Grace in the Grief

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. – (Matthew 5:4, NIV) 

Great blessings belong to those who are sad now. God will comfort them. – (Matthew 5:4, ERV) 

God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. – (Matthew 5:4, NLT) 

 

This morning, as I checked my messages, there was a notice from a friend at church informing me that an incredible lady – a wife and mother about my age, has passed. It has been both inspiring and heartbreaking to watch, for she battled cancer with courage and strength over the last several years, as her family fought alongside her. There was a sense of maintaining as much normalcy as possible, despite the devastation that all must have been feeling. The comfort in this heart-breaking loss, is that she is free of the pain and walking in glory. That being said, her husband has lost his best friend, and the children have lost their mother. Grief is a heavy space. As I pray for the family and those closest to her, I lay hold of the promise held in this verse in Matthew. Though it is not an easy road, God will bring comfort. God will bring His perfect peace. May we hold fast to the promise that He holds the grieving in His hands, and God is our Source of comfort in every season. 

 

God of all comfort,

We lean into Thee; 

For the ones mourning, 

Bring Your grace and peace. 

No words that we speak, 

Nor acts done in love; 

Can comfort the grief, 

Like You Lord, above. 

For You know each heart, 

How to help the ache; 

To soothe the sorrow, 

And mend the heartbreak. 

O Lord, be near them, 

As they walk through pain; 

Be their close comfort, 

‘til just love remains. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our comfort when we grieve. Thank You that You know this family and all that they need. Thank You that You will bring exactly what they need to navigate their new normal. Forgive us for forgetting our own mortality, and not receiving each day we wake as an incredible gift of time that not all are afforded. Teach us to appreciate each new day, and to seek You in all things. Show us how to love well, those who are mourning. May we be used in the practical as well as the prayerful. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for being our comfort and our peace, even in the most heartbreaking of times. Amen.

 

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

(There is) A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. – Ecclesiastes 3:4

Safeguarded in His Security

For the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap. – (Proverbs 3:26, NLT)

For the Eternal is always there to protect you. He will safeguard your each and every step. – (Proverbs 3:26, VOICE)

 

When we walk in the direction to which we are being called, Christ goes before us to prepare the way. This does not mean that our every step of obedience will be without opposition, in fact, quite the contrary is typically true; yet if God is for us, nothing that comes against us can stand. The Lord will protect us as we pursue the path that He is making plain, and He will keep us from being led astray from the way He intends for us to go, if we choose to rely on Him. May we trust in the Lord to be our security in the spaces that seem least secure, and allow Him to guide our every step, as He alone shall safeguard our steps as we follow Him.

 

Great Eternal One,

Our security;

You keep us all safe,

As we trust in Thee.

Each step that we take,

You are by our side;

Ever protecting,

With arms open wide.

Arms that both protect,

And freely embrace;

All who come seeking,

Your wisdom and grace.

Thank You, Lord Jesus,

For security;

That in Your embrace,

We’re safe and we’re free.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our security and protection. Thank You that You safeguard our every step and keep us from being caught in things that we are not meant to be near. Forgive us for our lack of trust in You to be our safety and protection when all around us seems unsettled. Teach us to trust You more, and to come to know and understand the depth and breadth of Your love and protection for each of us whom You call Your own. Show us how to love those around us, so that they too, may see the security that is found in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You to be our security for every step that we take, and our protection from every snare that seeks to entangle us. 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

Precious Thoughts

How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumbered the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me! – (Psalm 139:17-18, NLT)

 

It is easy to forget just how much truth there actually is in this verse. Sadly, if we are not paying attention, we miss knowing even a fraction of how present and aware God is for us. Yesterday afternoon I was blessed to road trip with a dear friend from my youth. We met in Youth With A Mission, and experienced some serious life-changing times together. As she and I drove, our conversation was deep and honest, and God used her to speak affirming words of truth that my heart needed to hear. I was reminded of how much He loves me, as we traveled together, as if no time had passed – despite life and years having marched on. Additionally, His presence has blessed me in our arrival. As I woke this morning, I was greeted with another conversation by another of the gals with whom I am blessed to gather, and I was in awe as I recognized that I had slept nearly double the hours that I had each night prior this week. He thinks about us and stays with us. It truly is overwhelming! May we remember to take pause and listen to the sweet whispers that He is speaking to our hearts, as the Lord is with us and for us; always.

 

How precious, O Lord,

Are Your thoughts of me;

As You love so well,

Your grace sets me free.

So many the times,

Beyond what I see;

Your presence remains,

Always, You’re with me.

More than I can count,

Like sands of the sea;

So great is Your love,

For all who seek Thee.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your precious thoughts for us are far more numerous than we can count or imagine. Thank You that You are with us when we are awake, as we sleep, and when we wake each morning. Thank You that there are reminders all around us. Thank You that You utilize the people that You have placed in our lives to be instruments to speak Your truth to our hearts. Forgive us for not slowing down to listen to Your heart for us, or for doubting, even for a second, the vastness and the depth of Your love for us. Teach us to trust You more and to listen to what You are speaking to our hearts. Show us how to love well, all those around us, just as You so relentlessly love us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we recognize how often and wonderful Your thoughts are of us, and how You are always with us. Amen.

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

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us. – Psalm 67:1

Strength for the Seeking

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

 

Though our adversaries or whatever happens to be opposing us may seem to have tremendous strength, God is far greater and stronger than anything that would come against us. He calls us to seek Him and His strength; and in our seeking, we find He meets us with more than enough for each moment as it comes. God does not give us the strength for tomorrow, today, but rather He provides what is needed as it is needed, allowing us to ever see Him more completely through our circumstances. May we look to the Lord and His strength, as we seek our Savior’s face, always.

 

Look up to the Lord,

for strength, He’s our Source;

seek His face always,

He’ll direct our course.

Despite how things look,

the Lord’s in control;

each day starts anew,

as His plans unfold.

Trust not in what’s seen,

but rather in He;

who’s faithful and just,

all praise unto Thee.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can look to You and Your strength, seeking Your face, always. Thank You that You are always listening and moving on our behalf, even when we cannot see the evidence of how You are working. Forgive us for our fearfulness when adversaries and opposition come against us, and teach us to trust You more, so that we will seek and find Your strength one moment at a time, as trials come our way. Lead us to love others in such a way that Your radiance is reflected through us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we look to You for strength, and seek Your face forever. Amen.

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

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