Posted on 04/30/2021 10:23:24 PM PDT by JustAmy
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I am sleeping much better now that I am exhausted! đ
Thank goodness for that! LOL! I hope they are paying you well!
Yes, pretty good, and the hours are accumulating bigly. đ
They sure are! I’ll bet Moose is missing you a lot, though!
Funny the things that get stuck in our memories!
Bible in a Year:
Pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain Godâs mysterious plan.
In the past year or so, a number of authors have urged believers to take a fresh look at the âvocabularyâ of our faith. One writer, for example, emphasized that even theologically rich words of faith can lose their impact when, through overfamiliarity and overuse, we lose touch with the depths of the gospel and our need for God. When that happens, he suggested, we may need to relearn the language of faith âfrom scratch,â letting go of our assumptions until we can see the good news for the first time.
The invitation to learn to âspeak God from scratchâ reminds me of Paul, who devoted his life to â[becoming] all things to all people . . . for the sake of the gospelâ (1 Corinthians 9:22â23). He never assumed he knew best how to communicate what Jesus had done. Instead, he relied on constant prayer and pleaded for fellow believers to pray for him as wellâto help him find âthe right wordsâ (Ephesians 6:19 nlt) to share the good news.
The apostle also knew the need for each believer in Christ to remain humble and receptive each day to their need for deeper roots in His love (3:16â17). Itâs only as we deepen our roots in Godâs love, each day becoming more aware of our dependence on His grace, that we can begin to find the right words to share the incredible news of what Heâs done for us.
Reflect & Pray
When have you had an experience of seeing the gospel in a new way for the first time? How can prayer keep your heart receptive to your constant need for Godâs grace?
Loving God, forgive me for, far too often, taking Your grace and goodness for granted. Help me to daily grasp in new ways the depths of Your grace and love. And help me find the right words to share what Youâve done.
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Ahhhhh....stopping to smell the flowers. CHOO!!
Bible in a Year:
The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.
Liz cried for joy when she and her husband received the birth certificate and passport for their child, making the adoption legally binding. Now Milena would always be their daughter, forever part of their family. As Liz pondered the legal process, she also thought of the âtrue exchangeâ that happens when we become part of Jesusâ family: âNo longer are we held down by our birthright of sin and brokenness.â Rather, she continued, we enter into the fullness of Godâs kingdom legally when we're adopted as His children.
In the apostle Paulâs day, if a Roman family adopted a son, his legal status would change completely. Any debts from his old life would be canceled and he would gain all of the rights and privileges of his new family. Paul wanted the Roman believers in Jesus to understand that this new status applied to them too. No longer were they bound to sin and condemnation but now they lived âaccording to the Spiritâ (Romans 8:4). And those the Spirit leads are adopted as Godâs children (vv. 14â15). Their legal status changed when they became citizens of heaven.
If we have received the gift of salvation, we too are Godâs children, heirs of His kingdom and united with Christ. Our debts have been canceled by the gift of Jesusâ sacrifice. We no longer need to live in fear or condemnation.
Reflect & Pray
How does your status as a child of God affect how you live? What could you do to embrace this central part of your identity?
Father God, You created me in my motherâs womb, and You know and love me. May I never doubt how much You care for me.
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Bible in a Year:
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
A friend and I recently visited a favorite walking spot of mine. Climbing a windswept hill, we crossed a field of wildflowers into a forest of towering pines, then descended into a valley where we paused a moment. Clouds floated softly above us. A stream trickled nearby. The only sounds were birdsongs. Jason and I stood there silently for fifteen minutes, taking it all in.
As it turns out, our actions that day were deeply therapeutic. According to research from the University of Derby, people who stop to contemplate nature experience higher levels of happiness, lower levels of anxiety, and a greater desire to care for the earth. Walking through the forest isnât enough, though. You have to watch the clouds, listen to the birds. The key isnât being in nature, but noticing it.
Could there be a spiritual reason for natureâs benefits? Paul said that creation reveals Godâs power and nature (Romans 1:20). God told Job to look at the sea, sky, and stars for evidence of His presence (Job 38â39). Jesus said that contemplating the âbirds of the airâ and âflowers of the fieldâ could reveal Godâs care and reduce anxiety (Matthew 6:25â30). In Scripture, noticing nature is a spiritual practice.
Scientists wonder why nature affects us so positively. Maybe one reason is that by noticing nature we catch a glimpse of the God who created it and who notices us.
Reflect & Pray
Since nature isnât God, and vice versa, how do you think He can be seen through it? How can you take a few minutes today to notice His care through His creation?
God of heaven, earth, streams, and birdsongs, I worship You today.
Beautiful flowers. Great choice!
Happy Mother’s Day Amy
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