Love is a Safe Shelter

(Love) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. – (1 Corinthians 13:7, NIV)

Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits. – (1 Corinthians 13:7, ERV)

Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. – (1 Corinthians 13:7, TPT)

 

God always knows what I need to hear, when I need to hear it. Part of the His design when He made me, includes a strong “mama bear” protective nature, a heart that clings closely to the hope I have in Him, and a spirit that does not understand the concept of quitting. That being said, the last eight hours seem to have stolen my ability to always protect. Though I know that ultimately, protection is in His hands, I want to do everything that I can to keep my loved ones safe at all times – physically, spiritually and emotionally. At 1:45 am, I heard a sound in the monitor that was frighteningly unfamiliar. Mom was making a sort of moaning sound that did not sound like she was sleeping. I bolted upright in bed and dashed across the hall into her room. My fear was realized as I saw her sitting on the floor, beside her bed, looking frightened and a bit dazed. Sitting beside her, I began checking for injury and looking for signs of need for emergency care. Thankfully, it appeared that she had, out of a lifelong habit of rising to use the restroom as needed, simply gone to stand up out of bed, and her legs did not support her standing for long. Before leaving acute care, we had practiced how to get up from the floor, if ever we were in such a position. Though it did not go quite as smoothly as one might hope, we managed, and all is well. Once mom was securely back in bed, with the exit side of her bed blocked better, I returned to my room and checked my phone to be sure my sister had made it home safely. In addition to her text, there was one from my boys’ dad, letting me know that they had not been treated kindly by some of their music people after their spring concert, when everyone gathered at Red Robin. I know that there is nothing that I could have possibly done to protect or prevent these things, however, the protector in me, dies a little when such things transpire. My heart hurts for my mom, as she struggles to regain movement and independence, and for my boys, who are wonderful, loving and sensitive young men, who deserve only kindness, yet are subject to the cruelty of this world. I have to remember that the love that always protects, is His, not mine. God is a far better protector that me. Though only a fool would mess with my people in front of me, I have to trust, hope and persevere, as God is greater and He always protects.

 

Love is the always,

That keeps things aligned;

Trust, hope, protection,

All in God’s design.

Life is a faith walk,

Where we have to choose;

To trust in the Lord,

No matter our view.

Sometimes what we see,

Seems dismal at best;

Trials and valleys,

Life’s endurance tests.

No matter what comes,

Keep trusting the One;

Who grants all we need,

‘til each day is done.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You always protect; You are always trustworthy, You are and will always be our hope; and in You, we will always have all that we need to persevere. Forgive us for our frustration when we cannot protect our loved ones from all the ills of this world; for it is broken and fallen and fallible. Thank You that You are not. Teach us to trust You more so that we would cling to You and depend on You in all things and at all times, not just for ourselves but for those we love as well. Show us how to love those around us well. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You, hope in You, persevere in Your strength, and protect in love, allowing Your love to lead our every step. Amen.

 

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

 

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” – Psalm 91:2

 

 

Avoiding Unnecessary Fights

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only a fool insists on quarreling. – (Proverbs 20:3, NLT)

It’s a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights. – (Proverbs 20:3, MSG)

 

The mark of my closest relationships have always shared a common thread. Rather than assuming ill intent of one another and jumping into fight or flight mode, there has been a posture of seeking to understand. When we choose to approach a situation with the hope of gaining understanding, fights are averted and peace is maintained. Though we may not always see eye-to-eye with the person before us, if we approach conversation and communication with the intent to learn and grow, wisdom is gained and peace remains. May we go forth this day with the intent to listen and learn, seeking to understand those around us, so that quarrels are avoided and honor is upheld.

 

The best character,

Will choose not to fight;

But rather listen,

To seek what is right.

To avoid quarrels,

With intent to learn;

Is good character,

How respect is earned.

Only the foolish,

Choose keep quarreling;

Honor comes to those,

Who have peace to bring.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son to show us the mark of good character. Thank You that He modeled what it was like to be a peacemaker in tumultuous spaces, simply by loving the unlovable. Thank You too, that You grant us wisdom to know when to stand up and fight, rather than walk away. Forgive us for stepping into unnecessary quarrels that could be easily avoided by seeking to understand one another. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would depend on You for wisdom and strength to do what You call us to do in each situation. Show us how to love others well, even when they attempt to pick fights. Let Your love in us diffuse even the most hostile of situations. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to avoid unnecessary fights, and represent You well to the world. 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

Search for the Why

Today’s reading was found in Numbers 22:21-33. This passage tells the story of Balaam and his donkey as they are on their way to a Moabite town with Moabite officials. Balaam’s journey was not pleasing to the Lord. Three times, an angel of the Lord stood in the path of Balaam on his donkey, and blocked the way. Though Balaam could not see him, the donkey certainly could. In fear, the donkey turned away, held back and finally laid down, refusing to go forward each time the angel appeared. Unfortunately, Balaam could not see the angel, and chose to beat the donkey each time it refused to move forward. Finally, after the third time, God opened the mouth of the donkey and gave it the ability to speak. The donkey asked what it had done to deserve the beatings, and Balaam was concerned only that the donkey had made him appear a fool. What really stood out to me this morning, was the donkey’s reply to Balaam’s rant about being made appear a fool.

 

“But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life, have I ever done anything like this before?” – (Numbers 22:30)

 

When those around us do things that are out of character, it is better to ask why, than to get angry or upset at the abrupt change. Most of the time, when people operate outside of their norm, there is a reason. It is almost always in response to something. If it is to hurt, how can we help? If it is to fear, how can we reassure or heed the warning? May we be sensitive to those around us, taking note of attitudes, actions or words that wander from their normal mode of operation. Lord, lead us to be sensitive to Your voice as we listen to those around us, so that we may identify the why when something is awry.

 

When words are like weapons,

Where never before;

It’s our job to find out,

Discover the sore.

For panic or wounding,

Great heartache or fear;

Each one can be reason,

To ask and draw near.

Let Balaam’s example,

Be warning to us;

Sometimes the uncommon,

Is help from Jesus.

Lord, make our hearts tender,

Ready to give ear;

Help us see through Your eyes,

So all becomes clear.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You, You show us things through Your eyes, and give us Your heart for those around us. Forgive us for getting angry or upset when those around us operate outside of their normal mode of operation. Teach us to trust You more, so that we might patiently and lovingly pursue answers as to why someone is “off” rather than be bothered by it. Help us to love others well, just as You so patiently and extravagantly love each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to understand when things are awry, rather than respond as the recipients of offense. Amen.

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

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

Walking in Wisdom

He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe. – (Proverbs 28:26)

 

Though some view the bold individual who soldiers on as a hero, if they are self-reliant – neither asking for nor giving advice, they are living in a way that is contrary to that in which God calls us to live. God surrounds us with His people for a purpose. We are meant to support and protect one another from both foolishness and harm. Yes, ultimately, the Lord is our protection and wisdom, yet as humans, we often need the audible and tangible to really have His will make sense.

 

Just yesterday, I had a task that I was about to “soldier” through. A good run and a clear mind had me in a solid state to enter into what I needed to do. When I paused for a moment and entered into what was before me, I quickly called on a few dear friends to pray. I knew that I needed to be covered and calm, and by allowing them access to the fact that what was before me was more than my heart could handle on its own, God met me in a very real way as I walked through what needed to be done. He is faithful to grant wisdom and safety to all who place their trust in Him. May we allow Him access to all, and place our trust in Christ.

 

Let’s trust not ourselves,

in strength, soldier on;

for that is foolish,

in God, it is wrong.

For those who are wise,

seek wisdom, advice;

surrounded and safe,

mere folly’s demise.

Let’s trust in the Lord,

and those who surround;

the wise and faithful,

may the lost be found.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good and that You are our safe place and where we find wisdom. Thank You that You did not create us to go forth on our own, but rather You created us for relationships that reveal more of Yourself, and challenge and grow our faith further with You. Forgive us for failing to depend on You and those whom You have placed on our path to help and support us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will call on You for wisdom and safety in all situations, and that we will go forth together with those whom You have placed beside us. Lead us to love others well, just as You so wonderfully love each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You, and walk in Your wisdom and safety with those You set beside us. Amen.

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

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

An Appropriate Answer to Anger

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. – (Proverbs 29:11)

 

Considering the multitude of injustices taking place in the world around us, it is easy to become angered at the outrage. However, when we are in Christ, we are called to handle ourselves in such a way, that the world sees a difference – even when we are angry. This does not mean we are to sweep offenses that need attention under the rug, but rather we are to approach them in the opposite spirit, with the intent to bring healing and wholeness to the offender as God provides opportunity.

 

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. – (Ephesians 4:26-27)

 

“The Bible doesn’t tell us that we shouldn’t feel angry, but it points out that it is important to handle our anger properly. If vented thoughtlessly, anger can hurt others and destroy relationships. If bottled up inside, it can cause us to become bitter and destroy us from within. Paul tells us to deal with our anger immediately in a way that builds relationships rather than destroys them. If we nurse our anger, we will give Satan an opportunity to divide us. Are you angry right now? What can you do to resolve your differences? Don’t let the day end before you begin to work on mending your relationship.” – (NIV footnotes)

 

There are times when reconciliation is neither possible, nor wise. In such cases, all that we can do is continually give our anger to God, and trust Him bring about His justice. Despite what we see in the here and now, all will have to one day answer for what we have or have not done. May His wisdom grant us control, so that we may properly deal with anger.

 

Be not a fool,

that rages in sin;

choose His control,

Christ’s peace from within.

Allow it not,

to fester and grow;

go deal quickly,

don’t grant a foothold.

God’s great wisdom,

will show us the way;

to make amends,

and forgive each day.

Vengeance is not,

for us to decide;

pray for a change,

His justice preside.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are loving and kind and full of grace, yet You show us time and time again throughout Your word, that vengeance is Yours. Thank You too, for helping us to understand that anger in and of itself is not a bad thing, but rather it is what we do with our anger that determines whether or not we are responding in righteousness. Thank You that if we choose to listen to You and follow what You ask, we need not sin in our anger. Forgive us for our outbursts and for the times that we have stayed silent and harbored anger in our hearts. Teach us to trust You enough to act according to Your good and perfect will for us – even as anger arises. Thank You that anger is a call to action. May we answer the call and act accordingly. Let us love when those who have offended expect spite, and may they come to know that You are the reason for our love. Let the lost find You. Be glorified God, even as we act on what has angered us. Amen.

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

When times are good, be happy. – Ecclesiastes 7:14

 

 

 

A Discerning Heart

The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. – (Proverbs 15:14, NIV)

 

Intelligent people want more knowledge, but fools only want more nonsense. – (Proverbs 15:14, ERV)

 

What we feed our mind, heart and soul, is equally important to that which we choose as fuel for our body. Whatever we take in, is what ultimately comes out of us. The books we read, the music we choose, the media we partake in, the people we allow influence over us – all impact how we operate in our daily lives. Are our influences pointing us on the path of righteousness, or on one of destruction? Wisdom gives way to seeking knowledge, and sets our hearts on choices that positively influence our entire being. May the Lord keep folly far from us, and grant us hearts that seek Him in all things.

 

From when we first rise,

to the setting sun;

many choices made,

and work to be done.

How will our hearts choose,

what we allow in?

Is our filter Christ?

Do we fold to sin?

If we choose to seek,

His wisdom to guide;

He’s faithful to grant,

knowledge, He’ll provide.

He’ll show us the way,

that we ought to walk;

and grant us the words,

each time that we talk.

May our only choice,

with heart, soul and mind;

be seek Him alone,

His wisdom we’ll find.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You, we find You. Thank You that You provide wisdom and knowledge as we choose wisely, what influences we allow into our lives. Forgive us for our lack of discernment, or for allowing anything or anyone influence that had no place speaking into our hearts and minds, and grow in us the desperate desire to seek knowledge with Your wisdom. Keep us from allowing anything that does not deserve influence in our lives from having a place, and surround us with people that promote healthy and wise choices. Let Your love that lives in us, be a light unto all who are around us. May many come to know the saving grace that You alone provide, as they enter into an eternal relationship with You. Be glorified as we seek You in all that we allow in. Amen.

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

The joy of the Lord is your strength. – Nehemiah 8:10