Tag Archives: praise

Hope is Born

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6, NIV*

Jesus left the glory of heaven to be born as a human child and began the fulfillment of God’s redemption promise from Genesis.

Imagine… setting aside His rightful glory as God, submitting to the indignity of birth and infancy, to human frailty, rustic conditions and death… to redeem us. Not because He had to, but because He chose to out of love.

The world is still dark and painful. My personal prayers these days share the burden of four individuals needing work, two more grieving through the first Christmas without their husbands, one treading turbulent waters and one who needs the wholeness Jesus brings.

But if we’re open, He does bring wholeness. Hope.

We don’t have to drown in despair. Circumstances don’t get any less painful, but He came to be God with us. We don’t have to do this alone.

Somehow His grace gives us strength, His wisdom leads us, His love in our hearts warms us.

Because we trust Him, we can say “though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil…”

Christmas is a hard time for people who are hurting, because the world puts on its happy mask and avoids them. But Jesus’ birth affirms the pain. That’s why He came.

I like how Charles Dickens put it in A Christmas Carol when Bob Cratchit describes his fragile son, Tiny Tim:

“Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.” [You can read A Christmas Carol online at Literature.org. This quote comes from chapter 3.]

Father, how can we help but love and praise You for reaching into our mess to bring hope and healing? This Christmas season, may we celebrate Your greatest gift, may Your love flow through us to those we touch, and may the world in its turmoil somehow pause to receive its King. Thank You that someday every knee will bow and every tongue confess Him as Lord. Until then, have mercy on us all.

∞

This week’s song is “Celebrate the Child,” by Michael Card. Let’s celebrate indeed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1Iz2U1dgm0

A Heart Set on Pilgrimage

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Blessed are those whose strength is in you [God],
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
Psalm 84:5-6, NIV*

Psalm 84 is a homesick heart’s cry to be near to God in His house—the Israelites’ Tabernacle, or maybe the Temple itself. It’s one of those psalms many of us know well.

This time I read it, the word pilgrimage caught my notice. From the context, the psalmist is probably writing of a literal journey.

For me reading it today, it resonates in a different way. Christians, with the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, are told that our bodies are the temple of God. We’re not on pilgrimage to God’s Temple, but we’re on pilgrimage with God through our days.

Yes, “this world is not our home, we’re just passing through,” but we’re to pass through attentively, compassionately. Like Jesus did.

We’re not to ignore our surroundings or our neighbours’ pain, but to spread His blessings to others. On our own, we can’t do much, but God’s strength in and through us can make a difference in the lives around us.

Violet Nesdoly shares more thoughts on pilgrimage at Other Food: Daily Devo’s.

Father, grant us hearts set on pilgrimage with You, knowing we’re bound for Heaven but charged with spreading Your light while we’re here. Help us find our strength in You, and let us leave each day a little better than we found it. Because of Jesus.

∞

Matt Redman’s song, “Better is One Day,” comes from Psalm 84.

God With Us

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The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us”).
Matthew 1:23, NIV*

I’ve been working through Beth Moore’s A Woman’s Heart workbook with my Bible study group at church. Right now we’re looking at the detailed instructions from God—to be followed to the letter—for preparing and consecrating the Tabernacle and its contents and the priests and their garments.

What stands out to me today is the seriousness involved in making a space where God could dwell among humans and not destroy them. Chapters upon chapters in Exodus and Leviticus deal with the construction and consecration of the Tabernacle and the procedures for offering acceptable sacrifices.

It’s just a glimpse of how holy God is, how different from us. Obedience meant the Israelites could see His glory, could be near Him.

The majestic God of Hosts is dangerous. Fearsome. Not to be trifled with.

Yet, He loves us and wants to be with us.

When we forget His power, and focus on the privilege of our access to Him through Jesus, we can forget how strong He is, and end up worrying about our circumstances.

Father, yes we praise You for making a way that we can come freely to You because of the blood of Jesus. Forgive us when we forget Your strength. Help us know and rely on Your presence with us, You who are mighty to save.

∞

Here are the newsboys singing Hillsong United’s “Mighty to Save”.

Come as You Are

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And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV*

You know how, some weeks, you’re ready for Sunday worship. There’s a reverent hush in your spirit before you even walk into church, a holy waiting that warms you towards your congregation and makes it easy to hear God speak through song, Scripture, sermon.

Then there are other weeks when you show up because it’s the right thing to do, you smile and hug and do what you expect of yourself, but there’s no sign of life on the inside.

Well, maybe you don’t know. For me, these are the two extremes, and the first is less common than the last. Usually I’m somewhere in the middle.

Sunday past was one of those “show up and smile” days. If I go to church sad, I feel like a fake in my “happy” guise. But I know I’ve come to the best place to find help. Going empty feels even phonier, but it shouldn’t. Where better to fill up?

As the service started, I looked around at the congregation—people of whom I’m genuinely fond—and didn’t feel any more connected with them than with God. I was sort of apologizing to Him, sorry to be that way and thinking, “All I could do was come as I am.”

His response was so quiet I didn’t recognize Him at first—the sudden idea that we’re welcome to “come as you are” in obedient trust.

So He said it again in the opening song: “Come, Now is the Time to Worship” has that “just as you are” tone too.

Father, You draw us to worship, and in You we find life and light. Help us to do our part daily to prepare our souls, and help us trust You to daily do Your part to prepare them too. I praise You for the mystery of relationship with You, how we can’t come to You unless the Holy Spirit draws us, but yet we still need to make the choice to come.

∞

Here’s Brian Doerksen’s “Come, Now is the Time to Worship,” sung by Hillsong.

A Gift from the Heart

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Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:1, NIV*

If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15, NIV*

Last week’s devotional thought, “Willing to Give,” was about the wholehearted, willing offerings we make to God out of love for Him. Lots of times these are actions, but beneath the action is the true offering that comes from the heart:

Faith.

Love.

Trust.

Believing in God, trusting Him, just because of who He is. Because of what we know of His character. Because we know He’s trustworthy.

Even when we don’t see the whys and hows. Even when it hurts.

Our love and trust will result in obedience if it’s real. If we act on it. If we don’t put it into practice it stays theory and we’re never truly sure about God.

Many of my favourite novels have a hero/heroine who’s a strong leader, one the other characters will follow in the bleakest circumstances in blind (but fully warranted) trust. One who operates on the “need to know” principle because stopping to explain takes too long and because the followers don’t have the knowledge base to be able to understand. One who brings them through incredible odds to victory.

God is like that, except better. He’s real, and nothing surprises Him.

Reading the novels, when I see characters mistrusting the leader or trying their own ways, I know they’re wrong and I keep hoping they’ll wise up before it’s too late. Before they either ruin everything or at least get themselves killed.

In real life, it’s sometimes easier to be the doubter than the faithful follower—even when God is the leader.

Father, I’m glad You know our weaknesses. I’m gladder still that You love us anyway, and that You’re working all things out to the end You’ve planned from the beginning. You are the only wise, all-powerful God. The only one who can bring victory in the mess we’ve made. Help us to love, trust and obey You, in the big and in the small. Sometimes the small is the hardest part.

∞

This week’s song is Big Daddy Weave’s version of the classic hymn, “Trust and Obey”.

Willing to Give

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The people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning…[until] the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.
Exodus 36:3b, 6b, 7 NIV*

These are the Israelites in the wilderness, being led and sustained by God. The God who has now instructed Moses in the making of a tabernacle where He will dwell with His people. Moses has asked all who are willing and able to give materials, and this is the people’s response.

As God has provided manna each morning for the people, now that they have the opportunity to give back they do it the same way: morning by morning until the workers have more than enough.

I’m working through Beth Moore’s study, A Woman’s Heart, God’s Dwelling Place (updated version), and along with this passage she asks readers to discover what freewill offerings we give to the Lord—or hold back from Him.

He’s been prompting me for the past few months about an open heart, about stepping out through the self-constructed wall. I’m cooperating as best as I can, but it’s a real “step forward, step back” experience. After all, it’s familiar behind the wall… comfortable.

But I meant it when I told Him I’d obey, and when I realize I’ve retreated again, I get up and move out. Again.

Reading how the Israelites brought more offerings each day made my efforts look useless. I can’t even seem to bring one thing and let it stay there. Like the manna, it doesn’t “keep”. But then I realized, so what? As long as I faithfully bring my heart each time it sneaks home to roost, I’m doing the best I can. One of these days that heart may even stay where it’s put.

Father, my freewill offering is an open heart, but it keeps closing up again. As You remind me, I will open it and bring it to You again and again, like the Israelites kept bringing fresh treasures to You. I pray You’ll count it as obedience, and complete the work You’ve begun.

∞

Third Day’s “Offering” is one of those rare songs that rooted in my heart on a first hearing. It’s a fitting one for today.

Expectations and Complaints

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Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea…. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter…. So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
Exodus 15: 22-24, NIV*

The Israelites were jubilant at what God had done: deliverance from Egyptian slavery, parting the Red Sea to rescue them (neatly eliminating their enemies). They believed He could fulfill the rest of His promise and bring them into the promised land.

After a string of miracles and evidences of His great power, it’s understandable that they’d expect Him to melt all remaining opposition and obstacles in their way.

Then right away they have three waterless days in the desert, only to find water they can’t drink. No wonder they complain!

Moses, on the other hand, is used to setbacks, from his dealings with Pharaoh. He cries out to God.

The people know God can help, but they don’t ask. They expect, and then protest when He doesn’t operate the way they want.

Don’t we do the same?

Father God, mighty to save and wise to teach, You could give us smooth paths. But we seem to learn better when we experience Your help in the rough places. Help us to trust Your leading and to listen, obey, and learn to do life Your way. Help us to be grateful for Your presence.

∞

A good song and prayer for today is Matt and Beth Redman’s “Blessed Be Your Name,” sung here by Matt Redman.

Pain and Joy

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Now a man named Lazarus was sick….When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.
John 11:1a, 4-6 NIV*

Jesus didn’t even have to go see Lazarus to heal him, he could have just said the word. Instead He waited until Lazarus was dead before starting out.

He loved this family. Their home seems to be one of the few genuinely safe places where He could visit without loaded questions and malice.

Loving them, knowing their faith and character and that they could pass this test, He let Lazarus the provider die.

Because there was something bigger at stake.

This was “for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (v. 4)

And as much as this was clearly about God, it wasn’t for God’s benefit. He wasn’t on an ego trip.

It was for the people, the believers. Jesus told His disciples in verse 15, “…for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.”

Not for God’s sake that they could believe, but for theirs. God already knew who He is.

Jesus wept and was deeply moved by the sisters’ grief. Probably more so because He knew He could have prevented it. Given that He’d already been speaking about laying down His own life, it wasn’t a case of letting someone else pay a price He wasn’t prepared to double.

The people needed to know Him better, and joy was on its way. But that didn’t negate the pain.

Sustaining and compassionate God, help us remember in our tears that You feel our pain. Help us rely on You in faith, trusting although we don’t understand. Reveal Yourself to us, not for Your benefit but for ours, so that we can trust You more.

∞

There are plenty of good songs about trusting God in the pain. Today I chose David Crowder*Band’s “Shadows”.

A Pure Heart

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Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10, NIV*

To step out from behind my wall of self-protection and live authentically with others…

to trust God to be my Protector and to let His life give itself through me…

I need a pure heart and a steadfast spirit.

Purifying the heart, renewing the steadfast spirit, comes by removing the fallen wall’s rubble so that I can step out through it.

Sometimes purification needs strong cleansers. Or fire. It needs an expert and delicate touch—only God, who broke the wall, can do it.

What feeds a pure heart? Dependence on God and delight in Him. Time alone with Him, with heart, mind and spirit tuned to His.

Father, thank You more than words can say for rescuing me from a life—and a death—separated from You. You have saved me… You are saving me… You will save me. In the saving, make my heart pure. Make my spirit steadfast. Help me learn to depend on You and to live authentically in Your world.

∞

Brian Doerksen’s song, “Refiner’s Fire,” is a challenging prayer that holds nothing in reserve. May it be our prayer nonetheless.

Help for a Monday

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Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.

Don’t assume that you know it all.

Proverbs 3:5-7a, MSG*

This was my devotional reading on Monday in the NIV**, but when I saw how The Message phrases it, with that “listen in everything/everywhere” that has been encouraging me lately, I knew that was the version to use here.

Monday… definitely one of those days I longed to crawl back into bed. I wasn’t sick, just painfully sluggish in body and mind.

It was also a day full of commitments.

These verses from Proverbs are old friends to me, and still verse 5 brought a new insight this time:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

It brought back recent advice I’d heard to dwell on the positives: to say “I’m great, thanks” instead of “I’m so tired”. The idea was to talk oneself into a better outlook, not do deny serious trouble, to choose good over bad when both are present.

A question popped up in my spirit: Am I going to believe my mental groaning of “I can’t do this”—or am I going to believe God’s promise that His grace is enough to strengthen my weakness?

Denial is another form of lying, and trying to think things better because we want God to agree with us is shaky ground.

But for me, it’s more a case of settling for less, of listening to my own understanding of how I feel instead of trusting God to be enough to make a difference. Sure, I’m tired, but am I really as tired as I say I am? As I’ve come to believe?

Today’s Wednesday… how did Monday play out? I was slower than normal, but everything got done that needed doing. The biscuits I made to go with supper even turned out fine!

Father, You are faithful to Your promises and loving towards all You have made. Thank You for Your grace. Thanks for reminding me to trust Your perspective instead of mine. Thanks for times of weakness that remind us to trust Your strength.

∞

I’m glad feeling weak can remind me of God’s strength. Here’s a vintage Amy Grant song (written by Gary Chapman & Michael W Smith) with a similar perspective: “I Love a Lonely Day”.

Janet Sketchley

Writing Christian Mysteries & Suspense

Tag Archives: praise

Hope is Born

A Heart Set on Pilgrimage

God With Us

Come as You Are

A Gift from the Heart

Willing to Give

Expectations and Complaints

Pain and Joy

A Pure Heart

Help for a Monday