Category Archives: Devo Thoughts

Here and There

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note: while i did have a specific “here” and “there” in mind when i penned this, in some ways, we all have a “here” and “there”. it may be a physical location, a goal, a hope, a dream, or just a what if. but regardless of the what, i would encourage you to to think of your own “here” and “there” as you read. and then rest in the truth of His promises.

What makes me think if I can’t manage time and priorities here in relative comfort, stability and ease, that I can manage time and priorities there in the midst of potential discomfort and unknown?

What makes me think if I can’t reach outside of myself here to fully invest in others as I should, that I can fully invest there within a limited framework?

What makes me think if I can’t write here from my heart for me (much less for them), that I can write there so publicly?

What makes me think if I can’t find the balance and consistency in the Word here that is right, that I can be consistent there in new and unfamiliar surroundings?

Yet even as I continue to ask the questions, which all really boil down to just one question of my own ability, and begin to acknowledge the underlying fears, I already know the answer. It’s the same answer I received so powerfully and directly on that old hotel room floor in Ocean City six years ago.

I can’t. But HE can.

And as I hear that truth once again, as I not only hear it, but believe it, as it resonates deep within me, the Lord comes in gently and lovingly (though not painlessly) to once again strip me of my pride and self-sufficiency and independence. Because this relationship, this walking with Him, this following Him, was never intended to be that way.

None of this depends on me. It never did. This is not about me at all. It never was.

It’s about trusting in Him, leaning into Him, depending on Him. It’s about surrendering self and sacrificing independence. It’s about acknowledging His strength in my weakness, His sufficiency in my insufficiency, His righteousness in my unrighteousness.

Both my here and my there are His. For His purpose and for His glory.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV)

“Abide in Me”

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“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

- John 15:4-5 (ESV)

As branches, sometimes abiding in the vine means we experience great joy through the bearing of much fruit.

Other times, abiding means we know deep pain through the pruning and refining process in order to bear even more fruit.

But always, abiding means trusting in, leaning into, and depending on Christ … the One who chooses and appoints us, the One who sustains and loves us through every season, and the One who receives all the glory. For apart from him, we can do nothing.

Are you abiding today?

Grace in the Quiet

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“Make glad the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.

Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; and give heed to the voice of my supplications!”

- Psalm 86:4-6

I love words … reading words, speaking words, hearing words, pondering words, singing words, writing words.

But it seems in the past several days (weeks, even) I have had little energy left for words. In the wake of processing much that can’t be penned publicly {at least not yet}, my own words feel hollow and my brain feels like mush.

I have a list of sermons to be listened to, books to be read, Scriptures to be reflected upon, and experiences to be written about.

But I don’t.

Instead, in the midst of commitments that are good and necessary and rich, I find myself meeting an unspoken need to be quiet. To just be. Abandoning my typical routines, I fill my free hours with long and purposeful walks, music that effortlessly leads into pure worship, and a prayerful soul.

Yet beginning to feel guilty at this unexpected inward turn, my thoughts shift slightly, almost hesitatingly, towards others. Lacking significant will-power to do much else, I simply pray.

And as I spend my time walking and praying and worshiping, as these moments of intercession turn from me, to them, to HIM, I receive this beautiful reminder of Grace in the quiet.

The perfectionist and legalistic side of me is quick to judge all that I am doing wrong and all that I am failing to do.

But this Grace reminds me that it’s much less about doing what I should and much more about being who I am called.

Christ isn’t holding me to a checklist. He’s holding me to a relationship. And maybe this just being … this walking and worshiping … is just part of this season of that relationship.

And even when I fail him, when I stray from making Him the priority, this Grace is still there. Because even in the failure, He’s not after my efforts, He’s after my heart … a heart conformed to His likeness.

This Grace … it does so much more than cover each sin (though it does that perfectly). It leads each moment.

Yes, accountability and consistency and routine are all good, but maybe there’s even more in abandoning the routine from time to time in order to experience this grace anew, afresh, again.

Although serving and doing tends to feel more productive, the just being was absolutely necessary for this reminder. I simply couldn’t hear it through all the doing, but I could experience this Grace in the quiet. In His presence. Focused on His heart.

This Grace … and this Grace Giver … is everything.

“All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name.

For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God.”

- Psalm 86:9-10

Reflecting on The Messiah

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As the day approaches, knowing that I hope to somehow express the weight and the glory of this holiest of days, I find myself humbled by my own emptiness.

As I sit with the Lord, pouring out the thoughts and emotions that run deep, I boldly ask Him to clarify the message that He would have me write in this space. I ask that it would be loud and obvious … yet instantly, I know that’s not right.

Today is not a loud day. It is quiet.

“Easter is for shouting. But Good Friday is for not much talking.” – Jon Bloom (Desiring God Blog)

And as I reflect on Christ’s sacrifice in the quietness, all I have is not enough.

Christ gave all. ALL. On that cross.

And in return, all I have is emptiness and brokenness and not enough. Even all of me seems inadequate.

So as I’ve spent a considerable amount of time listening to Handel’s Messiah this week, reflecting on the beauty of the music, but much more so reflecting on the beauty, the weight, the glory of the message, I urge you to reflect with me on HIS words:

Part One

“Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight, and the rough places plain.” (#3 – Isaiah 40:4)

“And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” (#4 – Isaiah 40:5)

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us.” (#8 – Isaiah 7:14)

“His yoke is easy and His burden is light.” (#21 – Matthew 11:30)

Part Two

“Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.” (#22 – John 1:29)

“He was despised and rejected of men: a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” (#23  – Isaiah 53:3)

“Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.” (#24 – Isaiah 53:4-5)

“And with His stripes we are healed.” (#25 – Isaiah 53:5)

Part Three

“Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (#46 – 1 Corinthians 15:21-22)

Jesus Christ came … Emmanuel, God with us … as a servant and humbled himself to death on a cross. The ultimate sacrifice. For You. For Me. For All.

He knew the cross would be His cup and He chose it anyway. Because He knew it was the only way.

“The Cross did not happen to Jesus: He came on purpose for it. He is ‘the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.’ The whole meaning of the Incarnation is the Cross.” – Oswald Chambers

And so although we know that Sunday is near, that the victory has already been won, and that great rejoicing will soon commence, in the quietness of this Good Friday, with a sense of both great hope and deep sorrow, we reflect on The Messiah and on His sacrificial death on the cross … in our place, to cover the sins of this world – our sins – once for all, leaving a veil torn, granting us access to the Father, for our salvation, that through Him we might have life eternal.

Hold Fast

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“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

- Hebrews 10:19-23 (emphasis added)

I have much on my heart and mind that I so badly want to sit down and share with you. A post or two about the cruise from last month (don’t worry…I haven’t forgotten!), a few things from being in Charleston last week, and a couple of in-desperate-need-of-editing devo thoughts.

But it seems that time to process and write has been scarce lately. Life on the other side of this blog is just full right now!

I’m sure many of you can relate.

Yet even as my calendar continues to fill up and I am pulled in many different directions (both mentally and physically), I can’t not share this conviction … fully realizing that this may be more for me than for you … but maybe we all need this reminder.

Jesus – the Christ, the One greater than all others, the living water (John 4:10-14), the bread of life (John 6:35)  – is everything.

In the midst of full schedules, when we find ourselves re-evaluating activities and commitments, we can’t allow ourselves to take a break from Him.

In the midst of the necessary and mundane tasks of each day, we can’t simply put Him on hold for later, only to realize at the end of the day that we are drained and don’t have any energy left to spend time with Him.

In the midst of uncertainties and unknowns, we can’t merely pencil Him in for a hopeful date at a coffee shop next week.

He demands more and He is worthy of more … our worship, our prayers, our lives.

In coffee shop terms, spending time with Him is worth every cent of the $4/cup daily habit. And once we experience His richness … consistently, intentionally, daily … we simply can’t go back. Oh, we’ll most certainly mess up again, we’ll take another break, and we’ll put Him on hold for consecutive days. But then because of His Faithfulness and by His unending Grace and Mercy, we’ll draw near again with confidence as we remember…

He is everyday. He is every moment. He is everything.

Hold fast.

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**Linking with Thought-Provoking Thursday**

How Do You Choose?

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There’s not enough positive self-talk in the world to cover this feeling.

Mistakes leave me crippled. Uncertainties leave me paralyzed. Inadequacies leave me empty and ashamed.

I am a failure. I am a hypocrite. I am broken beyond repair.

I have lost this battle.

Yet in a three-day period in which opening The Word seems an impossibility, the Lord is gracious enough to speak truth through music with Biblically grounded and theologically sound lyrics.

“I come broken to be mended, I come wounded to be healed, I come desperate to be rescued, I come empty to be filled. I come guilty to be pardoned by the blood of Christ the Lamb, and I’m welcomed with open arms, praise God, just as I am.” – Just As I Am by Travis Cottrell

And so I choose.

“I lift my hands to believe again. You are my refuge, You are my strength. As I pour out my heart these things I remember. You are faithful God forever. Let faith arise.” – I Lift My Hands by Chris Tomlin

I choose the Faithful One through the failure. I choose surrender through the weakness. I choose faith through the unknown.

I am a worshiper and I am a witness.

I choose Him.

Because He chose me first. Because He is all I have. Because He is.

“Oh, Father, use my ransomed life in any way You choose. And let my song forever be my only boast is You. Hallelujah! All I have is Christ. Hallelujah! Jesus is my life.” – All I Have is Christ by Sovereign Grace Music

How do you choose?

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