Tag: Good Good Father

Remind Me, Lord – Job 21 – 2025 Day 71

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Job 21; Psalm 39

In the 21st chapter of Job, Job wrestles with God as he watches the wicked prosper. Why were their animals multiplying and their flocks of children running and playing and singing, while his own house and fields had been wiped out?

Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever prayed for God to give you a running vehicle so you can get to work while your annoying co-worker keeps bragging about her new minivan? Have you ever pleaded with God to give you a friend while your gossipy neighbor has a house full of companions? Have you ever begged God for a child while you watch a story on the news about a woman who threw her own baby in the dumpster?

I remember how hard it was to go to baby showers for my friends after losing my baby boy. I remember how hard it was to hear about others whose children were so quiet and obedient while mine were outspoken and headstrong.

Frankly, there is no 3-step solution to answer all your questions, no quick pill to take away all your pain, but there is hope and wisdom to be found in drawing near to God and His Word. We must remind ourselves of the simple truth that none of us are good, no not one. All of us are wicked. Our wickedness may look different from that co-worker or neighbor or woman on the news, but none of us deserve God’s great blessings of food and friendship and family.

We must remind ourselves that this world is not our destination; we are all just passing through.

“O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah

Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!”

– Psalm 39:4-6 ESV

Ultimately, the greatest blessings in this life are not found in expensive cars or rich food or abundant friends or even in a house full of children and a happy marriage. Rather, the greatest blessings in life are found at the feet. and in the hands, of Jesus. The blessings of joy and peace and purpose are found in the abundant, eternal blessings both in this life and the life to come.

If I had to choose between a mansion
with a child in every bedroom and
a Lamborghini in the driveway
or a life with Christ,
I’d choose Christ every time.

Let’s pray,

Oh Lord God, remember your mercy and steadfast love – for they have been from of old. Change my prideful, sinful heart. Remind me of how much I have been forgiven. Let me not be like that unmerciful servant who pointed a finger of condemnation at the speck in his brother’s eyes, while forgetting his own sin against You, our Perfectly Holy, Righteous, Merciful King.

Remember not the sins of my youth nor the sins of my old age. My transgressions are indeed many, but Your mercy is indeed more. Remember me according to Your steadfast love — for the sake of Your Name and Your goodness. Your Name is great, and Your Goodness is without end. I know that You are good. I know that You are just. I know that You are faithful and true. Help me to remind myself of what I know to be true about You, about me, and about my neighbor.

I pray that You will bless others – my family, my friends, my neighbors, my enemies – with a knowledge of the truth, that they might know that You are indeed full of justice and grace. I pray that You would save them today, Lord, that they might turn away from their sin and receive forgiveness, that they might know Your love which is better than life.

It is in the name of Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, that I pray. Amen.

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“I’d Rather Have Jesus” – Selah

When Will it be Enough? – 2025 Day 56 (Genesis 47-48)

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Read Through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 24, Genesis 47-48

Have you ever found yourself running in this rat’s race of life, pursuing some pie in the sky goal, but unable to reach it no matter how hard you try? Or maybe you have succeeded in reaching the goals you’ve set for yourself – you’ve gotten accepted into that college, graduated as valedictorian, married the guy, had the babies, won the praises of man – and yet you still find your life empty?

Like the song “Never Enough” from the 2017 blockbuster hit, “The Greatest Showman,” no matter what the world has to offer you, it’s never enough.

All the shine of a thousand spotlights
All the stars we steal from the night sky
Will never be enough
Never be enough

Towers of gold are still too little
These hands could hold the world but it’ll
Never be enough
Never be enough

Friends, let me assure you, whatever this world has to offer, it’s never enough. Never.

  • Eve thought, “If only I could eat the fruit of that tree…”
  • Lot’s wife thought, “If only I could go back home…”
  • Sarah thought, “If only I could have a son…”
  • Rebekah thought, “If only my son Jacob would receive his father’s blessing…”
  • Leah thought, “If only Jacob loved me…”
  • Rachel thought, “If only I had a son…”

In the final verse of Genesis 45, Jacob receives word that his favorite son, Joseph, whom he thought had been killed by wild animals, is still alive. Jacob says,

It is enough;
Joseph my son is still alive.
I will go and see him before I die.

Genesis 45:28

Then, when Jacob was finally reunited with this dearly loved son, he said, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” (Genesis 46:30) And then God graciously gives Jacob another 17 years of life after seeing his son – time enough to know not only Joseph but also Joseph’s two sons who were born during Joseph’s years in Egypt.

Now, at the end of his life, Jacob asks Joseph to bring near his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, saying, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” (Genesis 48:11)

And suddenly my mind started thinking, “Lord, when will it be enough for me? When I have that next thing, that next relationship, that next opportunity? When I finally quit doing that thing that I hate? When my husband finally does the next thing? When my child does that most important thing? When will it be enough?”

And then I was reminded of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

We learn of God’s grace as we are humbled. Surely these afflictions are for our good. It is good to recognize that nothing on earth will ever be enough. Treasures on earth – whether monetary or relational – will never satisfy. Our lives are better because of the thorns that the Lord has in His mercy given us.

Remember, faith grows
when it is stretched.

Let’s pray together.

Heavenly Father,

You alone are worthy. You are enough. You alone satisfy. In Your presence there is fullness of joy. At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Your face, Lord, is what I seek.

In this world, You have promised that I will have troubles, but Lord You have also promised that I can take heart before You have overcome the world.

If I have every trapping of this world – all the knowledge and wisdom, all the fame and power and praise of man, all the riches, all the relationships – it will never be enough. Let me not seek after these worldly things that can never satisfy.

Let me boast only in You – that I know You, that You are the Lord, my Lord, who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. This is what You delight in, so make these my delight, too.

You are a good shepherd and You are my shepherd. I have everything I need. You are enough.

Your grace is enough for me. You are more than enough for me.

In the Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Psalm 16:11; Psalm 27:8; John 16:33; Jeremiah 9:23-24; Psalm 23

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Enough – Elias Dummer
Your Grace is Sufficient – Shane and Shane

Trusting God when People Hurt you – 2025 Day 55 (Genesis 45-46)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 23, Genesis 45-46

So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near.

And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

Genesis 45:4-8 ESV

I have a quick, simple question for y’all. Have you ever been sold into slavery by your brothers? No? Me neither.

Have you ever been hurt by anyone in your life? Yes? Me, too.

When someone hurts you, it can be hard (impossible?) to forgive them. Sometimes it feels like you simply can’t “let them off the hook” by forgiving them. We take on the role of punisher, paying them back for what they’ve done to us.

But let’s think carefully about Joseph’s words here. What if we saw God’s hand at work even in our pain? How would our desire to punish someone who hurt us change if we truly believed that God was working even this pain to bring good? Wouldn’t that make forgiveness a whole lot easier?

The truth is that God is always at work, accomplishing the best ends through the best means for the most people. Sometimes people get hurt during that … And sometimes those people include YOU and ME and OUR loved ones.

Will you pray with me?

Heavenly Father,

I trust You. I trust Your heart. I trust Your mercy and kindness and grace and power. You have proven Yourself to be good and faithful – in Your Word and in my life. But, Father, sometimes things look really bad to me. In fact, sometimes things really are bad. It’s wrong to sell your brother into slavery. That is wrong. Yet, Lord, you worked through that unthinkable tragedy to bring great good for a great number of people with fruit still being born even today.

I pray that I would trust You with all my heart, soul, and mind. Help me to remember Your steadfast faithfulness to Joseph, and me, now and forever.

In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen

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Loving People When They Hurt You: Thoughts from the Life of Judah and his Dad – 2025 Day 54 (Genesis 42-44)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 22, Genesis 42-44

Genesis 42 kicks off with the famine having spread to the land of Canaan, thereby forcing Jacob to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain. Jacob sends ten of his remaining sons, but refuses to send Joseph’s younger brother, Benjamin, the only other son of Rachel, “for he feared that harm might happen to him.” (Genesis 42:4) Jacob is still playing favorites, like I wrote about here.

As though that’s not bad enough, even after Simeon (Jacob’s second son from his unloved wife, Leah) is left behind in Egypt, Jacob continues to insist that Benjamin cannot go to Egypt, saying, “My son shall not go down with you [Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn son], for his brother [Joseph] is dead, and he is the only one left.” (Genesis 42:38) In fact, Jacob still has eight other sons in addition to Reuben left at home, namely Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, and Zebulun.

How would you feel if you heard your father say such a thing about one of your brothers?

Wouldn’t you want to scream and cry and stomp your feet, “Hey, Dad, what about me? Don’t you love me? Aren’t I your son? What about me and my children? What if we starve here from this famine?”

When the famine becomes even more severe and all the Egyptian grain has been consumed, Jacob is finally willing to send his sons again to Egypt to buy food. (Keep in mind, Simeon had been left in Egypt as a captive all this time.)

Judah, Jacob’s fourth son who was also born to Leah, solemnly pledges to his father, “From my hand you shall require him [Benjamin]. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.” (Genesis 43:9 ESV)

To which Jacob finally relents, “May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” (Genesis 43:14)

Now, put yourself in the shoes of Judah, or one of Leah’s other sons or worse yet one of the sons of Rachel’s servant Bilhah or Leah’s servant Zilpah. Imagine hearing your father refer to Simeon, your big brother as “your other brother” while Rachel’s son is referred to by name. Benjamin, Jacob’s last son. Benjamin, the only remaining son of Rachel, Jacob’s dearly loved wife who died during his birth. Benjamin, the “son of my right hand.”

Whether spoken intentionally or not, Jacob’s words communicated to his children that Benjamin is more valuable than they are. Read Judah’s own words to Joseph about his dad at the end of Genesis 44.

“As soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die …
Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me?
I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”

Genesis 44:31a, 33-34 ESV

In spite of the pain that his father has caused him, Judah still loves his dad. He may not be expecting a prodigal son’s welcome home — no father running to him with arms open wide. Rather, he is expecting to arrive home to a father who is looking behind him to see if his baby brother is there. And yet … Judah is still worried about the deep pain that his brother’s loss will cause his father.

Are you having a hard time loving someone who has hurt you again and again? Are you struggling to forgive someone who has repeatedly broken your heart?

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father,

How I long to see you face to face, to sit at your feet and have every tear wiped away from my eyes! How I ache for the pain and sin and sorrow of this world to be over!

But, Father, in the meantime, help me to love as Your Son loved. Remind me how much You have forgiven me. Show me my sin.

Help me to forgive even those who forget me and reject me and spit in my face. I want to forgive others as You have forgiven me.

Lord, I can’t do this on my own. I need Your strength. Help me to see the log in my own eye, to accept responsibility for where my own sin has contributed to the pain that I find myself in.

I want to overcome evil with good, for You are good and I am Yours.

In the Good and Gracious name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

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Hymn of Heaven by Phil Wickham

The Miracle of Faithful, Forgiving Love – 2025 Day 49 (Genesis 33)

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Read Through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 17; Genesis 33

But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

Genesis 33:4 ESV

Twenty years earlier Jacob had fled for his life after lying to his father and cheating his brother Esau out of his father’s final blessing. Jacob was terrified to go back and see Esau again. He expected Esau to kill him, his wives, and his children. At a minimum, we would expect Esau to at least give Jacob a severe tongue lashing, right?

Esau running to embrace Jacob is certainly not what anyone would expect. Forgiveness and reconciliation are rare commodities in human relationships, even between brothers.

Esau’s actions reminded me of the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.

“How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”

– Luke 15:17-24 ESV

I’m reading about Esau, but all I can think about is God’s overwhelming, never-ending, faithful love. He loved me while I was yet His enemy. Truly He loved me first. I am able to love Him ONLY because He first loved me!

I confess that I don’t really understand how all this works, but I do know that it all begins and ends with our loving Father. He pursues us. He lavishes His mercy on us, and His mercy draws us to repentance.

Esau’s ability to forgive his selfish, lying, deceiving brother, takes an act of God.

Has someone hurt you? Are you struggling to forgive them? You need God to act. And He CAN! He can do it. Dear sisters, God is able to do it through us! What is impossible for man is possible for God! God can give us the strength and humility to forgive others who have hurt us.

And, let’s not forget, He commands it of us. We must forgive others because we have been forgiven of SO MUCH!

Which reminds me of another parable that Jesus told. This time in Matthew 18.

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’

So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.

Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’

And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

-Matthew 18:21-35 ESV

Let’s pray together.

Heavenly Father,

Please give us the strength and humility we need to forgive others. Help us to say what our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to say, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Remind us of Christ’s own words as He was being crucified, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Help us to lovingly pursue others while they are sinners, like Jesus pursued us. Help us to overcome evil with good rather than repaying wrong with wrong. Please, Father, make us more like Jesus who was willing to suffer, in order that we could be forgiven and redeemed.

Help us to love others like you have loved us.

By the power of the Holy Spirit and the lavish, overwhelming grace of Christ, we pray this, Amen.

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The Unloved Wife – 2025 Day 47 (Genesis 29-30)

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 15, Genesis 29-30

“When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, ‘Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.’

She conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.’ And she called his name Simeon.

Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, ‘Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.’ Therefore his name was called Levi.

And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘This time I will praise the LORD.’ Therefore she called his name Judah.

Then she ceased bearing.”

– Genesis 29:31-35

Leah viewed her first three sons as tools to get her husband to love her.

  • Son #1: Now my husband will love me.
  • Son #2: The Lord has heard that I am hated.
  • Son #3: Now my husband will be attached to me.

Yet, it’s Leah’s fourth son, Judah, the son whose name means praise, the son whose birth brought Leah to say, “THIS TIME I WILL PRAISE THE LORD,” whom God chose to father the line of Jesus Christ, God’s only Begotten Son and the Savior of the World,

Friends, think about this: it was Leah, the unloved wife, whom God chose to bear Judah.

I remember my own time of marital pains  and infertility. Reading this story about Leah is such an encouragement to me.

God has purpose both in our fertility and in our barrenness. May we bring Him glory in both!

Are you feeling unloved today? I’ve been there. But so has Jesus. He knows how it feels to be rejected by those who were supposed to love Him. And Jesus, the Great I Am, loves you. He is worth a thousand times more than the most perfect husband or a thousand imperfect sons.

Let me pray over you.

Heavenly Father,

You are close to the broken-hearted. You are the God who remains faithful when man is faithless. You love the unloved and the unloveable, the poor, the lonely, the rejected.

You are the good shepherd who pursues His lost sheep.

I pray that we would praise You when life is easy, and we would praise You when life is hard. No matter what, You are worthy of our praise!

We offer our hearts, minds, wombs, and lives to You. Father, fill them as You will in Your perfect timing and for Your perfect purposes. Help us to trust You with our hearts and our hurts.

In the name of Jesus our Savior and King we pray, Amen.

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Jehovah Jireh –  The Lord will provide – 2025 Day 44 (Genesis 24)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 12, Genesis 24

When I read the story of Abraham offering Isaac in Genesis 22, I noticed in verse 8 that Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the Lamb for a burnt offering” and then in verse 14 that Abraham called the place, “the Lord will provide.”

“The Lord will provide” is the Hebrew name of God, “Jehovah Jireh.”

It really clicked in my mind, though, when I was teaching an online English Beginners Bible class focusing on Matthew 6:26-33.

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 

Are you not of more value than they?

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

And why are you anxious about clothing?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Which then reminded me of Philippians 4:4-6

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Reading Genesis 24, I kept thinking about how Abraham trusted Jehoveh Jireh, the providing God. I’m Genesis 22, Abraham was willing to offer up his dearly loved son, Isaac, because he had full confidence that God would provide. And now again in Genesis 24, Abraham fully trusted that God would provide a wife for that very same son.

This, friends, is FAITH. Faith is trusting that God will provide whatever we need, whatever is best for us.

Yesterday, my husband and I spent the day together as our youngest son, our own dearly loved son, attended a scholarship competition for a Christian university not too far from home. We are praying for the Lord to provide for him. Meanwhile, our youngest granddaughter has a bad case of hand, foot, and mouth. She’s miserable, and Mommy is exhausted. Again, we are praying for the Lord to provide for them. 

What do you need the Lord to provide? I’d love to pray for you. Leave a comment below.

Heavenly Father,

You own the cattle on a thousand hills. You are all-powerful, and You are good. You see us. You hear us. You know our every need. You are a good Father who delights in giving Your children good gifts.

Again and again you force us to rely on You. Truly, Father, this is a severe mercy. We are thankful for our neediness, so that we can recognize our desperate need to rely on Your power.

We are such a weak and needy people. We need daily bread. We need breath and food and rest. We need strength. We need wisdom. We need forgiveness. We need peace and hope and comfort and joy.

But what we need most, Father, is Your presence. Please, stay close to us, Father. Walk with us. Hold our hand. Abide with us and guide us by Your Spirit.

Thank You, Father, for providing everything that we need according to Your riches of glory in Christ Jesus.

Will you please provide for the specific needs that we each find ourselves in? I’m asking You to provide the finances, healing, and strength that my family needs. I know that You are able. Be glorified in our lives.

In the Almighty name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray. Amen.

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Do Not Worry by Rain for Roots

The God who Gives – 2025 Day 39 (Genesis 15)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 7; Genesis 15

“After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, ‘Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.'”
– Genesis 15:1 ESV

“I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.”

– Psalm 7:17 ESV

A quick word of encouragement before we dive in today: always read the Bible in context. Don’t forget that Genesis 15 goes with Genesis 14. Interestingly, my husband just yesterday sent me a link to a satirical Babylon Bee article about reading the Bible one daily texted verse at a time.

Remember that at the end of Genesis 14, Abram gave a tenth of everything to the priest-king Melchizedek, and he refused to keep any of the spoil from the King of Sodom (Genesis 14:20-24). This is the context of the Lord saying to Abram, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

In today’s reading I was again encouraged that the Lord is El Elyon, God Most High. He is the possessor of all things, so He is able to give as He pleases. The Lord is who gives children, and the Lord is who gives land. The Lord is who brings judgment, and the Lord is who brings peace.

Like Job said after losing all of his possessions and even his children, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21 ESV)

If we feel like we earn our possessions by our own power and strength, rather than seeing them as a gift from God Most High, it’s a lot harder to lose them.

If we feel like we create children by our own will, rather than seeing them as a gift from Creator God, it’s a lot easier to refuse to have them.

When we see everything in life as a gift and the Lord as the ultimate giver, then we can receive whatever He sends with thanksgiving and humility.

Let’s pray for our hearts to be humble and thankful before our Almighty generous God.

Heavenly Father,

I pray that I would rightly see You as the great and gracious giver that You are. You are the one who gives and takes away. I pray that I would take refuge in the shadow of Your wings, trusting that whatever You have planned is for my good and for Your glory.

Help me to be humble. Help me to be patient. Help me to be truly thankful for all of my blessings – my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my friends, my church, my country, my home and my health, my clothing and food, and every breath that I take.

Thank You for the grace which You have lavished on me.

Thank You for Your undeserved forgiveness through the blood of Christ poured out for me.

Thank Your for Your Word which is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who leads me and comforts me.

Thank You for sending Your Only Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to die in my place.

We praise You, Lord, in His Mighty Name, Amen.

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Three Brothers and a Prayer for our Children – 2025 Day 35 (Genesis 9:18-10:33)

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 4, Genesis 9:18-10:32

“And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.”

– Genesis 9:22-23 ESV

Earlier this week we read about two brothers: Cain and Abel. Today we read about three brothers: Shem, Ham, and Japheth, from whom every man and woman alive today are descended.

Three sons born of the same mom and dad. Three sons of righteous Noah. Three sons who saw the world destroyed in a cataclysmic flood. Three sons who survived in an ark built by their faithful father who heard from God and obeyed.

Yet, one son became a snitch who dishonored his dad while the other two sons chose humility and honor.

Why?

Why do some of our children walk blamelessly, doing right and speaking truth while others slander and do evil?

Why do some honor those who fear the Lord while others honor the vile and wicked?

I wish I had an answer but I don’t. What I do know, though, is that God is good and all-knowing and all-powerful. He has a plan and purpose through it all and He is working behind the scenes in His perfect timing and wisdom to accomplish good.

Like A.W. Tozer wrote in his classic book, Knowledge of the Holy, “All God’s acts are done in perfect wisdom, first for His own glory, and then for the highest good of the greatest number for the longest time. And all His acts are as pure as they are wise, and as good as they are wise and pure. Not only could His acts not be better done: a better way to do them could not be imagined.”

If you struggle with this, too, I suggest you read Romans 9 which addresses some of this issue.

Let’s pray together for all our children.

Heavenly Father,

We know that You alone are always good, always wise, and always in charge. We lay our questions and struggles at Your feet. We choose to trust You in things that we don’t understand.

We also choose to lay our children at Your feet, trusting You to work for their good. Please, Father, save our children from their own selfish pride and sinfulness. Open their eyes to see You and to see their need for salvation.

We pray that You will make us godly examples for our children. Keep us from drunkenness. Help us to be sober-minded and self-controlled. We want to be filled with Your Holy Spirit, walking by faith and living pure and holy lives.

Please protect our children from pride and jealousy and strife. Guide them to the truth that You bless the meek and humble. Remind them that love covers a multitude of sins.

In the Name of our Merciful and Wise Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

Not of this World – 2025 Day 18 (John 18)

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 18, John 18

"When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground." - John 18:6 ESV

Why would these soldiers draw back and fall to the ground with these simple words? Because Jesus truly is the great “I am,” the eternal one, the one whose words have power like no earthly man.

"Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."" - John 18:15-17 ESV

This “other disciple” is John. John, the author of the book of John, was known to the high priest and was allowed to enter into the courtyard with Jesus. Then, John bought Peter in. It seems to me that John is willing to identify himself with Jesus, but Peter isn’t. Peter insists even to a mere servant girl that he is not one of Jesus’s disciples.

I have to ask myself, am I more like John – willing to identify myself with Christ even with his enemies … or more like Peter, afraid to stand up for Christ even with a stranger.

Jesus says, “I am he,”
while Peter says, “I am not.”

"So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."" - John 18:33-36 ESV

This reminded me of John 1:10-12, “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Jesus’s own people, the Jews, had rejected him, yet here is Pilate, a Roman, asking Jesus if he is the king of the Jews.

Jesus’s kingdom is not over any specific group of people, and His kingdom is not in the here and now of this earthly world, Rather, Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the eternal King over all, the One who will reign for all eternity over all heaven and earth.

Which reminded me of Revelation 21. Here’s just a few verses — go read the whole chapter for yourself. 

"And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day--and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." - Revelation 21:22-27 ESV

I look forward to the day when I’ll be able to see my Great King face-to-face, where all things will be new, where there will be no more crying or pain, no more war or persecution … forever and ever. Won’t you join me there?

Let’s pray together.

Heavenly Father,

We look forward to the day when Your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We pray for those who haven’t yet bowed their knees to Jesus and ask You to open their eyes to the reality of Christ as King.

We pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who risk their lives and their livelihood to stand with Christ. We pray that You will help us to be bold, to not be ashamed of the gospel for it is the power to save both the Jew and the Gentile.

Thank You for inviting us into Your kingdom. You are the great, everlasting “I am.” And we are the “I am nots.” Help us to remember that. Help us to willingly humble ourselves before Your throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

In the Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.