Tuesday, September 26, 2017

LHM Daily Devotion - September 27, 2017 "Confused by the Cross"

When Jesus died, there were two groups of people who stood at the cross...

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour



"Confused by the Cross"

September 27, 2017

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

When Jesus died, there were two groups of people who stood at the cross.

The first group was a small one. It was the group which believed in Him. They had heard His message of repentance, forgiveness, and grace; they had seen His miracles which restored those who were ill in body and soul. This group had put their hope in Him.

But there was also another group at the cross.

This group was as far removed from the first as is humanly possible. There were the soldiers who were gambling for Christ's clothing; these were the men of authority who had hated the Savior's message and spurned His call to pardon and peace. Laughing, rejoicing at what they were seeing, they hurled insults, and saw the cross as an end to Christ's competition for the hearts of the people.

If you had told them that Jesus' cross was God's plan of hope, they would not have understood.

Today, two groups still stand before Jesus' cross.

The first, by the Spirit's power, kneels in repentant humility, and prays, "Lord be merciful to me a sinner." Those souls, having seen their Savior die in their stead, knowing He has paid the price to ransom them from sin and Satan and death, recognizing the cross as the power of God, are forgiven, free, and have an eternal future.

But the second group is also there, rejecting the cross, ignoring it, despising, scoffing at it, considering it foolishness. St. Paul was right: "the message (word) of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

I've been saying there were two groups before the cross. You should know there were three.

The third group was a small one, made up of only two men. They shared nothing other than their physical proximity. One of these men was a Roman centurion, the other a crucified and dying thief.

At the end of the day, one would be alive; the other would be dead. One had a future; the other, well, he had none, at least not in this world. One would walk back to his barracks; the dead body of the other would be discarded. One of the men represented power, the other, total helplessness.

Still, these two men became joined in this: as they took a good, close look at the dying Savior, they were transformed. In the six hours during which they watched God's Son die, both of these men were changed.

From the Savior, the dying thief received the promise of heaven, and the centurion was given the knowledge that Jesus was the Son of God. That was his confession. After Jesus had breathed His last, the centurion rightly confessed, "Surely, this man was the Son of God!" (See Matthew 27:54.)

These two men knew the Savior's crucifixion on a skull-shaped hill outside of Jerusalem's walls was unique. It was made that way not because of the cross. The cross was made of the same timber as all the others. It was different not because of the cross, but because of who hung on it: Jesus, the Son of God, your Savior.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, send Your Holy Spirit into this troubled world, so the cross may become for all a symbol of Your love and redemption of sinful humankind. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin!  Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).

CPTLN Devocional de 27 de Setiembre de 2017


Alimento Diario

Ángel de la guardia

27 de Setiembre 2017

El Señor mandará sus ángeles a ti, para que te cuiden en todos tus caminos. Ellos te llevarán en sus brazos, y no tropezarán tus pies con ninguna piedra.

Era un domingo de mañana y me dirigía a predicar en una iglesia en Minneapolis.

Dos cuadras antes del semáforo la luz se puso verde. Pero cuando llegué a la intersección, y sin saber por qué, frené.

En el momento en que mi esposa y yo hubiéramos cruzado esa esquina, un coche pasó a toda velocidad a pesar de tener luz roja. Sin lugar a dudas, con la velocidad que llevaba, si yo no hubiera frenado habríamos resultado gravemente heridos, si es que no muertos.

¿Qué fue lo que nos salvó? ¿Mi habilidad como conductor, o un ángel de la guardia?

Yo creo en los ángeles de la guardia.

Y, de acuerdo a una encuesta, el 55% de los norteamericanos comparte mi creencia. Así es, el 55% de las personas encuestadas dice que han sido protegidas de algún mal por un ángel guardián. El 55% de nosotros cree que los ángeles de Dios han estado directamente involucrados en mantenernos a salvo de algún tipo de peligro.

En el salmo usado para esta devoción se nos afirma que así es, que el Señor ordena a sus ángeles que nos cuiden. Aun así, es bueno saber que tantas personas están de acuerdo con la Biblia y que reconocen la protección angelical de Dios en sus vidas.

Le aliento a que le agradezca a Dios por los accidentes que no le han sucedido, las enfermedades que no le han acosado, las tragedias que no le han llegado. Y también le aliento a que dé gracias al Señor por haber enviado a su Hijo a vivir, morir y resucitar para lograr nuestro perdón y nuestro hogar eterno en el cielo.

ORACIÓN: Querido Padre celestial, muchas han sido las veces en que me has cuidado sin que yo lo haya sabido. Por tu cuidado constante te agradezco infinitamente. Ayúdame a ser siempre consciente de tu presencia y de tu amor en mi vida. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. ¡Utilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL.

The Daily Readings for TUESDAY, September 26, 2017


Opening Sentence
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
~ Psalm 19:14

Confession of Sin

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Morning Prayer
Oh Lord, most heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who has safely brought me to the beginning of this day; I give you thanks for my creation, preservation, and all the blessings of my life. Grant that this day I fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all my doings, being governed by your will, may be righteous in your sight. Through Christ our Lord, I pray. Amen.

The Lessons

A reading from 2 Kings 5:19-27
He said to him, "Go in peace." But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, "My master has let that Aramean Naaman off too lightly by not accepting from him what he offered. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something out of him." So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped down from the chariot to meet him and said, "Is everything all right?" He replied, "Yes, but my master has sent me to say, 'Two members of a company of prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim; please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.'" Naaman said, "Please accept two talents." He urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them in front of Gehazi. When he came to the citadel, he took the bags from them, and stored them inside; he dismissed the men, and they left. He went in and stood before his master; and Elisha said to him, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" He answered, "Your servant has not gone anywhere at all." But he said to him, "Did I not go with you in spirit when someone left his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept money and to accept clothing, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you, and to your descendants forever." So he left his presence leprous, as white as snow.

A reading from 1 Corinthians 5:1-8
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Should you not rather have mourned, so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you? For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not a good thing. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

A reading from Matthew 5:27-37
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.' But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be 'Yes, Yes' or 'No, No' anything more than this comes from the evil one.

Morning Psalms
Psalm 78:1-39 Part I Attendite, popule
1   Hear my teaching, O my people; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2   I will open my mouth in a parable; I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
3   That which we have heard and known, and what our forefathers have told us, we will not hide from their children.
4   We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the LORD, and the wonderful works he has done.
5   He gave his decrees to Jacob and established a law for Israel, which he commanded them to teach their children;
6   That the generations to come might know, and the children yet unborn; that they in their turn might tell it to their children;
7   So that they might put their trust in God, and not forget the deeds of God, but keep his commandments;
8   And not be like their forefathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9   The people of Ephraim, armed with the bow, turned back in the day of battle;
10   They did not keep the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
11   They forgot what he had done, and the wonders he had shown them.
12   He worked marvels in the sight of their forefathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13   He split open the sea and let them pass through; he made the waters stand up like walls.
14   He led them with a cloud by day, and all the night through with a glow of fire.
15   He split the hard rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as from the great deep.
16   He brought streams out of the cliff, and the waters gushed out like rivers.
17   But they went on sinning against him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High.
18   They tested God in their hearts, demanding food for their craving.
19   They railed against God and said, "Can God set a table in the wilderness?
20   True, he struck the rock, the waters gushed out, and the gullies overflowed; but is he able to give bread or to provide meat for his people?"
21   When the LORD heard this, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob, and his anger mounted against Israel;
22   For they had no faith in God, nor did they put their trust in his saving power.
23   So he commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven.
24   He rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them grain from heaven.
25   So mortals ate the bread of angels; he provided for them food enough.
26   He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens and led out the south wind by his might.
27   He rained down flesh upon them like dust and wingéd birds like the sand of the sea.
28   He let it fall in the midst of their camp and round about their dwellings.
29   So they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved.
30   But they did not stop their craving, though the food was still in their mouths.
31   So God's anger mounted against them; he slew their strongest men and laid low the youth of Israel.
32   In spite of all this, they went on sinning and had no faith in his wonderful works.
33   So he brought their days to an end like a breath and their years in sudden terror.
34   Whenever he slew them, they would seek him, and repent, and diligently search for God.
35   They would remember that God was their rock, and the Most High God their redeemer.
36   But they flattered him with their mouths and lied to him with their tongues.
37   Their heart was not steadfast toward him, and they were not faithful to his covenant.
38   But he was so merciful that he forgave their sins and did not destroy them; many times he held back his anger and did not permit his wrath to be roused.
39   For he remembered that they were but flesh, a breath that goes forth and does not return.

Evening Psalms
Psalm 78:40-72 Part II Quoties exacerbaverunt
40   How often the people disobeyed him in the wilderness and offended him in the desert!
41   Again and again they tempted God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
42   They did not remember his power in the day when he ransomed them from the enemy;
43   How he wrought his signs in Egypt and his omens in the field of Zoan.
44   He turned their rivers into blood, so that they could not drink of their streams.
45   He sent swarms of flies among them, which ate them up, and frogs, which destroyed them.
46   He gave their crops to the caterpillar, the fruit of their toil to the locust.
47   He killed their vines with hail and their sycamores with frost.
48   He delivered their cattle to hailstones and their livestock to hot thunderbolts.
49   He poured out upon them his blazing anger: fury, indignation, and distress, a troop of destroying angels.
50   He gave full rein to his anger; he did not spare their souls from death; but delivered their lives to the plague.
51   He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the flower of manhood in the dwellings of Ham.
52   He led out his people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53   He led them to safety, and they were not afraid; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54   He brought them to his holy land, the mountain his right hand had won.
55   He drove out the Canaanites before them and apportioned an inheritance to them by lot; he made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56   But they tested the Most High God, and defied him, and did not keep his commandments.
57   They turned away and were disloyal like their fathers; they were undependable like a warped bow.
58   They grieved him with their hill-altars they provoked his displeasure with their idols.
59   When God heard this, he was angry and utterly rejected Israel.
60   He forsook the shrine at Shiloh, the tabernacle where he had lived among his people.
61   He delivered the ark into captivity, his glory into the adversary's hand.
62   He gave his people to the sword and was angered against his inheritance.
63   The fire consumed their young men; there were no wedding songs for their maidens.
64   Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
65   Then the LORD woke as though from sleep, like a warrior refreshed with wine.
66   He struck his enemies on the backside and put them to perpetual shame.
67   He rejected the tent of Joseph and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;
68   He chose instead the tribe of Judah and Mount Zion, which he loved.
69   He built his sanctuary like the heights of heaven, like the earth which he founded for ever.
70   He chose David his servant, and took him away from the sheepfolds.
71   He brought him from following the ewes, to be a shepherd over Jacob his people and over Israel his inheritance.
72   So he shepherded them with a faithful and true heart and guided them with the skillfulness of his hands.

The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen

Prayer of the Day
All provident Lord, place Your holy fear as a guard before my eyes so they may not look lustfully; before my ears so that they may not delight in hearing evil words; before my mouth so that it may not speak any falsehoods; before my heart so that it may not think evil; before my hands so that they may not do injustice; before my feet, that they may not walk in the paths of injustice; but so direct them, that they may always be according to all Your commandments. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner, I pray in the Name of Christ, Amen.
~ (St.) Nersess the Gracious, 12th century

A Prayer to Strive for Health
Oh Lord God, who has told us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that we should honor you with our bodies, I confess that I have not been doing as good a job as I might. Perhaps I sometimes eat and drink that which is not healthy, or in excess. Perhaps I do not get enough exercise; perhaps I do not get enough rest. Perhaps I allow the anxieties of the world to disturb my thoughts, which causes me physical stress. Perhaps I do things with my body that I know I should not do.

I pray that you will lead me to listen to the Holy Spirit, and not to my own urgings or those of the world, in matters of physical and mental health. Direct my eye, my ear, and my activities to holiness, that I might honor You the best I can, in my body and my mind. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.


What Faith Can Do
Kutless

Alleluia! Christ has risen.
Christ has risen indeed. Alleluia!

Closing Prayer
Oh Lord as I face creation
Let me see with eyes made clear
By Your promise of salvation,
Never to return to fear.
Amen.


The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
~ 2 Corinthians 13:14

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

Prayer of the Day for TUESDAY, September 26, 2017


All provident Lord, place Your holy fear as a guard before my eyes so they may not look lustfully; before my ears so that they may not delight in hearing evil words; before my mouth so that it may not speak any falsehoods; before my heart so that it may not think evil; before my hands so that they may not do injustice; before my feet, that they may not walk in the paths of injustice; but so direct them, that they may always be according to all Your commandments. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner, I pray in the Name of Christ, Amen.
~ (St.) Nersess the Gracious, 12th century

Verse of the Day for TUESDAY, September 26, 2017

Hebrews 10:30-31 (NIV) For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Read all of Hebrews 10

Listen to Hebrews 10

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - How God Can Use Adversity


"I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word."
~ Psalm 119:67 (NLT)

Prosperity has a tendency to make people proud and self-sufficient. We don’t think we need God when we have our salary, our investments, our career, our homes, our health, and our family. But when an economy goes south, or a stock market crashes, or our home burns, hopefully we turn to God and are reminded of what really matters. We should not always be so afraid of pain, because often it is during times of prosperity that we will forget God.

As the Israelites were poised to enter into the Promised Land, God said to them, “When you have eaten your fill in this land, be careful not to forget the Lord, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 6:11–12).

Prior to this point, Israel had wandered in the wilderness for forty years. They were completely dependent on God for everything. Every day when they walked outside their tents, there would be manna waiting for them just like the morning paper. They would eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, sort of like Thanksgiving turkey that keeps recycling. It was their meal from Heaven. God also directed them through the wilderness with a cloud by day and a fire by night. They had to look to the Lord completely.

But then God brought them to the brink of the Promised Land, where they could see lush green hills and flowing rivers. They could see fruit the size of which had never been seen before. And they could hardly wait to get in. And so God said, in effect, “Now watch out, because when you get in there, the danger is that you will forget all about Me.”

When pain hits, when tragedy strikes, when adversity comes, we pray—and we pray a lot. Adversity levels us and keeps us humble. And God can use adversity to bring us closer to Him.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny


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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation®, NLT® copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Devotion by Greg Laurie © 2017 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.
Why we shouldn't always be so afraid of pain.

Un Dia a la Vez - A las alturas


El Señor es mi fortaleza, el cual hace mis pies como de ciervas, y en mis alturas me hace andar.

Hoy quiero retarte a dejar todo pensamiento negativo que tienes de ti mismo.

Es tiempo de sacudirse y dejar atrás lo que el enemigo y otras personas han puesto en tu mente y que te lo has creído.

Es día de renunciar a la mentira y es día de reconocer que eres un vencedor y un hijo de Dios. ¡Abandona las máscaras!

No importa qué tipo de vida hayas tenido antes de llegar a Cristo. Una vez que recibes a Jesús en tu corazón y te arrepientes de tus pecados, la Palabra nos dice que nos convertimos en nuevas criaturas. Al ser nuevas criaturas, debemos aprender a ver la vida de otra manera. Debemos aprender a ver las cosas desde otro ángulo.

No sigamos teniendo compasión de nosotros, ya que Dios no nos ve así. Al contrario, Él nos ve como cabeza y no cola. Nos ve en lo alto y no abajo.

Dios quiere llevarnos a nuevas alturas, a nuevas dimensiones.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón

Standing Strong Through the Storm - FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BODY


If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

It is a beautiful picture when the church of Jesus Christ operates as the Bible teaches for the benefit of the body.

On January 21st 2007, Dimitri from Uzbekistan was arrested and subsequently sentenced to four years in a labor camp because of his “illegal religious activities.” The labor camp in which he is being held is 850 kilometers from where his wife Marina and their three daughters live. They are allowed to visit him just a few times a year.

Marina is grateful for all the prayers for them and for all the encouragement which they have received through letters and cards.

“We’ve really experienced God’s faithfulness. He’s protected and blessed us, and He’s always been close when we’ve needed Him. We want to thank God, because He doesn’t leave us on our own. He helps us through tough times.

“I’ve visited Dimitri a few times and also taken the children with me a few times. His health is good and he’s even trying to encourage others. They have to get up early in the morning to start work. Often he doesn’t have the strength to pray, but then he senses that others are praying for him. He finds his strength in the Lord Jesus, tries not to become oppressed by the circumstances, and he thinks a lot about us. This helps him to survive.

“His Bible was confiscated by the guards and now he is writing out Bible texts from memory in a little notebook. In this way he has his own handwritten Word of God. He’d like to have his Bible back, but permission is still being refused.

“We’re thankful for the many friends who are supporting us and writing to us at this difficult time. I’d also like to thank everyone for their many prayers. Now I’m coming to understand what the Bible means when it says, ‘we are one body,’ because ‘if one part suffers, every part suffers with it.’”

RESPONSE: Today I will not just think about myself, but function as a vital member of the body of Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord, bless prisoners like Dimitri who today may be feeling lonely. May they experience the blessing of realizing they are part of Your body.

Girlfriends in God - September 26, 2017


Stop Doubting Your Value, Part One

Today’s Truth

Who is man that you are mindful of him?
~ Psalm 8:3-4 (ESV)

Friend to Friend

I may look confident and put together on the outside (when I’m not in my exercise pants and a ponytail) but on the inside I often wander back to that little girl who questions her value and wants to make a difference.

There are lots of ways this inner struggle presents itself in me ...

• I tether my value to how I look.
• I tether my value to how my jeans fit.
• I tether my value to how I perform.
• I want my husband and kids to love me perfectly, even though they can’t.
• I want to love others perfectly, but I don’t, so I juggle guilt like a hot potato.
• I get distracted and waste time, so I feel unproductive.
• I want to make a difference, but I try to do too much.

The Bible showcases a perfection that I implement pathetically. Like that love chapter in 1 Corinthians that most of us had read at our weddings. Verses like “love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way” (13:4–5 ESV). Wait, what? Geez! The way I love doesn’t even come close to this list! And then the big left hook smacks me hard: “Love never fails” (v. 8). The magnitude of God’s perfect love is epic. The magnitude of my love is minuscule.

I try to be patient. I try to be kind. I try not to envy or boast. All of it. But my efforts are less than. I stub my toe on my ego all the time. I get edgy and loud. I insist on my own way. And then I beat myself up!

If I were a better mom, I would’ve ____.
If I were a better friend, I would_____.
If I were in better shape, then maybe _____.
If I were more talented, I would be able to _____.

And because I’m not content with my own body, my own behaviors, and my own abilities, I struggle to see how a perfect God can look past my brokenness. I know in my heart that He loves me, but I sometimes struggle to accept that He likes me, because sometimes I don’t even like myself.

These doubts and insecurities cause me to question my value and my ability to make a difference. They cause me to feel insignificant. Invisible and ineffective.

Yet I know that the Bible says the opposite. And because of this, I’m reminded to, instead, tether my value to truths like these:

I was created in the image of God.
I am sealed with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus loved me so much that He endured a horrific death so I could be saved.

These truths matter. And because they matter, they confirm to me that I matter. And they confirm that you matter too.

Don’t think for one little minute that I don’t sense you bristling up. It’s what we girls do when the spotlight of attention is shined on our significance. We shy away. Throw our hands up to shield the light. Contest with our best excuses...

Some of us contend,I’m really nothing special. That word valuable makes me nervous. My life is less than. Average at best. Mac and cheese is my jam. I drive a minivan, wear ponytails, use off-brand detergent, and live paycheck to paycheck. Where is the value in that?”

Others of us contend,I cannot believe you’re going to go there! Did you not read my bumper sticker and T-shirt? I am nothing. Jesus is everything. Hide me in the cross and stop trying to make me feel special. Slap! Slap! Slap! Shame on you for even bringing up such a topic of the flesh!”

Some of us acquiesce:Okay. Let’s talk. I know in my mind that I’m precious to Jesus, but that often gets lost in translation on its way to my heart. Yes. Let’s have this conversation. I want everything God has for me, and I’m ready to move forward as a woman of greater impact.

Wherever you find yourself in these responses, my prayer is that you will join our last friend with an expectant and curious heart. With a heart that is ready to move forward in the truth of your significance so that you can live out the purpose for which you were created.

I am going to leave it here today. Let you marinate in thought and prayer. In part two, we will go a bit deeper and see what Jesus has to say about all this.

Let’s Pray

Lord, Help me to accept that You are the One who defines my significance. Please sift through my thoughts, doubts, insecurities, and emotions that leave me feeling like less instead of more.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read Jeremiah 1:4-5. When did God first know Jeremiah? Take a few moments to read over these verses again and personalize them. How does this make you feel? Click here to tell me about it on my blog.

More from the Girlfriends
Today’s post is an excerpt from Gwen Smith’s book, I Want It All.

SPECIAL OFFER: If this message is where you are and you need more practical help, Gwen is offering a 20% OFF discount on the I Want It ALL book from her site when you use the coupon code: 20OFF. Click here to get yours now.

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Girlfriends in God