Thankful for Grace

I always thank my God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus. – (1 Corinthians 1:4, NIV)

I always thank my God for you because of the grace that He has given you through Christ Jesus. – (1 Corinthians 1:4, ERV)

I am continuously thanking my God for you when I think about the grace God has offered you in Jesus the Anointed. – (1 Corinthians 1:4, VOICE)

Even though these words were those of Paul to the church of Corinth, they are applicable for us today as we think of those people in our lives who have either influenced us or our loved ones with the grace that God has given them. Last evening, we gathered with a small family group and their spouses to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 80^th birthday. Today, there will be a larger gathering of extended family and friends to join to celebrate this lovely lady and the impact her life has had on us all. For me, I am especially grateful for how she has raised her children. She raised her three kids primarily alone, and each of them has gone on to love their families well and have a tremendous work ethic and godly values. Her influence as a faithful woman of God, encouraged them to each find their way well. I know from their stories that it was likely not easy, and that the grace she was given to extend to them was tremendous. Her heart for the Lord and for those around her has been passed on to her children, and each care for and love well. Last evening, after the dinner gathering had finished, her two boys and their spouses (myself being one of them), drove her home to inspect her tv that had been acting up. What we thought would be a quick fix, turned into a delightful time of the brothers bonding over buying a new television for mom and getting it set up, while we spouses hung out with mom. The best part of the evening was the ongoing bursts of laughter, and the genuine smiles of pure delight on mom’s face as she watched her boys work and all three bantered back and forth. Her love for her kids and the grace that she gives has molded each into the wonderful human they are today. May we ever take time to give God thanks for those whom He has given us to show us the power of God’s goodness and grace through their love.

Thank You, Lord Jesus,

For goodness and grace;

The power of love,

Throughout all our days.

For the grace given,

Can be shared with all;

Challenge, encourage,

Answer the Lord’s call.

One of the best gifts,

Is through our mothers;

Who help us become,

Loving to others.

Help us to honor,

Those who give Your grace;

Celebrate in love,

Your wonderful ways.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of those whom You have given that show us what Your goodness and grace is all about. Thank You for the blessing of my mother-in-law as we celebrate her 80^th birthday. Thank You for the way that You have led her to raise her children well. Forgive us for taking the gift of Your grace to us for granted. Teach us to praise You and to value the blessings of grace that You have placed all around us. Show us how to love and appreciate those around us well, and to extend Your grace to one another. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You for the overwhelming grace that You give and have given to us through the people that You have purposefully placed in our lives. Amen.

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

Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. – John 1:16

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

Selected to Serve

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. – (Philippians 2:5-7, NIV)

In your life together, think the way Christ Jesus thought. He was like God in every way, but He did not think that His being equal with God was something to use for His own benefit. Instead, He gave up everything, even His place with God. He accepted the role of a servant, appearing in human form. – (Philippians 2:5-7, ERV)

And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let His mindset become your motivation. He existed in the form of God, yet He gave no thought to seizing equality with God as His supreme prize. Instead He emptied Himself of His outward glory by reducing Himself to the form of a lowly servant. He became human! – (Philippians 2:5-7, TPT)

 

Jesus was the ultimate example of how we ought to relate to one another. He let go of who He was so that He could love all in a way that was tangible and approachable. Heaven came to earth and walked among us. The Creator of all that is and was and ever will be, set down His deity to become like us, so that we might understand what love means. Jesus did not come as a king demanding to rule, but rather as one who served and loved, helped and healed, touched and taught. By serving in love, Jesus influenced the hearts of humans for all of eternity. We are called to do the same. May we seek the Lord and His loving kindness, so that we may love and serve with the same mindset that Christ has for us.

 

How vast is the love,

That set throne aside;

To be made like man,

Deity denied?

And O so much more,

Jesus came and gave;

He taught, lived and loved

Healed, sacrificed, saved.

O how the Lord loves,

Still unto this day;

Contending for us,

To walk in His way.

We are also called,

To choose do the same;

To love and to serve,

Honor Jesus’ Name.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible gift of Jesus. Thank You Jesus for the example You lived, and for Your ongoing help through Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that You showed us what it looks like to serve and love. Forgive us for not following the example that You are calling us to walk out. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would choose loving kindness, regardless of what we receive. Show us how to love those around us with Your goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You for strength to walk in Your ways and do Your will, all of the days of our lives. Amen.

 

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

 

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people. – Ephesians 6:7

May Good Overflow

 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. – (Luke 6:45, NLT)

Good people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts. – (Luke 6:45, ERV)

A person full of goodness in his heart produces good things; a person with an evil reservoir in his heart pours out evil things. The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what’s within your heart. – (Luke 6:45, VOICE)

 

God is entirely good. The more we know God and trust in Him, the more we are influenced and transformed to reflect His heart and His character. If we neglect God and the truth of His word, we are susceptible to evil, as it seeps into our hearts and impacts all that we do and say. Either way, what we say and do is directly influenced by where our heart resides. May we ever seek the Lord and His love to fill us, so that what flows from us is a direct reflection of the very heart of God.

 

Wherever our heart,

May choose to reside;

Directly affects,

What comes from inside.

Good comes from a heart,

Set secure on Christ;

When good’s taken in,

We choose sacrifice.

Sacrifice ego,

That causes unkind;

Preferring others,

With their good in mind.

For out of the heart,

Flows what’s held within;

May we clearly show,

Good rather than sin.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and grace that comes in and transforms the hearts of all who seek You, to reflect Your heart to the world. Forgive us for the times that we have neglected to seek You, or have allowed the world to influence our attitudes and actions instead of depending on You. Teach us to pursue Your heart in all things, so that good may be what flows from us. Show us how to love those around us in a way that allows Your good to be poured out upon all whom we meet. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek Your heart in all things and allow Your good to flow from us. Amen.

 

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

 

Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23:6