Goodness and Peace Greet Us

Faithful love and truth will join together; righteousness and peace will embrace. – (Psalm 85:10, HCSB)

God’s love will come together with His faithful people. Goodness and peace will greet them with a kiss. – (Psalm 85:10, ERV)

Unfailing love and truth have met on their way; righteousness and peace have kissed one another. – (Psalm 85:10, VOICE)

Where God’s faithful love is present, so is the truth. In spaces where hearts are right with God, there is peace. When God’s love leads, truth, goodness and peace are found present. The thing about this is that we must be immersed and surrounded in God’s faithful love for truth to be made evident and peace to be present. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us in His love, so that His truth may be made known, and His goodness and peace be present in places it is not expected. 

The goodness of God,

Is filled with His peace;

Found with love and truth,

For both bring release.

The truth sets us free,

From chains held by lies;

His love leads us on,

Goodness realized.

Keep trusting the Lord,

Rely on His love;

For there we find peace,

And goodness above.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that in You, love and truth are joined together, and goodness and peace are made clear. Forgive us for not turning to You to provide these things. Teach us to trust in You and invest time with You so that we come to know Your love, truth, peace and goodness for ourselves. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your heart clearly known. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your unfailing love and hold fast to Your truth, ever aware of Your goodness and peace that is found in Your presence. Amen.

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

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

Called to Keep Forgiving

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven.” – (Matthew 18:21-22, HCSB)

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, when someone won’t stop doing wrong to me, how many times must I forgive them? Seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, you must forgive them more than seven times. You must continue to forgive them even if they do wrong to you seventy-seven times.” – (Matthew 18:21-22, ERV)

Later Peter approached Jesus and said, “How many times do I have to forgive my fellow believer who keeps offending me? Seven times?” Jesus answered, “Not seven times, Peter, but seventy times seven times!” – (Matthew 18:21-22, TPT)

Forgiveness is a funny thing, as it is not as much for the offender as it is for the offended. To forgive is to release the weight and hurt of the offense, but it does not necessarily mean reconciliation. There are times when we must do everything possible to reconcile, yet there are other times when we need to walk away and trust God to lead us out of unhealthy situations and into peace, love and grace. It is in the space of seeking and trusting God that we discover the freedom that is found when we forgive. Holding onto hurt and anger keeps us bound up, whereas forgiveness sets us free from the weight of the wound. Healing happens when we give it to God. May we ever seek the Lord to help us forgive, just as He forgives us.

We’re called to forgive,

Again and again;

Release all to God,

Find freedom within.

Holding onto hurts,

Is what weighs hearts down;

Poison from within,

Thief of freedom found.

Lord, help us forgive,

Every offense;

Strength to move forward,

In each circumstance.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You instruct us to walk in forgiveness rather than holding onto hurts. Thank You that You equip and empower us to forgive like You when we seek You to show us how. Forgive us for every hurt that we have held too long, and show us how to release all in Your hands. Lead us in Your loving freedom so that we may extend the same to those around us. Show us how to love best, and may Your goodness and love lead others to entrust You with the offenses that hold their hearts captive. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rely on Your leading to live a life of forgiveness and grace. Amen. 

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

For You, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, rich in faithful love to all who call on You. – Psalm 86:5

Unseen Reality

Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. – (Hebrews 11:1, HCSB)

Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. – (Hebrews 11:1, ERV)

Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen. – (Hebrews 11:1, VOICE)

Faith and hope are funny things, for we all have faith and hope in something. Some hope for a spouse, a job, a vacation or simply something more than they have known before. In Christ, we can have faith in a hope that is certain, and proof of what we cannot see. His love overwhelms and surrounds us and shows us that we can be certain in the reality that we do not yet see. Without faith, it is impossible to find hope, for we must trust in something to hope that there is more than what we now see. May we ever look to the Lord to grow our faith, it is through Him that we know hope and trust in the things unseen.

Lord, strengthen our faith,

In all that is true;

Let Your hope be known,

As we trust in You.

Please grant us Your peace,

In space of unrest;

Lead us and guide us,

To all that is best.

Make the things unseen,

Known reality;

For all that You are,

Hope that sets us free.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we learn and grow in the goodness of Your love, faith rises and we become certain of our hope in You. Thank You that though we cannot see You, we can know You and be tangibly aware of Your presence. Forgive us for our fears and doubts and for relying on what is only seen right now. Teach us to trust You more, for You are our hope, help and future that is secure. Show us how to love those around us so that they too may know hope, even in that which is not seen. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You to grow our faith, for our hope is held in You forever. Amen.

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

So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:18

Faithful to Hold

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. – (2 Thessalonians 3:3, NIV) 

But the Lord is faithful; He will make you strong and guard you from satanic attacks of every kind. – (2 Thessalonians 3:3, TLB) 

Still, the Lord is true to His promises; He will hold you up and guard you against the evil one. – (2 Thessalonians 3:3, VOICE) 

God is faithful. He strengthens us when we feel weak, and He is our protector and help when evil seems to surround us. Much of our struggle with evil is subtle. Our heart, our mind, and our character are challenged by the darkness. That voice or thought that tells us anything about who we are that does not align with God’s word, is an evil assault on our soul. The more we are immersed in His word, the truth that sets us free, the better we are able to stand strong and secure in the truth that He assures us is so. We are His; we are chosen; He has a plan and a purpose for each of us. God is faithful to meet us in our fear and doubt, and remind us again of what is true. His strength is mightier than anything that may come against us, and He promises are true forever. May we seek and invest time in pursuing God; for He is faithful and with strengthen and protect us from all that comes against us. 

Promises of God, 

The truth that remains; 

No matter what comes, 

We can trust His Name. 

The lies that assault, 

Who we truly are; 

From the pit of hell, 

Intended to scar. 

But God, in His love, 

Speaks truth to each heart; 

Affirming in grace, 

In Him, who we are. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to guard and protect us from evil as we trust and depend on You. Thank You that You speak truth to every heart that seeks You. Forgive us for not seeking You in our fears and doubts. Teach us to lean into You and to listen to what You have to say. Show us how to love those around us in a way that extends safety and goodness to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and trust You to keep us safe from all evil. Amen. 

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

For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. – Psalm 33:4

Sweet Independence

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” – (Matthew 4:4, NIV)

Jesus answered him, “The Scriptures say, ‘It is not just bread that keeps people alive. Their lives depend on what God says.’” – (Matthew 4:4, ERV)

Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.” – (Matthew 4:4, MSG)

 

Independence Day has an entirely new meaning in my world this year. I am not speaking on a national level, but rather on a personal one. Independence, as it is defined, is the freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others. (dictionary.com)  Ironically, to be independent from the wiles of this world, we must be dependent on God. We have to know the Lord, trust His word to be true, and actually follow after Him with our whole heart, to avoid being sucked into a dependence on popular thought, regardless of how askew it has become. Personally, I am in a space where my formerly independent mom, is currently completely dependent on me (or my sister) for everything throughout her day. Aid and support are required to sustain her, as the right side of her body is still not cooperating as it used to, prior to her stroke. At times I find myself feeling like a prisoner in this space, as I am accustomed to the freedom to come and go as I choose. Not having the liberty to take off and go for a run or make a quick trip to the store as needed, is an odd sort of normal. That being said, even when I have those freedoms at home, I still depend on God. My thought life and ability to express myself is independent of anyone’s control, and any submitting that I do, is a personal choice unto the Lord.

Perhaps my point is to not take our independence for granted. Mom’s independence was taken in an unexpected instant. She had no prior health issues nor warning signs, yet a stroke happened, and here we are. God is gracious and mom is a fighter. He has given her strength and tenacity, and I believe she will work her way back to full function on her own again. However, there is much work and an undisclosed timeline in the in between. Yesterday was another good day, as mom walked the full length of her hallway by herself with the walker during physical therapy in the morning. A bit later, we went on a “field trip” into town to drive through Dutch Bros for coffee. Honestly, it is a way to get out of the house and take in a change of scenery. Upon our return, we sat on the deck and spent a few hours playing Uno and Dominos. Playing games is a great way to continue to connect pathways in her healing brain, and do not be fooled, as she is a ruthless competitor. 😊 The remainder of the day was fairly routine, as we did the usual sort of activities. Last night, she had a few wake-ups in a short span of time, but then slept until 5:30 this morning. There is absolutely nothing scheduled for today, so we shall see what the day holds. We are independent to choose, yet dependent on God for His goodness and grace as we go. May your day be free and blessed as You celebrate the gift of independence that is held in your hands.

 

Sweet independence,

Freedom to behold;

Where no one controls,

We choose what to hold.

Hold fast to the truth,

Grace rooted in love;

Trust in the Lord’s word,

All hope from above.

Only by God’s grace,

Do we truly know;

Freedom forever,

True peace to let go.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and grace. Thank You that true independence and freedom come when we learn to be dependent on You. Thank You for the nourishment found in Your word. Forgive us for our frustration found in our circumstances, somehow thinking that our independence has anything to do with our location or physical condition. Teach us to trust You more, understanding that Your word truly sets us free from all that holds us captive. Show us how to love those around us well, so that they too may come to understand freedom in Your love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we celebrate our independence because of our dependence on You. Amen.

 

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

 

My brothers and sisters, God chose you to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful selves. Instead, serve each other with love. – Galatians 5:13