Today’s scripture: Psalm 18:4-19
Last week, we talked about how King David faced enemies of all kinds. Today’s
verses describe vividly how the Lord helped David vanquish his enemies and delivered
him.
I’ve never faced anything quite so terrifying nor have I seen God’s power as the
psalmist describes. But I have faced my own enemies, some of them within my own
heart. I’ve cried out for deliverance from pain. I’ve pleaded for help to
forgive. I’ve battled my own sins.
And every time—every time—God was my “support.” He brought me through very dark
places. He lifted me when I couldn’t walk. He gave me grace—and helped me to
show grace to others.
And I believe, as David did, that He delivered me then—and will deliver me in
the future—because He delights in me. He loves me as His precious daughter.
So I don’t need to fear or fret. My loving Abba will always take care of me.
Today's scripture: Psalm 8:6-9
The psalmist continues his praise of God’s amazing love for His children.
Everything in this world, everything we see, touch, hear, was created to please
Him and delight us.
He gave humankind “dominion over” everything. We are more important to God than
any animal, bird, or fish. We are the only of His creation made in His very
image. He is our Father. Our Abba. Our Daddy. And like any loving Father, He
made a wonderful environment for us to live in.
All for us.
So we can join in a heartfelt chorus: “O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your
name in all the earth!” Because, as amazing and wonderful this earth is,
nothing is more amazing or wonderful than our Creator God. And we can speak His
name with awe and joy and praise.
For His name is excellent, wonderful, worthy of praise. And worship. And honor.
And glory.
Join in the chorus!
Today's
scripture: Psalm 4:7-8
I am so very blessed. God has given me so much: a supportive husband, a nice
home, a reliable car, a loving family, a sweet dog, great friends, a job I
love (with the flexibility to do it from home), blessed ministries ... so very
blessed.
He has indeed "put gladness in my heart."
I have great peace about my life even with my daily pain. I feel safe because I
know God is always with me (Hebrews 13:5). I know He has a plan for a hopeful
future (Jeremiah 29:11). I know He loves me unconditionally and everlastingly
(Jeremiah 33:3).
So often, as I wrote Wednesday, it's difficult to live in this very dark world.
Accidents happen. Health is compromised. Relationships sour. So much in this
world can make us feel very un-safe, un-peaceful.
When everything around us seems to be falling apart, when the bad guys seem to
be winning, then the only place to find safety and peace is in the arms of our
Abba Father—our Daddy.
When we crawl on His lap, He will fill our hearts with gladness. He will allow
us to "lie down in peace" (although, for some of us, the sleep part
might be a challenge!).
Truly, it really is He "alone ... [who] makes[s us] dwell in safety."
It's a safety that can only be found in the presence of the Almighty God.
Today’s scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
So many times I need comfort. Either I’m in pain or I’m lonely or I’m
uncertain. And I just need someone to give me a hug.
And sometimes—oftentimes—I feel very weak. Physically. Emotionally.
Spiritually. And I just need a bit more strength.
Guess what? I have the great Comforter as my Abba. I have the Giver of strength
as my Savior.
I’m never alone. Never.
When I hurt, I can crawl into my Abba’s lap, and He’ll comfort me. When I’m
lonely, I can cry out to Him, and He’ll wrap His arms around me. And when I’m
uncertain, I can pray for His guidance, and He’ll lead me.
And when I just can’t get out of bed because my body is so very weak, I can
lift my hand and ask, “Lord Jesus, please hold my hand just a little
more tightly today.”
And He does.
Today's scripture: Ephesians 2:19-22
It’s such an amazing thought: We are part of God’s household. We are sons and
daughters of the King of Kings. Christ is the cornerstone of the church, and we
are its members. And that’s amazing, too.
But, I especially love the thought of being God’s daughter. I love my earthly
father, but we don’t have that strong of a relationship. For a while, I
struggled with the idea of a loving father, one who cared for me no matter
what.
When I finally recognized how much God loves me—unconditionally loves me—I
understood what a Father really is.
He is gentle, compassionate, and caring. He protects His children and provides
for them. He’s a refuge when things are difficult.
I can crawl on my Father’s lap when I’m sad. I can reach my hand to Him for His
strength when I don’t have any of my own.
And I can’t wait until I see my Father face-to-face. What a moment that will
be—in the arms of my Abba—my daddy.
Your calendar says it's September 30, but I'm writing this a bit ahead. I'm having a minor out-patient procedure on the 30th, and since I have to be at the hospital at 7 a.m. after 24 hours of "prep," I don't know that I'm going to feel up to focusing on Paul's words to the Ephesians!
So ... I thought I would share one of my favorite verses that I lean on when I'm struggling ... perhaps you need to read these words today.
The psalmist writes, "The Lord is my refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble; therefore, I shall not fear" (Psalm 34:1-2b). I memorized these words years ago, and I come back to them time and time again.
Days when my physical strength has run out.
Days when my spiritual strength is tested.
Days when my emotional strength is hanging by a thread.
I know during times of difficulty and trouble, I can run to my Abba, climb on His lap, and feel His arms around me.
Giving me a place of refuge, strengthening my weakness, taking my fear.
If you're struggling, if you're fearful, if you're weak, run to your Abba.
He's waiting with open arms.
Today's scriptures: Galatians 4:6-7
Oh how I love the reminder that I can call my heavenly Father, “Abba”! I can
crawl up on His lap and call Him “Daddy”!
I absolutely love that!!
Those of us who didn’t have the greatest of fatherly influences sometimes don’t
understand what it means to have a daddy. A man you can trust. A man who has
your back. A man who will love and cherish and protect you.
And that is exactly what our heavenly Father is for His children.
He is our protector, our provider, our refuge. He is our strength, our healer,
the lover of our soul.
He loves us with an everlasting love. He will never leave us or forsake us.
He is faithful and trustworthy.
He is, indeed, our Daddy … in every sense of the word.
Today's
scripture: Psalm 61:1-2
I know I've written this before, but I find it amazing that the God of the
universe, the Creator of all things, "attends[s] to my prayer ..." He
listens to me. He wants to hear my voice.
It is humbling ...
No matter where I am, God hears me. No matter how low the valley or how high
the mountaintop, He listens to my cries.
I've probably written this before too, but one of my favorite names by which
God calls Himself is Abba ... Daddy. The psalmist writes, "When my heart
is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I." When my heart is overwhelmed, when the pain is almost more than I can bear, when
the weariness is bone-deep, when loneliness closes in ... I know I can cry out
to my Daddy.
I can crawl onto His lap and lay my head on his chest ... and He will hear me.
He will "attend to my prayer." He will offer peace, comfort, and
strength. He will wrap me in His arms of love.
Are you crying out today? Is your heart overwhelmed? Then climb onto your
Daddy's lap. Share your pain with Him.
He will hear you ...
Today's scripture: Psalm 103:13-14
Like many of you, my definition of “father” was a bit skewed. My own left our
family when I was seven, and I honestly don’t have many memories of him from my
childhood. The best definition I had was “distant.”
Because of that, knowing I had a heavenly Father didn’t mean much to me. Now,
however, it means the world. I love knowing I have an Abba Father who loves me
more than I can imagine.
One on whose lap I can figuratively crawl onto for comfort. One who gives me
strength when I have none of my own.
One who knows every hair on my head, who knew me before I was born (Psalms139:13-16).
It doesn’t matter what your earthly father was like. Whether he was a constant
presence or nonexistent. Whether he cheered you on or belittled you. Whether he
watched over you or abused you.
Your heavenly Father, the Lord God, loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah31:3). He will never leave your side (Hebrews 13:5).
He loves you so much He was willing to send His own Son to die for you (John3:16).
So if you’re needing your Abba, He’s there. Crawl up on His lap. His arms are
ready to hold you tightly.
Today's
scripture: Ephesians 2:19-22
It’s such an amazing thought: We are part of God’s
household. We are sons and daughters of the King of Kings. Christ is the
cornerstone of the church, and we are its members. That’s amazing, too.
I especially love the thought of being God’s daughter. I love my earthly
father, but we don’t have that strong of a relationship. For a while, I
struggled with the idea of a loving father, one who cared for me no matter
what.
When I finally recognized how much God loves me—unconditionally loves me—I
understood what a Father really is.
He is gentle, compassionate, and caring. He protects His children and provides
for them. He’s a refuge when things are difficult.
I can crawl on my Father’s lap when I’m sad. I can reach my hand to Him for His
strength when I don’t have any of my own.
I can’t wait until I see my Father face-to-face. What a moment that will be—in
the arms of my Abba—my daddy.
Today's scripture: Psalm 51:11
One of the many wonderful attributes
of our God is His omnipresence. He’s everywhere. All at once. This is a mystery
to our earthly minds. How can God be with me right this very moment, yet be
with millions of others as well? I really have no idea, but what a blessing it
is to my heart to know it’s true!
Not only is God always with me, but I also know He’ll always be with me. He’ll never
leave me. Nor will He ever “cast me away from [His] presence.” When I was saved
by grace, I truly became His daughter—His dearly loved daughter.
And just as a loving father delights in his children, my heavenly Father
delights in me. He wants to be with me. And what a privilege it is to be able
to spend time with Him!
I’m never alone. Jesus promised His disciples that the “Helper,” God the Holy
Spirit, would indwell each of God the Father’s children. And the Spirit will
never leave us. God the Father will never take the Spirit from us.
I find great comfort in knowing, even when people on earth may desert me, I’m
never truly alone. And I’ll never be
alone.
Today’s
scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:14-18
It is a rare day when I don’t feel completely inspired by the Spirit to write
the day’s devotion. However, I’m experiencing significant “fibro fog,” so I’m going
to trust the words of a saint of the past—who was far wiser than I—to share his
words of wisdom.
When prayerfully considering Paul’s words in today’s scripture, Adam Clarke
discerned Paul was saying:
Ye are my children, and I am your father. You have not contributed to my
support, but I have been labouring for your life. I will act towards you as the
loving father who works hard, and lays up what is necessary to enable his
children to get their bread. I will continue to act as a loving father, who
spends all he has upon his children, and expends his own strength and life in
providing for them the things necessary for their preservation and comfort. I
will even act towards you with the most affectionate tenderness, though it
happen to me, as it often does to loving fathers, that their disobedient
children love them less, in proportion as their love to them is increased. Does
it not frequently happen that the most disobedient child in the family is that
one on which the parents' tenderness is more especially placed? See the parable
of the prodigal son. It is in the order of God that it should be so, else the
case of every prodigal would be utterly deplorable. The shepherd feels more for
the lost sheep than for the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. (Adam Clarke Commentary)
I love any scripture that reminds me of my loving Father, my Abba … my Daddy.
And as much as Paul loved his earthly “children” and as much as our parents
love us, our heavenly Father loves us so much more.
Father God, Abba, thank You for Your overwhelming, unconditional love. May I
live to glorify You. Every day. Amen.
