Thursday Devotional - Faithful God Through Quiet Work (8/3/23)

Last week I mentioned one of my prayers for the summer was that we would be witnesses in our interactions. Sarah’s coach noticed her positive attitude, but I wondered if she knew it was God’s joy in her. So, I prayed more specifically for natural opportunities to mention God, Bible study, prayer, etc. In answer to that prayer, God provided a couple different opportunities later in the week to naturally mention Bible study and prayer as I talked with a couple parents!

Then, I got an unexpected email from one of Alexis’ coaches. It said “I just wanted to tell you how much I love having Alexis in my group. She’s not only very talented, but she works very hard as well. I’m very impressed with her behavior. It’s a nice break from some of her teammates!”  

While the coach didn’t say “I can see Jesus in Alexis,” maybe she will eventually realize He is behind the difference she sees in Alexis versus her teammates. I realized I needed to be thankful for the small and quiet opportunities to reflect Christ, even if others don’t recognize Christ in us right away. Our Faithful God is powerful enough to work through one quiet moment or combine thousands of quiet work opportunities to accomplish His purposes in the lives of those around us!

Psalm 106:1-3 Praise the Lord.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

² Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord
    or fully declare his praise?
³ Blessed are those who act justly,
    who always do what is right.

We can’t fully give God the praise and honor He deserves. However, He chooses to give us blessings through our meager obedient work. What a Faithful, Generous and Mighty God we serve!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God versus Infertile Woman (1/19/23)

Have you ever done something generous, truly expecting nothing in return, and then received a blessing far greater than you could ever imagine?

That’s what happened to this Shunammite woman.

II Kings 4:8-17 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. ⁹ She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. ¹⁰ Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.”

¹¹ One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. ¹² He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. ¹³ Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’”

She replied, “I have a home among my own people.”

¹⁴ “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked.

Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.”

¹⁵ Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. ¹⁶ “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”

“No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!”

¹⁷ But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.

Our Faithful God saw this woman’s humble, generous and content heart. Elisha experienced it, too! I love how the woman showed true contentment by not even mentioning anything she needed or wanted when Elisha asked her.  

Where can you and I humbly and generously serve others from an attitude of contentment? Our Faithful God has and will provide what He knows we need!

Thursday Devotional - Prayer in Dilemma

In addition to praying for my Dad’s health last week, I also prayed for wisdom to know when to let my Mom and sister, Jane, know about the situation. When we first headed to the ER, my Dad had asked me not to tell them (since it was the middle of the night where they were and he didn’t want to worry them so far away). So, I only let Mary (my sister in CT) know. I kept Joe and Mary updated as tests progressed.   

James 1:5-8 ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

After praying and talking to Joe and Mary about when to tell Mom and Jane, one idea was to wait until after all the tests were over. However, I wasn’t at peace with that and kept praying. Finally, after hours of tests Sunday night and just before heading into a stress test Monday, with a heart catheterization most likely on Tuesday, I felt God clearly gave me an answer.

If my daughter, Sarah, took Joe to the ER while I was far away, what would I want her to do? I would want her to tell me even if Joe asked her not to tell me!!! It seemed like a dilemma between honoring one parent over another, but I didn’t feel right about not telling my Mom. It seemed God kept having me play the Sarah/Joe scenario in my head until I understood it as my answer.

Where do you need wisdom today? God gives wisdom generously! So, let’s ask Him for it, patiently wait for it, and actively look for it!

Alice

Thurs Devo: God's Signs

Now back to the book of Numbers… We left off two weeks ago where Moses and Aaron initiated and made atonement for the rebellious Israelites. By that point, the Israelites should have had enough proof and signs that God had specifically chosen Moses and Aaron for their unique roles in leading the Israelites. However, God graciously gave the Israelites yet another sign.

Numbers 17:1-5       The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. ³ On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. ⁴ Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you. ⁵ The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.”

God gave the Israelites a sign of His choosing. Neither Moses nor the Israelites thought of it or asked for it.

God has given us numerous signs regarding Jesus, His Son and Savior of the world. First, He foretold many of the signs centuries before Jesus’ birth. Here is one of the prophesied signs and the fulfillment 800 years later.

Isaiah 7:14    ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Matthew 1:20-23      ²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Do you and I search out and believe the numerous signs God has given to us about Himself and Jesus?

Or, are you and I like the Israelites in Moses’ day? Do we listen to the ideas, questions and fears of the people around us rather than remembering and focusing on the proofs and signs God has already given?

God is generous and gracious with His signs. The Bible is full of them!!! Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit’s help to read (search for), recognize and remember God’s signs. 

Alice