No Limits

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” – (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV)

The Lord says, “My thoughts are not like yours. Your ways are not like mine. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” – (Isaiah 55:8-9, ERV)

“I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above the earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think.” – (Isaiah 55:8-9, MSG)

I don’t know about you, but I am so thankful that this is true. Many times, I have thought or hoped for something, only to discover that His way was always better than what I could have imagined. Our hopes are limited to our own experiences, whereas God, the Creator of all, has no limits. He can do so much more than we could hope or imagine, and none of us can accurately fathom the good He has in store for those who love Him. The same God that can bring beauty from ashes and hope from despair, has a plans and purpose for each of us. As we seek Him, He shows us more and more of who He is, how He loves, and the direction that we are meant to take. Each time I choose to listen and follow His leading, I discover more of His goodness and grace. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us and guide us through all our days, for He is near and is faithful always.

Our thoughts have limits,

The Lord’s, they do not;

His plans are for good,

As His ways are taught.

He shows us the things,

That He has in store;

And promises us,

That there’s so much more.

Love beyond measure,

And hope for always;

His heart is for us,

Throughout all our days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your ways are higher than our ways, and Your thoughts, far beyond our own thinking. Thank You that You are good, and You have great things in store for those who love You and trust in Your Name. Forgive us for our fears and doubts as we face obstacles and challenges. Teach us to embrace Your strength and grace that You faithfully provide to see us through. Show us how to love those around us in ways that reflect Your goodness to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your promises and praise You that You are always good. Amen.

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

But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds. – Psalm 73:28

To See the Glory

The heavens proclaim His righteousness, and all peoples see His glory. – (Psalm 97:6, NIV)

The skies tell about His goodness, and the nations see His glory. – (Psalm 97:6, ERV)

The heavens announce that He’ll set everything right, and everyone will see it happen – glorious! – (Psalm 97:6, MSG)

God’s goodness is evident for all to see, if only we take the time to look around. Each sunrise and sunset, each living and growing thing that His hands have made, the stars in the sky and the oceans below – all demonstrate the goodness and glory of God. It is impossible to look at all that God has made and not know that there is someone far greater than us. His glory shines with the rising of the sun, and His majesty is made evident as He paints the night sky with the lingering light of the setting sun. Galaxies twinkle and the moon illuminates the darkness. With as much beauty as there is now, there is much yet to come. May we witness His majesty through all that His hands have made, and praise Him for the hope held in all that is yet to come.

The goodness of God,

Much more than we see;

All that exists now,

And hope yet to be.

The light of His love,

Announced in the sky;

Such beauty beheld,

Each day and each night.

All praise be to God,

Creator of all;

Faithful and loving,

Answers when we call.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that the heavens declare Your glory and goodness, and that all can see what Your mighty hands have made. Thank You that we gain but a glimpse of who You are through the beauty of Your creation. Forgive us for not recognizing all the goodness that surrounds us that You have intentionally made. Teach us to give praise in awe and wonder, for Your love and glory go far beyond what we can see or understand. Lead us to love those around us with Your never-ending love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You in wonder of the beauty of all that You have made. Amen.

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

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. – Philippians 4:19

Seek Now

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call to Him while He is near. – (Isaiah 55:6, HCSB)

So you should look for the Lord before it is too late. You should call to Him now, while He is near. – (Isaiah 55:6, ERV)

Seek God while He’s here to be found, pray to Him while He’s close at hand. – (Isaiah 55:6, MSG)

So turn your attention and seek the Eternal One while it is still possible; call on Him while He is nearby. – (Isaiah 55:6, VOICE)

The thing about this is that God is eternal and we are not. We all have an expiration date that we cannot predict. Our time to seek the Lord is now, and we can call on Him, for He is near. As we pray, we discover His nearness. This is not about being or doing enough, but rather taking the opportunity to get to know the Creator of all, personally. He knows us far better than we know ourselves and has a plan and a purpose for our lives. That being said, God is not pushy or demanding, and He did not create us to be robots. We were each individually designed with gifts and talents and a free will. It is up to us to seek Him to get to know Him. The more we know Him, the more we want to know Him. God’s grace, goodness, kindness and love go far beyond what we can comprehend. When our attention is directed to Him and our focus on being still before Him, we grow in our understanding and our heart grows in our own capacity to love as He loves us. May we ever turn our attention to God and seek Him, for He is faithful to meet us each time we do.

As we seek the Lord,

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

He’s near to be found;

Our time has limits,

Hope in Him is sound.

God is eternal,

On earth, we are not;

Our hope forever,

Granted as He’s sought.

So, turn to Jesus,

Lord God on His throne;

He’s waiting for us,

To make His heart known.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we seek You, You meet us and reveal more and more of Yourself to us. Thank You that we have access to You at all times and in all places. Forgive us for taking Your nearness for granted, or for assuming we will always have more time later to do what ought to be done now. Teach us to seek You with intention; to purposefully sit in Your presence and listen to Your leading. Show us how to love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and spend time in Your presence now, for we know not what tomorrow may hold. Amen.

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

Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always. – Psalm 105:4

Incredibly Known

He counts the number of stars; He gives names to all of them. – (Psalm 147:4, HCSB)

He counts the stars and knows them each by name. – (Psalm 147:4, ERV)

He counts all the stars within His hands, carefully fixing their number and giving them names. – (Psalm 147:4, VOICE)

In my own limited understanding, I know I am guilty of making God too small, or limiting what I think He can do. Verses like the one above are a reminder of just how big God really is. God, the Creator of all, created, placed, counted and named each of the stars in the sky. I don’t know about you, but any time that I get away from the city/suburb lights and look at the sky at night, I stand in awe, as the longer I look, the more stars I see; far too many to count. It is a reminder of how great God truly is. The same God that knows each star by name, knows my name and the number of hairs on my head. Intentionally, He formed each of us and knows us better than anyone. Designed with a plan and a purpose, I cannot help but stand in awe. The more I know Him, the more I want to know. One who knows and loves so deeply and personally is worth pursuing more. May we ever seek to know the Lord more and more, and may we discover how He sees us and calls us to be who He has created us to become.

Each star with a name,

Both numbered and known;

The Lord placed each one,

Love’s light being shown.

He who hung the stars,

Also made us all;

With plan and purpose,

Each one of us called.

May we choose seek Him,

With wonder and awe;

Praise Him for His love,

And grace for us all.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You created, placed, named and know each star in the sky – both those we can see, and those we cannot. Thank You that You know each person on the planet in the same way. Forgive us for making You too small. Teach us to trust You in all things, for You are so much more than we can think or imagine. Lead us to love those around us with a love like Yours so that all might feel and know Your goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we ever pursue knowing You more, and trust You in all things and at all times. Amen.

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

But whoever loves God is known by God. – 1 Corinthians 8:3

Time Leads to Hope

That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. – (1 Timothy 4:10, NIV)

We hope in the living God, the Savior of all people. In particular, He is the Savior of all those who believe in Him. This is why we work and struggle. – (1 Timothy 4:10, ERV)

This is what we work so hard for! This is why we are constantly struggling: because we have an assured hope fixed upon a living God who is the Savior of all humankind – especially all of us who believe. – (1 Timothy 4:10, VOICE)

To invest in any relationship, it takes effort. We must be intentional to invest time and energy to maintain what has been established. It is no different with God. Deepening our understanding and growing in His grace only takes place when we consistently spend time with Him. As we do, our hope is firmly secured in the Savior. God is for all people, yet He does not force His way in. We all have a free will and are given the choice as to whether we receive all that He offers or not. This is not an easy road, but it is one that is well worth the while. God is faithful, no matter what comes our way, and He is present to help, hold and see us through all things. I am so grateful for who God is and how He loves, as it is in the ever-increasing knowledge of Him that my hope is securely held. May we ever be intentional to invest our love and lives in the living God, for He is our hope forever.

Let us seek the Lord,

Our true living hope;

The more we invest,

The more we feel known.

Creator of all,

Is waiting for us;

To spend time with Him,

Our Savior, Jesus.

Always worth the while,

The time we invest;

His love overwhelms,

Our peace and our rest.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You invite us to be in relationship with You. Thank You that You meet us as we seek You. Thank You for Your goodness and grace that carries us through every challenge that comes our way. Forgive us for not investing as we should in the most important relationship of all. Show us how to be intentional with our time, so that we may grow in Your goodness and grace as we deepen our walk with You. Teach us to love those around us as You love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to invest our hearts and lives into our relationship with You. Amen.

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

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever! Amen. – 2 Peter 3:18

Trust to Make All Possible

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” – (Mark 10:27, NIV)

Jesus looked at them and said, “That is something people cannot do, but God can. He can do anything.” – (Mark 10:27, ERV)

Jesus looked at them and replied, “With people it is impossible, but not with God – God makes all things possible!” – (Mark 10:27, TPT)

 

Impossible is our understood limit to the human capacity. However, God’s view is far different. In Him, all things become possible. God is able to do exceedingly more than we could ever hope or imagine.  When doubt or fear find way into our hearts, we must remember who holds us in the palm of His hands. May we ever seek the Lord and His strength, trusting that He is far greater than anything that would attempt to come against us or challenge the truth of who we are.

 

When there is no way,

It’s not so with God;

He’ll show us there’s more,

Our doubts, they are flawed.

For what seems too much,

Is simple to Him;

Creator of all,

His grace always wins.

Peace in our struggles,

Strength when ours is gone;

Brawn in the battle,

Hope to carry on.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that nothing is impossible with You. Thank You that You will always equip us for the things that You call us to do. Forgive us for relying on our own strength, or for seeing only the obstacles rather than You, our solution. Show us how to strengthen and encourage the faith of those around us through Your love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to make the seeming impossible, possible. Amen.

 

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

 

Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” – Luke 18:27

Acknowledge and Take to Heart

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth below. There is no other. – (Deuteronomy 4:39, NIV)

So today you must remember and accept that the Lord is God. He is God in heaven above and on earth below. There is no other god! – (Deuteronomy 4:39, ERV)

Know this well, then. Take it to heart right now. God is in Heaven above; God is on Earth below. He’s the only God there is. – (Deuteronomy 4:39, MSG)

 

God is everywhere. He is ever-present, and always available when we seek Him. However, God is not meant to be a good luck charm nor a star to wish upon; He is the Creator of all and the One on whom we can always depend. To truly acknowledge the Lord, we need to both praise Him for His provision and seek Him in our lack. We are meant to go to Him in all things and at all times, as the Lord is always good, even when our circumstances are not. May we ever take to heart who God is and how He loves, so that we will seek and depend on the Lord and give Him praise for all of our days.

 

In all of our ways, 

Let us take to heart;

That God is the Lord,

Of all, not just part.

In heaven above,

And on earth below;

There is none like Him,

He sees and He knows.

It is by His love,

He gives help and grace;

To help us walk well,

As we seek His face.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the God in heaven and on earth below. Thank You that there is none like You. Thank You that as we seek You we find You and are granted help and hope and life. Forgive us for turning to anything or anyone other than You, as You are the only God there is. Teach us to trust You in all things and at all times, as You alone have the power to bring help and hope and healing where it is needed most. Show us how to love those around us, so that we may extend Your goodness and grace in a way that points people to You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we acknowledge who You are and trust You in all things. 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

Mighty is Our God

“Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea – the Lord on high is mighty.” – Psalm 93:4

photo by Jemma Lilley

More powerful than the roaring waters, with greater strength than the crashing waves; God alone, from upon His throne – the majestic power, indeed.

Mighty is defined as having superior power of strength; great in importance; exceptional.

Each of these merely scratch the surface as to who God is, and of what He is able to accomplish in His awesome power.

Our mighty God, Creator of all things, despite His infinite power and strength, longs to hold us close – as our Father and friend.  He who can build up or destroy with but a word, wants to be in relationship with us!

He is a loving Father who is fiercely protective of His children, yet is tender and kind – ready to touch and heal our places of pain.  He longs to lavish us with His love, and He delights in us, His children.

Regardless of our wreckage of the past, He welcomes us in the present, and provides us with a hope and a future as we choose to follow Him.  As we abide in Him, the hope of heaven holds our hearts, and grants us peace in the presence of storms.

Our mighty God is worthy of our hearts, our hands, our hope, our worship and our prayers.  He makes a way, when there seems to be no way.  He is, where we are not.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that though You are mighty and majestic, You are also loving and kind.  Teach us to understand both Your power and Your passion for people.  Lead us to love like You, so that all may come to know You as our mighty Maker and faithful Father.  Hold us close and keep us in the shadow of Your wings, we pray.  Amen.

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