Steadfast assurance…. (devo reflection)

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.
This morning my reading took me to Matthew 15 and the faith of the Canaanite woman. The one thing that is unmistakable to me in this passage is the strength of her belief in Jesus’s power to be compassionate and to heal. Her confident reply to Him and His response and healing immediately brought to mind Hebrews 4:16.
Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
Yet still I am troubled because it almost seems from her story that healing is dependent on faith. If the faith is strong enough, the healing will occur. But I have prayed diligently for healing before, my prayer joining so many others for a miracle, only to have my loved one taken Home. I don’t believe Jesus is cruel—better luck praying harder next time—so I am left with the wisdom of Isaiah 55:8 and my rock-solid faith in my Savior. His actions, which make no sense to me at times, must be beyond my ability to comprehend. I trust and believe in His love, grace, goodness, and sovereignty.
Psalm 139:16 ….all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your grace and power. Thank You that in the absence of understanding in this life, I have the utter assurance that You are in control, that Your fierce love does not fail, and that Your way is often beyond my comprehension. Help me to confidently approach You with every concern and to know with steadfast assurance that You are in control, no matter what. Draw me closer. Amen.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding….
Have a blessed day.

Steady my mind and heart…. (devo reflection)

Eph 4:29a Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths….
I used to think it was good for me to vent a bit if something got me riled up, but the older I get, the more I realize that for me, that is not an effective strategy. I once thought of venting as releasing steam—releasing pressure before I blew. Now it seems more akin to striking a match to dry kindling—instead of helping me regain perspective, venting seems to get me more wound up and angrier, which isn’t good for anybody.
Eph 4:29b …but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs….
My physical reaction to my own negativity is startling to me. My breath becomes shallow. My heart rate quickens. My voice volume gets louder. Sometimes my hands shake. Just writing about it is causing the same reactions. Conversely, when my intention is to build others up, my heart rate and breathing both slow. My anxiety decreases. It makes me feel good, light and positive, when my goal is to build others up.
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the timely reminder that I am in control of my thoughts and my words and that they have tremendous power to build up or to destroy. Help me to steady my mind and heart on You. Help me to strive to lift others up and encourage them. Draw us all closer. Amen.
1 Thess 5:11 Therefore encourage and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
Have a blessed day.

“Hush, be still….” (devo reflection)

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God….”
Last night, sleep was hard to come by. Many factors contributed to my poor night’s sleep, but the end result is that this morning, I am exhausted, and my thoughts seem anxiously chaotic. As I began my prayer time, I had no idea where God was leading me this morning and feared my sleep-deprived mind might not be able to hear His still, small voice.
Mark 4:39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.
But my Savior is steadfast and faithful. He not only showed up, He brought His peace for my addled thoughts. “Peace. Be still. Hush. Settle down. I’m here, even in the confusion. I’ve got you in the palm of my hand. You are mine. I won’t leave you. Just breathe and trust and know I am God, I am yours, I am here.”
Psalm 107:29 He calmed the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for Your calming presence, for always fighting for me, even when I am exhausted. Quiet the chaotic thoughts within me today, Lord. Be my strength. Draw me closer to You. Amen.
Exodus 14:14 “The LORD will fight for you; you need only be still.”
Have a blessed day.

Create in me a pure heart…. (devo reflection)

Mark 7:2 …they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed.
I chuckled as I read this verse this morning because I thought immediately of my boys and the number of times I’ve asked them in their lives if they have washed their hands, especially before a meal. On the heels of the chuckle came a sobering thought—I am a rule follower. In and of itself, that’s not a bad thing; however, rule followers especially have to guard against blind rule following, devoid of any desire other than following the letter of the law.
Mark 7:15 “Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
God doesn’t want my blind, slavish obedience. If He did, He would not have given me free will, the ability to choose Him because I want to, not because I have to. He doesn’t want adherence to the rules above all else. Living that way leaves no room for love, grace, or mercy, and all three are vital to our Savior, much more so than rigid rule following.
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….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder not to get so caught up in rules, customs, and traditions that we turn our hearts from You. You would much rather have our love, our whole hearts, broken open for You, filled with Your love, compassion, and mercy, than have our mindless adherence to the rules. Help me to always have a heart for You and Your people. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Have a blessed day.

Lost in busyness…. (devo reflection)

Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made….
This is going to be a busy week. It is the kind of week where I’m exhausted before it begins, thinking of all that must be done. Some folks thrive off the stress of doing, but it wears me out. However, I laughed when the Lord brought me back to Martha this morning. Martha and I go way back. I’ve been trying to be more Mary and less Martha in my life, thought I’d been making progress, but perhaps in all my busyness, I haven’t come as far as I had hoped.
Haggai 1:9 “You expected much, but…it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of My house, which remains in ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.”
Ultimately, what is lost when I get swept up in my own busyness is my connection with my Savior. I put Him high on a shelf so that He doesn’t get lost in the shuffle, forgetting that my connection with Him is vitally important so that I don’t lose sight of why I’m here. If my existence is just about checking items off my “to do” list instead of about drawing near to and glorifying my Savior, I’m absolutely lost.
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 and for the reminder to cling to You and glorify You, regardless of my obligations. Help me not to lose sight of the most important thing in my life—You. Help me not to get so swept up in the world’s busyness that I lose sight of my purpose in You. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Cor 10:31 …whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Have a blessed day.

I get to choose…. (devo reflection)

1 Thess 5:16 Rejoice always….
I try to be a positive person. Most of the time I am successful, but I have to be on my guard. Sometimes the negative creeps in when I’m not paying attention.  This morning, for instance, before my feet even hit the floor, my head was already swirling with things that should have been done, that other people failed to do, that I had to do. I cannot allow the negative to hijack my thoughts and my day, and it will if I let it.
1 Thess 5:17 …pray without ceasing….
The beauty of my attitude is that I am in control of it. I get to choose whether to notice and dwell on the good or the bad. I try to cling to Romans 8:37–despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. Sometimes it’s easy to trust that promise. Sometimes it takes Herculean effort to block out the clamoring world and focus instead on my Savior.
1 Thess 5:18 …give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that I get to choose what I focus on each day. Help me to cling to these verses from 1 Thessalonians and from Romans. Help me to focus on Your love, Your light, and Your grace. Help me to rejoice and be glad in You and to celebrate the many positive things that happen each day. Help me to be a light and an encouragement to all those I encounter. Draw us closer to You. Amen.
1 Thess 5:28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Have a blessed day.

Showing hospitality…. (devo reflection)

Heb 13:2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
I think many of us are instructed from an early age to be kind and helpful to others, especially those who are new or struggling. Personally, I know the anxiety of being the new one, the one who feels awkwardly out of place. My heart goes out to those who feel that sting, and it is easy for me to be kind. I treat them the way I want to be treated in similar situations.
1 Peter 4:9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
But sometimes it is harder for me to show hospitality to those in my closest circle, those who know me best, who love even the difficult-to-love parts of me. Sometimes—way more often than I’m comfortable admitting,— when I am feeling particularly vulnerable or sad or anxious, those to whom I should be kindest and most hospitable see the very worst, most prickly and unlovable side of me. Jesus, help me.
1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the perspective that I am a steward, a caretaker, of Your grace. Thank You for the insight that I still have work to do in the area of hospitality, especially with those I love best. Help me, always, to show Your grace to others through my hospitality to them. Help me to check my ego at the door and to seek opportunities to serve others in love. Draw us all closer 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.

Love must be sincere…. (devo reflection)

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
I am a planner in many areas of my life. It works well for me much of the time. But it also means that I often enter a situation with a plan, an idea of what should happen, when, and how. And when I have those expectations and they are not met, it’s not always easy for me to adapt, to relax, to go with the flow.
Romans 12:3 …Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment….
In hindsight, I guess entering a situation with a rigid plan reflects a pretty high opinion of myself. I think situations should go according to my plan. I think life should bend to my will. I guess I am still working through how to have a plan so that I am not aimless, but keeping that plan flexible enough that I don’t come unglued when it doesn’t pan out the way I envisioned. Jesus help me.
Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that my way is not Your way nor THE way. Help me learn to navigate life so that I am neither aimless with no expectations nor rigidly locked into my own plan. Help me to breathe and to be present with those I love and those you place in my life. Draw us closer to You. Amen.
Romans 12:9 Love must be sincere….
Have a blessed day.

In the face of overwhelming obstacles…. (devo reflection)

Mark 5:27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak….
This woman had been suffering for twelve YEARS. Let that soak in a moment. Verse 26 says, “She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.” Can you imagine the anger and frustration she must have felt? All those years, all that money, all that suffering, and all you feel is worse? How horrible. How hopeless.
Mark 5:28 ….because she thought, “If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.”
Yet she doesn’t give up hope. In fact, she clings to that hope, goes after it, not in a “Well, I certainly don’t have anything to lose” way, but in a “If I can just touch His clothes, I will be healed” way. Would my faith, my hope, be that strong, that resilient, in the face if twelve years of suffering? Please, Lord Jesus.
Mark 5:33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at His feet and, trembling with fear, told Him the whole truth.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that our faith and hope in Your Sovereignty and Your power are crucial to Your ability to work in our lives. Help us, even in the face of overwhelming obstacles, to trust in Your fierce love and steadfast presence. Help us to reach for You, no matter life’s trials. Welcome us as Your children. Grant us Your peace and healing. Draw us closer. Amen.
Mark 5:34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free from your suffering.”
Have a blessed day.

God’s perfect peace…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
It seems I am not the only one who struggles to shut out the noise of life and to be still in God’s presence. And it’s no great surprise in a world that hawks self-reliance and self-sufficiency that so many of us feel the weight of our burdens so heavily. But our blessed Savior does not want that for us. He wants us to focus on how mighty and powerful He is instead of concentrating on how big our problems are.
1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand….
I’ve heard worry described as rocking in a rocking chair—lots of movement with absolutely no progress. When I cling to my fears and anxieties, holding on with both fists clinched, I am no good for anybody, and I certainly do not have His peace. My precious Savior does not want that for me. He wants me to be still, to breathe, the see Him, recognize His sovereignty in my life, trust His plan for me. He’s got me, always, regardless of what it might feel like.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this reminder. Help me to sit at Your feet each morning with open hands and open heart, trusting Your fierce love and presence with me, regardless of how frightening my path. You are making a way, even if I can’t yet perceive it. Keep my mind in Your perfect peace so that I may overflow with Your hope. Draw me closer. Amen.
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.
Have a blessed day.