2 minute read.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

 1 Corinthians 13:1 ESV

Universal language.

Love, the universal language that connects hearts around the world.  An action that also requires doing.  We show love towards others because of God, the foundation of love.  Christ showed us love when He came to Earth, dying on the cross and rising again.  God created us to receive love and share it.  Transformation begins when we realize we can do nothing to earn God’s love but, by faith, receive it through Jesus.

Paul’s letter to the Corinthians details the specifics of love, a new way to live thanks to Jesus.  In heaven, we will no longer need faith or hope; only love remains, a way of life for those in Christ.  As followers of Jesus, filled with His Spirit, we should live a life of love now, using it as a lens to view the world.

“If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.” 1 Cor. 13:1 MSG

The Message version of the Bible, known as a reading Bible, helps us gain a deeper understanding of today’s verse.  Living in a world of “self”-self-awareness, self-esteem, self-acceptance, self-image, and self-realization- putting God and others first before oneself goes against cultural norms.  Just like the envious, prideful, self-centered Corinthians during Paul’s time on Earth.

To love, we must do what Christ did.  Paul explains to the Corinthians nothing matters more than love.  Comparing actions done without love to a rusty gate, Paul spends the next several verses describing what Agape love looks like when lived out in our lives.  Over the next thirteen days, we’ll explore the aspects of love Christ showed us when He lived on Earth.

In Matthew, Jesus taught us to pray, “On Earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).  We do that when we live a life of love, imitating Christ.  Practicing what Jesus taught us will help us live the “more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31b). 

The way of love becomes a way of life when we follow Jesus daily, imitating Him.  Love in action happens when we live for the Lord and obey Him.  Love God and others, the Lord’s greatest commandment that will lead us to a lifestyle of love.

Love Challenge:

Go out of your way to show love to someone today.  Open the door for a stranger, do a chore for a family member, send a note to someone, or pay for the person’s order behind you at the drive-thru.  Find a way to share the love Christ gave you actively.

Five-minute read.

See if there is any offensive way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:24

Lead me.

David ends his psalm with one request: lead me in the way everlasting. Search my heart, remove offensive ways, and lead me on the path of righteousness. Typically, when I close my morning prayers, I utter something like:

“God, guide and direct me. Take me where You want me to go. Don’t let me miss anything You have for me. My life is Yours.”

Such relief washes over me as I relinquish control to God. Trying to run the world exhausted me. No one ever did what I wanted; heartache and disappointment my constant companion. But letting go and trusting God’s sovereignty relieves my anxiety of needing control.

“I’m the saved, not the Savior.” One phrase reminds me of my place in the world. As a fixer, I desire to make things better for people. When one of my best friends, Lynda, lost her son at the hands of a trigger-pulling robber, I wanted to take away her pain, but I couldn’t. Walking through the past five years with her has taught me much about God’s sovereignty and the sin that exists in the world. 

“Just show up,” Mike said in his message soon after his son’s death. Husband of Lynda and my pastor, I will never forget his words. Speaking to the Sunday morning crowd, Mike told us how we could help them persevere through the unspeakable tragedy that took Bryan’s life.

But I found showing up challenging. Having never processed my grief from my nephew’s passing, seeing Lynda’s grief seemed unbearable. And so, I entered into therapy to help me work through these life events that shook my world and caused me to ask, “Why God?” The Lord led me on the path of righteousness with the help of a trained Christian counselor.

“I want to live life to the fullest, and I’m not,” I responded to the therapist when she asked why I came. Our first session centered around learning to let go; she sent me home with the following poem:

LETTING GO

(Author unknown)

To “let go” does not mean to stop caring; it means I can’t do it for someone else.

To “let go” is not to cut myself off; it’s the realization I can’t control another.

To “let go” is not to enable but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To “let go” is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To “let go” is not to try to change or blame another; it’s to make the most of myself.

To “let go” is not to care for but to care about.

To “let go” is not to fix but to be supportive.

To “let go” is not to judge but to allow another to be a human being.

To “let go” is not to be in the middle arranging the outcomes but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To “let go” is not to be protective; it’s to permit another to face reality.

To “let go” is not to deny but to accept.

To “let go” it not to nag, scold or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings, and correct them.

To “let go” is not to adjust everything to my desires but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.

To “let go” is not to criticize and regulate anybody but to try to become what I dream I can be.

To “let go” is not to regret the past but to grow and live for the future.

To “let go” is to fear less and love more.

Application:

Fear less, love more.

Asking the Lord to lead me allows me to let go and let Him.  No longer do I try to control the world around me; instead, I enjoy it. Living in the moment helps me live life to the fullest. Accepting God’s sovereignty reminds me of my place in the world and helps me fulfill my purpose.

I’m the saved, not the Savior. As a person saved by grace, I must follow the One who saved me to continue on the path of righteousness. In His time, God will reveal our journey according to His will. In return, the Lord asks for a devoted and humble heart that will follow. In Him, we can trust.

Journaling Questions:

1. How much do you struggle with letting go of control?
2. What can you do today to let the Lord lead you?
3. In what ways does God’s sovereignty help you live life to the fullest?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for trying to control the world, acting as Savior instead of saved. As we move forward from David’s Psalm, let us remember the lessons You taught us. Help us embrace Your sovereignty and follow You wholeheartedly. Let us fulfill our purpose, becoming more like Christ each day, as we love You unconditionally. God bless our efforts, let Your favor reign in our lives, and let us represent You well to the world around us. All glory and honor to You.  IJNIP. Amen

Five-minute read.

Search me, God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Psalm 139:23

Search Me.

Asking God to discern our motives will reveal hard truths.  Taking intentions into consideration changes perspective.  Considering verses 21-22, which talk about hating God’s opponents and counting them as enemies, we can easily have wrong motives.  Hatred has a way of taking control of one’s heart, making it bitter.  Once a bitter root starts growing, like weeds in a garden, it can quickly take over.

My latest church hurt happened last summer.   Involved in a women’s group, it became a mom’s group when a new leader took over.  Since I’m not a mom, she kicked me out of the group, a very painful experience.  Ever since the unexpected phone call, I’ve battled bitterness over the situation and negative thoughts towards the leader.  Asking God to search my heart helps me identify the bitter roots and ask Him to remove them. 

Transformation begins to take place as I allow the Lord into my pain.  Immediately, He reminds me of my sinful ways, which humbles me.  My heart begins to soften as I remember we all fall short of the mark.  Instead of dwelling on the offense, I choose to let it go, time and again.  Just like the Lord let my sins go when He forgave me, separating them as far as the “east is from the west (Psalm 130:12).”

“The Center for Bible Engagement surveyed over 400,000 people around the world… If you are not reading your Bible four times a week, then your life is statistically the same as that of a non-believer! Your life will not change in any significant way than that of one who never reads His Word! This survey also discovered if you are in God’s Word four times a week, you are 30% less likely to be lonely, 59% less likely to view pornography, 228% more likely to share your faith, and 407% more likely to memorize Scripture!” Claire Scott, Learning2Listen[i]

To have the Lord search our hearts, we must engage with Him.  Reading scripture connects us to God and invites Him into our lives.  As we read the Bible, it reads us.  Each day, I open the sacred scrolls now digitized on my phone; I discover something about myself, sometimes good, sometimes bad, but always something.  No better self-help book exists than the Bible.  We grow when God’s light illuminates our hearts, reveals our shortcomings, and helps us make better choices.  The Lord heals our hurts, restores our peace, and helps us become better instead of bitter.

Ask God to search your heart.  Don’t let fear stop you from discovering what the Lord has for you.  Gently, with unconditional love, God corrects us, helping us grow.  All jewels go through a refinement process to become invaluable gems.  To become the masterpieces God intends, we must let the Lord search our hearts and purify us.  We can’t become better without God’s help.  In all things, He works for the good of those who believe and trust in Him.

Believe, trust, become.

Application:

Gentle correction.

When I ask God to search my heart, He does so with love and tenderness, correcting with care.  Reading scripture helps me connect with the Lord.  Each morning, when I open my Bible, I do so with an expectant heart, knowing God has something for me.  Sometimes, I get convicted over my thoughts or actions; other times, I feel a nudge to do something for someone.

Recently, Ron and I went to the bank to take care of business. After waiting 20 minutes without acknowledgment, trying to contain my annoyance, I sought help.  Asking God into the situation and my heart kept me from overreacting and causing a scene, something the old Beth would do.  Through the Lord’s teaching, I’m learning to wait better, accept His timing, and understand that life doesn’t revolve around me.   When I ask the Lord to search my heart and test my anxious thoughts, He does so with love and kindness, helping me become better, not bitter.

God loves us and wants the best for us.  Allowing Him to search our hearts helps us receive the Lord’s blessings as we align ourselves with Him.

Journaling Questions:

1. What scares you about asking God to search your heart?
2. How has God searched your heart in the past?
3. What does God reveal to you when He searches your heart?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for not letting You into all the crevices of our hearts.  Search us and know, test our anxious thoughts, and help us overcome the world’s lies.  Lead us on the path of righteousness as we allow You to refine us.  Let us keep becoming more like Christ every day. IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.facebook.com/groups/226515935803777/

Five-minute read.

I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.

Psalm 139:22

Devotion to God.

Affirming his devotion, David hates anyone who rebels against the Lord.  Sane, the original Hebrew word for hatred, means “to hate, be an enemy, to be unloved, be shunned, be an adversary, can be active, as an enemy or adversary; or passive, as someone unloved or shunned.” [i]David uses an active form of the word, counting them enemies and shunning those who rebel against God.

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary gives us greater insight into the word hatred:

“HA’TRED, noun Great dislike or aversion; hate; enmity. Hatred is an aversion to evil and may spring from utter disapprobation, as the hatred of vice or meanness; or it may spring from offenses or injuries done by fellow men, or from envy or jealousy, in which case it is usually accompanied with malevolence or malignity. Extreme hatred is abhorrence or detestation.” [ii]

The Psalmist expresses his aversion to evil and disapproval of sin. The people David refers to sin against the Lord, not necessarily him, which evokes strong emotion. After all the Lord did and does for him, David can’t stand people who despise God. Detesting the actions of those who rebel against his Maker, David expresses his distaste.

Sadness comes from my heart for those who turn their back on the Lord. Without God, you can’t live life to the fullest. Deception rules their soul, and they miss out on divine blessings.

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:7-9

Sowing corruption reaps corruption. Sowing peace reaps peace. The Lord knows the hearts and minds of all; no one hides from Him.  When I meet someone with a rebellious heart towards God, I pray for them, asking the Lord to soften their hearts and turn them towards Him. The Lord doesn’t want anyone to perish.

Recently, I joined the prayer team of an international organization I support. At our first meeting, one praise report brought tears to my eyes. A pastor praying for a Muslim man with skin cancer felt encouraged by the Holy Spirit.

“Will you place your faith in Christ when He heals you?”

“Yeah, but Jesus ain’t gonna heal me.”

Boldly, the pastor began to pray, and the cancerous spots started to shrink as he did. By the time he finished praying, God had healed the man, who became a believer. The prayers of a righteous man have much power.

Pray for those who openly hate God. Ask the Lord to soften their hearts and turn them towards Him.  Have faith that God doesn’t want anyone to perish, and ask Him to do what only He can do.

Application:

Hate rebellion.

David’s hatred of people who sin against God has validity. But without love, we can’t overcome hate. Feeling empathy for people who turn against the Lord, living in rebellion, helps us pray for them. Abraham Lincoln famously said, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” [iii]  Lincoln lived out his belief by making his political opponents his cabinet when he became President, and by doing so, he helped heal a nation.

Praying for people who actively turn against the Lord helps them begin reconciling with God. Asking the Lord to soften their hearts, giving them ears to hear and eyes to see His mighty works, helps them begin the journey of salvation through Christ. Only God can change hearts, and in Him, we must trust.

Hate becomes love when we apply Christ’s teachings and pray for those who don’t know the Lord.

Journaling Questions:

1. What feelings do those who hate God evoke in you?
2. How can you pray for non-believers in your life today?
3. When has God changed someone’s heart in your life?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for loving us. Please soften the hearts of non-believers, giving them eyes to see and ears to hear Your mighty works. Change their hearts and minds as they begin to experience You.  IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+139%3A22&version=NIV&tab=interlinear

[ii] https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/hatred

[iii] https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10667-do-i-not-destroy-my-enemies-when-i-make-them

[i] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+139%3A22&version=NIV&tab=interlinear

[ii] https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/hatred

[iii] https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10667-do-i-not-destroy-my-enemies-when-i-make-them

Five-minute read.

Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, And abhor those who are in rebellion against you?

Psalm 139:21

Faithful follower.

Loyalty to God makes David shun those who hate the Lord. Devotion requires commitment. As a devoted wife, I commit to love my husband every day, rain or shine. When he pets my peeves, I respond gracefully to the best of my ability. If someone questions Ron or goes against him, I have his back. Pledging my life to Ron as his wife made me his biggest cheerleader, and he takes second priority only to God. As a faithful follower, committing my life to the Lord, He comes first, even before my husband.

People miss the beauty of prioritizing God in their lives. Making the Lord first in my life helps me love Ron and others better, creating healthier relationships. Because God loves me, I can love others. Without the Lord’s unconditional affection, I wouldn’t know how to care for others. Jesus’ sacrificial life, death, and resurrection happened because of His love for humanity. Christ shows us how to love others because He first loved us.

 I wouldn’t know how to forgive if God hadn’t forgiven me first. When someone irritates me, like the cashier who chatted aimlessly with another employee ignoring the line, I think about the divine grace I received from Jesus. Capturing the negative thoughts in my mind, I make them obedient to Christ by remembering my forgiven sins. My heart softens as I focus on God’s grace for me and the cashier; the Lord excludes no one.   People choose to live without God.

Like those who hate the Lord, and people do hate God. Look at our world today; people despise their Creator and want nothing to do with Him.  As much as things have changed since Jesus walked the Earth, some things remain the same. Letting Barrabas go, the crowd chose to crucify Christ instead, not an act born of love. We must choose who we will follow: the world or Jesus.

“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4 

When James talks about the world, he means people’s desire for pleasure. Adulterous refers to people’s spiritual unfaithfulness. Faithfulness to the Lord often means going against our fleshly desires. In my flesh, I would like to reprimand the annoying cashier, but my devotion to God causes me to change my thinking and extend grace instead. Following Jesus changes our thinking, putting God and others before our desires. Day in and day out, we must choose who we will follow: the Lord or the world. Some days, I do better than others, but thankfully, with God’s grace, I get to try again each day.

Faithfully following the Lord happens one day at a time. Each morning, God has new mercies for us. We can accept forgiveness for the sins of yesterday, receive correction, and grow as we apply Christ’s teachings to our lives.

Application:

Daily journey.

Recently, I watched the Netflix series Maid.[i]  Based on a novel, the story of a single mom escaping an abusive relationship had many ups and downs. In the end, she describes her happiest day, which has yet to happen. The young mom tells of the long climb she will take with her daughter to the top of a particular mountain, overcoming difficulties and persevering until they reach the pinnacle.

As I listened to the monologue, I thought of its truth. We all have a mountain to climb, with obstacles to overcome. Following Jesus up the steep incline of life faithfully helps us beat our challenges and brings others along as we introduce them to Christ. Showing others how God works in our lives gives them hope that He can do the same for them.

Faithfully following Jesus not only helps us persevere but shows others how they can as well. 

Journaling Questions:

1. What worldly desires challenge your faithfulness to God?
2. What obstacles do you need the Lord’s help with today?
3. How can you become more faithful to God?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for succumbing to worldly desires. Strengthen our faith as we loyally follow You.  Help us overcome today’s struggles as we place our trust in You.  Let us share Your love with others, introducing them to Your grace and mercy. Allow us to reach the top of the mountain, one step at a time. IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.netflix.com/title/81166770

Five-minute read.

They speak of you with evil intent; Your adversaries misuse your name.

Psalm 139:20

 

Misuse Your name.

Yesterday, we talked about the wickedness inside us, but David’s talking about those who do evil against the Lord.  People who deny God and misuse His name will experience the Lord’s judgment, and I do not envy them.  Respecting God’s name and treating it with reverence requires submission to the sovereign Lord, and many people don’t want to submit.

People prefer subjective truth to objective truth in a “you do you” world.  Subjective truth bases itself on “how an individual sees or experiences the world.”[i]  For example, I feel cold; therefore, it’s cold.  Objective truth bases itself on facts, “has definite correspondence to reality, independent of anyone’s feelings or biases, true for everyone whether people agree with it or not.”[ii]With a population of 331.9 million people in the United States, that equals 331.9 million subjective truths. 

^“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

Jesus lived, died, and came back to life.  Over 500 witnesses saw Christ after the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:6).  If that many people at that time agreed with what they saw, we can accept it as truth.  When 500 people attend a wedding and watch a couple say their vows and commit their lives to each other, no one doubts the validity of the marriage.  People may not like that an event happened, but it doesn’t negate that it did.

Following Jesus reveals the truth about ourselves and humankind.  God created us before time began for His purposes.  Christ died for us, taking on our sins to give us new life.  Forgiven and free, heirs to the Lord’s eternal kingdom, we can live abundantly with Jesus.  Each day, as we follow God, He transforms us into a new creation, leaving our old life behind and becoming more like Christ.

Subjective truth has a limited perspective and no basis in facts.  Objective truth stands the test of time, not shaken by false teachings.  Jesus’ resurrection occurred thousands of years ago, and no one can disprove it.  Lee Stroebel’s ‘Case for Christ” remains one of my favorite books. A graduate of Yale Law School and journalist at The Chicago Tribune, Stroebel applied his investigative skills to disproving Jesus’s existence. After two years of probing the evidence, he became a Christian.[iii]  An atheist who became a believer in Christ, Stroebel continues to share the Good News in any way he can.

Misusing God’s name and not believing in His existence has dire consequences.  God will separate the wicked from those who place their faith in Him.  Protecting us from evil schemes, the Lord knows the hearts of people.  We must keep our eyes on Jesus to maintain peace in this world. Allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us will quickly convict us of sin and keep us on the straight and narrow.  Taking the next right step, day after day, leads to a life lived well for the Lord.  Following Jesus shows us which steps to take and keeps us from misusing the Lord’s name.

Application:

Keep the Son in your eyes.

We lose sight of the truth when we take our eyes off Jesus.  Through Christ, He reveals the truth to us.  Applying the Lord’s teaching to our lives helps us understand the three truths in an argument: theirs, ours, and God’s.  We all sin and fall short of the mark, but Jesus didn’t because of His sovereignty.  God knows all the facts, understands the different perspectives, and reveals the truth.

Believing lies causes people to misuse God’s name, becoming an adversary of the Lord.  To find truth, we must seek Jesus.  Staying focused on Christ’s teachings will help us accept our sinful nature, recognize the lies we tell ourselves, and help us overcome the troubles of this world.  One right step at a time will lead to a righteous life. 

Like David, we will praise the Lord for His mighty works.  Trusting God to protect us from His adversaries and keep us on the narrow path.

Journaling Questions:

1. When have you misused the Lord’s name?
2. How does following Jesus reveal the truth to you?
3. What can you do to keep the Son in your eyes?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for misusing Your name.  Please help us stay focused on Jesus, applying His teaching to our lives and accepting the objective truth He reveals.  Develop a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in us so that we respond quickly to His promptings, trusting His direction.  Let us represent Jesus well as we follow Him.  IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.hsdinstitute.org/resources/four-truths.html#:~:text=Subjective%20Truth%20is%20how%20the,up%3B%20the%20day%20is%20bright.

[ii] https://www.gotquestions.org/objective-truth.html

[iii] https://leestrobel.com/about

Five-minute read.

If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!

Psalm 139:19

Awareness of evil.

David acknowledges that evil exists; wicked people spoil God’s beauty.  Only the Lord judges the sins of man.  The Psalmist sees no purpose for those who defy the Creator and live in rebellion.  “Bloodthirsty” people care little for life, justice, or righteousness, only desiring their ways and doing what they want.

In truth, we all rebel against God at some point or another.  As much as I love the Lord and desire His ways, I falter, and so did David.  Walking on the roof of his home, David saw Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, bathing.  Desiring her, the king sent for the woman to sleep with her, resulting in a pregnancy.  To cover his sin, David sent for Uriah, a leader in his army, out battling the Ammonites, calling him in from the battlefield so he would sleep with Bathsheba.  But Uriah refused to take pleasure in his wife while men suffered in battle.

And so, David had Uriah killed.  The king wrote a letter to Joab, commander of the army, and sent it back to the battlefield with Uriah.  Bathsheba’s husband carried his death sentence in his hand.  How could David do such a thing?  And in today’s passage, we find David wanting God to take the wicked away from him.  Well, David, maybe look in the mirror.  Read the complete account in 2 Samuel 11.

Recently, I heard a message from a pastor at our church, which gave me a new perspective on the familiar story.  In my mind, I always thought Bathsheba came willingly to the king.  But she had no choice; as a subject of David’s, she had to go.  What the king wanted, he got.  Who even knows if Bathsheba liked David? She had no choice but to obey him and do the king’s will.

Once Uriah died, Bathsheba became David’s wife.  The baby conceived out of wedlock died, and eventually, she gave birth to Solomon, David’s heir to the throne.  Considered a man of wisdom, Solomon wrote most of Proverbs and all Ecclesiastes.  In Proverbs 31, Solomon, also known as King Lemuel, shares the knowledge he received from his mother about a woman of noble character.  Bathsheba accepted her lot, trusting God and living a noble life.  David’s wickedness didn’t deter Bathsheba’s faith.

And so, wickedness exists in us.  Confessing our evil desires slays the sin in our lives, submitting it to God and allowing Him to transform our lives.  In the words of Michael Jackson:

“I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways.
And no message could’ve been any clearer.
If they wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change.”

Man in the Mirror[i]

God called David a “man after his own heart” (Acts 13:22).  David repented for his actions with Bathsheba, and the Lord forgave him.  When we confess our sins and submit to the Lord, God slays our wickedness, helping us change our ways and transform our lives.

Application:

God slays wickedness.

To slay the wicked from my life, I must first look at myself.  Owning my imperfections and confessing them helps me cleanse my heart and have grace and mercy for others.  Before I pull the splinter out of someone else’s eye, I must remove the log from mine.  But sometimes, I can’t see the plank in my eye.

Nothing shows me my deficiencies more than marriage. Ron does things that pet my peeves.  My husband doesn’t turn off lights and loves leaving dishes in the sink.  But guess what? I pet Ron’s peeves, too.  Leaving doors open and my impulsive actions drive him crazy.  Before I start nagging my better half, I must stop and look at my actions in the mirror.  Once I do, I become grateful for Ron’s grace with me and much more capable of having grace for him.

Grace from above slays evil and transforms lives.

Journaling Questions:

1. What do you think of David’s request for God to slay the wicked?
2. How does wickedness show itself in your life?
3. What do you need to confess to God today?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for our wickedness.  Before You slay the wickedness in anyone else, slay it in us first.  Help us become people after Your heart as we confess our sins and receive Your saving grace.  All glory to You as we become more like Christ each day.  IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/30571591/Michael+Jackson/Man+in+the+Mirror

Five-minute read.

Were I to count them, They would outnumber the grains of sand—When I awake, I am still with you.

Psalm 139:18

Grains of sand.

Continuing from yesterday’s devotion, we can’t count God’s thoughts about us. Like grains of sand, we can’t comprehend the vastness of them. Pick up a handful of sand and look at it. Try and count even a few grains of the finely ground powder and you will quickly realize how futile the task.

On vacation, I did sunset yoga on the beach. Starting fifteen minutes before the sun faded behind the horizon, the sky illuminated with vibrant pinks, the line of clouds bringing life to the remaining light rays. As I planted my hands in the sand, lifting my body into various poses, I could feel the shifting ground beneath me. Each move caused the sand to shape itself around my body. When we finished, I had grains of sand all over me, in my towel, stuck to my clothes, clinging to my skin and hair. No matter how much I brushed myself, I needed a shower to get all the grains off me.

We can’t escape God’s thoughts towards us. Nowhere on Earth hides us from Him nor takes His mind off us. Like grains of sand, we will find God’s thoughts towards us everywhere and anywhere. He knows the strands of hair on our heads and the DNA in our bodies. As our Creator, the Lord knows and loves every inch of us. Impossible to count, God’s thoughts towards you and me outnumber the grains of sand on the beach.

God loves you more than you can even think or imagine.

If we truly understood the Lord’s love for us, we would live life more freely. When struggles happen, we would face them with confidence, trusting the Lord’s plan (Jeremiah 29:11). We wouldn’t doubt God’s presence in our life (Deuteronomy 31:6). We would have faith that all things work to the good for those who believe and trust in the Lord (Romans 8:28). Constant prayer would mark our days because we know God bends down to listen (Psalm 116:2). Truth would set us free (John 8:31-32).

Unfortunately, the world tells a different story. Constant lies try to convince us God doesn’t exist, nor does He love us. Feelings of aloneness and isolation make God’s promises hard to believe. Doubt in the unseen Creator leaves us wondering who and what to believe. False teachers spin believable lies that can lead us down the wrong path. We have a choice to make.

“If Jesus claims to be God and the claim is valid, then He is God, and if He claims to be God and the claim is false, then He was a liar or a lunatic. Either His claim is true or false.
Therefore, either Jesus is God, or He was a liar or a lunatic.” C.S. Lewis [i]

True or false, you have a choice. Believe Jesus claims, or don’t. Lord, liar or lunatic, which one?

Application:

Lord, for me.

“Even if you didn’t believe in Jesus, following His teachings will make your life better,” I told Ron to make conversation on a long drive.

“Lord, liar or lunatic, He can’t just be a “good teacher,” my husband responded.

Ron helped me gain a new perspective on my relationship with Christ. Quoting C.S. Lewis, those three words define our decision about Jesus. We place Him as Lord over our lives, or He becomes a liar or lunatic. 

Historical records do show Jesus lived, died, and was resurrected. Over 500 witnesses saw the resurrected Christ. Faith in God sometimes defies logic, and we don’t always get the answers we seek. But Jesus as Lord leads to eternal bliss, peace on Earth, and an abundant life.

Lord, liar or lunatic, you choose.

Journaling Questions:

1. Write down ways you know God thinks about you.
2. What does choosing Jesus as Lord of your life do for you?
3. How can you put into action your faith today?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for doubting Your thoughts towards me. Strengthen my belief as I walk through my days. Illuminate my life with Your light as I daily choose You as Lord. With every breath I take, let me honor and serve You.  Step by step, let me fulfill my purpose and glorify You.  IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.memoriapress.com/articles/lord-liar-or-lunatic/#:~:text=Lewis%20constructs%20the%20argument%20in,t%20sit%20easy%20with%20him.

Five-minute read.

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!

Psalm 139:17

God’s thoughts.

Comprehending the Lord’s “thoughts” remains impossible for the human mind.  We can’t possibly begin to understand the magnificent and numerous mind of the Creator.  As created beings, we naturally desire to know God’s thoughts, but ultimately, we must accept we can’t.  Realizing God thinks about us gives us something to treasure.

The Lord who created the Earth, parted the seas, and pierced the darkness with His light thinks about you.  Not only does God think about you, but He has long before you entered the world.  How amazing that the all-knowing, all-powerful God thinks about each one of us constantly, adoring you with every thought He has about you.

No one has ever loved me like my husband does.  Sometimes, Ron overwhelms me with his affection.  I catch him looking at me with a dreamy smile on his face.

“What are you smiling at?” I ask.

“You, I just love you,” he’ll respond.

Ron surprises me at these times.  He finds whatever I’m doing endearing, which shows on his face.  While dating, Ron would tell me how much he thought about me.  “I knew the minute I met you, you were trouble,” he says about our first meeting.  When he came to pick me up for our first date, I will never forget Ron walking towards me, arms outstretched, a smile on his face, and affection in his eyes.  Allowing him to fold me into his arms began a healing journey as I learned how to accept and receive love.

As I began to understand love in a new way, my relationship with God deepened as I gained a different perspective on love.  Ron helped me understand unconditional love.  Raised in a loving family, I knew love.  Where family must love you, Ron chose to love me and continues to cherish me daily.

God chose to love us.  Each day, the Lord loves us more and more.  Nothing we do stops our Creator from loving us.  Spend time thinking about the person who loves you most on this earth.  Try to imagine how much more God loves you than them.  Ponder how much the Lord thinks about you.  Every second, minute, and hour, God’s thinking about you.  Not a moment goes by without the Lord having you on His mind.

David’s thinking about how much God thinks about him.  Knowing the Lord dotes on him makes the warrior feel precious.  Treasuring God’s thoughts towards him gives David value and affirms his purpose on Earth.  The grown shepherd boy knows that the Creator designed him for a purpose, thinks about him constantly, and loves him unconditionally.

Just like David, God created us for a purpose that only we can fulfill.  Basking in the Creator’s love will help us persevere in the storms, knowing God hasn’t forgotten us.  The Lord never stops thinking about you and me, in that we can trust.

Application:

On God’s mind.

I know how much I think about the people I love.  My family and friends constantly occupy my thoughts and prayers when facing hardships.  God thinks about me more than I ever think about someone else.  Trying to understand this faith fact overwhelms me.  I can’t imagine the Lord spending that much time thinking about me, yet He does. 

Feelings of unworthiness make me doubt.  But faith makes me believe.  If God’s always with me, He’s always thinking about me. Considering what we can’t see defines faith.  Trusting God constantly has me on His mind helps me find my value and discover my purpose.  And the Lord promises to do the same for you.

Journaling Questions:

1. What makes you believe God thinks about you?
2. How does it make you feel knowing God’s always thinking about you?
3. How does accepting God thinks about you give you value?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for not believing You think about us.  As we begin to process and accept that You always have us on Your mind, help us believe it in our core.  Let us find our value in You, our worthiness, and our purpose in You.  Guide and direct us on our journeys, help us discover our purpose, honoring You in all things.  IJNIP. Amen

Five-minute read.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; All the days ordained for me were written in your book. Before one of them came to be.

Psalm139:16

Ordained days.

My husband uses a countdown calendar every Christmas to mark the days until Christmas. A giant snowman with a twirling nose hangs in our kitchen. “Days ‘Til Christmas” sprawl across his black top hat, 24-1 border the snowman’s cheery face.

“Alexa, how many days ‘til Christmas?” Ron occasionally asks when he forgets to move the nose a notch. Something about the countdown adds excitement to the holiday as the days tick away. God’s book of life has each of our days numbered; long before Ron did his first Christmas countdown, the Lord knew when and how he would.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

I don’t understand God’s sovereignty, nor should I. How the Lord knows every intimate detail of my life, your life, and everyone else’s life baffles me. But I trust He does. And knowing my Creator knows how many days I will live on Earth brings comfort to me as I begin to understand the profound truth in this verse. Life and death remain in God’s control, and living out His purpose for my life remains mine. The Lord never fully intended for us to understand how the universe operates. He expects us to trust that He does.

Releasing the fear of death to the Lord allows me to live life fully. God already determined my days; I won’t die a day sooner or later than what the Lord ordained for me. Once I fulfill my life purpose, God will call me home to Him.  And so, I needn’t worry about dying, instead focusing my attention on living.

How amazing to spend time thinking about God’s intimate knowledge of us. Living in a city, I see all kinds of people everywhere I look. The Lord created and knows everyone, loving them even if they don’t love Him back. Each story, God knows. Every hurt, every healing, every struggle, every triumph, nothing happens in life without the Creator knowing. 

Yes, God does know the bad days before they happen and does allow them to occur. The Lord never promised a life without pain, but He did promise never to leave us, no matter the circumstances. Drawing closer to the Great Comforter will help us persevere during the storms of life. God leads us through the trials of this life, guiding us on the journey until we move to our heavenly address.

“Someday, you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.” Billy Graham[i]

The Lord knows your address on Earth and when it will change to a heavenly zipcode. We don’t control life and death; God does. But we do have a choice in how we live our lives now. Following Jesus will help us live an abundant life and keep us in our place. God runs the universe; we follow Him.

Application:

Limited days.

In this life, we have a limited number of days. When rushing to finish a project, I must remember that God will give me the time to do the things He wants me to do. In other words, the Lord has a purpose for my life. Only as I follow Jesus will I discover what He wants me to do. As I consistently take the next right step, God’s path for me unfolds. When I complete my final task on Earth, the Lord will call me home. Only God knows the date of my death. And He knew the day long before my conception. We don’t control life; the Creator does.

Releasing my fear of death and accepting God’s sovereignty allows me to live fully in the present moment. Whether a good day or a bad one, none last forever. And for each day I live, the Lord already had it planned long before my body formed in my mother’s womb.

Journaling Questions:

1. How does knowing God numbers your days affect you?
2. How does the fear of death interfere with living life to the fullest?
3. Why do you think God allows terrible days to happen?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for thinking I had control over life and death. Please strengthen my faith as I follow You day after day. Release me from my fears, and help me walk boldly into the future, knowing You already have my days planned. Keep me on track, nudging me back in line when I stray. Help me life live fully, one day at a time. IJNIP. Amen

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[i] https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/february-web-only/billy-graham-viral-quote-on-death-not-his-d-l-moody.html