May Love Grow

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. – (1 Thessalonians 3:12, NIV) 

We pray that the Lord will make your love grow. We pray that He will give you more and more love for each other and all people. We pray that you will love everyone in the same way we love you. – (1 Thessalonians 3:12, ERV) 

And may the Lord increase your love until it overflows toward one another for all people, just as our love overflows toward you. – (1 Thessalonians 3:12, TPT) 

Paul wrote to the church of Thessalonica to encourage them in their faith and love in the face of persecution. Though we are not facing the same scenario that early church endured, we do have much need in our society for faith and love. Civil unrest and people easily angered, do not make for a loving environment. It is our charge to love one another, in the same way that God loves each of us. His love is relentless, unconditional, and unchanging; ours ought to be as well. Too often, we have conditions or requirements that deem others must somehow be worthy of our love, rather than simply loving because they are His created. We must do and be better, and it begins with those who know and understand the power of God’s love for us. May we ever seek the Lord to make our love increase and overflow for those directly around us, and for all people everywhere. 

We are called to love, 

Care for each other; 

Mothers and fathers, 

Sisters and brothers. 

The whole human race, 

Is our family; 

Whom we’re meant to love, 

Ever faithfully. 

We need the Lord’s love, 

To flood heart and mind; 

So we may learn well, 

To love and be kind. 

Show us Lord Jesus, 

What we need to know; 

To love as You love, 

So Your goodness shows. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You loved us first. Thank You that You call us to love not only those directly around us, but all people, everywhere. Forgive us for the times that we have not been loving, or have somehow withheld the good that was meant to be given. Teach us to turn to You to lead us in our every interaction. Show us how to love like You at all times, with all people. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to show us how to love more deeply and completely, all people. Amen. 

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

May Your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You. – Psalm 33:22

Safety and Peace

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. – (Psalm 4:8, NIV)

When I go to bed, I sleep in peace, because, Lord, You keep me safe. – (Psalm 4:8, ERV)

Now, because of You, Lord, I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once, for no matter what happens, I will live unafraid. – (Psalm 4:8, TPT)

 

A puppy is such a tangible illustration of how trust and safety lead to peace. For us, though we are learning and bonding and growing together, our sweet Thor, (yellow lab puppy), already sleeps peacefully on our laps, beside us, or in our arms, as he knows he is safe. We, as humans, are slow learners, and far more easily distracted by life’s circumstances, as we allow worries and concerns to disrupt the perfect peace that is available in the safety and security of God’s perfect and unending love. Thankfully, His grace is relentless, as is His patience, and He waits lovingly for us to turn to Him so that we may again find our security in His peace, where fear has no room to grow. May we seek the Lord and His strong shelter, as He is our place of peace where we need not fear.

 

To lie down in peace,

Requires great trust;

Worries set aside,

By grace we adjust.

Adapt to goodness,

That is not deserved;

Be immersed in grace,

Though not understood.

As we receive these,

His peace becomes ours;

We find His sweet rest,

Love that empowers.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love that surrounds us and grants us peace and safety and rest. Thank You that You show us what it is to truly trust in tangible ways, through things that make sense to our hearts. Forgive us for allowing the cares of the world to steal our peace that comes from You. Teach us to trust You to be our peace, even in the most trying of storms. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your peace tangible and Your safety something that is possible in whatever season they find themselves in. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to be our safe shelter; for in You we find true peace. Amen.

 

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

 

In You, Lord my God, I put my trust. – Psalm 25:1

Trust in Consistency

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. – (Hebrews 13:8, NLT)

 

Knowing that Christ is consistent provides peace and comfort, regardless of what we are going through. Though our circumstances will change, Jesus will not. We can trust in the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father, as His presence is not conditional and grace is not given based on our goodness. Once we place our trust in the Lord, He comes and dwells in us, and lovingly leads us in the ways in which we are meant to go. Christ is not fickle and will not say one thing and do another, nor will He change His mind. We can trust that what He says, He will do, and the places we’re called He will help us break through. May we trust completely in He who is faithful forever, who loves relentlessly and without wavering, regardless of how we come before Him.

 

True and unchanging,

how great is our God;

faithful forever,

let all hearts applaud.

The love of Jesus,

that was yesterday;

remains forever,

it‘s the same always.

His love – relentless,

kind, faithful and true;

draws us unto Him,

in all that we do.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You do not change – that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Thank You that when we come to You and place our trust in You, we are Yours. Thank You that our adoption as Your children cannot be revoked because we don’t do enough or aren’t somehow good enough, but rather we are enough, because we are Yours. Forgive us for forgetting just how consistent and faithful You are. Teach us to trust You in all things and at all times, as You are always present and available to all who call on Your Name. Show us how to faithfully extend Your loving kindness and grace to all those around us, so that many may choose to follow after You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in the consistency and faithfulness that is found in You forever, and share the same with all whom we encounter. Amen.

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

Shout aloud and sing for joy. – Isaiah 12:6

Impossible Made Possible

“We have a God who delights in impossibilities.” – Andrew Murray

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – (Matthew 19:26, NIV)

Jesus looked at them and said, “This is something that people cannot do. But God can do anything.” – (Matthew 19:26, ERV)

I am so grateful that God is a God of making the impossible, possible. What is seen through human eyes, is not the full reality through God’s perspective. We only see in part, what God sees in whole. That which is our struggle, the mountain that seems impossible to navigate today, may either be made low or He could grant us His strength to overcome far more than we could imagine in the coming days. Our job is to trust and to continue moving forward in the direction to which He is calling. He does not ask us to climb the entire mountain in one swift movement, but rather one step at a time. It is remarkable to take pause and look back, for we can suddenly see clearly, just how far He has brought us beyond where we thought we could climb. May we seek the strength of our Savior, and trust in His unfailing love; for in Him, all things that seem impossible can become possible as He calls them into being.

The mountain ahead,

http://www.jskogerboe.com

seems too hard to climb;

for we’ve not the strength,

for just one more time.

It’s not up to us,

but rather to God;

to what is conquered,

and what path we trod.

For impossible,

only through our eyes;

with God there’s a way,

He hears all our cries.

He makes plain our path,

and grants us the strength;

to keep climbing upward,

o’er height and great length.

Let us seek the Lord,

no matter the task;

He makes possible,

to those who choose ask.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that what is impossible for man, is possible for You. Thank You that You delight in showing us Your loving kindness and power, as You strengthen and equip us to do the impossible through You. Forgive us for our lack of faith that causes us to shut down in the face of impossibilities. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would rise up in faith and recognize that though something is impossible for us in our own strength, for You, ANYTHING is possible. Show us how to love others in such a way, that they may come to know and understand Your relentless and unwavering love for them too. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to make the impossible possible, by Your grace and strength. Amen.

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

Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise. – James 5:13

Run for Your Life

Paul, as he was serving his final sentence in prison and awaiting his earthly demise, he knew with confidence that he had done all that he could do to love God and love people with his life. Because his hope was in Christ, he knew what was in store. Though his earthly end was drawing near, his eternity in glory, was about to begin. As He held fast to the truth, he was able to say with confidence: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. – (2 Timothy 4:7)

 

Can we with confidence, also claim that we are fighting the good fight, running the race to which we are called, and all the while, keeping the faith? It is a weighty question, and one that can only be answered with a “yes“, if we walk out our days dependent on Christ. Some days it is easier to fight the good fight than others. Just as some days are beyond difficult to get out of the house and run, so too is our faith in action. Yesterday, between the heat and the having to run solo, it nearly kept me from walking out my front door. Deep within me, I knew that if I did not get out and go, I would regret it. It was hot and hilly, and quite frankly, a bit miserable. However, when I was finished, I was so grateful to have gone. Likewise, the weariness and the worries of the world can wear us down and keep us from walking out our front door, or from reaching out where we know we are called to go. That being said, we have a Savior who calls and equips us to run and fight in faith. All that is needed He will provide. May we stand firm in our faith as we run the race to which we are called; and in His power, fight the good fight until our final breath is drawn.

 

Let our lives be led,

by the Lord’s great love;

as He fuels our faith,

seek His ways above.

For we have been called,

to run our own race;

to fight the good fight,

stand firm in our faith.

Let our race be run,

in a mighty way;

so that “Well done’s” heard,

on our final day.

Let’s fight the good fight,

and run our race strong;

propelled by the faith,

that pulls us along.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to fight the good fight and run the race that You have set before us, through the faith that You impart to every heart who seeks You. Thank You that the reward that awaits a life lived for You, far outweighs any darkness or suffering that we endure in the here and now. Forgive us for taking our eyes off of eternity, and allowing the here and now to define us. Teach us to fix our eyes on You and what lasts forever, not on that which will one day fade. Lead us to love others intentionally and generously, just as You so love each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we fight the good fight and run our own race through a relentless faith in 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

Faithful to Move the Fallen Forward

David is remembered as a man after God’s own heart. This is not because he always did everything right in the eyes of the Lord, but rather it was his relentless pursuit of redemption and restoration, even when he had done wrong in the sight of the Lord. He knew that all that he had was a gift from God, and was not at all what he deserved. David’s attitude of gratitude is expressed over and over in the Psalms, and his willingness to praise publicly and put aside his position of prestige, proved to the people that God alone, was deserving of all worship and praise.

 

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far?” – (1 Chronicles 17:16)

 

David approached God from a position of humility, despite being king. His beginnings as a shepherd boy were not forgotten, nor was the Lord’s faithfulness that had brought him through the trials and tribulations that led to his long before predicted position of leadership. Just as David took time to reflect on all that the Lord had done in his life thus far, so too we ought to do likewise. When we look back and reflect upon all that the Lord has done, we cannot help but stand in awe of His love and faithfulness granted unto us. Even if we are in the midst of messiness, we have previous examples and present provisions, that prove to us that He is for us, and that His promises shall stand the test of time. May we remember the Lord’s faithfulness forever, and look forward with faith in the Lord’s goodness and grace that He grants to all who call on His Name.

 

Lord, help us recall,

all that You have done;

to bring us this far,

O Great Holy One.

For You Lord, are good,

Your love will endure;

despite that which comes,

Your faithfulness sure.

Help us move forward,

with trust that’s secure;

thank You for Your grace,

and presence so near.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that no matter where we are in our journey with You right now, we can look back and see that You have brought us a great distance from where we once were. Thank You that You are faithful to transform, renew and restore us, as You lead us forward into the promise of all that You have planned for us. Forgive us for our fearfulness that keeps us from moving forward. Teach us to trust You more, so that we may quickly recall all that You have done for us before, raising up in our hearts, a renewed strength and sense of purpose that will propel us forward toward who You are calling us to become. Lead us to love others with the same tender and relentless love that You have given to us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we remember how far You have brought us, and lead us to move boldly forward into what we are to become. 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

A Promise to Enter Rest

Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. – (Romans 4:1)

Though these words were originally written to the Jewish Christians who were likely in danger of turning back from their promised rest in Christ, due to the difficulty of the present reality that was clouding their perspective, we too, can listen and heed the advice.  For all who call on His Name and trust in Him, the promise of entering Christ’s eternal rest remains.  Though we all fall short, for each of us are sinful and broken, yet in Christ, if we choose to trust Him and persevere in His presence, we can overcome our current circumstances and carry on into the call that He has placed on our lives, and remember that the Lord’s promise is for us, and He shall give us rest.

When we are in Christ,

there is promised rest;

for He knows our needs,

and His ways are best.

No matter what comes,

His promises stand;

our future glory,

secure in His hand.

So let us beware,

to not fall away;

let not life’s troubles,

lead our hearts astray.

Hold fast to the truth,

and let us each run;

He’ll strengthen our hearts,

our great Holy One.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You promise us Your rest, both in our present places, and into eternity.  Thank You that in You, we are forgiven and granted the strength to press on and persevere on the path to which You have called us to travel.  Forgive us for our lack of fortitude in the fight, when weariness overwhelms us, and teach us to trust You more, so that we will depend on You in such a way, that we bring everything to You as it comes.  Lead us to love others with the same relentless and selfless love that You give to us, and may many come into a lasting relationship with You as a result.  Be glorified O God, as we hold fast to Your promises and receive the rest that You readily grant us.  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