Devotions

The Beauty of Trust

August 22, 2014 by Cosette

A young woman gracefully makes her way into the king’s court and stands quietly, waiting to be noticed—swan-like, queenly. Her beauty turns heads and, more importantly, leaves the king himself spellbound. The king invites her to approach. But she has been sent there by the hand of Jehovah to do more than take the king’s breath away. She must completely capture his sympathies. She ends up succeeding and thereby becoming one of the most celebrated heroines of all time—a soldier whose uniform is the finery of court. Her mission? Saving her nation and changing the course of Jewish history—a mission she could accomplish only by her willingness to trust.

And her name? Esther.

Trust in a God-fearing mentor

As queen, Esther was in a position far superior to that of her cousin and former guardian, Mordecai. Once she married the king, her days as an orphan under Mordecai’s authority were behind her. Her life was dictated by the expectations of the royal court. Yet she still consulted and trusted Mordecai and obeyed his call to action (Esther 4:10–16). Her loyalty to him remained steadfast in spite of her exalted circumstances, something that could only be attributed to a respect forged by years of tender nurturing and careful training from her youth. Though she had only recently emerged from her teens, she lost none of her high regard for Mordecai.

Trust under a stranger guardian

Esther’s preparation to meet the king was long and appears to have been fairly regimented. The desire to make a strong and favorable impression required great attention to detail. However, Esther’s undemanding spirit is noted in Scripture in contrast to the attitudes of other more forthright women who were vying for the king’s attention. Her trust extended to the one providing her day-to-day needs since “she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed” (Esther 2:15). Esther’s contentment no doubt contributed to her beautiful countenance, and she saw her Lord supply all her need through Hegai.

Trust in her King of Kings

Esther’s most powerful demonstration of trust appears when she lays her life on the line for her people—God’s people. Her words of concession (“if I perish, I perish”) to Mordecai ring through the corridors of time and establish her as one of history’s greatest heroines (Esther 4:16). She requests that her people commit to prayer and fasting as she prepares to approach the king. By faith, she submits herself unselfishly to God’s hard task and witnesses God’s astonishing deliverance—not only for her but also for her people.

The deeds of this conscientious queen were not merely forged by extreme circumstances. They came from a heart well-rehearsed in trusting Jehovah. Esther conquered her fears because she had first been conquered by her heavenly Father. Reliance on Him and not herself helped this young queen accomplish her mission.

How do you show your trust in God in your daily actions?

My Mom Is My Friend

May 1, 2014 by Carolynn

In honor of Mother’s Day, I want to honor my mom by sharing some of the ways that she’s blessed me. There is so much that she has done to show me her love, but I’ll just mention a few of the important ones. Maybe it will be a blessing to you as you think of the ways that God has used your mom in your life.

She cares about me.

Mom loves me and genuinely cares about me. She shares in my victories and in my downfalls—cheering me on or offering suggestions. She isn’t afraid to tell me the truth or let me know if she thinks I’m wrong. I can count on receiving her honest opinion whether I want it or not. And let’s face it, I usually need to hear it.

She’s my friend.

Over the years we’ve developed more than just a mother-daughter relationship. We also relate as friends. So we hang out together and watch movies, go shopping together (that’s more her thing than mine), or visit our favorite ice cream place. We have adventures together and create great memories.

She has been my teacher.

Not only was my mom one of my academic teachers—she taught Spanish at my high school—but she also taught me practical things too—like how to write a check and balance my checkbook, how to bake by following a recipe (she had me put the mixing bowl in the sink so I didn’t make a mess), and how to mentally calculate which coupon would give us the lowest price on an item (even though I really don’t like coupons very much). All those little things that you need to know for everyday life—my mom taught me those.

She’s my mom.

We have this funny thing that we say sometimes:

Me: You’re the best mother.
Mom: You’re the silliest kid.
Me: That’s all right . . . as long as I get to be your kid.

I’m glad that she is my mom, that God gave us to each other. I honestly wouldn’t want any other mom—she wouldn’t understand me or love me the way that mine does.

In short, I think I have the best mom. Is she perfect? No, but she’s perfect for me—just as yours is perfect for you.

How do you honor your mom for Mother’s Day?

Pausing on His Way to Heaven

April 1, 2014 by Cosette

In the synagogue at Nazareth, the Lord Jesus introduced Himself with the most powerful, yet tender mission statement ever spoken.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” —Luke 4:18

To the end of His life on earth, our Lord was faithful to this mission; the closing hours and days before His glorious ascension vividly portray His commitment and shepherd’s heart. Throughout the Gospels, we see Him drawn to people with different needs. We see Him pausing on His way back to heaven to preach, to heal, to release, to show, and to convince.

Poor in spirit (Luke 24:13–31)

On the road to Emmaus, the Lord Jesus drew alongside to preach the gospel of His salvation to two downcast disciples who were poor in spirit. His words helped them to piece together the prophecies and promises so diligently taught to them before His crucifixion. They needed to hear it again, and our Lord didn’t think two was too small an audience. With knowledge and authority, steadfastness and patience, His divine instruction lifted them out of despondency. How easy it is for us to forget the power of the gospel. Hearing Him transforms even our bleakest circumstance.

Lonely, broken heart (John 20:11–17)

Then there was weeping Mary Magdelene—not only left alone in the garden—but feeling truly alone in the world. Tears are the constant companion of the broken heart, and our Lord—yearning to wipe them away—drew near to her. Healing came with joyful recognition. The encounter was briefer than the one with the travelers, but the quiet comfort was lasting. And again, one was not too few for our Lord’s attention—even when His time was short.

Captive of the past (John 21:17)

A captive to his past, Peter, too, became the object of the risen Lord’s mission of mercy. Only a wide-open confession followed by a great commission could free the grief-stricken disciple from believing that his denial had cost him all future usefulness. He had to be singled out for grace. He needed to “taste” forgiveness. Peter: “Thou knowest that I love thee.” Jesus: “Feed my sheep.” Restoration given, the shackles fell off.

Wounded and doubting (John 20:24–29)

Perhaps we understand doubting Thomas, but wounded Thomas? The Lord understood that in the flesh, sometimes life’s wounds can cause a hard crust of doubt or unbelief to form. Feeling his trust had been betrayed, Thomas refused to hope and be disappointed. He put up barriers; yet Christ was patient with him. He presented Himself to be seen and touched. He set at liberty the one who was wounded.

Unconvinced multitude (1 Corinthians 15:6)

On one occasion He was seen by more than five hundred of His followers—seen not by one or two, but by many. The Lord made Himself recognizable. In the same way today, eyes see and hearts respond. We have all been blinded by discouragement, heartbreak, guilt, or doubt. Only a supernatural work can give us the vision to see He is there and to know that He will never not be there.

Christ’s mission was fulfilled. He was faithful until the very end of His earthly mission—even as He paused on His way heavenward.

How has the ministry of Christ impacted you?

An Eternal Thanksgiving

November 27, 2013 by Cosette

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls.” (Habakkuk 3:17)

Taken alone, this passage would appear to be nothing more than a sad lament because we see a list of scarcities. But it takes a different tone in verse 18, to end on an immensely uplifting note. Its determined author concludes—“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Through the ages, untold millions have drawn comfort from these verses, regarding them as the undying melody in the patient sufferer’s heart. They remind us that although temporal blessings may ebb and flow, our rejoicing need not. Our thanksgiving—rooted in the past, the present, and the future—is truly eternal.

We can trace the Lord’s mercies to us long before our birth. Just thinking of all the variables involved in assuring that climactic moment overwhelms the mind. Considering the simple fact that we arrived, and then recalling the myriad blessings we have received since, makes our memories treasures that can never be taken from us. We often think of this as one of the great compensations of old age. Where the cache of blessings has swollen to a great store, even the weary can say with the psalmist, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken” (Psalm 37:25). But because all of us have been blessed from birth, our gratitude can begin from the moment we first comprehend God’s goodness.

In the present, we see the blessings of God continually bestowed. His Spirit enables us to meditate on His word and our saving grace in Christ. This strengthens us in the inner man and makes our sensitivity to His daily favor increasingly acute. Even the beleaguered and weeping prophet was able to say “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23). This work of God’s Spirit assures the survival of Christian faith and is an ever-present cause for thanksgiving, no matter what befalls us day by day.

The lovely Psalm 23 is a litany of blessings in the psalmist’s “present.” David’s grateful acknowledgement throughout pays a rich dividend of assurance at its soaring crescendo. As he looks into the future with a heart overflowing with thanksgiving and confident trust, he exclaims, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” Perhaps meditating on the past, and present, fed David’s hopefulness for the future?

Steadfast praise for past, present, and future blessings draws the believer close to the heart of his heavenly Father. As he walks in fellowship with God, his gratitude remains lively even when tangible blessings seem few. His memory of past mercies, his experiences of current graces, and his focus on God’s promises for his future all play a part in the soul-cheering exercise of his eternal thanksgiving.

May you be encouraged this Thanksgiving to reflect on past, present, and future blessings.