Author: astherainandsnow

“[Hannah said,] ‘For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.’ And he worshiped the Lord there… Then Elkanah [and Hannah] went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest. 

“Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord… The sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt. Samuel was ministering before the Lord… And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice… And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.

“Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And he said to them, ‘Why do you do such things?.. No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad…’ But they would not listen to the voice of their father…

“Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man… And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:27-28; 2:11-12,17-19,21-26; 3:19-21

His mother had earnestly prayed for Samuel, and released him as a young boy, in faith, to the Lord’s tending. She and Elkanah had instilled in him a high view of God, and had to trust God to mold and use him as He would. Samuel endured year-long separations from his parents, and less-than-stellar examples in Eli’s sons, yet God faithfully drew him to Himself.

As a parent, it’s hard to relinquish children to less-than-optimal situations to allow them to grow. As an individual, it can be challenging to thrive in poor conditions. But when God is in charge, which He is, He brings about not just growth, but flourishing, when His people look to Him whatever their circumstances. We may be in a lonely place, or abrasive relationships, but like with Samuel, where we’ve been planted is the very place God intends us to thrive. Consistent, faithful service to Him– regardless of the atmosphere, constant attention to His voice through His word– which takes keen listening, and ready application of what we know– which requires determination and commitment, are all used by God to train us and develop in us godly wisdom and stature. (1 Samuel 3:1-10)

Would we trust God’s boldness to choose His appointed rough places, for ourselves and our loved ones, over self-protection and ease, in order to flourish as His child?

Lord, wherever You plant me, keep me before Your glorious presence. Keep me growing, and in my living, honoring You.

“And God said,.. ^‘I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” Genesis 9:12-16

“Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you… Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:7-11

It is hard to imagine the horror Noah experienced after he was shut into the ark with only his family and lots of animals, and the torrent of foretold judgment began. The shouts of ridicule would turn to agonizing screams, taunting to choking, then silence, all but the incessant pounding rain. The devastation occurring outside the ark would press its indelible mark on Noah’s psyche and senses. God meant it when he said he would judge the earth, and in grace he had warned and saved Noah through it. ‘Ark’ is derived from the Latin word arca, akin to the verb arcēre, meaning ‘to hold off or defend’; indeed, God had done just that.

After Noah disembarked he offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and God replied with a bow in the clouds. We can picture Noah’s rapturous upturned face in amazed wonder at this other-worldly phenomenon of color and beauty, a God-traced arc covering His own. The unseen God who had been faithful to bring him through would be faithful to this covenant promise. (Genesis 6:11-9:1)

We can take God at His word. When the drumbeat of judgment sounds, God delivers through Jesus. When storms of sorrow rumble and disappointment rains down, God bears us up. When the enemy reviles and accuses, our Lord defends and strengthens us. When the devil splinters relationships, God can restore and heal. (Psalm 68:19; Romans 8:33-34)

“O Love, that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O Light, that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy, that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.”  ~George Matheson (1842-1906)

Lord, help me trace rainbows through the rains You bring, joyfully remembering and living by Your sure promises. I exalt You for Your fairer mornings, and everlasting dominion. (Psalm 30:5)

“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he went to see [Aquila and Priscilla]. He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads!.. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’ And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.’ And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 

“After this,.. Paul set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila… They came to Ephesus, and he went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. But on taking leave of them he said, ‘I will return to you if God wills,’ and he set sail from Ephesus. When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.” Acts 18:1-2,4-11,18-23

Paul knew his calling, and steadfastly was ‘occupied with the word.’ But his life was not trouble-free; in fact, he knew he would suffer for Jesus’s sake, and sometimes the toil and travel took their toll. At just the right moments, his loving Lord brought encouragement by way of cohorts coming alongside in ministry, new converts responding to his teaching, and even His own direct, personal words addressing his concerns. How kind is our Father! (Acts 9:15-16)

Encouragement: the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope; to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope; hearten; persuasion to do or to continue something; to spur on. From en- “make, put in” + corage “courage, heart.” When God calls us to follow Him, He not only directs and equips us, but provides the encouragement we need to keep on and not lose heart. He fills us so we can keep pouring out for others. As we make fellowship and obedience a priority, He shows up, using the fruit of our perseverance as a goad to continue. (Philippians 4:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 2 Peter 1:3)

Do we notice, and express gratitude for, the encouragement God gives? How can I put wind in another’s sails? In whom can I inject courage by offering truths that embolden, prayers that support, friendship that comforts, help or hospitality that refreshes? (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Lord, buoyed and envigorated by encouragement I have received, may I actively encourage others in faith and love toward You.

“ They seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace… The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.  But Paul cried with a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.” Acts 16:19,22-34

Could it be any worse? Falsely accused, dragged, beaten, restrained? But Paul and Silas, knowing their God had called them to be where they were, fixed their expectancy on their heavenly Master. Instead of pity, their prison opened to them possibilities, a new opportunity to praise and see what God would do. Shackled, unable to sleep, and bloody, sing and pray they did they did to the God with whom all things were possible. And what a difference it made! (Mark 10:27; Acts 16:9-20)

Their fellow prisoners not only heard but listened, inevitably encouraged by their bold prayers and joyful song. The Almighty responded by breaking open their chains and doors, freeing them to boldly proclaim His salvation with a perfect visual aid. The jailer, panicked for his life under the rule of law, was led to eternal life with his whole family, free forever in the Savior’s grace.

How do I see my prison? Do I chafe at restrictions, discomfort, inconvenience, and pain, or take action to minister to another therein? Is my tendency to whine, blame and complain, or to sing to the One who works for the good of those He loves, to pray that He order all things for His glory? What effect might my hopeful outlook, my singing, my smile have on others who are imprisoned, bitter, helpless, despairing? (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28)

Father, help me see with Your eyes, and do what I can to bring Your possibilities to fruition. Keep me singing and praying for the good of others, and for Your glory.

“About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also… And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him… So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. 

“Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. An angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his hands… And he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ And he went out and followed him… When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’ When he realized this, he went to the house… where many were gathered together and were praying… and knocked… When they opened, they saw him and were amazed… The word of God increased and multiplied.” Acts 12:1-13,16,24

Peter, having just lost his close friend James to a capricious, cruel death by the violent and volatile Herod, was imprisoned facing certain doom. Jesus had warned of this, and Peter knew this was an opportunity to bear witness to Christ, so, flanked by and chained to soldiers, with escape a human impossibility, Peter was able to sleep. The Lord had this, and the church was earnestly praying. (Luke 21:12-15)

Panic is like a straitjacket, all-encompassing, restrictive, and paralyzing. It keeps us awake at night. When we focus on our troubles, fear grows until it is master, breeding desperation and choking all hope. But when we pray, we necessarily turn our thoughts outward, beyond what would bind us, and upward to where the victorious, sovereign King Jesus is enthroned, ruling with perfect omniscience and power. Prayer to Him in faith dispels panic, and opens to us expectation for His deliverance. Our very circumstance is the means through which God gains glory, as His intervention displays His marvelous might. (Colossians 3:1-2)

What situations– at work, with our health, in our nation– tempt us to panic because things seem to be deteriorating rather than improving, and we have no control? Would we turn from our shackles of anxiety and fear to pray fervently, and trust our faithful God with the outcomes? Our very peace and confidence, and God’s way of escape, bring honor to His name. (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18,24; James 5:16)

Lord, help me see every circumstance as an opportunity to give witness to Your fame. May I pray, and trust, to that end.

“Singers and dancers alike say,
    ‘All my springs are in you.’” Psalm 87:7

“The people thirsted there for water, and… grumbled against Moses and said, ‘Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?’ So Moses cried to the Lord, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.’ And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Pass on before the people,.. and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.’ And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.” Exodus 17:3-6

“The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands.” Deuteronomy 28:12

“ And [Samson] was very thirsty, and he called upon the Lord and said, ‘You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?’ And God split open the hollow place that is at Lehi, and water came out from it. And when he drank, his spirit returned, and he revived.” Judges 15:18-19

“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14

Springs are a lush, pure source of life, bottomless bubbling water to all who come and partake. Some translate “springs” as “fountains,” giving a vivid picture of the ever-flowing, never-ceasing sufficiency of Christ available to all. Do we avail ourselves of this effusive satisfaction for our souls, His lavish ‘enough’ that sates every longing, His extravagant love that redeems, and His fulsome power that sanctifies?

In answer to both request and unspoken need, it is God who splits the impossible to cause His glory to gush and fulfill His purposes for us. He who rules His kingdom on earth is indeed the fount of every blessing here. Whether we languish in a drought of passion or hope, or from opposition without or within, our Lord supplies springs that cleanse, soothe, and quench. (Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 4:19)

Where do we go when the world’s grumbling gets loud, and life’s going gets hard? Is Jesus our Source? When do we come to Him for restoring and revival– only when depleted, or each new day? And once our thirst is slaked, what is our response? We should not be able to help but laugh in delight, well up in song, overflow with praise to the Fount of Living Water, and keep coming gratefully, expectantly, back for more. (John 7:38-39)

“Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount I’m fixed upon it
mount of God’s redeeming love.”  ~Robert Robinson (1758)

Spring up, O well, my Spring of living water, in and through me! (Numbers 21:17)

“Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to… bring [any belonging to the Way] bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.'” Acts 9:1-5

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,.. he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another… Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me… As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’  Then he will answer,.. ‘As you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’” Matthew 25:31-2,34-36,40-45

In a drastic moment, Paul’s arrogant vitriol toward Christians, his vicious treatment of those he saw as rebelling against rightful authority, was arrested by God’s intrusive, life-changing light. The blinders of self and falsehood were drastically removed, and he recognized that all he did was unto Jesus. The Savior taught His disciples the same– that any good or harm done unto others was actually unto Him. After all, human life is oriented and accountable to the One who made them His image-bearers. Such also are those treated with kindness and generosity, or dismissed with hatred and cruelty.

We may set about our day thinking we own the hours, and answer to ourselves for what we accomplish, but if it is true that ‘in him we live and move and have our being,’ then all we decide and enact, say and spend, is ultimately unto the One who made us. When we criticize, slander, ignore, despise, or hoard, we persecute our Lord and ravage the reputations of His creatures and His church. (Acts 17:28)

What difference will it make in how I spend my time, energy, and love if I offer and direct all to my Lord? (Romans 12:1)

Lord, may I wholeheartedly do everything as unto You, the One worthy of all honor, attention, and exaltation. (Colossians 3:23)

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction and listen to my words? declares the Lord… I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, ‘Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.’ But you did not incline your ear or listen to me… Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them and they have not listened, I have called to them and they have not answered.” Jeremiah 35:13-15,17

“It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

Grace is God’s giving us what we do not deserve, and mercy is His not giving us what we do deserve. In His lavish grace, God offers mercy again and again to individuals far from Him, calling to come, warning to repent, informing that there will be an accounting. He speaks by means of His prophets, those who proclaim boldly His truth; through His word, which is living and active, able to enlighten and convict; and through nature, His creation that displays His eternal power and divinity. Yet, self and the world get in the way, captivating and commanding both attention and affection, and again and again He is rejected. But one day, there will be a reckoning; man before God is without excuse. (Romans 1:18-25; Hebrews 4:12-13)

Isn’t it the way of the devil to distract us from considering eternal things? In this life there is an incessant barrage of stuff, information, enticements to our senses and brains and efforts. Even in times where former frenzy may have given way to more leisure (or unwelcome empty hours), we focus on how to thrill ourselves, stay occupied, get educated, earn a living, meddle in others’ business, fill our hours now.

The enemy uses the urgent and immediate to numb us to eternity. He teases us into procrastinating in serious thought about our Maker, the hereafter, an end-of -life accounting. Why think about then when we can be happy, or busy, or productive, now? Why think about pleasing or obeying or hearing from God Almighty who rules from heaven when we can indulge self and be titillated by a plethora of messages and music and material here?

There comes a time when we recognize that things break, strength fails, bodies decay, and we face a reckoning. We will stand before the King of kings, and give account for our lives. Will we have crowns to offer Him because of His life lived through us, or ashes of wasted days to put in His nail-scarred hands? (Matthew 6:19-21; Romans 14:12; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 4:2,10-11; 20:11-15)

Lord, may I live this day for Your appointed time, fixing my hope on You and taking hold of what is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:13-19)

“At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah. For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying, ‘Why do you prophesy and say, “Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon?“‘ Jeremiah said, ‘The word of the Lord came to me…’ The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: ‘Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.'” Jeremiah 32:2-3,6; 33:1-3

A siege by a foreign and feared unknown, and confinement by his own king within four walls, gave the prophet every reason to resist against being shut up. Would his needs be met? What was happening in his country? When would he be released? Many would chafe and rebel, yet Jeremiah made the most of his imprisonment, his forced quiet, shut-away space, to commune with his Lord. When we believe God is sovereign, any shut-up in isolation, whether by government edict or by choice, is an opportunity to focus on God in worship and to hear from Him.

Nothing compares with time prioritized and kept to be alone with the Lord. Shut away from busyness and distraction, sheltered from noise and screens and company, hunkered in with His word, we can commune on a deep, spiritual level impossible in the fray. It takes discipline and determination, and reaps innumerable rewards.

Being shut up with almighty God provides focus to surrender our wills, time to ask Him to guide our thinking and praying, to give understanding of political or academic theories, current events, and how to apply the bible in present issues. It affords us the concentration to sense the Spirit’s prompting of people with whom we should connect (and how to do it effectively), ministries He would have us support (and by how much), people for whom we should be praying (for courage, guidance, favor with employment, emotional stability, creativity, healing, flourishing of marriages, and fruitfulness in service). We need time in the secret place to beseech protection, purity, and power for our pastors and churches; wisdom, intuition, and grace for all leaders. The Lord answers how to vote, organize, serve, manage schedules, train children, strategize for work and spiritual battle. He guides what to eat, discard, pack, purchase. We have not because we ask not, and can choose every day to get alone and ask. (Judges 20:18,23,26-29; 1 Chronicles 22:6-19; Matthew 7:7-8; Acts 8:26-29; James 4:2)

Where do we need fresh insight, greater love for an unlovable, clarity in a dilemma? When was the last time we really communed with our Savior, and heard from Him? Would we deliberately shut-up with Him and not leave until He has finished with us? (Genesis 17:22; 18:33)

Lord, draw me near, through the abundance of Your love, to enter Your abode and bow in the hidden place. May I always, with all my heart, seek Your face and perfect will. (Psalm 5:7; 91:15; Jeremiah 29:12-13)

“For the LORD has ransomed Jacob
    and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
    and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
    and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall be like a watered garden,
    and they shall languish no more.
Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
    and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy;
    I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance,
    and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness,
declares the LORD…
Keep your voice from weeping,
    and your eyes from tears,
for there is a reward for your work,
declares the LORD,
    and they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
There is hope for your future,
declares the LORD,
    and your children shall come back to their own country.
I have heard Ephraim grieving,..
‘You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined;
bring me back that I may be restored,
    for you are the LORD my God.
After I had turned away, I relented…
I was ashamed, and I was confounded,
    because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
Is Ephraim my dear son?
    Is he my darling child?
I do remember him still.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
    I will surely have mercy on him,
declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 31:11-14,16-20

Is there any balm, any glorious deliverance, like redemption from the Lord? Realizing and embracing the true truth that we have been ransomed– our sins atoned for, our deserved penalty paid– and that Jesus has redeemed our souls and will redeem every aspect of our life, breaks open our faces with infectious smiles, our mouths in glad and grateful song, and spreads His radiance abroad on everything. We are His darling child!

Circumstances may press and suffocate, broken communication can confuse or disrupt relationships, physical limitations might impose discouragement. God knows the distance of our wandering, the measure of our languishing, the depth of our mourning, and yearns longingly to restore us. His knowledge of all that concerns us, and His attending promise of mercy and hope, bring light to a bleak outlook, and delightful melody to a grieving heart. What is too heavy for us our Savior carries, leaving us holding only love-kissed grace. (Matthew 11:28-30)

What causes us to plod in dusty dry spaces of bitter resentment and woe-is-me, when the Lord makes for us watered gardens and merriment? Why do we default to caustic criticism and whiny complaining, when Jesus offers contentment and gladness? What restricts a clear perspective, forcing near-sightedness fixed on discomfort and irritation over expectant hope for the long-term, glad anticipation for our Father’s promised reward, return, and redemption? Would we search our hearts and address these hindrances to enjoying the fullness of His deliverance? God uses shame over our sin, disappointment for missed opportunities, disgrace and regret over our straying, all to humble us unto repentance and freedom. (Philippians 4:4,6-7,11)

Merciful Lord, may I ever rejoice in our eternal dance, radiating the excellencies of Your bountiful redemption.