Author: astherainandsnow

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.  For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:3-11

Could Paul’s heart have been any more full? Remembrance, thankfulness, joyful prayer, the gift of a partnership, assurance, confidence in God’s promises, shared grace, determined purpose even in prison, affection for many fellow laborers, holy desire for abounding love and discernment and knowledge and purity, fruit of righteousness, Jesus’s glory and praise. Oh, and all those individuals whom he was addressing! He held them in his heart too.

If we had such a full heart for God’s people, we would not have room for catty nit-picking, comparing, criticism, and bragging. If we had a heart focused on God’s purposes, we would be so filled with hope and fortitude that we would not fret, complain, fear, despair, or worry. If we had such a heart for God’s wide world, it would squeeze out provincialism and pompous ease with broader love, compassion, understanding, and fire for the gospel. (Philippians 1:12-14)

It takes Christ-like desire and Spirit-led discipline to fill our hearts aright. Would we remember not wrongs and offenses, but the great deeds of the Lord? Would we practice deliberate thankfulness to God and others, in all things? How committed are we to regular, expectant, joyful prayer for our partners in ministry, that they would grow in grace, love, and wisdom, that God would bear much fruit through ministry, hardship, and the spread of the gospel? What time do we take to meditate on God’s promises, hiding His word in our hearts so we are strong in assurance, ready to explain our hope, growing in practical wisdom, affection for the saints, and love for the unsaved world, and will not sin? If we ponder Jesus’s amazing grace often, our hearts will overflow with His praise. (1 Chronicles 16:8-12; Psalm 119:11; 1 Corinthians 13:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18; 1 Peter 3:15)

“Thou that hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more, a grateful heart…
But such a heart, whose pulse may be
Thy praise.” ~George Herbert (1593- 1633)

Lord, rid my heart of every foreign affection, taint of distrust, ugliness, impurity, and sin. Create in me a clean heart, and fill it with all things good that glorify You and bless Your kingdom. (Psalm 51:7-10,15)

“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, ‘You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.’ Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God… For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord… Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.

“And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded.” 1 Kings 11:1-10

“The heart is deceitful above all things,
    and desperately sick;
    who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9

Ah, the deceitful heart! With the emotion and flushing pulse of affection, it lures us into passions that nibble at and erode our senses and sensibility. It rose-colors the stain of rebellion by giving temporary pleasure, juicing our endorphins to taste sweetly the icing on the bitter bite. (Hebrews 11:25-26)

Beware the deceitfulness of sin! It can begin with the slick syrup of love, which feels so right, but wrongly seeps from disaffection and spreads wayward and out of control. It can slide through gates of practicality, liaisons that get us noticed, or ahead. (Many of Solomon’s wives were daughters of political allies.) It can get more slippery as we age, when filters weaken, excuses get easier, and consciences fail altogether. A half-heart for the Lord leaves too much room for pride, and unchecked pride swells out of bounds to overtake discipline, determination, and faithfulness with the abomination of idolatry.

We may deem some things ‘no temptation for me,’ but what other things are? Are we cocky to shun one area of intoxication, but trip in another? What do we regularly listen to, read, watch, discuss, or participate in that pulls our affection from our Savior and attention from His holy commands? Secrets and shadows entice us away from light. Beware the many hands that vie to allure our impulses, massage our egos, stoke our desires, and grip us captive in a number of sensual habits.

It’s vital we cement friendships with allies in faith and faithfulness, spurring one another on to stay wholly true to the Lord. When teased or titillated, boldly run to His throne of grace, and confidently seize His promises. Align every temptation against God’s word, look for His way of escape, and take it! (Hebrews 3:12-13; 4:11-16; 10:19-25)

Almighty, worthy Lord, fix within me a heart that wholly follows You, and craves only Your righteousness and glory.

“It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.” Philippians 2:13-16

The moon brightened the predawn sky, although only as a saturating blotch in the cloud-flecked black. Stars poked through at occasional spots between charcoal tufts in the carbon infinity, too many hidden to decipher constellations. Still they twinkled ineffably, inviting wonder, as unseen tree frogs squirked rhythmically, adding to morning’s grand symphony.

In darkness, it is sometimes hard to get noticed. Even a noisy frog sound is difficult to distinguish from the crowd. But there’s something mesmerizing about stars, so unordinary and bright and everlasting when they punctuate the blackness, and that’s attention- grabbing at its best.

Many aspects of the culture have grown dim with division, suspicion, and derision. The gradual hardening of hearts has set firmly into a miserable status quo, bereft of civility and mutual respect. This brooding darkness needs the light of Jesus, even if only a poke at first. A sparkle-eyed smile, an unspoken kindness, a firm standing for an unpopular truth make a startling difference.

When all seem angry, agitated, or anxious, how can I interject peace? When talk descends to catty and condemning, how can I stir compassion and humility? When humor and gab turn ugly and banal, where will I interject lofty thought? When despair and brooding hang heavy, how will I uplift with consolation and real hope? When the buzz is a-tizzy over the spurious and scandalous and unsolved, how can I interject the significant? If I have heavenly light against which the world is blind and hardened, why would I not give it a chance to penetrate these flesh strongholds in my area of influence? (2 Corinthians 10:3-5,13)

The darker the times, the greater our opportunities to shine. Retreating to our incandescent safety dens does nothing to spread the gospel’s light. Our world is ripe for truth, and hope. When we break through with Jesus, He is power for their salvation. What reluctance, or fear, or selfishness, holds me back? (Matthew 5:14-16; Romans 1:16)

Jesus is the Way out of darkness, the Truth unshaken by ongoing opinions, deceit, and falsehood, the Life offered as escape from languishing and death. (John 14:6)

“Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.” ~Charles Wesley (1739)

Father, saturate me with Your grace and love. Let me be a poke-light at every opportunity in this dark world.

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” “And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.” Mark 1:35; 6:31-32

“And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.’” “On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart.” Luke 4:42-43; 9:10

Streaked and flocked clouds, suspended, hold their shape in predawn stillness, hovering. The measure of time passing is the new contours seen, shadows and shapes increasingly distinct in the brightening light. The rising sun lights from underneath and behind, reflecting, warming to the slightest movement, adjusting to new patterns. Color blushes at first, then emerges.

The longer we soak, the more of Jesus we take into our layers. He changes the ways we think, and feel, about things. The longer we soak, the deeper and broader our prayers. We learn to ask specifically, anticipate expectantly, and give God the greater glory when He answers. The longer we soak, the more visible our immanent Lord is before our eyes and the more palatable for our hungry soul. We understand better His infinite attributes and take in more of His character. The longer we soak, the more able we are to recognize our unholiness, the more deeply we are convicted and desire His perfection. We take time to confess known sins and are more willing to surrender.

Do we treat our quiet time with the Lord as a drive through meal, or a feast? Is it an item on a list of many to check off and leave behind? Do we skim the first paragraph, scratch the surface, and keep our communion superficial? If we do not soak, we will never be saturated with Jesus, never permeated with His mannerisms and thought. We will say our hellos and too quick a goodbye, and never get acquainted with His wisdom-gaining, answer-procuring, attitude-adjusting, or life-changing ways.

In these troubling times, what is important? We allot time and attention to our determined priorities. Are work, social media, news-gathering, or any type of ‘self-care’ taking precedence over daily lingering with Jesus? If our desire is the biblical admonition to fear the Lord and become like Him, we cannot skimp in the secret place of communion. We must stay until His voice is applied as instruction, His light colors our countenance, prayer is more listening than talking, the Word catches our breath and we bow in awed worship, or genuine repentance. How will we gain the mind of Christ, and have ready His grace for those who need hope, if we do not soak in our Savior? (Genesis 17:22; Deuteronomy 13:4; 1 Peter 3:15)

Lord Jesus, renew my mind and transform my heart as I soak in You. Equip me daily for Your will. (Romans 12:2)

“The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis 2:7

“The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. He led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ And I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy over these bones,.. O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord… Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’

“So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh.., and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy… and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet…

“He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones… say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.” Therefore… say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people…  And you shall know that I am the Lord… And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live… I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.’” Ezekiel 37:1-14

“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” John 3:7

What vivid pictures the Lord God gives to illustrate the beginning of human life, and the rebirth of the Christian! Every breath we have is from Him, from our first gulp when we emerged from the womb, to our first cry as one redeemed, having received eternal life at the moment of belief. When we entered the world physically, we were spiritually slain by innate sin- dead dry bones without hope, cut off from Christ, in a vale of darkness. But God, rich in mercy, breathed new life into us by grace, that we might believe and be saved, quickened to life to know, love, and serve Him. (Ephesians 2:1-6; 1 Peter 2:10)

We must not marvel that we must be born again, but certainly marvel that we are. Recognizing our depravity and need, and our very faith to believe, are God’s gracious gifts. He alone regenerates our spirits to respond to Him, His Spirit working in us that which is good and pleasing and bears much fruit. (Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 13:20-21)

Once we have been reborn, and indeed the old has gone, what are we doing to make new habits, manners, and passions come along and alive in vibrant vitality? (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 5:8-10)

Lord, in my thoughts, words, and actions, magnify the life of Your Spirit in me, to the praise of Your glory.

“Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice… You are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 34:11-16,31

The Lord makes amazing and all-encompassing promises as our good Shepherd. We His sheep- straying, directionless, dumb, helplessly dependent- can trust this One so beholden to us and to His word to us. There is no place we wander, whether physically into sin or foolishness, or in the dark places of despondence or regret in our minds, that He will not search us out, and from where He cannot rescue. Behold Him, sheep, and be thankful!

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
    He restores my soul…

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.” Psalm 23:1-2,4

Walk with Him, sheep! Catch His stride, follow His lead, feed from His hand, be refreshed in His Spirit. He will never fail nor forsake His own. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

“The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out... I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” John 10:3,14

Listen for Him, sheep! Dig into His word, learn His language, familiarize yourself with His voice. He is trustworthy.

Why do we glut on meaningless media, social feed with no nutrition? The Shepherd leads to good, rich, green pastures where we can graze. Why do we clamor for the cacophony of noise and speak and opinion, yet do not discern? The Shepherd calls us by name and teaches us to recognize His voice of truth. Why do we limp along in weakness, debilitated by injuries, offenses, bitterness, or shame? Why do we flee His care to hide our guilt? The Shepherd pursues us in loving grace to clean, bind, and heal our wounds. He delivers us from enemies of doubt and self-loathing. He meets our every need.

Father, remind me that I am merely a sheep, and You are the Shepherd. Help me settle not for lesser things, but trust and praise You all the day! (Psalm 100:3-4)

“‘I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord said to David my father, “Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house…” Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you… wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.’

“As soon as Hiram heard… Solomon, he rejoiced and said, ‘Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people… I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress. My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct… So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber… he desired, while Solomon gave Hiram wheat as food for his household, and beaten oil… year by year.  And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him…

“King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel,.. 30,000 men. He sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the draft. Solomon also had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country, besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief officers who were over the work, who had charge of the people who carried on the work. At the king’s command they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation… to build the house.” 1 Kings 5:5-6,8-18

Solomon had his priorities right (at first), and at God’s command, with God-given wisdom and grace, attentive to God’s plans, set out to build the temple. It is hard not to notice the cordial interactions, careful planning, particular measuring, and practical, compassionate scheduling encompassed in his industry. He was an exemplary manager of all entrusted to him.

Life can be chaotic. People and pressures, responsibilities and disruptions can weigh heavy and spin until we are dizzy. Our plans turn topsy turvy, circumstances beyond our control upend our schedules and rule the day. But the wise Sovereign on His throne rules with order and purpose that is fortified with kindness and care and beauty. His blueprint is exact, and supersedes on His grand scale the minutiae of our frustrations. All He intends and does is right, precise, and contributes to His overall design.

Our plans are finite, our goals short-term and humanly measurable. God’s plans are eternal, His thoughts and ways far beyond our imagining, His design exquisite and detailed. He is in no hurry, but never late, to supply and equip and accomplish. His process is part of His building, and it allows grace and rest, time to refresh and prepare for next steps. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

So where do we fit into His scheme? What do we contribute? Is our work for His name or ours? Do we fret in frenzy and without margin, or align ourselves with His sovereign schedule by listening to His voice and acting on His wisdom? Work that pleases Him is that done wholeheartedly for the purpose of His will.

Father, grant me the wisdom and will to work Your way, according to Your plans, for Your glory.

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery…

“You were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself…’ 

“I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:1,13-14,16-25a

The open air and mountains call. We cherish freedom, and clamor for it when we sense it being restricted. Our flesh craves freedom, to do what it wants and satisfy its hungers. Christ Jesus died on the cross to win for us a good and godly freedom, His death and resurrection setting us free from the restrictions and requirements of the law and consequent slavery and compulsion of sin. But it is our natural inclination to abuse and misuse this freedom. Only the harnessing of the Holy Spirit sets and holds the right parameters for His gracious gift of freedom to flourish to His glory and others’ good.

For the Christian, all freedom has boundaries inherent in the boundless. Once we belong to Christ we are not free to return to our old life because all has been made new. We may be tempted to serve the devil but we have a new Master. We may loiter at the fence of the old life and feel drawn to cross over to that former realm, but our citizenship has been transferred and we own a fresh identity. These are true truths that both bind us and keep us free. (Hosea 1:10; John 8:36; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:10)

Allelujah! We are free to say no to pestering doubt, jealousy, idolatry, and selfishness! Praise the Lord! We are free to adventure in love and service, to extend mercy and give generously! Through the power of Christ’s Spirit, we can resist spiritual lethargy, vain pursuits, and dishonoring indulgences. In Him we can get in step with Jesus’s stride and bring forth the Spirit’s fruit. Yielding to His pulls and leading, we will find ourselves enjoying the broad place of freedom that is enclosed by grace within His good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

Where has my freedom lured me off track? In what situations am I resisting the Spirit’s harness? Would I this day choose to make the most of my ability to love and serve my Lord?

Spirit, bridle all my affections and inclinations that I may not sin, but freely glorify You and serve Your world.

“And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.

“Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

“And he said to me, ‘Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.’ And… the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. And he said, ‘Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels… impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house…’

“And he said to me, ‘Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them.'” Ezekiel 1:26-2:3a,4-7;3:4

Over and beyond us is a throne, radiant in colorful splendor and inexplicable brightness, that is above any other and cannot be shaken. There is nothing like seeing God in his indescribable glory to undo us and put us in our place. We fall silent before His voice, empty of self exertion before His Spirit’s fullness and power, helpless before His help. Once we are in that place and position of humility, wonder, reverent fear and awe, He has our ear, makes us to stand, and penetrates our will. (Isaiah 6:1-5; Daniel 4:3; Ephesians 1:19-21)

God does not promise that the tasks He assigns and the paths He sets before us are easy, but they are good if they are His. Terrifying or challenging as they may be, we are responsible to listen and obey, and He is responsible for the outcome. When we feel our efforts or hard obedience are fruitless, we must remember we are following His call, no matter the results. (3:14-23)

When am I still enough, with eyes wide open, to be hushed before God’s ineffable glory? When was the last time He undid me? Do I even stay long enough for Him to captivate and move my will? When He issues a call that is bold and clear, do I rise, take hold of His power, and obey?

Lord, have sway over all of me, so I obey fully for all of You.

“Come and see what God has done:
    he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
He turned the sea into dry land;
    they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
   who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
    let not the rebellious exalt themselves. 

Bless our God, O peoples;
    let the sound of his praise be heard,
who has kept our soul among the living
    and has not let our feet slip.
For you, O God, have tested us;
    you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
    you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
you let men ride over our heads;
    we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance…

Come and hear, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
I cried to him with my mouth,
    and high praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
    he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God,
    because he has not rejected my prayer
    or removed his steadfast love from me!” Psalm 66:5-12,16-20

There is much that shakes our world: governments and kingdoms vie against each other and divide within; tempests threaten and destroy; diseases wrack bodies and minds and families. But with God Almighty at the helm, it can be well with our souls. In His Name, we are safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

Come and see what He has done! Remember when circumstances were overwhelming, and He made a way? When you did not know how you would endure the pain, the waiting, the loss, and He held back the onslaught and brought you through to the other side, marveling at His grace? Remember when you felt lost, alone, and wondered if He even knew what you suffered, and you realized all the time His eye was on you and He was present to calm and comfort and provide? (Genesis 16:6-13; 1 Kings 17:1-9)

Remember when you almost slipped into bitterness, revenge, despondence, or despair, and He lifted your head and held you firm? Remember when tested with the heat of temptation, an entanglement of a difficult relationship, or burden of concern how He broke open the tight squeeze into a broad place of freedom and grace? Remember how the fire of conviction and flood of guilt and shame led to confession, abundance of mercy, and praise?

Though body and mind be punched and jostled, the soul rests well in God’s strong keeping. When we come, and return, to see all He has done, we can rejoice in His ongoing rule and steadfast love.

In what situations do I need to remind myself that God listens, delivers, and does great things for my soul?

“When peace like a river attendeth my way,
  When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say,
  ‘It is well, it is well with my soul!’” ~Horatio Gates Spafford (1828-1888)

Blessed be You, my gracious God, for Your keeping of my soul. May it ever praise Your high and holy name.