From Him, Through Him, For Him

Hello friends! I hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas break as much as I am. It's given me so much time to spend more time in God's Word and catch up on lots of reading I've been wanting to do. Something on my heart these last few nights came from my alone time with God a few nights ago.

"For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen."
- Romans 11:36


This verse really opened my eyes to a few things. First, everything comes from God. The good. The bad. Not only does it come from God, but it has a purpose from God. Every season we find ourselves in is shaping us for our future, and hopefully, bringing us closer to Christ. I am so guilty of not seeing the blessings in the suffering and the mundane. I constantly push God to bring me out of seasons of waiting or feelings of distance, instead of focusing on God's goodness. When I realize that all past and present experiences, and all relationships and circumstances are straight from His hand and part of His divine plan, I can more easily accept whatever is going on.

Everything exists by His power. How often do I forget that I could do nothing apart from Him? I start relying on what I think are my own strengths, trying to control my life without God. Even my best efforts aren't good enough because sin is sin to God. But He made a way for me, so that I don't have to be good enough, I just have to be a child of His. God is sovereign. He is above all. The Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End. God’s power is not acquired, nor does it depend upon any recognition by any other authority. It belongs to Him inherently.

All things are intended for His glory. We were made to worship God. And if we didn't? The rocks would cry out. We serve an awesome God! I so easily making everything in my life about myself. I begin seeking glory for myself. Getting upset when I don't get the credit I feel I deserve. In reality though, it's not about me at all. It's about giving everything back for His glory. We can give God the glory in everything in our lives, even the most mundane things such as eating and drinking.

"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out. (Luke 19:40)

He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3:30)

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

I hope this was as thought provoking for you as it was for me. If nothing else, know that you are loved and valued so much by the Maker of the universe. He sent His Son to die on the cross so that you and I could become His children and spend eternity with Him in Heaven. He is so praise worthy! 

Have a wonderful New Year, my friends. :)

"Who can I love today who may have nothing to offer me in return?"

This is the question that has stuck with me over the past few days. My nightly devotion at the moment is over true hospitality (She Reads Truth - awesome studies!) and it is opening my eyes in so many ways.

We as Christians are called to love people - including the least of these. What even is "the least of these?" It's those at the very bottom of the pile. The forgotten. The highly needy with nothing to give in return. The widows. The orphans. The poor and hurting. The people that no one wants to talk to. In Matthew 25, Christ tells us that when we love and serve these, we are loving and serving Jesus Himself. But also, when we forget or ignore those in need, we are forgetting and ignoring Jesus.

I know, I know. It's really hard to take part in someone else's difficult circumstances - to take on their heartache as if it was our own. But think about this: When we love those that are broken and alienated, we are mirroring the example Christ set for us. God made a way for us when we had nothing to offer Him, when we were dead because of our sin, when we had nothing good in us. He still came and took our places. He came because He loves us and He sees past our brokenness. How wonderful is that?

We are called to intentionally love others because that's what Christ did for us. To love is to let our Savior work through us.

Look for those around you today that you can intentionally love. My prayer every day lately has been for God to give me opportunities to consciously love and pour into someone that needs it. He does not disappoint and He is oh so faithful.