Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
October 27, 2021
Read Psalm 139:13-24
13 You are the one who created my innermost parts; you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb. 14 I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. Your works are wonderful—I know that very well. 15 My bones weren’t hidden from you when I was being put together in a secret place, when I was being woven together in the deep parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my embryo, and on your scroll every day was written that was being formed for me, before any one of them had yet happened. 17 God, your plans are incomprehensible to me! Their total number is countless! 18 If I tried to count them—they outnumber grains of sand! If I came to the very end—I’d still be with you. 19 If only, God, you would kill the wicked! If only murderers would get away from me 20 the people who talk about you, but only for wicked schemes; the people who are your enemies, who use your name as if it were of no significance. 21 Don’t I hate everyone who hates you? Don’t I despise those who attack you? 22 Yes, I hate them—through and through! They’ve become my enemies too. 23 Examine me, God! Look at my heart! Put me to the test! Know my anxious thoughts! 24 Look to see if there is any idolatrous way in me, then lead me on the eternal path!
Good Morning! God knows us completely, yet still loves us!
Are you ready to ask God to examine your heart? That’s a big question. Of course, God knows our thoughts and words before we have opened our mouth to utter them. However, somewhere in the childlike part of our brains, we try to hide the evil that lurks and encourages us to lash out when we feel mistreated and treat others unkindly.
Some might say, but I didn’t actually do anything bad, I just thought it. As children of God, the Holy Spirit is working within us to help us mature into loving, nurturing souls who see the goodness in everyone. Instead of looking and reacting to the negative, we are called to look inwardly and find the beauty in everyone’s soul. This can be a difficult task because some have built strong walls behind which they feel safe against the cruelty that others inflict.
When we invite God into our lives, we must accept the call to love God and to love our neighbors (everyone) as ourselves. The good news is that God sees us as we are with all of our imperfections and loves each one of us so much that he sent His Son to die for us, so that we might have eternal life. Challenge yourself to look at others as God sees them.
Loving God, Thank You for loving us. We seem to come back to the challenges of loving our neighbors as ourselves on a regular basis. Thank you for being patient with us as we allow the Holy Spirit to open our hearts. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: God knows my heart, thoughts, and desires.
Be joyful! God loves you! Pastor Liz
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