Sunday, December 16, 2012

A Verse to Chew On

Here's this week's little devotional.  The verse I felt the Lord leading me to pen on 3x5 cards for my girls this week fits perfectly with the season we are in so I thought I would share it here too.


It's like God's little gift to us this week...

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13

And it's my prayer for each of us.  The Christmas Season is, in it's purest form, a time of hope and peace and joy...a time for us to focus on and connect with God in a profound and intimate way.

But it seems like there are 'forces' at work against the desire to celebrate and reflect on beauty of our Savior's birth.  Sometimes those 'forces' can be the glitz of the holiday season and trying to keep up with the buying, baking and busyness.  Sometimes the 'forces' are painful struggles we may be going through...like financial or relational challenges.  Annoying problems like appliances on the fritz or cars that need work or finals that need to be studied for can sidetrack us from the Hope, Joy and Peace that believing in Jesus affords us.

For just a moment or two why don't we pour our self another cup of coffee or brew a pot of tea and Chew on this Verse.  While we quiet our physical self's let's make the effort to quiet our souls before the Lord as well.

First take a moment to identify any thing that may make you feel Hope-less...is there something standing in your way of feeling the Joy of the Lord...are you void of Peace and experiencing anxiety about something?

Now that we have identified what may be standing in the way of us experiencing the Hope and Peace and Joy of this season let's focus on God!  This verse tells us that He is the God of Hope and that He can fill us with Joy and Peace.  The God of this universe, the Creator of all things seen and unseen is not limited by the circumstances of our life.  In the midst of the busyness or challenges or heartaches He can still fill us with His Hope and Joy and Peace by the power of His Holy Spirit.  The same Holy Spirit that came upon Mary making that Virgin Birth possible...the same Holy Spirit that later raised Jesus from the dead...is the same Holy Spirit who has the power to invade our souls, our circumstances with the Hope and Joy and Peace that Jesus came to bless us with.

Believing in the goodness of Jesus and the greatness of God gives me that abounding hope regardless or how things look or feel.  In choosing hope and joy and peace I am not ignoring the reality of the stuff of life that tries to creep in...it just means that I am focusing my attention on the Lord instead...realizing that He is bigger than any distracting 'force' in my life...and that true hope and joy and peace is found in the Gift of Jesus and not in my circumstance and surroundings.

As we choose to believe in Him and to believe Him we can see His Joy and Hope and Peace fleshed out in us...and through us to others...that's my prayer for us this week!

Serving Him and you,
Michelle...ApronGirl

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