I'm adopted_Galatians 4:1-7

Verse 5, "God sent him (Jesus) to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could ADOPT us as His very own children."

I was every bit anxious for the time when Maki would ask me about our relationship.  After all, I was sure she'd wonder sooner or later why her Daddy and Mommy were so much older than the parents of her classmates. I prepared the groundwork by telling her the story of how Moses' mother put him in a basket to save him and how the pharoah's sister found him and raised him as her own son. When that time came, my heart skipped a beat but as we talked she expressed how happy she was that we FOUND her and WANTED her to be part of the family. She feels so loved, and so accepted that even though someone else had given birth to her, she sees me as her Mommy and Em as her Daddy. She knows her rightful place in the family is secure.

This is how it is with our adoption into God's family.  We are given full rights as His children and our position is secure because we received Jesus, His son, as our Saviour.

Father God, Maki's story is but a glimpse of Your adoption plan for us.  Thank you for her life that has blessed our family, and thank you for sending Jesus Your son so that I too can call you Abba!

Yet I will praise Him_Psalm 94:2, 16-23

In the Bible, there is a one-syllable word that packs a punch -- the word YET. Its synonyms are nevertheless,
nonetheless,
even so,
despite that,
inspite of,
JUST THE SAME,
be that as it may.

The Bible is [peppered with YETs. According to the blog, soulspartan.com, the word appears approximately 395 times, usually between verses of despair, pleas for help, laments and suddenly, YET pops up followed by declarations of hope, prayers with praise and proclamations of His goodness.

YET is like an orange light, signalling me to slow down and reflect on His faithfulness and love. YET always encourages me.  One of my favorite YET passages is this:
"Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vine;
though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food;
though there are no sheep in the pen, and no cattle in the stalls,
YET
I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God, my Savior." Habakkuk 3:17-19

Heavenly Father, Faithful God, I sing praises to Your Holy name!

Timing is everything _Esther 4:5-14

We humans are obsessed with time. We have our alarms, calendars, planners, annual projections, 5-year goals etc.  when Imwas in college, in the cusp of moving forward to the next phase in my life, I wrote on index cards all the things I wanted to accomplish within certain time frames -- be  news anchorwoman, write a novel, appear in a movie or tv show, get married, have children, own a mansion, etc.  As to be expected of expectations, not all of them happened, or if they did, not at the time set.

Looking back, now at my age of 62, I see God's loving hands gently prodding me this way and that through all those seasons in my life, just like the Good Shepherd in Psalm 23, "He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name sake."

Esther's story is one I particularly relate to in hat, in a slow, sometimes perplexing way, her story unfolded to the time she was at the right time, place and status to be used by God to save her people. Jeremiah 29:11-13 is oft quoted when we go through difficult times. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future. then you will call upon me and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek Me with all your heart."

It is comforting to know that He is in control, and that He knows exactly where He is leading us. We know too that what He has planned is always good, because He is good.

Lord, I'm in wonder in how You orchestrate everything in my life to suit Your purposes. Even in those times I am disobedient, You turn it around for good for my own good.

God's Rock Garden_1Peter 2:1-10

Growing up, our 1960's-constructed house featured a huge sunken garden right in the formal living room.  It had a skylight which allowed rain and sunshine in to nourish the plants landscaped into the rock feature.

The prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 28, "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; he one who trusts will never be dismayed." When I read 1 Peter 2 where Jesus is called "the living Stone", the image of the childhood rock garden came into mind, with Jesus at the center surrounded by other stones of varying shapes and sizes.  We too are described as "living stones which are being built into a spiritual home to be a holy priesthood." Thus, we, as God's chosen people by adoption through Christ, are called into this holy priesthood.  We are not to be like those decorative rocks in the rock garden but rather be living, breathing stones that serve a higher calling in God's kingdom.

Thank you Lord Father for calling me into this holy priesthood, to be a servant, Your living stone in this life, until Jesus comes to call me home.

Not for show_Isaiah 58:6-9

Fasting is one of those things one can do to help one focus on God as "you rely on God for strength, provision and wisdom you need." Many times, however, people fast to show off their spirituality.  This is not the fasting that is acceptable to God.  Jesus said in Matthew 6:16, "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you they have received their reward in full." True fasting pleasing to His eyes is described in Isaiah 58:6-9 -- feed the hungry, shelter the wanderer (homeless), clothe the naked, help your relatives.

Lord, I confess I haven't fasted for quite some time   It is something  I want to do to seek You more and know You more. Please forgive me. But let me always live in the way that pleases You.

Who are you trying to impress?_Matthew 15:19-20

I love the way Jesus countered the accusations of the Pharisees in these verses!

The Pharisees questioned Jesus why his disciples did not wash their hands before eating, as it was Jewish tradition that requires ceremonial washing of the hands.  Of course today we know how important washing our hands before eating is but at that time it was more of a ritual washing rather than an honest-to-goodness-hey-there-are-germs washing.  The Pharisees were obviously more concerned that this band of people who were gaining quite a following were not following "their ways". Jesus countered with "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?" Here Jesus confronted them with how they treated parents, nullifying the 5th commandment of honoring your father and mother. They were more concerned with traditions and rituals, like washing of hands, that make a person "ceremonially clean", but not obeying God's commandments.  Jesus says in v. 17-18 "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean."

1 Samuel 16:7b "Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart."

Lord Father, I want to impress only You! Create in me a pure heart, and renew the right spirit within me!

My Father_Romans 8:9-17

"And by Him we cry 'Abba, Father."' The Spirt himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." Romans 8:15-16

For his recent birthday, I captioned my birthday post for Em this way: "Role model to our sons.  Hero to our daughters. Funny Daddylo to our apos.  My forever love." Em is indeed all of these, and more.  He works very hard to provide for our family, and often forgets about his own needs as long as ours are met. His love is a sacrificial love. When I look at this man who is my children's father, I see an inkling, a shadow of who my heavenly Father is, and how great His love is.

If this is how Em loves his family, I cannot wrap my mind around how much more, how much greater -- the depth, the width, the height -- is His unfailing love for me, His child.

Abba, Father, I cry out to you in love and gratitude for how You pour out Your love for me! Each day is a testament of Your grace. Help me live it as You would want me to. I love you, Abba!

Praise from all creation_Psalm 19

This is fascinating! Fiorelli Terenzi, a professor of physics and astronomy at the Florida International University, has studied the "strange, spooky symphony of the cosmos for 3 decades using computer music software.  This was in 1987. Yet, way back in the time Psalm 19 was written -- sometime in 1015 B.C. toward the end of the life of Kind David (1 Chron. 28:21) -- the psalmist already wrote, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." Even inanimate, non-living objects give Him praise.

There is a whole lot of explanation based on Jewish cultural tradition of memorial stones (used to symbolize permanence of a memory for a loved one; representing the faithful who have died and were buried on the Mt. of Olives) and in 1 Peter 2:4 & 5, "As you come to Him, the living stone --rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to HIm -- you also, like LIVING STONES, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood." BUT, I wouldn't be surprised if one day, modern technology will discover there is not only truth in verse 4 of Luke 19, but also scientific fact when Jesus said, "I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

Heavenly Father, everything You have created show me Your majesty, power and grace!

Help!_Psalm 121

Independence is a value that we strove for while we were growing up.  We wanted to do everything on our own, proving that we have the capacity and the ability.  And even as we aged, we still hold on to our independence -- "I can do it!" we sometimes say impatiently when someone younger wants to help us. But as a child of God we must accede that independence from God does not work, no matter what season of life we are in.  We need God, and we cry out, "Lord, I cannot do this without you."

Lord, I need you; in all things, through all situations, I need you.  Let me always say, "I lift up my eyes to the hills -- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

God sees everything_Proverbs 5:21

Having integity or moral uprightness is difficult in these times.  While many post and expose their lives on social media, or their lives are splashed on the news, there are a lot of secrets that remain hidden then later revealed.

Many times, we are tempted to do things -- and actually go ahead and do them -- thinking that as long as it is hidden away and no one sees us, then it's okay.  But proverbs 5:21 clearly tells us, "For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines his paths." We cannot run away from the Lord, as He sees, and He knows.

Hebrews 4:13, "And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."
Proverbs 15:3, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and on the good."

C.S.Lewis also put it this way: "Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching."

Lord, Omnipresent and Omniscient God, please watch over me and guide me that I may always do what pleases You, do what is right in your eyes even when no one sees me.

From Pleading to Praise_Psalm 13

How good and loving is our Heavenly Father who receives our every prayer, all our pleadings, even our complaints and whining.

In Psalm 13, the psalmist is overwhelmed by his situation and cries out to the Lord, moving from complaining to praising. The ODB devotional today points out the 5 elements in this psalm which is one of the shortest with only 6 verses --

INVOCATION (v. 1a) -- How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
LAMENT (v. 1b-2) -- How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart?
REQUEST (v. 3-4) -- Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemies will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
TRUST (v. 5) -- But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
PRAISE (v. 6) -- I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

When we go through difficult times, we can be assured that God hears our pleadings and loves us despite our whining, and we know that He will turn our mourning into joy.

Lord Heavenly Father, forgive me when I sound like a petulant child when I pray to you.  But I feel so loved by You as I know that You are pleased when I come to you.  Let me seek you in good times and in hard times.  Let me praise you in both.

Object of Love_Hosea 11:8-11

In today's ODB devotional, it spoke about how God treasured Israel and how this great love of God now is showered on us, His beloved children through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus.  What struck me most is how God used Hosea, the prophet, to be an OBJECT LESSON to show us how beautiful His love truly is, and how OBEDIENT Hosea was.

"Hosea, a contemporary of prophets Isaiah and Micah, ministered primarily to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Hosea 1:1). His prophetic ministry was unique because he not only communicated in words what God wanted to tell the Israelites, but he symbolically acted out these revelations (chs. 1, 3). Hosea was commanded to marry Gomer, a promiscuous woman, to show that “like an adulterous wife [Israel] is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord” (1:2). After Gomer’s unfaithfulness, Hosea was commanded to reconcile with her and to “love her as the Lord loves the Israelites” (3:1)."

Lord Father, how great and beautiful is Your LOVE for me, drawing me close to You despite my unfaithfulness, my sin. You reconciled me to Yourself through Your Son, Jesus, my Saviour, and forever I am within Your arms, here in this life and for all eternity.  As it is said in 8:39, "Nothing will be able to separate us (me) from the love of God." Thank you, Father!

A Woman of Strength_Ruth 1:11-18

Ruth is one of my favorite Bible personalities because she is a woman of obvious strength in character and in faith. In today's standards though, when women are expected to be assertive and "break the glass ceiling", she may be deemed as "weak" or meek, and too submissive. Instead of going back home and look for another favorable marriage, she opted to follow her mother-in-law into a land she was not familiar with; and she obeyed her mother-in-law in a plan to "attract" the rich relative.

Her meekness and obedience showed how selfless she was.  She knew that without someone taking care of her old, heartbroken and widowed mother-in-law, she would be left to fend for herself, not a good thing in that culture during that time. She willingly gave up whatever ambitions she had for herself to follow her husband's mother.  How many daughters-in-law would that?

Heavenly Father, Giver of all things, help me to use what You have graciously given me to see others with Christ's love and to give, not only things, but my time, my efforts and my talents. Give me the strength of meekness.

Deep calls unto deep_Psalm 42:7

Psalm 42:7 intrigued me -- "Deep calls unto deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me." So I began to search its meaning within the context of the whole psalm. The psalmist is in despair and feeling alone.  Twice he prays, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Saviour and my God." And this verse was repeated in Psalm 43.

I came upon an article by Amy Julia Becker on the site Christianity Today, and she expresses how I've been feeling about my faith walk -- my heart desires to go deeper into my relationship with my Savior but this requires more out of me, more heart-wrenching, possibly terrifying revelations about me and more sacrifices. So shallow is more comfortable. She wrote:
"To stay in God’s presence is like swimming in the ocean. Immense. Frightening. Powerful. Beautiful. Where deep calls to deep. Where answers don’t come easily. Where pain is exposed rather than covered over. Where healing requires transformation." *

I know that God my Father lovingly calls me to come to Him in a more intimate way. How deep do I can I go? 

Lord, reveal to me Your truth in these words "deep calls unto deep" especially in the light of what we are going through. Thank you too for the life of my husband who celebrates his 67th year today.

* https://www.christianitytoday.com/amyjuliabecker/2015/april/deep-calls-out-to-deep-but-i-long-to-stay-shallow.html

Faith & Hope_Philippians 4:19

"Faith is the confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1.

And this is the reason we, many times, have a hard time walking in faith. We want to see; we want to know; we want to be sure. This brings me to ponder on a trending movie on Netflix.  "Bird Box" has its characters having to blindfold themselves because there is an unseen ominous presence that will cause them to commit suicide if they see it.

I haven't watched the movie as its premise terrifies me, but in the context of being a CHRIST-FOLLOWER there is a comfort in knowing that, though I do not SEE Him right now, I will see Him and be with Him for all eternity.  But even as I walk through my life, I can put my hope in Him, being confident of His loving and unfailing presence.

Lord, help me see that even though I may not see your Hand, I can put my hope in what You will do for me because I am your beloved.  I believe! Strengthen, by Your loving Holy Spirt, my belief!

Be Kind_1 Thessalonians 5:11-18

There is a swelling wave of self-focus and self-centeredness espoused in books, tv shows movies, and on social media. There are memes or posts saying if a person is "toxic", or is holding you back, or makes you feel bad, then throw that person away (figuratively of course).  The SELF becomes all-important. Having a "me first" attitude is encouraged. The example given is the ODB devotion today was that of the crawfish. In the Philippine setting, we call it the "crab mentality". Once a crab is able to reach the rim of the pail to escape, it is pulled down by the other crabs.

While I agree that you stay away from people who may endanger you, Paul's admonition to the Thessalonians rings loud to remind me about thinking of others first.  He writes: "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else."

Lord Jesus, please strengthen my kindness meter, that I may always think kind thought, speak kindly to others,  and act out of kindness to others. Help me to look out of my SELF and see others with empathy and grace.

Can God's love be measured?_Ephesians 3:16-20

We love to measure things. We see things in terms of numbers -- how much, how many, how long, how deep, how wide, how tall. How does one measure God's love for us?

John 3:16 tells us "For God so LOVED the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life."

Romans 3:8 also says, "But God demonstrates His LOVE for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." And,

Ecclesiastes 3:3:22-23, "Because of the Lord's GREAT LOVE, we are not consumed, for His COMPASSIONS never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

We are not capable of full grasping how much -- how deep, how wide, how high, how long -- He loves us.  We must only BELIEVE it because He tells us throughout the Bible, His love letter, and because He has demonstrated it to us so many times.  We can believe it because it is real and present in our lives, even when at times we don't "feel" it.  We hold on to this -- His love is unfailing, constant, never-changing and immeasurable.

Thank you, my Lord, for loving me the way You do. Thank you for yout undying love for me for which You died on the cross to save me.

God doesn't play favorites_Acts 10:34-35

God doesn't play favorites.  While the Israelites may have been His Chosen People, Jesus, Son of God, died for ALL that ALL may be saved.

While we may be different fro each other in form, colour, and culture, we are all created by Him in His image and likeness. Inside our outward shells, we are "constructed" in the same way and have the same colour of blood running through our veins. yet, there is so much hate around us as people have become wary of "what is different".  But different does not equate to danger not should it be a wall to separate us from fellowship with those who differ from us.

We have to look past the physical, and seek the heart of others, just as Christ did when He walked the earth.  1Samuel 16:7, "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as a man sees: man looks on the the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

Thank you, Lord, for how clearly You love all! Your salvation through Christ is for all nations because You do not play favorites.  You are good and just! Remove from me any bias or prejudice. Help me to always see  people the way Jesus did -- through eyes of love.

Don't turn your back on Jesus_John 6:66

Today's verse for the devotional on Our Daily Bread which I follow, John 6:66, dwelt on how many times the Jesus who IS doesn't fit into what we expect Him to be. We, of course, have only a limited understanding of the depth and width of His Majesty and Power. It was written in Isaiah 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways ,your ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways and thoughts than your thoughts." We cannot even begin to think we truly know our God in heaven!

But what struck me with the chosen verse is that it had the number 666. Revelation 13:18, "This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of man. That number is 666." In Revelation 13:7, 14:11, 16:2, 19:20 and 20:4, all speak about what happens to those who have the "mark of the beast" or "mark of its name" -- all those who, like those in John 6:66, "...turned back and no longer followed Jesus." Our salvation rests on the saving grace of Jesus, His sacrifice on the cross. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12.

Lord, Your coming is drawing near! Give me the boldness share Your gospel to those who haven't heard it yet, or those who have turned away from following Jesus.

Yet we worry_Matthew 6:25-34

Yet we worry despite memorizing these amazing verses that should give us comfort and hope. Despite our faith, despite our proclamations that "God is good", "God is in control", "God is faithful to all His promises", we still go on and have our anxious thoughts. Why then do we still worry?

Not to shift the blame but it goes back to the original sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eve. The serpent played on the very thing that made us uniquely human--our free will, and our downfall--our pride. Adam and Eve could have very well lived comfortably in the presence of God without having to worry about anything, but when the serpent offered them something more -- the ability to discern good and evil -- by eating from the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and to become "like" God, they walked right in his wily trap. We are no different. We still want to be in control, no matter what we say otherwise. Our pride compels us to take charge...and then worry.

To stop worrying, therefore, we need to surrender our will to the Father's. He, is after all, God who is in control; he is faithful to all His promises; and, His plans for us are good.

How does my heart look?_1 Samuel 16:1-7

When the Lord sent Samuel to Jesse's family to anoint the new king, Samuel most likely had in mind what a king should look like -- tall, handsome, strong, a commanding presence, maybe a loud voice, fighting skills, etc. Like a beauty pageant, each candidate among Jesse's sons paraded before Samuel only to be rejected by the Lord. David, the youngest and relegated to watching the sheep while everyone else was invited to the assembly with Samuel, the Judge, was finally called in, as a last ditch effort. It was he that God had chosen.

Why didn't the Lord just tell Samuel right away to call for David? God wanted to teach Samuel, and us, that the world's standards are not God's standards. What we may think to be right is not right with God. Our worldview is to look at "looks" -- height, facial features, body build, color of skin, social status, income etc. Our Father who created all of us, knows every single cell in our bodies. He calls us to serve Him according to the status of our HEARTS, our obedience to Him and willingness to serve Him are what matter most.

Giving Glory_John 17:1-5

The Hebrew word kavod (K-V-D) has meant "importance", "weight", "deference", or "heaviness", but primarily kavod means "glory", "respect", "honor", and "majesty". In translating the Hebrew Bible, the Greek word used is δόξα, a word also appearing extensively in the New Testament which was originally written in Greek. (www.en.wikipedia.org) Sadly, in today's world, people often glorify other mere mortals who are as flawed as they are; many times, it is precisely for the flaws that they are glorified! Celebrities, artists, musicians, and yes, even politicians, are "idolized".

While I find nothing wrong when we admire others for their values, and how their lives impact positively others, it becomes wrong when admiration or even inspiration becomes obsessive to the point that the person is put on a pedestal. Only One deserves the praise, honor and reverence, and that is Jesus. In his prayer to the Father, he expresses that he has brought the Father glory on earth (humans now have seen the Father through Jesus) by completing the work you have given me to do (reconciling sacrifice through His death on the cross).

Temptation and Sin_Genesis 3:1-10

The story of the Fall of Man in Genesis 3:1-10 is one of my favorites, not because I like sin but because it shows how the original sin of Adam and Eve is lurking to make me fall as well. How easily we are deceived by the devil, the father of all lies! The serpent easily planted doubt in the minds of Eve, and of Adam who there beside her, by the way. The serpent asked, "Did God REALLY say, 'You must not eat from ANY tree in the garden?" By subtly twisting the truth he set the trap for the humans. How easily we are snared by our own lusts! When Eve saw the fruit of the tree, she saw that it was "good for food" (lust of the flesh), "pleasing to the eye (lust of the senses), and "desirable for gaining wisdom" (pride). How easily we think we can hide our sin from God who created us! Once they ate of the fruit, their eyes were indeed open, not to the wonders as described by the serpent but to their own nakedness (vulnerability, ugliness of sin). And as God called out to them "Where are you?" -- as if he didn't already know where they were -- they both hid, mistakenly thinking that God wouldn't find them.

Lord, how many times have I been deceived and succumbed to the temptations of the flesh, senses and of pride? Forgive me Lord! Help me see my own nakedness and how much I need Your Holy Spirit for discernment and faith. Help me to know that I am victorious over the serpent because Jesus has already won over sin and death on the Cross.

Led by God_Psalm 143:4-11

One of my life verses is verse 8, "Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul."

Everything depends on Him alone. He is my Good Shepherd, and like sheep who do not know where to go, I need to simply follow. The problem lies when I try to do things on my own or try to go where I want to go without first "lifting up my soul" and crying out, "Okay, Lord, show me where I should go!" This however is not in human nature -- this surrendering of will to someone else. We are filled with pride and think we can do things on our won. This is why we need to LEARN how to surrender our will to God.

Verse 10 then says, "Teach me to do Your will for You are my God; may Your Good Spirit lead me to LEVEL GROUND." Just as the psalmist wrote in Psalm 23. "He makes me lie down in green pastures...", God who is good will bring me to where it is level ground, where I can lie down and rest. There is no real rest until I am led, and when I learn to follow.