|
7/2/2024 0 Comments Are His Scraps Enough?
The encounter that follows has always made me a bit uncomfortable to read: “[Jesus] answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (Matt. 15:24-27) Jesus’ words seem harsh; however, we know that He came for all who would believe in Him, not only Israel. Jesus seemed to be testing this Canaanite woman’s faith. And her response is beautiful, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table” (Matt. 15:27). She showed a deep knowledge of two things. First, that Jesus was Lord. She called Him, “Master.” She recognized He was more than just a great prophet or a good man. She had faith in Him as Lord. Second, she realized that simply being able to glean from the scraps He left behind was enough. And for those scraps, we should be so thankful. Anything Jesus chooses to give to us is enough because knowing Jesus is enough. On the mountaintop, we can easily lean toward pride and self-preservation. In the deep valleys, we can lean in the opposite direction toward pity and doubt. But Jesus is enough. He is with us both on the mountain and in the valleys. He has a plan that He is working out for our good and His glory both when we are on the mountain and in the valley. Knowing Him is enough, and knowing His Word helps us remember that truth. When we are in the valleys, let us remember:
The woman’s faith was rewarded with the healing of her daughter (Matt. 15:28). I may or may not find complete healing. Paul did not. He had a thorn in the flesh that he lived with until the very end (2 Cor. 12:7). Regardless, I know the God of the universe who created me, chose me, knows me, and is always with me. For that, I can give thanks continually. When you find yourself in a valley or facing the unknown, cry out to the Lord; continue seeking Him through the Scripture, and ask for His scraps. He is faithful to those who draw near to Him! “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12 (NIV) 
0 Comments
9/21/2023 0 Comments We All Need a Little Encouragement
We all need a little encouragement paired with God’s truth. This is exactly what the apostle Paul gave to new believers. Acts 20:1-2 tells us that Paul traveled from church to church speaking words of encouragement to the followers of Christ. Yet we know that He also admonished, corrected, and guided these new believers to help them stand firm in their faith. Regular time in the Bible and gathering in community can provide us with encouragement while also pointing us to God’s truth and character. Our pastor, our small group, and God-loving friends can point us to Him when we feel overwhelmed, when we are grieved, or when we need guidance. My small group has been instrumental in helping me on this journey of faith. I value our time in God’s word, their prayer and counsel, and the ability to enjoy life with others who are seeking after Jesus. As the apostle Paul taught, we can “encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Cor. 13:11b). One of the greatest blessings God can give to us is a community of believers who care about our walk with Him. If you are not connected to a community where you are invited to study God’s word, share your struggles and praises, and walk through this journey with others, I encourage you to seek out this type of community. Rooted Moms offers these groups and would love to help you get connected. Groups like these allow us to be encouraged as well as to encourage others, to have support as we study God’s word, and to share our struggles and experiences with others. We all need encouragement set alongside truth, and we can find that by seeking truth alongside others. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV) 
9/20/2023 0 Comments He Will Hold Us Steady
The people of Israel would follow God for a bit under a good leader, then they would choose a different path and follow Baal or build Asherah poles. Then, another semi-decent king would come along and they would tear down some poles before choosing again to worship pagan gods with various evil acts. I can almost hear the exasperation in Elijah’s voice as he commands the people, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21). What a command from the Lord. If I am the Lord, follow me. If something else, follow it. Choose. Commit. Stop wavering. We can easily fall into wavering back and forth in our faith and trust in God. Maybe it is due to fear, maybe the temptations of this world grab hold of us, or maybe, like me in college, doubt and uncertainty creeps into our thinking. Whatever the reason, we can trust God to hold us steady. Psalm 16:8 reminds us to keep our focus on the Lord because then we will not be shaken. Peter asked to step out of the boat onto the waves to follow Jesus. However, when he took His eyes off the Lord and began to see the wind around him, he began to sink (Matt. 14:28-30). As the years have passed, I have recognized that I can quickly make coming to Jesus regularly a big, complicated event. Thoughts such as, “Oh, I will begin my regular quiet time when I have the right journal and have replenished my highlighters” or “I slept late and can only give ten minutes to reading scripture today” can easily cause me to not seek the Lord. I had to simplify my expectations and goals. I make it a priority to come to Him each day. Sometimes that is prayer during my commute to work and other times I can devote an hour to study. Both are fruitful in my relationship with Him. Let us keep our eyes, our hearts, and our minds focused on Jesus. We can do this by seeking Him each day. We can draw close to Him through time in His word, time devoted to prayer and silence before Him, and by drawing close to a community of believers who will build us up, encourage us, and hold us accountable in our walk with the Lord. Doubts will arise, trouble will come, and temptations will stand before us, but when we choose the Lord as God of our life, He will hold us steady. “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8 (NIV)
9/18/2023 0 Comments Courage to Act
It takes courage to step up for justice. It takes courage to speak up or to take action. This courage was displayed in the words and actions of Zelophehad’s daughters. Zelophehad only had daughters, and by Jewish law, only sons received an inheritance of land. Moses and the leaders of Israel were working to distribute the promised land. Zelophehad’s daughters knew that their father’s name would die along with him without an inheritance, and they would have no provision of their own. They decided to speak up. They brought their case before Moses who then brought their case before the Lord: “The Lord said to him, ‘What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them. Say to the Israelites, “If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter”’” (Numbers 27:6-8). These daughters had courage to speak up, and they brought change that affected each generation to come after them. As God’s children, we have courage through His Spirit, and through the sacrifice of Jesus, we have been given freedom and new life. Let us point others toward freedom in Christ by speaking up and taking action when we see injustice. As Isaiah the prophet wrote, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6). The defendant was found guilty and will spend many years in prison. Justice was served for his crime. However, what if someone had intervened when he was younger? What if a man or woman of God had seen his circumstances, stepped in to get to know him, and help “loose his chains” and share in his burdens? What if someone had shared that Jesus could set him free? What if someone had stepped in and spoken about the injustices in our school systems, our societal systems, and our criminal system? When we fast, like Isaiah, let us fast to “loose the chains” of injustice, to free the oppressed, and to break every yoke. As we fast, let our prayers focus on these things. “Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.” Proverbs 28:5 (NIV)
9/18/2023 0 Comments Covered
Yet, like me as a child, they weren’t really hidden: “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” (Genesis 3:8-9). Adam and Eve began to doubt the Lord. They questioned His commands and wanted to be more like Him. They disobeyed God by breaking the one rule He had given to them. They hid from Him and then began to lay blame on anyone other than themselves. Yet God knew exactly where to find them. He pursued them and called out to them, but that is not all He did. He also clothed them. This covering is the first sacrifice spoken of in scripture. An animal lost its life and shed its blood to provide the skins from which we are told God made clothes for Adam and Eve. This blood sacrifice covered their guilt and their shame just as the blood sacrifice of Jesus covers ours. Since the beginning, God has shown grace. Since the first sin, He has worked to cover the sins of mankind. Since the first act of disobedience that separated us from Him, the Lord has pursued those He created. Because of Jesus, our sins are no longer counted against us. When we stop hiding, we can walk in the freedom of Christ. First John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Our Lord is full of grace, and because of this amazing grace, we can walk with confidence that our sins are no more when we turn to the Lord. So what do you need to lay down today? Are you still carrying guilt and shame or trying to hide from your past? Let the Lord who loves and pursues carry your burden for you. In Him, there is no more shame and guilt. He has covered our sins and remembers them no more! “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” Romans 4:7-8 (NIV)
12/9/2022 0 Comments Courage to Act
It takes courage to step up for justice. It takes courage to speak up or to take action. This courage was displayed in the words and actions of Zelophehad’s daughters. Zelophehad only had daughters, and by Jewish law, only sons received an inheritance of land. Moses and the leaders of Israel were working to distribute the promised land. Zelophehad’s daughters knew that their father’s name would die along with him without an inheritance, and they would have no provision of their own. They decided to speak up. They brought their case before Moses who then brought their case before the Lord: “The Lord said to him, ‘What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them. Say to the Israelites, “If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter”’” (Num. 27:6-8). These daughters had courage to speak up, and they brought change that affected each generation to come after them. As God’s children, we have courage through His Spirit, and through the sacrifice of Jesus, we have been given freedom and new life. Let us point others toward freedom in Christ by speaking up and taking action when we see injustice. As Isaiah the prophet wrote, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isa. 58:6). The defendant was found guilty and will spend many years in prison. Justice was served for his crime. However, what if someone had intervened when he was younger? What if a man or woman of God had seen his circumstances, stepped in to get to know him, and help “loose his chains” and share in his burdens? What if someone had shared that Jesus could set him free? What if someone had stepped in and spoken about the injustices in our school systems, our societal systems, and our criminal system? When we fast, like Isaiah, let us fast to “loose the chains” of injustice, to free the oppressed, and to break every yoke. As we fast, let our prayers focus on these things. Memory Verse: “Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.” Proverbs 28:5 (NIV)
8/31/2022 0 Comments Not About Me
But can’t we say the same? Our culture and our world encourages us to focus on ourselves. We are bombarded with messages around self-care, growing ourselves, improving ourselves, and becoming our very best self. While these things are not necessarily bad, they can quickly replace the thing that is to be center - the person we were created to worship. In the letter to the Romans, Paul shares what the life of a Christian should look like, and it is the opposite of what the world around us teaches. In Romans 13:14, Paul says, “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” In the Christian life, we are to love our neighbor and consider them above ourselves. They may not do as we do, worship God as we worship God, or hold the same expectations that we hold, yet we are to respect our neighbors. Our goal as Christ-followers is not to please ourselves. It is to glorify God and love our neighbor well. We can easily fall into the trap of self-glorification, especially in our social media driven world. I can quickly think that I deserve more, that I come first, and that my needs are the most important. However, God calls us to so much more. He calls us to crucify our own desires so we can make room for His desires. When we let go of the things of our flesh, we can be filled with His Spirit, used for His kingdom, and shine His light for others to see. Jesus calls us to a countercultural life. He made it clear in His ministry that choosing to follow Him requires sacrificing the things that we want and desire. Yet following Him is filled with promise and reward. So how do we let go of these things of the flesh? For me, it is coming to Jesus daily. When I spend regular time learning from His words and actions, the Holy Spirit brings them to mind just when I need them the most. Our flesh-pleasing desires come so naturally and easily, so I have found that I need to come before Jesus in prayer all throughout the day. When I am tempted to put me first, when my jealousy rears its head, or when I am tempted to act rashly out of my own desires, I find that if I can pause and come to God in prayer, even for just a quick second, it realigns my heart and mind with His. To live the countercultural life that Christ calls you to, devote yourself to learning more about Him, spending quality time with Him in prayer, and joining Him in His work around you. He will meet you where you are and align your heart and mind to His. Memory Verse: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:24-25
8/31/2022 0 Comments When Trouble Comes
My husband and I are navigating the foster care system. We are currently completing all necessary steps to open our home for foster care. Our emotions have been on a wild roller coaster, and we know it will only speed up once a child is placed in our home. It seems that the questions pile up, the unknowns become scarier, and the what ifs grow larger each day. Reading through Nehemiah, the account of the Israelites rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem spoke to my heart.
The people faced severe opposition. They had to work while holding weapons for protection. They labored day and night building and guarding. Do you ever feel the exhaustion of laboring day and night to work for and guard your family? Nehemiah believed that God would see them through. Even through the opposition, the taunts, the fear, and the exhaustion, he placed his full trust in the Lord. Nehemiah knew the work God had called him to complete, and he knew God would provide if he was obedient. Jesus knew the trouble we would face. He knew how hard and scary the world can be, but He left us with a promise. John 16:33 reminds us that this world will bring trouble, but Jesus has overcome the world. He is victorious! When the world is dark and scary, we can place our trust in Jesus. When the path seems unclear, we can lean on Him. When life throws it taunts and fears our way, we can stand firm in God’s calling and promises. Nehemiah knew the trouble this world could bring, but just as Jesus promised, Nehemiah also knew that God would be victorious. My husband and I know that this path we are on will bring fear, pain, and sadness. However, we can stand firm just as Nehemiah and the people of Israel did with our weapon in one hand (God’s very words and promises) while we continue the work the Lord has laid before us with the other hand. Our God is faithful. He is working for our good and for His glory (Rom. 8:28). And He is victorious. Wherever He has called you, continue to fight clinging to His word and His promises as you continue in His work. Memory Verse: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:3
|
Devotionals by AuthorAll Abby McDonald Alexa Gearhart Angi Morrison Anna Bearden Anne Say Audra Powers Breanna Faith Spearman Brenna Kurz Brittany Marlow Caroline Hultgren Courtney Filippin Dana Schaefer Danielle Biddy Debbie Burns Heather Kenny Jannetta Cox Jessica Parker Jess Ridgeway Joan Lavori Katelyn Wilson Katie Gibson Kelly Orlowski Kerri Barfield Keryn Stokes Kristen Williamson Laura Pendley Lindsay McNeely Lonette Baity Martha Rudolph Nancy Ehlinger Renee Robinson Saretta Wells Tara McGill Taylor Watkins Tierney Nashleanas Wendy Gerdes |
Search by typing & pressing enter
RSS Feed