A devotional by Karen Marstaller
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”—Isaiah 57:15 (ESV)
Becoming a grandparent has been one of the most delightful experiences of my life. To share in the wonder and awe of little eyes as they investigate the world around them, or to talk about the latest interesting facts, or to share in the hurts in prayer, all bring great joy.
But as much as I love my grandkids, I’m not very good at showing it. At supper one night, our youngest showed me something on a little necklace she was wearing. I missed her shining eyes and excited smile in my hurry to greet all the rest of the family.
Finally, I took a seat, and my daughter-in-law gently prodded her little girl to try to show Grama what she wore. With my reading glasses on, I could see the small pink square. It was a tiny book, and our littlest one had received it to commemorate the first chapter book she’d read all by herself. What a moment!
As we talked, I was overwhelmed with guilt. Our precious little girl had eagerly waited all that day to share her good news with her grama, and I didn’t even take the time to embrace her milestone. All I could think was bad grama as I apologized to her, but with a sweet smile, she assured me that it was okay, and then she proceeded to tell me the plot of her first big read.
God never does that to us. He knows all our joys and our sorrows. His desire is for us to bring all the moments, both good and bad, to share with Him. He instructs us to seek Him wholeheartedly (Jeremiah 29:13) and He doesn’t say to only bring our needs to Him. We can bring our happy moments to share, too.
If we take Him at His word, we approach Him with shining eyes as we tell Him about the wonders of jellyfish. God made every one of them, of course, but what a privilege it is to share the joy of discovery with Him!
We can stand at the rim of a vast crater and look across the crystal blue water to see the bowl of the lake with a mirror image of the landscape around it. We stand in awe at the work of His hands, and we worship Him.
On other days, we stand at the kitchen sink while washing dishes and pray for the neighbor across the street who is sick and hurting. He encourages us to give Him all our cares (1 Peter 5:7) and then gently reminds us that He inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). He hears every prayer, and He strengthens and stills our hearts.
Our news today is filled with videos of fires, floods, and tornadoes, along with images of catastrophic accidents in a world gone mad. All of them prompt us to find comfort in the Lord’s peace in the storm. He collects every tear in His bottle (Psalm 56:8) and He is with us as we mourn.
And there are the myriads of blessings, too: engagements, marriages, graduations, and all the wonderful firsts of life, including a first chapter book! God gives us each of these mountaintop experiences so we can catch a glimpse of His glory. Our hearts swell with the exquisite beauty of these special treasure moments.
So, we keep seeking God with humble hearts, no matter what our circumstances may be. Our heavenly Father is an ever-present fountain of hope, shelter, and deep, abiding joy. Whatever is on my mind is also on His mind because He knows all my thoughts (Psalm 139:2). And as we pray to the One who created us, He helps us to see how He magnifies our delights, while at the same time He shares our burdens. He is Immanuel, God with us! (Matthew 1:23)
Let’s Pray: Dear Holy God, we thank You for knowing us inside and out. Thank You for hearing every one of our desperate cries for help, and for our exuberant praises of joy, too. Please help us to stay close to You. Help us to make room for You in every prayer of our hearts, and to trust You as we try to humbly obey Your Word, The Holy Bible. We ask all this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Song of Reflection: “The Maker” by Chris August. Listen to it here.
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Author Bio:
Karen Marstaller is a retired high school teacher who spent most of her career challenging creative students to write. Her heart is for her readers.
Karen and her husband live in central Texas in a sweet little home that they completely remodeled. They enjoy spending time with their family, which includes seven precious grandchildren.
Most of all, Karen writes in obedience to the command to love your neighbor, to offer a cup of water to those who are dying of thirst, and to comfort others with the comfort she has received.
You can reach Karen by emailing her at this address: klmarstaller@gmail.com
