Category: daily devotions

Light and Love

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“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”          …………………Martin Luther King, Jr.

When we are in the dark….with no light at all we feel disoriented. We need light coming from somewhere to give us balance and perception. We need the light. We need it to survive. Without light plants will not grow. The earth would be barren.

Just as much as we need light we need love. We need someone to hold up the mirror of love and show us our goodness. Without that we are barren.

God is willing to hold that mirror for us and let his light shine through us. Love and light give us life.

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Amazing God, your grace has given us what we need to live as you call us to. Help us to remember that. AMEN

Lift us

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Psalm 61:2
From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
I often feel like I’m getting caught in a flood. Things become overwhelming and I’m sinking. We are so busy in today’s society that we take on more than we can manage. Then we can feel ourselves being buried.
When we feel this way we need to call on God to help us slow down. He is the only one who can lift us out of the mire onto the rock that is higher.
lift me
Faithful God, we take on more than we should. Help to make us wiser about our limits and when we fail and are sinking lift us to the rock that is higher. AMEN

Just Love

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Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair. ———— G.K. Chestertson

just love

We are told to love the Lord our God with all our souls and all our hearts and all our minds. We are not told to prove that God exists. We are just told to love Him. Can we let go of all our trying to understand all of this and just love?

God of love, help us learn to just love you with all that we are. AMEN

Renew my spirit

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Psalm 51: 10-12

10 create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right[b] spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from your presence,
    and do not take your holy spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and sustain in me a willing[c] spirit.

This is one of my favorite Psalms. I frequently think that my heart needs cleaning out. I have let too many unkind thoughts sneak in. Sometimes my mind is made up about someone and I see them through dark glasses. That opinion might have come from gossip or a too quick judgement on my part. My opinion colors my relationship with them. I need a new and right spirit.

renew

Loving God, help me to clean out my heart of wrong thinking and unfair ideas. Put your spirit within me. AMEN

Afraid?

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It is human to be afraid. It is what we do about it that matters.……….Suzanne Boyd

Sometimes we can’t help being afraid. Sometimes if we are not afraid then we can’t see the situation clearly. The question is what do we do when this happens?

afraid

We often have to begin with a deep breath and another assessment of the moment. In the next moment we must turn to God. Prayer asking for his aid and  sitting quietly just letting God surround us helps. Picture yourself held in his arms. Seek his peace.

This may not solve the problem but it will remind you that you are never alone. We are always in God’s care.

Intimate god, you have promised to be with us no matter what. Help us to see you. AMEN

Freedom is a gift

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To fear the Lord is the beginning of freedom. ——————-Ecclesiastes 1:14a

It is very a very strange fact that in giving ourselves freely to God we become free ourselves. It is in “fearing” God that we gain our very souls. To “fear” him is to acknowledge that he is God and he is in control. Yet his way of control is to give us freedom. We can choose him or not. We can love him or not. We can”fear” him or not. It is up to each of us.

freedom with God

Intriguing God, your way to control is to give freedom. Hep us to use our freedom for you kingdom. AMEN

Grasp peace

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Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the word gives. Do not let you hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. —————John 14:27

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I really wish that I were never afraid. Fear can take over when something goes wrong. We have so many things to fear; poverty, homelessness, crime, disease, depression, anxiety, job loss.

We could spend each day cowering in our homes, afraid to go out. Sometimes we do, but God doesn’t want us to live like that. He has given us his peace. All we have to do it take it. Sounds easy bit it never is.

God, Father and Mother of us all, remind us that we are your children and that you wish only good for us. Help us to grasp your promises and your peace and never let go AMEN

God knows

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For God Himself works in our souls, in the deepest depths, taking increasing control as we are progressively willing to be prepared for His wonder. ……………Thomas R Kelly

god knows you

God has been with us our whole lives. Fod knows the depths of our soul. He knos our prayers before we say them and out rhoughts before we form them. But God doesn’t intrude into our lives. He wiats patiently until we are willing to let him in. He only steps in as far as we open ourselves. But if we are willing, he will show us his kingdom.

 

God  almighty, help me to open the door of my heart and let you see me as I am. AMEN

Keep the path open

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tendHow much time do we spend caring for others? Do we spend most of our time thinking about ourselves? We all need care. We need kind words, hugs, phone calls, lunch dates, visits and many other things. Those things nourish us and help to grow and be fruitful. When we flourish we can pass on to others the care given to us.

Keep the path open between your house and your friends.

Loving God, you show your love for us in so many ways. Help us to do the same for others. AMEN

Worry

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worry-quotes_luzdelaluna_6I have been a worrier my whole life. My grandmother always told me to “sit down in that chair and worry as hard as you can and then get up and see if it did any good.” Needless to say it never did. God tells us not to worry but to count on him to care for us. If only we could shut off the worry. Each time worry pops to the surface turn your mind to God and his promises and keep doing it!

Amazing God, you have made a promise to us. Help us to take it to heart.