Great Love

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. – (Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV)

We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. Every morning He shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! – (Lamentations 3:22-23, ERV)

How enduring is God’s loyal love; the Eternal has inexhaustible compassion. Here they are, every morning, new! Your faithfulness, God, is as broad as the day. – (Lamentations 3:22-23, VOICE)

I don’t know about you, but the thought of potentially having more time in lockdown is gut-wrenching. For me personally, it only would affect what I am able to get out and do. However, my heart is with the countless employees and owners of small businesses, who may be on the verge of financial devastation. Young people trying to pay for tuition, small business owners attempting to uphold their livelihood, and countless employees who sit on the edge of not knowing whether or not they will still be gainfully employed in the near future if their particular establishment is deemed “non-essential”. I know that God is the God of compassion, and His mercies never fail. My hope and prayer is that He shows His compassion, mercy and love in amazing new ways each day, as this whole COVID situation has grown exhausting. 

Lord, let your kindness,

Compassion be shown;

Please grant us Your peace,

As our faith is grown.

Show us Your mercy,

For each day, it’s new;

In wisdom, guide us,

Teach us what to do.

Let each new morning,

Proclaim unto us;

Thy great faithfulness,

And hope in Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are compassionate and kind, full of unending grace. Forgive us for our fears and frustrations when we cannot see past our current circumstances. Teach us to trust in You. Show us how to love those around us in ways that encourage hope and comfort fears. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your love and compassion that is new every morning. Amen.

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

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. – Psalm 86:15

Let Love Have a Voice

Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. – (Ecclesiastes 10:12, NIV)

Words from the wise bring praise, but words from a fool bring destruction. – (Ecclesiastes 10:12, ERV)

The words of a wise person are gracious. The talk of a fool self-destructs. – (Ecclesiastes 10:12, MSG)

 

As today’s passage continues to point to the power that is packed in our words, again I am reminded of how much we need wisdom to guide each word that we make audible. Words spoken in wisdom are heard and received as a gift, yet those that are not, bring destruction to our reputation. May we ever seek the Lord for wisdom, so that we may have a filter that weeds out foolish thoughts before we speak them, and insight to communicate gracious words in love.

 

Lord help us to speak,

Wise words, full of grace;

Spoken in Your love,

Throughout all our days.

Please seal our lips,

When foolish thoughts come;

Protect us, we pray,

So Your will be done.

Grow us in wisdom,

Let love have a voice;

Lead us in Your light,

So all may rejoice.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to speak in Your wisdom and truth. Thank You that as we do, Your love and light and life are shared with those around us. Forgive us for the times we have allowed the foolishness of our own selfishness to have a voice and wound those around us. Teach us to trust and rely on You to guard our hearts and help filter our words, so that what we say offers wisdom and grace. Show us how to love those around us well with our words. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to guard our hearts and guide our words, so that each word we speak is a reflection of You. Amen.

 

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

 

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 4:11

Faith in the Fire

The account of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as they stood firm in the face of fire in front of King Nebuchadnezzar is a childhood favorite of mine. This morning, as I read it anew, there were details that stood out to me more than they ever have before. One such point that had previously escaped me, is the fact that the men whom Nebuchadnezzar considered his strongest men, were called on to throw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the fire that had been heated to seven times hotter than its usual temperature. The trio of faithful followers of God were tied up, fully clothed, and thrown into the furnace, however, this is the part that I neglected to notice before:

And because the king in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. – (Daniel 3:22, NLT)

Can you even begin to imagine what the scene might have been like? Three men bound and fully clothed (in attire that was quite flammable) not even breaking a sweat and untouched by the fire, as the soldiers were consumed by the blazing heat of the flames as they drew near the furnace and threw in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. It is an interesting dichotomy, as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego willingly went to the fire because they trusted God, whereas the strong soldiers willingly went to the fire because they knew if they did not obey, they would be killed. On one side there was faithful obedience out of trust and reverent awe, whereas on the other, it was only out of fear. Our motivation matters. When we know God, we want to obey and honor Him because we trust in His goodness and grace. May we ever trust the Lord and His hand when we stand in the face of the fire, for He is good and His faithfulness knows no end.

 

We must choose to trust,

When facing the flames;

For He’s our rescue,

As we trust His Name.

Worthy of our faith,

The God of all grace;

He comes as we call,

Wherever the place.

No mountain’s too high,

Nor valley too low;

For Him to draw near,

And make His strength known.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we trust in You, You are faithful to meet us where we are. Thank You that You hear our every prayer, and know every need. Forgive us for our lack of faith when the flames come at us with force. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would stand firm in You, knowing that You are far greater than anything that comes against us. Show us how to love those around us in a way that offers hope and strength where they are lacking. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You in the fire and in freedom. 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

Good In, Good Out

Good people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts. – (Luke 6:45, ERV)

 

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. – (Luke 6:45, NIV)

 

For good to be found within us, our hearts must be firmly rooted and established in Christ. It is only through Christ dwelling in us, that we are able to act according to His good and perfect will. As we trust in Him and abide in Him, the overflow of our time, energy and heart invested, will be made evident to those around us. May we seek to know Him more each day, and may we reflect His heart in all that we do and say.

 

Whatever’s consumed,

by our heart and mind;

is the very thing,

that our voice shall find.

If we take in junk,

things that don’t uplift;

our hearts become hard,

and further we drift.

Yet if we seek Christ,

pursue what is good;

then out of us flows,

the good things that should.

Let us seek the Lord,

in all that we do;

so we are steadfast,

to Him, remain true.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that in You, good may come from us. Thank You that we may be Your instruments of peace, if we are only willing to allow You to transform our hearts and minds. Forgive us for any garbage that we have allowed in, and cleanse our hearts and minds of that which does not build up and reflect clearly who You are to the world. Help us to bring good things to those around us, out of the abundance that You have so generously given unto us. Let Your love be evident in us, as we seek to love others as You so lavishly love each of us. Be glorified, O God, as we allow Your good to flow from us. Amen.

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

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. – Proverbs 11:25

His Compassion Never Fails

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. – (Lamentations 3:21-23)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        As I navigate my way through nearing the one-year mark since we lost my dear friend, Anne, the truth found in this passage resonates within me. Hope is assured in Him, both in the security of knowing that Anne is dwelling in His presence forever, and in the promise that I too, will one day join her in His glorious grace, for all of eternity. His love prevents my heart from becoming overwhelmed by grief, and His compassion reminds me of His continual presence and ongoing comfort as He transforms the sorrow into sweet remembrances of a beloved sister and friend. Each day as I wake, His mercies are made new again. How great His faithfulness remains, always. May we call to mind His mercies that are made new every morning, and trust His faithfulness to keep us from being consumed.

 

Each morning I wake,
and I call to mind;
the truth of Your love,
new mercies I find.
Your love is so great,
I’ll not be consumed;
and Your faithfulness,
each day is renewed.
Help my heart to hope,
when all hope seems lost;
for You paid the price,
the ultimate cost.
No matter what comes,
our future’s secure;
if we hope in You,
Your promise is clear.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we trust in You, we have hope for all of our days. Thank You that because of Your great love for us, we will not be consumed by anything that may come against us. Thank You that Your compassions never fail us, and that they are new every single morning. Thank You that Your faithfulness is beyond what we can comprehend. Forgive us for our fearfulness and our growing faint in heart when the storm strikes against us. Help us to hold fast to You, our Safe Harbor in the storm, and our security no matter what comes. May we live and love as You call and equip us to, and may many come to know Your compassion and faithfulness as a result. Let lives be changed and hearts hold fast to You forever. Be exalted as we embrace Your compassions that are new every morning. Amen.

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

God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. – Genesis 21:6