, this scripture, this reminder that You don’t expect me to do it all in my own strength. Thank You for the reminder that when I am weary, weak, worn out, exhausted, You are my place of refuge, rest, renewal. Help me to find peace, strength, and renewal in You so that I can do what You have called me to do in this life. Help me to shine Your light. Amen.
Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Have a blessed day.
Constant sustaining power…. (devo reflection)
Col 1:17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
In the commentary for Col 1:17 this morning, I came across the following gem: “In this clause is attributed to our Lord, not only the creative act, but also the constant sustaining power….” This truth, that God is my center, that He holds me together, is not new, but it has me absolutely captivated this morning. I will not fall apart, no matter the situation, because He is holding me together. Thank You, Jesus!
Psalm 139:13 You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
When I reach out to people who are struggling, I always tell them that God is holding them in the palm of His hand. I mean it sincerely. But not only does He hold us, protect us, shelter and nurture us in the palm of His hand, He also holds our very being together. We won’t fall apart because He is sustaining us, holding us together. Thank You, Jesus!
Psalm 139:14 I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your love, which holds our very core together. I am a worrier, Lord, prone to fretting and anxious thoughts. Thank You for the surety that You are at my center, that You hold me together. Always. Thank You for Your constant sustaining power and for Your fierce and abiding love. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 139:15 My frame was not hidden from You….
Have a blessed day.
God is my strength…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 18:1 I love You, LORD, my strength.
My reading this morning took me to Psalms and this beautiful passage. I think Psalm 18:1 is the embodiment of both “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13) and “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). The verse, to me, seems a celebration of the fact that God is my strength and that I recognize and embrace that fact.
Psalm 18:2a The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer….
This verse puts me in mind of Rocky Face Park and the Vertical Mile Challenge, which has what at times feels like an interminable section straight up the side of a mountainous rock. While it takes determination and perseverance to traverse it, the rock itself is utterly solid, immovable, impenetrable. The images in this verse—my rock, my fortress, my deliverer—speak to the strength and safety that I find in my Savior. Even when the world feels like it is falling apart, I am safe in His arms. He’s got me. He’s holding me, shielding me, protecting me. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 18:2b …my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reminder that You are my strength and my refuge. Thank You for holding me, always, especially in the midst of the chaos and storms of life. Thank You for being my strength, especially when my strength is gone. Thank You for preparing a place for me, for going before me, for never leaving me. Thank You for my rock-solid faith, for the assurance that I can always depend on You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 18:2c …my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Have a blessed day.
External trappings…. (devo reflection)
1 Peter 3:3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.
Sometimes I think we might all be better off if we could not see others before we interacted with them. We make so many snap judgements based on appearance alone. I wonder, if we spent time just talking, listening, without seeing and judging, would we be able to more clearly see into the heart? Would we be less likely to be tripped up by external trappings?
1 Peter 3:4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.
These two verses from 1 Peter are specifically aimed at women, but I think the idea behind them transcends gender. God doesn’t want us so caught up in physical appearance that we neglect the heart. Sadly, so much of our culture seems focused solely on appearance and in such a destructive way—You aren’t pretty enough, skinny enough. You aren’t handsome enough, muscular enough. Jesus, Help us.
Psalm 139:14 I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that it’s what’s on the inside that is most important. Help us not to get caught up in external trappings. Help us not to make snap judgments. Help us to see each other through Your eyes. Help us to recognize the internal beauty that can only come from You. Draw us closer. Amen.
Eph 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.
Have a blessed day.
With every beat of my heart…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
For the Lord to deliver me from all my fears, that means I have to actually acknowledge them and turn them all over to Him. I’ve already admitted that I’m not very good at that. I also keep losing hold of a fact I know to be true—my feelings cannot be trusted. They lie. Jesus CAN be trusted. Always. Even when I’m deeply afraid and life makes no sense.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding….
My understanding is faulty, human, skewed by my emotions and misperceptions, by the stories I tell myself to explain things I see and hear that I don’t understand. Jesus is a firm foundation. He is immutable, unchangeable. That is why I should not trust in my feelings, my emotions. That is why I should trust Him with every beat of my heart.
Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart my fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture, for the reminder that You can only deliver me from my fears if I turn them over to You and then trust You more than my human emotions. Living by my emotions is exhausting, Lord. I want Your peace, which surpasses all understanding. Draw me closer. Help me surrender all to You. Amen.
2 Cor 12:9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness….”
Have a blessed day.
Infusing my human frailty with His eternal strength…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry.
I have been on the mountaintop with my Savior—shining moments of joy and affirmation such has holding my newborn babies in my arms for the first time. Those moments are glorious, and praise comes so easily during those times. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 40:2a He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of mud and mire….
I have also had my share of slimy pit moments, bogged down in the mud and mire, feeling helpless and hopeless and wondering how I will have the strength to take the next step, the next breath. My precious Savior is with me in those moments, too. He is holding me, carrying me, infusing my human frailty with His eternal strength. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 40:2b …He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
Lord, Thank You for this day and the reminder that You are with us always—in the glorious mountaintop moments, but also in the horrendous, difficult moments in the slimy pits of life. You never leave us, and when we are at our weakest, Your strength is all we need. Help us to draw closer to You, to lean into You, to shine Your light. Always. Amen.
Psalm 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Have a blessed day.
Joy in Your presence…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 16:1-2 Keep me safe, my God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.”
This morning I find myself on edge. My nerves are frayed. It’s not really one thing causing the issue. It’s many, many little bitty things that seem to be piling up. Kept in perspective, it would not be a problem. But sometimes it’s dangerously easy for me to let my circumstances get out of perspective.
Psalm 16:5 LORD, You alone are my portion and cup; You make my lot secure.
My usual prayer time was spent breathing deeply, mindfully, and repeating to my Savior: “You’ve got me. You are holding me. You are in control” over and over and over again. On the surface, it probably seems rather ridiculous, but I found that as I breathed deeply and kept repeating those words, an insular bubble seemed to form, at least mentally. Jesus and I are in the bubble. He’s got me in the palm of His hand. All the world’s chaos is outside of it, harmlessly bumping the elastic surface and skittering away. I found the entire exercise to be deeply calming. Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 16:8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that while the world will always be full of chaos, demands, and obligations, I am in this world but not if it. Thank You for the reminder that You are holding me, surrounding me with Your peace, which surpasses all understanding. Thank You for helping me tap into that peace at a time when I am feeling overwhelmed with chaos. Help me always to choose Your peace, Your joy, Your love, instead of the chaos of the world. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 16:11 …You will fill me with joy in Your presence….
Have a blessed day.
Hope in God…. (devo reflection)
Psalm 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God….
To date, my hubs and our oldest have walked over 900 miles. Walked. On foot. Step by step. I’ve prayed them through every single mile and then some. But their spirits are starting to flag. My oldest is homesick and suffering from “the grass is greener” syndrome, imagining, I’m sure, all the fun he’s missing out on at home. The hubs is flagging from the continual wear of “pushing the rope,” trying to keep our son encouraged and moving forward when most days he just wants to quit. Jesus, Help us.
Psalm 42:8 By day the LORD commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me….
As a parent, I want my son, both my sons, to understand that Jesus brings us to the end of ourselves so He can show us how far He can take us when we allow Him to take control. I want him, both of them, to realize in life that we often are called to do difficult, sometimes seemingly impossible things, and if God’s calling us to do it, HE will help us through it, step by step, moment by moment, but we have to trust Him and allow Him to work in us and through us. Jesus, Help us.
Psalm 42:11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this awkward and uncomfortable space You have brought us all to. I don’t like it here, but I recognize that You are teaching ALL of us about trusting in You, about coming to the end of ourselves and letting go of control so that You can work through us and in us. I love this precious family so very deeply, Lord. I know You love us more than we are capable of understanding. Help us all to trust You, to lean into You, to allow You to lead us. Draw us closer. Amen.
Psalm 43:3 O send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me….
Have a blessed day.
Valuing people over possessions…. (devo reflection)
Rev 3:17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
Our culture values stuff. The premise of almost any commercial is “If you buy this product, your life will be enriched.” Therefore, it is not surprising to me that every semester when I talk to students about future careers, there is always at least one who doesn’t care what he does as long as he “makes bank.” Most everything in our culture indicates that money means happiness, or at the very least, having money means you can buy happiness.
1 Cor 13:3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
I wonder what would happen if, as a culture, we shifted our focus away from making money and acquiring things and toward loving others? What if, instead of chasing after the almighty dollar, we chased after others, showering them with love and compassion? I almost can’t imagine such a world, but wouldn’t it be astounding to witness?
Psalm 22:19 But you, LORD, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for this scripture. Thank You for these thoughts that I will continue to ponder in my heart. Help me as an individual and help our culture to value people over possessions, to value helping others over “making bank.” Draw us closer to You. Remake us in Your imagine. Amen.
Luke 1:46-47 … “My soul glorifies the LORD and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior….”
Have a blessed day.