Held in Heaviness

Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His dwelling place. – (1 Chronicles 16:27, NIV)

He lives in the presence of glory and honor. His Temple is a place of power and joy. – (1 Chronicles 16:27, ERV)

Splendor and majesty flow out of Him, strength and joy fill His place. – (1 Chronicles 16:27, MSG)

Yesterday evening, after returning from a great weekend away, we discovered there had been a double homicide in our city, only a few miles away. As I scrolled on social media, I soon discovered who had been killed. Two young women murdered, with whom many friends and former students were connected. After a bit more looking, to my horror, I found that one had been a barista at the coffee shop near where I used to live years ago, and my kids and I knew and loved her, her sister, and her mom, as they all worked there together. The other woman was featured in photos with several people who attended the school where I have taught for 26 years. My heart is heavy for the families and friends of these women who were senselessly killed. What is the connection between the verse and the tragedy? I cannot think of death without thinking of the hope and glory that is held in heaven. In God’s presence, there is glory and honor, power, and joy. There is no more suffering, crying, or pain. The only thing that makes loss bearable is the hope that is held in the Everlasting. My hope this morning is that all who are impacted by the losses may be comforted in the hope that is yet to come. May we ever seek the Savior, who Himself, understood the weight of tragic loss and holds the hope of eternal glory in the hollow of His hands.

In times of great loss,

Awful tragedy;

The Lord’s ever near,

To grant us His peace.

Splendor and power,

Goodness that is seen;

A powerful peace,

For the in between.

Between loss and life,

In the hope we know;

May we look to Him,

So His love is shown.

Father, please help us,

In this broken place;

Flood us with Your love,

As we seek Your face.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us and for preparing a place for us to dwell with You forever. Lord, be our peace amid senseless loss and tragedy. Forgive us as we struggle to make sense of things that should not be. Teach us to lean into You in all things, as You are our Source of comfort and care, strength, and peace, in all things and always. Show us how to love those around us through such anguish. May many come to know and trust in You as You make Your love evident, even in the worst of situations and circumstances. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead us and be our strength in seasons of loss. Amen.

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

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. – 1 Chronicles 16:11

Provided Rest

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – (Matthew 11:28, HCSB)

“Come to Me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest.” – (Matthew 11:28, ERV)

“Come to Me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads. I will give you rest.” – (Matthew 11:28, ICB)

Sometimes, life can be exhausting. Weariness can come out of nowhere, and we simply need to slow down and rest. God is faithful to provide opportunities, if only we look to Him. After the great blessing of being able to go on vacation, we were exhausted from our return trip home. Our day had begun in its typical early fashion, followed by a day filled with preparing to head home, wandering around to pass the time prior to departure, and then the long journey home. Our first flight took off in the late afternoon, followed by a nearly two-hour layover, and then onto our red-eye flight home. No measurable sleep was had on the flight, and we arrived home to discover two puppies who were desperate for our attention. Though there was an attempt to nap after feeding and spending time with the pups, there was no sleep to be had for me. The day continued with the typical back home busy, and there was no thought nor opportunity for sleep until bedtime. Fast-forward to this morning, and I had slept nearly nine hours through the night! When I woke, I felt rested and refreshed, and ready for all that the day holds. God is good, and He is faithful to provide rest as we seek and listen to Him.

When tired, weary,

Or simply worn out;

God provides us rest,

Love’s what He’s about.

With goodness and grace,

The Lord makes a way;

Strength and endurance,

He supplies each day.

Blessings abundant,

Even when plans change;

His love apparent,

As it shall remain.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You love us and provide rest when we are weary. Thank You that even when rest comes in unconventional ways, You have a plan to bless, rest and refresh us. Forgive us for our frustrations when things don’t go as we might have anticipated. Teach us to trust that You have all in Your hands, and You love us more than we could hope or imagine. Show us how to love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your love that supplies the strength and rest we need to navigate our days well. Amen.

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

The Lord God is our Protector and glorious King. He blesses us with kindness and honor. The Lord freely gives every good thing to those who do what is right. – Psalm 84:11

To Forge Forward Without Fear

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. – (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV) 

The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control. – (2 Timothy 1:7, ERV) 

You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit. – (2 Timothy 1:7, VOICE) 

Fear is a funny thing – it sneaks in when we take our eyes off of God, and fixate on the unknown that lies before us. Thankfully, we never need remain stuck, as God is for us and strengthens, encourages, and loves us as we look to Him. The more we choose invest our hearts in Him, the more we recognize His power, love and self-control that is planted within us. God cares about all things, great and small. For me, the big and potentially fearful unknown, is the pending school year online. We are entering uncharted territory, yet as I look to the Lord to be my strength, I discover that love and being disciplined are present for all that lies ahead. Additionally, I am surrounded by incredible colleagues, with whom I get to discover, plan and process along side, so rather than fear, I feel peace. Yes, there is some nervousness, but it is more of a curious excitement, than a space of fear. May we look to the Lord to be Source and Supply, as He grants us all that we need to forge forward, fearlessly. 

Let’s be not afraid, 

Instead, turn to God; 

Who supplies our needs, 

Despite how we’re flawed. 

No expectations, 

To always be right; 

But rather seek Him, 

To know His delight. 

For where we have lack, 

In Him there is gain; 

Strength, love, discipline, 

As He makes paths plain. 

Let’s turn to the Lord, 

Give Him all our fears; 

He’s always faithful, 

Throughout all our years. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that in You, we need not fear, for You are faithful to supply the strength, love and self-discipline that we need to navigate every situation and circumstance. Forgive us for taking our eyes off of You in the midst of the unknown. Show us how to firmly fix our focus on You, as You provide what we need to move forward into the unknown. Teach us to love those around us in ways that strengthen, encourage and lighten loads. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we turn to You in every circumstance to provide all that we need to live and love as You call us to. Amen. 

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

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 

Fixed Eyes Stand Firm

I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. – (Psalm 16:8, NIV) 

I always remember that the Lord is with me. He is here, close by my side, so nothing can defeat me. – (Psalm 16:8, ERV) 

Because You are close to me and always available, my confidence will never be shaken, for I experience Your wrap-around presence every moment. – (Psalm 16:8, TPT) 

This is the part that we have to remember, even when times are tough. It is as we keep our eyes on the Lord that we recognize that He is near, present, and will help us navigate every situation and circumstance. We will not be shaken if we place our confidence in Him. For me, the greatest challenge is to keep my eyes on Him, rather than allowing my attention to divert away from Him, and fixate on the challenge before me. If I look to Him in the face of struggle or adversity, I begin to see things through His lens rather than my own. Mountains look less treacherous, valleys appear less abysmal, and long stretches with no end in sight, are not so arduous nor lonely. God is faithful to meet us every moment of everyday as we seek and trust in Him. May we always keep our eyes on the Lord and remember that He is with us, so that we will not be shaken, despite the trials that come our way. 

I’ll not be shaken, 

As I know You’re near; 

With You by my side, 

There’s no room for fear. 

You are my anchor, 

In every storm; 

The light and the love, 

That keep my heart warm. 

Lord, You are the hope, 

In whom we are safe; 

Help us keep our eyes, 

On You, all our days. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we keep our eyes securely fixed on You, we discover our hope, our help and our security lie within You. Forgive us for the times that our gaze, our focus, shift away from You and onto what lies before us. Teach us to align our view through Your lens, so that we would remember Who is beside us, with us, and for us, always. Show us how to love those around us in such a way, that Your light gives hope wherever it is absent. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we fix our eyes securely on You, and trust You to be our help, hope and safety, always. Amen.  

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

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:18

Steady Me

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand. – (Psalm 37:23-24, NIV)

The Lord shows us how we should live, and He is pleased when He sees people living that way. If they stumble, they will not fall, because the Lord reaches out to steady them. – (Psalm 37:23-24, ERV)

If you are right with God, He strengthens you for the journey; the Eternal will be pleased with your life. And even though you trip up, you will not fall on your face because He holds you by the hand. – (Psalm 37:23-24, VOICE)

 

As we seek the heart of God and pursue the path that pleases Him, He takes us by the hand and leads us in the ways we are meant to go. Even when we slip up and make mistakes, He upholds us and steadies us so that we will not fall. God is full of grace, and He is faithful to lead us as we look to Him in all things and at all times. May we ever pursue the heart of God, in whom we delight, trusting Him to direct our steps and uphold us with His holy hand.

 

When we choose the Lord,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

And trust in His ways;

By grace, He will lead,

Hold us up, always.

Though we may stumble,

He won’t let us fall;

As we take His hand,

Seek answer His call.

The Lord, He is pleased,

When we look to Him;

To lead and guide us,

As each day begins.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You lead us and guide us, and uphold us by Your mighty hand. Forgive us for taking our eyes off of You and the direction that You call us to. Teach us to trust You more, so that no matter what comes our way, we rest secure, knowing that You have hold of our hand and will not let go. Show us how to love those around us in a way that strengthens, encourages and uplifts those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and trust You for all of our days. Amen.

 

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

 

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. – Psalm 18:32

 

 

To See God

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known. – (John 1:18, NIV)

No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made God known. – (John 1:18, CEB)

No one has ever gazed upon the fullness of God’s splendor except the uniquely beloved Son, who is cherished by the Father and held close to His heart. Now He has unfolded to us the full explanation of who God truly is! – (John 1:18, TPT)

 

Without Jesus, it is impossible to truly understand God. Jesus came to us in a way that human eyes could see, ears could hear and our hearts could understand. He walked among us so that we could come to know the loving heart of the Father. Each time that Jesus touched the untouchable, healed the hurting and loved the difficult to love, He demonstrated who God is, and showed us God’s heart for His created. When He ascended into heaven and was seated at the right hand of the Father, He sent His Spirit to dwell within the hearts of everyone who chooses to receive and believe. Today, we gain glimpses of God through the hearts of people who demonstrate His love as He loved. When we are hurting and receive an encouraging word that holds our heart and lifts our spirit, it is glance at the goodness of God being made tangible. May we ever keep our eyes open and our hearts tender, to hear and share His heart with those around us.

 

The greatness of God, 

Far too much to grasp;

As we seek His Son,

He reveals as asked.

Though no eye has seen,

Yet, Jesus’ made known;

The fullness of God,

By grace, we’ve been shown.

And still we can see,

Glimpses of the Lord;

As we look to Him,

His love is outpoured.

Let us choose to seek,

So we come to know;

The greatness of God,

Wherever we go.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that though we have not seen You, we can know You through the life of Your Son. Thank You that You sent Your Spirit to dwell within us, so that we can see glimpses of You in others, and show Your heart to those around us as we love. Forgive us for not opening our eyes and hearts to the evidence of You that is all around us. Teach us to have eyes to see and hearts to understand, so that we will grow in our understanding of who You are and how You love. Show us how to love those around us with the same goodness and grace that You give to us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we open our eyes and hearts to see and take in Your splendor that is all around us. Amen.

 

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

 

Surely 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