Where Greatness is Found

They began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. – (Luke 22:24, NLT)

Later, the apostles began to argue about which one of them was the most important. – (Luke 22:24, ERV)

The disciples bickered over which one of them would be considered the greatest in the kingdom. – (Luke 22:24, TPT)

 

Even after spending nearly every day with Jesus for the previous three years, the disciples still argued and postured for position. What this shows me is that even those who walk closely with the Lord, are subject to the frailty of the human condition. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God, and we all desperately need a Savior to lead a life of love, according to His good and perfect will. A bit further in the same chapter, Jesus let the disciples know that to be great, is to serve rather than to be served. He reminded them to follow the example that He had set before them all along. As always, the main message can be simplified to loving God and loving people. If we do both of these things, we will not worry about being greater, because we will prefer one another in love. Love lifts up, it does not tear down nor posture for position. May we ever seek the Lord and His ways, so that we can love Him and others for all of our days.

 

Let’s fix not our eyes, 

On how to be great;

But instead choose serve,

Lift up, elevate.

Choose prefer others,

Let love lead the way;

For this is God’s plan,

To share well His grace.

Never be worried,

About being great;

For God looks at you,

And He celebrates.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You love us not because of what we do, but because we are Your created. Thank You that You meet us where we are, and love us anyway. Forgive us for our foolishness that argues or seeks position rather than Your affirmation. Teach us to trust You more, so that the only approval that concerns us is Yours. Show us how to love those around us in a way that prefers others first and meets needs wherever they may be. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to love You and love people as You call us to do. Amen.

 

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

 

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy. – Hebrews 4:16

What We’re Meant to Wear

God has chosen you and made you His holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle and patient. – (Colossians 3:12, ERV)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. – (Colossians 3:12, NIV)

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. – (Colossians 3:12, MSG)

 

As followers and disciples of Christ, we are made holy and among His dearly loved. Just as Jesus is merciful, kind, humble, gentle and patient with us, we are called to do likewise with others. We ought to clothe ourselves with Christ’s characteristics, so that those around us might come to know the lavish love that is available to all who call on His Name. May we each be adorned in the attributes of the Almighty, so that compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength and discipline are our everyday orders of operation, granting opportunity for the lives around us to come to know the mercy and grace that give new life.

 

As we’ve been chosen,

Made holy in You;

Help us to rise up,

Walk well in the new.

Help us show mercy,

Be gentle and kind;

Humble and patient,

With Your will in mind.

Let what matters most,

Be that we wear well;

The garments of grace,

That Your story tell.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You and place our lives in Your hands, You call us Your chosen and holy people. Thank You that as such, You grant us the grace to be clothed in kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, just as You so generously give unto us. Forgive us for not extending these to those who offend, hurt or irritate us as we should. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would show mercy to others, just as You have been merciful to us. Show us how to love those around us with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, so that they might come to know the depth and breadth of Your amazing love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to clothe us in the wardrobe that You have designed for us, and trust You to help us wear it well. Amen.

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

For the Lord your God will bless you, …and your joy will be complete. – Deuteronomy 16:15

This New Day

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. – (Psalm 118:24, NLT)

 

Every single day we have reason to rejoice, simply because we have life in Him. Each day is a new opportunity to observe in awe, the mighty power of our Maker as He moves in and around us. Some days, we need not look far to find how His mighty hand has touched our hearts and lives with His great love; however, there are days in which we have to be intentional to slow down and quiet ourselves before Him, to really recognize the blessings that He has bestowed upon us and those around us. He moves whether we notice or not, which is why it is so important to be intentional in our time with Him. At times, our reason to rejoice comes in a gentle whisper, as we are reminded of who we are in Him. May we rise up and rejoice and be glad, for this is a new day that the Lord has made for us to live.

 

Today is a day,

Like none come before;

Crafted with purpose,

For you, God has more.

Because God is good,

Our hearts can rejoice;

Find joy each new day,

As we hear His voice.

No matter what comes,

He has good in store;

A plan and purpose,

In Christ, there is more.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You make each day new with a plan and a purpose. Thank You that there is always reason for us to rejoice, even on our darkest days. Forgive us for the times that we become stuck, and cannot see past our sorrow and struggles. Help us to see clearly the light of hope that is always present in You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would rejoice and be glad each new day that we draw breath. Show us how to love those around us in such a way, that we extend hope and joy to the spaces of darkness and sorrow. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rejoice and are filled with gladness for this new day that You have made. Amen.

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

They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:7

Close to Those Who Call

The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth. – (Psalm 145:18, NLT)

The Lord is near to everyone who sincerely calls to Him for help. – (Psalm 145:18, ERV)

God’s there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. – (Psalm 145:18, MSG)

 

God does not force His way into our lives, but rather waits lovingly, to be invited. When we get real with God and honestly call on Him, He hears our cries and comes close to be our help and our hope. The more we know Him, the greater our understanding becomes of our own need. Yes, we need the Lord to strengthen and help us in times of trial and trouble, but we also need His nearness to navigate our every day lives according to His will. May we call on the Lord in truth as we recognize our need for His ongoing nearness.

 

The Lord He is close,

To all who choose call;

In transparent truth,

Choose tell the Lord all.

For He will listen,

To all those who pray;

Peace and His presence,

As He shows the way.

So call on the Lord,

In all times and things;

His help is our hope,

As only God brings.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are near to all who call on You in truth. Thank You that as we sincerely pray, You hear our cries and come close to help and bring hope. Forgive us for not trusting You enough to cry out to You in our need. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would call on You in all things and at all times, as we need You, always. Show us how to love those around us in such a way, that they might see the hope we hold in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we pray to You with sincere hearts, and know Your nearness as You are faithful to answer. 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

Strength in Waiting

Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help. – (Psalm 27:14, ERV)

Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God. – (Psalm 27:14, MSG)

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. – (Psalm 27:14, NLT)

 

Everyday, we are faced with decisions to make. Some are simple and require little thought or effort to make, whereas others can be a bit gut-wrenching. In the face of the difficult decisions, we need to be patient, take heart, and wait for the Lord’s guidance, rather than rush to make an irrational choice or avoid an answer all together. Patiently waiting when we are stuck in a space of selection requires courage and trust. When we allow our hearts to hold fast to Him who is faithful, the outcome of our decisions honor God, rather than simply serve ourselves in the moment. Several friends are modeling this for me right now, as they have heard the Lord’s call, taken first steps of obedience, and now are waiting patiently and courageously to know what they are to do next. May we all choose to take heart and persevere, regardless of how things appear. God is faithful, and He is worthy of our trust in Him.

 

No matter what comes,

Take heart and don’t quit;

The Lord is our help,

Our hope to make it.

Be strong and be brave,

For the Lord is near;

He helps those who ask,

Each request, He hears.

Wait for the Lord’s help,

Don’t quit, stay with God;

He is our answer,

To overcome odds.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can trust in You. Thank You that You hear us and help us when we call on Your Name. Thank You that You give us strength and courage to wait patiently for You and Your timing, as You know what is best, despite our desire for immediate answers. Forgive us for our impatience and lack of faith. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would wait patiently for You with courage and strength, confident that You will help us in the way that is best. Show us how to love those around us according to Your goodness and grace. May many come forever into Your sweet embrace. Be glorified O God, as we wait patiently for You and Your help in our spaces of need. Amen.

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

I thank and praise You, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power. – Daniel 2:23

Pleasing Words and Thoughts

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, NLT)

May my words and thoughts please You. Lord, You are my Rock – the One who rescues me. – (Psalm 19:14, ERV)

 

Left to our own devices, our words and thoughts wander far from where we represent our Redeemer well. It takes mere moments in tough traffic, or the span of several seconds in strenuous social settings, for our thoughts, if not our words too, to become curt, callous, or downright cruel. We need Jesus and His grace to keep our thoughts and words aligned with His. If the meditation of our heart is first and foremost fixed on Him, then that which comes out of us, is more likely to be pleasing before the Lord. Thankfully, He is merciful and full of grace, and everyday is a new start. The Lord does not look at where we were yesterday and remind us of how we should have been, but rather He loves us and leads us forward, so that we may be better today. May our words and thoughts be pleasing to the Lord today, as He is our help and our hope.

 

May each word I speak,

Be pleasing to You;

Let my thoughts as well,

To You, Lord, be true.

For You are my Rock,

My rescuing One;

Unto You, Father,

May Thy will be done.

Let not surroundings,

Steer my heart off course;

In all things, always,

Be my Strength and Source.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You, we find You. Thank You that as we ask for Your help, You answer us. Forgive us for not fixing our hearts on You, and allowing our thoughts and words to drift in directions that do not honor You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would set our hearts and minds on You in all things and at all times, and be obedient to all that You ask; always. Show us how to love those around us, as we speak words that are pleasing unto You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to please You with the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts. Amen.

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

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. – Job 8:21