Your Daily Crossroad
07
Jun '18
A Change in Perspective
07
Jun '18
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. (Psalm 73:16-17)
My hometown had experienced its heaviest winter in thirty years. My muscles ached from hours of shoveling the unrelenting snow. When I stepped inside after what felt like a fruitless effort, weary as I kicked off my boots, I was greeted by the warmth of a fire and my children gathered around it. As I gazed out the window from the shelter of my home, my perspective of the weather shifted completely. Instead of seeing more work to do, I savored the beauty of frosted tree branches and the way the snow blanketed the colorless landscape of winter.
I see a similar, but much more poignant, shift in Asaph when I read his words in Psalm 73. In the beginning, he laments the way the world seems to work, how wrongs seem to be rewarded. He doubts the value of being different than the crowd and living for the good of others (v. 13). But when he enters the sanctuary of God, his outlook changes (vv. 16–17): he remembers that God will deal with the world and its troubles perfectly and, more importantly, that it is good to be with God (v. 28).
When we’re chilled by the seemingly ceaseless problems in our world, we can enter God’s sanctuary in prayer and be warmed through by the life-altering, perspective-changing truth that His judgment is better than ours. Though our circumstances may not change, our perspective can.
Lord, I admit I quickly become frustrated with the way things appear. Help me to see the way You do. Amen!
When I read this it blessed me. You may be going through circumstances that are beyond your understanding and no matter how hard you’ve tried it doesn’t seem to be getting any better but today make an effort to change your perspective and watch everything start to shift. No matter what we go through, no matter what we are facing, He is able and He is faithful. Your current circumstance is not a surprise to Him, He just wants you to trust Him to take you through it victoriously. If you can’t change your circumstances how then can you change your perspective? Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11). God gives us the right perspective.
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Romans 8:18
06
Jun '18
Persevering with Peace
06
Jun '18
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. (Psalm 3:5)
As I continue trusting God through my struggles with chronic pain, even the simplest setback can feel like a fierce enemy attacker. Problem One jabs me from the right. Problem Two shoves me from behind. Problem Three punches me square in the nose. During these times, when my strength wanes and immediate relief evades me, running and hiding can seem like a good idea. But since I can’t escape my pain, change my circumstances, or ignore my emotions, I’m learning slowly to rely on God to carry me through.
When I need encouragement, comfort, and courage, I prayerfully read through the songs of the psalmists, who honestly bring their situations to God. In one of my favorite psalms, King David flees from Absalom, his son who wanted to kill him and take his kingdom. Though David lamented his painful situation (Psalm 3:1–2), he trusted God’s protection and expected Him to answer his prayers (vv. 3–4). The king didn’t lose sleep worrying or fearing what could happen, because he trusted God to sustain and save him (vv. 5–8).
Physical and emotional pain can often feel like aggressive adversaries. We may be tempted to give up or wish we could escape when we’re weary and can’t see the end of our current battle. But, like David, we can learn to trust that God will hold us up and help us rest in His constant and loving presence.
Lord, thanks for giving us rest in the peace of Your constant presence and assuring us of the victory You’ve already won. Amen.
No matter the trial your facing today, remember, He is faithful. God offers us peace as He holds us up and carries us through every trial. When I read this devotion I was reminded of Philippians 4:7, And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Persevere with peace!
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 6:33
05
Jun '18
Are You in His Flock?
05
Jun '18
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (John 10:1-3)
Jesus began speaking to His listeners with a metaphor that was familiar to them. The sheepfold was usually an enclosure made of rocks with an opening for the door. The shepherd (or watchman) would guard the flock at night by lying across the opening. It was common that several flocks could be sheltered together in the same fold. A group of shepherds would share the responsibility at night allowing each other to sleep in their own beds. The system was like a night shift rotation. In the morning, the shepherds would come through the door or gate and assemble their own flocks, just by their voices. Thieves and robbers could not walk through the gate so they would climb in over the walls, attempting to steal the sheep. But the sheep would not follow them because the sheep would not recognize the stranger’s voice. Jesus describes the thieves and robbers as coming to steal, kill and destroy.
During Jesus’ time, there were professional religious men (the Pharisees and Sadducees) who were only interested in the people for their own personal advantage. They were more concerned with perfecting themselves according to their own standards and trying to make everyone else feel guilty for not matching up. That is not Jesus. As a good shepherd, He develops a relationship with His sheep so that He knows them by name, calls them personally and leads them. The sheep’s responsibility is to welcome, listen and follow the shepherd. The relationship is easy and the burden is light. There is also the sense of security and peace in being protected by the Shepherd.
We need to realize that the responsibility of our life and death is in the hands of Jesus. We do not need to carry our own burdens as an attempt to help Jesus. The Good Shepherd knows that it is His responsibility to take care of the sheep, just as the mechanic knows that the car can’t fix itself. We are protected eternally with Jesus for He alone is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. He began a good work in us and He will be faithful to complete it. The responsibility is on Him. There is peace with Jesus as our Shepherd, our Savior. Our responsibility is to hear His voice and follow Him.
When I read this devotion I was reminded of John 10:5, And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. (John 10:27-28) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. We must beware of the voice of strangers. Stay close to The Shepherd by reading The Word and allowing Christ to lead and guide you through life. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6). Nothing feels better than knowing God loves you, that He is always there for you, and that He will always take care of you. Trust The Shepherd, He truly loves you and cares about you, more than you can even imagine. Are you in His flock? It’s your choice.
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Psalms 33:18
04
Jun '18
Endurance to the End
04
Jun '18
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:36)
I turned off my computer and saw a couple of fingerprint marks right in the middle of my screen. I pulled my shirt sleeve over my hand and began to rub the screen. The marks were still there so I used a paper towel and the marks were still there. I grabbed a dish towel and rubbed some more. They were still there but were beginning to fade. I hate to admit it but my wrist began to tire and I had to stop for a moment. I worked diligently for several more minutes to get the fingerprints off my screen. Normally I would not associate this type of task with the word “endurance” but in this case, it took a while to clean my screen. It seems like such a small thing in the big picture. But, in the midst of these kinds of tasks, I sometimes hear the Lord quietly say to me, “Be faithful in (and keep working on) the little things.”
We grow in our walk with the Lord by persevering in the day-to-day tasks that require our patience and endurance. The hardest tests of endurance are often disguised as the monotonous tasks in life. I must admit that I seriously considered just how badly I wanted my computer screen clean. Would I settle for just enough to get by, or would I keep going until the spots were gone completely? Sometimes I think that we are faced with the same question when God begins working on our “spots”. Will we persevere with Him? Do we have the endurance to keep going through the hard times?
The writer of Hebrews mentions more than once our need for endurance. We “have need of endurance” to ultimately receive the promises of God. I wonder how often we get to the edge of the promise land and stop walking. There was a reason the Lord kept telling Joshua to go in and take the land that had been given to them. It took endurance and perseverance to keep walking, to keep taking one day at a time, and to stay focused on the goal. From fingerprint smudges to promise lands, the test for each one of us is whether or not we will keep working until the task is finished. The Lord is so good to give us the goal, and He will lead us every step of the way. However, we must be willing to not only step out but also to keep on stepping forward.
Has the Lord given you a glimpse of the promise land He has for you? Do not stop moving towards it. Pray for endurance and perseverance. The training often comes in the little tasks of the day. Take every opportunity to see a job through to its completion and learn how to lean on the Lord for support and guidance. You never know when the day will come that you take that first step into your land of promise.
When I read this I was so uplifted and encouraged. So often we stop short of the promise land and we miss all that God has for us because we just get tired of pushing. What we must realize is we are never pushing alone, God is always right beside us helping us and even carrying us through our toughest times. Spiritual endurance and perseverance, just keep pushing. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13). Encourage yourself today to never give up, the promise land may just be on the other side of the mountain you are facing. Where you are today is no accident. God is using the situation or situations you are in right now to shape and prepare you for the place He wants to bring you into. Trust Him with His plan even if you don’t understand it. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). Endure to the end.
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Ephesians 4:29