Category: Characteristics of God

The One You Trust

On By vickleaIn Characteristics of God, promises, Scripture, SongLeave a comment

Do you remember during your childhood when you would get a scrape or a bump? That is a normal part of growing up, isn’t it? What did you do when you got hurt? The most likely answer is that you ran as fast as you could to the one you trusted to take care of the problem. Mom, Dad, Grandmother, whoever was the trustworthy adult around at that time. I recall my Nanny (my mom’s mom) always got out the mercurochrome (ouch!), applied it liberally and blew on it to stop the burning the medication caused. Then, she applied a bandaid and told me to go back and play but be careful. I hated the medicine, but I liked the loving care that went along with it.

When my own children got hurt, usually then their dad was deployed, my first response was to pray, check to see if it was something I could handle with neosporin and a bandaid or if we needed to go to the ER and then do whatever was needed to comfort my child. For one child, it was always a cuddle, for another it was to divert attention with a funny story or a song. I was their trustworthy adult and that was a heavy responsibility for growing and adventurous kids. They knew, though, that prayer was first and then action and if I forgot to pray because I was panicking over the extent of the injury, one of them would remind me.

God is our trustworthy refuge to whom we can go when we are hurting or just need to know someone is there. He is always there for those who trust in Him. He cares for each of us, more even than my Nanny cared for me or I care for my children and grandchildren. He is invested in our lives because He created us and He wants us to be okay in this life that He has placed us in. So, running to Him is a no brainer if you have a relationship with Him, recognizing not only His power but also His mercy and great love for you. The world is full of evil and there are a lot of things that can hurt you, but we need to remember to run as fast as we can to God when we get hurt. He is the one with the words to heal and the heart that always cares. He is a good, good Father.

Run to the Father-Cody Carnes

Prayer from YouVersion App, Daily Refresh, 8-13-25

What Do You Love?

On By vickleaIn Characteristics of God, promises, Scripture1 Comment

Saying you love something is part of the vernacular today. I hear people say that they love ice cream, chocolate, a sunny day, the sound of birds singing. So, what do you say that you love? A new perspective on this comes when you read what God loves. I recommend you read all of Psalm 33, and I will share a few verses here to get you started.

This is verse 5 but I will begin here since it states clearly what the Lord loves. He loves righteousness and justice. He loves those who are in right standing with Him, a creation that is performing as He created it. He loves justice, even when the world seems evil and dark. God loves justice, a standard that never changes. And look at the last line. His love never fails; the earth is full of His unfailing love. That’s why we can say we love things, people, places, because of all of the love with which God surrounds us.

I am overjoyed that we can trust everything God does and know that all of His Word is true. People may disappoint us, but God never will.

When we usually think of fear, it comes along with monsters or things that go bump in the night. But fear of God is an awe, a reverence for Who He is and What He has done for all of the earth. Revere is the action verb for the word reverence. Take a minute just to think about what revering God means in your life. Pause and picture yourself before His throne. How do you feel? What is your posture?

God watches all that we do, say and He sees all that we are. Now, go back to the verse above. He knows all, sees all and perhaps in spite of that, His love never fails.

I read this verse and turned it into a prayer for my morning. It definitely lends itself to saying it aloud to our Lord and Maker, the One who shows unfailing love and who loves righteousness and justice. Amen and amen.

Gratitude for God’s Faithfulness

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Characteristics of God, Scripture, Song, testimony4 Comments

If we started sharing all of the wonderful attributes of our God, we would be here a long time because just when we think we know God, He shows us another facet of His character. Today, I am focusing on the faithfulness of God. We know God is faithful to His Word. He is also faithful to His promises. And best of all, He is faithful to each of us, even when we forget to acknowledge all that He has done for us.

I can, and I hope that you can, too, easily come up with all of the things I have seen God do in my life. I have kept journals in which I wrote my thanksgiving down and praised God for all that He has done and is still doing for me and for my loved ones. Why, this week alone, I have testimonies! Our son-in-law Aaron had been sick for well over a month. When he finally saw a doctor and they did blood tests, his liver function was low. This week, the doctor repeated the test, and it is normal! Hallelujah! Our granddaughter Teagan fell in the yard and broke her wrist. This week, she went to Shriner’s Hospital in Erie where they told her she only has to wear the cast for two weeks and perhaps a brace after that. So, praise God! My husband had an appointment this week with his regular dentist to start the process for a dental implant. This whole thing has taken about a year, so we are both ready for it to be done, but we didn’t really know what to expect at this week’s appointment. Pain? Dietary restrictions? None of the above. The dentist took virtual photos in order to order his permanent implant and put in a temporary crown while he waits for it to arrive. Once again, a praise report!

Of course, there are the prayers that I am still praying and waiting for an answer, but I can count on God to be faithful. He was faithful before and He doesn’t change, so He will continue to be faithful. Instead of wallowing in the pain of unanswered prayers (or sometimes those not answered the way I hoped or expected), I am praising God for His faithfulness, knowing that the answer is on the way and His answer is always what is best for me.

Instead of just reading this first verse, I recommend that you read the entire Psalm 105. Read it aloud. Say it to your mind and your heart and let it sink in what God is capable of doing and what He has already done. I think the last part of the verse is very important and often overlooked. We praise God and proclaim His glorious name during our devotional time, but do we make known what He has done? Do we testify to others about this faithfulness to us, His goodness, His grace, His mercy? Others cannot know if we do not tell. To many, if they even think about God’s existence at all, He is that scary guy who could zap them at any time or He is that smiling guy who keeps blessing them in ways they don’t really appreciate. What about if we gave personal testimonies about what God has done in our lives every day? Every week? Instead of calling friends to tell them how bad the week has been, how about calling and telling them all of the good things God has done for you because He is faithful? It’s all about perspective. You can keep what God has done for you and “ponder it in your heart.” But you can also reach out to others and give them a reason to think about God and His love and faithfulness. I think the latter is a better plan, don’t you?

Faithful God-I Am They

Look What the Lord Has Done-Charity Gayle

Please keep praying for those in Texas who have lost loved ones. God is sending His comfort and peace because He is faithful. Let us be faithful to pray for them in their time of grieving unbearable loss.

Faithful God

On By vickleaIn Characteristics of God, Scripture, Song2 Comments

It has been a tough week for me, but through it all, God has shown Himself faithful. Being faithful means He keeps His promises, and it is part of who he is, not just something He does. Since it is one of the fruits of the Spirit, God wants us to develop that quality in our character, too.

As I spoke quietly with the family last evening at the funeral home, I felt the Lord’s presence surround me with His comfort and love. I saw the teen granddaughters, trying to maintain their composure and smile, but I saw the hurt in their eyes, too. So, when I got up to them, I told them how much their grandmother loved them and talked about them all the time and that she would always be with them in their hearts. That’s when they shed a few tears and I gave them a hug. God is faithful to show us what people need and how we can help them.

God is faithful all the time, in all the ways we need Him. Sometimes, I think faithfulness means that God marches to the beat of my drum, but that isn’t true. God fulfills His promises in His Word, but it is His plan that is unfolding, not mine. He is faithful to His plan for all of our lives, oftentimes in spite of my getting in His way and trying to demand changes in His plan. God remains faithful.

God is faithful when I am irritated with Him. Be honest. You get irritated at God, too. His timing isn’t working out for you. His plan is taking too long. The prayers you consistently prayed weren’t answered the way you thought they would be. But God is still faithful. He is doing what is best for us, even when we are too short-sighted to see it.

God’s faithfulness to us is part of His great love for us. He faithfully works with us, to make us more like He created us to be.

God’s faithfulness surrounds Him and when we are in His presence, it surrounds us, too. There is no one like our God!

When God is shows us His faithfulness, He wants us to share it with others so that they, too, can have hope and believe. In a world where lying, deceit and chicanery are part of the everyday habits of most people, tell others about our faithful God, the God who does not change and who is always faithful in all ways. We may disappoint Him, but He remains steadfastly faithful.

Faithful God-I Am They