My whole heart…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 29:13 The LORD says: “These people come near Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me….”
In so many ways, we are so very different from those to whom Isaiah 29:13 and Micah 6:8 were addressed, but in so many ways, we are so very similar. In my own life, sometimes I’m guilty of asking, in essence, what’s the least I can do and still have God understand how much I love Him? His answer has not changed—He wants all of me, my whole heart.
Micah 6:8 …And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy….
He wants me to act justly—to look beyond the outer circumstances and be just according to the heart. He wants me to be merciful. Christ’s act of mercy on the cross, praying for His murderers as He was dying and they were casting lots, springs to mind here. He wants us to walk humbly, to know that on our own we are incomplete, but with Him, through Him, in Him we are whole.
Micah 6:8 …and to walk humbly with your God.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this verse. The more I study Your word, the more I see that repeatedly, in so many different ways, You tell us the same thing—Love God. Love others. To act justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly—we have to have a heart of love for You and Your people. Love God. Love others. So simple in theory, but sometimes so difficult in practice. Help me, as I go through this day, to do Your will by loving You and loving others. Help me to serve You with my whole heart. Draw me closer. Amen.
Deut 10:12 “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and soul….”
Have a blessed day.

The present moment…. (devo reflection)

Phil 4:11 …I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
Many people in my life are very adept at dealing with life as it is. I tend toward nostalgia, often thinking of what was but can never be again on this earth. This is especially true when it comes to those I love who have gone before me, but as my boys grow out of the childhood stage into the oft turbulent preteen and teen years, I find myself missing the cuddles and the giggles of the past.
Phil 4:12 …I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation….
Lord, I know You did not create me to look back at what was and sigh. I don’t want to miss the present moment because I am so busy thinking of the past. I know that my contentment and my purpose can be found in You. Wishing, sighing, and sadness cannot help build Your kingdom and will cause me to miss the subtle beauty of what is. Jesus, help me.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for helping me to see the importance of staying in the present moment. I know that every good and perfect gift is from You, that those whom I love and have lost are safe in Your care, that the growing process, no matter how painful, is crucial for my boys, and that just because our relationship is changing doesn’t mean it’s over. Help me to focus on You, to be content in You. Help me to grow in Your grace, to be filled with Your spirit, and to shine Your light. Draw me closer. Amen.
2 Cor 12:9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness….”
Have a blessed day.

Precious and beautiful…. (devo reflection)

Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
The older I get, the more inclined I am to avoid conflict—not in the “feel free to run all over me while I just smile and nod” way, but in a “life is so short and so precious and I don’t want to waste it arguing” way. But always I feel this tension of balancing God’s command to love one another with my own needs, emotions, and expectations. How can I love and still hold high expectations? How can I love and still guide and correct? How can I love and deal with the needs, emotions, and expectations of others?
Romans 13:10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
These days, I often find myself thinking about Thornton Wilder’s play “Our Town,” a poignant  coming-of-age story that takes a young couple through the many stages of life. Emily, one of the main characters, says at one point, “Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? —every, every minute?” The short answer, of course, is no. But I am definitely at a place where I feel life’s brevity. Sometimes it’s almost as if I can hear the clock ticking as I waste time on attitudes and issues that aren’t eternally important.
John 13:34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for placing these issues on my heart. Help me to love You and love others above all else. Give me the grace and the wisdom to handle conflict and negative attitudes with Your love. Help me to focus on those things that are eternally important and not the trivialities of this world, which often masquerade as desperately important. Help me to love deeply and to forgive freely and often. Help me to always be mindful of how precious and beautiful this life truly is. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Have a blessed day.

His will, His way…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 3:10 [The LORD said,] “So now, go. I am sending you….”
I have often said that I wish God would send me big, flashing neon signs when He wants me to do something—signs that let me know unmistakably, “This is My will for you. This is the way I want you to go.” But as I read this passage in Exodus this morning, I wondered if I did get the kind of clear message straight from God that Moses got, would I react the same way?
Exodus 3:11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go…?”
And I tend to think that the kind of clear sign that an action really is His will for me means that the way will be clear. He sent me. He’s with me. He’ll clear the way. But again, Exodus gives me pause. The Israelites griped and moaned and complained. They didn’t thank Moses for their deliverance. They said they’d rather die slaves with full bellies than to starve while free in the desert. Did this give Moses pause? Did he wonder if perhaps he had misunderstood? Did he question God’s direction?
Exodus 3:12 And God said, “I will be with you….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for laying this passage on my heart this morning. As I type this reflection, I’m reminded of my own journey as a teacher, a calling I felt so strongly as a child, a path that has been strewn with obstacles at times, causing me to question whether this was truly the path that You wanted me to walk. A path that has also been resplendent with those shining Your light and Your hope. Thank You for Your call. Help me to always recognize when You call me, to go where You send me, and to stay the course as You lead me. Draw me closer. Amen.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Have a blessed day.

With thanksgiving…. (devo reflection)

Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
I am trying to make a concerted effort to get better at choosing joy daily. I still have varying degrees of success, but I’m getting at least microscopically better at seeing the joy, the beauty, and the positive, even when the ”squeaky wheels” in my life are screaming.
Phil 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 
Anxiety is something that I often find myself dealing with, but as I read this verse this morning, the phrase “with thanksgiving” jumped out at me. I try to be thankful. That’s part of choosing joy, but what if I train myself, when anxiety is great within me, to begin my prayers with, “Lord, Thank You for being with me in this situation, for the fact that I do not have to face this alone”? I really feel like that could be a game changer in my ability to follow the advice of Phil 4:6.
Phil 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 
Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your steadfast love and presence. Thank You for the reminder that because I am not of this world and this world is not my home, I can rejoice, regardless of my circumstances, because there’s something much better waiting for me. Thank You for the reminder to approach You with a heart full of gratitude, especially in the fact that You are with me, no matter my circumstances. Draw me closer. Amen.
Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Have a blessed day.

All of us…. (devo reflection)

Eph 3:16 I pray that out of His glorious riches He May strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being….
We are having a series of conversations as a church, exploring topics, brainstorming, dreaming about where our Savior may lead us. I have been “churched” my entire life and have never been a part of conversations like this. Church has always felt very established, the gears already moving—without us? In spite of us? So the idea that because we are the church, His hands and feet, we need to at times step back and look at the bigger picture and be sure we are moving in the right direction, His direction, feels so foreign, but also pretty exciting. As a church member, I have a voice in this church. I have a stake in this church. I can help make sure we are seeking His will.
Eph 3:17 …so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love….
Last night we talked about things like the need to share our stories with each other, the need to look at how we are serving Christ in our own lives and share that with each other, the need to be a mirror, reflecting God’s love for His people, especially those who cannot see themselves as worthy in any way (and while none of us are worthy, He loves us deeply, graciously, mercifully anyway), the need to be Christ’s hands and feet for the last, the lost, and the least, which includes all of us.
Eph 3:18 …may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and how long and how deep is the love of Christ….
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the family of believers You have gathered in Your name. Thank You for conversations and for questions and for dreams rooted in You. Thank You for allowing us to be Your hands and feet in this weary world. Help us to keep reaching, keep loving, keep helping others, reflecting Your love, pointing them to You. Draw us closer. Amen.
Eph 3:19 …and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all fullness of God.
Have a blessed day.

Fulfilling His Call…. (devo reflection)

Eph 5:29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.
I remember the opening line of a book I used to read to my boys when they were little—“I love myself. I’m glad I’m me. There’s no one else I’d rather be….” At its heart, it’s a book about self-esteem, about loving yourself just as you are, just as God created you. Sometimes it’s a fine line between healthy self-esteem and narcissism, but my gut says many more folks tend to ridicule themselves instead of loving and accepting themselves as they are.
Luke 10:27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
You may wonder what difference it makes. A huge one, I’d wager, given that we are to love God with all that we are and all that we have, followed closely by loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. For many, it often seems easier to love our neighbor because our inner critic reserves its vilest vitriol for a target much closer to home.
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 laying this topic on my heart this morning. It’s a delicate balance to strike, this idea of self-love, because we need to love ourselves in order to love others as ourselves, but we don’t need a world of self-involved egomaniacs. Help us to see ourselves through Your eyes, Lord, to love and accept ourselves so that we can fulfill Your call to love our neighbors as ourselves. And help us always, first and foremost, to love You and pursue You with all that we are and all that we have. Draw us closer. Amen.
Song of Solomon 4:7 You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.
Have a blessed day.

Life is all about choices…. (devo reflection)

Luke 10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching.
In the wee hours of the morning, when the house is still and the world is asleep, it is easy to choose to be overwhelmed by Jesus. And while I know that choosing to be overwhelmed by Him is my CHOICE (as opposed to something forced on me), as I’ve studied over the idea for the past 24 hours, I’ve realized that for me, it’s not my default. I am a strong Martha, getting sucked into and overwhelmed by the seemingly urgent chaos of life even before I’ve realized it.
Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
And just like Martha, I’m so convinced that what I’m doing is important that instead of listening intently at His feet, I flitter around, fussing and fuming, when all I really need waits patiently for me to choose Him. Thankfully, I understand that what I become overwhelmed by IS my choice. But to be overwhelmed by Jesus instead of the by world is a choice I must make deliberately and often.
Luke 10:41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for impressing upon me that it is MY choice to be overwhelmed by You—Your grace, Your love Your presence—or by this world. Give me the strength and the grace to intentionally and willfully choose, always, to be overwhelmed by You and You alone. Help me to wrap myself in Your peace and love so that I can “Go placidly amid the noise and haste” of life, actively choosing You over the chaos of this world. Draw me closer. Amen.
Luke 10:42 “…but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Have a blessed day.

Overwhelmed…. (daily devotional)

Psalm 37:24 Though he fall, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.
I vividly remember the first time I heard the song “Overwhelmed” by Big Daddy Weave. I was driving, and when the title popped up on the display, I thought, “Overwhelmed. That is EXACTLY how I feel right now.” I expected to hear a song about someone who felt overwhelmed by life and who turned to the Creator for strength.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding….
I remember sobbing when I realized the song was about being overwhelmed by God’s love, His goodness, His mercy. My tears were in part because I realized I had allowed myself to be overwhelmed by the wrong things. I allowed my circumstances and my shortcomings and the chaos of life to overwhelm me. I had taken my eyes off my Savior, and my troubles had surged forward, screaming for attention.
2 Cor 4:17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the perspective that comes from You. Thank You for the reminder that You are greater than anything I will ever face and that if I’m going to allow myself to be overwhelmed by anything, it needs to be Your presence, Your mercy, Your love, Your grace, not anything of this world. Draw me closer, Lord. Amen.
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God….”
Have a blessed day.

Gem mine excursions…. (devo reflections)

1 Peter 2:4 As you come to Him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him….
When our boys were younger, we took them several times to a local gem mine. For a fee, we bought huge buckets of dirt and spent an hour or so dumping the dirt into a screened box, running water over it, using a brush to knock off the dirt, hoping to find precious stones. Often the rocks that glittered were fairly worthless, and the ones that were true gems looked like worthless rocks. I often wished the worker who knew what to look for, knew how to tell the precious stones from the fools gold, would stand beside us the whole time to be sure we didn’t miss anything good. I could just see myself inadvertently dumping something valuable because it looked worthless.
1 Peter 2:7 Now to you who believe, this Stone is precious….
Those gem mine excursions now seem an incredibly fitting analogy for life—It’s dirty and messy. It takes time and effort to sift through everything and figure out what’s sparkly yet worthless and what’s dirty yet precious. It’s best to consult the Expert when you are unsure. And a lot of what the world sees as valuable is just sparkly rocks, while many precious stones are missed because folks fail to see the true value within them.
Isaiah 43:4 …you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you….
Lord, Thank You for this day and for this reminder that You see our potential, You love us for what’s on the inside. Thank You for not being distracted or fooled by the layers of filth that sometimes accumulate on the outside. Help us to look past all the dirt in each other and see each other as the precious, dearly loved gems that we are to You. Draw us closer. Amen.
Heb 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Have a blessed day.