Cared for and Covered

For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. – (Psalm 91:11)

 

What a glorious promise to hold! God sees us and is concerned about us in all of our ways. He knows our needs, and He commands His angels to keep watch over us at all times. The Lord never leaves us nor forsakes us, and He provides what is needed so that we may successfully stay the course to which we have been called. Lead us Lord, to operate in confidence, knowing that You have commanded Your angels to guard us, as we walk in Your way.

 

Though we may know not,

the angels around;

the Lord sends His guard,

to keep us each sound.

Despite being one,

He sees us alone;

and cares where we are,

though He’s on the throne.

About all our ways,

the Lord is concerned;

He keeps watch of us,

let His grace be learned.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You command Your angels concerning us, to guard us in all of our ways. Thank You that You care about every detail in our lives – both large and small. Thank You that You set us on Your path of righteousness, and supply what we need to safely stay the course. Forgive us for allowing the obstacles and challenges of this life to keep us from fully trusting You. Teach us to grant You every last corner of our heart, allowing You access to all – as You are our safety and and protection, and will never leave us nor forsake us. Lead us to love others well, just as we are loved by You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You, Lord. Be exalted O God, as we recognize the remarkable ways that You care for and cover us in all of our ways. Amen.

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

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ. – Ephesians 2:4-5

Keep Careful Watch

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. – (Matthew 24:42)

 

We are called to a continuous and ongoing relationship with Christ, not one to simply call upon when a need arises. God wants our whole heart, all the time, not just occasional acts of service we feel might be pleasing unto Him. As we choose invest our heart, our time, our resources and our entire being into our relationship with our Redeemer, we grow to know and understand who He is, and what is and is not of Him. If we are in ongoing communion with Christ, we will be prepared for His return, regardless of when He comes. May we be ever mindful and keep watch, as we guard our hearts and minds from anything that would lead us away from Christ.

 

To keep careful watch,

Painting by Kay Crain – please click image to find out more 🙂

our sight must begin;

by seeking the Lord,

staying true to Him.

May we each invest,

our heart, soul and mind;

in He who redeems,

and blesses mankind.

Grant us eyes to see,

what’s holy and true;

so we choose to move,

still closer to You.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good and loving and kind. Thank You that when You will return does not matter nearly as much as whether or not we are prepared. Thank You that You made the way for us to come into Your folds and be kept safe. Forgive us for allowing anything other than You to take center stage in our hearts and lives, and help us to hold fast to You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will rely on You to be our strength as we guard our hearts and minds, entrusting all into Your care.  May many come to know You and understand who You are, so that they too, will be on their guard and keeping watch.   Lead us to love others as You so generously love each of us. Be glorified, O God, as we keep careful watch. Amen.

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

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. – Proverbs 11:25

A House of Hope

But Christ is faithful as a Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. – (Hebrews 3:6)

 

When we invite Christ to be the Lord of our life, His Holy Spirit comes and dwells in us, making our heart His home. He is faithful to remain present, always. In return, we are asked to take courage and hold onto the hope of all that He has promised, and to speak the truth, which we may proudly share with all who are willing to hear. He is faithful, always; so we too, should be the same.

 

This heart is Your home,

may You rule and reign;

develop the good,

remove the disdain.

Help me hold courage,

hope in what is true;

peace in Your promise,

so much more of You.

May from my mouth flow,

abundance of heart;

that You grow in me,

all that You impart.

Lord, be glorified,

from this house of mine;

may darkness be gone,

and Your love light shine.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You come and dwell in us when we invite You in. Thank You that You keep watch, and protect us. Thank You that You grant us courage and the capacity to be faithful in the hope we have been given in You. Forgive us for our fearfulness and our lack of faith, and grow in us all that we are lacking. Teach us to be courageous in You, and may many come to know the hope that is available in You as a result. Let our love be a reflection of Your love for us. Be exalted, O God, as we courageously boast of the hope we hold in You. Amen.

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

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad. – I Chronicles 16:31

His Help Sustains

“Surely God is my help; the Lord is the One who sustains me.” – (Psalm 54:4)

 

As I read this morning’s passages, this verse in Psalm 54, commanded my attention. Though they were David’s words in reference to his own struggles with Saul and his insanity that was constantly trying to kill him, (among other challenges), I could not help but relate it to Jesus and what He must have been going through on this day, so many years ago. He knew the horrors He would willingly have to endure to make the way for mankind to become reconciled back to right relationship with the Father. Jesus also knew that He would be betrayed and abandoned by His dearest friends in His greatest hour of need. After time in the upper room with the disciples, Jesus knew He needed to go to the garden to pray, to commune with God, His help and the One who sustained Him when all others were unable to so much as stay awake and keep watch.

 

People are flawed, and cannot nor should not be our ultimate source of help and hope. Yes, God gives us amazing people in our lives to help, encourage, lift up, and walk beside – but ultimately, our help comes from Him. He is the One who sustains us, and the Lord is our help and our hope. Because of what He willingly went through all those years ago, first in the garden, then before Pilot and Herod and the rest, what He endured on both the ground and while He hung on that cross – was all for us – for you and me, individually, so that we could come to Him and trust Him to be our help and our hope. If not even death can defeat Christ, how can we not trust Him to be our help in all things?

 

Surely You are,

my help and my strength;

sustaining One,

Who goes to great lengths.

You bore my sin,

and all of my shame;

so I might know,

the hope in Your Name.

O Lord, my God,

again I’m amazed;

at Your great love,

I give You all praise.

I place my trust,

in Your mighty hands;

Your will be done,

by Your grace, I stand.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our help and the One who sustains us. Thank You for sending Your Son to make the way for us to have access to You and know You as our personal Savior. Thank You that You are not God out there, but You are God right here, dwelling in the hearts of all who believe. Forgive us for not turning to You when troubles come, or for attempting to take on trials in our own strength. Thank You that You love us so much that You provide Your help and strength, and often, You provide people too. Help us to be available to those around us, so that You may use us to encourage and build up the body. May we love others as You love us, and may many come to know You as their help and their hope this Easter weekend. Be glorified, Lord God. Amen.

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

You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.

– Acts 2:28

 

 

 

His Strength in the Struggle

Seasons of stress and struggle seem to make us particularly vulnerable to temptation.  Jesus, who is the only perfect example of how to triumphantly traverse times of trial without giving into the snares of sin, modeled a path we all can follow, when He was enduring such agony in the garden of Gethsemane, prior to being betrayed and taken to the cross.

First, Jesus prayed.  Though He asked for the trial to be taken, ultimately, his response to God was: “Abba, Father’, He said, ‘everything is possible for You.  Take this cup from me.  Yet not what I will, but what You will.” – (Mark 14:36)  Jesus trusted in His Father’s power and authority, and submitted His whole being unto Him.

“He took Peter, James and John along with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ he said to them.  ‘Stay here and keep watch.” – (Mark 14:33-34) Jesus sought the support of His closest friends and loved ones in His hour of greatest need.  He modeled our need for one another in our times of struggle.

Finally, Jesus remained focused on the purpose that God had given Him.  When He prayed, “Yet not what I will, but what You will,” that was an intentional redirection of His heart and mind toward the purposes that the Father had set before Him.  Though He knew the pain and suffering He was about to endure, He again fixed His eyes on His Father, and on that which He was called to do.

Allow not struggle,

to wear your heart down;

let no temptation,

hide the truth you’ve found.

Pray to the Father,

for mercy and grace;

submit to the Lord,

and all of His ways.

Call too, on close friends,

to gather around;

to pray and support,

’til answers are found.

Focus on purpose,

that God’s called us to;

let not the struggle,

sway the call to do.

Greater is the One,

God who is with us;

Savior, Redeemer,

forever Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that even when things are difficult, You are present and willing to be our help and our hope.  Thank You that Jesus modeled the way that we are meant to walk through struggles, as He endured far more than we could even begin to imagine.  Help us to stand strong against temptations, and forgive us for seeking only to have You take our struggles away, rather than trusting You to be our strength in the midst of them.  Teach us to trust You more, and show us whom we are to go to for support and encouragement.  Direct our hearts in how we are to hold our focus on the purposes You have planned for us.  May we live and love as You love us, and may many come to know the saving grace provided through a life lived with You.  Be glorified through the way in which we navigate both our struggles and our triumphs.  Amen.

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

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; … my hope is in You all day long.

– Psalm 25:4-5

Be Willing to Watch

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.  Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.” – Acts 20:28

image by Krystii Melaine

“Now it’s up to you.  Be on your toes – both for yourselves and your congregation of sheep.  The Holy Spirit has put you in charge of these people – God’s people they are – to guard and protect them.  God Himself thought they were worth dying for.” – (The Message)

Our charge, each one of us who calls Him King, is to be on guard, not only for ourselves, but for our communities.  He already paid the ultimate price for our protection, so we ought to be brave in His strength, knowing that His plan is that none would perish.

How exactly am I to be an overseer of both myself and my community?

First, I must be in tune with our Beloved so that I am ever aware, and able to discern the difference between deceit and His direction.

Next, He has granted us both the gift and the grace to present our petitions to Him through prayer.  We are called to be people of prayer.  We are equipped and covered to clearly convey Christ, when we are intentional to listen to His leading.  If we are faithful to speak truth in love, our Heavenly Father will fan the flames in every heart that hears.

Any good that is done through us, is only possible because of the perfect sacrifice our Savior presented on our behalf.  We are covered by His blood and called clean; leaving us equipped and empowered to listen to His leading.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You do not call us to do anything that You are not also willing and able to equip us to accomplish.  Forgive us for our doubts, and help us to never forget that to You, each of us were worth dying for.  May we be ever-listening and always at the ready to do as You ask to protect and preserve our hearts and the hearts of those around us.  Lead us in love Lord, so that not one of us who comes to call You King, should perish.  Amen.

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