Changing Channels

By Stephanie LaCasse

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Deuteronomy 4:29 (NIV)

"Where is it? Where on earth did I put it?"

Becoming increasingly frustrated, I ran around my house searching for the TV remote… for what seemed like hours. It wasn't until I was looking in the diaper bag up in one of the bedrooms that the Lord tapped me on the shoulder. You should be seeking Me, not seeking the remote.

”Yeah, yeah, Lord.  In a minute. I just have to find that remote.”

It wasn't until I lost the remote for the second time (in one day) that it occurred to me that maybe the Lord really was trying to teach me something. In Deuteronomy 4, the Lord says we will find Him when we seek Him with all of our heart. Not just a little bit of our heart, or even half of our heart on Sunday morning... all of our heart.

Was I seeking the remote with all my heart? I believe so. I was determined to find that remote.  But the remote doesn't care about me the way the Lord does. The remote doesn't care whether I sit with it and pray to it. I know how ridiculous that sounds, but just humor me.

It had been a very busy day. I know you all have had them. But as I sat and read my Bible later on, I knew that was where the Lord was trying to draw me…to sit with Him and pray to Him. When we are "weary and burdened," He calls us to come to Him for rest (Matthew 11:28). To seek Him and His will with our whole heart.

We WILL find him when we seek Him with all our heart. Not, we might find Him. Not maybe, if we have our life cleaned up. We WILL. Search for Him. Seek Him. And you WILL find what you are looking for.

GOING DEEPER:

1.       What do you seek each day? To be admired? Fame? Fortune?

2.      What would happen if you dedicated yourself to reading and seeking God for ten or even five minutes a day?

FURTHER READING:

Matthew 6:33; Psalm 27:4

Stephanie is a mom of three young sons and wife to Dave, who is currently in seminary preparing for chaplaincy in the US Army. In her spare time, she’s employed at a law firm.

The Gift of Girlfriends

By Carolyn Hulliberger

“Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.”

Luke 1:56 (NIV)

Something new has struck me about the events leading up to the birth of Christ. It’s the story of Elizabeth and Mary. Mary was a young girl, engaged to be married, the expectant mother of Jesus Christ but still a virgin. Elizabeth was a cousin of Mary, the expectant mother of John the Baptist. Elizabeth was “barren…and well along in years” (Luke 1:7). Both women’s pregnancies were miraculous by medical standards.

Mary’s pregnancy was scandalous…likely embarrassing for her family to explain. I imagine being sent to spend time with her cousin provided respite from the whispers and dirty looks sent her way. In our culture, where teenage pregnancy does not carry the stigma it once did, this part of the story of Mary is lost in translation. For a teenaged girl in this time, an unwed pregnancy was devastating. She would have been ostracized by her community.

Elizabeth was six months along when Mary came to stay. I imagine Elizabeth was joyful, but a bit lonely. Her friends, given that she was older, possibly didn’t have young children…while she was about to start a new life. For months, her husband had been silenced by God for his questioning of this miracle (Luke 1:18-20). Their communication had to be completely altered during this time. And while the birth of their son would soon fill the house with noise and joy, the days of her pregnancy were possibly fairly quiet.

So the arrival of Mary for a long visit was probably a blessing to them both. Both women were experiencing magnificent miracles - - but also incredibly challenging. We tend to see how Elizabeth would have performed a mentor role to Mary, but I can see how the gift of Mary’s youth in the home would have been just as valuable for Elizabeth. While they may have started out this visit as cousins, my guess is they ended it as girlfriends. “Doing life” together would have fused their relationship.  I love that our God orchestrated the events for these two women, knowing ahead of time their need for companionship and mutual understanding. Amongst His grand plan for His Son to enter the world as our Redeemer, the needs of two special women in the “background” of the Messiah story are specifically met.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Has God ever provided someone in your life just when you needed it? Think on the impact of that person. How will you prepare to be that type of person to someone else?

2.  Imagine you are Elizabeth after Mary has left, and write a note to her.      Or imagine you are Mary and pen a note to Elizabeth.

FURTHER READING:

Luke 1:39-56

Along with caring for her family, Carolyn works as an insurance representative and serves in Oakwood Church as a Community Group leader.

The Right Hand

By Vernette Kureck

“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel and afterward you will take me into glory.”

Psalm 73:24-25 (NIV)

Oh, how sweet it is to feel a little hand slip into my hand. Children will often reach up to grandparents or parents with an outstretched arm so you will grab their hand and guide them. It is a great feeling of security. Many times there is even an anticipation and excitement as to where you are taking them. 

Even sweeter is to see an elderly couple that has been married many, many years showing their love and affection by holding hands. It is an intimate bond that reflects their special relationship and demonstrates how, together, they are stronger and complete each other. This expression of tenderness warms the viewer’s heart.

Then there is the sweetest expression of hand-holding. Our Heavenly Father extends His right hand for us to hold. With that connection, we receive intimacy, guidance, provision and security. Psalm 145:16 says, “You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” And Psalm 31:15: “My times are in your hands.”  We can be comforted and excited, anticipating the green pastures He promises to lead us to. Let us lift up our hands in prayer and thank our Creator for His everlasting love, and, like the biblical psalmist David, be filled with joy in His presence.  

“Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup, you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; and my body will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.  You have made known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16: 5-11). Thank you, Lord.  Amen.

 GOING DEEPER:

1.  Whose hand have you been holding?

FURTHER READING:

Acts 2:22-35

Vernette and her husband Ken have been married 48 years and are blessed with 8 grandchildren.  She serves Oakwood on the prayer chain and with Family Promise.

Scandalous Grace

By Tracy Smith

“And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is - - free and undeserved.”

Romans 11:6 (NLT)

I am a fiction reader and have favorite authors whose new releases I eagerly look forward to. One of those authors is Dee Henderson. She had a new book released shortly before our family had a trip planned to visit my husband’s family in Minnesota. Six hours of reading - - a dream come true for this reader! Little did I know that this fiction book would have a gem of a quote that would spark my thinking for months to come. In the book, Unspoken, I found this quote, “Grace is so scandalous we can never get beyond its reach to forgive.” [1] Wow! I had to stop reading, write the quote down to think on later.

Scandalous and grace - - not two words you think of as “going together.” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that God’s Word is full of examples of scandalous grace.

David (2 Samuel 11): David sent a man to his death in war so that he could have the man’s wife. Yet because of David’s true repentance and lifelong trust in God, he is later called a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

The Samaritan woman at the well (John 4): She was a woman and a Samaritan, so normally a Jewish man would not have spoken to her. On top of that, she was an outcast (she was at the well during an “off” time) because of some sad choices she had made in life. Choices others may have seen as unforgivable. Yet, Jesus did a scandalous thing for His day: spoke with her and then offered her Living Water.

Saul/Paul (Acts 9:1-31): As Saul, he thought he was doing God’s work by persecuting and contributing to the death of Christians. Yet, after his conversion, God used Paul mightily in the new church.

In our world, the actions of those above would be deemed “hard to forgive” or even “unforgivable.” But God puts no one and no action outside of God’s redemptive, forgiveness grace. Scandalous and amazing!

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Do you ever feel like you’ve done something hard to forgive or even unforgivable? If so, would you commit to finding more stories of God’s scandalous grace in the Bible as encouragement?

2.  Do you know those who feel like they’ve done something unforgivable? What can you do to encourage or remind them of God’s forgiving grace?

FURTHER READING:

Ephesians 2:8; Romans 5:1; Hebrews 4:16

Along with being a wife and mother to two teenage sons, Tracy is a ministry assistant at Oakwood and works with a great group of Junior High girls.

[1] Henderson, Dee. Unspoken. Page 170. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2013.

“Stuck!”

By Susan Klein

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

Living in Wisconsin, and having to navigate snowy roads, I have an underlying fear of getting stuck. It likely stems from an incident in my teens. I had just received my learner’s permit and was driving to work during a heavy snowfall. A large semi started to creep into my lane from the right so I instinctively veered left to avoid collision. The slickness of the road took me right up onto the center median, coming to a halt in a six-foot snowbank. All I could see through the windshield was white! I could neither move the car forward nor in reverse. I was seriously stuck!

Fortunately for me, a man driving a pick-up with a plow on the front saw what happened and quickly came to my rescue. He was able to pull me out and get me back on the road again. Unbeknownst to me at the time, God provided that way out.

There are other ways we tend to get “stuck.” Have you ever tried to shake a bad habit, only to keep going back to it again? Might you struggle with repeating wrong ways of thinking or of responding? Some people get stuck in a form of legalism - - holding themselves (and maybe others) to high standards that can’t be met. Others remain trapped in old harmful sin patterns. It can be quite discouraging to feel stuck in a place where we don’t want to be. Fortunately, we do  have a way out.

Just as God sent a man with a plow to free me from the snow, He also sent us a Man, His Son, to free us from the bondage of sin and wrong thinking. Scripture says we are no longer slaves to sin (1), nor are we slaves to the law/legalism (2). We don’t have to remain in bondage to our old ways, and we don’t have to strive for perfection. Jesus has set us free, once, for all time. (3) By His death and resurrection, He has plowed the road that leads to freedom. We just need to believe it!

Next time you find yourself bogged down by wrong thoughts or actions, try replacing them with (getting stuck on) these truths:

• I am not defined by my past, but by my position in Christ.
• I have the power of the Holy Spirit to help me overcome traps and temptations.
• I am no longer a slave, but an heir of the King!
• God wants me to enjoy my freedom in Christ.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Where might the enemy have you feeling trapped or immovable?

2. What truths might you need to embrace instead?

FURTHER READING:

(1) Roman 6:6; (2) Galatians 4:3-7; (3) 1 Peter 3:18

Susan is married to Mark, and co-leads an in-home small group. She serves as a mentor to young women, and is a member of Oakwood’s Peace Team, helping people work through conflict.

Naked and Without ShameBy Sarah Walker

And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.Genesis 2:25 (ESV)

 

Naked and without shame. This is how we were designed to live.

 

Yes, we were designed to be naked and without shame before our spouse and before our God. But when sin entered the picture everything changed. Nakedness and shame have seemed to go together ever since.

 

We live in a world where sex is often either seen as a power play or as immoral. Rarely is sexual intimacy viewed as a sacred gift; a gift bestowed on us by the very One who created us. A gift that is so precious, so personal, that God has given us instructions on how best to open and use it. Not to condemn us or constrain us. Not to keep us from having fun. Rather, the instructions are there so that we can fully utilize and appreciate the gift. Within the confines of a committed marriage between one man and one woman, God has gifted us the liberty to fully use and appreciate this gift without shame or guilt.

 

Sexual intimacy is not a card to be played in order to get what we want. Neither is it something nasty or disgraceful. It is a sacred gift to be treasured and valued. We do a disservice to the people around us when we treat it as anything less. We are to stand on God's Word when it comes to sexual intimacy. Not to condemn...but to love. To love others so much that we want them to be able to fully partake in the treasured gift of sexual intimacy that God has bestowed upon humankind.

 

Having said that, sexual intimacy is not the pinnacle of our existence. Sex is not and never will be the ultimate gift given to us by God. It is indeed a gift to be treasured, but it is not the very best thing God offers to us. The best gift of all is the gift of God's only beloved Son. Who came into this world so that if you believe in Him, you will not perish. But instead you will have eternal life. [1] 

 

Eternal life in Jesus is the best gift available to us. Let us not place sexual intimacy above that, but let us also treasure it as the gift that it is meant to be.

 

 

GOING DEEPER:

1.      Heart check: what is your perspective on sexual intimacy? Do you view it as a gift from God?

2.      Have you either sinned or been hurt in the past in the area of sexual intimacy? Ask Jesus to renew your heart and mind. His finished work on the cross is even greater than sex.

 

FURTHER READING:

Mark 10:6-9, Hebrews 13:4

 

Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons. She and Scott are involved in a small group focused on prayer.

[1] John 3:16

Naked Before God
By Sarah Walker

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Genesis 3:8 (ESV)

Our Creator originally designed us to be transparent and honest. We were designed to live our lives being precisely whom God intended for us to be. We were not designed to cover ourselves, our motivations or our personalities…especially not from God.

But then sin entered the picture. Sin entered, and the curse before the curse came: Shame. The man and his wife hid just a portion of themselves from one another. But from God? From God they hid their very selves. When God called to them, they responded. They knew they could not hide forever. Yet their actions indicated that there was a breach in their relationship with God. The days of being naked and without shame before God appeared to be over.

How tragic to be reminded that humanity, represented by Adam and Eve, once lived naked and unashamed. But that is not the world we were born into. Life’s tragedies and burdens began to weigh us down. The shame was stacked upon us, and we bought into the lie. We believed we were created to be covered and shame-filled. We believed we had to cover who we were from those around us, from ourselves and even from God.

We hid among the bushes, shame-ridden, hiding ourselves from God. Believing the lies, we blamed others, and we blamed God. There has been enough blame for the shame to go around. But that has never solved anything. Hiding our true selves, whom we were made to be, has never brought about true freedom and neither has blame.

True intimacy has become warped and twisted. It has become so hidden we often must slosh through all the shame and false nakedness to uncover it. True intimacy requires us to live “naked and unashamed” with God, with ourselves, with our spouse or family, and with those around us.

How do we do this? We must start by practicing honesty before ourselves and before God. It takes courage and vulnerability to live fully transparent lives before God. But if we are brave enough to be honestly transparent before God, He will show us the way forward to true intimacy with others, beginning with the most important relationship: our relationship with God.

GOING DEEPER:
1.  Have you hidden parts of yourself or your story from God? If so, boldly and courageously entrust every part of you to God. Open up your heart to Jesus, fully transparent and naked before Him.

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 139:23-24

Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons. She and Scott are involved in a small group focused on prayer.

Putting Your Armor On – Part 2

By Peggy Kleckner

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV)

Today, we finish a prayer I wrote - - based on Scripture - - to help us commit to living the familiar principles in Ephesians 6. [1]

Help me to take up the shield of faith - -  not to cower in the corner - - but to boldly hold up my shield to extinguish the flaming arrows that are thrown at me today. Your Word promises that my shield will extinguish them ALL! Remind me that you are who You say you are, you can do what you say you can do, I am who you say I am, no more and no less. You define me; no one else does. I can do all things through Christ…. Whatever you give me to do today, you will enable me to do, and your Word is alive and active in me. You are changing me from glory to glory. You will bring me into fruitfulness in your good timing. Lord, grow my faith and help my unbelief! [2]

Lastly Lord, help me to take up the sword of truth, your Word….sharper than any two-edged sword. Help me to use it to discern truth from error, fact from fiction, right from wrong. Help me to use it to shine your light in dark places, not to clobber people over the head with it. Remind me that your Word will stand and that every jot and tittle will be completed.

Lord, having been fully clothed in your armor, help me to stand firm in whatever battle position you give me today. Remind me that I stand shoulder to shoulder with my brothers and sisters in Christ and though we may be few, with you we are many. Help me to be bold and courageous. Help me to be listening for your orders and to quickly bend the knee at your command, to move forward when you tell me to, and to always be at the ready. Remind me that the battle is yours.

Amen.

GOING DEEPER:

1. How have you seen and witnessed God’s help in the midst of battle?

2. What part of your armor needs some refining?

FURTHER READING:

Ephesians 6:10-20

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.

[1] Did you miss the first part of this prayer? You can check out yesterday’s devo on the Oakwood Fresh Start blog at http://oakwoodfreshstart.blogspot.com/

[2] ideas derived from Beth Moore, Believing God  (Nashville: LifeWay, 2003).

Putting Your Armor On – Part 1

By Peggy Kleckner

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV)

I was with a group of women when I shared a way of praying through the pieces of armor that Scripture says we are to wear. Weakness is not a bad thing; it leads us to look to Christ for His provision and protection. After sharing my thoughts verbally, several of the women asked me if I had written it out. Since they asked me to do so, I did. For me, writing these truths as a prayer helped me to commit to living these familiar principles. That was several years ago, yet His truth is always a reminder of where God has walked with me:

Lord, today is a new day and the battle continues. Please help me to put on my armor.

Place on my head the helmet of salvation. Keep me grateful for my salvation; for all that you gave, because you cared for me. Remind me that my name card is already in place at the banquet table and that this life is not all there is. There is so much more in you. Protect my mind from the evil one, who seeks to destroy me there. Help me to take every thought captive to you, because your Word promises me that I can. Help me to know which thoughts to hold on to and which ones to release because they are not of you. Stay my mind on you. I can’t do that on my own.

Next, place on me the breastplate of righteousness - - your righteousness - - not my own…my own is as filthy rags. Help me to accept your plan: I stand in Your righteousness. Protect my heart, bind up the wounded places, soften the callused places and bring me into fullness to reflect your glory, a fullness that can only come from you. Pull out the weeds in my heart and nurture the good seed, which you have planted in me.

Gird my loins with the belt of truth. Hem me in, hold me together and hold me fast. Help me to recognize and stay within the boundaries which you have set for my good. Strengthen my back and my legs for the work of this day, whatever it holds.

Shod my feet in shoes of peace. Quiet my fears and bring me into your stillness.  Remind me that you are larger than all of my fears stacked one upon the other…

May we be a people that earnestly pray for His presence as our armor. We’ll finish the prayer tomorrow.

GOING DEEPER:

1. What parts of God’s truth stood out to you?

2. Of what parts do you need to commit to continually remind yourself this week?

FURTHER READING:

Ephesians 6:10-20

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.

On Things Above

By Brita Crouse

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Colossians 3:2 (NIV)

"I see Your face in every sunrise

The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes

The world awakens in the light of the day

I look up to the sky and say

You're beautiful”

This past semester, I started working as a school counseling intern. Because I was working in schools, I was usually off to work before sunrise. I love sleep…which made these early mornings difficult. So on my drive into work, I always put in a CD with songs full of worship to “set my mind” before I started my day.

"I see Your power in the moonlit night

Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright

We are amazed in the light of the stars

It's all proclaiming who You are

You're beautiful”

On top of two internships, I also had to attend night classes. So I’d start my day in darkness and end my day walking home from class in the dark. I spent many of these walks talking to God to “set my mind” about the work I had to do when I got home.

“When we arrive at eternity's shore

Where death is just a memory and tears are no more

We'll enter in as the wedding bells ring

Your bride will come together and we'll sing

You're beautiful” [1]

During that same semester, I also experienced a personal trial. I wasn’t sure how that would impact my work and life as a student. But with God’s strength and the comfort of others, I was able to “set my mind” and make it through.

"I see You there hanging on a tree

You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me

Now You are sitting on Your heavenly throne

Soon we will be coming home

You're beautiful”

Working as a school counselor, I heard about the experiences of my students. While some were good, I heard many horrible things my students have faced. It was easy to be weighed down by this information. So I took comfort in God’s Word and the people He has surrounded me with to “set my mind.”

If there is one thing I am continuing to learn, it is the importance of setting my mind on things above. Earthly things: monotony, complaining, stress or worry can be dangerous. But when we fix our eyes on God, we can “set our minds” to things above.

GOING DEEPER:

1.       What actions can you take to help you set your mind on the things of God?

2.       Listen to “You’re Beautiful" by Phil Wickham Click HERE to listen to it. 

FURTHER READING:

Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:22-24

Brita recently moved back to her home state of Wisconsin where she works as an Elementary School Counselor. She and her family have attended Oakwood for 20 years.

[1] Phil Wickham. “You’re Beautiful.” Cannons. Fair Trade Services, 2007.

Humble?

By Susan Klein

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

James 4:10 (NIV)

Have you ever wrestled with the concept of humility? Merriam Webster defines “humble” as a spirit of deference or submission, being unpretentious or insignificant.  Similarly, the Cambridge English Dictionary declares being humble as tending to consider yourself as having no special importance that makes you better than others.  Are these accurate definitions? Should I truly believe I am insignificant, and have no special importance?

C.S. Lewis’s book The Screwtape Letters  is a creative exchange of notes between two demons, one of whom is assigned to oversee a human. Screwtape warns Wormwood that his “patient” is becoming humble. He encourages Wormwood to make the man aware of this virtue, thus when he proclaims himself to be humble, he will, in actuality, be prideful of his own humility. Has this ever happened to you? Maybe you’ve done a good deed in secret, then, felt pretty good about yourself afterward. Or have you ever been in a conversation with someone and intentionally downplayed a personal success you’ve had so you’ll come across as humble? Some would consider trying to exercise humility as an exercise in futility!

We can misinterpret dictionary definitions, assuming we must belittle ourselves or not accept others’ praise for our accomplishments. God has purposefully gifted each of us in unique ways, with character qualities that He desires for us to recognize and enjoy. We need not minimize personal areas of strength. Jesus, the epitome of humility, never demeaned Himself publicly. So how exactly does one remain humble without becoming prideful of his/her own humility?

I think C.S. Lewis has a wonderful perspective of this word. In his book Mere Christianity,  he states, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” In other words, a truly humble man will not be thinking about his own humility; he will not be thinking about himself at all. In his heart, he will admit he struggles with pride, but he will choose not to dwell on either his pride or his humility. Instead, He will choose to focus on God and on others, thus making himself less important.

Perhaps we could say that humility is more of an attitude than an action. The closer we draw to God, and the more we desire His will, the more humble our attitude toward others will become. We won’t have to strive for it, He will do the work in us.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (1)

GOING DEEPER:

1. Who in your life is a good example of humility? Why?

2. Are you willing to take on Jesus’ yoke and learn from Him?

FURTHER READING:

(1)Matthew 11:29; Philippians 2:3-8; Luke 14:11

Susan is married to Mark, and co-leads an in-home small group. She serves as a mentor to young women, and is a member of Oakwood’s Peace Team, helping people work through conflict.

A Beloved SinnerBy Sarah Walker

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Romans 5:8 (ESV)

 

We are all sinners. And yet, right in the middle of that sin, God sent Jesus to earth. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have been reconciled to God, and the relational breach has been repaired. Jesus does not require you to be perfect or without fault before you come to Him. He knows the worst about each and every one of us. And yet He still chose to die for us, even at our worst.

Jesus loves you, right in the middle of your sin and shame. He does not ask you to pick yourself up and clean yourself off before He will accept you. He will be the one to pick you up and transform you. You cannot do it in your own power. In fact, the more you try to hold yourself together through your own efforts, the more you will realize just how hopeless the cause is without the redeeming, transformative work of Jesus Christ.

By choosing to come as the God/man...by choosing to die on the cross...by victoriously rising from the dead, Jesus has reached all the way down to the deepest sins, shames and regrets. Out of love, His sacrifice has purchased peace with God for you. His victorious resurrection    confirms every piece of what His mission on earth was about.

Jesus loves you, precious daughter. Jesus loves you no matter how far into sin you have fallen. He is faithful and trustworthy. You can entrust every part of yourself to Him. He designed you. He knows every aspect of who you are. Nothing you tell Him will surprise Him. He already knows whatever it is that is eating away at you. He knows. And you have already seen His reaction to you: There is a cross that bears witness to the great love Jesus has for you, and there is an empty tomb assuring you of His victory and the fulfillment of His love. When you are honestly laying bare your heart to Him, nothing you can say or do will make Him turn away from you. He loves you and died for you...even at your worst.

 

GOING DEEPER:

1.      Are there sins in your life that you need to turn over to Jesus, right in the middle of wherever you find yourself? If so, spend some time with Jesus doing just that.

2.      Consider the sins Jesus has loved you through. Take time to thank Him for His love, and in turn, show that same kind of love to someone else who has sinned against you today.

 

FURTHER READING:Ephesians 3:14-21

 

Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons. She and Scott are involved in a small group focused on prayer.