Daily Devotionals
Monday, January 22, 2024 (Mary Ann)
Good morning friends! Here's more inspiration from Mary Ann...
Roadblocks. Pains. Griefs. Challenges. Heartaches. Difficulties. Brick walls. Disputes. Troubles. Dilemmas. Illnesses. Complications. Pickles. Quandaries. Doubts. Botherations.
Any of you have any of these going on? Well bless you, Sisters, I see those hands!
“Such is life,” some people sigh and maybe this is why through the ages humans have come up with a whole thesaurus-full list of words for those problems that can beat us down. These are the “things of earth” that range from daily minor annoyances to major obstacles.
But there is hope in a promise. Hebrews 13:5-6 reads in part, “For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?’”
We … YOU! … are not alone in whatever you face today.
Isaiah 41:10 reads, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”
Finding courage to face whatever comes our way is possible by fixing (focusing) our eyes on Jesus. Consider Peter. Finding courage to face whatever comes our way is possible by fixing (focusing) our eyes on Jesus. Consider Peter. Remember when he and the other disciples were in a boat and they saw Jesus walking toward them ON THE WATER? Gotta love that Peter, he jumped right out of the boat and started walking ON THE WATER toward Jesus.
But then as soon as he took his eyes off the Master, looked down and realized what he was doing … he got that sinking feeling. The idea of fixing our eyes (like Peter did before he didn’t) reminds me of mowing the lawn.
Oh dear, I lost you, didn’t I? Allow me to explain my OCD-ness. See, I like to keep the lines the lawnmower makes in the grass perfectly neat and straight, but it’s hard to do on long straightaways. So I pick a point up ahead, keep/fix my eyes on it and, without looking down, mow straight toward it. (That’s how farmers kept their crop rows straight before GPS and crop monitors. Just saying ….)
Anyway, it works! And it reminds me of an old hymn that’s been playing in my old head lately:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in his wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.
Sisters, as Believers, we have a hope and a future. Let’s keep our eyes laser-focused on Jesus through this troubled world and all the way home.
If you’d like to pray/talk about most anything, remember: Rachel’s Closet Cares and there are warm hearts and listening ears available.
Mary Ann
Roadblocks. Pains. Griefs. Challenges. Heartaches. Difficulties. Brick walls. Disputes. Troubles. Dilemmas. Illnesses. Complications. Pickles. Quandaries. Doubts. Botherations.
Any of you have any of these going on? Well bless you, Sisters, I see those hands!
“Such is life,” some people sigh and maybe this is why through the ages humans have come up with a whole thesaurus-full list of words for those problems that can beat us down. These are the “things of earth” that range from daily minor annoyances to major obstacles.
But there is hope in a promise. Hebrews 13:5-6 reads in part, “For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?’”
We … YOU! … are not alone in whatever you face today.
Isaiah 41:10 reads, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”
Finding courage to face whatever comes our way is possible by fixing (focusing) our eyes on Jesus. Consider Peter. Finding courage to face whatever comes our way is possible by fixing (focusing) our eyes on Jesus. Consider Peter. Remember when he and the other disciples were in a boat and they saw Jesus walking toward them ON THE WATER? Gotta love that Peter, he jumped right out of the boat and started walking ON THE WATER toward Jesus.
But then as soon as he took his eyes off the Master, looked down and realized what he was doing … he got that sinking feeling. The idea of fixing our eyes (like Peter did before he didn’t) reminds me of mowing the lawn.
Oh dear, I lost you, didn’t I? Allow me to explain my OCD-ness. See, I like to keep the lines the lawnmower makes in the grass perfectly neat and straight, but it’s hard to do on long straightaways. So I pick a point up ahead, keep/fix my eyes on it and, without looking down, mow straight toward it. (That’s how farmers kept their crop rows straight before GPS and crop monitors. Just saying ….)
Anyway, it works! And it reminds me of an old hymn that’s been playing in my old head lately:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in his wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.
Sisters, as Believers, we have a hope and a future. Let’s keep our eyes laser-focused on Jesus through this troubled world and all the way home.
If you’d like to pray/talk about most anything, remember: Rachel’s Closet Cares and there are warm hearts and listening ears available.
Mary Ann
