I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
Author: vicklea
I love to read! I’m a retired teacher with a spouse of 45 years, three amazing children and nine wonderful grandchildren. I am blessed!
Where you go when you fall determines how you rise again.
I really wanted to start with that today. ☺️
Because I’m always impressed by how honest the Bible is when it tells stories about heroes of faith. It doesn’t pretend these people were superhumanly strong or emotionless. Instead, it shows us where they brought their very human feelings.
Daniel was no exception. He wasn’t unshakable, but he was deeply anchored.
When Daniel 10 describes how he mourned for three weeks, ate no rich food, and collapsed in exhaustion, we see a man who was overwhelmed. BUT, look closely:
He didn’t complain horizontally—he cried out vertically! He didn’t throw himself at the feet of his friends—he threw himself before God!
And because of that, something incredible happens: God Himself strengthens him.
An angel tells him, “Daniel, you are very precious to God…” (Daniel 10:11, NLT)
Wouldn’t you want to experience that too?
Deeply challenging seasons are often moments when people may not be able to reach your heart… But God can! ❤️ Daniel shows us a spiritual principle we often forget:
People can walk beside you on the outside, but only God can restore you on the inside.
Yes, we need friends. Don’t get me wrong. But we also need a place where we are truly allowed to fall while already knowing with certainty: here, I won’t just fall… here, I will rise again!
Maybe you’re thinking right now, “I can’t—and I don’t want to—always be strong.” Then please hear this: you don’t have to be. You only need to know where you’re bringing your weakness today.
Because one thing is certain: where you go when you fall determines how you rise again.
You can be sure of this: God loves you too.
And, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:29, NIV)
You are a miracle!
Here’s the link to the original devotional and information about the author:
As someone who has fallen a great deal (physically), I can tell you that I think this is a wonderful analogy. No matter who is walking beside me, I can still fall, and not gracefully either. How I get up again takes a lot of maneuvering with chairs, canes and even my walker.
The spiritual analogy is spot-on accurate. No matter how far away you turn from God, you always have to turn back. He will help you get up again and face whatever the future brings if you just take things to Him to help you handle them. God brings complete restoration, not a band-aid to our problems. He understands that we are human and make dumb choices at times, but He also has a plan for that. It’s called kneeling at the cross, repenting and asking Him to help you get up again.
Hezekiah “Hez” Webster and his fiancé, Savannah, stand on the brink of a new life, but their dreams are haunted by specters of the past. Just as they’re getting ready to adopt her nephew, two other petitioners also file for custody—both of whom only want Simon for their own gains.
Between the financial company that Hez outmaneuvered to save the university from ruin and the bad blood from the head of the Willard family, it’s hard to say who wants them out of the way more. Hez and Savannah’s quest for justice leads them through a labyrinth of family law, where loyalties are tested and trust is a dangerous luxury when every decision could be their last.
With the clock ticking, Hez and Savannah must confront the ghosts of their past and their deepest fears to secure a future for Simon. But with every secret revealed, the stakes grow higher. Can they build the family they’ve always dreamed of, or will their enemies succeed in tearing them apart forever? (From Barnes and Noble)
The heated feud between the Legare and Willard families becomes downright dangerous and totally intriguing in the final book of this absorbing series. Hez Webster just wants to remarry Savannah, adopt Simon and move into a new home together. Standing in his way is the patriarch of the Willard family, a man bent on revenge who will do anything to stop Hez from achieving his goals. Unfortunately, Simon becomes a pawn in Michael Willard’s game and Hez and Savannah have to try to find a way to stop him using legal means. This book is fast-paced and totally engaging as I raced to find out what Michael would do next, who would work with him in his evil scheme and who could be trusted by Hez and Savannah. The characters were rich and realistically flawed, making me cheer for the good guys to win. The novel is filled with suspense and heart-pounding moments as Michael seeks to destroy anyone in his path to revenge against the Legares. With a strong message of forgiveness and brilliantly plotted misdirection, this novel was the perfect conclusion to the Tupelo Grove series, with satisfying resolutions and romance built into the non-stop action. I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
Christian Fiction, Rated PG for suspense-filled scenes
About the Authors
Publishers Weekly and USAToday best-selling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has over six million books in print. When she’s not writing, Colleen is playing Pokemon Go! with the family or traveling to the locales where she sets her novels. She’s a perpetual learner and a natural health nut. Colleen was the CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers for nineteen years and still serves on the Executive Board. She lives with her husband Dave in Arizona so she can spoil her small grandsons. She’s praying her granddaughter chooses Arizona for college to keep her close too.
Rick writes novels during breaks from his “real job” as a Supervising Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice, where he leads a team prosecuting corporate fraud lawsuits. Rick has authored or coauthored over a dozen acclaimed suspense novels.
When he’s not writing, he leads investigations and lawsuits that made headlines in and out of California. For example, he and his team won a string of record-breaking judgments and settlements against the Wall Street players who created the toxic mortgage securities that triggered the Great Recession. Before joining DOJ, Rick was a senior litigator at Bingham McCutchen, where he worked on high stakes litigation, including a fight between two owners of the San Francisco Forty-Niners and a multibillion dollar international fraud case. Rick studied at the University of Oslo and has a law degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated with honors. In addition to his novels, he is a contributing author on two legal treatises published by the American Bar Association.
Rick is a transplanted Chicagoan who spent thirty-five years in the Midwest before finally trading the certainty of winter and mosquitoes for the risk of earthquakes and wildfires. He now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Anette. They have four adult children.
When Mackenzie Bardine’s brother Aaron was murdered in a drug deal gone wrong, she started a true crime podcast dedicated to exposing “Bullseye,” the drug kingpin responsible. But her protective heart has never let go of the blame she places on herself and Aaron’s best friend, Gideon Landry. On the run to the wilds of Washington to chase a recent lead, she meets none other than Gideon himself.
While conducting a wilderness survival class in remote Washington, Gideon never expected to cross paths with Mackenzie, and he’s certainly not interested in helping her after he’s already declined to participate in her vigilante podcasting. He carries a mountain of guilt about Aaron’s fatal choices, but not for the reasons Mackenzie suspects.
As killers begin to circle Mackenzie like sharks, it’s clear to Gideon she’s in over her head, and in light of his troubled past with her brother, he can’t bring himself to ignore her perilous situation. Then a flood threatens the town, turning their investigation into a race to escape the raging waters and the wrath of a powerful kingpin who wants to sink them both.
My Thoughts
Wow! This book kept my heart pumping wildly and my pulse pounding, too, as I read about all the danger that Mackenzie and Gideon faced as they try to survive waters rising and a drug dealer with his henchmen. Mackenzie (called Zee) is determined to get revenge for her brother Aaron’s death, so she is trying to find the head of the drug cartel that lives in the small town where Gideon, Aaron’s good friend, has a wilderness survival school. The adventure begins from the first page and their harrowing escapes from one threat after another continues throughout the story. The story was original, creative and terrifyingly realistic as the flood waters rose at the same time that the drug dealer’s lackeys got closer to finding them and killing them. The themes of the story include a quest for revenge, an issue with trust, the help of friends and letting go of the past to move into an uncertain future. I loved every minute I spent whirling and twirling in the “raging waters” with Zee and Gid, and I really enjoyed meeting the secondary characters who contributed so much to the central story. This is a book that was suspense-filled with escalating tension and a tightly written plot. With some jaw-dropping twists in the mix, this novel kept me guessing and shaking my head as I wondered what was going to happen next. The drama is believable as are the characters and I enjoyed the exploration of the emotional depth one suffers after the unexpected death of a loved one. This is a fascinating thrill ride to a deftly crafted and insightful conclusion. I would highly recommend this page turner to anyone whose heart is strong enough to withstand the propulsive pace and who enjoys a thought-provoking inclusion of faith as a firm foundation to an unforgettable story. I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
Christian fiction, Rated PG for intense suspense
About the Author
Dana Mentink lives in California where the weather is golden and the cheese is divine. Her family includes two daughters (affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo.) Papa Bear is retired from the fire department and he met Dana doing a dinner theater production of The Velveteen Rabbit. Ironically, their parts were husband and wife.
Dana writes in two genres, cozy mystery and romantic suspense. She’s a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author as well as a two time ACFW Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion recipient. Her suspense novel, Betrayal in the Badlands, earned a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. She is honored to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell, and Poisoned Pen Press. For more information about Dana and her books, you should check out her website at Dana Mentink.com
Running The Haven resort keeps Bronwyn Pierce busy enough without dealing with a hitman targeting her life and family members framing her for blackmail. The only person who can help is Mo Quinn, her first love and the man she hasn’t spoken to in two years. As attacks escalate and evidence mounts against her, these childhood sweethearts must break their silence and rebuild trust before it’s too late.
My Thoughts
The stunning conclusion to the outstanding Gossamer Falls series was all I could have hoped for and more! From the beginning, Mo and Bronwyn were mysterious characters, talking to everyone else and around each other. In this novel, we find out why they haven’t been speaking and a lot of the backstory behind Bronwyn’s mistrust and dislike of her own family members. Bronwyn is independent and capable, the CEO of her family’s luxurious resort, The Haven. When she thinks she is in danger, she seeks help from the Quinns, the family that her Pierce family despises and ostracizes. The Quinns offer advice, protection and more, especially when Mo, a forensic accountant, offers to check the books for her and find out if there is anything illegal going on. The plot is compelling and intricate, with lots of little must-know details that kept me engaged and guessing. I enjoyed seeing all of the characters from the previous books actively engaged in solving Bronwyn’s dilemma since this gave me snapshots of what has been happening in the lives of the others since the last novel. I thought that the action was gripping and addictive. The suspense continued to escalate as the danger got closer to Bronwyn, and the author did a magnificent job of breaking the tension at times with some laugh-out-loud banter between the characters. Under the surface of all of the mystery and suspense, there is a sparkling romance brewing, one that I was delighted to read about between such appealing characters. The suspense was addictive and the romance refreshing in this well-crafted and intriguing story. I loved every minute that I spent with the Quinns and Bronwyn and was thrilled to find out that they will be a small part of the next series as well. No fan of romantic suspense will want to miss out on this clever novel that balances action with romance in such a brilliantly captivating way! I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley and also purchased my own copy to keep. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.
Clean Christian Fiction, Rated PG for intense suspense
About the Author
Lynn H. Blackburn is the award-winning author of Unknown Threat, Malicious Intent, and Under Fire, as well as the Dive Team Investigations series. She loves writing swoon-worthy southern suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she’s a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters by putting them into terrifying situations while she’s sitting at home in her pajamas! She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children. Learn more at www.lynnhblackburn.com
With heartfelt appreciation to the author, Revell and Netgalley for the ARC to read and review. One of my top books for the year and one of my top series ever!
Pardon me while I step up on my soapbox and give you my opinion of the main stream media. This is the obituary posted in the Washington Post about the death of Ayatollah Khamenei.
Seriously? He is portrayed as a jolly old man with an “easy smile, white beard” and who loved poetry. Where in this obituary is it mentioned that he hated all “infidels”, basically anyone who doesn’t agree with him and his faith in Allah. Does he say that they hope his victims rest in peace? The thousands of protesters that he had killed in the last few months are not around to witness his demise, but I am certain that this is not the obit they would want to read.
One person I follow on Facebook wrote this about the obituary:
Not the slaughter of tens of thousands. Not the chronic persecution of women. Not the funding of splinter groups of terrorists throughout the Middle East, constantly keying deliberate unrest. Not the blood of Americans or Israelis. Not the blood of its very own citizens. Not the Death to America chants. Not the schools geared toward hatred of Western culture, immersing children in an atmosphere of hate. Not the Death to all infidels… infidels being anyone who doesn’t follow Sharia law, i.e. most of the world. Not the hatred of anyone and anything that limited his reign of terror.
Nope.
Khamenei’s obituary in the Washington Post remembers him for his bushy white beard and easy smile and threw in words like “avencular” (uncle-like??? So he was everybody’s favorite “uncle”???) and “rapprochement” (return to harmonious relations).
In an obituary that reads like A. I. word salad, once again we see forest and the trees.
The Ayatollah was the favorite uncle to like-minded men and brainwashed women who may have no idea that options exist. The options that existed before the brutal takeover forty-seven years ago.
Recoloring history didn’t used to be a journo trait. It is firmly embedded now. ~Ruth Logan Herne
Perhaps the MSM needs to hire Ruth to write their obituaries in the future. Then, again, maybe not since truth telling evades them so they probably don’t want to hire anyone who tells the truth.
I am glad that God doesn’t lie and that He holds those who do accountable. I am sad for all those deceived by these lies, but the Bible says something about that, too, in the Book of Romans.
End of rant. May God be with our courageous members of the U.S. military as well as with the Israeli forces as they fight the good fight against pure evil.
Pray for those in Iran who desire a peaceful government that does the job of protecting the people. 🙏🏻
God’s Heart For All People (Daily Refresh, 03-01-26)
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 NASB
The verse above is the essence of the Gospel. The Gospel means good news, and it’s God’s plan to save us from eternal separation from Him.
Our sin separated us from God’s perfection. And because of that, we could not have a personal relationship with Him. Knowing that we could not get to Him on our own, God sent Jesus to us to make things right. Jesus did what no one else could do—He lived a perfect life, He died for us, and then He conquered death by coming back to life. It’s His resurrection that led to our reconciliation with God—and that’s good news!
Here are a three key things to remember about the Gospel:
God Loves Everyone
John 3:16 doesn’t say that God loved some of the people in the world. It says He loves the world … that means everyone who inhabits it. God’s heart is for all people. The Gospel is for everyone.
God Wants Everyone
“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9 NASB
Jesus has promised to come back for His people, and God always keeps His promises. We might grow impatient waiting for Him to return, but we can take comfort in knowing that His waiting is for our benefit. He wants to give everyone an opportunity to know Him personally.
God Sends Everyone
The last thing Jesus told His followers before He returned to heaven was to go and make disciples everywhere. We aren’t all called to other countries, but we are all called to share His good news with everyone we know.
There are people who need the love and hope we have in Jesus. So if Jesus is our Savior, then let’s live like it. Let’s offer our praise to God for who He is, and worship Him through the way we live our lives. Let’s ask Him to help us see how much He loves everyone.
As we patiently wait for God to return, let us purposefully live each day for His glory.
That’s why we’re here.
My Thoughts
Each time I get anxious about what is happening in the world and really wonder when Jesus will return, I stop and think about loved ones who are not saved yet, dear ones who don’t know Jesus as their Savior. And I am thankful that God is delaying the return because He truly loves everyone. We are partners with God in bringing more people to know Him and His love. We can’t do everything, but we can each do something. Our mission field is our neighborhood, at our grocery store, at work, and in all of our community programs that we attend. It’s sometimes difficult to know what to say and when to say it, but silence is not the answer. Our silence may mean that someone whom God loves misses the opportunity to know about Him and His sacrifice for them. I like these three key points: God loves everyone, God wants everyone, God sends everyone. To whom is God sending you today? Who needs an encouraging word of love and hope from the Lord? Sharing may be hard, but it will be worth it when you see the faces of those with whom you have shared with you in glory, won’t it?
I can count on the fingers of one hand the close friends I have had during my adulthood. I generally have one very good friend at each place to which we have moved, but not all of them were close friends, friends who were there for me no matter what. That’s why I think that number is limited. Sometimes, the friends were Christians and we encouraged each other in our faith. More frequently, they were not Christians, so I shared my faith with them when I could.
No matter our location, I always knew that my best friend was always there with me. Jesus traveled with me from state to state and base to base. He was with me when Harry was deployed and I was feeling overwhelmed and lonely. He was there during hospitalizations, tests and surgeries. He was there when our children were injured or when our car was hit head on in an accident. Note that we had NO serious injuries from a big truck hitting us head on as we drove to our Bible study that night. Baby Hope was safely in her car seat and slept through the whole thing. I had a bruised knee and my husband’s chest was bruised from the seat belt. Our car was totaled, but we were fine. Jesus was there, and we didn’t even have time to send up a prayer of “help”. He was already there.
I want to be a friend like Jesus. I am not omnipresent or omniscient or any of the other qualities that only God has. But I do want to be the kind of friend who will be there when I am called and who will stick with the person who needs me until the situation is resolved. Phone calls in the middle of the night aren’t convenient, but if God can be there for us all the time, I can be there for friends who need me. I look in the mirror and I am sometimes disappointed at how I have let others down. But I repent, ask God for help in the future and determine to do better and be a better friend. I want to have friends who love the Lord, like the ladies in our Bible study group who text frequently to check on each other and offer help when needed. Friendship is a two-way street. Jesus wants a relationship with us, not based on His power that He demonstrates on our behalf, but because of our mutual love for each other. That’s what true friendship is all about, mutual love that surpasses our selfish desires and meets the other person where their need is.
Children learn to function in real life by imitating those around them.
They learn to speak by listening to their family’s words and copying what they hear. They learn to interact with others by observing how their loved ones interact with others. They learn what’s culturally and socially appropriate by watching and imitating.
They learn how to eat, play, read, pray, cook, fish, braid, draw, garden, build, worship, invest, and navigate relationships by noticing and mimicking those around them.
And it doesn’t stop with children. People will often reflect those closest to them, as well as their environment.
Perhaps that’s why, while writing from the confines of a Roman prison, the apostle Paul gave the believers in Ephesus a heartfelt charge:
“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.”
Ephesians 5:1 NLT
Paul knew that loving and reflecting God was foundational. What we observe will get repeated and, eventually, passed along. The fancy word for this concept is discipleship—where we learn from those we trust and teach others what we’ve learned.
Regardless of where we’re at in life, we’re all being discipled by something. That’s why we should carefully consider who we are listening to and following.
It is vital to build our lives on Truth.
It’s already in our God-given makeup to reflect God. But as humans, we still have to intentionally remember who and whose we are, which is the first step in becoming more like Christ.
My Thoughts
If you don’t believe that people are natural imitators, just step into a high school for a day and watch the interactions between the students. One student pokes fun at another and a group joins in. Another student quietly works and those around that student do the same. It works the same in most large groups, particularly when people are just “going along to get along.”
As an introvert, I am not really a joiner, but I am a watcher. And watchers, too, are a group of imitators, but just not overtly. In high school, many decades ago, I joined the groups that were more academically inclined like the newspaper, the yearbook, the literary magazine. Those were my people, the ones I learned from and followed.
In college, I followed the example of peers who were studious because that was part of who I was. My identity had been formed by those I hung around with in high school, so I continued with that pattern in college.
After college, I was feeling kind of lost. I didn’t have any assignments to study or a group to be with. I was a new teacher in an old school, filled with students who were in my classes but who were not friends, not even really acquaintances. The other teachers had been there for a while, knew each other and were jovial colleagues. Thus, I found myself lonely and feeling isolated. That is when I met Verna, the next-door neighbor in my apartment building. She befriended me, told me about Jesus and gave me a new outlook on life in general. I began to follow the example of Christians that I was around in church groups. I discovered that I could be around others who did not swear, smoke or drink a lot of alcohol and feel comfortable and like I fit in. In short, I found a new family in Christ.
I started reading my Bible regularly and from that point on, I wanted to be more like Jesus and less like those in the world. As a new Christian, I didn’t know a lot, but I quickly learned that there were some things I should not do because Jesus would not approve. Around that time and afterwards, there was a movement called WWJD (what would Jesus do). I thought that was a great idea and subconsciously used that mantra to check out my actions, words and relationships. Harry and I were engaged at the time and he really wanted to go to bed together. I told him “no” and avoided those kinds of situations, persuading him that the sexual part of our relationship was for after marriage. So, in a surprising turn of events for our parents, we compromised and got married just three months after we became Christians. We had planned to wait, but Harry didn’t want to wait any longer and I was amenable to that. I kind of, sort of followed my WWJD guidelines there as well as talking to trusted friends and our pastor about where our relationship was headed and what we should do about it.
I am saying all of this to encourage my readers to check out who your friends are, what you watch, what you listen to, even what you read. The people and things you bring into your life are the ones that will influence you. GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) isn’t just for computers, is it? Choosing examples in your life wisely is a way to look for God in them and then to follow His example.
I don’t think any of us has “arrived” yet; that is, no one that I know is a perfect imitator of the Lord. But if we realize that we are all in this life together, all on the same path to the same eternity (with God, hopefully), then we can encourage each other to live according to things that would please our Father and make us indeed His “dear children.”
Understanding the Meaning of Delighting in the Lord*
To delight in the Lord signifies finding deep satisfaction, joy, and purpose in the presence and promises of God. This idea is woven through Scripture, from the praise-filled Psalms to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. It involves an attitude of dependency on God’s character, revering Him as Creator and personal Redeemer. In this frame of mind, acts of worship, prayer, and obedience shift from obligations to joyful privileges, as hearts become anchored in His faithful love.
“Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
This well-known verse underscores an important principle: when one’s greatest pleasure is God Himself, His desires and ours begin to align, resulting in spiritual fulfillment and contentment.
Biblical Foundations of Delighting in God
Throughout Scripture, the call to delight in God appears repeatedly. In Psalm 1:2, the righteous person is described as one whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.” This portrait illustrates a continuous dwelling upon God’s truth, an ongoing posture of trust and reverence.
Elsewhere, Jesus articulates that those who remain in Him will “bear much fruit” (John 15:5). This fruit includes not only acts of love and service, but also the internal, joyous sense of belonging to the One who made and redeemed us. The New Testament consistently reaffirms that to know God, as He has revealed Himself, is to discover a wellspring of delight.
Aligning the Heart with God’s Word
Delighting in the Lord begins with savoring His word. Archaeological discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, unearthed in the mid-20th century near Qumran, show remarkable continuity between ancient manuscripts and modern Biblical texts. The faithfulness with which the Scriptures have been preserved affirms that the passages teaching believers to rejoice in God remain trustworthy. This historical reliability underscores the integrity of instructions such as Psalm 119:16: “I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.”
From a practical standpoint, reading and reflecting on Scripture fosters transformation of both thought and disposition. In the realm of behavioral science, repeated focus on truth can shift one’s perspective, heightening peace, gratitude, and delight.
Embracing Prayer and Communion with God
Entering consistent, meaningful prayer shapes one to treasure the Lord more deeply. As Philippians 4:6-7 explains, bringing requests to God with thanksgiving leads to “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,” guarding hearts and minds. In such communion, the believer increasingly experiences God as a personal Father who listens, cares, and responds.
Woven through history are accounts of people whose prayer practices brought them fresh awareness of God’s presence. Anecdotal testimonies in every century, including those of early Christian writers, Reformation-era believers, and modern-day individuals, highlight an enduring pattern: when people cry out to God earnestly, they often find renewed joy and delight in Him.
Practicing Worship with Body, Mind, and Spirit
Worship in Scripture is not confined to singing-though the Psalms are a timeless testament to the power of music to lift hearts to God. It also includes dedicating work, relationships, and daily activities to the Lord. In Romans 12:1, believers are urged, “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.”
In many cultures, corporate worship through song reinforces unity in delighting in the Lord. Historically, King David’s psalms were not only royal compositions but also living expressions of communal devotion. Artifacts and inscriptions discovered in areas such as the City of David point to structured gatherings where music and praise contributed to a collective delight in Yahweh. Modern worship likewise provides communal support, encouragement, and tangible reminders of God’s majesty.
Cultivating Obedience and Trust
To delight in the Lord means abiding trust, particularly in times of uncertainty. The Bible repeatedly displays individuals who chose obedience, trusting God’s promises even under dire circumstances. Abraham’s willingness to leave his homeland (Genesis 12) and Mary’s acceptance of the angel’s announcement (Luke 1) exemplify trusting God’s plan beyond one’s own understanding.
Geological and historical records that confirm biblical events-from the evidence of a global flood narrative in a variety of ancient cultures, to archaeological data such as the Ebla tablets referencing Semitic peoples-underscore the authenticity of accounts that shape our understanding of God’s engagement in history. When believers see that God has acted faithfully throughout time, obedience becomes a joyful, confident response every day.
Reflecting on God’s Character and Works
Meditating on who God is fuels deeper pleasure in Him. Reflecting on His work in creation-the consistent evidence of intelligent design seen in the vast complexity of DNA or the fine-tuning of universal constants-amplifies wonder at His magnificence. When one pauses to consider that the same God who orchestrated cosmic precision loves with a personal, redeeming love, it invigorates worship.
Similarly, recounting the resurrection of Christ as a historical event affirms that the One in whom we delight is the same God who raised Jesus from the dead in space and time. Such victories over death instill hope and confidence. This hope, confirmed by multiple lines of historical witness in the Gospels and letters, provides a deep wellspring of rejoicing.
Serving and Loving Others in His Name
Delighting in the Lord flourishes when believers extend God’s love to others. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus declares, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” When Christians serve those in need, they tangibly express the joy found in relationship with Christ. This love in action further enriches one’s own delight in Him, fulfilling His command to “love one another” (John 13:34).
Practically, involvement in community service or faith-based outreach can enhance spiritual vitality. Many have attested to profound encounters with the Holy Spirit through caring for the poor, visiting the sick, or inviting those far from God to experience His grace.
Maintaining a Lifelong Perspective of Hope
The Psalmist’s repeated emphasis on remembering God’s past faithfulness fosters a pattern of hope for the future. This hope kindles delight, because it rests on God’s unchanging goodness. In the face of trials, believers return to the truth that God’s promises stand. Romans 8:38-39 affirms that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
When doubts arise, many find strength by examining the consistent internal harmony of Scripture, supported by thousands of manuscripts spanning centuries. Similarly, archaeological findings such as the Tel Dan Stele-which corroborates the historical presence of the House of David-reinforce the reliability of biblical narratives. Such evidence reinforces a worldview in which one can securely delight in the everlasting God.
Practical Steps to Daily Delight
1. Spend time consistently in Scripture, reflecting prayerfully on passages that emphasize God’s love, sovereignty, and faithfulness.
2. Engage in regular prayer, both communal and personal, offering thanksgiving as well as requests and confessions.
3. Incorporate worship music, psalms, and hymns into daily routines. Singing truth can recalibrate the heart toward God’s greatness.
4. Serve within your local community, reflecting God’s compassion.
5. Surround yourself with fellow believers who encourage growth in faith and joy.
6. Keep a journal of answered prayers and personal encounters with God to remember His works in your life.
Conclusion
Delighting in the Lord is an invitation to place full confidence in the only One deserving of complete trust. By meditating on Scripture, praying, worshiping, and reflecting on His faithfulness through history, believers can experience genuine joy rooted in a life-giving relationship with God. As Psalm 16:11 proclaims, “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” This assured promise stands as a lasting source of delight for any who seek Him wholeheartedly
I am marking this post to save and to read over and over again. I don’t know about you, but I need to remind myself of God’s presence and the pleasures that I find there. Life and its trials sometimes get in the way of my encounters with God, but in this season of testing, I am finding that pressing in is the way up and out. Today is Thankful Thursday for me, so here is a partial list of what I am thankful for today. (Partial because I will continue to add to the list as the day progresses.)
~For rest and a new day
~For each breath I take and every fresh scent I have smelled today, especially the tea I made to start the day
~For the cloudy day that reminds me that the sun is just behind the clouds
~For the rain that is soaking Harry’s garden and will produce a nice crop of peas for us
~For the photo frames all around me that remind me of the blessings of having children and grandchildren
~For having books to read and friends to talk to about them
~For my husband who made egg salad for my lunch today
~For fresh water to drink
~For a good report from my nephrologist
~For the love of the Lord who shows me every day how precious I am to Him
~For the birds outside my window who are enjoying the birdseed my husband replenished yesterday
~For hot water for my shower
~For less pain in my right shoulder and for my left arm that is able to work properly
~For friends in our Bible study group who pray for each other and check in on each other
~For a sweet granddaughter who is living with us and keeping us company
~For authors who trust me with their new book babies
~For praise music on my device that I can listen to anytime
~For online friends on WordPress who encourage me and make me ponder
There are an endless number of things to be thankful for today and everyday! Please join me in Thankful Thursday and add a comment about what you are thankful for today.
Worshiping God is one of the most central and basic aspects of the Christian life. God’s people actively worship Him all throughout Scripture. The Bible is filled with songs and poems dedicated to worshiping God.
While we often think of worship as singing songs of praise, worship can be much more than that. Actually, when we limit our worship of God to only singing, we miss out on a vital aspect of the Christian life.
Worship in Scripture is more than just singing. It is rightly thinking about and praising God for who He is and what He has done. Worship happens when we recognize God as God—when we’re in awe of His character and His provisions.
This means that we can worship God at any moment of our day. When we thank God for His kindness, that is worship. When we are in awe of His beauty, that is worship.
In Isaiah 25:1, the prophet Isaiah praises God in this way. Isaiah thanks God for being who He is, for being a very personal God to him. He also worships God for His faithfulness, which is an aspect of God’s character. Lastly, Isaiah praises God for all of the wonderful things He has done.
Isaiah may not have been singing a song at the time, but his words and actions tell us that he was worshiping God for who He is and what He has done. Isaiah was in awe of how great and wonderful God is.
Spend some time today thinking about God. Consider His character, that He is good, faithful, and loving. Think about the things He has blessed you with. Sit for a few minutes in awe of God and simply worship Him.
My Thoughts
I really like that this devotional says that worship is not always singing. I used to sing a lot, like in the car, at church, in my chair as I do my devotional. But then, I got older and my voice changed. When I sing, my voice cracks, and I sound a lot like that old character in “Our Gang” called “Froggy.” So, when I sing now, I silently mouth the words and that way no one around me is bothered by my inability to sing on key. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think my voice bothers God at all; in fact, I am sure that He is used to my out-of-tune warble. But since I don’t want to offend others and I do want to worship with song, I do it silently. So I am very glad that this devo points out that we can worship with our words, just by speaking them.
It’s important to worship to me for two reasons. One, it reminds me of who God is and what He has done. Second, it reminds me that there is One God and I am not Him. I have to take myself off the throne in order to put God in His proper place, so that’s something I try to do every day, sometimes in the shower, sometimes just during daily activities and sometimes just whenever I feel like telling God how much I sincerely appreciate Him. After all, showing God that I know exactly who He is in my life and how much He means to me is what I think true worship is all about.
“Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.”
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 