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Come Into The Deep End... with ImHisServant (3)

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cristianna

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While You Are Sleeping
By Renee Swope


“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)


Devotion:
Startled by silence, I sat up in bed so I could see the neon red lights that told me it was three in the morning, time to feed the baby. Andrew hadn’t made a sound. Was something wrong? Or could he be sleeping through the night? I wavered between panic and joy as I felt my way down the hall to the nursery and leaned over Andrew’s crib. I listened for the sweet sound of his breathing and carefully rested my hand on his tiny chest to feel the gentle rhythm of its rising and falling.

Moonlight slipped through the blinds helping me to see that he was perfectly fine. Most sane mothers would have gone back to bed. But not me, I stood there for a while watching my child sleep. The love and joy that I felt at that moment was almost overwhelming. How could I love someone so much? My heart longed just to be near this little guy who set my days in motion with his cries and smiles.

Andrew developed a routine of sleeping through the night soon after, yet I would listen for his cries hoping I would have a good excuse to check on him. While he was sleeping, I’d sneak into his room just because I wanted to be with him. Then I’d tiptoe into my older son Joshua’s room, and watch him slumber. As I looked at their faces, I’d dream of the little guys God was shaping them into. I’d whisper prayers for them to know Jesus in a personal way. I’d ask God to calm their fears, to fulfill their dreams, and to establish their steps to walk in His ways and not in the paths the world would pave for them.

There are still many nights that I sneak into to watch my children while they are sleeping, simply because I want to be with them. They aren’t doing anything to make me feel proud or happy. They may have even driven me to my wits’ end that day, but I enjoy them because they are mine. God feels the same way about you and me. He wants to be with us, even while we are sleeping!

God delights greatly in you my friend, and He is always there to quiet your heart with his love. He dances and sings over you and I bet He dreams of the woman He’s designed you to be while gently leading your heart to know Him more.

What a great reminder when nothing’s going right; when we feel like the whole world is against us and nobody understands what we’re going through. I hope the next time you have one of those days you’ll imagine the love of a parent watching their child sleeping and remember there’s a God who loves you even more than that!


Dear Lord, thank You for the reminder that You are always with me and that You love to watch over me, every minute of every day – even while I am sleeping! Help me to completely believe the truth about Your love towards me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Reflections:
Be still and believe that God is watching over you at this moment. No matter what you have done or what has been done to you, God’s love reaches down to hold you in His embrace. Bow your head and tilt your heart to listen to Him whisper, “You are precious in my sight and I love you.” Now breathe in and breathe out the reality that He hears your cries, He knows your needs and He’s constantly by your side.

Do you ever imagine that God is watching over you, smiling and delighting in the fact that you are HIS child?

If you could use more daily reminders of how much God loves you, read today’s power verses, write them on an index card or sticky note and carry them with you all day!



Power Verses:
Psalm 34:15, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;” (NIV)

Psalm 139: 1-3, “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” (NIV)

Psalm 33:18, “But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love.” (NIV)
 
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Morghaine

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Whew, did I need to read this today! I'm having problems with my 17 year old daughter. She is so different than I was as a teenager, and wants to be so independent, with hardly anything to do with her parents. She is rebelling against everyone and everything. Frankly, I don't understand her!

I found myself the other night standing in her room while she slept, and doing the same thing as the author of this devotional. I silently cried, silently remembered all of our joy together, remembered when all she needed was momma, and prayed to our Heavenly Father to protect her and keep loving her, and to not give up on her. What a relief to know that He won't, and He is always watching over me as well - still loving me, and forgiving me! It is a joy for me to know all I need is Him!
 
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cristianna

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Morgaine! Nice to see you! I'm delighted to read this devo has been really meaningful to you. Some of these for me could not have come at a better moment, and even many have brought me to epiphany moments too! I'll keep your daughter and your family in my prayers.


Hello to everyone else too!
 
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Marycita

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AW! I'll be praying for you and your daughter as well...
 
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cristianna

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Practice Makes Perfect
By Marybeth Whalen



Matthew 5:48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (NIV)


Devotion:
I don’t know about you, but this verse has always made me nervous. I mean only Jesus is perfect, right? Perfection is impossible this side of heaven, right? So, why did God include this verse? I recently stumbled upon a new perspective for this verse that helped me to see it in a different, more hopeful light.

Perfection simply means “to seek union with God.” As we chase after Him with all our hearts, forming a relationship that is dependent upon Him, we are pursuing perfection. The closer we grow to Him, the more perfect we become. The more time we spend communing with Him, the closer we are to His image—the image of perfection. The trouble is that we interject our own insecurities into that verse. We know we can’t be perfect. We have tried it but it hasn’t worked. And so, we just dismiss that verse with a huff. “That is simply asking too much,” we tell God and give up before we have even begun.

Yet God is not asking anything more than to begin walking with Him, to pursue a relationship with Him, and to love Him more each day. The more we delight in Him, the more our desires line up with His. (Psalm 37:3-4) And the more our desires line up with His, the more perfect our hearts and minds become. We complicate what is actually simple.

Hosea 11:3 says, “’It was I who taught [my children] to walk.’” Just as parents teach their children to walk, God is allowing us as His children the time to practice our steps as we progress a bit more each day. He expects us to stumble along the way. Psalm 37:24, says, “Though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” I take great comfort in knowing that He knows I will surely stumble.

Whether I stumble or fall is not the point. The point is that I am walking, one baby step at a time, with Him. I have a firm grasp on His hand, and I have let go of the things of this world that keep me from moving forward. The more I do this, the more perfect I become; the more I am molded into His perfect image. When you put it like that, perfection seems doable. It even seems likely. The Bible says I can do everything through Him, who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). I am counting on that Truth as I practice walking with Him day by day, getting closer to perfect with each step I take.


Dear Lord, I desperately want to be perfect and to please You. I am learning that You make me perfect as I draw close to You. Help me to be intentional about doing this day by day. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.



Reflections:
Is there something that stands between you and God— something that is keeping you from walking with Him on a consistent basis? Take whatever steps necessary to remove any barriers from your life.

What is your image of perfection? Do you feel perfection is impossible? How has your perspective been changed or challenged?


Power Verses:
Hosea 11:4, “’I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.’” (NIV)

Jeremiah 31: 3, “’I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.’” (NIV)

II Corinthians 13:11, “Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” (NIV)
 
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Maharg

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cristianna said:
Oh Maharg it's so good to see you! How have you been? I'm hoping after summer everyone will be back.
Click to expand...
Hi Cristianna

You too!

It's good to be back. I've been well, thank you. As it's my summer holiday (vacation) from school at the moment, I've been spending every possible moment visiting friends and family. Once school term starts again I find it hard to visit people. I'm hoping this year will be easier though as it's my second year of teaching.

Have you had a good summer?



maharg
 
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cristianna

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Being Quiet
By Zoë Elmore


"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." Colossians 1:9-12 (NIV)


Devotion:
Our son came home from school and announced that he would not be attending the college he'd planned but would instead be attending a school in another state. There wasn't anything we could say or do to change his mind. Wanting to thoroughly investigate this option, we invited the representative from the out-of-state school to our home in order to gather the information necessary to prayerfully advise our son.

With all the facts on the table my husband and I spent much of the next two days in prayer and concluded that it would be in our son's best interest to return to the college plans already in progress. After a family discussion which consisted of my husband and me trying to put him back on track, Josh stormed out of the room and slammed his bedroom door behind him. For the next twelve months Josh barely looked in our direction and only grunted when he couldn't answer us with a nod.

I cried out to the Lord for wisdom and guidance, and He whispered, Be quiet and trust me to work in your child's heart.

I thought, Excuse me, Lord, I'm sure I misunderstood You. You can't possibly expect me to keep silent on this important matter!?

So I decided to stop reigning down wisdom from the top of "Mom Mountain". I spent the next twelve months praying through and studying today's verses. I inserted Josh's name in each verse and read them many times each day, sometimes to myself and other times out loud. During that year the Lord expanded and multiplied the truths and lessons contained in these verses. I experienced a deepening in my relationship with God while I witnessed a softening in our son's heart.

Before we knew it, we were moving our son into his college dorm room. Despite the evidence of a softened heart, Josh was clearly still angry with us as we left him that day on the college campus. Months passed and we heard very little from our son. I continued to study and pray through these verses.

One afternoon our son unexpectedly came home and joined me on the back porch. He took my hands in his and with tears streaming down his face said, "Mom, I have to ask your forgiveness for my attitude and behavior this last year. While I've been at college, I've been part of a college ministry and the Lord has opened my eyes to the glorious relationship I can have with Him. Mom, I can't thank you enough for praying me through these last few months without preaching to me. You allowed the Lord to show me Himself who He is. I'm so grateful that you and Dad continued to love me when I was so angry. I would have never met the godly people at my school if I had disobeyed you."

Now that is a stand-in-your-chair-and-praise-God-moment if I've ever heard one, and I did just that! When I think about that year of quiet desperation, I'm reminded of the spiritual lessons I learned and how they remain an important step in my pursuit of a deepening relationship with my sweet Jesus. I learned to go to the throne instead of the phone for my peace and comfort.

If you find yourself in a desperate place, I hope you will choose to quiet yourself before the Lord in order to study and pray through His Word. In doing so you will receive knowledge of His will, wisdom and understanding for your spirit, and reassurance in place of your desperation.


Dear Lord, thank You for meeting me and teaching me in my quiet desperation. I praise Your name for the miraculous work You have done in my heart and in the life of my son. Only You can change a heart. You deserve all praise and glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.


Reflections:
Study your Bible on the topic of being alone with God.

Write your own prayer to God praising Him for His willingness to comfort and provide for us in our times of desperation.

If you are facing a desperate time in your life right now, what can you do in order to hear from God more clearly?

If the Lord asks you to be quiet in order to work in the life of a loved one, how quickly will you obey?



Power Verses:
Hebrews 10:23, "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (NIV)

Isaiah 50:4. "The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught." (NIV)
 
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Maharg

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Thank you Lord that you are always available to us whenever we need you; that we can completely rely on you for everything.

Sometimes it is difficult to be still and listen instead of rushing around trying to do, but when we do listen you give us your peace, and you give generously.

Help us, Lord, to come into your presence; to tell you about those things with which we need help and to listen to your answers.

In Jesus' name,

Amen
 
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