Boast of His Goodness

Colossians 1:16 ~ For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.

As we leave this season of Thanksgiving, we have been reminded that we should thank God for the gift of salvation.  A gift that brings us into a full and intimate relationship withGod. 

Now we approach the season of recognizing the birth of our Savior and I am reminded how we should rejoice with great boasting!

The more we develop an intimate love for God, the more we desire to boast of His goodness.  Just as a new bride cannot help but tell the world how much she loves her groom, boasting of his goodness, we should be  filled with such a love for God that we cannot help but tell the world of His goodness and love for us.
Almost every Christian is familiar with the creation story of how God created all things, including man and woman. Genesis tells us that for 6 days, God spoke and things were. From light to land and the separations of the waters, God spoke them into creation. From the far reaching creation of the universe, to the detail of every leaf on every tree, God spoke them into creation.

And then He created man.

This part of creation story speaks loudly to the fact that we are a special creation in God’s kingdom. Instead of speaking us into existence, God took time to mold and shape us out of the dust or clay of the earth. And then, He breathed into man His breath of life.

And so God created human beings in His own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female He created them. ~ Genesis 1:27

We are more than a spoken word, we are a carefully crafted creation. And our key verse today tells us that we are also created FOR HIM.

Consider what it means to create something.

• Pottery created from a lump of clay. The potter carefully considers what he is going to make and then takes the time to shape and mold the clay into that vision. The potter does not approach the clay with the intention of creating trash to be thrown away. He comes to create something of value that can be used by himself and others.

• A meal served to friends and family. The cook carefully considers what she is going to make and then takes the time to gather the perfect ingredients and then combine them with great thought of how they will taste once presented for consumption. The cook does not enter the kitchen with the intention of creating a distasteful meal to be thrown away. She comes to create something of value that can be enjoyed by all who sit at the table.

Use these images of creating something for good to better understand how we have been created through God and FOR God. God took time to shape and mold us, not to be tossed aside and forgotten, but with purpose and to be enjoyed! If you are at the table today with a heart that questions your personal value and worth, then you should come to Him in prayer and ask Him to show you why He took the time to create you. Remember that a creator does not shape and mold things to be tossed away, but to be used. Do not question that God has a purpose for your, but ask instead what that purpose is.

And just as a potter is praised for his work of art or a cook is praised for her meal, God is to be praised for His creation of us. But how can God receive this praise if we do not step out and show others what God has done in us?

We have explored verses in other devotions that remind us to obey God with all of our hearts. So in obedience we must step out and boast of what God has done in our lives as directed in Jeremiah 9: 23-24~

If we are to obey God with a whole heart, we cannot come to the table, spend time with Him, let Him reach in and heal our hearts, give us strength and victory, and then never boast of who He is in our lives. If a potter never shared his creations with others, or a chef never shared a meal, there would be no praise given.

We come to the table today to consider how God desires us to boast of His work in our lives. We were created for His glory.

Our recipe today is to see that we were created for His good pleasure.
The ingredients are from Colossians 1:16
The directions are to embrace that you are created with purpose and value and to step out and show others what God has done in your life.

PRAYER:
My God, my Creator, I am humbled by the thought that You molded me with purpose and vision. I am not here by accident, but because You formed me through You and for You. I rejoice that I am not to be tossed aside as trash, but to be used for Your glory! Oh Lord, my heart so wants to boast of Your kindness, justice and righteousness. I thank You, Lord for taking time to sit at the table with me and remind me of how You formed with such purpose. Remind me daily that You desire that I boast of You for others to hear and understand. Give me a heart that desires to obey You completely in this. I confess that there are times that I am quiet when I should be shouting out to the world “look what God has done!” I confess that this is done from a heart that fears what others will think more than a heart that desires to delight You. And as I confess this fear, Lord, reach in and heal it. I repent of this fleshly response and desire to be more of a reflection of Your Glory. I come to you in the name of my precious Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.






Do others know of the mighty work God has done in your life? Leave a comment and boast of who He is in your life.  Let's delight the Lord with our words of praise today!

Give Thanks with a GRATEFUL Heart

For the last few days I have been contemplating the theme on everyone's mind as we approach Thanksgiving Day. No, not turkey (although I have contemplated that quite a bit as well!) I'm talking about the theme of giving thanks.

I've wanted to join in the blogging 'carnivals' where everyone links up and shares their thankful thoughts, but my heart could not write.  Don't get me wrong...my heart is thankful for so many things

• My family
• A place to live
• A meal on the table
• etc...

But because I write from my heart and not my head, I was struggling to get words out.  My head had the list, but my heart was seeking something more.  What did God want me to know about being thankful? 

As I read various blogs touting the Thankful theme, there was one word that popped up on Scribbit's blog for a writing contest that intrigued me.  The word used was Grateful and I decided I liked it better than thankful...GRATEFUL.  Being one who loves to tear words apart and seek real meaning in them, I was drawn to my friend "Webster" to find out if there's even a difference between 'thankful' and 'grateful'.

I found that though the 2 words are siblings, there is a slight difference between them.  While 'thankful is being conscious of benefits received, 'grateful' is being appreciative of benefits received.  At least that's how Webster described the 2 in the first definition of each.  

And so, as I am inclined to do, I pondered and meditated on the different definitions of the 2, asking God to speak to me a word for this season and show me something new to stir up my soul and bring me closer to Him.

First thoughts were that I could see how I am conscious (aware) of what God has done in my life, but could I be more appreciative of what God has done in my life? 

I  found myself wandering back to Webster again. 

Conscious: perceiving or noticing with a degree of controlled thought
OK...so thankful means to notice, with a degree of controlled thought, the benefits received.

Appreciative: showing appreciation (and appreciation is an expression of admiriation, approval, or gratitude)
And so...grateful means to show appreciation with an expression of admiration and gratitude for the benefits received.

And then my heart was stirred. 

God showed me that I have a thankful heart

but not always a grateful heart. 

And that's when the words of this song came over me. 

Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to the Holy One,
Give thanks, because He's given Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The words of this song reminded me that God desires (and deserves!) to be thanked with a grateful heart.  And as the definition of grateful had been shown to me as an expression of appreciation, I began to ask God what that should look like.  How do I take my thankfulness from a controlled, inward thought to an outward expression of admiration and gratitude for the benefit I received from the blood of Christ? 

I was reminded of a dear friend who is going through an intense refining fire right now.  She is being asked to endure hardships that could easily cause her heart to give up on God.  As we sat chatting one afternoon, she shared that as she lay on the floor in tears one day, weaping and sobbing for God to resolve her situation,  He whispered to her heart "If I never do another thing for you, will you still love Me?"

Those words came to the top of my mind as I meditated on this theme of thankfulness and gratefulness.  This was why I was unable to make my 'list'.  God wanted to chat with me about being grateful for one thing and one thing only...the sacrifice of His Son so that I could have a real and intimate relationship with Him. 

And grateful was the key word, not thankful. 

(remember, the difference is that a grateful heart appreciates the benefit; it's not just mindful of it)

{wait...take that in for a second.  Read those words one more time; slowly. Even if your walk with God is miles and miles further down the road than mine...just stop and consider the idea of a heart that is grateful of the benefit of salvation vs a heart that is thankful of the benefit of salvation.}

We've all heard the expression "you learn to appreciate things when you don't have them anymore".  Or, as mom's like to say to our kids "you just don't appreciate how good you have it here".

That was what struck my heart today.  In a world where Christianity is accepted without persecution; where Christians are allowed to worship freely, without question; does my heart default to thankfulness when it should leap with gratefulness? 

Are my thoughts of thankfulness for Christ's sacrifice controlled within my heart when they should be outward expressions of admiration and gratitude? 

I am very expressive when I sing and speak, but in my day to day living, I am very reserved and quiet by nature. Today I was stirred to consider how I might take my expressions of appreciation to a new level. 

 My husband is a talker.  He can and will talk to anyone and everyone. (yes...opposites DO attract!)  One thing that I love about him is how he ends conversations (whether face to face or on the phone).  Almost every time he says "I appreciate you".  Not 'thanks for your help', not 'good talking to you', not 'talk to you later'...but "I appreciate you".  And he says it with sincerity that is felt by everyone who receives that heartfelt salutation of gratitude.  And what I have observed over the years is the difference that verbalized appreciation makes in the relationships he has built.  This is what expressed appreciation (a grateful heart) will do to my relationship with God. 

Because God desires an even more intimate relationship with me than what I have today...

I need to verbalize my appreciation for the sacrificial act of Christ more often.

I need to give voice to the appreciation I have for my salvation.

Does God know that I am grateful?  God knows my heart without a word spoken.  So why has He stirred my heart today with the realization that being grateful means to show appreciation with an expression of admiration and gratitude for the benefits received.  It's not for Him, it's for me!  I remember the season of my life when God moved me out of my comfort zone and I learned to lift my hands and praise Him with all the joy He had filled me with.  I remember how that act of obedience and sacrificial praise drew me closer to Him.  I know that as I begin to step out of my comfort zone and be more expressive of my appreciation for His sacrifice, sharing salvation more outwardly with others, beyond the walls of worship, my relationship will grow with even greater intimacy. 

And now, let the weak say I am strong,

Let the poor say I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done, for us.

Give Thanks.

Give Thanks.

Give Thanks.

What grateful words do you have today?  Share what the benefit of salvation has meant to you with a quick comment and let God use that outward expression of appreciation to do a mighty work in you and in those He brings here to read what you have to say.  To His Glory...amen.

Other places I encourage you to visit for conversations of giving thanks are:
the Cafe Chat at the Internet Cafe and because I am thankful that the blood of Christ allowed me to give up on being PERFECT...hop over to see Mary's Giving up on a PERFECT Thanksgiving (check out the links for some really funny stories!)

Rejoice! We are Fully Valued and Loved!!

Instead of posting a devotional today, I wanted to participate in a virtual chat with the readers of the blog "Internet Cafe Devotions".  Each week Kim poses a question for us to consider and weigh in on.  So while I am going to share my thoughts here, I encourage you to jump into the chat as well!  Use the comment section below, or go to the Cafe Chat and comment there or add a link. 

The question today comes from the story of Jacob, Leah and Rachel.  Kim asks who do you sympathize with more, Leah or Rachel? Who does your heart go out to? Does your answer reflect the fact that you can relate to your choice personally?

So lets read the story and then I'll 'chat'!

(From Genesis 29)

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 15 Laban said to him, "Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be."


16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel."

19 Laban said, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me." 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her."

22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. 24 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant.

25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?"

26 Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. 27 Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work."

28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. 30 Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

31 When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now."


33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon.


34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi.


35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
 

Now, the question was 'who do I sympathize with most', but to be honest, that's not where my heart goes.  I was most struck by the series of responses by Leah each time she bore a child.  Three times she responded with a desire to be loved by Jacob.  The fourth time she simply said "This time I will praise the LORD". 
 
I found myself rejoicing that Leah finally learned to find her worth, value, acceptance and love in God and stopped seeking it from Jacob. 
 
I was reminded of how we as women too often work so hard to win the approval of others that we miss the intimacy of a loving relationship with God.  And of course, isn't it just like the enemy to do whatever he can to distract us from the face of God so we miss out on all that He offers us through salvation.  If he can get us to look to others for the affirmation, love, acceptance and value we were created to receive from God, then he can torment us for the duration of that search. 
 
The tormenting looks a lot like what we saw in Leah. "Maybe this time Jacob will accept me"  "Maybe this time Jacob will love me" How many years was Leah tormented by the feeling of not being accepted or loved? 
 
How many years do we live in the torment of wondering what we can do to be more loved or more accepted?

• If I volunteer more at (church, school, community...) people will value me more
• If I raise perfect children people will value me more
• If I please people more, I will be loved more
• If I....
• If I...
• If I...

There are as many ways to finish that statement as there are women in the church.  The point is that while the enemy is working hard to turn our eyes toward works to find love and value, God is standing right before us saying "I love you, value you and accept you just as you are because of the cloak of Christ you accepted at salvation".   All we have to do is turn our eyes to Jesus and away from self proving works of the flesh. 

This is not to say that we shouldn't volunteer, strive to be godly parents, honor others above ourselves, and so on.  The point is to open our eyes to see the motivaton of our hearts.  When our heart's desires are from God, we do all these things to bring Him glory, not to glorify ourselves to receive love, acceptance or value.  To work with a heart filled with God's desires, we must have that intimate relationship. 

So I suppose my answer to the question today is, I rejoice with Leah rather than sympathize with Leah.  When you read the rest of the story, you see that the birth of this fourth son is not the end of Leah's refining story, but just one of the refining points along the way.  And then there is Rachel's refining story...but that's for another day!  We could also spend a day talking about the consequences of this misguided quest for love and acceptance on the family.  As you read the rest of the story you see that it plays out with bitterness and stiving to be accepted in the story of Joseph and his brothers (Joseph being Rachel's son). 

But enough for now!  Today, let's rejoice in the love, acceptance and value we find in the blood of Christ and in the eyes of God.  And while we are on our knees, lets ask God to show us any striving in our works to find that love, value and acceptance in personal glory so we can confess, repent and be healed to His glory!

Prayer:
Father God, I rejoice in the gift of life you offered at the cross.  This gift of salvation brings me into a full relationship with you.  A relationship where I am fully loved, fully valued and fully accepted by YOU, my CREATOR. My heart fills with tears of joy as I embrace the fullness of that reality!  And at the same time I am convicted of times that I lose sight of this and fall into striving for that love and acceptance from things of the earth and my personal works.  Lord, continue to open my eyes to see when I am looking for what you offer in other places.  Give me eyes to see the difference and a heart that is quick to respond; shifting my eyes back to You.  I want my heart to desire only that which brings you glory Lord.  I come to you in the name of my precious Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.






So let's keep chatting!  What's on your heart today?  Want to hear more?  Remember to hop on over to the Internet Cafe! 

I Have a GPS, and It's Spelled G.O.D.

Psalm 27:11 ~ Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path.


Psalm 16:11 ~ You will show me the path of life.

I got off the phone with my daughter the other day and just laughed outloud!  She had called me to see if I could help her figure out how to get to my mother's house cause she had taken a wrong turn.  She has a GPS on her cell phone, so I asked her if she had put Grandma's address into the navigation system.  She said yes, but that the direction it was telling her to take didn't sound right and she could see a bridge that looked familiar.  Not being able to see what she could see, I told her to trust the GPS and follow it's directions, even though what she could see seemed to make more sense than what the GPS was telling her to do.  "OK", she said as we hung up.  I called her a little later to be sure she got where she was going.  She got where she was going, and she also told me that after we hung up she ignored my advice, turned off the GPS and went her own way.  She was sure it was wrong and she was right! 

After I enjoyed a good laugh at the strong willed nature of my daughter, I couldn't help but think of how God must find similar amusement at my strong willed ways. How many times has God shown me the path of life and I have tuned Him out so that I could follow the path I had in my sights.

Before marriage, before children, and before the path of life I am now walking, I was walking a path I was sure was the one that would take me to the end of my days.  I was pursuing a career in music and enjoying every moment of it.  At one point, I was working as a singer/dancer on a cruise ship. And it was here that I began making decisions about my future career, who I would marry, and so on. However, I wasn’t seeking God in any of this.

I was saved early in my teen years, but with little discipling, I had not developed a relationship with my savior.  So, the thought of seeking His will and His direction was foreign to me.  I began walking down a path for my life that wasn't anywhere near the one God had planned for me.  And the further I went down my path, the further God was from my thoughts.

However, because my Father loves me so much, He reached down one day, picked me up and brought me home so that I could be guided back to His side.

Oh…I can say it like that now…but in all honesty, at the moment it didn’t feel gentle or loving at all.  It felt more like being drop kicked across the ocean. And one thing for sure…in the moment I didn’t even see God in it at all. Of course… I wasn’t looking for him in it either!

So how did God intervene to bring me back home to the path of life He had for me? He took away the gift He had given to me to glorify Him but I was using for self fulfilling desires…my voice. It started with a moment on stage that hit me where I needed to be hit…my pride. There I was, on stage by myself, spot light on me and in the middle of the song I lost the ability to sing the correct note. I remember 2 notes coming out at one time, but not the right ones! I was horrified. It was soon after that I was sent home to get the healing I needed.

And while I went home to get the physical healing I needed,

God had brought me home to get the spiritual healing I needed.

While I took action to find a speech therapist to restore the damage to my vocal chords,

God began to direct me to people who could help restore my relationship with Him.

He did this by giving me the gift of a Godly husband. Mind you, I wasn’t looking for a husband ~ at least not this one! I had my sights on another, but God knew better and intervened with perfect timing. He made our courtship swift. We met and were married in 6 short months. I am sure this was God intervening in my strong willed efforts to get myself back onto the career path I had set my sights on.

And you would think that this would have put an end to my personal plans, but I was head strong and sure I knew best. So I had told my husband that the music industry was my career, but I would adjust it so that I only took 3 month tours and come home for 3 months.

Again, God’s grace and guidance prevailed. I found myself expecting our first child within 2 months of marriage. And so…when the call came to invite me on the next tour…God made sure I could say no!

God knew exactly what He had to do to bring me back to a walk with Him. In fact, He knew me so well, and loved me so much that He knew I needed further shepherding and discipline. Even though my voice was returning by this time, God knew I was weak in my faith and that singing was an idol to me. I still did not know what a healthy diet looked like to feed my soul. I certainly didn't realize that singing was an idol I put before God, but God was putting me on a path to show me. 

For the next 4 years, God led Darius (husband) to put our family in a church that had no choir, thus no distractions of my idol. At first this was a point of contention for me. But once I decided to be still, stop looking for greener pastures, see God in the moment, and listen to Him I came to I love God more than I loved to sing. I began to understand the birthright I had been given at the point of my salvation and I learned to trust Him more than I trusted the future I could see for myself.

After 4 years with no music in my life, my husband decided it was time to find a church that was closer to home.  Long story short, the church home we landed at had a wonderful choir and my heart was ready to sing.  Not for my pleasure but for His glory. 

I can tell you that it was several years later before I could look back on those years and finally see the full hand of God.  And just like my daughter, there are days when I am tempted to turn off my 'GPS' and go the way that looks more familiar. But I am reminded by God's word (my God given GPS) that while my eyes may see one path that seems to be the 'right way to go', I need to trust more in the path of life God will lead me down. 

Have you wondered down a path of life only to find yourself being brought home to the path of life God intended?  Are you wondering down a path right now, with your GPS in hand (word of God) but turned off?

Our recipe today is for Following God's Lead
The ingredients are from Psalm 27:11, 16:11
The directions are to trust God to lead you on a path that is better than any path you can see right now. 

Prayer:
Father, I confess that too many times I head down a path without looking first to You.  And yet You never let me wonder too far and always intervene to bring me back to You.  At times I find myself suffering the consequences of my self driven journey, but even then You are there to bring me the healing I need.  Lord, I cannot find the words to thank You, but can only offer to You my praise today.  I come to You today seeking Your path for my life.  Give me eyes to see Your navigation and blind me to the ways that are not of You.  Protect me from the distraction of paths that look easier or promise earthly glory.  I submit my ways to You. I come to you in the name of my precious Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.