To Learn What is Good

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

You are good, and You do good things. Teach me Your laws. – (Psalm 119:68, ERV)

You are good, and the Source of good; train me in Your goodness. – (Psalm 119:68, MSG)

You are truly good, and Your acts are too; teach me what You require. – (Psalm 119:68, VOICE)

Because God is good, what He requires is also good. In our broken humanity, good is not always what comes naturally. Instead, we must invest time with God and read His word to grow in our understanding and listen as He reveals more of His heart to us. For the last eleven plus years, I have invested the start of each day into spending time in God’s word and in prayer. What I have learned and continue to learn is the importance of loving God and loving people. The more I spend time with Him, the more He reveals His heart for all of humanity. At the end of the day, what matters most is am I loving Him and loving those around me. He shows willing hearts how to love as He loves, and the process is one that takes a lifetime. No one ever arrives. We all have an ongoing need to learn and grow to become more like Him. May we ever seek the Lord in His goodness and love, so that we may continue to learn what He requires of us to live and love well.

The goodness of God,

Photo by Lukas Rodriguez on Pexels.com

Truth that shall remain;

All that the Lord does,

Shows His love explained.

It is up to us,

To choose seek the Lord;

And as we do so,

His grace is outpoured.

He shows us the way,

To live as He asks;

In all things, choose love,

Not a list of tasks.

So, choose to seek Him,

Spend time in His word;

In love, He’ll lead us,

Making His heart heard.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good and all of Your ways are good. Thank You that as we seek You, You show us how to live and love as You intended. Thank You that it is an ongoing process. Thank You that we are a work in progress. Forgive us for neglecting to seek You to lead us. Teach us the value of investing time each day with You. Show us Your heart for us and for those around us. Lead us to love as You love. May many come to see and know how good You are and choose a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead us, grow us and transform us to be more like You in how we live and love each day. Amen.

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

Mankind, He has told you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God. – Micah 6:8

Love Fulfills the Law

Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. – (Romans 13:10, NLT)

Love doesn’t hurt others. So, loving is the same as obeying all the law. – (Romans 13:10, ERV)

Love makes it impossible to harm another, so love fulfills all that the law requires. – (Romans 13:10, TPT)

 

When we choose love, we are choosing to follow and fulfill that which God requires. If we make love our priority in how we navigate our days, we are walking in obedience to His will. Love is a word that is often overused, yet it is clearly defined in God’s word. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, we are told that love does not: envy, boast, dishonor others, delight in evil, keep record of wrongs, it is not self-seeking, and it is not easily angered. On the other hand, love is: patient and kind, it always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, rejoices with the truth and love never fails. Though some of these come more naturally than others, love is a choice. Each time that we make the choice to love, even when we would rather not, we are walking in obedience to the will of God. May we look to the Lord and His endless love to empower and equip us to go and do likewise with all whom we encounter. Let love be our motivation for all that we say and do, so that we may ever honor You.

 

To love is a choice, 

In Christ, we’re made strong;

To love as He loves,

For love does no wrong.

Patience and kindness,

Choose hope and protect;

Persevere, rejoice,

Won’t envy, reject.

Love won’t keep record,

Of others mistakes;

Will celebrate good,

As Love leads the way.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we choose to love, we are walking in obedience to You. Thank You that love does not hurt others, but rather it protects and builds up. Forgive us for the times that we have not chosen to love. Teach us to turn to You in trust, so that we would seek Your wisdom and strength to know how to love in at all times and in every circumstance. Show us how to love those around us in a way that protects and conveys kindness and hope. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to love in all things and at all times, so that we may fulfill all that You require. Amen.

 

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

 

For the Lord your God will bless you, …and your joy will be complete. – Deuteronomy 16:15

The Only Thing That Counts

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. – (Galatians 5:6b, NIV)

 

We are called to do two things: Love God, and love people. If we, by faith, choose to pursue a life of doing both, we seek to honor and serve the Lord as an expression of our love to Him. Additionally, the more in tune with God we become, the more naturally we pour out to others, from the overflow of our hearts. As we understand the love and sacrifice that has been given unto us, how much more do we desire to love well, all those who are around us? May we choose to actively pursue a life of faith expressed in love, both toward God, who is love, and to all those who surround us.

 

All of our efforts,

To try to be good;

Are wasted, in vain,

Lest love’s understood.

For God does not want,

A list of what’s done;

He wants us to love,

Just as did His Son.

Our faith in the Lord,

Will help us express;

The love that’s in us,

The way that is best.

At the end of days,

What shall count above;

Is our faith in God,

And how we chose love.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that what counts to You is our faith expressing itself through love. Thank You that You do not leave us to muster up enough faith to love well, but rather as we pursue You, You meet us and equip us with faith that expresses itself naturally through loving You and others well. Forgive us for not choosing to love when it is difficult. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would love the seemingly unlovable, as they often are those who need Your love made tangible the most. Grant us wisdom to know when to persist and when to walk away. Lead us to be Your heart and voice of love to those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we pursue You with all that we are, and in faith, love You and love people as we have been called. 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

Truth Be Told

As Jesus was on the road to Jerusalem and the people began to shout out praise and adoration for all that they had seen through Him, some of the Pharisees objected strongly, and asked Jesus to rebuke those who were following Him.

He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” – (Luke 19:40, ESV)

 

When the truth of God need be told, it will come forth – be it naturally or supernaturally. God often uses unlikely places to speak His truth in a way that helps our hearts to hear Him best. For Jonah, it took time in the belly of a big fish to get his attention. For Saul, who became Paul, he was blinded through a heavenly encounter along the road. For another, a talking donkey; still others, pillars of fire, a burning bush, parted seas, plagues, writing on a wall… The list goes on. God comes close and meets us where we are, so that we might turn to Him and seek His face. In our space of seeking, we come to find His nearness, and how faithful He is to listen to our heart’s cry. He walks beside us through the wilderness, and leads us to safe pasture where we find rest. He is good, and His love endures forever. May we ever speak of the wonders that He has done, so that others too, may hear His heart for people.

 

Let’s not be silent,

for we’re called to praise;

speak of His goodness,

for all of our days.

For if not from us,

the truth still be told;

the rocks shall cry out,

all praise to behold.

It is our calling,

what we’re charged to do;

to speak of His love,

and how we’re made new.

It is by His grace,

our story to tell;

may we share in faith,

with hope, it is well.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to participate in the sharing of Your story. Thank You that we each have a story of how You have come into our lives and changed our hearts as we have sought after You. Thank You that You love people so much that if we did not speak the truth of who You are, even the rocks would testify on Your behalf. Forgive us for staying silent when we are meant to speak. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would be courageous and not fear what others might think of us when we share of what You have done for us, personally. Thank You that You have done so much. Show us how to love others so that they may see the hope that is held in You alone. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we speak of Your goodness and grace, and how You love in even the most broken space. Amen.

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

Father, I thank You that You have heard me. – John 11:41

 

 

To Bear With One Another In Love

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. – (Ephesians 4:2)

 

Patience, gentleness and humility are not always the loving response that come naturally when buttons are pushed – either intentionally or unintentionally. Just yesterday, I had to make a very cognitive choice to be patient and bear with others in love. Despite the others being those whom I love, my patience was challenged and stretched thin, and gentleness was not the response rising within me. I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit will gently, yet firmly, remind me of my responsibility to humbly and gently love. Each time that I choose to listen and walk in obedience to the prompting within, I do not regret the results. The choice to love, above all else, ultimately ends in good. My decision to walk in humility, gentleness, and patience, resulted in true gratitude for the grace that had been extended. In the end, I think that I ended up being more blessed through the process than anyone else, simply because I knew how tangibly present the Lord had drawn near, to make that acting in love, possible. May we choose to be completely humble and gentle; being patient with each other as we choose well to love.

 

Despite what’s before us,

we have each been called;

to walk ever humbly,

and gentle to all.

May we each be patient,

where tempers try flare;

and choose to bear in love,

those whom cause despair.

For as we choose to love,

God moves mightily;

His great blessings abound,

beyond what is seen.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are humble, gentle and patient, and that You bear with us in love. Thank You that You do not ask anything of us, that You are not willing to strengthen and equip us to carry out. Forgive us for the times that we have not chosen humility, gentleness, patience, or love, and help us to trust You more, so that we will seek You and Your strength to do as You ask us to do. Lead us to love others well, even when they are difficult to love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we walk in humility and gentleness, trusting You to grant us patience and grace to bear with one another in Your love. Amen.

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

The joy of the Lord is your strength. – Nehemiah 8:10