Where are you?Where are you?When Adam and Eve hid after eating from the tree, God walked in the garden and gently called, “Where are you?” Genesis 3: 9Of course, God knew where they were hiding. He already knew what happened. He knew their sin. He knew just how they were feeling. He knew.Yet He called to them.He came to them.He sought them in the garden.Where are you?This question haunts my morning devotions. I hear God asking me the same thing.Where are you?With a deep sigh, I try to answer the question. The process centers my thoughts to the present moment and helps me identify what I am feeling.Where are you?Sometimes I am alone and lonely.Sometime I am alone and at peace.Sometimes I am at a place where I feel safe.Sometimes I feel scared, hovering in the corner of an empty room.Sometimes no matter how hard I try or cry, I can’t find you, Lord.But You come searching for me, just like you did in the Eden’s garden.“Where are you?” God asks.I am here, Lord. Thank you for finding me. … [Read more...]
God’s First Choice – Lectio Divina
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will. Ephesians 1: 3-5 He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the worldLord I have read this verses before but never noticed this phrase before. It jumped off the pages of my Bible into my heart.I said it aloud as if I didn’t believe what I was reading:God, the Creator, the Almighty, the One and Only chose us – all of us - "before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love." Wow! You have loved us before You created the world.You chose us to be your children at the very beginning.You knew us as you formed us and determined we would always be a part of your family, your plan, your love.Lord when I doubt … [Read more...]
God Listens – Quote of the Week – Max Lucado
God Listens. “You can talk to God because God listens. Your voice matters in heaven. He takes you very seriously. When you enter His presence, the attendants turn to you to hear your voice. No need to fear that you will be ignored. Even if you stammer or stumble, even if what you have to say impresses no one, it impresses God – and He listens.”Max Lucado … [Read more...]
Spiritual March Madness – Thoughts about Enthusiasm
March Madness – the crazy time of year when basketball tournaments dominate many conversations. “What is your bracket?” become the enthusiastic question many spend hours pouring over.I am NOT a basketball fan – it probably one of my least favorite sports. Yet last weekend as March Madness progressed, I asked my husband about certain games, watched the closing minutes of a few, and quietly cheered when I heard two underdogs made it to the final four. Many of the top teams (including my favorite Ohio State) toppled out unpredictably out of first place.These players play every game like it may be the last one they are ever in. Players who may never see any action, cheer with their entire being and know they are as part of the team as the star player. As the excitement grew, the interest in basketball became infectious. Many of us try to guess who will be number one when March Madness is finally over.Makes you wonder how our spiritual lives would be like if March Madness become a … [Read more...]
Joanna Weaver’s Lazarus Awakening – Wake Us Up, Lord!
Lent is a time to stir our souls and awaken our spirits by feasting upon great writing. Joanna Weaver’s newest book, Lazarus Awakening, is a read that will provide much nourishment for your spiritual journey. Many of you know Weaver for her best selling and wonderful book, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World and I recommend Lazarus Awakening which also explores the famous family that were close friends with Jesus. Weaver dissects many spiritual questions we all have: what do we do when God doesn’t come through the way we hope He would? What should we feel when what is dearest to our hearts is suddenly snatched away? Does God really love me? What does it mean to be a friend of God? “I wonder what would happen in our lives if we stopped resisting God’s love and started receiving it. What if we spotted trying to do the math, spotted striving to earn His favor? What if we just accepted the altogether-too-good-to-be-true news that the yardstick has been broken and the cross has … [Read more...]
God’s Springtime Invitation – Lectio Divina
“Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” Song of Solomon 2:10-13Come with meLord, two doves have perched outside my office window this week. As I work I hear their rhythmic lullaby.Coo, coo, coo…I wonder what they are singing. I imagine they are singing with You, Lord. Are you inviting me to join in this praise chorus? I hear You say softly, “Come with me.”I pause and as they coo, I silently pray with them, “Lord… Lord… Lord…”Ahhh, the winter has past…the season of spring has come…Your invitation in all of nature shouts to us still hibernating….“Arise!”“Come!!”“Come with me, my beautiful one.”Lord, Your love is my invitation. I come. … [Read more...]
The Pursuit of God – A. W. Tozer – Quote of the Week
“We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.”A. W. Tozer from the Pursuit of God … [Read more...]
Lenten Quotes to Ponder – Nouwen, Merton, Luther and more
During Lent I have been trying to pause more, listening deeper for and to God. One of the verses I have memorized this month is: “Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.” Ephesians 3:17 (NLT) My prayer is Christ will make his home in my heart.In my silent time I have lingered over several quotes. I thought I would share a few of them with you today that may help deepen your Lenten walk with Christ.Lord Jesus, You are my righteousness, I am your sin.You took on you what was mine; yet set on me what was yours.You became what you were not, that I might become what I was not.Martin LutherSometimes I think of life as a big wagon wheel with many spokes. In the middle is the hub. Often in ministry, it looks like we are running around the rim trying to reach everybody. But God says, "Start in the hub; live in the hub. Then you will be connected with all the spokes, and you won't have to run so fast." Henri J. M. NouwenEvery moment and every event of every man's life … [Read more...]