Tag Archives: Devotional

Living Rest

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Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1, NLT*

Rest. Soul-rest, rest from anxiety and striving. The kind of rest implied in “Be still and know that I am God.”

How do we get it?

Live. In God’s care.

This isn’t a pause or a passing-through. We need to consciously live… abide… dwell… in His shelter.

It requires gratitude, confidence in God, hope and trust in Him. It enables us to bring Him our needs as a child to a loving parent: with assurance that He listens, loves and knows best.

God who loves us and who is our Good Shepherd, help us live in Your shelter. Your power is great and You are all wise. Teach us who You are, so we can trust You more. Help us rest in Your care.

∞

Here’s Steve Green with “Jesus, I am Resting, Resting.”

*New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Where the Heart is

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Lord, through all the generations
you have been our home!
Psalm 90:1, NLT*

My Bible labels this psalm “a prayer of Moses, the man of God.” Moses, who led the Israelites out of slavery to wander in the wilderness en route to the Promised Land.

These people had no geographical home, but God’s presence led them day and night. God spoke to them. God defeated their enemies and provided food and water in the desert. He even kept their shoes from wearing out from all the walking.

Circumstances may have made it easier for Moses to see God as his home, but even though I have a warm, snug, physical home I share with a loving family, God is my deeper home.

Creator and Sustainer God, I praise You that You never change. Thank You for being my home in the emotional and spiritual sense, my heart’s home, my security and stability, where I can rest and thrive and shelter.

∞

This week’s song is a mainstream love song that doesn’t totally translate as a worship song, but it captures the depth of “home” that our God is for us: Billy Joel’s “You’re My Home.”

*New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

It Takes Two

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Teach me your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honour you.
Psalm 86:11, NLT*

These words remind me that it takes two—God and the individual—to grow a Christian. God is the teacher, and we need to apply what we learn. We can’t purify ourselves, but it’s our job to honour Him with our lives.

Living according to His truth includes believing Him, and that includes recognizing and rejecting negative thoughts. We choose to trust God because we’ve experienced His reality. He’s been teaching us, and we’ve been discovering His character.

Purity matters, too. Not so we can look perfect and show everybody else up, but so we can honour the God who rescues and restores us. We can be living examples of what He can do.

God our Creator and Sustainer, when we were separated from You, You brought us near. It’s only by Your goodness to us that we can stand in Your presence. Teach us Your ways, grant us purity of heart, and help us live according to Your truth and honour You.

∞

Brian Doerksen’s song, “The Jesus Way,” makes a good prayer.

*New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Turn Us Again

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Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
Psalm 80:19, NLT*

I’m praying this for the Body of Christ in Canada and around the world. We’re in as bad a situation as Old Testament Israel as the psalmist describes them in Psalms 79-80, although the worst of our devastation is spiritual, not physical. Our enemies are unseen forces, not physical armies.

The result is the same, and, like theirs, it’s caused by our own rebellion, delusion and turning away. Some among us have chosen to “redefine” God according to our own thoughts. Some have been deceived. Some are standing firm, grieving for what we see.

Corporately, we’re a mess. Only God can rescue and restore us. Only God would want to.

Holy and righteous God, You rescued us once through the Cross, and called us out to be Your people. Individuals are shining for You but as a Body we’re infirm and ineffective. We’re not displaying Your glory—who You are—to the needy world around us. We are crumbling under attack instead of demonstrating Your power. For the sake of Your Name and because of Your mercy, turn us back to Yourself. Renew, restore and re-commission us in Your service.

∞

It all comes back to how much we need God. Here’s Matt Maher with “Your Grace is Enough.”

*New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Stop, Look and Listen for God

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…they did not believe God
or trust him to care for them.
Psalm 78:22, NLT*

The Psalmist is reviewing Israel’s history, as a parable to teach the people. He looks at what God did on the journey out of Egypt and until the time of King David, and he looks at how the people repeatedly rebelled, “stubbornly tested God” and complained.

All God wanted them to do was believe, trust and obey Him. You’d think He gave enough proof of His power and love that they could discern the pattern: God was leading, and He would meet their needs.

In these verses, they’d complained that God could give them water but couldn’t feed them. He proved them wrong, and it wasn’t pretty. (See verses 23-31)

They had a cloud leading them, and they saw God’s miracles. Christians today have the Holy Spirit leading from within us, and we sometimes see His miracles too. If we pay attention, we see His touch on our lives. But these verses remind me how important it is to stop, look and listen for God, and to deliberately trust Him. It’s how we’re designed to live.

Holy and powerful God, how much easier it would have been for the Israelites if they’d been able to believe and to trust in You. You know our weaknesses, and that we’re no stronger today than they were. Please give us faith to believe You, and help us choose to trust You.

∞

Since we’re as wayward as sheep, I thought this was a fitting song: Todd Agnew singing “Saviour Like a Shepherd Lead Us.”

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Belonging

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If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.
1 Corinthians 12:15, NLT*

One of the lies the enemy of our souls has baited me with over the years is “You don’t belong.”

Someone hurts my feelings. Or I don’t get a joke, or everyone else seems to have it all together. I notice I’m different. The lie slides right into my thoughts and I cuddle up with it, nodding agreement. “That proves it. I really don’t belong.”

I used to think Paul’s words about the foot and the ear saying they weren’t part of the body meant we should use the gifts God gave us and not compare ourselves with others. We shouldn’t sulk and refuse to serve if someone else got the talent we wanted.

That’s really what it’s about, but today I see something else. If I—or you—fall for “I don’t belong,” then part of the body will be handicapped because we’re disqualifying ourselves.

Of course I’m different. We all are, even if some of us look the same on the outside. Different is good; I know that, and I don’t want to be a clone. But I guess the deceiver’s words resonate with a fear of rejection, and maybe it’s easier to tell myself I don’t belong than to wait for someone else to say it.

This is one of the things God’s been talking to me about lately. I risk sharing it because maybe He’s been saying something similar to you, whether it’s about belonging or about another of our enemy’s lies.

Creator God, Your Word says we’re each “fearfully and wonderfully made,” and that You love us. How many ways do You have to say it before we can believe it? You also warn us we’re in a spiritual battle and we need to use the weapons You’ve given us so we can stand. Help us be vigilant. Help us take every thought captive to Christ and speak Your truth to defeat the lies. We can’t do this on our own, but Your Spirit within us can. Help us rely on You.

∞

Let Kathryn Scott’s “I Belong” reassure our spirits today. We belong to God.

*New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Joy and Security

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Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.
Psalm 63:7-8, NLT*

I’ve been reading this psalm daily for a few weeks now, and although it’s short, it’s powerful. David is longing for God, and he’s aware of his enemies pressing in, yet the verses overflow with words like praise and joy and sing. He has his faith perspective in place.

I know about pressing through in prayer, bringing God our fears and troubles. Leaving those troubles with Him. Praying until it becomes about Him rather than about us. Until we’re worshipping. Praising.

I don’t do it nearly as often as I should.

That’s what David’s doing here. He hasn’t forgotten the desert or his enemies’ plots. He’s not denying or ignoring them.

But he sees God. He knows God is enough.

He’s not perching timidly in the shadow of God’s wings, trembling in that strong hand because the danger might snatch him away. He has no thought that God might drop him or fail to protect him.

Our God, You are strong and mighty to save. You are our strong tower, our refuge, our shelter and our Defender. You are our Good Shepherd. We know the words, but so often we don’t act like we believe them. We run to You and keep watching our troubles as if they might break through Your defenses. Faith tells us that can’t happen. Help us listen and be confident in You.

∞

The classic Newsboys worship song, “Strong Tower,” is a good confidence-builder.

*New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

When Joy is Scarce

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You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
. . .
Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 63:5,7 NLT*

Joy has been scarce in my heart lately, and I’ve felt more like David’s “parched and weary land.”

These two verses from Psalm 63 are my antidote, if I can let my mind and spirit truly believe them.

God satisfies. He is enough, and abundantly more than enough. That negates the joy-drain of discontent. I need to practice intentional gratitude, not just for His gifts but for who He is.

God helps. He is our ever-present helper and sustainer, and His strong hand holds us securely.

That truth eliminates anxiety, if I really believe it.

God who is all that I need, I believe. Help my unbelief. Help me realize, accept and rely on the truth of who You are and what that means in my life. Help me live confident and secure in You, aware of the many ways You satisfy and delight. 

∞

God used the Newsboys’ song, “The Letter,” to challenge me about believing what He says. 

*New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Best Response to Trouble

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Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
May your glory shine over all the earth.
Psalm 57:11, NLT*

This is another David-hunted-by-Saul psalm. It’s only 11 verses long, and twice David repeats the lines above.

He cries out to God for help, describing his danger and the strength of his enemies. Then he first calls for God to be exalted and glorified. The context implies “bring glory to Your name by defeating my powerful enemies.”

When I look at troubles and dangers and ask God to be glorified, that’s what I mean too.

But David keeps on writing. Now he’s talking about his confidence in God, how he can praise God and how he’ll thank Him. Present and future. Because of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness.

Then he repeats “Be exalted… may your glory shine.”

David’s faith response, and his confident trust in God despite the circumstances, also exalts and glorifies God. Isn’t that something we can do, too?

Holy and majestic God Most High, be exalted. Let Your glory shine. We pray to see Your intervention in the troubles that shake us—and our world. Strengthen our faith so we can stand like David in hard times. Be exalted, let Your glory shine, through us, Your children, as we trust You.

∞

Third Day’s “Your Love, O Lord,” is a good song to keep us focused in worship and trust.

*New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Because God Said So

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For you have rescued me from death;
you have kept my feet from slipping.
So now I can walk in your presence, O God,
in your life-giving light.
Psalm 56:13, NLT*

In this psalm David declares his trust in God and praises God for His promise. Twice he asks “What can men do to me?”

The first time, he follows with a list of what his enemies want to do to him. The danger is real. He asks God to prevent them from harming him. He reminds himself of how intimately God cares for him, and then he reaffirms his choice to trust in God.

Three times in the psalm, he praises God for “His promise” and I think that’s the promise that David would be king. At this point he’s still on the run from King Saul and is in the hands of the Philistines.

Logic and faith say he can’t be killed before God accomplishes His purpose, so David has confidence that his enemies won’t be allowed to kill him.

Most of us don’t have a specific, personal promise from God guaranteeing we won’t be harmed. We do have lots of promises, though. And if we don’t have physical enemies, we still have spiritual ones that would bind or hamper us and keep us from the life God promises.

One of the “enemies” stalking me is anxiety. Today’s verse is one I’m using as a prayer-promise. Another is “who the Son sets free is free indeed.”

Perhaps my favourite “weapon” this year is “I have a Good Shepherd.”

Father, Saviour, show us the individual promises to cling to for protection from the unseen forces, thoughts and behaviour patterns that want to deny the new life You’ve promised to grow in us. Yes, they could do it – if not for Your promises. Help us be confident in You, help us walk in Your presence and in Your life-giving light.

∞

Here’s Carolyn Arends singing “I’ve Got a Hope.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEKW4DCoVoA

*New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.