Faithful Reign

Be glad people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains as before. – (Joel 2:23, NIV) 

So be happy people of Zion. Be joyful in the Lord your God. He is good and will give you rain. He will send the early rains and the late rains as before. – (Joel 2:23, ERV) 

People of Zion, shout with joy and happiness in the Eternal, your God; The drought is over; He has sent the early autumn rain as a sign of His faithfulness. He has poured down heavy rain, autumn and spring, as before. – (Joel 2:23, VOICE) 

Friday afternoon, I imagine many of us could relate to this verse in Joel, as the skies opened up and poured down a deluge of refreshing, cleansing rain. Though it was not to save our crops as it was back then, it was a tremendous aid in cleansing the smoke-filled air, all over our area. By yesterday afternoon, we were celebrating His goodness as we could again see blue sky and defined clouds, rather than a smokey haze all around us. The air quality went from unsafe to normal overnight. There is joy in Him, as He is the One who sends the rain and shows us His faithfulness, again and again. May we ever seek Him and praise Him to provide all that we need; for He is faithful forever. 

O Lord, send Your rain, 

For You know our need; 

You cover and bless, 

As You’re sought, You meet. 

Please reign in our lives, 

So love and light show; 

Cleanse us and lead us, 

Let Your heart be known. 

For goodness and grace, 

We ever give praise; 

Trusting in You Lord, 

Throughout all our days. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You give us tangible reminders of how You cleanse and bless and provide. Thank You that You reign, regardless of what we see around us. Forgive us for our lack of faith or trust in spaces that seem beyond our understanding. Teach us to trust and rely on You more. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your goodness and provision known. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You and praise You for Your faithful reign in our lives. Amen. 

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

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. – Psalm 97:1

The Good in Good Friday

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. – (2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV)

For God took the sinless Christ and poured into Him our sins. Then, in exchange, He poured God’s goodness into us! – (2 Corinthians 5:21, TLB)

For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we who did not know righteousness might become the righteousness of God through our union with Him. – (2 Corinthians 5:21, TPT)

 

This. This is the good that we celebrate on Good Friday. Jesus Christ, who had lived and served and loved without sin, willingly took all sin upon Himself and bore it on the cross, so that we would have a way to be right with God. Our sinfulness was exchanged for Christ’s righteousness. His sacrifice made the way for all who seek Him to become righteous before God. This holy exchange is the very thing that empowers God’s goodness to be evident in us. Christ’s love that made the way for us all to be restored unto God, is the good in Good Friday. May we each recognize with reverent awe, the enormity of the exchange that took place on our behalf.

 

One horrific day,

A long time ago;

Christ went to the cross,

To make goodness known.

Upon that old cross,

Jesus bore all sin;

The wrongs of the world,

Were nailed upon Him.

The weight that He bore,

Was for you and I;

Though we were sinners,

He still chose to die.

Such a painful death,

So we could be free;

Covered with goodness,

Righteousness to see.

This is what is good,

On this dreadful day;

Death of our Savior,

Cause for Good Friday.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to take our place upon the cross. Thank You that His goodness covers all of our ugliness in Your eyes. Forgive us for not recognizing the enormity of the burden You bore on our behalf. Help us to see just how good, Good Friday is because of Your incredible love. Show us how to embrace the goodness You have given to us and empower us to love well, all those whom with we cross paths. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we become aware of the incredible exchange of our sinfulness for Your righteousness, that make Good Friday so good. Amen.

 

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

 

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8

A Priestly Blessing

May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace. – (Numbers 6:24-26, NLT)

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord smile down on you and show you His kindness. May the Lord answer your prayers and give you peace. – (Numbers 6:24-26, ERV)

God bless you and keep you, God smile on you and gift you, God look you full in the face and make you prosper. – (Numbers 6:24-26, MSG)

 

This is the priestly blessing that God told Moses to use to bless the people of Israel. I love the word choice, as it paints such a beautiful picture of God’s love for us. To be blessed and protected are two things that I pray for my family, daily. To feel the Lord’s pleasure and experience His kindness are incredible additions to the blessing. The very idea of God smiling down on us is so encouraging. Additionally, it is a reminder that He hears our prayers and provides us His peace. May we seek the Lord and pray this blessing for all those around us.

 

May the Lord’s blessings,

Be poured upon you;

May His protection,

Refresh and renew.

May His love be clear,

For You’re His treasure;

Know He smiles at you,

As you bring pleasure.

May you know He hears,

Each prayer that you pray;

He’s offering peace,

As we choose His way.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible gift of the blessings that You pour upon us – Your presence, protection, pleasure, and peace. Thank You that You hear our every prayer. Forgive us for forgetting how blessed we are to know You. Teach us to trust You more, so, that we would recognize Your blessings and beautiful peace that are so lavishly given. Show us how to love those around us in a way that demonstrates Your blessings being provided in tangible ways. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we receive Your blessings and extend them to others. Amen.

 

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

 

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

Overcoming Leads to Becoming

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. – (Romans 5:3-5)

 

There is a process of overcoming prior to our becoming all that God intends for us to be. Just as plants need pruning to remove the weight of what is dead to grow to their full height and fruitfulness, so too, do we. Part of our pruning process often involves trials that require perseverance. As we press on and into God, He refines and roots our character firmly in Him. Through the growth process, hope rises, and we become certain of in Whom our hope lies, because God is faithful throughout the process, and His Holy Spirit remains present in us, no matter what comes our way. May we rejoice in the process of overcoming, knowing that through it, we are becoming, all that God intends for us to be. Let hope rise, for His love has been placed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit Himself.

 

Praise through the pruning,

for when it is done;

remaining is stronger,

so battles are won.

As we persevere,

character refined;

hope is given rise,

God’s glory defined.

He pours out His love,

into seeking hearts;

Holy Spirit’s home,

wherever we are.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that though not one of us enjoys suffering, we can rejoice in how You use our trials to produce perseverance, character and hope within us. Thank You that though we may not see the purpose in the tragedies and trials that we face, we can trust that You will use all things for the good of those who love You. Forgive us for our frustrations and fears when we are in the midst of trials, and help us to trust You enough to cling to You, knowing that You will lead us through the overcoming so that we may become more of who You have created us to be. Lead us to love others with the love that You have freely given unto us. May many come into a saving relationship with You, Lord. Be exalted O God, as we persevere in the overcoming, and trust You in our becoming, more of who You have created us to be. Let hope rise, as we are acutely aware of the love poured into our hearts by Your Spirit as we go. Amen.

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

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23