Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 22:21-23:30 ESV, Luke 1:57-80 ESV, Psalm 58:1-11 ESV, Proverbs 11:12-13 ESV

Daily Verse: “And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.” (Luke 1:58 ESV)

ELEOS (1656): “Compassion (human or divine).  The free gift for the forgiveness of sins and is related to the misery that sins brings.  God’s tender sense of our misery displays itself in His efforts to lessen and entirely remove it-efforts that are hindered and defeated only by man’s continued perverseness.  Grace removes guild, mercy removes misery.  Is the outward manifestation of pity; it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it.”[I]

Mercy removes misery.

Today’s heroine, Elizbeth, experienced misery because of her inability to have children. Society at the time deemed childbearing as a sign of God’s blessing in people’s life. Obviously, from a worldly perspective, Elizabeth’s sin kept her from conceiving, but not from God’s.  Why Elizabeth didn’t have other children before John the Baptist, I don’t know.  But I do know, God, removed her misery when she became pregnant.

Our misery differs from Elisabeth’s.  Actions have consequences, not all good.  When we follow our sinful desires, the results often lead to heartache.  Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol leads to hangovers.  Overeating causes physical distress to the body.  Spending more money than you make leads to financial pits.  On and on the list goes of ways we can find ourselves in miserable situations, but God provides an answer, Jesus.

Receive the resources.

Mercy means you need someone to help you.  Elizabeth couldn’t create life without God’s intervention.  We can’t overcome our sins without Jesus’s help.  Every day, as we submit to God, we receive a fresh start:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)

God wants to help you with your misery.  Whatever the situation, ask God for mercy.  Often, when I’m in the pit, I pray, “God, give me a break.”  At those moments, I accept, I can’t handle things on my own; I need divine intervention to help me keep going.  Over fifty years of seeking God for relief, He’s always come through. 

God has the resources to give you mercy.  Seek the Creator today, give Him your misery, receive His mercy.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 84) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 21:1-22:20 ESV, Luke 1:26-56 ESV, Psalm 57:1-11 ESV, Proverbs 11:9-11 ESV

Daily Verse: “And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28 ESV)

CHARITOO (5487): “To grace, i.e., indue with special honor, make accepted, be highly favoured.  To make graceful or gracious, and came to denote, to cause to find favour.”[I]

God honors.

Gabriel, God’s messenger, delivers a message to Mary.  The angel greets the young virgin, telling of God’s favor for her, His presence with her.  Mary doesn’t understand what Gabriel’s message means, becoming disturbed.  Once again, Gabriel reassures Mary, telling her to fear not because she possesses God’s special honor.  Then Gabriel tells Mary she will become pregnant with the world’s Savior.

When we think of God’s favor in our lives, I doubt we think of virgin births.  I can only imagine how Mary must have felt at this moment.  God’s favor in her life meant total upheaval from a worldly perspective.  Unwed and pregnant, she would become a social outcast.  I wonder if Mary ever questioned God’s favor in her life because it doesn’t seem favorable from an earthly view.

Favor unfolds.

God’s favor in Mary’s life unfolded over time.  Mary’s fiancé, Joseph, wanting to get out of the upcoming marriage, encounters an angel in his dream who tells of Jesus’s birth.  As a result, Joseph marries the pregnant virgin, protecting her from disgrace.  As their journey unfolds, God provides for them every step of the way, evidence of His favor in their lives.

Receiving God’s favor in our lives comes in varied forms.  Mary and Joseph found favor when they found a warm place to rest in the manger.  God’s guidance kept them from the persecution of King Herod.  One day at a time, God’s favor unfolded in their lives.

God’s favor exists in our lives.  Born in America, I experience God’s grace living in the land of the free.  Religious freedom allows us to worship however we want.  Unlike other countries, we get to gather corporately and worship God together.  As we seek our Maker, His favor unfolds in our lives, one day at a time.

Experience God’s favor in your life as you submit to Him.  Special honor comes to those who give their lives to God like Mary.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 270) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 19:1-20:29 ESV, Luke 1:1-25 ESV,  Psalm 56:1-13 ESV,  Proverbs 11:8 ESV

Daily Verse: “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”(Luke 1:25 ESV)

ONEIDOS (3681): “Akin to base of 3686; notoriety, i.e., a taunt (disgrace).”[I]

Divine intervention.

God’s plan never fails to surprise me.  Elizabeth and Zechariah, an elderly couple with no children, led a blameless life.  Because Elizabeth didn’t give her husband children, she endured disgrace.  Culturally at the time, A wife’s duty first and foremost, bear children to carry on the family name and help provide for the family.  I envision a non-descript elderly couple quietly living under the radar, not drawing attention to themselves.

But then Elizabeth becomes pregnant far past childbearing age.  All of the taunts she endured now ended as she grew larger each month.  Meanwhile, Zechariah’s lack of belief caused God to silence him during the pregnancy, his ability to speak restored eight days after Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist.

Keep becoming.

Even though Elizabeth and Zechariah endured reproach, they didn’t let it stop them serving God.  The couple trusted God’s plan for their lives, even if it meant no children.  Decade after decade slipped by with no indication things would change, yet Elizabeth and Zechariah persevered; as a result, they became infamous for their role in the gospel story.

Persevering in the face of adversity challenges everyone.  Long periods passed before God moved in Elizabeth and Zechariah’s life.  Monotonous days can challenge our faith.  When praying seems ineffective, and nothing seems to change we can doubt the Creator.  But we must remember, Noah didn’t build the ark in a day.  Life happens over time, not all at once, but it can change in a heartbeat.

We never know when God will move in our lives, but we do know He will.  In an instant, Elizabeth went from barren to pregnant, her entire life changing forever.  No one knows what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds it.  Trusting God will unfold His plan takes faith, somedays more than others.  But we can trust.  God will move in your circumstances; He does know your story.  When and where only the Maker knows, God calls us to trust until then.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 179) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 16:41-18:32 ESV, Mark 16:1-20 ESV, Psalm 55:1-23 ESV, Proverbs 11:7 ESV

Daily Verse: “Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.” (Mark 16:14 ESV) 

APISTIA (570): “Faithlessness, i.e. (neg.) disbelief (want of Chr. Faith), or (pos.) unfaithfulness (disobedience).”[I]  

Unbelief hardens hearts.

In my fifties, I’m beginning to understand more things in life; hindsight provides a 20/20 vision.  The condition of our heart determines outward actions.  Because the disciples didn’t believe the reports of Jesus’ resurrection, their hearts became hard.  Only when Jesus appeared to them did they believe.

Honestly, I don’t blame the disciples for their unbelief.  I can’t imagine the overwhelming emotions they experienced walking with Jesus to His death. Humanity limits our perspective.  Often, we can’t see past our circumstances, missing God’s handiwork as a result.

Impossible doesn’t exist.

Not only do I write devotionals, but I read them as well; Rick Warren’s Daily Hope[i] a staple for years.  Recently, Rick made a surprising revelation; he cut “impossible” out of his dictionary:

“I decided that if it’s not in God’s dictionary, it’s not going to be in mine.” Rick Warren[ii]

God can do anything He wants, but God doesn’t always do what we want.  Our struggle lies in reconciling God’s sovereignty with human desire.  From our perspective, we think we know the solution, but God’s the one with the correct answers. 

Belief means cutting impossible out of your dictionary.  Trusting God despite the world’s pain challenges us all, but we must.  If we don’t have faith, we’ll never experience miracles.  Hardened hearts don’t believe; soft ones do.

Ask God to soften your heart today, filling you with belief.  Experience the miracle of life as you walk through your day. Impossible doesn’t exist with God.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 34) Thomas Nelson

[i] https://pastorrick.com/devotional/

[ii] https://pastorrick.com/count-on-god-to-do-the-impossible/

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 15:17-16:40 ESV, Mark 15:1-47 ESV, Psalm 54:1-7 ESV, Proverbs 11:5-6 ESV

Daily Verse: “And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.” (Mark 15:20 ESV)

EMPAIZO (1702): “To play like a child, to sport, jest. Used only in the Synoptists, and in every instance, of the “mockery” of Christ.” [I]

Sporting jest hurts.

Making someone else the object of your play hurts them deeply. If you’ve ever endured mocking, you know the pain associated with it.  The guards mocked Christ before they led him to the Cross.   Jesus’ sufferings began before they nailed Him to the course beams.

Often, I think of the scene from Passion of the Christ when the guards taunt Jesus, playing with Him.  Watching the Savior treated horrifically, grasping He endured the treatment on my behalf humbles me.  We take for granted Christ’s sufferings because of the distance between then and now.  Having heard the story so many times, we lose the gravity of the situation because of familiarity.  The guards made Jesus the object of their sporting jest.

Remember the cost.

Taking time to put yourself in Jesus’ place, imagining how He felt standing helpless before the guards, enduring their jibes, hopefully, will make you appreciate Christ.  God’s Son suffered so we could live.  Our freedom does have a price, one Jesus paid.

Remembering Jesus’ sacrifice accomplishes two things.  First, recognizing Christ’s unconditional love for you, warts and all, frees us from self-condemnation.  Finding freedom from our sins gives us new life.  And because of the love we receive, we can love others better. 

Secondly, thinking about the guards making fun of Jesus makes me not want to become a guard, someone who mocks other people.  Mocking others hurts them and destroys relationships, yet we do it.  Jesus never made fun of people; He always loved.  If we want to become more like Christ, we must avoid becoming a guard.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 86) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 14:1-15:16 ESV, Mark 14:53-72 ESV, Psalm 53:1-6 ESV, Proverbs 11:4 ESV

Daily Verse: “But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (Mark 14:61 ESV)

CHRISTOS (5547): “From 5548: anointed, i.e., the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus (used 569x).”[I]

Son of the Blessed.

When the high priest questioned Jesus before His crucifixion, Jesus remained silent.  Finally, Jesus affirmed His position:

“And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62 ESV)

Christ, the Messiah, anointed by God to do His will.  Savior of the world, studying Jesus’ life on earth will change yours now.

“The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives.” D.L. Moody[i]

Experience the life change Jesus offers.  Son of God, His purpose on earth brought salvation to those who receive it.  You have the choice of who you follow; choose Jesus.

Full life.

At lunch with a friend, we talked about therapy.  A massive fan of talking through issues, my friend asked why I started treatment.  “I want to live life to the fullest,” I responded.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 ESV)

Often, our biggest battle takes place in the mind.  The thief steals our joy by the thoughts we think.  Instead of filling our minds with God’s word, we let our thoughts spiral out of control with worldly problems.

Jesus came to give us life to the full.  Following Him will take you on an adventure you have yet to discover.  Christ, the anointed one of God, giver of life, saver of souls, lover of all, make Him your leader today.  Accept the gift of life Jesus offers!

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[i] https://quotefancy.com/quote/1819956/Rick-Warren-The-great-evangelist-D-L-Moody-once-said-The-Bible-was-not-given-to-increase

[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 273) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 11:24-13:33 ESV, Mark 14:22-52 ESV, Psalm 52:1-9 ESV, Proverbs 11:1-3 ESV

Daily Verse: “And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” (Mark 14:32 ESV)

PROSEUCHOMAI (4336): “To pray to God, i.e., supplicate, worship.  Always used of “prayer” to God and is the most frequent word used in this respect.”[I]

Continual conversation.

Jesus, preparing for the days to come, deliberately slipped away from people to spend time with God.  The connection between Father and Son remained strong because of their continual conversation.  No matter what the relationship, communication determines its depth.  The more we talk with God, the deeper our relationship will become.

“Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.” (Psalm 139:4 ESV)

Pray confidently.

God knows your thoughts as well as your words.  When you pray silently, it counts.  Some of my most heartfelt prayers had no audible sounds.  Sighs and groans communicate the longings of our soul only God can understand.  Whether speaking audibly or silently conversing, God hears all prayers.

Praying to God, hopefully, will become natural for you. Jesus went to the Father first and foremost because the Son knew the source of His power; our strength comes from the same place.  We access God’s energy when we commune with Him through prayer.  Only when we stop and talk to God can we receive His answers.  Our purpose in life comes as we seek God diligently, allowing Him to lead the way.

Pray continuously as your day unfolds.  Tell God what’s going on in your life, listen for His response.  Ask Him to open the doors you need open, close ones that will lead you astray.  One step at a time, God will guide you on the journey.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 213) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 10:1-11:23 ESV, Mark 14:1-21 ESV, Psalm 51:1-19 ESV, Proverbs 10:31-32 ESV

Daily Verse: “And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.” (Mark 14:3 ESV) 

ALABASTRON (211): “The name of a stone; prop. An ‘alabaster’ box, i.e., a perfume vase (of any material).”[I]

Perfumed preparation.

Unnamed, our heroine today came with ointments preparing Jesus for His death.  Soon after Jesus reclined at the table, receiving the precious gift from the woman, Judas betrays Him to the chief priests.  Before long, our Savior will hang on the cross, His body already anointed for burial.

Whatever happens today prepares us for tomorrow.  Each day, God grooms us for the journey that lies ahead.  A baby changes more than any other time in year one.  Baby’s weight triples in the first twelve months as they learn to maneuver their bodies to sit, stand, and walk. Every day, infants acquire something new for the next part of their journey.

Accept the prep.

God doesn’t waste anything.  Wherever life finds you, God uses it to help you grow.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV)

Jesus knew as the woman poured the ointment on His head what her actions meant.  Understanding her anointing prepared Him for death, Jesus accepted His fate.  We may not know why things happen the way they do, but we can trust God does.  Whatever the circumstances, God has a plan for them.  Nothing gets wasted with God.

Eventually, we will reach the end of our journey here on earth, but in the meantime, God’s preparing us for our eternal home.  The lessons we learn in life will move with us into eternity.  We will leave our possessions behind, but our character goes with us.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 13) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 8:1-9:23 ESV, Mark 13:14-37 ESV, Psalm 50:1-23 ESV, Proverbs 10:29-30 ESV

Daily Verse: “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.” (Mark 13:28 ESV)

SUKE (4808): “A ‘fig tree’ with leaves must have young fruits already, or it will be barren for the season.  The first figs ripen in late May or early June.”[i]

Lessons learned.

When we see the buds begin to appear on trees, accompanied by warm winds and soft rains, we can feel the nearness of summer.  Signs God gives us to hold onto for better days ahead; indications of new life give us hope for the future.  God’s lessons come in all forms.

Recently, my husband had a busy day on the road driving.  I battle anxiety, especially when I hear sirens blaring as I work.  Each honk of the horn causes me to pray for those they’re serving, reminding me of the perils of everyday life.  Praying my way through the day, working from home, I’m the one who got hurt.

Forgetting my phone in my office, I ran up the stairs to retrieve it.  Not thinking, looking at my phone, I missed the last step on the way down, landing on my knee in extreme pain.  Instead of paying attention, my multitasking caused me pain.

Grow from the lesson.

Sitting with my husband that evening, I said, “Funny how I worried about you driving, but I’m the one who got hurt.  God’s teaching me a lesson.”  Ron agreed.

Like God uses the figs to teach us about seasons, He used my fall to teach me about worry.  Once again, the statistic that only 8% of what we worry about happens proves true.   My anxiety never included injury from a fall.  We can’t predict life, but we can trust God and learn from the lessons He teaches us.

Look for God’s lessons in your everyday life.  Just as the fig tree indicates summer’s arrival, God’s teachings come in all forms.  As we seek God in the dailiness of life, we will find Him.  God’s intimacy in our lives reveals itself as we search for Him, seeking to learn all He has to teach.

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 237) Thomas Nelson

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Numbers 6:1-7:89 ESV, Mark 12:38-13:13 ESV, Psalm 49:1-20 ESV, Proverbs 10:27-28 ESV

Daily Verse: “And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.” (Mark 12:43 ESV)

PTOCHOS (4434):  “Pauper, denoting absolute or public mendicancy, although also use in a qualified or relative sense.  As an adjective, “one who crouches and cowers.”[I]

Spiritually rich.

Material possessions’ main problem, they don’t last.  Just like fall fades to winter, our stuff will no longer exist.  Money becomes many people’s gods, but within seconds, it can disappear.  Jesus, watching the poor woman put all she had in the offering plate, knew she understood this vital principle.

Enron Corporation declared bankruptcy on Dec. 2, 2001.  One of the largest companies in the United States at the time, overnight, its stock went from $90 a share to mere pennies.[i]  Tens of thousands of people lost their pension and investment accounts.  In the blink of an eye, their life savings disappeared.

Invest eternally.

Nothing on earth can take away the gift of eternal life God offers.  One day, our life on earth will end, beginning the next chapter, eternity.  Nothing we do can stop death from knocking at our door.  But we can prepare for the transition by investing in heaven.

When the poor widow placed her money in the offering, she invested in heaven. 

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20 ESV)

The widow placed her treasures in God’s hands, trusting His provision for her.  Enron’s shareholders quickly learned the reliability of putting faith in money.  One debilitating accident could bankrupt anyone of us, but nothing can break God.  Trusting Him with our finances will lead to eternal rewards.

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[i] https://www.investopedia.com/updates/enron-scandal-summary/

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[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 218) Thomas Nelson