Devotionals for the Heart: Journey with God through the storms of life

Master of the Sea
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!” 

– Psalm 107:29-31 (ESV) 

When at the beach, my sister-in-law and I like to take our low seated chairs and put them at the water’s edge to let the tide ebb and flow over our feet. When I feel the cool movement of the waves, I marvel at the mighty hand of God. The vast, churning ocean could sweep in and swallow us up, yet He created the moon to hold back the tides.

It takes great courage to sail the seas. Their depths hold many wonders and undiscovered treasures. There are also dangers that come with the unexpected storm or carnivorous creature looking for a meal. Yet each day fisherman and sailors feel the call to launch their ships into unknown, unsure of what they’ll encounter, but trusting the process, their wits, and their training.

Likewise, God asks us to trust in our journey with Him into the unknown. We are called to cast our cares upon him (Psalm 55:22) and seek Him while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6). Much like a fisherman we must be prepared. Preparation comes from learning, training, and practice. The Bible holds the wisdom and keys of knowledge that can help us navigate the waters of life.

Much like a sailor, we must learn to rely on our shipmates: spouses, family members, and friends. No one is expected to sail alone. Some have sailed solo, but we’ll take our example from Jesus Christ’s disciples, whom He always sent out together to teach them to work together. God is our Teacher, but we can also learn valuable lessons from others. If you don’t have a trusted friend or loved one for this type of resource, I urge you to pray for God to show you someone who you can trust. God knows the person you need who will also need you.

When we sail the seas of life with God, there will be storms. Even on a calm, sunny day there will be unexpected storms that rise or high winds that stir up the currents of life. On one such occasion in Mark 6:45-52, Jesus sent his disciples out ahead of him to sail to the other shore.

It started out as a calm, normal journey, but the winds rose so great that the disciples were struggling. Jesus walked out onto the lake to help them. Seeing this, His disciples were terrified because they thought He was a ghost. Jesus told them to take courage and not to be afraid. As soon as He reached the boat, the winds died down and they were amazed. Because of their fear, Jesus revealed the power of who He is: the one who controls everything–even the sea.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) calls us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”

When we sail the seas with the Lord, trust is key. Understanding isn’t. It is in our nature to want to know, so we can think and adapt. But when we place all our trust in God to navigate the seas for us, we give up control. We must follow and obey no matter what. Such obedience to God can be scary. But such trust in God allows Him to deliver us to the other side, perhaps changed, but for the better, and with more than we can ask, think, or imagine.

So, friend, I bid you set sail with God. Look to the heavens to find your way and be guided by the Son (Jesus Christ). The wind will not fail you. For it is controlled by the master of the sea.

Let's Pray: Dear God, thank you for your steadfast love and wondrous works for us. Thank you for helping me navigate the seas of this life with you. Help me to trust and obey you in all your ways, even when I don’t understand. I know you will bring me to more than I can ask, think, or imagine, and I give you all the glory. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

*Note from Alexis: Mirachelle’s message reminds me of these two songs: “Oceans” by Hillsong United and “Sometimes He Calms the Storm” by Scott Krippayne. You can listen to the music online via YouTube.

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Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater.

 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is an alumnus of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program.

Mirachelle is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, American Fiction Writers Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan

Devotionals for the Heart: Worship

Everyday Worship
A devotional by Kay Pflueger

“… But the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says: Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool. What sort of house will you build for me? says the Lord, or what will be my resting place?” 

–Acts 7:48-49 (CSB)

The word “sanctuary” is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the most sacred part of a religious building” or “the room in which general worship services are held” or “a place (such as a church or a temple) for worship.” We may hear church sanctuaries referred to as “houses of worship” as that is where we expect to go to honor the Lord through song and prayer. But is that the only place where worship can take place?

When you think of worship, what setting comes to mind? Are you in a majestic cathedral with a massive pipe organ? Maybe you are in a little country church with wooden pews? Or are you standing in a homeless shelter serving soup to hungry families?

Worshipping the Lord is not confined to the four walls of a church building. It can happen as you are standing at the kitchen sink washing dirty dishes, or in the quiet of the night while feeding and soothing a hungry infant, or when hammering the shingles on the roof of a “Habitat for Humanity” project. According to Mark 10:45, we are called not to be served but to serve. This is not meant to be obligatory service but rather should be a deep-down-from-the-heart prayerful outreach.

What does this kind of worship look like? Envision it as embracing interruptions in our day when an opportunity to serve presents itself. See it as bravely praying God would send someone our way who we can share His love with. Picture it as asking Him to reveal opportunities to worship Him through service—service that helps us embrace the uncomfortable and not shy away from that call due to fear of the unknown. Believe that it is connecting to God in the whole of our daily life.

Worship is showing reverence and adoration for God. When we reach out to serve others, we are demonstrating our love for Him in a very tangible, practical way. In John 13, we read how Jesus modeled servant behavior by washing the dirty feet of His disciples. Note Jesus’s words in John 13:16-17 (CSB): “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”

The idea of worshiping God throughout the week might feel somewhat intimidating as I suspect it is easier to think of worship as something we do for an hour a week within the four walls of our church buildings. But consider how we can honor God by the way we act among our families, friends, and co-workers—how we can worship Him through offering every action to Him. Billy Graham said: “The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless.” Let us praise God today by seeking out opportunities to serve others.

In closing, I’d like for you to listen to this song “Heart of Worship” by Hillsong United.

Let’s Pray: Help us, Father God, to find ways to worship you in our daily activities…from caring for our own families to reaching out to those in need. May we learn to worship you each moment of every day. Teach us to see our whole lives as one great worship service, in which we honor you through every word, every thought, every deed. Open our eyes to those in need of your love. Show us ways to serve in the same manner as Jesus served. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Learning to read as a young child opened a world of adventure for Kay Pflueger. She came to realize that words can have a unique power and beauty.  

Choosing to share those words in her devotional writings has become a joyful and rewarding experience for her. As a widow, she feels a special affinity towards those who are grieving or experiencing loss.

When she is not spending time with her married son and three grandchildren, she is either reading, cooking, writing, or working on pursuing her Copyediting Certification.

Kay is an avid baseball fan who looks forward every summer to following her favorite team, the Chicago Cubs. 

Kay is an active member of Victory Lutheran Church in her hometown of San Diego, California. 

She enjoys writing devotions to be shared on her church’s website and personal social media.

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Connect with Kay:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kay.m.pflueger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irishsweetpea/

Devotionals for the Heart: Reflection

The Reflection
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 
~John 4:24 (NIV)

I clearly remember the moment I stood gazing at my reflection in the mirror. I didn’t recognize the person staring back. She looked tired and haggard. I thought I’d lost my bloom. I was single and barely thirty years old.

My reflection was not an accurate portrait of the person I felt like inside. It wasn’t appealing to me and I knew no one else was going to find it attractive either. Why wasn’t my outward appearance matching my inward spirit? I felt I had a good relationship with God. I loved him, I sought after him, I worshipped him...

Worship gave me a check in my spirit. Was there an issue with my worship? John 4:24 (NIV) says, “God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."

I asked the Lord what truth wasn’t measuring up in my worship. He showed me a rusty golden bowl, my current offering to him. I had lapsed in casting off all worldly cares. They were weighing heavily on me and tarnishing my ability to reflect who I really was in Christ. I prayed for God to “create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me” as Scripture says in Psalm 51:10 (KJV).

A few weeks later, I attended a Hillsong United concert with my sister. Shortly before the band played, a handsome and brawny man sat down in our row. He struck up a conversation with us while he waited for his brother. Shawn was an airline pilot from the Virginia town where I had once lived and worked. There came that familiar heart string’s tug again. When he spoke about his love for God and passion for music, I felt connected to the truth in his words.

Though the music blared and the lights flashed during the concert, I found myself watching Shawn intently, not because of his looks, but how he worshipped. His hands raised high in the air and he sang with abandon to every song.

Later that night, I reflected on the image of Shawn worshipping and I asked God to show me why I had connected to him so much. The Lord revealed that Shawn was wearing an ultra-reflective armor, the kind goes through a refining fire so hot it burns all the way through the metal causing any impure elements to be removed. The result is a breastplate of righteousness that reflects the truest image of God, and so amazing is that when we meet others whose armor has also been so refined, we recognize in their armor’s reflection the Spirit of God in all His holiness.

Something that is Holy is reserved by God for His own use (The Quest Study Bible, 1994). Psalms 96:9 (KJV) tells us, “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” and 1 Peter 1:15-16 (KJV) says, “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; For it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’.” What is it to be holy? Mainly consecrating yourself wholly unto God, but I also like this definition: “Having a spiritually pure quality.” Spiritual purity only comes out of the refining fire of God’s Holy Spirit.

When we seek to worship God in Spirit and in truth, we are asking Him to refine us so that our worship is made utterly pure in His sight and our armor will reflect Him alone. Only then we will recognize the true reflection of ourselves each and every time we look in the mirror.

Do you want to be so refined today? Ask God. He’s always willing and waiting.

~*~
Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia. She teaches television production at C.D. Hylton Senior High School. 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is a member of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), ACFW Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

Mirachelle is passionate about awakening creativity and the gifts of God in everyone. She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII, inspired by her time studying theatre education in London, England.

In her spare time, she also writes and directs Christmas and Easter passion plays at Christ Chapel Assembly of God in Woodbridge, VA.

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mirachelle77/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan