Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14Image by dansays via FlickrClothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus ChristLord, You came to us in the garden when we were ashamed to be naked.Throughout history and in our individual lives, we try to clothe ourselves with dirty rags and tattered second-hand clothing.We pick up the first piece of gossip to cover our heads.We hid our faces behind worldly masks so we don’t appear to others as we really are.We throw on the easiest road to follow for our tops.We pull up our fears and ego driven desires to cover our legs.And for our feet we slip on ill-fitting slices of sin we think You won’t know about and tie them tightly with lies and deceit.Help us discard these earthly garments and come only to You in our vulnerable bareness.Clothe us with the Lord Jesus Christ.Wash us with Your mercy and cover us with Your goodness.May we be fully draped in Jesus’ character, … [Read more...]

 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him “Abba, Father.” Romans 8: 15Image by absolut xman via Flickr“Abba, Father.” AbbaAbbaAbbaThank you Lord for gathering me so near to Your heart.AbbaI rest in Your strong, yet tender arms and drink in Your love into my parched soul.AbbaI snuggle onto Your lap with a clarity that I know You and You know me.AbbaFor a brief precious moment in Your sacred embrace, I know throughout my whole self that I am a cherished child of God and all I whisper is,Abba.No fearNo anxietyNo urge to be elsewhere except with my Abba.AbbaAbba … [Read more...]

When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?"They replied, "Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."He pressed them, "And how about you? Who do you say I am?"Simon Peter said, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God."Matthew 16:13-16 (The Message)Image via Wikipedia"What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?""And how about you? Who do you say I am?"Questions.Lord, I think You love questions.You have sprinkled Your Bible with them.You love to ask them to us, making us feel uneasy enough to stretch out of our comfort zones, yet secure enough to try to discuss them with You.God - the Master Teacher, the One who already knows the answer – still asks us questions.You invite us to pull up a chair and to say, “Let’s talk about this? What do you think?”I am thankful You are God who asks questions.I am also thankful You are … [Read more...]

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. Romans 4:20His faith grew strongerLord I always think some of Your spiritual giants – Abraham, Moses, David – were born with a deep faith. Lord, sometimes when I read their stories I think they had it easier because of they knew instinctively how to trust in You.You just gave them more and that is why I struggle with less.Yet in today’s reading, Abraham first believed in Your promise, then his faith grew.I spend too much time longing for the end results and missed the main ingredient.Like making bread without leaven, in my faith I forget Your promise.Lord, I accept Your promises as true.May Your sacred assurances ferment within my soul nurturing my faith.And the last words of this verse: “and in this he brought glory to God.”Remind me once again, Lord, it isn’t about me. Your gift of faith isn’t for me to feel better, to think I am now holy, or to be some grand … [Read more...]

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.    Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”   “Come,” he said.    Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”    Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you … [Read more...]


I will look to see what he will say to me – Habakkuk 2:1
I will look to see what he will say.What a strange way to hear You, Lord.Looking to see what you are saying.I miss Your voice when I listen more to the world’s noise than You.I don’t hear Your message when I focus more on me and less on You.I know at times You speak in a whisper.I never thought of using my eyes to hear You better.Looking around me, I see You in my backyard garden and know you tend my growth as well.Digging into my Bible, I run my fingers over Your Word, Your words, and see in them You  printed before my very eyes.Your love becomes visible in the twinkling delight of Kyla’s eyes and tiny fingers of newborn twins.Pour out Your spirit upon me so I have the awareness when I turn away from Your face.When I can’t hear Your voice, Lord, open my eyes to read Your lips.Help me tune my antenna to Your wavelength of sacred signals.Help me to listen.Help me to see what You say. … [Read more...]

The unfolding of your words gives light; 
it gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119: 130The unfolding of your words I walked in my garden with you this week, Lord.I watched You dance with the dragon flies and bounce upon the purple cone flowers.Even with the very hot, dry July, Lord You coaxed a multitude of rose buds to bloom.The petals slowly stretch their arms open as if they were reaching up to You.I gazed at my newborn twin grandsons this week wiggle and unfurl their legs in the freedom of their new lives.Unfolding – what lovely word, Lord.The unfolding of Your words light my journey.The spreading out of Your spirit guides me on my way.You remove the blinders on my heart slowly and gently so I can savor Your wisdom.You are revealed in Your words and become known to us simple mortals.We probably couldn’t live seeing Your full revelation.After all, You are God.I celebrate the unfurling rose buds and join them in reaching my arms up to You. … [Read more...]

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life.It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!   Romans 8:15-17  The MessageImage by Crystl via Flickr"What's next, Papa?" What a prayer, Lord.I lift this up as my prayer today."What's next, Papa?" I relish in the spirit of living expectantly of Your blessings and presence.I turn my focus from only on what is wrong to fixing my eyes on You, my father."What's next, Papa?" You fill me with hope and giddy anticipation.I lay on Your altar, my fears, worries, and doubts, so I can run empty-handed to embrace the life … [Read more...]