In Quiet Hope

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. – (Psalm 62:5, NLT)

I must calm down and turn to God; He is my only hope. – (Psalm 62:5, ERV)

God, the One and only – I’ll wait as long as He says. Everything I need comes from Him, so why not? – (Psalm 62:5, MSG)

My soul quietly waits for the True God alone because I hope only in Him. – (Psalm 62:5, VOICE)

 

In the quiet of Saturday morning, while much of the world still sleeps, I am reminded again, where my hope comes from. It is in the quiet waiting that gentle whispers of His love flood my heart and mind, reminding me that all that I need comes from God. He is my hope, my source and my supply, and in Him, I need not fear. The Lord brings comfort when chaos seems to reign, and grants His peace and strength when the hectic pace of the wearying week has stolen the last ounce of resolve within me. May we wait quietly before our God, and allow Him to fill us with His hope anew.

 

Let all that’s within, 

Wait upon the Lord;

In quiet stillness,

As hope He affords.

It is in silence,

That our God will speak;

Bring peace to chaos,

And strength where we’re weak.

May we take the time,

In silence, to seek;

The presence of God,

So we hear Him speak.

Speak to the weary,

Those in need of peace;

Our God is faithful,

As love is released.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we quietly wait before You, You are faithful to meet us where we are, and fill us again with hope and peace and rest. Thank You that we can come to You in our weariness, and You will be our strength. Forgive us for attempting to run on empty, rather than slowing down and seeking You for strength. Teach us to trust You to be our Source and Supply, as You are faithful to meet us whenever we earnestly seek You. Show us how to love those around us in a way that offers help and hope and peace in a chaotic world. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You in the quiet spaces and hold fast to the hope that is found in You alone. Amen.

 

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

 

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him! – Psalm 34:8

Safe in New Seasons

And when you are old, I will still be there, carrying you. When your limbs grow tired, your eyes are weak, and your hair a silvery gray, I will carry you as I always have. I will carry you and save you. – (Isaiah 46:4, VOICE)

I will be your God throughout your lifetime – until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. – (Isaiah 46:4, NLT)

And I will still be carrying you when you are old. Your hair will turn gray, and I will still carry you. I made you, and I will carry you to safety. – (Isaiah 46:4, ERV)

 

Aging is an interesting phenomenon. Each mile mark that I reach, there are new blessings and challenges. Last November, for the first time in my life, I discovered that I needed reading glasses. As I attempted to read a recipe on the back of a can of pumpkin, I discovered that I simply could not see the small print. Since then, I went to the eye doctor and she confirmed what I already knew. Age had finally caught my eyes, and glasses would be needed from here on out. After a lifetime of not wearing them, it is a strange adjustment that I forget most of the time, until I have to sit in front of a computer or read multiple pages of text. That being said, the joys that God has brought in this time in my life, far outweigh such a small thing. His care, concern and covering has stayed constant, and I am endlessly amazed at how He blesses me with His presence and His love. Though I may fight the white hair portion of aging for a while, I will fully embrace His grace and goodness as each new chapter unfolds. May we recognize and remember that God has promised to remain present throughout our lifetime, and He will carry us when we cannot walk on our own.

 

All throughout our lives, 

God’s promised to stay;

To be by our side,

To show us the way.

We need never fear,

New seasons of life;

For God is faithful,

Through peace and through strife.

When we have no strength,

The Lord remains strong;

He will lift us up,

Lead us further on.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of life. Thank You that You are with us through each new season that we walk through. Thank You that if we grow weary or weak, we need not fear, for You are with us and will carry us on. Forgive us for fearing what is yet to come, and teach us to trust You to continue to carry and save us throughout our lifetime. Show us how to love those around us in a way that strengthens and encourages and helps those in need. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to remain present forever, and go forth in the confidence that You will carry us along and keep us in Your care. Amen.

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

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. – 2 Corinthians 1:3

Tangible Goodness

Give the Lord a chance to show you how good He is. Great blessings belong to those who depend on Him! – (Psalm 34:8, ERV)

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh the joys of those who take refuge in Him! – (Psalm 34:8, NLT)

 

Yesterday evening, I was delighted with a beautiful example of the joy found in blessing another. Just as God shows His goodness to us as we depend on Him and trust Him, the beloved spouse of one of my dearest friends went all out to create an enchanted evening for his bride. The joy he found in planning surprise after surprise for her, reminded me of how the Lord does likewise for us. Whatever hopes or expectations we may have for what lies before us, His plans are exceedingly more than we could hope or imagine when we place our trust in Him. No, trusting Him does not mean that every day will be a birthday extravaganza, but it does mean that He is ALWAYS for us, and will never leave us, no matter what lies before us. The assurance of His presence and His plan for our lives, ought to bring joy and delight, as a good Father has good things in store. May we place our trust in He who is our refuge, and allow Him to show us His goodness and grace.

 

For the Lord is good,

Allow Him the chance;

To show you His grace,

In each circumstance.

God pours out blessing,

On those who depend;

Tangible goodness,

Our Savior extends.

May we each take joy,

As we taste and see;

The goodness of God,

Whose hope sets us free.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good and that You bless those who depend on You. Thank You for tangible reminders of how You love and find joy in blessing us. Forgive us for not depending on You, or for doubting Your plans for us. Teach us to trust You more, regardless of what we see. Help us to hold fast to the truth of knowing that You are for us, no matter what lies before us. Show us how to love those around us in practical and tangible ways, so that they too, might see how very good You are. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your goodness and take refuge in You. Amen.

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

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. – 2 Corinthians 3:5

Understanding Leads to Praise

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise. – (Psalm 111:10)

True wisdom comes when we have a proper perspective of God. As we fear and revere Him, He opens our understanding and grants us insight to what we could not see before. The better we know Him, the more we recognize just how worthy He is of all of our praise forever. Daily, there are new opportunities for His truth to be revealed. We never stop learning nor growing in wisdom, when we seek first, His righteousness. The more we grow, the more we are able to see the joys that God has placed in our lives. Life becomes an exhilarating experience of discovering the glorious wonders that He has created for all of us, His creation. May we seek the Lord with proper fear and reverence, and follow that which He asks each of us to do. Let our lives be an ever-present reflection of our hearts to eternally praise Him.

True wisdom begins,

with fear of the Lord;

not a space of scared,

but humbled, adored.

For as we know God,

His insight provides;

great understanding,

that can’t be denied.

He gives us true joy,

grace to discover;

wisdom and His strength,

as we love others.

May our lives reflect,

our posture of praise;

now and forever,

let’s walk in His ways.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we fear and revere You, giving You proper place in our hearts and lives, You reveal to us deeper understanding and insight as to who You are, and how we are meant to live. Thank You that You unlock our understanding beyond what mere studying could ever do as we walk in Your ways and trust in Your truth. Thank You that all praise belongs to You, now and forever. Forgive us for seeking wisdom without You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we can differentiate between knowledge that can be discovered through reading or studying, and true wisdom and insight that are gifts given by You alone. Lead us to love You with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and then to go and love likewise, all whom You place on our path. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be exalted O God, as we follow Your ways and grow in our understanding and wisdom of You. 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