Your Daily Crossroad
Letting Go
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee. (Genesis 12:1)
For our wedding anniversary, my husband borrowed a tandem bike so we could enjoy a romantic adventure together. As we began to pedal on our way, I quickly realized that as the rider on the back my vision of the road ahead was eclipsed by my husband’s broad shoulders. Also, my handlebars were fixed; they didn’t affect the steering of our bike. Only the front handlebars determined our direction; mine served merely as support for my upper body. I had the choice to either be frustrated by my lack of control or to embrace the journey and trust Mike would guide us safely on our route.
When God asked Abram to leave his homeland and family, He didn’t offer much information concerning the destination. No geographic coordinates. No description of the new land or its natural resources. Not even an indication of how long it would take to get there. God simply gave the instruction to “go” to the land He would show him. Abram’s obedience to God’s instruction, despite lacking the details most humans crave, is credited to him as faith (Heb. 11:8).
If we find ourselves grappling with uncertainty or a lack of control in our lives, let’s seek to adopt Abram’s example of following and trusting God. The Lord will steer us well.
Help me, Lord, to trust You with the uncertainty in my life. Amen.
When I read this I felt the tandem bike was a great example of how we may feel at times in our walk with God but the choice to either be frustrated by our lack of control or to embrace the journey and trust He will guide us safely through life is key to having true peace. He will steer you well, trust Him to do so.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Genesis 12:1-9
Seeking Hope This Easter
It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. (Luke 24:10-12)
What does it look like when you’re called to follow God, but life is still hard? This may be the theme of your day, your week, your month, or even your year. Life is painful and life is trying; however, when we understand the hope of the cross, we see that there is more to life than the things we’re feeling now.
In the days leading up to Easter, the disciples may have been unsure of what was coming, but they were sure of who they were following. They knew that Jesus was to fulfill all the things that He had told them, and so they held on to that, even to the point of His death on the cross. Christ was denied three times by one of His own. He was given over to His accusers, He was beaten and mocked, and He was hung on a cross to prove to the world that He is who He says He is. At that time, that truth didn’t ring through, because all we saw was the cross.
Sometimes, we see our sin and our human nature and don’t understand how a God who created everything we see, and everything we know, can love us still; we surely can’t understand how Jesus would willingly volunteer to take our place. However, that’s the beauty of that cross. That Jesus went, He died, and He promised that moment would not be the end. When we look at all that is revealed in scripture, we know that it cannot be the end.
Beloved, when we feel hopeless, we must remember the monumental truth from three days later – Jesus rose and is living. He never fails, He is always constant, and He is forever powerful. We are chosen because of the great love that God has for us; and that love will sustain us through our darkest days.
In your struggle, remember that God loves you. He knows your innermost failings and He sees through all of it; cling today to the hope that you have in Jesus. Amen.
This blessed me, I felt it needed to be shared with someone today. My prayer is that someone, somewhere, is blessed by this. Cling to the hope that you have in Jesus! Thank You Lord for speaking right to my heart. There is no one else like You!
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Luke 24:10-12
Tell God About It
Think you’ve had a bad day? The biblical character of Job had a Ph.D. in pain and loss. In the very first chapter of Job, after everything fell apart in his life, “Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped”(Job 1:20).
This may surprise you, but God can handle your anger and frustration. He can handle your emotions. Why? Because he gave them to you. You were made in the image of God, and he is an emotional God.
When your 2-year-old has a temper tantrum and beats on your knees, you can handle that. In the same way, God is bigger than your emotion, and it’s okay to tell him exactly how you feel. When you prayed for a promotion but it didn’t happen, when a loved one walks out of your life, when you get the dreaded call saying, “It’s cancer,” you can tell God, “I’m mad. I’m upset. I’m sick. I’m frustrated. I’m ticked off. I doubt.” God can handle your complaints, your questions, your fear, and your grief. God’s love for you is bigger than all of your emotions.
My kids know I love them. They know that I’ve been on this planet longer than they have and that I’ve had more experience than they have. But my children sometimes question my judgment. Can you believe that?
I’d rather have an honest, gut-level conversation with them than have them stuff their frustration and disappointment inside. God is the same way! He would rather have you wrestle with him in anger than walk away in detached apathy.
The right response to unexplained tragedy is not “grin and bear it.” Lamentations 2:19 says, “Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord . . .“
When I read this I felt I could personally relate to the feeling of “grin it and bear it” but God doesn’t want that for me or you. He wants honesty, He’s as real as the breath I breath, He’s as real as the person standing next to you. He already knows your hearts cry, your frustrations, your anger and He desires to spend time with you and hear from you, even if what you have to say to Him may not be so uplifting, talk to Him share with Him how your truly feeling and worship Him. Pour out your heart like water before the face of The Lord! He loves you more than you could ever imagine, even in those moments when your pouring out your heart to Him, He loves you.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Lamentations 2:19
Sweet Scent
Author Rita Snowden tells a delightful story about visiting a small village in Dover, England. Sitting outside a café one afternoon enjoying a cup of tea, she became aware of a beautiful scent. Rita asked a waiter where it was coming from, and was told it was the people she could see passing by. Most of the villagers were employed at a nearby perfume factory. As they walked home, they carried the fragrance that permeated their clothes out into the street.
What a beautiful image of the Christian life! As the apostle Paul says, we are the aroma of Christ, spreading His fragrance everywhere (2 Cor. 2:15). Paul uses the image of a king returning from battle, his soldiers and captives in tow, wafting the smell of celebratory incense in the air, declaring the king’s greatness (v. 14).
We spread the aroma of Christ in two ways. First, through our words: telling others about the One who is beautiful. Second, through our lives: doing deeds of Christlike sacrifice (Eph. 5:1–2). While not everyone will appreciate the divine fragrance we share, it will bring life to many.
Rita Snowden caught a scent and was driven to seek its source. As we follow Jesus we too become permeated with His fragrance, and we carry His aroma into the streets through our words and deeds.
Lord Jesus, make us carriers and communicators of Your beauty to the people in our homes, offices, and neighborhoods. Amen.
We are the aroma of Christ to others. As we go through each day and walk this life may we permeate with His fragrance. When I recently read this it caused me to stop and ask myself, what am I communicating of Your beauty to those around me. It’s up to us to carry His aroma into the streets, our homes, offices, and neighborhoods, through our words and deeds and setting an example for others to follow. Look to Him! I never want my ways to cause someone else to stumble, we will be held accountable for all those we cause to stumble. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak (1 Corinthians 8:9). No thing is worth missing heaven over. Let us permeate with His fragrance today and every day.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 2 Corinthians 2:14-16