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No judgment…. (devo reflection)

Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,  

I feel like Romans 8:1 should be tattooed in a prominent place so that every believer can see it before speaking. Christians can be some of the most judgmental, condemning people I know. Unfortunately, I am guilty of judging and condemning others, too.

Romans 8:2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

I strive to live according to a billboard I saw years ago: “Just love everybody. I’ll sort them out later. ~God.” That sentiment, I think, is much closer to this section of Romans. We are charged with loving others, not judging them. Jesus help us.

Romans 8:3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 

Precious Savior, You call us to love one another. You promise us no condemnation for those who are in You. Help us to live up to Your standards, to love and support each other, lifting each other up, not tearing each other down. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Romans 8:4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Have a blessed day.

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Fully, completely, irrevocably…. (devo reflection)

Romans 8:14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 

Today’s scripture talks again about the Spirit of God. I’m not completely sure if this is the same Spirit as the Spirit of truth discussed in John, but I would think it has to be. And not only does this Spirit not leave us orphaned (John 14:18), but also, this Spirit doesn’t leave us slaves to fear.

Romans 8:15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 

It is because of this Spirit that we have the right to claim legal status in God’s family, for that is what “adoption to sonship” says to me. Adoption is a formal, legal process saying that we are legally, officially family. We are no longer orphans. We are no longer slaves to fear. We belong to the Father. We are His children.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 

Lord, Thank You for the reminder of what the Spirit truly means, that we are Yours–fully, completely, irrevocably. Help me to claim that status–Your child. Help me to no longer be a slave to fear. Help me, Father. Amen.

Romans 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Have a blessed day.

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Drawing closer to God…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 32:21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”

A Google search on the weakness of Aaron yields this nugget: “His major failures were caused by his inability to stand alone. His yielding to public pressure…” We certainly see this tendency as he talks about how he came to have the gold for the idol. When the Israelites ask him to make them an idol, he offers no resistance, no words of wisdom about why that’s a bad idea. He throws himself into the task at hand.

Exodus 32:22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 

But as I was talking with a friend yesterday, she wondered what the Israelites, fickle as they were, would have done if Aaron hadn’t been there, if it had just been the Israelites hanging out by themselves while Moses was up the mountain for 40 days. Given how they acted *with* Aaron, their behavior could have been so much worse without him. Did the golden calf incident save them from a worse fate?

Exodus 32:23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’

Lord, You tell us in Romans 8:28 that You can use all things for our good and Your glory. Help me to make wise decisions. Help me to lean on trusted advisors. And when I do mess up, which is bound to happen again and again, help me to learn, to draw closer to You, and to move forward. Amen.

Exodus 32:24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

Have a blessed day.

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Trying to embrace joy…. (devo reflection)

Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 

This time of year is difficult for me for a host of reasons, but right now I feel like I am becoming someone I don’t want to be, someone I would not want to spend time around. My temper is short, my patience is gone, I grumble and complain A LOT.

Romans 7:18b …For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 

It seems the epitome of “…what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do,” and while a bad attitude isn’t necessarily “evil,” it certainly isn’t a good thing. It certainly isn’t something I want to continue. Jesus, Help me. Please.

Romans 7:19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 

Lord, I don’t understand my own behavior and I certainly don’t like it. Help me get a grip on this constant negativity, to embrace the joy that comes from being Your deeply loved child. Help me to give grace to myself and to others who are struggling, no matter the reason. I want to be a light for You, Lord. Please, Help me. Amen.

Romans 7:20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Have a blessed day.

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No matter what this mess looks like from my angle…. (devo reflection)

Romans 15:13a May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace… 

I’m struggling with the fact that people whom I love and care about are struggling. I want to help, want to fix it, and I can’t, which makes me frustrated, makes me feel helpless. But God says He will never leave me nor forsake me, so I know He’s with me now, too.

Romans 15:13b …as you trust in him… 

Romans 15:13 reminds me that joy and peace come from the God of hope. The goal is not the *I* can fix it, not the *He* can fix it according to my idea of what it *should* be. The goal is to remember that God is sovereign and in control, and no matter what this mess looks like from my angle, God’s got it. He’s already made a way. He is victorious, and we are victorious through Him. Trusting in Him (and you know how I struggle with trust) means trusting that even though I can see no way of the situation being ok, God’s got it. That trust in Him, in His power and love, sovereignty and compassion, will allow me to overflow with His hope.

Romans 15:13c …so that you may overflow with hope… 

Precious Savior, I want to overflow with Your hope. I want to be surrounded by Your joy and peace. The only way to do that is to surrender to You, to trust–fully trust–in You. I do, Lord. I trust You. But I feel like I should be *doing* as well as trusting. And that way leads to misery, I know. Help me to trust in You. Help those I love and care about who are struggling to trust in You, too. Help us, Lord. Please. Amen.

Romans 15:13d …by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Have a blessed day.

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My refuge and strength…. (devo reflection)

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1 brings to mind Jesus’s words in Matthew 28:20, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus is our refuge, our strength, our ever-present help in trouble because He is with us. Always. We learn that truth in religious education, but it doesn’t really become rock-solid faith until that’s all we have left to hold on to.

Psalm 46:2a Therefore we will not fear… 

Here’s my big issue: When I ask for help, I have a really clear idea of what that help should look like. I’m a planner. I have lots of ideas about how things should be. But God’s thoughts are not my thoughts. His ways are far beyond anything I can imagine (Isaiah 55:8). So while I’m freaking out because things are not as they should be, Jesus, my refuge and strength, my ever-present help in trouble is working all things for my good and His glory (Romans 8:28).

Psalm 46:2b …though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

Lord, There are so many things in this world that I don’t understand. But You don’t ask me to understand. You ask me to trust You. Help me to trust that You are with me always, even to the end of the age. Help me to trust that You are my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Help me to trust that the worst thing isn’t the last thing and that Your ways are far beyond anything I could imagine. Help me to trust You. Always. Amen.

Psalm 46:3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Have a blessed day. I love you.

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Astounding…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing and our righteousness is as filthy rags…

And yet He loves us fiercely anyway. He lavishes us with grace upon grace anyway. Isn’t it astounding the love He has for His children? It takes my breath away.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way….

And yet He sends us sunshine, blue skies, showers and rainbows, people who love and encourage us, God-moments to draw us closer. He even allows us to wrestle with doubt so that we can come to the end of ourselves and find Him.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Lord, I am not worthy, can never be worthy, and yet You tell me again and again and again that my life is of eternal worth. You invite me to know You intimately, to trust You fully. I want that, Lord, so much. Help me. Amen.

Lamentations 3:22-23 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Have a blessed day.

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Solely and completely…. (devo reflection)

Romans 16:17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

Such a timely caution, even today: watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. We see these people everywhere. Sometimes we are these people, causing division, putting up obstacles.

Romans 16:18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

When God is our center, life is about Him, for Him, in Him, but when we lose our focus, when our thoughts and desires and emotions take priority, that is when we start to cause divisions and put up obstacles—for ourselves and others.

Romans 16:19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

Lord, Help me to center myself solely and completely on You. Help me to live my life in You, with You, and for You alone. Help me to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in my way and help me not to cause divisions or put obstacles in the way of others. Draw me closer. Amen.

Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Have a blessed day.

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A beautiful prayer, calming and centering…. (devo reflection)

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The message of hope in Romans 15:13 is a favorite of mine. “God of hope,” “fill…with joy and peace,” “trust in Him,” “overflow with hope,” “the power of the Holy Spirit.” Every word is powerful and peaceful, a balm to my weary soul.

Romans 15:14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

It occurs to me as I type this that Romans 15:13 would make a beautiful prayer, calming and centering:
Deep breath in: May the God of hope
Deep breath out: fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him
Deep breath in: so that you may overflow with hope
Deep breath out: by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

Lord, Thank You for Romans 15:13, for hope that can only be found in You and Your word, for deep breaths and prayers that help me to center myself in You. Thank You for Your peace, which surpasses human understanding, a peace that can only be found in You. Draw me closer. Amen.

Romans 15:33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

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“No Man is an Island”….(devo reflection)

Romans 14:7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.

Today’s scripture brought to mind John Donne’s “No Man is an Island.” As God’s children, we are hardwired for community and connection, “every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main”. Romans 14:7 expresses the same sentiment.

Romans 14:8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Since we are so intimately linked, “any man’s death”—literal, spiritual, emotional—“diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.” Since I do not live for myself alone, since this connection among humanity is real and vital, how I live my life matters. I need to live in such a way that I will edify those I come into contact with, not tear them down. By edifying my fellow man, I glorify my precious Savior.

Romans 14:9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

Lord, Forgive me when I forget that I am connected to You and Your people. Forgive me when I live for myself alone, intentionally or otherwise causing stumbling blocks for others. Help me focus on edifying others and, most importantly, glorifying You. Draw me closer. Amen.

Romans 14:13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

Have a blessed day.