Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
March 23, 2023
Read Revelations 9:1-20
9 I, John, your brother who shares with you in the hardship, kingdom, and endurance that we have in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and my witness about Jesus. 10 I was in a Spirit-inspired trance on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice that sounded like a trumpet. 11 It said, “Write down on a scroll whatever you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12 I turned to see who was speaking to me, and when I turned, I saw seven oil lamps burning on top of seven gold stands. 13 In the middle of the lampstands, I saw someone who looked like the Human One. He wore a robe that stretched down to his feet, and he had a gold sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white as white wool—like snow—and his eyes were like a fiery flame. 15 His feet were like fine brass that had been purified in a furnace, and his voice sounded like rushing water. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword. His appearance was like the sun shining with all its power. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. But he put his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I was dead, but look! Now I’m alive forever and always. I have the keys of Death and the Grave. 19 So write down what you have seen, both the scene now before you and the things that are about to unfold after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands, here is what they mean: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Good Morning, Write down what you have seen!
Some write in journals, and there are those who don’t. As a young girl, it seems a right of passage to be given a diary. I remember being so excited when I received this beautiful book full of blank pages secured by a lock and key. I thought to myself, I will fill the pages with all of my thoughts and ideas. The first night I dutifully wrote, “Dear Diary, I can’t wait to fill your pages. More tomorrow . . . Liz
I quickly discovered writing down my thoughts on paper was not as cool as others made it seem. If my diary suddenly appeared from a long lost box, you would not find much on the pages. In fact, if I remember correctly, you would only find a few pages with any writing at all. I quickly lost interest in my diary, and it sat on the shelf and gathered dust along with those other “cool” things that I couldn’t wait to get. I learned that technical reports and research writing were more appealing to me. These are not the kinds of things that I believed you would write in a diary.
Flash forward about fifty-four years. It was September on a typical late summer morning. It was in the time of virtual teaching and a time when God was busy working to show me a new path for my life.
I heard God say, “write down your thoughts.”
I laughed and reminded God, “I am not a writer.
My thoughts are fine,
wandering around in my head. Thank you very much.”
“Write down what you think.”
“What?” “Why?”
“Write it down”
So as I read a passage of scripture from the Upper Room, I began to write (type) my thoughts on what God’s words were saying to me. At first, my thoughts were slow to form, and my fingers felt awkward typing the words, but when I looked at my screen, I saw a whole page of my thoughts. Well, okay then. This isn’t so bad. Then God shared the next directions.
“Share your thoughts with my children.”
“What!?!” (I realized this was a discussion, as one I would lose.)
So, I copied and pasted my thoughts and shared them with my church family. The following day God was prodding me to do this again. Okay. I’ll try this Your way. On that day, I became a journal writer, and a new path was placed before me. Almost three years later, my morning reading and writing are a natural part of my day. Even when I’m “on vacation” or too busy, I sit and spend time with God and allow the words he places on my heart and mind to flow through my fingers as they fill the page. Thank You, God!
Some of you reading my words this morning have been with me from the beginning of my ministry. Thank you for your love and support! Many of you have joined me along my way to answer God’s calling. Thank you all for your love and support.
But God! “I’m not a writer . . .”
God smiles and says, “Go, follow your call, I am with you always.”
Blessed God, We thank you for Your blessings. God, you call us in ways we don’t think we can go. Thank you for leading us! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: What new ministry is God calling me to?
Follow your calling! Pastor Liz
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