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.
Who is the Lord of your life? Is it yourself? Something you have accomplished in your life that you are proud of? A material possession that means more to you than anything? Or perhaps your family whom you love dearly. These things may be important to us, but none of them can be the Lord of your life. There is only one Lord, one God, and as a dear pastor used to say, “It ain’t you!”
Only our God can help us when we are fearful. He is our Lord.
God’s Spirit was sent to abide in each of us and gives us the freedom to choose to make Him Lord in all of our daily decisions.
God is our lighthouse, the one who shows us the way and gives us the power and strength to follow the right path towards eternity with Him.
My hope is that we all have a mother somewhere in our lives, whether it is our biological mom or someone who nurtured us. May each of us remember to honor that special person today.
The best thing that can happen to a mother is to have her children appreciate her. Show your appreciation today for all of her sacrifices. My mom was sometimes harsh and not always loving, but she was my mom and even twenty years later, I miss hearing her voice. I know that she would have loved meeting all of her grandchildren because she did love little ones. If your mom is still alive, cherish your time with her because one day, when you least expect it perhaps, she will no longer be here on earth with you.
Be a mom first so that you can be a good friend once your children are adults.
One would think that these two concepts go hand in hand, but as I learned in the classroom, this is not always the case. I could create the best lesson ever, with all kinds of visuals and other bells and whistles and yet there would still be students shaking their heads and telling me that they did not understand.
God is and always has been the best teacher. He promises in His Word to teach us the way we should go. But sometimes, like the stubborn students, we are determined not to learn and want to go our own way. It is to our benefit to go the way God is instructing us to go so that He can help us along that way when we run into tough times. No matter which path we choose, our own willful one or God’s, He always keeps His eye on us. There are some students who learn by looking at the teacher’s eyes and observing what he/she is saying and doing. In teacher lingo, we call it “modeling” what we want the student to learn. God does that for us daily. He shows us the way He wants us to go, the best path for us, but it is up to us to choose to go on that path.
This is one of my favorite verses and is in the same Psalm in which David recognizes that God is teaching and guiding him. God is also our hiding place, our refuge that we can always depend on during the hard times. I think that sometimes I create my own hard times and places because I didn’t follow God’s path that He wanted me to take.
Finally, the Psalm concludes with the exhortation to rejoice and sing. We who are following the Lord’s instructions and hiding in Him as we encounter difficulties can always find a reason to rejoice. Always!
Have a wonderful and blessed New Year! May you find the path the Lord wants you to take and follow it, being willing to be counseled by the Great Counselor, and finding refuge in His comforting presence. Rejoice in the New Year because God is still KING!
If you have ever gone into a crowded place with children, you know that sometimes you cannot walk side by side. Instead of walking ahead of my children, I used to walk behind them, guiding them with my hand on a shoulder or telling them which way to turn to get where we needed to be. It never dawned on me that I was guiding them in the same way that God sometimes guides me until I read this Scripture today in my devotional.
Notice the word “behind” in this verse. God is not always ahead of us although sometimes He is. Other times He is behind us and we have to listen carefully to hear His voice of instruction. If we turn the wrong way, He will tell us if we are listening. And if we turn the right way, He will also let us know. He doesn’t leave us to flounder alone on an unknown path. He is behind us, until He needs to step in front of us. I find comfort in the fact that God is all around me, if I just get quiet and listen. I can depend on Him to be just where He needs to be in my life, always. God is never too late or too early or in the wrong place at the wrong time. If He needs to be behind us in order to make sure that we are paying attention, then that’s what He will do.
This is a prophecy from Isaiah, but I believe with all of my heart that we can claim this promise today. We who are Christians are not blinded to the truth of the Gospel. We have chosen to hear that truth and now we can use our ears and the gift of the Holy Spirit to truly listen to what God is saying to us about our the choices we are making. He will let us know if they are good ones, if we just listen.
My prayer for you today is from Paul who says it better than I ever could. God bless and keep you, my friends.
The Holy Bible is filled with promises from God. During my devotional this morning, I was directed to this one twice, one in “Our Daily Bread” and once in “Mornings with Jesus.” Thus I am sharing it with you so you can receive a blessing as well.
I focused on the words “always,” “strengthen” and “a well-watered garden.” What is your focus when you read and meditate on this verse?
May you have a blessed day, and I sincerely hope that you plan to attend a worship service at a Bible-believing church today.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 