Do Not Worry

“This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?” – (Matthew 6:25-26, HCSB)

“So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live – what you will eat, drink or war. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don’t you know you are worth much more than they are?” – (Matthew 6:25-26, ERV)

“This is why I tell you to never be worried about your life, for all that you need will be provided, such as food, water, clothing – everything your body needs. Isn’t there more to your life than a meal? Isn’t your body more than clothing? Consider the birds – do you think they worry about their existence? They don’t plant or reap or store up food, yet your heavenly Father provides them each with food. Aren’t you much more valuable to your Father than they?” – (Matthew 6:25-26, TPT)

When we worry, we are doing one of two things: we are either depending on our own self-sufficiency, or we are doubting the power and love of God to help us. In Christ, we have all that we need to navigate each new day. He is our Provider, and will meet us where we are with what we need. His love is greater than anything and everything that might come against us, and He is willing and ready to show us the way. Our part is to trust Him and do what He asks of us. Just as He guides the birds to fly south during the winter months so that they may have all that they need to survive, He too, will direct our steps to do our part to walk into His provision. May we ever seek the Lord in our spaces of need or worry, for He is faithful and loving and will lead us in goodness and grace to a place of plenty for each new day. 

We need not worry,

In God there’s enough;

To meet all our needs,

And smooth what is rough.

The God of heaven,

Is He who supplies;

All that is needed,

Where hope’s realized.

No matter the ask,

The Lord always hears;

He’s ready to help,

And calm ev’ry fear.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that just as the birds need not worry about what they will eat or wear, we too need not worry about anything, for You hear our every prayer. Forgive us for doubting Your provision or for trying to do everything in our own strength. Teach us to turn to You in trust and ask You to lead us with all that we need. Show us how to love those around us tangibly, so that Your heart will be made plain to all whom we meet. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we cast all our cares upon You and seek You to lead us and supply us with all that we need each day. Amen.

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

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. – Matthew 7:8

With All That We Are

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. – (Deuteronomy 6:5, NIV)

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. – (Deuteronomy 6:5, ERV)

Love God, your God, with your whole heart; love Him with all that’s in you, love Him with all you’ve got! – (Deuteronomy 6:5, MSG)

 

We are called and created to love God; not just in theory or in words, but with our entire existence. To love God with all our heart and soul and strength requires us to love Him in all that we say, think and do. I love God, but know that I still have a long way to go for love to permeate every single word, thought and deed of every moment of every day. God is love. He loves us the way that He calls us to love. When we seek Him and invest time with Him, He transforms our hearts and minds to more clearly reflect the radiance of His love toward Him and those around us. If we love God with all that we are, we will love all whom He has created in the same way. May we intentionally invest time with the Lord so that we may know Him more, as the more we know, the more deeply we love He who first loved us.

As for an update on mom, today should be an exciting day! Meg, Scott and Mom will be driving north to Portland, while Mark and I will drive the few hours south, so that we can all meet up for lunch and an afternoon together in the city. Though it is a short span of time together, we were thrilled to figure out a way to make it work with the crazy calendars that we all are fielding over the coming few months. Time together is our favorite, and it will be wonderful to have the face-to-face connection that I have not had since the beginning of this month. We are praying for sweet time together and blessed conversation.

 

Love the Lord our God, With All That We Are

Strength, soul and whole heart;

With all that you are,

Not just a small part.

For God is faithful,

To all who seek Him;

He loves and equips,

As goodness floods in.

In all that we say,

Each thought and each deed;

Do all things in love,

And let the Lord lead.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to love You with all our heart, soul and strength. Thank You that this is not something that we can do in our own strength, but rather You transform our hearts and minds as we seek and invest time with You. Forgive us for the times that we have not loved with our heart, soul or strength. Teach us what it is to love You in each of these areas, every moment of our lives. Show us how to love those around us in a way that is out of the overflow of our love for You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we continue to learn how to love with all our heart, soul and strength. Amen.

 

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

 

Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever. – Psalm 136:26

He Qualifies the Called

“But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go!  This man is my chosen instrument to carry my Name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.” – Acts 9:15

photo by Andrew Schultz

These words were spoken of Saul, a zealous Jewish leader who had been arresting and persecuting the followers of Christ.  God of heaven and earth saw beyond the sin of this murderous man, and chose to meet him in such a powerful way, that Saul soon spoke boldly on our Beloved’s behalf, and fearlessly stared suffering in the face.

I am again reminded that God does not call the qualified, rather He qualifies the called.  You, me, we – each of us chosen and called by name.  He has for us a plan and a purpose that is far beyond what our weary hearts could hope to hold.  (Jeremiah 29:11) Through His Spirit in us, He will accomplish greater things still; and He will turn and heal hearts with hope and wholeness from His holy hands.

He takes our trials and tests and turns them into testimonies.  All of our experiences, good or bad, can become tremendous testimonies that demonstrate the amazing grace and powerful presence of our loving Lord, to all those who are waiting to hear.  He knows each need, and He equips all of us who ask, with wisdom and insight to walk in His way and do His will.  He takes our willingness and uses it in wondrous ways.  He moves wherever we meet Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You come and cleanse even the least of us, and equip and empower us to do Your will.  It is never something that we can muster in our own strength, rather it is by Your supernatural equipping, that what is needed might be accomplished.  Forgive us for our lack of faith, as we falter and view our failures as stumbling blocks rather than the stepping stones that You have laid to lead to those in desperate need of Your nearness.  Thank You that You turn our tests into testimonies, as You alone triumph over every trial.  Use us Lord, for the even greater things, so that many might come to know the goodness and grace that are granted in Your glorious Name when we draw near.  Amen.

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