Thursday Devotional - Control and Outcomes

After James’ first and second day at school, his teacher sent me a couple great email reports! I was thrilled! I know it won’t always be smooth sailing, but this helped me relax some. I will continue to encourage him in the right direction, give him regular (if not daily 😊) reminders, and appropriately discipline, but I’m not the one in control. God is ultimately in control of everything and everyone.

Paul lovingly and carefully instructed the Romans, and then ended his letter acknowledging they were in God’s hands.

Romans 16:25-27        ²⁵ Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, ²⁶ but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— ²⁷ to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

God has given Joe and me the responsibility to lead James and Sarah well, as their parents. As we seek to be godly parents in our interactions, instructions, example, and choices, we can trust the outcome to God. He’s the One in control, with all power, all wisdom and all authority for all eternity!

What relationship, situation, person, or potential problem do you and I need to leave in God’s care? We’re called to follow God, do our part, and lead well, but the outcome is in God’s hands. Let’s trust Him with it!

Alice

Filling The Gap

Be good to your servant,
    that I may live and obey your word.
Open my eyes to see
    the wonderful truths in your instructions.
I am only a foreigner in the land.
    Don’t hide your commands from me!
I am always overwhelmed
    with a desire for your regulations. Psalms 119: 17-20

One of the first things I tried to do when I became born again was give up something for lent. The funny thing was I was never successful.  I would slip up somewhere along the line, and eat the chocolate cake, or I would have that night out where the cheesecake looked too good.  Eventually, I would give in.  Then one year, I put it all together and found success!  There was so much joy in my heart that I enjoyed cheesecake that year much more!  In retrospect, each passing year where I failed, I also learned something from my failures.  I realized to avoid certain places, or had greater will power to never ‘give up.’  I was overwhelmed with a desire to make it.  The whole thing reminded me about reading a section of a book that talked about ‘failure.’  It noted that we look at failure as something to avoid.  However, many people view failure as an opportunity.  Their failure was not because they did not plan well or perform at their best.  It was because they were missing something, and thus, their quest was to look at the gap between what they wished to accomplish and where they ended up.  They had lofty expectations where they learned a great deal about themselves striving to become something they would not ordinarily grow to become.  It was the gap that became the key to their finding greater energy and ambition to make the final changes and adjustments to achieve their goal.

This is what spiritual growth with God sounds like.  We see the perfection of His son Jesus Christ, and we try so hard to meet that lofty expectation, but we often fall short.  We should see our failures as opportunities to learn about God’s plan and grow from it. In reading David’s 119^th Psalm, I was struck by his passion to truly learn about God’s purpose for his life.  I noted that he prayed to live and obey His word.  The key word here was ‘may.’  This was an acknowledgement that he studied and focus on God, but he was not always perfect.  He hoped that he was following God’s word.  Additionally, he was overwhelmed with desire to learn more.  Thus, he further understood the ‘gap’ between where he was and where God wanted him.

This is incredibly powerful for us when we are focusing on our own spiritual growth. We will fail.  We will not always hit the mark.  However, we must not be deterred by the loftiness of our goals to become followers that Jesus Himself would be proud of.  Thus, we must look at Christ’s example and see where the ‘gaps’ are.  Then continue to adjust and make changes that will make us more in His likeness.  This can be both scary and challenging.  However, as Hebrews 12:2 says, “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

God is very intentional in His pursuit of us. He sets the stage and moves things so that we know of His presence, and He provides protection, comfort, inspiration, and of course love to solidify that relationship.  Is it no wonder that we should be “overwhelmed with a desire” to know more of Him.  That is what a true growing and loving relationship is like.  Famous football coach Vince Lombardi said to his team once, “Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence.”  This is exactly what being a Christ follower is all about.  Let us ‘chase’ Christ in such a way that truly honors Him.  Where is your obsession to learn more of God’s word?  How will to continually raise the bar to be more like Jesus?  My prayer is that we are honest with ourselves and are overwhelmed with desire to fill the gap between our ways and God’s.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Don't fear hair loss

Luke 12:4-9 “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. “And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” (NASB)

Hello,

So perhaps the meaning of this section is not “don’t be afraid of hair loss”…..but maybe an application J.

Naturally, I have been thinking about change lately. It is everywhere, and here at work certainly has not been an exception. But what is our approach to change – or other things that can induce fear? I think we need to repeatedly go back to the personal knowledge that God has of us, and personal attention He pays. We are valued in His eyes – the circumstances that we live in and operate under are shifting and moving, but His presence and control are steady and constant.

I pray this encourages you today.

Will Hill

Be an example

Ephesians 5:1-2

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children  and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Have you ever uttered the words, “Do as I say, not as I do” to your child?  I know I heard it growing up from time to time.  I am not saying that my parents did anything horrible by any means.  All I am getting at here is that if we want someone to do something a certain way, it will be best learned if we model it for them in the way we want it done. 

God knew this.  This was one of the reasons he sent Christ to earth.  He came to be an example to us of how we should live. He lived a perfect life and demonstrated how we are to be loving and put others first.

What kind of example are you to those around you?  Are you leading others to Christ by the example that you display in your daily life?  My prayer today is that my life will be a positive example for Christ to those that I come in contact with.