Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

Placing our trust in Jesus gives us divine protection. I envision myself sitting beside a campfire, the Lord’s angels surrounding me, their wings protecting me from the evil lurking in the woods behind them. My love of camping and knowledge of the existing perils gives me the vision.

Collier-Seminole State Park, on the west coast of Florida, at the tip of the Everglades, has abundant wildlife. Upon entering the campground, signs warn of predators: bears, panthers, and alligators. Thick foliage surrounds the campsites, and bugs swarm as the night descends. In the murky night air, my imagination can go wild, and fear can grip me.

But then I think of the Lord’s presence surrounding me, His angels protecting me, and I place my trust in Him, not my imagination. Whatever scares us, God has the solution. The Lord protects His children. Seeking God’s will and obeying His commands gives us divine security, allowing us to live fearlessly for Him.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for surrounding us with Your angels and protecting us from the things that go bump in the night. Please help us live fearlessly for You, boldly following Your lead.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Reverential fear of the Lord means shrinking in fear and drawing close in awe. We must understand that the Lord means what He says and will do it, but we also become one when we walk in step with Him.

In 1 Samuel, the Philistines capture the Ark of the Covenant, the visual representation of God’s presence to the Israelites, and experience heartache as a result. Wanting to get rid of it, they place the Ark on a cart and send it back to Israel. When David sends men to retrieve it, they do what the Philistines did, putting it on a cart for transport, which results in the death of Uzzah, who touched it.

God gave specific instructions for transporting the Ark, but neither the Philistines nor David followed them, and they suffered the consequences. Only when David showed reverential fear for the Lord and followed his instructions to the letter did the Ark return to its rightful place, and God’s blessings abounded in Israel.

The Lord gives us commands to protect us, not harm us. If we don’t follow them, we will suffer the consequences. But when we obey God, we become more like Jesus and draw closer to Him. Shrink from disobedience and draw close by seeking and following the Lord’s will.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for showing us what reverential fear means. Please help us obey Your commands and follow You closely, allowing us to become more like Jesus daily.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

During my single years, I wanted to have someone call me theirs. I remember the nights, laying alone in my bed, tears streaming down my face, loneliness enfolding me in its arms. But then I discovered Proverbs 31:10-31, twenty-two verses from Solomon’s mom on what kind of wife he should find. Bathsheba’s words gave me direction.

Instead of focusing on what I didn’t have, I began to focus on what I did have: God, the best husband a girl could ever want. I started working on my character, applying the wisdom in Bathsheba’s words to my life. The Lord became my constant companion, calling me by name and providing everything I needed in Him. The Lord did bless me with a wonderful spouse, but first, He transformed me, preparing me for marriage.

“You’re the icing on the cake of what I already had,” I told Ron.

Drawing closer to the Lord and becoming His helped me not put unrealistic expectations on people. I don’t expect Ron to fulfill my needs; that’s God’s role. Taking the pressure off my husband allows me to enjoy his imperfections and partner with Him in our journey to serve the Lord, who called us by name and has a purpose for us.

The Lord knows your name; He calls you His. Lean into the Creator today and let Him provide for all your needs.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for calling us by name and making us Yours. When doubt and despair attack us, God remind us of Your companionship in our lives, Jehovah Shamman, the Lord ever-present.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Daniel, praying for Israel’s future, doesn’t receive an immediate answer, refusing to do anything until he knows God’s plan. However, the Lord responded quickly, but evil’s powers hindered God’s messenger from delivering the reply.

The Devil’s minions can try to obstruct the Lord’s angels, but they can’t stop them. We may have to wait longer for the answer, but God’s will does prevail. The Creator’s messengers have no problem defeating the enemy’s ploys, but it does require a battle. Nothing the Devil does can stop the Lord.

When I first read today’s passage, it baffled me. Learning about the delay in God’s response gave me new insight into answered prayers. Sometimes, we get a delayed response for various reasons, but the Lord does respond to every petition. Like Daniel, we must wait until we hear from our Savior before we make a move.

Whatever answer you await, know God will answer. In His time and way, the Lord responds to all our pleas. We may not like the reply, but it will come. Nothing defeats God’s will. Knowing the past, present, and future, the Creator’s story unfolds despite the enemy’s plans to thwart it. In time, like Daniel, we’ll understand the whole story.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for including us in Your story. Please help us wait well for Your responses to our prayers. Let us honor and serve You wholeheartedly as we participate in Your plan for our lives.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Mercy Me’s song, “I Can Only Imagine,”¹ comes to mind when I read today’s verse. As the lyrics unfold, the musician wonders what will happen when he enters heaven and sees Jesus for the first time. Based on John’s vision, we’ll fall to our knees in awe, experiencing the Lord’s presence in a way we can’t even begin to imagine.

First and Last, Christ’s eternal presence in our lives culminates when He calls us home. John experienced this vision while exiled on the island of Patmos, the only disciple to live to old age and die of natural causes. Like prophets before him, the apostle felt fear and trembling in the presence of the Almighty, needing Christ’s reassurance to soothe him.

One day, we will experience John’s vision for ourselves. The Eternal One will greet us when we enter heaven, and the glory of the Lord will unfold before us. Living for the hope of eternity gives us the strength to persevere and release our fear. God’s will comes to fruition; nothing man can do will stop it.

The Living One, Christ, never changes; He alone can do everything. Linking His divine qualities to the Lord’s earthly existence, Jesus’s life revolves around the Cross and Resurrection, atonement for our sins, and connection with Him forever.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for giving Your life for ours, allowing us entrance into Your kingdom, and the ability to fall at Your feet in worship. Please help us live in the light of eternity, fearing not but walking boldly with You.
IJNIP. Amen

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_lrrq_opng ↩︎

One-minute read.

According to Expositor’s Bible Commentary, this verse contrasts two types of fear:

• Tormenting Fear: conscious guilt (you know you did something wrong)
• Salutary Fear: reverential fear of God and His sovereignty.(1)

Moses doesn’t want people to worry that God came to punish them for their sins but to respect His all-knowing place in their lives and the love He has for them. A salutary fear of the Lord keeps us from sinning, motivating us to obey Him instead.

For example, my salutary fear of the Lord guides my decisions and actions. Instead of doing what I want, like venting my irritation at the slow cashier who seems utterly unaware of time, I bite my tongue, put a smile on my face, and remember the Lord loves her, and He expects me to do so as well. Respect for God makes me act differently and stops me from sinning.

Moses wants the Israelites to understand the difference. Instead of feeling guilty for their sin, He wants them to respect the Lord and sin less. We will never achieve perfection, but we can try to obey and serve God to the best of our ability, confessing our sins when we falter and trying again.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for helping us to sin less as we trust and obey You. Please bless our efforts, help us make better choices, and fulfill Your purpose for our lives.
IJNIP. Amen

(1) Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament 2004.

One-minute read.

Jehovah Maooz: the Lord is our strength. Beginning the year studying Psalm 23, the devotional taught the seven distinct names of God found in the six verses of the infamous chapter. Verse four, “thy rod and thy staff comfort me”, represents the God of strength—our Shepherd, who protects and comforts us.

David knew the strength of the Lord intimately, having won countless victories with God as His Shepherd. Passing along his faith to Solomon, David wanted his son to know where to go for help. And he wants us to know it as well. Faith in the Lord allows us to face today’s troubles with strength and courage because He fights our battles. Jehovah Maooz gives us everything we need to overcome the world’s challenges as long as we keep our eyes on Him, relying entirely on the Shepherd to protect His sheep.

Cell phones keep us connected 24/7, but if they lose their juice, we can find ourselves isolated and alone. With the Lord as our Shepherd, we don’t need a mobile device to connect us to others; we live in His presence, never alone. We can walk confidently, knowing God never leaves, nor forsakes us.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for David’s words, which encouraged Solomon and continue to uplift us today. Please help us rely entirely on You, living in Your strength and boldly facing the day ahead, knowing You have our backs.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

God cares for us with His rod and staff. Shepherds carry a club to ward off wild animals, while their crook, a long walking stick with a j-like curve, keeps the sheep in control. When one wooly white animal goes astray, others quickly follow, but with the Lord as our Shepherd, He doesn’t allow us to get off course.

Knowing the Lord watches over us should give us peace. We will all walk through the shadow of death, but because of Jesus, we don’t stay there. Speaking at my mother’s funeral on a Friday morning, I will never forget talking about walking through the shadow of her death, a bleak day for me. But also a grace-filled day as I experienced the presence of the Shepherd and felt His guidance in a way like never before, and only because of the valley I walked through.

Thinking about future valleys can cause us to miss today’s victory. Before my mom passed, I would worry how I would ever survive her loss. But I shouldn’t have because the Lord led me through that shadow, gave me strength for the journey, and hope to persevere. Ten years later, I miss my mom, but she’s never left me, alive in my heart and memories, her words still encouraging me when I need them.

Allow the Shepherd to guide you, trusting His rod and staff to comfort you. Fear no evil because the Lord will protect you, no matter what comes your way.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for protecting us with Your rod and staff, comforting us, and allowing us to rest. Please help us cling to You, never straying, following closely.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

The Message translation of today’s scripture says, “Who would dare lay a hand on me?” (Psalm 118:6b). When I first read it, I felt the power in the words and thought of God’s sovereignty. Who would dare go against Him? Yet many do, blatantly denying His existence and toying with His commands.

When people disobey the Lord, they will suffer the consequences, as we all do when we sin. Lying to people doesn’t build healthy relationships, destroys trust, and creates hard-to-repair division. With Christ as our Savior, we receive salvation from our misdeeds, but people who blatantly deny God’s existence will experience His wrath, which makes me shudder when I think about it.

Faith in Jesus protects us valiantly from the enemy and ourselves. Anyone who dares lay a hand on us will have to deal with the Lord. God protects His children and gives them a haven to find rest. In Him, we have nothing to fear.

As you face today’s mountains, remember who has your back. With the Lord by your side, you have nothing to fear and everything to gain. Allow the Savior to order your steps and lead you to still waters, knowing He walks with you, never letting you go.

Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for protecting us and keeping us from harm. Please help us live freely in the shadow of Your wings, not letting fear take hold in our lives.
IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Stronghold has two interpretations, one positive and one negative.  The word means “fortified place.”[1]  In today’s verse, the psalmist calls the Lord the stronghold of his life.  In this sense, God provides a place of refuge and protection that no one can break, a very positive use of the word, and one we want and need.

At other times, a stronghold means a person has a bondage to sin that they often can’t see and don’t realize its negative impact upon them.  In other words, sin has become a fortified place where they take refuge instead of the Lord.  My anger had a stronghold on me for years until I did the hard work to overcome it and lay it at the foot of the cross, taking refuge in the Lord instead of anger.

The more we take refuge in the Lord, the less we will find ourselves in bondage to sin.  As God leads us through life, He will reveal the areas where sin has a stronghold and help us overcome it, just as the Savior did with my anger, making me aware of a significant blind spot in my life.

When we take refuge in the Lord and live in His stronghold, we needn’t fear anything. He protects us from the enemy’s attacks and saves us from our sins.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for providing a stronghold for us to take refuge.  Please help us see our blind spots and overcome them with Your help.  Let us honor and serve You in everything we do.

IJNIP. Amen

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[1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stronghold