Devotions

[Pip]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/02/07/the-name-you-call-yourself?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_TWtWuPnmckYj1UUSASIdai-iFE_NBFRCdeTfeAenZOatp5iUJjJyj9G4t2QSR9G7aZoLfRjJGmmziVKRDDteoHVwwIQ&_hsmi=291500412&utm_content=291500412&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

The Name You Call Yourself
February 7, 2024
by Sharon Jaynes

“... Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1b (ESV)

I held Harper’s hand as we walked into the restaurant to place our name on the waiting list. Actually, I walked; my 7-year-old grandniece skipped.  I gave the hostess the number in our party, expressed the desire for an outside table, and told her yes, crayons, please. Then the hostess asked my name. I replied, “Sharon.”

Harper quickly corrected me: “No. It’s Aunt Sharon.”

Smiles and giggles went all around. Harper had no idea what was so funny.  All through life, we are known by different names. Some lovely. Some laughable. Some loathsome. Some others call us. Some we call ourselves.  In the Bible, there is a story of a woman named Naomi who changed her name. She and her family left their home in Bethlehem and moved to Moab, but over the next 10 years, her husband and two married sons died. When she decided to return to Bethlehem, only her daughter-in-law Ruth joined her.  Naomi was broken. She must have looked very different as she trudged into town forlorn.  “Is that Naomi?” her friends asked.

She said, “Don’t call me Naomi,” which means “pleasant” in Hebrew. “Call me Mara [bitter], because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me” (Ruth 1:20-21, NIV).

A time or two, I have changed what I call myself according to the circumstances of my life. Failure. Unwanted. Inadequate. Loser. But you know what? None of those names is true. Those are not names God calls me or you.  No matter what’s on your birth certificate, what others have called you, or what you have called yourself, God calls you His dearly loved child. If you have placed your faith in Jesus, He also calls you:

Anointed (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).
Appointed (John 15:16).
Accepted (Romans 15:7).

Reconciled (Romans 5:10).
Righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Redeemed (Galatians 3:13).

Forgiven (Ephesians 1:7).
Free (Romans 8:1).
Friend (John 15:15).

Chosen (Ephesians 1:4).
Holy (Colossians 1:22).
Dearly loved (Colossians 3:12).

Justified (Romans 5:9).
Qualified (Colossians 1:12).
Jesus’ bride (2 Corinthians 11:2).

Those are the names we need to remember.  Eventually Ruth married Naomi’s relative Boaz and had a son. Naomi's friends then encouraged her, “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer.  He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age” (Ruth 4:14-15a, NIV).

Let’s learn from Naomi that our identity and dignity is given to us by God, our Redeemer. And let's make sure we don’t change what we call ourselves according to ever-changing circumstances. Instead, may we listen to God's voice: “I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1).

Father, forgive me for seeing myself as less than how You see me. Regardless

[Pip]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/02/12/god-rejoices-over-you?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Y_xZEcsI4GjjyRnx4y64bIGnSjD0lXbONNtexq9o-LzAN1LZymLSdLdN7zXNPb1tYvz3uSYGqF3S7ryceKFvlBKh5rg&_hsmi=291604167&utm_content=291604167&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

God Rejoices Over You
February 12, 2024
by Carrie Zeilstra, COMPEL Training Member

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)

A deep sigh escaped my lungs, sounding loud in my dark living room. Why can’t you get it together?

I chided myself with a familiar narrative. You’re such a mess. You didn’t even make your family a decent dinner. The house is cluttered. What is wrong with you?

Tears rolled down my face. I should have been exhausted, but my inner critic kept me awake again.  I cried out, Father, I am always so behind and scattered. I feel like a failure.  In the silence, God reminded me of a Bible verse that a friend had shared with me years earlier. I couldn’t remember all the words. Feeling hopeful, I turned on a lamp, grabbed my Bible, and turned the thin pages until I found it.  “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).

A memory flashed across my mind. I was driving, with my toddler in the back seat. In the rearview mirror, I could see my son’s head bobbing side to side as I sang to him. I often sang familiar melodies but replaced the lyrics with his name. My son’s face was lit up with joy, despite the tears on his eyelashes from a tantrum moments earlier. My heart swelled with love.  The picture in my mind shifted. It was the same scene but with God in the driver’s seat, loudly singing a beautiful melody over me. My mind quieted.  I read the verse again and whispered a prayer of gratitude. Thank You that You are in my midst. You sing over me because I am Your child. You rejoice over me with gladness. That night, God’s song drowned out the negative narrative I spoke to myself.  My worth does not lie in check marks on my to-do list or even in how I perceive myself. My weaknesses don’t define me the God of the universe does!  Sometimes my mind is still unkind to my heart. But when I choose to focus on the Lord’s presence, I picture Him singing over me. Singing my name because He knows me. His love song quiets my mind.  God reminds me that even when I am wrestling with my thoughts, I am worth saving. Even when I think I am lacking, I am His child. Even when I can’t see past my shortcomings, He is rejoicing over me in song.  My ears may never hear the notes on this side of eternity, but oh, what a beautiful melody it is.

[Pip]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/02/28/what-does-it-mean-to-walk-with-god?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--isUHTkvPpMLLriDdH-jcCjHqMEWMF-6isFja-nmNEW0_MMUu8_8Z_eJZRpEBHXT51sL0Z6Mk8YOkPcQTtHgTNqGwjLw&_hsmi=293538545&utm_content=293538545&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

What Does It Mean To Walk With God?
February 28, 2024
by Elizabeth Laing Thompson

“Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Genesis 5:24 (NIV)

When I was a teenager, if I looked out my bedroom window to watch the waking sun paint the treetops gold, I’d often see a bundled figure disappearing into the trees behind our house: my dad, off for his morning walk with God. As he walked, Dad admired God’s creation, shared his worries, and simply basked in his Father’s presence.  Thousands of years before my dad started walking with God, another man did the same. Genesis 5:24 describes Enoch, a descendant of Adam: “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

We don’t know if Enoch was outspoken or charismatic, musical or athletic. We know only one thing: Enoch walked with God. Some believe this scripture (along with Hebrews 11:5) shows that God and Enoch were so close that God did not let Enoch die; rather, God simply “took him away” to be with Him always (Genesis 5:24). Whatever the meaning, one thing is clear Enoch’s life was all about relationship with God. Friendship with God. What a legacy!  Friendship with God sounds idyllic, doesn’t it?

And yet many of us aren’t sure how to cultivate it. We long to enjoy prayer, but it can feel intimidating. Formal. And if we’re totally honest, maybe even boring. Even though I grew up admiring my dad’s vibrant prayer life, my prayers have sometimes felt more like holy duty than close friendship.  When my prayers grow distant or stale, I draw inspiration from Enoch’s example and my dad’s. If you, too, are longing for more, more emotion, more connection what if you took your prayers out of whatever holy box they live in? What if you stopped trying to say the right words and just spent time with God?

What if you stepped outside, into His glorious creation, and turned your “walk with God” into actual walks with God?

And as you walked, what if you simply shared your gratitude, your burdens, your insecurities your heart with your Father?

You might pray the Lord’s Prayer, quote a psalm, or simply walk in His presence, commenting on the beauty around you, asking for guidance, even chuckling over life’s mishaps.  When we draw close to our heavenly Father, we can enjoy His friendship wherever we go. We don’t have to be on a prayer walk: We can live in constant communion with God, sharing laughs, seeking guidance and giving thanks all throughout each day.  My dad has dementia now, and though he doesn’t remember our old house or how he loved trees, he still remembers prayer walks. Whenever Dad comes to visit, I ask, “Hey, Dad, do you want to walk and pray together?”

He lights up, and off we go me and Dad and our heavenly Dad. We walk, we pray, and God’s love holds us close.

[Pip]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/03/11/that-the-works-of-god-might-be-displayed?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9R8-rfSQbsdYVro2iMFo-Vh3PcKlHAXf7n8n0-zUdxTOuylSRImi-NmQbiVaV_LiFxg3nCrDGzrimKaGRCTbc4DFAziA&_hsmi=295274163&utm_content=295274163&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

That the Works of God Might Be Displayed
March 11, 2024
by Alice Matagora

"'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.'" John 9:3 (NIV)

Maybe it’s because I put my career first for so long that’s why I can’t get pregnant.  Maybe it’s because I wanted the promotion too much that’s why the door was shut.  Maybe it’s because I’ve been too eager for a relationship that’s why I’m still single.  Throughout my life, I’ve gone through several seasons of wondering. Wondering why things haven’t turned out the way I wanted them to. Wondering why my life seemed stuck while everyone else’s seemed to be moving along just fine. Wondering why others seemed to have it so much easier than me. This wondering can quickly turn into looking for someone to blame. For me, that “someone” is usually myself  Is there something wrong with me? Did I do something wrong?

I feel small, like a child who is confused and afraid.  In John 9, Jesus and His disciples met a man who had been blind from birth. The disciples responded in a way many of us do when we encounter some misfortune: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2, NIV).

In other words, Who is to blame?

We may be surprised by the response of the Son of God, the only One who sees and knows the sins of all humankind: “‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him’” (John 9:3, emphasis added).

There was more to the story than the disciples could see. The Son of God had yet to fully reveal His works in the man’s life.  Perhaps there is more to your story than what you can see right now, more that God has yet to reveal.  Sin does have consequences, and sometimes our own choices can create or worsen hard situations in our lives. Even then, Jesus always gives us grace (James 4:6). It’s equally important to realize that not all suffering is caused by our personal sin. Sometimes we may suffer for reasons we can’t explain yet “the works of God might be displayed” (John 9:3).

So when we are quick to jump to conclusions and blame ourselves when things don’t go as planned, and when we feel like that confused, scared child, Jesus gently and compassionately releases us from our self-condemnation.  No, daughter. There’s nothing wrong with you. You may feel confused right now, but I will show up here.  Although it may not happen when or how we expect, Jesus reassures us that His works will be displayed in our lives and that He can do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). We only need to trust in Him and wait.