Devotionals for the Heart: Don't miss God when He's right in front of you

Disguised But Right in Front of You
A devotional by Kerry Sue Teravskis

But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”—Mark 14:61-62 (NIV)

My sister had dressed up for an event at church, completely disguising herself.

She became a pregnant blonde, and she was anything but that. She decided to leave it on when she picked up her new husband from the airport. Having known each other a long time before marriage, they easily would recognize one another.

Julie arrived in the airport, ready to meet her man. She was eager to see him and she was a sight. The travelers streamed off the plane and into the airport, not taking too much notice of her. She spied her husband, Jeff, first and waited for his reaction. To him, she was just a face in the crowd. Jeff remembered his wife as a brunette, a young bride and definitely not pregnant. She waited. As he nearly walked past her without recognizing his own wife, their eyes locked.

There was something familiar in those eyes to Jeff. The hair and her shape didn’t fit, but those eyes did. He burst out laughing as he realized what she had done, and she joined in the fun. Others laughed too as they saw this happy couple recognize each other, even though one was disguised.

When Jesus Christ was on earth, He made a point of telling others not to tell others about His identity. His time had not yet come. But most could not help themselves. He had done miracles, fed thousands, and healed many people. Naturally, the word got out. But many still chose not to believe or to see Him even though He was right in their midst.

We are told to walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), but while Jesus was on Earth, He was in plain sight. He did not disguise Himself. He was out in the open doing the work His Father sent Him to do (John 6:38). Many chose not to see.

They were looking for an impressive king, their Messiah who they expected would announce His advent with much pomp and circumstance. But Jesus came to Earth as a tiny baby born to humble and poor parents in a little town called Bethlehem. And then it was thirty years before He began His public ministry.

Jesus spent time with a rag tag group of followers, hung out with ‘sinners’ and answered only to His Father. He was in their midst, but for those who had eyes to see, there was understanding and belief.

Have you been looking for Jesus in your life and cannot find Him? Are you asking for His guidance but don’t see it? Could it be your vision is clouded or you are not looking into His eyes?

Jesus is right here with us and promises never to leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). But there may be times when we are so busy looking for the “wow” that we miss the humble. Just like the Pharisees were looking for an impressive King.

In my day-to-day I want immediate answers and quick responses from God. I am selfish and want what I want when I want it. But Jesus is asking me to trust Him, to look right in front of me because He is there—whether I see Him or not is up to me. His Presence could be bold and obvious, or it could come as a gentle whisper. He could walk on water (Mark 6:45-51) right beside me, or He could be holding the yoke open (Matthew 11:28-30) for me to step back into it. He could be serving me at the banquet table (Psalm 23:5) or He could be holding me in His lap (Hebrews 4:16).

The point is: He is here. Now. In the present.

Am I seeing Him? Are you?

There may be times our vision is clouded by the cares of this world or the bells and whistles our enemy tries (and often succeeds) to distract us with. Let us keep our sights set on Jesus so our vision can be clear to see Him clearly and take comfort in knowing He truly is right here with us.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank You for being there for me, for others and being completely present. Please forgive me for looking in the wrong places and into the wrong eyes. You are whom I am honestly looking for and honestly seeking to lead me in this life. I am here, acknowledging You right beside me and it is good. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “I Know You’re There” by Casting Crowns. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

As a wife and Marmee to three adult children and one brand new daughter-in-love, Kerry Sue’s life is very full. She met her husband in college and served in the mission field with him for a few years before settling down back in the United States of America to raise their family.

Kerry Sue’s family was a homeschooling family for 20 years and they enjoyed it immensely. For the last 23 years they have lived on a small farm in Northern California where they have raised many farm animals, along with growing and preserving their food. Kerry Sue’s family farm has been a great source of enjoyment and a place to host many family gatherings. She maintains an open-door policy for dear friends—old and new.

Following and serving Jesus Christ is an integral part of Kerry Sue’s life as well as her family’s.

Whether it’s singing in our church choir, teaching children or leading and lecturing at a women’s Bible study, Kerry Sue loves to demonstrate her love for Jesus by giving to Him in service. She’s been a blogger for more than eight years, a Bible study writer for two years, and a devotional writer for about one year.

Kerry Sue writes about finding God’s Sovereignty in our pain and suffering.

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Connect with Kerry:
Blog: https://www.sovereignblog.com/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerry.teravskis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksteravskis/

Thankful Thursdays: A God who cares

It’s Thursday and I’m thankful that the God of the Universe who is the Maker of Heaven and Earth takes time to step into our lives and feel our pain.

Earlier this week I was really going through something that made me feel like God was distant and did not care about my pain. There have been things I have experienced over the years that had me questioning if God cared about me. Of course, I know that is not Biblically accurate because the Bible says over and over again how much God loves all of His creation, especially humankind.

Last night, everything was caving in around me and I went silent. It was in the silence that I heard God speak through song lyrics. God does this for me often and I always know He’s speaking to me in these times because He always places a song on my heart that I have not heard in a while and the selection of lyrics He loops in my head always speak directly to whatever situation is weighing on me. And those lyrics lift me up out of my pit of despair. They feel like a hug from God.

So as I stood by the kitchen sink, silently washing dishes, the lyrics to the song “Who Am I” sung by Casting Crowns entered my mind. This specific selection played on loop in my head: “Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth/Would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt?”

It was in that moment I realized that God feels the depths of our pain. He’s not afraid of our pain. He goes there with us and He can handle all the ways we feel and He can take all of our honesty about how we feel. God is big enough to not be offended by your pain or your questioning His presence in your life.

Your pain is personal to God. In fact, God cares so much about everything you go through that He’s willing to sit in the silence with you. He’s willing to hear your cries and go deep with you. But He won’t leave you to sink to the bottom of the ocean floor and drown; He will lift you up above the surface of the troubled water that’s trying to take you under. He’ll encourage you to look up to Him and remember that He has a plan for your life and it is good (Jeremiah 29:11).

God knows we more mortals are not perfect. He knows that we experience pain. He knows that pain is part of the human experience because of sin that exists in this world, and the ongoing battle between good and evil. God knows it all and He will never leave you to fight alone. The Bible says that God will fight our battles if we only be still (Exodus 14:14).

And sometimes, He will remind you of His Presence in your life in a love language that is close to your heart and for me, that’s music.

I thank God for His steadfast love that is with us in the highs and lows of life (Psalm 139:8). I am so thankful that He is willing to go deep into our pain and help us heal. I am so glad that no situation is too much for God to handle.

He is so faithful to us.

What are you thankful for this Thursday?

Love,

Alexis A. Goring, MFA

Founder of "God is Love" blog

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Presence at Christmastime and Always

God With Us
A devotional by Cyndi Staudt

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” –Matthew 1:23 (NLT)

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year.

It always felt like Thanksgiving was the Grand Marshal of this electric parade, drawing fall to a close and ushering in the Advent season, a season celebrating the coming of Jesus into the world. My Dad’s birthday was on Christmas Day, which seemed to add to the excitement and joy of the season. Our family shared many traditions—cutting down our tree with hot chocolate in hand, going to Christmas Eve candlelight service, baking endless batches of cookies—that not only served to draw us closer but established heartwarming memories that will never fade.

With all the festivities of the season, as many gather in groups large and small, it might be hard to imagine some feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness, even when surrounded by a large number of people. Maybe it’s a first year without a loved one or separation from someone held dear by distance, death or divorce. Feelings of being alone can actually be intensified when being surrounded by others rather than diminished.

I used to wonder how anyone could be sad or lonely at Christmas until I became that person. When my Dad died six years ago, it seemed the light dimmed on the season just a little. Just enough to allow a smidge of sadness to enter my heart where joy previously resided. As cancer claimed my Mom and my faithful furry friend this year, it seems the sadness has overtaken the joy. Now, loneliness fights to claim more space than it deserves in my spirit. Loneliness and sadness now seem to be automatic, and I have to pursue peace and joy where it once occurred naturally.

I find encouragement in the words of Matthew as he assures us we are never alone, no matter how lonely we might feel. God was intentional when He said Jesus would be called Immanuel, God with us. Not God near us, next to us, or a phone call away. But He is with us. Always. In the valleys and on the mountaintops. In seasons of joy and seasons of sadness. In moments of peace and moments of pain. He knew there were going to be times in our lives when we needed the assurance that no matter what our feelings may be telling us, our faith can claim the promise that God is always with us.

Romans 8:38-39 reassures us that nothing can separate us from Him or His love. Not life nor death. Not angels nor demons. Not our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow. Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Jesus Christ. And revealing Jesus to the world is what the Christmas season is all about. God leads my lonely heart back to His through reminding me of the reason for this holiday season. While people, memories and traditions help make the season special, the baby in the manger is what makes salvation possible. Jesus Christ’s arrival into the world as a baby, set in motion God’s plans for redemption and initiated the rescue mission we so desperately needed.

We hold a God-sized gap in our hearts that nothing and no one in this world can satisfy. When we are overwhelmed with a sense of aloneness, we can remind ourselves to be intentional about pursuing God’s presence, which is always with us. Christmas may look a little different this year and certainly has a far different feel than years gone by, but the presence of God and the love of our Savior never changes.

God is always with us and waiting for us to draw near to His heart of love.

Let’s Pray: Loving Father, thank you for sending Jesus to be Immanuel, “God with us”. We are grateful You are omnipresent (everywhere) at all times. When our feelings betray us, our faith assures us of who You are, how You are and where You are. As we journey through the Christmas season, let us remember that Jesus is the reason for this season. While the traditions and activities make for wonderful memories and sweet celebrations, help us to keep our eyes and hearts fixed on the Savior who made His arrival into the world to rescue us. Thank You, Jesus, for revealing God’s extravagant love to us. May our faith be restored and our joy made complete in the hope that is Christmas – the hope that is and always will be Jesus! In the name of our mighty and ever-present Savior I pray. Amen.

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Note from Alexis: Cyndi’s devotional reminds me of this song “God is With Us” by Casting Crowns. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Cyndi Staudt is a Jesus-loving, adrenaline junkie who is devoted to living her life for Jesus Christ until the day she is living with Him.

With a passion for cultivating a craving for God’s Word, her devotions and Bible studies are saturated with faith and hope to stir your soul to connect with God in deeper, more intimate ways.

Through her writing she hopes to ignite your desire to read God’s Word, invite your heart to experience God’s love, and inspire you to live your live life “souled out” to the One whose love has no limits.

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Connect with Cyndi:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/souledoutcyndi/