The Gift of Grace

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. – (Romans 3:23-24, NIV)

All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. They are made right with God by His grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ. – (Romans 3:23-24, ERV)

Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending Him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in His kindness freely takes away our sins. – (Romans 3:23-24, TLB)

 

God is so kind. He shows us in countless ways, just how deeply He loves us and has grace for us, despite all of our flaws. I am in awe of how God brings people together to make His heart for us tangible and visible. Right now, in this season, I am particularly attuned to my shortcomings. Though I am a bit of an introvert, I am a doer. I am a wanderlust who needs to explore and adventure; an artist who needs to create; a teacher who needs to teach, but is uncertain and nervous about the new platform, and an athlete who needs to move. Though most of these can sort of be satisfied at home, the draw of the first not being satisfied in what feels like months, is a bit wearing. Part of it is my desire to drive over the mountains to check on my mom. Normally, I would hop in the car and just go. Never mind that it is three hours each way, it matters not, as I have a vehicle that runs and a music to keep me singing all the way there and back again. However, under current circumstances, it is not really an option. Yes, I suppose I could drive to Wenatchee; but mom’s entire living community is on lockdown, so I would be unable to see her anyway. It would be worse to be that close and not see her…

All that to say that I gain glimpses of God’s grace and forgiveness through the love and kindness extended to me by my husband. He loves me through my frustrations and foolishness, as he encourages and comes alongside me in things we can do. If a spouse can love and encourage well, how much more can Jesus? So much more. Jesus took it all – our sin, frustrations, shortcomings, impatience, and the like – so that we could be redeemed and made right before God, if we choose to trust in Him. I don’t know about you, but I desperately need His grace. I try, I fail; I rise, I fall short; yet, each time He picks me up, dusts me off, and encourages me to keep moving forward as He supplies all that I need to press on. May we all receive the gift of grace that God freely offers, and be covered and declared forgiven in Him.

 

We all end up short,

Somehow, not enough;

Too little patience,

When going gets tough.

We try and we fall,

To rise up and be;

All that we ought to,

Wrecked humanity.

Yet, there is a way,

To rise and be more;

Give room for God’s grace,

To show what’s in store.

In His forgiveness,

Mercy and His grace;

We walk out His will,

As we seek His face.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son to make the way to restore relationship with You. Thank You that Your grace covers all of our sin and shame and restores us to good standing with You. Forgive us for the times that we have not freely received what You are offering. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would seek You first, to lead us and guide us, all the days of our lives. Show us how to love those around us with the same goodness and grace that You extend to us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the redemption that we have been given through Jesus. Amen.

 

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

 

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 1:3

Friends Sharpen Each Other

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. – (Proverbs 27:17, NLT)

As one piece of iron sharpens another, so friends keep each other sharp. – (Proverbs 27:17, ERV)

In the same way that iron sharpens iron, a person sharpens the character of his friend. – (Proverbs 27:17, VOICE)

 

I am overwhelmingly blessed to see how this principle plays out practically in my everyday life. In each of my various roles, God has given me great friends who walk beside me and challenge me to continue to learn and grow. As a mother, teacher, coach, athlete, friend and in all of these, a follower of Christ, I have fantastic friends with whom I am walking, as we sharpen one another to be more than we were before. May we recognize and invest in the relationship that God has given us to sharpen and shape one another into who we are meant to become.

 

As iron sharpens,

So friend sharpens friend;

Pushing each other,

To grow and extend.

For as we’re challenged,

Our character grows;

We become better,

As grace clearly shows.

Invest in people,

That bring out our best;

May we do likewise,

Through such love, we’re blessed.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to love You and love one another. Thank You that You designed us for relationship for a reason. Thank You that as we invest in friendships, we learn and grow from each other. Forgive us for not dedicating the time and energy we should to those whom You have called us to walk beside. Teach us how to manage our time and energy so that we are able to fill the roles to which we are called, and walk with whom You call us to walk. Show us how to love well, all those that cross our path. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we sharpen each other to become who You are calling us to be so that we more clearly reflect Your heart to the world. Amen.

 

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

 

You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence. – Acts 2:28

Tending to His Temple

You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit that you received from God and that lives in you. You don’t own yourselves. God paid a very high price to make you His. So honor God with your body. – (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, ERV)

Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who comes from God and dwells inside of you? You do not own yourself. You have been purchased at a great price, so use your body to bring glory to God! – (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, VOICE)

 

I have been an athlete for as long as I can remember. As a child, I was blessed with parents who invested in my physical being as well as my spiritual training. Soccer, gymnastics, skiing, and softball were staples in my growing up years, then in college I discovered a passion and natural aptitude for crew. As an adult, I enjoyed jujitsu and kickboxing, then later discovered a love for running. Most recently, a bit over a year ago, a friend plugged me into kettlebell training. Today, I will be participating in my first Tactical Strength Challenge Competition. My hope is that just as I seek the Lord each day to train my heart and mind so that I may honor Him with my words and deeds; so too, I long to give Him glory with my body, as He has blessed me with a body that is strong and healthy, and I desire to use it wisely. This temple of the Holy Spirit that I have received, is not my own. I have done my best to tend well the temple, through healthy eating and rigorous physical training. Though I have personal goals for today’s outcome, my ultimate goal is that I might bring Him glory in all that I say and do, regardless of the environment. May this temple that I have been given to tend, offer light and hope to all whom I encounter.

 

Within a temple,

each of our hearts dwell;

home to God’s Spirit,

we‘re called to tend well.

Purchased at a price,

our life didn’t come free;

for Christ’s love alone,

is for you and me.

For all we’ve received,

and to God’s glory;

let us honor well,

God with our bodies.

Help us to go forth,

and shine well Your light;

so others may see,

the path that is right.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You paid the price for us, so that we might know what it is to have the Holy Spirit dwell within us. Thank You that our bodies are the temple of Your Holy Spirit, and that we are trusted to tend Your temple well. Forgive us for the times that we have neglected any part of the temple that we have been given – be it body, heart or mind. Show us how to honor You with what we have been given, so that all glory goes to You. Teach us how to love others in such a way, that we are light and life that lead those who are looking, unto You. Help us to lift up and encourage all those around us, as You so lovingly do for us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we honor You with our bodies. Amen.

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

Father, I thank You that You have heard me. – John 11:41

A Powerful and Purposeful Life

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. – (2 Timothy 1:7)

 

The gifts God gives are abundant and beneficial. That which He deposits within us, by His Holy Spirit, provide all that we need to live a powerful and purposeful life in Christ. Some of the above mentioned gifts are a bit easier to embrace than others. As one who has grown up as an athlete, the self-discipline portion makes sense and translates well to my spiritual life. Creating time each day to spend in God’s word is as natural as knowing the need to run regularly prior to a big race. Life is an ongoing race, so the daily training is essential to successfully navigate each new twist and turn as it comes.

 

Love too, seems to flow freely, as it has been poured abundantly into me. Having a godly and gracious grandmother and mother, who model what it means to love with all that they are, has set the standard for how I am meant to love my own children, and all those whom I encounter. Additionally, I am blessed with a circle of church family and friends that demonstrate the love of Christ, tangibly, to one another and to the community in which we reside.

 

To set aside timidity is to stretch the borders in which this introvert dwells. It is only by His power, that anything of worth can be accomplished, and I have to constantly remind myself that “greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world.” It is only through self-discipline and love, that I am able to receive His power and say “yes“, when He asks anything of me that requires me to be bold. Ironically, this occurs daily, as the mere act of pressing the publish button is one of obedience, rather than of a desire to display my devotional life. By His Spirit, we can do abundantly more than we would ever imagine possible. May we go forth in His power, setting aside our fears and embracing His love, as we seek to submit to the Lord and live a disciplined life according to His good and perfect will.

 

For God does not give,

a spirit of fear;

but one of power,

as we choose draw near.

His Spirit is love,

and self-discipline;

to show us the way,

and keep us from sin.

Each time we choose love,

and set aside fear;

we show those in need,

how the Lord is near.

Lord, make us each bold,

strong in Your great might;

so we may run well,

and fight the good fight.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You did not give us a spirit of timidity, but rather You give us a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. Thank You that as we embrace Your Spirit within us, You accomplish amazing things both in us and through us. Thank You that we have the privilege of joining with You on our journey, and that it is Your joy to help us grow. Forgive us for our fearfulness and lack of love or self-discipline. Teach us to trust You more, so that we may be bold in Your power, and consistent in our faithful investment in You and Your created. Lead us to love others as You intend us to love. May many come into a saving relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we let go of our fears and embrace Your power and love through consistent time spent with You. Amen.

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

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23

Discipline is Discipling

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent His rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those He loves as a father the son he delights in. – (Proverbs 3:11-12, NIV)

My son, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be angry when He corrects you.  The Lord corrects the one He loves, just as a father corrects a child he cares about. – (Proverbs 3:11-12, ERV)

The word discipline has always held a strange duality in my world.  On one hand, it held this connotation of being in trouble, and that is a very negative association for a people-pleaser; yet on the other hand, as an athlete, discipline  has simply meant adhering to the training and teaching prescribed by coaches who knew far more about my sports than I did.  In athletics, I never had a problem with a coach correcting me, as I knew it was for my benefit as an athlete, and would make me stronger, faster, or more efficient (depending on which sport they were coaching).

As I unpack the word this morning, discipline in this portion of Proverbs has the same connotation as my second example.  Discipline here, actually means to teach and to train.  God wants to teach us and train us in His ways, and He loves us enough to correct and redirect us when we go astray from the path on which He has placed us.  His Holy Spirit will whisper to our heart when we have said or done something that we ought not have done.  That unsettling feeling of regret or remorse is actually our invitation to repentance.  The Lord is so kind and gentle.  He patiently and lovingly waits for us to turn our eyes back to Him, and set our sights on that which matters most – who He is, and who He is calling us to become.  May we embrace the Lord’s discipline as His sons and daughters, understanding that it is because He delights in us, that He disciples us in love.

The Lord loves to teach,

and train those He loves;

He shows us the way,

to change, overcome.

Just as a parent,

shows a child the way;

to live life upright,

for all of their days.

Embrace the correction,

for He teaches those;

beloved children,

whom He calls His own.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your discipline is part of discipling, and You are teaching and training us in the ways in which we are meant to go.  Thank You that love alone is Your motivation.  Forgive us for rejecting correction, or for being slow to respond.  Help us to quickly recognize Your voice, correction and direction in our lives, so that we can walk ever closer with You.  Teach us to trust You more, so that we may embrace all of Your discipling, even when it involves rebuke or redirecting from where we thought we were meant to go.  Lead us to love others with the same generosity that You pour out upon us.  May many come into a lasting relationship with You.  Be glorified O God, as we embrace the teaching and training that You extend to each of us, individually.  Amen.

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

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; …write them on the tablet of your heart. – Proverbs 3:3