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.
Imagine a cold, snowy night, drinking hot chocolate next to a roaring fireplace, surrounded by friends and family. People are laughing, sharing stories, and maybe even singing a Christmas carol. Kids are crowding around the evergreen tree, surrounded by presents wrapped in every shade of red and green with bows of silver and gold.
For hundreds of years, people have gathered to celebrate Jesus’ birth with a few consistent elements: song, food, and gifts. Yes, a red-nosed reindeer got thrown into the mix somewhere along the way. But for the most part, the key ingredients have remained the same.
But why? What’s motivated billions of people throughout hundreds of years to say, “This event is worth celebrating”?
Let’s start two thousand years ago with a group of shepherds in a field. Shepherds were men and women who managed herds of livestock, often traveling along with their families. They had the messy, monotonous, and occasionally dangerous work of moving sheep around the countryside to find food.
We don’t know much about these shepherds, how many there were, or even their names. But it’s easy to imagine a few of them with their children gathered around fires, laughing and telling stories, while those on watch wandered among the sleeping sheep, keeping an eye out for lions, wolves, or thieves.
Then, one of the shepherds noticed a stranger, not in the sky (like in the popular imagination) but in the midst of their camp. The stranger, an angel sent by God, terrified the shepherds because he was glowing brighter than the most well-lit Christmas tree. He gave a simple message: something had happened that would bring great joy to the world!
Of course, you probably know the message, but let’s pretend for a second that you don’t. Let’s imagine what it would be like to be part of those shepherd families thousands of years ago. You’d probably ask yourself a few questions, like, What could bring joy to the whole world?Why bring this message to us shepherds? And what even is joy?
Over the next few days, we’ll explore these questions and more. Together, we’ll see that joy is a resilient cheerfulness anchored in the goodness of God.
Pause and Pray:
Lord, as I seek You and prepare to celebrate the arrival of Jesus, please draw close to me. As I focus on You, please give me Your gift of joy and help me to share it with the people in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
My Thoughts
In the busy Christmas season with a lot of different activities and things to get done, I don’t think I pause enough to think about the joy that this season represents. A totally new and different light came into the world, One who brought hope and peace and salvation. God’s plan that He had made since the beginning of creation was manifested in Jesus. The birth of a little baby, not a significant event normally, changed the whole world. So while I may complain at all that I need to get done before Christmas Day, I pray that the joy of the season will be shown clearly on my face and in my words and actions. I want others to feel the joy that I feel, even though sometimes it’s hidden under lots of stress that I bring on myself. I really want to demonstrate what the season is really about, not just with tangible gifts but with the inexpressible and unbelievable joy that comes from knowing a Savior whose birth we celebrate. God is good…all the time!
From the YouVersion Bible App, “An Unexpected Christmas”, “Corrie ten Boom’s Christmas Memories” and “Advent, 25-Day Countdown, Day 9”
Day 1: The Forgotten
The story starts with a couple, but it’s not the couple you might think. There is an often forgotten couple that played a key role in the unveiling of the Christmas story. Their names were Zechariah and Elizabeth. They were the type of couple that did all the right things… they honored God and kept his laws. At this point in their lives, they had been married many years and were quite old, but they had no children.
In the Jewish culture, children were a sign of God’s blessing. Children ensured that beliefs were passed on to future generations. Zechariah and Elizabeth had undoubtedly attended celebrations where they had watched their friends experience the joy of seeing their children learn stories of God’s faithfulness to their ancestors. But this couple had no children of their own to pass down their faith to.
The backdrop of the first Christmas story begins with Zechariah at work in his job as a priest.
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” (Luke 1:8–15; 18)
Over the many years of longing for a child, Zechariah would likely have wondered if his prayers were heard. Did God not see him? Did God not hear his heartfelt, desperate requests? For years, in the midst of a continual unanswered prayer, he served God and waited. When he was an old man, he learned that his prayer had been answered, but it seemed impossible to believe. Little did he know that his long-awaited son, John, would be a cousin to Jesus and would one day prepare the way for Jesus’s ministry.
My Thoughts
I am spending some time today pondering about who in my group of friends and acquaintances might be feeling forgotten during this season. I can already think of a couple of names of people whom I need to reach out to and remind them that they are loved are cherished by me and, more importantly, by God.
Christmas in Corrie’s childhood
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. – Isaiah 9:6
When Corrie is 84 years old she recalls the sweet memories of the Christmases of her childhood. She shares that the Christmas Joy was not about a short and transient gladness that disappeared as soon as the chilly January month made his entrance to finish the Christmas season. But it was, and is about an everlasting joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Yes, there were the sweet childhood memories of her mother and aunt who both had a gift to make Christmas as colourful and happy as possible. She remembered the holly and the mistletoe, sometimes even a little Christmas tree, the Christmas table with the red ribbons, where the family gathered, enjoying the hot chocolate and the Christmas bread with powdered sugar. They all walked to the Sint Bavo Cathedral for the church service and sang “O holy Night” and “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” and the sound of the world-famous organ filled the church. All expressions of an everlasting and unspeakable glorious joy.
But first and foremost they celebrated that the words of the prophet Isaiah were fulfilled, that night in Bethlehem 2000 years ago: “God so loved the world and sent His Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). They knew He is the “Wonderful Counsellor”, He is God, He has brought peace in the midst of circumstances. And one day He, will come back and reign forever. And it is the passionate commitment of the Lord Himself that guaranteed this.
That was what Christmas in the ten Boom family was all about. They wanted to serve this King with all their heart, mind and strength. And they wanted to share this Christmas Joy with as many people as possible, because they knew that the Lord Jesus had said: “Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
To reflect
Let us celebrate Christmas, knowing that it is all about an Everlasting Joy, because God so loved the world that he sent His only Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life. He is our Lord and King today!
My Thoughts
I am thankful for all that Jesus means to me and His names in Isaiah all point out His promises to us. He is our counselor, our God, our Father and our peace. He was given to each of us so that we may have a relationship with the Father.
Yesterday, we looked at the peace that comes from being in God’s family. When we know whose family we belong to, we can experience a peace that the world can’t take away.
During this time of the year, you’re probably feeling pulled in endless directions—Christmas parties, classroom celebrations, family traditions, and the pressure to find the perfect gifts are just a few that might come to mind.
Peace is a state of wholeness, calm, and renewal between us, God, and others. But if we’re not careful, we can miss the opportunity to truly experience peace because we’re so distracted by our calendars and commitments, even if they’re filled with good things.
Under completely different circumstances thousands of years ago, God gave His people the Ten Commandments. He was talking to a group of people who had been in slavery for over 400 years, and had come to believe that their value was tied to the number of bricks they could produce in any given day or week.
And while that belief was likely deeply ingrained in the way they viewed themselves, God offered them a better option. He gave them a series of laws to establish peaceful and harmonious relationships among their communities, and in their own personal relationships with God.
One of these commands includes taking a full day of rest called the Sabbath. In the New Testament, Jesus reiterates the importance of the Sabbath by reminding people that it wasn’t created so we would have another chore to do, but so we would have time to worship God and enjoy the good things He has given us—like a meal with friends and family, or relaxing and appreciating life.
While a full day of rest might feel impossible right now, you can still find ways to start small. You might choose to listen to worship music on your morning commute, or spend an extra five minutes after you read the Bible to sit in God’s presence and ask Him questions about what you learned.
Instead of getting on your phone when your alarm goes off, you could choose a slower start to your day before scrolling social media.
When we take a day of rest (or even an intentional 15-minute pause to our day), we admit we can’t get everything we need on our own. God gives peace through work and rest. We need both. Peace is His gift, but we must choose to accept it and trust that God will give us everything we need for today.
My Thoughts
If you are still reading this, then I thank you. You can find all of these devotionals and read them yourselves on the YouVersion Bible App. I am excited about Christmas this year, not for the gifts because my husband and I don’t buy much for each other, and not for the family time, because that will be short with one son and his family coming for a day. But I am excited because it is a time for me to reflect on my relationship with God and how I have grown closer to Him this year.
One of the things we have been challenged to do in our class at church is to spend some time in solitude before the Lord. I feel as though I do that daily with my quiet devotional time, while my husband still sleeps and there are no ambient noises. But I realized yesterday during our lesson that I talk to God during that time, but I am not sitting quietly to rest in Him and to listen to what He speaks to my heart. So, I have a new commitment to just sit quietly and listen. My Sabbath rest comes when I spend time with God, quietly. That is what I long for this holiday season.
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional “Advent, Day 7”
What Is Peace?
What do you think of or imagine when you hear the word “peace”? Maybe you imagine your favorite vacation destination, when the rest of the world seems to come to a standstill. Perhaps your brain takes you to the resolution of a previously chaotic event. It’s possible you even think of a time when you had inner peace, when anxiety or worries seemed to quiet down.
Writers of the Bible sometimes use the word shalom as a way of describing peace as complete wholeness. At its core, peace is a state of wholeness, calm, and renewal between us, God, and others.
This can seem great in theory, but has the potential to feel unattainable when we look at the world around us—especially in the rush of the holiday season. Still, when we look at different stories in the Bible, we can see how God has been our source of peace since the beginning of time.
We’ll take a closer look at different examples in the days to come, but here are a few things we learn about peace as we read Scripture:
Peace comes when we keep our perspectives locked on God. (Isaiah 26:3)
Peace fights against fear. (Psalm 56:3-4)
Peace is a gift God gives us through the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22)
Peace isn’t limited to the circumstances happening in the world around us. (John 16:33)
Peace doesn’t always make sense, but it always connects us to God. (Philippians 4:7)
As you look at your life today, peace might feel impossible. It takes a lifetime to work toward peace, but we all have a step we can take today to more fully experience this gift. You might take a few minutes after you finish today’s reading to sit in God’s presence and thank Him for today. As you do, ask Him to fill you with His perfect peace.
Pause and Pray:
God, thank You for the gift of peace. Help me to experience You in new ways. I trust that You are my ultimate source of peace, even when I don’t understand. Please work in the areas and relationships in my life that feel far from peaceful. Bring them into a state of wholeness and renewal with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
My Thoughts
Even as I type these words, my mind is churning away with a list of things I need to get done today. My bare Christmas tree is visual evidence that I am behind on my chores, but still, here I sit. I am seeking God’s peace to come through to my heart this holiday season. I don’t know what happens at your house for the holidays, but my life is filled with the regular things I have to do, plus ordering gifts for children and grandchildren, decorating (I do it sparsely, but I do it) and running errands as well as medical visits. Whew! Just writing out the list is somewhat overwhelming!
But the real reason for the season, the birthday of our Savior, is not lost on me. So, I tackle one thing at a time and I am thankful for the energy to get things done. They may not be perfect, but they will be done with my best effort for my age and physical limitations.
With the passing of time, I have found that the more I sit quietly in God’s presence, the more likely I am to be organized and cheerfully ready to take on that day’s tasks. I tend to get more irritable as Christmas Day draws closer, knowing that I only have a certain number of days to complete the shopping, decorating, etc. My prayer is always for God to help me to do what I can do each day and He always comes through. His peace seems to envelop me as I play Christmas songs and read His Word. It is His peace that connects me to Him and that helps me keep my focus on Him and not all that I have to do.
Here is a song that I listen to that helps me remember why I am doing what I do these days. I’m not a big fan of the singer and her current woke attitude, but I do like the song and the message to be still before God.
From the YouVersion Bible App, “Advent, A 25 Day Countdown to Christmas, Day 3”
Hope When Things Go Wrong in the World
Yesterday, we said hope is the wholehearted, evidence-based conviction that God is making the future better than the past or present.
But what about when all the evidence this Christmas tells you the future might only bring more pain? When forces outside of your control, like war, the economy, and sickness, cause chaos all over the world.
If you’re asking this question, you’re not alone. Around 500 years before Jesus, the people of God were invaded, captured, and forcibly deported to a faraway nation. They were separated from their families, homes, and, for many, their hope.
Their forced migration is called the exile, and its trauma influenced countless Scriptures.
Today, you’ll read a lament (a pain-filled song of praise) by a few of these people. These exiles were musicians, but after their capture, they were taken as servants or slaves to work at a farm in a nation called Babylon. Their captors asked them to play the music of their people, and they responded with despair, saying something like, “How could we sing songs of hope and praise to God when we’ve experienced so much pain?”
Global events outside their control made hope feel impossible. Can you relate?
When things go wrong in the world, it feels like evidence that God is against us, ignoring us, or He’s left us behind. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Throughout their time in Babylon, the people of God not only survived, but learned to thrive. They discovered God was present in their pain, and God still had a plan for their future.
In fact, one of the most famous Bible verses (Jeremiah 29:11) is about God’s plan for His people in exile. In that verse, He promises to give them hope and a future. And God delivered on His promise.
Your pain isn’t evidence God doesn’t care or is far off. It’s evidence that God is still working on His plan to make all things new.
True hope doesn’t ignore the pain of life. Instead, it trusts God’s plan despite the worst life has to offer.
Yes, it’s a slow process. And it’s normal to get frustrated with God’s timing. But when we look at the experience of the exile, we see the evidence of God’s faithfulness in the middle of pain and in the fulfillment of His promises.
Pause and Pray:
Lord, thank You that even in the darkest of times, You are working for good. Help me to have hope even when things are hard in my life. Help me to share the hope I have in You with those around me. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
My Thoughts
My heart is not heavy today, but it has been in the past. I want to know what God is doing to bring the suffering in the world to an end. I want things to get better, but they seem to get worse instead. I know the Bible says that these are signs of the times, but sometimes I am just ready to stop being a foreigner in a strange land and be home with the Lord where I belong.
God’s Word to me is to be patient and wait. He is working out His plan for me, just as He did for the Israelites who were exiled in Babylon for decades. He didn’t say to them, “Well, you sinned, so I am just going to leave you to suffer through your consequences.” He never stepped away from watching over them and keeping His promises to them, and He hasn’t left us either. God is the One who is working on His plan, not my plan or your plan, but His plan. He sees the big picture, and He continues to methodically work with fallen man to work out His plan for the end of the age.
So, while I may be impatient with things as they are, I can be thankful that God is patient. How many would be lost already if He were not patient with all of us? I just read a Christian book about human trafficking that absolutely broke my heart. It’s fiction but it could have been ripped from headlines. The story of a group of girls stolen from their village in Peru and sold to men to be used, abused and discarded was hard to read but it also had a message of hope and faith. It is undergirded with the message of the Prodigal and the Lost Sheep. We have all been prodigals at one time, and we have all be a lost sheep. God sees and He cares about all of the cruelty and injustice in the world. There is no one who loves more deeply than our Heavenly Father.
This is the book that I am referring to and I highly recommend it. It is hope for the hopeless and a light in the darkness. The author is new to me, but I can recommend this book because I just finished it and cried through many of the gut-wrenching scenes. It isn’t too graphic but it does deal with difficult topics, so I would rate it five stars and a PG-17.
This is one of the songs that I have requested be played at my funeral. Yes, I am one of those controlling people who plans in advance, but not for control but rather for the comfort of my family so that they don’t have to worry about details. When I heard this on the radio years ago, it spoke to my heart because of all of our military moves and the fact that I have never really felt settled into a home or community. When I arrive to my eternal home, then I will truly know what home is like and I am looking forward to that day. Until then, I will wait, just as God is waiting, patiently working out His plan and hoping that I am helping in some small way to help Him fulfill it.
From the YouVersion Bible App, “A God Who Is Faithful”, Day 4
A History of Faithfulness
The audience for this psalm is clear: “the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob” (v. 6). The people of God were to hear and heed these words.
The people of Israel seemed to have suffered from spiritual amnesia. So, beginning with Abraham, the psalmist recounted the faithfulness of God over the span of 40 verses. The God of Israel allowed no one to oppress them (vv. 14 – 15). The word of the Lord was fulfilled in the rise of Joseph (vv. 17 – 22). The Lord made his people fruitful, more numerous than their foes (v. 24). When they were enslaved, God sent Moses (v. 26).
While the psalm lists various names, God proves to be the main character. It was God who powerfully delivered them from Pharaoh (vv. 27 – 38). Though this psalm includes only highlights from Israel’s history, the point is clear: nothing God purposed has failed.
The psalmist began with Abraham. Yet, Jesus would assert plainly in the Gospel of John, “Before Abraham was born, I am” (Jn 8:58). The epicenter of God’s faithfulness not only preceded the father of Israel, all God’s promises eventually find their “Yes” in him (2Co 1:20). God remembers his covenant; God’s people remember his wonders (Ps 105:5 – 11).
Today’s Prayer:
Jesus, I don’t ever want to suffer from spiritual amnesia. Help me to always remember everything that you’ve done for me and all that you’ve promised to do. Amen.
My Thoughts
Constantly reminding ourselves of what God has done for us in the past helps us to have hope and faith in the present and the future. Psalm 105 is like a list of things God did for the Israelites, a reminder of His presence and His blessing. Reading the Bible helps me remember, too. I have notes to myself of prayers I have said at particular times with certain verses as parts of my prayer. And I note what I was praying for and recall the answer. I don’t do it often enough, but I also keep a journal of God’s promises made and kept.
I wish we didn’t have to use reminders, that it just came naturally to remember all that God has done for us. But I find that when I am in the pits of despair, I am whining so much that I forget what God has done and will do if I will just let go and listen. In real life, it’s sometimes hard to remember but the devotional today was all about remembering and telling others about what God has done so that they can have their faith built up, too.
The Most Important Thing (YouVersion Bible App, Daily Devotional)
When Jesus was asked in Matthew 22 what the most important command was, He didn’t hesitate to recite Deuteronomy 6:5: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (NIV)
The starting point for all of our lives is wrapped up in loving God. We were created to love God and have a relationship with Him. We love because He first loved us! Amid everything that you have to do in life, the most important thing is that you love God with everything that you are.
If we become successful in life but don’t love God, we’ve missed the most important thing. In Deuteronomy, God instructed the Israelites to constantly keep this command in their hearts and minds. They made physical reminders to help them remember to love God in everything they did. They taught this command to their children as the foundation of all other commands in Scripture.
Take some time to consider your life. Is loving God the primary motivation? Think about how good and merciful God has been in your life. Remember that God loves you more than you could ever imagine. The best motivation to love God is to constantly remember how much He loved us first.
My Thoughts
Like many people, I find it easy to love God when things in my life are going well. But when there is a deep valley I have to cross through or obstacles in the pathway to my goal or my plan, I have a tendency to look for solace elsewhere. I pick up a book, turn on the TV or even put a Christian station on to listen to. Anything to distract me from the fact that things are not going my way, so I want to pout a little bit.
You know, if God turned away from us each time we disappointed Him, I am absolutely sure that we would not see Him much in our lives. Instead, He is always gracious, always merciful, always waiting for us to do what He has called us to do instead of what we want to do. Our desires need to line up with His. One of my devotionals this morning included this quotation: “God is always faithful, even when we are being faithless.” You might also add that God is always loving even when we are not showing love to Him. God loves the unlovable, the faithless, the broken and the sinner. So, loving God with all of my heart, soul and strength doesn’t seem much to ask when He has given so much just to have a relationship with me.
From YouVersion Bible App, Devotional, “In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake”, Day 5
God wired us for home. And to a certain degree, our earthly homes are supposed to be miniature Edens. For many of us, home is where we first experience what it means to be loved. It’s where we discover the security of belonging. Homes don’t just define where we live, but in many ways, they define who we are. Which is why leaving home can be so hard. But even these homes we have to eventually leave.
So it’s no surprise that we all experience homesickness in different ways and in different seasons. Eventually we leave our home, but our longing for home, the one God made us for, never leaves us. We all live with that “memory.” We never outgrow homesickness.
We were not born in Eden but outside of it. And as beautiful as this life is, it’s not enough. It’s temporary. A prelude of sorts, of what is to come. It’s why the New Testament describes us as “exiles” and “foreigners” (1 Peter 2:11).
God has made us to hunger and thirst, long and wait, for a new home. A greater home. A restoration of what went wrong in the Garden of Delight. The road to this home is bumpy. It’s full of suffering and weakness and pain. But the weeping is meant to be like a welcome mat. Instead of feeling homesick for the place behind us, we begin to long for a home that is ahead of us.
You might be in a boat in the middle of a lake. But you are not alone. And that lake has another side. One Jesus has promised to get you to. “Let us go over to the other side,” Jesus said. There will be many storms. Some smaller. And maybe some bigger. But there is a shore. We’ll say it again: there is a shore.
The promise of safe arrival.
Rest.
Renewal.
Victory.
Home.
God’s presence. . . .
So let us press on in the storm. Let’s continue to trust the God who meets us in our storm.
Your chaos will cease. It will not last. You have a future. We have a future. And it’s a future filled with God’s goodness and love and beauty. It’s a future filled with God himself
My Thoughts
I am not sure anyone can understand the life of a military wife except another military wife. In a little more than thirty years, we moved twenty-five times. We would stay at a base for two-three years and then move on to the next one, as my husband pursued his career and a higher rank. I hated that lifestyle but I really loved the people that I encountered and the lessons that I learned from all of that change that I was forced to make, not to mention the independence that I had to learn since I was alone a lot of the time. You see, we didn’t just move. Each time we moved, each new place generally required a new school for my husband to attend while I stayed in the new location and took care of the children. When Harry was in the navy, it meant months (almost a year sometimes) of being alone in a new place. And one year, there was a remote tour to Iceland for a year while the children and I stayed in South Carolina. Lots of adventures, but no real home!
I remember telling my husband in Arkansas that I just wanted a stable home, a place that I could build memories for me and the kids. Alas! That never really happened! We did eventually purchase a home in Pennsylvania when Harry was getting ready to retire, but I couldn’t find a teaching job there, so once again, we moved, this time for me. Suffice it to say that I have been a little perplexed about what God’s plan for me has been. Until I met and married Harry, I had lived in one town all of my life and one home for most of my life. Now, suddenly, I felt uprooted, a stranger in a strange land…over and over again.
Today’s devotional pointed me in the right direction and reminded me that all of this time I have been moving around, Jesus was right there with me. He is still working to bring me safely to shore and to my “forever home.” We have a home now that Harry and I live in alone since our children are grown and have their own families. It does my heart good to know that they are settled into homes of their own and have been there, in the same place, for over a decade now. That is what I wanted so badly for them and for me when they were growing up. But Jesus was gracious to keep me through all of those moves and to grant the desire of my heart for my children to have what I considered a “real home.”
I am grateful for each new experience that the Lord has allowed me to have and for His mercy that He has shed on me, even as I whined and complained about more boxes and another new place. I had the opportunity to go to places I would never have chosen to see, much less live there. I have seen how people lived in the cotton fields in Arkansas and in the bitter winters of northern Maine. I have made friends in eleven different states and met people from churches who welcomed me wholeheartedly, even though they knew I would only be there a short while before the military would move us. I learned acceptance, resilience and how to adapt even when I was a reluctant learner.
I like the word picture of “safe to shore” No matter what life’s circumstances, there is a shore we are headed for, and all of the trials of today will be worth it. We just have to hold onto that hope that He placed in our hearts on the day of our salvation.
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake”, Day 4
Trust is not giving up; trust is opening up. Opening our hearts to the possibility that maybe God really does know best. Maybe his wisdom and care and love are what we need most. And so, reluctantly at first, we open our hearts to trust in the middle of what we don’t always like or understand. But we open our hearts to a Father who knows best and has our best interests in mind, even if we can’t fully comprehend it. . . .
The struggle to trust and obey is real. But it’s also a necessary step toward growth and transformation.
Learning to trust God with what we don’t know is essential for being filled with God. If we are to increasingly experience the good life of following Jesus, we have to learn to trust like he did, often with what we can’t see or get our minds around.
This is one of the hardest parts of growing and being transformed in trials. Learning to surrender to what Jesus wants—his purposes, his plans, and his wisdom.
The Bible talks a lot about obedience. But the obedience God is after is not just an external conformity to what he says. It’s an inward alignment of our heart with his, even when we don’t understand what he is doing or why he is doing it.
Trust requires humility.
Trust requires saying, “I don’t understand, God, but you do.”
Trust requires admitting our powerlessness.
Trust requires giving up control.
When Jesus took the disciples out on the water and they found themselves surrounded by the storm, they realized they weren’t in control. They were helpless. They lacked the resources, the power, the wisdom to fix the situation. They were discovering what we all soon discover, that belief is not just faith in something, belief is faith in Someone. God is at the center. We follow him. He doesn’t follow us.
Their first response was fear. They had obeyed him before. But out on the water, in the world of the unknown, they were learning to trust him.
If we don’t trust God, inevitably, we will try to be God. And we’ll try to control what only he can control. What God is really interested in is our trust.
My Thoughts
It is a really big thing for me that “trust” is the theme for today since that is my word for this year. The definitions of trust here spoke to my heart and soul and let me know that I am not there yet. I am still at times reaching to control things, to change circumstances, instead of letting God do things for me. The part in the devotional that says we align with God and follow Him instead of His following us pierced me. I realized that I frequently want God to get in step with my plans instead of seeking what His plans are and following them. I think in our humanity, we all want to be in control and have difficulty relinquishing it to God. I don’t want to try to be God; I want Him to be the center of my life, in the pilot’s seat of my airplane so He can take me where He want me to go. That’s a hard thing for me because I don’t like unknown things. I plan routes in advance so I know exactly what lane I need to be in for the next turn. God is telling me clearly to let go and let Him make the plans. Because I can trust Him with all the details of all the unknowns.
The word “cancer” rattled around my brain like a pinball bouncing back and forth, looking for a place to land. A place to register. And then it dropped. Sinking into my heart. Shredding everything in its path.
As much as comfort can be our friend, it can also be our enemy. Have you ever been just fine where you are? Your health is good. You have plenty of money in the bank. Your job is secure. All of your kids are healthy. Life makes sense. God is behaving like he should, or at least like you think he should. And then Jesus says, “Follow me. You’ve learned enough by the lake. Let’s go in the lake.”
This is exactly what Mark records Jesus doing with his first disciples. Jesus shifts his location as he shifts his lesson.
The disciples found themselves in water instead of by water. It was getting dark. Evening was coming. And where there is water, there are also waves. Before long, these waves were threatening the very lives of these young followers of Jesus.
But if not for the storm, they would never discover the goodness and power and faithfulness of the God who was with them. Without fear, they would never know faith. Without hurt, they would never know hope.
It’s no wonder Mark records that Jesus was the only one unmoved by the storm. The chaos of the water and storm were no threat to Jesus. In fact, he was in the stern of the boat, sleeping on a cushion. At rest. This was going to be a lesson not for Jesus but for the disciples. And for us.
We need water to grow. And some lessons we can learn only in the midst of chaos, not in a classroom. And no matter how we get there, we can trust the God who meets us in our storm
(From You Version Devotional, “In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake”, emphasis added by me)
My Thoughts
I really needed to start a new devotional, and this one was recommended to me. I really like that the underlying theme is trusting God in the midst of difficult circumstances.
On Tuesday, I was in the waves, the wind was getting stronger and the waves threatened to overcome me. But I contacted my neurologist, the one who is faithful and dedicated and told him my fears about my Doppler scan and asked what I should do about it. He has called me before as late as 9:00 p.m., just to check on me or to reassure me. Last night, Dr. Smith called at 7:30 and told me not to worry. He read the scan and my blockage is there but it is mild. He said “mild” is considered 10-50%, but he also told me that he compared this year’s scan to last year’s and this year’s is actually better. No change in medicine or routine and no surgery! It was like Jesus speaking, “Why did you doubt? Peace, be still!”
I doubted because of my humanity. I am ready to meet the Lord, but I am not ready to go yet, so hearing that I could possibly have another massive stroke was scary for me. There is so much more I want to do, more people to talk to, more relationships to work on. I know that God’s timing is perfect, but is anyone really ready to die? When I do pass away, I don’t want to linger. I want to just go, and I have prayed to God about that. Whatever happens, I do have confidence that God will take care of all of the details in my best interest and with the love He has constantly shown me.
I am hopeful that this experience will help me remember how trustworthy God is, even when the winds come up and threaten to topple my boat. I am still discovering more of God’s power, faithfulness and the hope that He wants me to have in Him. I am taking small steps, but they are in the right direction.
There Was Jesus: On the Mountain and In the Valleys (YouVersion Devotional, “There Was Jesus”)
Sometimes, I don’t know what’s harder to remember: to praise Him in the hard times or to praise Him in the good times. He’s with us during both and every time in between. Remember the last time you had a really great day? Did you recognize Jesus with you that day? Were you mindful of His presence? Did you thank Him for that good day? It’s not often that I remember that He is with me when I have a good day, probably because things feel under control.
Just like in yesterday’s scriptures, trusting that God is with us in difficult times poses its own set of challenges, but as there are scriptures to remind us He is with us during the rough times, there are scriptures to remind us He is with us during the good times too.
James 5:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”
It doesn’t say to sing praise only when times are bad or only when times are good.
My prayer is that we can always look around and recognize His presence at all times; good and bad, on the mountain and in the valleys. 1 Chronicles 16:11 tells us to “seek His presence continually.” I invite you to do an exercise with me right now: take a look around and thank God for existing in this place and in this time right now. You may not feel anything; you may not see anything, but trust that He’s there with you right now.
‘Every minute, every moment
Of where I been and where I’m going
Even when I didn’t know it
Or couldn’t see it
There was Jesus.’
My Thoughts
Usually, my life, and probably yours, too, goes in cycles. I’m on a mountaintop and then in a valley (or traveling between the two). Yesterday started to be a regular day for me with an appointment for a Doppler test at my neurologist’s office. My husband was driving, and suddenly (like really fast), the car in front of us braked and Harry had to brake quickly. Praise God for looking out for us! We didn’t hit the car in front of us and the car behind us didn’t smash into us, either. I thought about my verses for this week in Psalm 121:7-8 that remind me that God “keeps me in my going out and coming in.” We continued on our journey and a car darted out of a side road, right in front of us. It was like he didn’t see us or was daring us to hit him or something. Once again, Harry employed a hard brake and I was thankful for God’s calming presence. Yesterday’s trip was like trying not to play “bumper cars” on the roads to the hospital.
Then, I had my Doppler. The technician that does the test has been doing them annually for me for the last nine years, so I am acquainted with him but he has never really been talkative. I decided that was just his personality and just followed his instructions. But yesterday, he was talkative and said more than, “Lie down on the table, please.” He asked if I could get on the table and would I be okay there for a few minutes on my back. Then he chatted with me a little as the test proceeded. At the end of the test, which took less than fifteen minutes, he told me that he saw a little blockage in my carotid and hoped it didn’t get any worse. Well, for someone who has had a stroke, a blockage of any kind is not good news, to say the least. I told him that I would be praying about it, he walked me to the exit and I was done.
So, was all this a mountain or a valley? I honestly don’t know. I felt God with me in the car as we avoided accidents that could have been the result of driver error (the other drivers). I felt God with me when I was with the technician, soothing me to be okay on a hard table with a bad back. And when the technician told me I have a little blockage, I focused on the word “little” instead of the blockage. I knew right away that was something I would need to be praying about in order to achieve peace about it.
Regardless, I knew that God was right there with me. He tells me in His Word that He won’t leave me and that He would keep me as I traveled, and He did, He does, and He will. I contacted my neurologist to ask what the plan is now that my Doppler has been done and I expect to hear from him in a couple of days. Whatever the plan is, God will be beside me.
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