Seek first

We have a special devotion today from Leanna!


Admittedly, the words below are not mine, but the Holy Spirit really spoke to me through them when I read them and I wanted to share them with you. Pastor Jeske is a man of great wisdom whom God speaks through in simple but mighty ways!

"Misplaced Priorities
One of my persistent weaknesses is that I want to author my own play, the play of my life, in which I am the star, for which I would like to write the script. I can pretty much do fine on my own for a while, and then when I encounter a problem too big for me, I holler for God to show up on "my" stage, on my cue. He generally does not oblige me at such times. Hmm. Wonder why.

In the middle of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus helped his disciples to see how the universe really operates. The more you grasp for material things, the more in love you are with yourself and your agenda, the less you will achieve and the less satisfaction you will feel.

Here is a better way: "Seek first his [i.e., God's] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). Seeking God's kingdom means seeing yourself as God's creation, placed here on earth for a mission, his mission. You are in his play, and he will let you know the role he needs you to play for him.

Seeking God's righteousness means choosing to value your forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus as your most precious possession. When you have that, everything else that God thinks you need will come flowing into your life.


Heavenly Father, Thank you for the gift of your precious forgiveness.  Please help me to always Seek First your Righteousness as I go through each of my days.
Amen

God Loves A Cheerful Giver

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, 

for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Around Christmastime, I usually do a toy purge.  You know what I mean--going through all of the kids' toys, figuring out what they don't play with anymore, the broken, the Happy Meal toys, and giving them away to Goodwill or throwing them away.  I always try to do this when the kids are at school, because otherwise I hear the inevitable, "NO!  I NEED THAT!  THAT'S MY FAVORITE!", no matter if they've played with it lately or they haven't touched it for a year.  I always remind them that they're going to be blessed by Christmas, and by the time the day is over they won't remember the toys that were given away.

It's not always easy to teach our children good stewardship.  Think about when they get money for their Birthdays.  How many of us tell our children that they need to take 10% of that money, and put it in the church offering?  I know we haven't.  It would be so tough for them, that's for sure.

But like most other things, teaching our children good stewardship starts with us modeling good stewardship.  We need to remember that stewardship isn't all about money.  Stewardship, more specifically, is faith in action. It is giving of our time, our talents, our treasure.  When we have good stewardship, we are giving ourselves to the Lord, and making Jesus the focus of our lives.  Like our children giving their old toys to Goodwill or tithing from their birthday money, we are giving to the Lord as He has given to us.

The wonderful thing about good stewardship is the blessings that come from it.  Malachi 3:10 says, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  'Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be enough room to store it.'"  The more we give, the more blessings we get out of it.  When our children see this happening in our own lives, they will be happy to follow our example.

We pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the gifts you give to us in our lives every day.  Help us to remember to be good stewards of those gifts, and help us to teach our children to be good stewards themselves.  We praise you for the blessings you shower upon us.  In Your name we pray, Amen.

The One Who Doesn't Change...

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17


I find myself clinging to this verse on the eve of what would be Samantha's first birthday. A year. It's been a year. I can still see the joy and fear on Travis and Stephanie's faces. I can remember going back in the room and seeing her. Taking a video of Travis whispering to his precious little girl how much he loved her. I remember trying to capture moments to take and show Stephanie as she was in recovery and her sweet daughter was in the NICU. So many memeories. I remember the people in the waiting room that day, sitting there with my mom, I remember watching the clock, getting a coffee (I realize that for me this probably doesn't seem like a 'vivid' memory since I'm always getting coffee, but they had an old fashioned coffee vending machine where the cup drops down and fills - I remember that). She was so beautiful. So much hair. So alive!

I'm terrified to start this four month period this year. A four month period that last year started with such joy and then ended so wrong, so horrible, so....hard. The four months of Samanta's life here on earth was the hardest four months I have ever lived through. Her life journey alone could have made it such - but added to it our immediate family went through two major surgeries as well as many of other 'normal' difficult things (lice, tax audit, etc.). I think back, I look back, I don't know how we did it. I don't know how we are still alive, still breathing, still walking, still talking, still pretending like somehow things are 'normal'. There is no more normal, at least not like it used to be. We are changed. We are different. One day accepting, the next day angry. Sometimes all the 'stuff' of those four months overwhelms me to the point that I feel like I'm suffocating and can't breath or take another step. Then the next day I am rejoicing and praising God for all He has brought us through and the healing (both temporal and eternal) He has given. But wherever the emotions of the given day are, it is still true that we are changed, there is no going back.

Perhaps this is why I cling to the One who "doesn't change like shifting shadows." The same one who holds our past and holds us now also holds our furture. He will not change. He will not leave. He promises to take care of us and love us. Some things we can look back on with new understanding and appreication, other things still have me angry and wondering "why?" God doesn't promise that we will get to know the explanation. But He does promise that all He does and continues to do is for our good - and even though we may lose heart and struggle - He does not change. The one who holds our precious Samantha, also holds us here on earth and will continue to do so until we meet her again. That will not change. He does not change. She was a gift, that is now perfected in heaven with our Father, tomorrow we will celebrate that gift from above.

Seek First His Kingdom

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you."

(Matthew 6: 33)

 
For as much as we may not want to admit it, the truth is most of us are worriers.  As we grow older, and especially when we become mothers, our tendency to worry becomes stronger. We go to bed with those nagging concerns about what will happen tomorrow-- how we are going to get the bills paid, the laundry folded, the groceries bought, the house cleaned--and still have enough energy to help the kids with their homework, make dinner, and have a smile on our face when our husbands walk in the door.  We love our families and care deeply for their well-being.  Yet, we can easily become distracted with all the expectations placed upon us, instead of focusing on our family's real needs and who truly provides for those needs.  Quickly, we can make the simple things in life complicated, and lose our focus on what's truly important.   

The Gospel of Matthew stresses the truth that by God's grace we are made complete in Christ.  In chapter 6, we are told not to become distracted with the worries of life.  We are reminded that we cannot find the answers to our fears and doubts within ourselves.  Rather, Matthew admonishes us to stay focused on Christ: "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you."  In His own time and in His own way, our Heavenly Father always provides for our needs of both body and soul.  

Matthew chapter six ends with this poignant reminder: "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own." As Christian women, God has equipped us with special qualities to care for and nurture those we love. The beautiful thing is that despite our worrisome, sinful ways--He loves us.  And, He uses us to care for and bless our families. So, may we daily heed the advice of the apostle Matthew--give our worries to God, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and trust in Christ alone to provide us with everything we could ever need.  

 Heavenly Father~

Thank you for providing for our families, and being everything we need.  Forgive us when we don't trust this truth.  Help us to daily seek Your kingdom first. 
In Christ's name~Amen.

Chosen

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to bear fruit - fruit that will last. 

-John 15:16 

I was three days old when I was chosen.  Because my parents were told they could not have children of their own, they decided to make the choice and welcome a child into their home through adoption.  God reveals Himself in so many different ways because 10 months after I was adopted, my brother Andrew was born, followed by my brother Stephen two years later.  Growing up, my brothers and I would tease and torment each other (the way siblings often do).  My brothers would remind me that I was adopted, while I was quick to remind them that mom and dad got "stuck" with them and had no choice in the matter.  Mom and dad would "trump" all of our teasing and remind us that each were an important member of our family, and that in each person's own way, we were brought into this family. 

As Christians, we too have been chosen by our God.  At our baptism, the Holy Spirit calls us by name and we are made dead to sin, and through Jesus' death on the cross we are promised the gift of eternal life.  It is because of our chosenness that we are called to share the Good News with others.  Each of us has been brought into the forever family at various points in our lives, yet each one of us is an important part of the family.       

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for calling us by name through the waters of baptism.  Help us to share the Good News of your unending forgiveness and love with all people.  Bless and keep our families close to you.  In your name, Amen.

 

Storms

“He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” Luke 8:24b-25

Over the last couple of days, my family has been closely watching the weather. Violent storms have been predicted. Having lived in Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri, we have been concerned that the forecasted storms might affect family and friends still located in these areas.

Storms can be devastating. While living in Nebraska, we endured days of bitter cold when the power went out after a major blizzard. When we lived in Missouri, a tornado touched down near our home. It caused massive destruction in the little town just 3 miles away. Storms are frightening. They can destroy homes, life-long memories, and even take lives.

One of my favorite Bible stories is of Jesus calming that storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus and the disciples were out in a boat when a storm arises without warning. Jesus is, amazingly, sleeping in the back of the boat while the disciples start to panic, fearing they will not make it out of the situation alive. They wake Jesus, who gets up and rebukes the wind and the waves. Peace is restored. Then, this is my favorite part, Jesus rebukes the disciples. He asks them, “Where is your faith?” The disciples are left wondering who this man Jesus really is.

I find it mystifying that the disciples would be so surprised that Jesus took care of the raging storm. They had been with him 24/7, and they had seen him perform numerous miracles. They had to have some idea of who he was and of what he was capable. He was right there with them when they faced danger. Yet they display a complete lack of faith, and in the end they are puzzled.

When I read the last part of this story, I feel it is written just for me. We face many storms in this life. Illness and loss, financial struggle, job insecurity, and parenting issues are a few of the storms we encounter. When faced with these storms, I worry. Sometimes my soul grieves, wondering if God cares about my day-to-day struggles.

Then I read Christ’s convicting question, “Where is your faith?” I know who God is. Scripture is full of descriptions of his love, his mighty deeds, his faithful acts, his sacrifice for my benefit. In the Word I have the promise that he is with me always. Yet, I forget and I fail to trust him.

When the worst storms rage within me, I return to these verses. Just as Jesus calmed the stormy sea with his spoken word, the written word speaks to me and my stormy soul experiences peace.

Dear Father, I place all of my struggles before your throne. Give me peace. Grant me your Spirit, that I might have faith that trusts through the storms.

Rest for the Weary

And he said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14)

Moses had a tough job leading the people of Israel out of Egypt. To begin with, there were a lot of people, and in addition, he had Pharaoh to contend with. Even once they got free of Pharaoh, the people couldn't be satisfied. They grumbled and complained, and repeatedly forgot all that God had done for them. They turned away from God, they blamed Moses for their troubles, and their unfaithfulness to God resulted in an extremely long journey to the Promised Land. Moses must have been exhausted.

I'm exhausted, and I just have one four month old to contend with. I can't imagine how exhausted those of you with more than one child must be! My little guy, although a generally happy baby, is active. He gets bored easily, so I'm constantly moving him from one activity to the next. He doesn't like to nap and usually only sleeps for half an hour at a time during the day. The only thing (other than eating, which is probably his favorite activity) that seems to keep his attention for a while and wear him out is being outside. We take a lot of walks.

It's nothing like what Moses had to deal with, and yet, there are enough similarities that I feel like Moses must be a kindred spirit for mothers everywhere. And so, this promise God makes to Moses in Exodus 33:14 is one I claim for myself. "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest," God says to Moses.

God is with us as we go throughout our days...as we clean up messes, change diapers, provide entertainment, teach, feed, love...and he provides rest. Sometimes it's the rest of a few quiet moments alone in the bathroom and other times it's the rest of a nap with a sleeping baby lying in our arms.

In your prayers today, remember God's presence. Ask for Him to reveal to you those restful moments. Recognize and celebrate God's presence even in the midst of activity and busyness and occasional chaos. Rejoice in the strength He gives you.