Tag: prayer

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A Message For Everyone

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Week 5, Day 1 of Come, Lord Jesus, Come (A study by Love God Greatly)
Today’s Reading: Mark 13:32-37 (SOAP – Mark 13:37)

What I say to you I say to everyone: Stay alert!”

Mark 13:37

Observations

vs. 32 [But as for that day]: The time of Jesus’ return is going to come but only the Father knows when.

vs. 33 [Watch out! Stay alert!] Jesus is warning that there is not time for a leisurely faith. Paul says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–16). Like the faithful servants (Mark 13:34–36) or the bridal party waiting for the groom (Matthew 25:1–13), we can’t treat Jesus’ delay as permission to act ungodly (Matthew 24:48–51). (Bibleref.com on Mark 13:33)

vs. 35-36 [Stay alert … or else he might find you asleep when he returns]

“Jesus doesn’t just want His followers in the tribulation to be aware, He wants them to use that awareness to stay alive. During the tribulation, many, many Christ-followers will be hunted and killed by the Antichrist (Revelation 13:7; 17:6). But Jesus explains that they should still try to survive. In fact, they should pray for favorable conditions (Mark 13:18). He tells them to be aware of false teachers (Mark 13:5), run from impending violence (Mark 13:14), and keep a clear head (Mark 13:35). He also promises that the tribulation will not last long. If the tribulation saints can remember Jesus’ words, they will have a better chance of being “awake” when He returns.”

Bibleref.com on Mark 13:35-36

vs. 37 [to everyone] This conversation started with Peter, James, John, and Andrew privately asking Jesus a question on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple. They said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you” (Mark 13:3-5). Now, here in verse 37 Jesus is clarifying that His message to the four disciples, particularly about staying alert, was meant for everyone.

Application: So What Does This Mean For Us?

We are to be alert – awake to what is being said and what (prophecy) has been given – so that we don’t fall prey to false prophets of our day. This is not to say that we should be obsessed with the “end times” but simply alert to the messages and the events we here and see. Our efforts must not be in figuring out the day or hour but with sharing the message of the cross and the promise of eternity.

Prayer: Our Response to The Word

Father – the end times are a mystery. Clearly we are not meant to know the day or the hour of “that day” – but, we wait believing that it will come. Help us to be ready and to help others be ready by being alert to those around us who need the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus. I pray all of this in Jesus’ name and power and for Your glory! – Amen!

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, God is good, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Prayer for the Lost Sheep –

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Father, You are good. You are Holy, righteous, and true – and You are my God! Your WORD is eternal, bringing life and health and peace to all who hear and believe. For those who have never heard, I pray they will hear and believe even today! For those who have heard BUT NEVER BELIEVED, I pray You will melt their hearts of stone – that they might believe and be saved. For those without a messenger will You open their eyes to Your creation – for Your Word makes clear that everything You’ve made displays Your invisible qualities – Your eternal power and divine nature – so that NO ONE has an excuse for not knowing You. Raise up messengers to go in Jesus’ Name and translators to translate in Word or print and supporters who will send and pray. All of this to Your eternal glory and the salvation of the lost. – … Father, for those who have both heard and believed but have turned away to the right or to the left and find themselves wandering in a wilderness, stuck in a pit, swallowed up by the world’s ways, or bound again by a yoke of slavery – will you please open the eyes and ears of their hearts Lord – to hear You, the One who is their faithful Shepherd, who has left the 99 to find them. Help them to reach out for Your rod and staff and to walk free of their chains and all that binds them and keeps them from You. – Again, all of this for Your eternal glory and the redemption of Your people. Amen in Jesus’ Name and Power!

Posted in Bible study, Choosing God Instead of the World, LGG Study

The Brothers Go Down to Egypt

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WEEK 5, DAY 1 OF CHOOSING GOD INSTEAD OF THE WORLD, A LOVE GOD GREATLY STUDY

Scripture Reading: Genesis 42 (SOAP – 2 Corinthians 7:9-10)

Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. 10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.  2 Corinthians 7:9-10NLT
OBSERVATION:

THE GENESIS SAGA: The Brothers Bow Down

The famine was severe in the land of Canaan but Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt so he sent his sons, except for Benjamin, down to buy grain. Because Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people, it was him that they appeared before with their request and him they bowed down to. Years had past but Joseph still recognized his brothers, however they did not recognize him, most likely because he would have been dressed like an Egyptian and addressed by his Egyptian name. Scripture says, he did not disclose his identity but acted like a stranger and treated them harshly. I imagine that the harshness was most likely in some ways his true emotions spilling out toward those who had betrayed him but perhaps also an attempt to keep his identity a secret not know knowing what they would do if they found out he was alive and well. He was undoubtedly curious too as to the condition of his father and other brother so he asked questions prompting the information. Unsatisfied with, or untrusting of, their answers – he sends all but one of them back to Canaan, keeping Simeon as a prisoner to be released upon their return with his brother Benjamin.

Back in Canaan they explained the events to their father but after much conversation and promises to protect him he refused to let Benjamin go.

Other Notable Observations:

  • Joseph originally had all of the brothers imprisoned for three days while he considered what to do.
  • Joseph had cried out to his brothers for mercy before they sold him into slavery.
  • At one point he turned away from them and wept because he had understood their language and their conversation about what they had done to Joseph. (They did not know Joseph had understood them because they were using an interpreter.)
APPLICATION: HOW THEN SHOULD WE LIVE?

In a previous letter Paul had rebuked the Corinthians for a particular sin. He had been concerned that his rebuke would have angered them but instead learned that they had repented – which is the best outcome to any rebuke. God intends for knowledge of our sins to make us sorrowful and lead us to repentance, which is to stop whatever worldly behavior we’re doing and choose instead to follow Him. Whether it is a repentance of the lost that leads to salvation or a repentance of the believer that leads to a right relationship with God – repentance is always best. This is what we saw with the brothers after their trip to Egypt – even before they knew that they had bowed before Joseph, they, specifically Reuben, realized the wrongness of their actions and the debt they owed.

Prayer: Response to God’s Word.

Father, help us to live with yielded and repentant hearts – In Jesus’ name, amen.

YOUR TURN:PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
  • How does sadness lead to repentance and salvation ?
  • Have you experienced the sadness of God?
  • Did it lead you to repentance?
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Reflections of Week 3, Beautifully Surrendered

Beautifully Surrendered, God’s Heart for His Daughters is a Love God Greatly Study

As we read about Hannah, Anna, Rachel, Hagar, and The Woman at the Well this week we learned the need to stay surrendered to God in prayer. Prayer is the act of seeking God, and as Hanna learned, it requires that we keep our eyes on Him and not the people or situations of our lives. Continual prayer, as we saw in Anna, keeps our cares in God’s hands and not our own. Because Anna lived this way and wasn’t caught up with the cares of the world she was acutely aware when she was in the presence of the Long awaited Messiah and she was free to make Him known to others. While we heard Rachel call out to her husband for a child rather than God, we see that God still took notice of her and became the “hero of the story” for Rachel – who acknowledged with “Joseph”, the name of her firstborn, that she knew exactly who was responsible for making her a mother. When we see God work on our behalf it strengthens or perhaps awakens our belief in Him. Through Hagar we witnessed the beauty of knowing God sees us and how it plays such a vital part in our prayer life with Him as it gives us hope and strength and peace in our journey. Finally, it was was the woman at the well that reminded us to keep our eyes, not on our past(regrets or shame) but on what Jesus can do, has done, and will do for us who believe.

Living like this doesn’t mean we will not face struggles in our lives but rather that when we do we will pour out our souls to Him rather than live in anger, resentment, doubt, fear, shame, self-centeredness, or disbelief. Making our lives a lifestyle of prayer will lead us to the perfect peace as both Isaiah and Paul talked about in their writings when they said:

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You.

Isaiah 26:3

Don’t be worried about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for what He’s already done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

If you missed any of this week’s devotions from me you’ll find them at this link

If you missed any of the Love God Greatly Blogs for week 3 you’ll find them at these links:

https://lovegodgreatly.com/asking-for-the-impossible/

https://lovegodgreatly.com/the-dream-of-your-heart/

https://lovegodgreatly.com/believing-at-the-well/

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The Samaritan Woman: Believing at the Well

Day 5, Week 3 of Beautifully Surrendered, a Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: John 4:1-30 (14-15)
4 But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”   John 4:14-15
My Observations:

Crucial to this encounter with the Samaritan woman is the word “whoever”. It is equally important to understand the importance of who Jesus was speaking to –

She was a woman and a Samaritan. He had five husbands and was living with one who was not her husband; because of her lifestyle she was a known outcast and considered ‘unclean’. Jesus’ ongoing answers and conversation seem to soften her attitude and many others are brought to meet Him.

your turn:

What’s your take away from the story of the Samaritan woman?

How then Shall We Live?

Jesus clearly asked water from this woman to engage her in conversation and offer her the living water he has to offer. From my understanding He did so at great risk to His reputation – considering, not only that she was a woman but her lifestyle and the fact that she was a Samaritan. In what He did He set the example of how we are to live as His witnesses.

  • Don’t be afraid to reach the “outcast” with the love of Jesus
  • Make “whoever” a part of our conversation with the ‘thirsty’
  • Give the word out like cups of cold water to those who are thirsty (in need of ‘eternal life’)
  • Tell others what we know about Jesus and where they can find Him
My Prayer Response:

Father, thank You for the examples of Jesus. Help us to live and love like Him. When we open our mouths fill us with the words that will help those who are “thirsty” receive the gift of eternal life. Help us to ‘see’ those who are seeking more and to engage with them regardless of how they respond, regardless of their status in life, and regardless of what others think.

Want More insight?

Go deeper with today’s LGG Blog Post

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Hagar: The God Who Sees

Day 4, Week 3, Beautifully Surrendered: A Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: Genesis 16 and 21:1-20 (SOAP – 16:13)
So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!”  Genesis 16:13  NET
My Observation:
Who Was Hagar?
  • Hagar was the Egyptian slave girl to Sarah
  • She became the slave wife to Abraham because of Sarah’s impatience for the child God had promised them
  • As a result of Sarah’s impatience Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, Abraham’s son
  • Through her plight she came to see God as El Roi, the God who sees ‘me’.
What We must not miss

It’s easy to read Hagar’s story and get lost in our thoughts or conversations and judgements about Sarah and Abraham actions … how they didn’t trust God … how they acted on their own … how Abraham could have taken a slave wife, and why in the world Sarah would give him another woman (cultural acceptance or not) … how Sarah complained about Hagar … and eventually insisted that Hagar and the child be sent away … and the list goes on – BUT we must not miss how God used it all! He used it not only to fulfill His promise of a child to Abraham and Sarah – BUT God revealed Himself to Hagar as El Roi – He was no longer just the God of her masters but He was the “One”, whom she saw and the “One” who saw her”. On top of that, He not only rescued Hagar and her son but He promised to be with her son as he grew. What a comfort Hagar must have found in this promise in the midst of her aloneness and desperation.

How Then Should We Live?

Sarah and Abraham offer good lessons in “trusting God”, not going ahead of Him, not forsaking His ways for our desires, and not playing God (trying to do or make happen what He promised). BUT GOD, through Hagar, reveals to us the importance of listening for and to Him, of being attentive to what He says, taking comfort in His Words, and seeing Him for who He really is. We must learn to listen for Him and to know Him as the God who sees us. He should not be just another god, like the gods Hagar would have known as an Egyptian. No, He must become personal to us so that, like Hagar, we will be able to say: “You are the God who sees me,”; and if we are wise we will mark the times (places, incidents, and ways we have seen or heard Him) just as she did when she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!”. These markers or remembrances will become our testimonies of faith. Their memories will strengthen us when life presses in and perhaps be an encouragement to others we know along the way.

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

2 Corinthians 1:4
Your turn

What’s your take-away from Hagar’s story?

Prayer Response:

Blessed be Your Holy Name God! You are the God who sees me! You know my name! You hear me when I call. You see me when I’m hidden away or when I’m hurting or afraid. You hear me wherever I am! You are with me and You are always doing what you said You would do, and You are always working everything together fo the good of those who love You and are called according to your purpose. In this I trust and find my strength!

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Rachel: God Heard Her Cries

Day 3, Week 3 of Beautifully Surrendered, A Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: Genesis 29:31-30:24 (SOAP – 30:22-24)
Then God took note of Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then she said, “God has taken away my shame.” 24 She named him Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me yet another son.”  Genesis 30:22-24
MY OBSERVATIONS:

What a saga! One sister (Rachel) loved by Jacob and the other (Leah) given to him in marriage by trickery.

The BibleReference.com commentary explains that the phrase “God took note of Rachel …” means that He looked with favorable consideration on her but not before…

  • He looked with compassion on Leah who was unloved and enabled her to become pregnant (verse 31).
  • the birth of 9 more sons, some given to Leah while others were given to Leah’s and Rachel’s servant girls.

“THEN… ” This one little word in Scripture is so often followed by some great news or event that it always catches my attention … and in this case – as with the story of Hannah – what follows “then” resonates with my heart. Years have passed, Rachel – though settling for children through her servant girl – has waited miserably and now finds herself, finally, pregnant because God has looked on her with “favorable consideration”. You see, it wasn’t that God had truly forgotten or not seen Rachel in all of this time – but rather that God is strategic and purposeful in all He does. As we saw with Hannah, and as I learned in my own life – God is the one who enables or withholds children being born. This is paramount in the story of Rachel and Leah and Mary and Elizabeth and every other woman in the Bible. Until we understand the truth of it we will forever struggle when we cannot see God’s hand in our lives. Trusting His heart is the essence of walking by faith and not by sight.

After the Then

Rachel gave birth to a son and she named him Joseph, which was to say – “May the LORD give me yet another son.” A greedy statement? I don’t think so, but rather believe it was Rachel’s acknowledgement of what she knew was God’s doing and her genuine desire for God’s favor to continue.

How Then Do We Live

I think an important take-away from this passage is to REMEMBER.

  • Remember – even when it seems God is ignoring us – He isn’t. What He is doing is working all things together for the good of His children.
  • It’s also important to pray big, Remembering and believing that there’s nothing God cannot do, literally! With God ALL things are possible.
  • Remember, God’s timing and power are good and purposeful.
Prayer Response

Father, I have waited before for a child. I have, like Rachel. longed for my womb to be open, and felt ignored when You said – no, month after month and year after year. I praise You that I can look back now and know You weren’t ignoring me, You were waiting for the right time. THEN … You answered. May we never lose sight of Your Timing Father, whether it’s a child or a job, a marriage, or healing, whatever it is we are longing for – pleading for – Father, help us to trust Your heart even though we can’t see Your hand.

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Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 2

Anna: Never Ceasing Prayer

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TODAY’S READING: Luke 2:36-50 (37-38)
She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment, she came up to them and began to give thanks to God and to speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
MY OBSERVATIONS:

Wow! How can one small passage pack such an amazing message? From the obvious to the somewhat obscure, this familiar passage held so much that jumped off the page as though I had never read it before in my life.

helpful background details
  • Anna was a prophetess (verse 36), which means she was a woman who proclaimed God’s WORD – speaking everything God gave her to speak – and boy, did He give her a lot to speak on this day.
  • As verse 36 tells us, Anna was the “daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher“, meaning she was a descendant of Jacob.
  • When verse 38 says, “At that moment”, it is referring to the time Mary and Joseph had come to the Temple to present Jesus to the LORD; setting Him apart to the LORD was fulfilling the law’s requirement for every firstborn male.
Anna

Anna spent her life at the Temple. She worshiped God through fasting and praying both night and day, clearly she was devoted to God. In 2022, my Pastor preached on ‘worship’ as part of a series titled “The 7 Habits of Deeply Spiritual People”. The first, and what I believe he called the core habit, is “worship”. He shared several definitions of worship, including:

  • “giving or showing someone their worth“
  • “the outpouring of a soul because we’re at rest with God“
  • “the occupation of the heart with God Himself”
  • and “a conscious passion to glorify God in everything because He alone is deserving”

Pastor Lemming made the point that this type of worship only happens when we see God for who He really is. Clearly, Anna saw God for who He really was, and because she did, she was able to see Jesus, even as a young child, for who He really was – the long-awaited Messiah! It was her surrender that fueled her awareness of who He was, which in turn fueled her mission to “speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem”.

Essential to Anna’s story and her worship is that she was a prayer warrior. She’s actually a great example of what Paul instructed the Colossians to be like in Colossians 4:2, when he said: “Be devoted to prayer.”

Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:2

Note again Anna’s reaction in verse 38, “At that moment, [Anna] came up to [Mary and Joseph, and Jesus] to give thanks to God and to speak about the child, [Jesus], to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” With a heart beautifully surrendered to God, Anna was positioned to see and be a part of God’s presence and work.

How Then Should We Live?

Surely we are to live beautifully surrendered like Anna, daily worshiping God. We may not be at the physical “temple” night and day as she was, but what hit me as I was reading and digesting the passage were the words of Paul to the Corinthians that – we, our physical bodies, are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us and was given to us by God. We are meant to worship God – showing Him His worth, recognizing His vast superiority, having a conscious passion to glorify Him in everything – “night and day”, just like Anna.

We are meant to proclaim Jesus just like Anna, for Jesus is the Gospel message, the very message that Paul said is the “power of God for salvation”.

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16 NET

We are to be devoted to prayer as she was; it should not be something we only do in the morning and evening or when we have a desperate need. We are meant to pray “without ceasing”, staying alert to the opportunities and needs throughout the day to call on or cry out praises to Him on our own behalf or for others.

Prayer Response

Father – what beautiful words and instruction from a Scripture passage so familiar and yet somehow so new. Help us to live like Anna – devoted to You in every way – worshiping You night and day, fixed on You, unceasing in prayer, and unashamed to proclaim Jesus! ~ In the name of Jesus, so let it be ~

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Hannah: Asking for the Impossible

Day 1, Week 3 of Beautifully Surrendered, A Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11 (SOAP – 1:27-28)
I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. 28 Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there.   1 Samuel 1:27-28  NLT
My Observations:
Heart Resounding Similarities

Hannah’s story is near and dear to my heart, not just because of it’s beautiful example of prayer between a woman and her God but because I waited eight years for God to give me a child. In that eight years I experienced much of the heartache and distress that is described of Hannah. I battled bitterness of other’s pregnancies and anger with God for what He withheld. He won the battle though and in due time spoke words of encouragement and wisdom through my parents to not only trust in the Lord and His will and timing for my life but to learn to be content whether pregnant or not pregnant. The words were hurtful at first – I didn’t want to be content, I wanted to be pregnant. However, when I got home from that conversation those were the very words that drove me to my knees and moved me to “pour out my soul before the LORD” and cry out to Him from the depth of my pain and anguish. – Then the LORD called me to mind, and I became pregnant.

Hannah’s Prayer (1 Samuel 1:10-16
  • The source of Hannah’s prayer was from her soul not strong drink
  • The heart of Hannah’s prayer was her pain and anguish – driven by her desire for a child
  • Lost in the strengths of her faith, unaware that she was observed, and certainly not drunk on wine – Hannah prayed

She prayed boldly and specifically

  1. Poured out her suffering to the LORD
  2. Keep me in mind”
  3. Don’t “neglect Your servant”
  4. “Give your servant a male child”

She made a vow

  • “Then I will declare Him to the LORD all the days of His life
  • “His hair will never be cut”

As for Hannah, she was speaking in her mind. Only her lips were moving; her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was a drunkard.

1 Samuel 1:13 NET
Prayer’s Effect

Don’t miss the effect Hannah’s prayer had on her. From being very distressed – talking to God and encouragement from Eli, the priest, she went away changed, not only inwardly but outwardly.

So the woman went her way and got something to eat. Her face no longer looked sad.

1 Samuel 1:18 NET
Then …

I love when the Bible says “Then …” because it always means God is about to reveal something. In this case it was all that transpired after Hannah’s prayer and conversation with Eli.

  1. They worshiped the LORD and returned home
  2. Elkanah was intimate with Hannah
  3. “The LORD called her to mind”
  4. Hannah became pregnant
  5. She gave birth to a son
  6. When he was weened she took him up to the LORD’S house
  7. She shared with Eli God’s answer, her praise, and the response of her vow

For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. 28 So I also dedicate him to the Lord. For all the days of his life he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then [Samuel] bowed down there in worship to the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:27-28 NET
Then …

Hannah’s prayers affected not only herself and her husband but don’t miss how even, at a very young age, they were already affecting Samuel – “THEN he,” [Samuel}, bowed down in worship to the LORD.” To see how her prayer affected many more through Samuel visit this link on the “Life of Samuel” from ‘GotQuestions.org’ – https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Samuel.html

How Then Do We Live?

If we learn anything from Hannah, let us learn that we can be real with God. She poured out her soul before Him, She didn’t try to hide her suffering, or deal with her pain and anguish on her own. She trusted God with her desire, not only in prayer but in life – giving back to God the very thing she asked for – that it [Samuel] might be used for His glory and not just her pleasure or fulfillment.

We can also learn to respond to God’s answers with praise – not kept to ourselves but revealed to others so that God’s goodness, His kindness, mercy, love, grace, power …. are displayed.

  • What’s your take away?
Prayer Response

Father, thank You for Hannah’s prayer and the way You have used it in my own life. Thank You for the glimpses of Your hand in the tapestry of Your people – woven together in Your Word for us to glean from. Help us to not become embittered with the disappointments or desires of our lives but to give them to You, boldly and specifically, from the heart and to trust You with the answers. And Father help us always to give You the praise and honor due Your name that others may hear and see and know of Your goodness to “keep us in mind” and the powerful and lasting effects of Your answers.

– All To Your Glory

Me – from the inside-out

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Jesus Looked After His Mother – Even From the Cross

Friday, Week 1 of Beautifully Surrendered, a Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: John 19:20-30 (SOAP 26-27)

26 So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, look, here is your son!” 27 He then said to his disciple, “Look, here is your mother!” From that very time the disciple took her into his own home.

John 19:26-67 NET
My Observations:

In the Throes of Agonizing Death

How sweet is this scene’s depiction of the Savior’s intimate care for His mother even in the throes of a horrendous death. The beauty of the reality that His love for ‘all’ did not negate His love and care for her as an individual. Also, something that stood out to me this time was the trust He had and placed in this disciple and how well-placed it was.

From that very time the disciple took her into his own home.

John 19:27
How Then Should We Live?

Let’s factor in what we know from this passage first. While God so loved the world and offered salvation to ‘whosoever” believes – what we see here is Christ loving not just a collective group of believers but we see Him tenderly revealing His very personal love for His mother. Jesus’ position as God the Son, did not interfere with His earthly position or emotions as Mary’s son – or for that matter our friend (John 15:14-15) or brother (Hebrews 2:11; Romans 8:29). Knowing these descriptions from Scripture coupled with how we see Him treat Mary – tells me, that because we belong to Jesus’ family, we can TRUST His love for us is equally personal and that He will treat us not just as another believer but as dearly beloved.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers

Romans 8:29 ESV

We also don’t want to miss the other factor, which is that He entrusted His mother, Mary, to one of His disciples. I’ve read and heard this passage many times, yet this time the words jumped off the page at me. I found myself immediately wondering if He sees me as a trustworthy disciple, one He can confidently trust to do His work in His absence. I believe Paul’s letter to Timothy, concerning the character of a person who serves Christ, explains how to be such a disciple and what this trusted disciple might be like when he made the following statement about an approved worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed. (I’ll tell you right now, I have a lot to work on and sure am glad He equipped us with His Spirit so that we have the hope of reaching this goal.)

15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, ... “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.” 20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. 22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. 23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. 2 Timothy 2:15-26
My Prayer Response

Father, oh the beauty of Your Son and the larger than life or anything we can understand GIFT He is. He who loved us all enough to GIVE His life for our sins, and be on earth suffering rather than in Heaven – He also showed us that His love is personal and now we live with this HOPE and JOY that He is looking out for us too, and that He will entrust others to us as He sees the need when He knows us to be faithful. Father, let me be found faithful and true – hands and feet and a light and voice for You. In Jesus’ Name and power.

My Worship Response

I recently used this one but it is the one that kept playing through my head as I wrote this devotional. https://youtu.be/r6U8O_WnPZY (this song does not belong to me but is by David Aslesen and found on the above Youtube link)