Teach Me Your Paths

Make Your ways known to me, Lord; teach me Your paths. – (Psalm 25:4, HCSB)

Lord, help me learn Your ways. Show me how You want me to live. – (Psalm 25:4, ERV)

Demonstrate Your ways, O Eternal One. Teach me to understand so I can follow. – (Psalm 25:4, VOICE)

God is faithful to show us the ways in which we are meant to go and how to navigate every step. It is up to us to listen and follow where and how He leads. He gave us His Spirit to dwell in us, and His still small voice, that check in our spirits, is Him leading and guiding us as we go. May we ever seek the Lord and His leading so that we might learn His ways and follow His paths that He has set before us.

Help us, Lord Jesus,

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To learn well Your ways;

Teach us Your wisdom,

As we wake each day.

Lead us and guide us,

Where we’re meant to go;

Give understanding,

To things we need know.

Show us each step, Lord,

In all that we do;

May each word and deed,

Reflect Your heart true.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You show us Your ways and how You want us to live when we earnestly seek You. Thank You that You are faithful to answer when we ask. Forgive us for the times that we have asked and ignored Your leading, and for the times that we have neglected to even seek You. Teach us to trust in You in all things and at all times. Grow us in Your wisdom and understanding so that we may follow the path that You set before us well. Show us how to love those around us as You intended. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead and guide us as You teach us more and more of who You are and how You love. Amen.

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

You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes. – Psalm 119:68

Pleasing Words and Thoughts

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

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

May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart meet with Your gracious approval, O Eternal, my Rock, O Eternal, my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, VOICE)

Our words and thoughts are influenced by what we take in, and by those with whom we spend our time. The most important influencer that we ought to seek at the start of our day is God. He is faithful to meet us as we seek Him, and will rescue us from our own thoughts that wander. His Spirit shows us what is good, and when we set our minds and hearts on these things, the words of our mouth are a reflection of such. May we ever seek the Lord to direct the musings of our heart and the words to which we give a voice.

O Lord, help my words,

To clearly show You;

All spoken in love,

That show Your heart true.

Father, keep my thoughts,

On that which is good;

Grant wisdom and grace,

To do as I should.

Let love lead in all,

I think, do and say;

Show me what You’d do,

Please come light my way.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to lead and guide us in what is good, so that our thoughts and words may be a reflection of who You are and how You love. Forgive us for every word and thought that has not been led by Your love. Teach us to trust and depend on You to show us what is good and pleasing unto You. Show us how to love those around us well, so that Your heart is made known through all that we say and do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we turn to You to direct our thoughts to things of You and seek You to grant us Your words of love. Amen.

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

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:2

Look Up and See

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands. – (Psalm 19:1, HCSB)

The heavens tell about the glory of God. The skies announce what His hands have made. – (Psalm 19:1, ERV)

God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. – (Psalm 19:1, MSG)

This weekend, my love and I are camping. We did not travel far from home, yet far enough to feel as if we were somewhere else. The amazing thing about the short drive from home, is that yesterday as we were leaving, the skies were gray and it was sprinkling. When we drove across the bridge, the skies opened up and there was far more blue sky than gray. The sun was shining and I had to dig my sunglasses out of my purse. I love that the same God who created the clouds that provide water to the soil, painted the sky a brilliant blue, and His creativity is displayed uniquely each morning and evening as the sun rises and sets. Camping provides the opportunity to be outdoors more, and for me, there is nothing better than being outside and taking in the beauty of creation. May we all find time to observe all of the beauty that God’s hands have made, and take notice of the intricate details that He so lovingly included in creation.

The glory of God,

Ever evident;

Through just looking up,

Become reverent.

Beauty all around,

For us to enjoy;

Bountiful color,

That nature employs.

To You, we give thanks,

Where all praise is due;

Beauty created,

That shows Your heart true.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that there is evidence of Your creation everywhere. Thank You that we need only look up to see Your hand tangibly at work. Forgive us for somehow making You less than You are. Teach us to trust in You, the One who holds us all in the hollow of Your hand. Lead us to notice the beauty all around us, and show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your heart evident to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the beauty all around us and time to get outside and enjoy it. Amen.

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

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. – Genesis 1:1

To Use What We’ve Been Given

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies. – (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NIV) 

You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit that you received from God and that lives in you. You don’t own yourselves. God paid a very high price to make you His. So, honor God with your body. – (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, ERV) 

Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who comes from God and dwells inside of you? You do not own yourself. You have been purchased at a great price, so use your body to bring glory to God! – (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, VOICE) 

When we give our lives to God, He comes and dwells in us and makes our heart His home. He is not pushy, rather He waits for the invitation to clean house and make our heart more like His. To honor God with our bodies is a charge that looks different for everyone. For some, honoring God with the body is to sing, play music, or create. For others it is to get out and move. Each of us have been gifted with different strengths, talents and desires, and as we pursue them with a heart after Him, we are honoring the Lord with our entire being. Tending to His temple is to care best for the body that we have been given. I don’t know about you, but this whole COVID situation has made the normal rhythm of fueling the temple healthfully, far more difficult. My saving grace has been my desire to get outside and move. Thor, our sweet puppy, helps with that as well. Everything we do has the capacity to honor God, if we are seeking Him and following His will in what we do. May we be purposeful in our pursuit of God and His best for us, so that we may honor God by caring well for our temple. 

Lord, help me to care, 

For this body well; 

With all that I do, 

May Your goodness tell. 

Help me to choose well, 

With what’s allowed in; 

So that You’re honored, 

And I’m kept from sin. 

Let moderation, 

And wisdom guide me; 

Please keep me moving, 

With thanks, faithfully. 

Let also these hands, 

Bring glory to You; 

Writing, creating, 

Please keep my heart true. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we receive the gift that You have freely given of Yourself, we become the temple for Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that as we seek You, You teach us to tend the temple and utilize our bodies to give You glory through how we make use of what You have given us. Forgive us for becoming lazy, or gluttonous, or allowing garbage in, rather than seeking to honor You in all. Show us how to best tend to the temple that You have given, and show us how to honor You in all that we do. Lead us to love those around us in practical and tangible ways. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to show us how to best care for and utilize all that You intended for that which we have been given. Amen. 

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

In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came to His ears. – 2 Samuel 22:7