Pieces of the Puzzle

“…the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we don’t know how to pray for what we need. But the Spirit intercedes along with our groans that cannot be expressed in words.” ~Romans 8:26

Today we will hold a memorial service for Stan. He was known for his humor, his kindness, and his love. He was a coworker and dear friend. He had a unique way of encouraging and pulling out the best in people.

One way that Stan has greatly impacted my life is this blog. I used to share random thoughts on my Facebook page. In 2012, Stan messaged me and said “Jennifer!” (… he always said my name as an exclamation.) “Whenever you post your thoughts  on your Facebook page,  will you also post them to the church’s Facebook page too?” Stan had a way of making it hard to refuse his requests. An aunt of mine had also encouraged me to start a devotional blog, so between the two, I took the large leap and began this daily blog.

Stan was the communications person at our church. He sang with me in our Praise Band on Sunday mornings. He drove our church bus for me when he could to help with my children’s ministry. He loved to hear about my kids… In other words, he leaves behind a big hole in my life. At his memorial service today, I may not be able to contain the grief I feel for the loss of this friend. But I know I will be in good company. I am not the only person who was significantly impacted by Stan. I have heard many stories this week from people who also were encouraged and loved by Stan. I will not be alone in my sadness.

Yes. Stan is “in a better place.” “He is no longer suffering.”

But his laughter, joy, and love will be greatly missed in this place.

Dear God, my prayer comes to you today in the form of tears and with a lack of words to capture my deep sorrow. However, it gives me relief to know that your Spirit hears the words I cannot speak. Please bring comfort to all who are saddened by the loss of Stan. May our memories keep him close and not bring too much grief. Amen.

Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. ~Psalm 30:5 (NRSV)
Sometimes the “dark of night” can bleed into daylight hours. During these times it can feel so hard to hold onto the truths that I know. Even though I have taken a stand against a spirit of fear, though I’ve prayed for the truth to be revealed and that I not make things to be more than they really are, anxiety doesn’t always fly away instantly.

There is a moment of clarity though. The overwhelming clouds of doubt, fear and confusion do roll away. The peace that I prayed so diligently for does begin to light up the sky. Have my problems vanished? No, my situation has not changed but the attack on my sanity is gone. I still have to continue the work I know is ahead of me. With the rays of light that begin to light my horizon I know that the endurance the Bible promises me is filling my soul. Sweet breaths of air are drifting through me as the burden seems lighter to carry. The “joy that comes in the morning” is that peace that passes all understanding.

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to walk with me when I wander through dark times. Thank You for your Holy Spirit that gives me air so I can breathe. Thank You for the power of Jesus’ name that empowers me to endure the toughest storms that I may know the joy of the morning. Amen.

He won’t break a bent stalk, and he won’t snuff out a smoldering wick, until he makes justice win. And the Gentiles will put their hope in his name. ~Matthew 12:20-21 (CEB)

Even though Jesus speaks out against all forms of hypocrisy and is not afraid to attack deception, vanity, manipulation, and oppression, his heart is a gentle heart. He won’t break the crushed reed or snuff the faltering wick. He responds to people’s suffering, heals their wounds, and offers courage to the faint hearted. Jesus came to bring the good news to the poor, sight to the blind, and freedom to prisoners (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus considered others in all he says, and thus he reveals God’s immense compassion.

As a follower of Christ, I am to have his compassion for the world. Jesus charged us to go out declaring the good news to everyone. (Mark 16:15) To a world that may know more about fear, harshness, and misunderstandings with my gentleness I can bring hope. Jesus came into the world to give hope to the world and as his hands and feet, we are charged with continuing his work to all corners of the earth. (Luke 24:47)

In my ordinary dealings this day may I remember to show Christ’s compassion to those around me. May I consider others in all I say and do remembering that I may be the only Christ others see. My actions can bring someone to Christ or it may turn them away forever. Today I want to have Christ’s gentleness.

Father in Heaven may I learn to have Your gentle heart showing your compassion to those I meet this day. Amen.

Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ~John 14:5 (CEB)

I have this neat function in my map app on my phone. It is called “Navigation”. I discovered this neat little application when I was lost in a big city stuck on a one-way street going the wrong direction. Literally. By my own knowledge, there was no way to turn around and go back the way I had just come. In my desperation, I clicked on the map on my phone to use its GPS. I knew my phone was smarter than me. It was my hope that by using my phone I would be able to figure out the answers that I needed to get me going in the right direction. While pulling up the map I accidentally clicked on the “navigation” button. I discovered this function did more than just give me a map allowing me to see where I was at that exact moment. If I typed in the address of where I wanted to go the application would take me turn by turn from where I was to where I needed to be. By accepting my inabilities and searching for where I knew I could find the answers I was soon back on track. I not only made it to where I needed to be, I made it back home too.

This phone had been in my possession for a year. All along the phone had this application, but until I actually tried to figure out what it could do it was no good to me. No matter how smart my phone might be it is only as smart as it’s user. The Holy Spirit is like that. I have the Holy Spirit deep within me. If I don’t know how to utilize its capabilities I can find myself lost not knowing where I am going or how to get back to God when I have found myself a little turned around.

The Holy Spirit helps me to navigate through life (Psalm 143:10). I can rely on the Holy Spirit to give me speech when I don’t know what to say (Mark 13:11) and speak with confidence (Acts 4:31). I can rely on the Holy Spirit to guide me in my decisions (Acts 6:2-6). The Holy Spirit will give me encouragement (Acts 9:31) and fills me with happiness (Acts 13:52). The Holy Spirit will give me hope (Romans 15:13). Through the Holy Spirit I will be made holy and acceptable (Romans 15:16). I am washed clean and made right by the Holy Spirit (1 Colossians 6:11). These are all truths that exist whether I use them or not. With the Holy Spirit, I am so much more than I am on my own. Reading my Bible gives me instruction on how to use the Holy Spirit to keep from getting too far off track.

Heavenly God, guide me with Your Holy Spirit through this day. May I utilize all its capabilities so that I may be smarter than I am on my own. Amen.

“With lots of words comes wrongdoing, but the wise restrain their lips.” ~Proverbs 10:19 (CEB)

Words are powerful. Because our words carry so much power, it is important that we learn to say only what is essential. Benjamin Franklin said, “He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows or sees.” Oh, that I could learn this lesson… when to keep my mouth shut! Once the words are out there you can’t take it back. You can apologize for things that you have said, but you can never retrieve them.

Something my mother always told us growing up was, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” This is good advice! We should restrain our lips from negative speech, gossip, sarcasm, insincere flattery, coarse jesting, or being funny in a rude way. Instead, we should use our mouth to encourage others, looking for and finding the good qualities in people, choosing to speak well of those around us.

This positive speaking of others also helps to adjust our attitude towards those we come in contact with frequently. What our mouth speaks our heart soon believes. If I can speak positively about someone I deal with daily, my attitude towards that person can improve even if they are not my favorite person to deal with!

Guard my words O Lord, may they reflect your love to the world around me. Help me to remember that sometimes silence is wiser than anything I might choose to say. Amen.

So it is also written, the first human, Adam, became a living person, and the last Adam became a spirit that gives life. ~1 Corinthians 15:45 (CEB)

Even though I have been born into sin, I am set free through Jesus. This is not just one of those cliché sayings. It is not just fancy words that Christians throw around. Jesus’ lifeblood conquers and overcomes the death that works in us through sin. Because Jesus came into the world we can have new life.

God in the beginning, created a world, where humans had authority over their lives, but Adam and Eve gave away their authority when they took a bite from the “tree of knowledge”. With knowledge came self-awareness and death. God sent Jesus into the world to give us back authority over our lives. He came to conquer each of our deaths that we may have abundant life. To be able to harness the power of Jesus’ blood over our lives we need to understand that through Adam sin entered the world. David confirmed this truth in Psalm 51:5 “Yes, I was born in guilt, in sin, from the moment my mother conceived me.” Adam passed down this sinful blood to us. Jesus, because he was born of God and not man, has life in his blood. Our lives have been purchased through Christ’s life blood when he died on the cross. Christ is the last Adam and because he became a spirit that gives life.

Sin has a cost. If I hold onto my sin the cost is my life. If I can accept that Jesus paid the cost for me I can live. There is another twist to this. If I don’t accept that Jesus died to give me life did he die for nothing? That reality is a little harder for me to bear. I can easily say I am not worthy, my sins are too great or not now but later I will listen to Christ’s teachings. The truth is Christ died so that even I might have life. When I think about Christ’s suffering on the cross, it pains me to think by rejecting this truth it is as if I am saying, “You suffered this horrendous death for nothing.” This puts any rejection of him in a new light.

Lord, may I not let you have suffered in vain! Help me to accept your truth in my life. Set me free so I may live. Amen.

“The LORD, “David added, “who rescued me from the power of both lions and bears, will rescue me from the power of this Philistine.” “Go!” Saul replied to David. “And may the LORD be with you!” ~1 Samuel 17:37(CEB)

I like the story of David and Goliath. The boy verses the giant and the boy wins. It isn’t the underdog theme that I love it is the confidence that David shows us in the story. He had such an intimate relationship with God that he KNEW that God would take care of him. How did he know? David knew God would take care of him because they had a history together. David tells us some of this history. “The Lord, who rescued me from the power of both lions and bears, will rescue me from the power of this Philistine.” David had confidence to fight the giant because he had a history with God where God had delivered him from the lions and bears. To him it was a natural assumption that God would take care of him in this situation as well.

It is important for us to be aware of the times that God has worked in our lives. Even the small things He has done for us. Recalling the small things He has done bolsters our confidence for the big things in life. If God only came waltzing through our lives at the big events we might not have the faith we need to believe that he will show up in great times of need. But I think he blesses us even in small things so that we can learn to trust him and as our trust grows and our relationship blossoms we gain the confidence that we need for the big battles in life.

The challenge for us is to look for those small blessings that God bestows on us. Sometimes they might be easy to overlook or to say that it is just coincidence. When we learn to look for God in the small moments of our lives we will gain the knowledge we need to see him in the crucial times as well. God is always with us. We have to train our eyes to see him at work in our lives.

Heavenly Father, I know the Bible tells me that you are always with me. Open my eyes to see you in the small ordinary moments so that I will be confident to find you in the trials of life. Amen.

But the LORD is the one who is marching before you! He is the one who will be with you! He won’t let you down. He won’t abandon you. So don’t be afraid or scared!” ~ Deuteronomy 31:8

One of the biggest battles that Satan wages against us is getting us to believe that we are alone. I find myself falling into this trap often. This is a good verse to carry around in your heart. Deuteronomy 31:8 says that God will go before me, He will be with me and He won’t abandon me. This verse tells me that God won’t abandon me so I shouldn’t be afraid.

Recently I read something Joyce Meyer wrote, “Satan wants you to believe you are alone. He wants you to believe that no one understands how you feel, but his claims are false. In addition to God being with you, many believers understand what you are experiencing mentally and emotionally.” Satan wants me to lose sight of the simple truths found in the Bible. It is easy to forget that God wants to comfort us and deliver us when we are in the middle of pain and loss.

Part of the loneliness trap that Satan sets for me is playing the game of not sharing what is going on in my life. Then I get mad when no one notices that my life is falling apart. It is as if I just expect people to see the pain that I am going through but if I don’t open up and share what is going on in my life, then how do they know to reach out to me. I have a responsibility to meet people half way in relationships. Finding people that are “safe” to share my hurts and sorrows with takes time. But if I do not get involved and discover the people that God has placed within my reach then I am falling for the lies that Satan tells me and I will continues to find myself alone.

Heavenly Father, help me to hide in my heart the truth. You are with me and will never leave me alone. You provide for all my needs. Open my eyes to know the friendships you have set in place for me and close my ears to Satan’s lies. Amen.

Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you. ~ James 4:7 (CEB)

Another area that Satan can get at me is in my disappointments. Satan is right there waiting to attack me when I am at my lowest, at the end of a broken dream. I wonder “why did I get my hopes us so high”, “I know better”, “I am worthless”, “I should have known nothing good is meant to come my way”. These are lies that Satan feeds me. This is not life as God means for us to live. He wants us to have joy, even among the pieces of our shattered hopes and dreams.

Jesus came to minister to the broken hearted, the oppressed, the hopeless. He came so that I might have life. Here is another phrase that I have heard through the years. Jesus came so that we might have life. Satan doesn’t want me to live, so he feeds me lies to keep me in death. Jesus wants me to live so He came into the world to breath new life and hope into my heart. If I believe the lies that Satan feeds me then I will stay defeated and my heart dies slowly bit by bit every day. If I hear God’s truth that I AM worthy and that He wants to bless my life beyond what I can ever imagine than I can LIVE. My disappointments don’t define who I am. God’s love for me is the only definition that I need to know.

Jesus is waiting on the sidelines offering me hope amidst the disappointments of life. Satan wants me to stay defeated. Christ came so that I can have hope. Christ came so that I can live. I need to hide these truths deep within my heart so that I can resist the lies that Satan wants to feed my soul.

Sometimes Lord, the lies seem louder in my ears than your promises. Help me hide your truths deep in my heart so that when the noise of Satan threatens to overwhelm me Your truth will bubble up and overflow until I can no longer hear anything but Your love for me. Amen.

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ~1 John 4:8

Some people dismiss Christianity because God cannot be proved, cannot be seen, but here in 1 John 4:8 it says that God is love. The results of love ARE something that can be seen. It can be seen in my behavior and how I treat people. Love causes me to put someone else’s needs ahead of my own. Love has stirred people to do things for me that have blessed me beyond what I could imagine.

First John 4:8 says God is love. To know God I need to love. Gal 5:14 says “All the Law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.” When I do as Jesus commanded, loving my neighbors I will see God’s love. How do I love? If we look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 we can find many examples of how to love:

Love endures long; it has the ability to put up with stuff for a long time.
Love is never envious; it doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love is not boastful or vainglorious; it doesn’t call attention to itself.
Love is not conceited or rude.
Love doesn’t insist on its own way.
Love pays no attention to a suffered wrong.
Love never gives up!

When I live a life of love there are plenty of opportunities to see love in action. Love can do some pretty unexplainable and amazing things! In those moments I can get glimpses of God.

Heavenly father, I thank you for loving me, I thank you for Your word that guides how to love and instructs how to live. May I not miss those moments that you have given me to catch a glimpse of You. Amen.