Blessings of Grace and Love

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. – (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV)

I pray that you will enjoy the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. – (2 Corinthians 13:14, ERV)

The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you. – (2 Corinthians 13:14, MSG)

 

This is my hope and prayer for all, and especially to my brother-in-love and sister today, as we celebrate him on his birthday. Though this day looks far different than anyone might have imagined, it is good, and holds time to celebrate and appreciate the blessings beheld in who God has created him to be. For the family and for mom, life has changed dramatically. Adjusting to life away from all that she knows is challenging for mom; and adapting, supporting and caring well for mom brings a change requiring adjustment for all. My prayer is that God’s grace and love and fellowship will flood each member of the household, providing for each need, both spoken and unsaid, as they navigate the ongoing road of recovery together. The love is great, as they all are loving incredibly well, and His strength is sustaining each family member as they forge forward in this fight. May God’s grace be present with us, one and all, and may it be an extraordinary new year of blessing for Scott and the family.

 

The grace of the Lord,

Be with each of you;

May also His love,

Refresh and renew.

Let time spent with Him,

Fill our hearts again;

So we may love well,

Through His grace attained.

Be blessed with goodness,

Rest well in His grace;

All glory to God,

For His loving ways.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the tremendous blessing of family. Thank You for the gift of those that You give to us through our loved ones. Thank You that You hear our prayers to bless and keep those we lift before You. Forgive us for not admonishing those You give as gifts to us in our lives nearly often enough. Show us how to love others in ways that refresh, renew and bless with the same grace that You give to each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we lift others up and ask You to make them acutely aware of Your grace, love and fellowship. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. – Numbers 6:24-26

Safe in New Seasons

And when you are old, I will still be there, carrying you. When your limbs grow tired, your eyes are weak, and your hair a silvery gray, I will carry you as I always have. I will carry you and save you. – (Isaiah 46:4, VOICE)

I will be your God throughout your lifetime – until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. – (Isaiah 46:4, NLT)

And I will still be carrying you when you are old. Your hair will turn gray, and I will still carry you. I made you, and I will carry you to safety. – (Isaiah 46:4, ERV)

 

Aging is an interesting phenomenon. Each mile mark that I reach, there are new blessings and challenges. Last November, for the first time in my life, I discovered that I needed reading glasses. As I attempted to read a recipe on the back of a can of pumpkin, I discovered that I simply could not see the small print. Since then, I went to the eye doctor and she confirmed what I already knew. Age had finally caught my eyes, and glasses would be needed from here on out. After a lifetime of not wearing them, it is a strange adjustment that I forget most of the time, until I have to sit in front of a computer or read multiple pages of text. That being said, the joys that God has brought in this time in my life, far outweigh such a small thing. His care, concern and covering has stayed constant, and I am endlessly amazed at how He blesses me with His presence and His love. Though I may fight the white hair portion of aging for a while, I will fully embrace His grace and goodness as each new chapter unfolds. May we recognize and remember that God has promised to remain present throughout our lifetime, and He will carry us when we cannot walk on our own.

 

All throughout our lives, 

God’s promised to stay;

To be by our side,

To show us the way.

We need never fear,

New seasons of life;

For God is faithful,

Through peace and through strife.

When we have no strength,

The Lord remains strong;

He will lift us up,

Lead us further on.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of life. Thank You that You are with us through each new season that we walk through. Thank You that if we grow weary or weak, we need not fear, for You are with us and will carry us on. Forgive us for fearing what is yet to come, and teach us to trust You to continue to carry and save us throughout our lifetime. Show us how to love those around us in a way that strengthens and encourages and helps those in need. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to remain present forever, and go forth in the confidence that You will carry us along and keep us in Your care. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. – 2 Corinthians 1:3

An Attitude Adjustment

Though the story of Peter being called to go and share the good news in the home of Cornelius has an overarching theme that the gospel is for everyone, the thing that struck me as I read the account in Acts this morning, was Peter’s attitude adjustment, in such a short time.

Back in Matthew 18:1-6, as the disciples were traveling with Jesus, and learning and growing beside Him as He led them, they were arguing one day, about which among them would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Somehow, in all of the attention, their priorities had become askew.  Jesus quickly set the record straight, “And He said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” -(Matthew 18:3-4)

Fast forward past Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and the impartation of the Holy Spirit.  While in Joppa, Peter had been assured in a vision that he was to go to the home of Cornelius, to share the good news of Christ.  He willingly went with the men Cornelius had sent, when they had arrived to lead him.  “As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.  But Peter made him get up.  ‘Stand up,’ he said, ‘I am only a man myself.” – (Acts 10:25-26) Peter was quick to humble himself and point Cornelius to Christ.  Despite the potential draw of being adored by such a powerful person, Peter prioritized the presentation of truth, and maintained his position of humility as a servant of Christ.  Because of Peter’s willing submission to God’s call, Cornelius and his entire household came to Christ.  Being a man of high position, I imagine Cornelius had a tremendous impact on many people.

Be humble and kind,

allow the Lord lead;

be willing to give,

as we see a need.

Trust Him to show us,

what we’re meant to do;

listen to His voice,

faithfully pursue.

Seek not position,

of honor, nor fame;

and if it’s given,

point straight to His Name.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Source and Supply, and the reason we are able to do anything good in this life.  Thank You for such great examples of change, as You show us how to be more like Christ in what we say and do.  Forgive us for not walking in humility, or for not giving credit where credit is due.  Thank You that all good that we do, is done in Your strength, and that the life You are calling us to, is only possible in You.  May we be invested in You, so that Your light shines through us.  May many come to see Your light through our love, and ultimately, come into a lasting relationship with You.  Be exalted, our great and mighty God.  Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; … my hope is in You all day long.

– Psalm 25:4-5