Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
November 29, 2024
Philippians 2:12-18
12 Therefore, my loved ones, just as you always obey me, not just when I am present but now even more while I am away, carry out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 God is the one who enables you both to want and to actually live out his good purposes. 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, innocent children of God surrounded by people who are crooked and corrupt. Among these people you shine like stars in the world 16 because you hold on to the word of life. This will allow me to say on the day of Christ that I haven’t run for nothing or worked for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured out like a drink offering upon the altar of service for your faith, I am glad. I’m glad with all of you. 18 You should be glad about this in the same way. Be glad with me!
Good Morning! Be glad in the Lord!
I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart
I will enter His courts with praise
I will say this is the day that the Lord has made
I will rejoice, for He has made me glad
It’s funny how Paul talks to us like a parent who needs to be gone for a bit but would like us to continue on the path upon which he has been leading us. I would like to imagine walking through a world without grumbling and arguing. Wouldn’t you?
I remember the things my brother and I would do when we were at home alone. It wasn’t as if we were trying to be destructive, but more like we were on a scavenger hunt looking for clues. That old curiosity would get the better of us, and we were looking through drawers and closets to see what was in there. There was a little fear and trembling as we investigated these spaces. “just as you always obey me, not just when I am present but now even more while I am away, carry out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
As parents, we pray that our children will behave even better when we are away than when we are there to help them. Some memes on social media have discussed the blessing we feel when we realize our children have grown into being “good” adults.
God smiles when he looks upon us as our loving parent. Even when we wander off our path, we have all the tools that we need to find our way back to the light.
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
Dear Lord, We are your children! Help us shine like the sun! Praise be to God! Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: A challenging situation can be a gift from God.
Be glad! Pastor Liz
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