Scripture Readings:"Mark 1:1-4, Isaiah 9:6-7" HOPE and Wait,  WAIT and Hope The first Advent reading each year is usually about hope. Have you ever stopped to think about HOPE, what it means, what is required?  Hebrews 6:19 calls hope an anchor saying “ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hope is an anchor for our soul. Hope is what keeps us going when things are tough. Hope is the engine that makes us want to persevere. But hope requires waiting.   Hope is the anticipation of a future something. Without waiting there is no hope. We wait for visits from family or friends.   We wait for test results from the doctor. we wait for the birth of a new grandchild.   And we hope. For fun times, good outcomes, a beautiful baby. We have hope in our waiting. But waiting is required . Wait a minute. Wait a month. Or even years or lifetimes. We don’t like to wait, whether it’s in traffic or the waiting room, or in line at the store....

God does not need us, but He does want us.   Yesterday I wrote about the affect our sin has on God - it doesn't. Then today I read a devotional from Encouraging Words for Women .  Encouraging Words for Women     By Darlene Sala / Barbour Publishing The author notes that while God does not need us for anything or need anything from us, He wants a relationship with us. (See page 190-192, For His Own Sake) She discovered this when she read Isaiah 43:25:  “I, even I, am he who blots out    your transgressions, for my own sake ,    and remembers your sins no more."  What other reason would there be for God to blot out our transgressions if not for His own sake? Since He is God, Creator and Sustainer of the universes, "for His own sake" has to mean because He wanted to. He sent Jesus to die for our sins because He wanted to....Wanted to what? Forgive us? Wash us clean?  Why would our state of cleanliness or filth m...

Isaiah 30:15 a This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:    “In repentance and rest is your salvation,    in quietness and trust is your strength,    but you would have none of it...." What is salvation? The standard answer is getting to go to heaven, or eternal life in heaven. Perhaps salvation is being safe from harm. Yet, our experiences indicate that salvation doesn't protect us from car accidents, murders, rapes, and other harms of the world. Salvation doesn't even protect us from having our feelings hurt or pride bruised. So what is salvation? In this life? What does it mean for me today? Or does it mean anything to my life as I try to live it today? I think this passage in Isaiah tells us at least part of the answer. Salvation comes when we repent and rest. Salvation comes from the freedom we receive when we turn from sin. This salvation results in rest. Peace.  Think about the times when this passage wa...

Isaiah 54 : 8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer. God turns away from us, much like a parent might do with an unruly child to gather her composure before acting out of frustration or anger. Instead God turns away from us to count to ten so that He remembers we are weak and sinful.  He turns from us because He loves us and doesn't want harm to come to us. He turns to give us time to come back and remember who He is and that He has compassion on us. Thank You, God. 9b "So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. A promise of God. That though He has good reason, He will not be angry with us, that he will look upon us with forgiveness. This is a promise to hold onto, no matter what we've done, or how we provoked God. That God loves us and forgives us NO MATTER WHAT! Hallelujah! 10 Though the mountains be shaken ...

My book is full. Almost exactly a year ago, I started writing down passages or verses of the Bible in my little wire-bound book on September 29, 2009.  The journal has a beautiful blue cover with a pair of yellow flowers. The cover says "He has made everything beautiful in its time". ( Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV)   That is only part of the verse but that is the way I've been writing passages.  Writing these down this past year has helped me remember where some passages are.  Now if someone references Jeremiah 29:11, I know what that verse is, even if I can't remember the whole, exact sentence. I've also grown in appreciation for the diversity of the Bible. There are poems, songs, stories, biographic tales, autobiographic entries, commands, comforts. There are cries for help, justice and pleas for mercy and grace. There are bits that we can't fully appreciate. For example, since we don't know the Hebrew alphabet that was used for a particular acrostic we can...

Today's devotional ( Jesus Calling , page 207) begins "self-pity is a slimy, bottomless pit." Today's UpperRoom reading is about not being locked in....locked into despair, emotionally locked into hopelessness. I am not suffering from despair or hopelessness, or even self-pity, well maybe a little self-pity. I can't help but wonder why I'm not finding a job. I have several explanations that make sense to me, but that doesn't keep me from questioning myself. Do I need new skills?  Don't I have plenty?  If I need new skills, which ones do I need and how do I go about getting it? I'm already "over qualified" (whatever that means) and in this economy, for other positions I am not exactly qualified. There are other people who meet a job description exactly who are out of work. We are ok.  At this point, we don't NEED the income.  But we sure would like to have some spending money, planning money, extra money. So two of today's de...

I wonder how we got to a place where we think it is all about us.  Even we Christians think that, though we don't exactly know or acknowledge that we do.  We think God forgives us because he loves us.  We think that He sent Jesus because He loves us.  It's not about us. Isaiah 43:25 (NLT) records that God says: “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again." God did not forgive us for us.  God did not send Jesus for us. God did not create all of this for us.  Not even the best of us.  God created us, forgives us, sent Jesus for HIS SAKE. 1 Samuel 12:22 : " For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own."   2 Samuel 7:20-22 : " What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign LORD. For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant....

Isaiah 40:12-14 (NIV)  12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,        or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?        Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,        or weighed the mountains on the scales        and the hills in a balance?   13 Who has understood the mind of the LORD,        or instructed him as his counselor?   14 Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him,        and who taught him the right way?        Who was it that taught him knowledge        or showed him the path of understanding? The He or Him in the above verses refers to God.  This passage should put us in our places.  After all, who else is able to hold all the earth's waters in the PALM OF...

by Deanna Etienne.  Used by permission. Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born,        to us a son is given,        and the government will be on his shoulders.        And he will be called        Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,        Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Read it again , each word. Read it again until you see something new that you hadn't seen before. Or perhaps you saw it the first time or one of the other numerous times you've read this passage.  But I didn't see it until today. " A child is born......he will be called ......Everlasting Father. " We read this nearly every Christmastime.  Even so, I've never put the child and the father in the same sentence.  It is very clearly stated here that this child is also THE Father. Jesus is also God.  Of course I already knew that but I hadn...

Isaiah 5:24b .... so their roots will decay.....for they have rejected .... the Lord Almighty. When we reject God, or The Word, our roots will decay. What do roots do?  They provide nourishment, both nutrients and water. Roots also supply a good strong foundation. Without a good root system, a plant will soon die. A short drought comes along and the plant can't take it.  A strong wind blows and the plant is pulled from the ground. The same is true of people.  When our root systems fail to nourish us, we lose focus.  We are easily led astray. We lose health because we are not getting the nutrients and water we need.  We also risk being blown over at the first sign of a strong wind. When we reject God, we are damaging our very core. We lose our foundation that keeps us sustained, grounded, fed.  Depending on God is the very essence of what we need to survive in this life, and the ONLY way to survive in the next. We have only one logical choice.......excep...

Jesus was home, in his hometown. He was with people he'd grown up with, in the town where he learned his trade (carpentry), where people knew him. He was where he felt that comfortable it's-good-to-be-home feeling. He brought with him those with whom he'd been traveling, preaching and teaching, those with whom he'd been spending most of his time, eating with, and healing with -  His disciples. He was with all the people he loved the most.  His friends, his family, and his disciples. But Mark said in chapter 6 verse 5  " And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them." Can you imagine how Jesus hurt from this? He loved these people. He wanted healing for them.  He wanted them to accept God's greatest gift. He wanted so much for them. But he was unable to do any " mighty work there ".  Why was Jesus unable to do any "might work" there? Was he powerless there, like Superman arou...

Close your eyes and picture this scene.  You are seated.  You are worried, fearful, or anxious, feeling the pressure of whatever is bothering you this day. Gradually you feel a warm, loving presence coming near. You don't react to the nearness of the presence.  There was no sound so you are certain you are alone. Then you feel your right hand being lifted and cradled in warm, strong hands. You open your eyes to see.  It is "the Lord, your God , hold [ing] your right hand ".   This is what Isaiah 41:13 (ESV) says. " For I, the LORD your God,    hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not,    I am the one who helps you." When I read this today, the above picture formed in my mind. I didn't read the preceding verses.  I don't know the circumstances for this particular proclamation.  I just know visual image is comforting and warms my heart.  God takes our right hand and tells us to fear not, bec...

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,        because the LORD has anointed me        to preach good news to the poor.        He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,        to proclaim freedom for the captives        and release from darkness for the prisoners , [ a ] Footnotes: Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind   What caught my eye on this was the footnote.  The passage is " release from darkness for the prisoners " but the footnote says it could also be translated as " release from darkness for the blind ".  Doesn't that make a difference?  I'm thinking the spiritual blind and possibly some of the physically blind since Jesus did  cause the blind to see. But wait.... Isn't there a huge difference between people who are in prison and those who are blind? I think of priso...

Isaiah 61:3 "......They will be called oaks of righteousness ,        a planting of the LORD        for the display of his splendor." Isn't this what you picture when you think of an old oak tree? Something stately. Strong. Tall. This is perfect for displaying His splendor.  Standing tall, providing shade and shelter. This verse isn't referring to God's creation displaying His splendor, though.  It is referring to people.  Specific people.  Poor people.  Those who are brokenhearted.  Captives.  Prisoners. All who mourn and are grieved. Those people are hardly an example of the image of a strong, tall oak.  It seems unlikely that they would be the display of God's splendor. They suffer great loss, are in great physical pain, have few material possessions or are very ill. But.....Jesus came.... Isaiah 61:1-3 " The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,    ...

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;    they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;    they shall walk and not faint. This verse was in two devotions today, two.  That means I should pay attention, right?  some translations say "trust" instead of "wait".  When I read the translation with "trust", my attention wasn't stirred.  But when I read the same verse with the translation "wait", it got my attention. You see, I trust God.  I firmly believe that He will take care of me to use for His purposes and to prepare me for life in eternity with Him. But it never occurred to me that one manifestation of my trust was waiting for God.  Psalm 40:1 which was also part of my devotional reading today says " I waited patiently for the LORD..." I'm thinking that the point I'm supposed to get today is that even though I say I trust the Lord, I am not demonst...

Isaiah 65:1 (NLT) The L ord says,   “I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help.       I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me.    I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ Isaiah 65 is a good chapter where God reveals that He is waiting on us to call out to him. You can almost hear His pleading with us to depend on him, to PLEASE ask Him for help.  How often have you wanted to help an elderly parent, grandparent or a young child or new parent, but wait to be asked?  We want to come to the aid of those around us who need help but we respect their need to do it on their own. I read the book 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper. One chapter in the book deals with the author who is too proud to let anyone help him.  At one point one person tells him that he is just plain selfish, that his church family wants to help, like he'd done with them countless times but that he wouldn't give the same c...

Isaiah 57:21 (NIV) "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."   I wondered when I read this verse if there are people who misinterpret it.  This verse does not say that the "wicked" will be unsuccessful or unhealthy or unhappy. It says there is no peace. My interpretation is that those who are wicked or evil do not know Jesus and therefore do not know the peace " which transcends all understanding ". (Phil 4:7)  When bad things happen to them, they feel rage, bitterness, despair. Those who know Jesus, can feel this unfathomable peace when the same bad thing happens to them.  This is not to say that they don't feel rage, or bitterness, or despair.  But they have hope that comes from the peace of God that brings about release to the captives of rage, bitterness and despair. Also, this verse does not say that if a person has no peace that they are wicked.  Wickedness comes from not knowing or wanting to know God to be a follower.  I...