Highlighting God's Presence to Inspire Your Life!
God cares about the littlest details of our lives. It was a thought that came to mind when I found two tiny heart-shaped stones on the same day while walking and praying.
What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. –Matthew 10:29-31 (NLT) Continue reading “THE LITTLEST DETAILS”
The other day on my daily prayer walk, a heart-shaped piece of blacktop caught my eye. Naturally, I had to bend down and pick it up to add to my collection of heart reminders. Much to my dismay, the heart crumbled into three pieces as I picked it up. I thought, well, that is a first. I was a little saddened and disappointed when it crumbled, but then I had two thoughts.
The first was “break my heart for what breaks yours, God.” I thought it was from a Bible verse, which is not the case. The thought is a lyric in a song or two.
“Break my heart for what breaks yours, God.” Continue reading “BROKENHEARTED”
My latest treasures from God on my daily prayer walks have been physical hearts made of stones or blacktop. God reveals His great love for me with the heart theme that has been ongoing in my life since mid-December. I am in awe of Him, and how He directs my footsteps to find these reminders of His love. I have a collection of seven hearts that He blessed me with this week. Different thoughts will come to me when I discover one of these hearts.
When I picked up the first stone, “walk in love” came to mind. The second stone made me smile, as it could be the “big brother” of the first one. When I found the third heart stone, I thought how special that I now had the Trinity, —the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Yes, they all walk with me. Continue reading “HEART OF STONE”
God gives us beautiful images of the vine and the branches in the 15th chapter of John’s Gospel. Let’s take a deeper look at some of those verses and see what we can learn from them.
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.” –John 15:1 (NLT) Continue reading “THE VINEYARD”
Sin is something we are all born with as the result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience with eating from the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden. It is a rebellion and rejection of God and all that is good. It is an offense against a holy and righteous God.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. –Romans 5:12 (NLT) Continue reading “CONFESS”
We all have “scars” of some sort that are a part of us.
When I say the word “scars,” what comes to mind?
Do you sometimes question what God is doing in your life especially when tragedies come along? Do you cry out to God asking, “Why are you doing this to me?”
The book of Job shares insights into a good way to view and handle tragedies in our life.
The forty-two chapters of the book share the story of a wealthy, upright, and faithful man, Job. Satan, the accuser, was roaming the earth seeking whomever he could destroy. God and Satan were conversing:
Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life. But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, do with him as you please,” the Lord said to Satan. “But spare his life.” –Job 2:3-6 (NLT)
We learn Job lived a blameless, holy life and had much respect for God. His life embodied integrity. Satan was sure he could get Job to curse God if he sent tragedy to his life. God had faith in Job, and His only request was Satan could not take Job’s life.
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Job owned a large number of oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, and servants. They all perished tragically through attacks, lightning strikes, and a tornado. All of his children also died.
Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God. –Job 1:20-22 (NLT)
Job, honestly acknowledged his pain and grief, yet exemplified faith. Despite all the “things” in his life being taken away, Job praises the name of the Lord and does not blame God for any of the tragedies! He persevered and did not get angry with God.
Photo courtesy of Lewis_Satini under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)
Satan inflicted painful sores, from the soles of Job’s feet to the top of his head, in another attempt at getting Job to curse God.
His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. –Job 2:9-10 (NIV)
Even Job’s wife believes Job should curse God. Job stands firm in his faith, knowing God is with us through the good and the bad. Under no circumstance would Job give in to curse God.
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Three of Job’s friends told him he was suffering because of some sin or evil in his life. Job remained steadfast in his resolve to God. Job knew God was still in charge, despite the tragedies happening in his life.
At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. He said: “Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived…” –Job 3:1-3 (NLT)
Job sinks a bit into despondency listening to his friends, but Job refuses to curse God. Instead, he curses the day of his birth. He reasons the bad things happening are simply God’s will. God is still faithful and good.
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The ending chapters of Job are conversations between God and Job, occurring in a storm. Through this, Job experienced God’s presence in his suffering. Ultimately, God blessed the latter part of Job’s life even more than the first because of his faithfulness.
Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” –Job 42:1-2; 5-6 (NIV)
Job remained faithful and trusted God, despite any circumstance in his life. Not once did he blame God for the bad. Job’s faith was in God, who he knew had the power to do anything and everything in his life. He shows us how to persevere through any tragedy, knowing that everything works for the good of God.
Photo courtesy of Sapphire Dream Photography under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Did you notice Job, not even once, asked
Job modeled
May these lessons from Job’s life be a source of encouragement for you this week~
I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’ You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’ –Lamentations 3:55-57 (ESV)
Do you sometimes read or hear a familiar Scripture passage, and suddenly you see something you never noticed before? I had one of those experiences with this story about Jesus’ resurrection.
Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. –John 20:11-18 (NLT)
Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early on the first day of the week while it was still dark. She was prepared to anoint and ready Jesus’ body for entombment. Mary was surprised and distraught to see Jesus’ body was missing from the tomb. In desperation to find His body, she was willing to do whatever it took to find Him. Much to her surprise, Jesus, in His resurrected state, was right in front of her. She recognized Him once He said her name. What deep love she had for Jesus.
Can you see Mary Magdalene’s fists clenched, holding on tightly to Jesus’ cloak? Mary dearly loved Jesus and did not want to let Him go. Isn’t that just like when we lose someone near and dear to us?
What are some possible reasons Jesus said this to Mary? Jesus understood Mary was scared and afraid to lose Him again, but…
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. –John 14:16-17 (NLT)
Does it seem like your faith, trust, and love of God are tested almost daily? How well do you fare in obedience to the Lord? God provides a great example for us in the man Abraham. It is powerful to see how Abraham’s obedience foreshadows Jesus’ obedience to God in one particular story.
Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.” –Genesis 22:1-2 (NLT)
Abraham and Sarah were barren and childless until they were in their 90’s, way past childbearing years, when God blessed them with the gift of Isaac. After waiting so long for a child, imagine you hear God say to offer that child as a burnt offering to the Lord. Would you be obedient? Continue reading “SACRIFICE”
Does it bring you comfort to realize Mary, the mother of Jesus, understands what it is like to watch a loved one suffer and endure trials in this life? Her heart must have broken seeing Jesus beaten, scourged, and left to die hanging on a cross. Mary watched first-hand the agony of suffering Jesus endured for your sins and mine.
In thinking about Mary, it brought to mind many I know who are experiencing the agony of suffering with their children. They are watching them deal with cancer treatments, mental illness, making life choices, and heart issues at a young age. We all have those we know dealing with the agony of suffering. Continue reading “AGONY OF SUFFERING”