Day 1 REST Monday, June 30
Read - Psalm
62:1-2
I
know it’s just Monday, but I’m tired. It’s
a phrase I catch myself saying a lot.
How about you? Maybe you’re entering this week physically tired. Your body is exhausted. Maybe you’re entering this week mentally and
emotionally exhausted. Your heart is
aching. Your soul is worn out. In one way or another, I bet you’re
tired. You long for rest.
The world offers a multitude of ways to find
rest, but only Jesus knows and can provide what we need to recover.
As the scripture
says, God won’t lay anything “heavy or ill-fitting on you.” The world does
that. Our free will does that. This week…we have a choice. Keep carrying those exhausting things around
or give them up. We can choose the path
of the world that is exhausting and heavy or choose the spiritual path with
Christ that is free and light. Jesus is
our burden carrier. He is the path of
renewal and strength. He is rest.
What does God want you to let go of this week?
Dear Lord, please help me give up whatever it
is that is weighing me down and getting in the way of getting to know you
better. Help me to find rest this week
and freedom from these things. Help me to give up control.
In
Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Day 2 FORTRESS Tuesday, July 1st
Read - Psalm
46:1-3 ; 2 Timothy 2:19
One of Adeline’s
latest favorite stories is The Story of
the Three Little Pigs. As you know,
one pig builds their house of straw, another pig, their house of sticks, and
the third (and obviously wisest pig) builds his house out of bricks. The wolf is successful in huffing and puffing
and blowing down the houses of straw and sticks…but that house of bricks stands
solid. It’s firm. That little pig’s shelter doesn’t move.
Our
God is like a brick house. He is our
shelter from anything and everything the Devil and the world try to throw our
way.
Our God…He doesn’t
move. He surrounds us, protects us, and
provides the safe haven we need and desire.
His solid foundation stands firm.
He knows His children. He knows
you by name. And He is your safe place
from the world. From your past. From your present sufferings. He is your fortress.
Do you tend to seek safety in God or in the
world? Why?
Dear Lord, I run to you. I need your safety. Please forgive me for running to the world to
find safety and shelter. Help me to find
shelter in you. Help me to remember that
you are all I need and that you are safe.
In
Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Day 3 SALVATION Wednesday, July 2nd
Read - 1
Peter 5:8 ; Ephesians 2:4-9
By now you’ve heard
the story of the evening the tornado struck Ms. Beers’ home and demolished part
of it, ripping apart portions and making it unlivable. The town had some warning there may be bad
weather. They knew there was a
possibility for danger. But still, it
snuck up on them. They never would have
believed the type of damage it would do to their homes, belongings and
spirits. Ms. Beers calls our Mission
Team her angels. She knows that this
week of work done on her home is a true gift from God. Salvation is the same thing…a gift.
And salvation…it’s not about
just believing something, it’s about receiving SOMEONE.
It’s hard to
comprehend. It’s hard to wrap our minds
around. We are undeserving. And by no means can we do it ourselves. Sin
can by sneaky. The Devil likes to creep
up on us. Like that tornado, it boldly
impacts and rips apart our lives. But by
grace – by forgiveness – by us just
asking, just confessing we need Jesus…we are given the gift of
salvation.
Jesus is the
warning siren. He is the rescuer. He is the way out.
Is God trying to get your attention? Have you
received His gift?
Dear Lord, Thank you so much for the gift of
salvation. Thank you for loving me
enough to give your life for me. Forgive
me and help me to remember that your grace is a gift. Help me not to take it for granted.
In
Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Day 4 ROCK Thursday, July 3rd
Read - Psalm
18:2
“On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All Other ground is sinking sand.”
-The Solid Rock by Edward Mote
A
solid foundation is important in any beginning.
Maybe it’s building a house…the foundation must be solid or the entire
house will fall. Maybe it’s in learning
math…if you don’t know how to add, subtract, multiply, or divide, the more and
more difficult (and even impossible) it will become to continue in math through
school. Or maybe it’s our faith…
If
we don’t put our trust in the Lord…the rest of the areas of our life will be
shaky and could fall apart at any time without any hope in which to cling.
So
how do we build a solid foundation in Christ? First, we have choices to
make. We can choose the shaky things of
the world…popularity, greed, desire, jealousy, bad relationships, etc…or we can
choose the firm things that God offers… contentment, peace, love, kindness,
forgiveness, etc. We have to choose what
our foundation is made of. And we have
to work to construct that firm foundation with God’s help. Through prayer. Through study. Through reading our Bible. Through fellowship with other
Christians. Because if we allow him…God
will be our firm foundation. He will be
our Rock.
Do you have a strong foundation? If not, how
could you ask God to help you?
Dear Lord, Thank you for being my Rock! Thank
you for helping me to build a strong foundation in you. Help me to say no to the shaky things of this
world and yes to the firm foundation you provide.
In
Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Day 5 FREEDOM Friday, July 4th
Read - GAlations
5:1; James 2:12-13
Happy 4th
of July! This is a day our nation celebrates Freedom. And the exciting thing is that we can
celebrate freedom in more ways than one today…we can celebrate freedom in
Christ!
I’m claustrophobic. Not horribly claustrophobic, but enough to
get pretty worked up when I think of small, tight spaces or situations where I
don’t have a way out. The thought of
tight confinement causes my heart to race and a little bit of panic to set in. You may not be claustrophobic, but I bet you
don’t like having a ton of limits set on you.
Or a list of rules to follow. Or
to feel like you are a slave to something.
Sin can be that way. It can
muffle our spirit and hold us captive.
“If your life is given to anything but Jesus,
it’s really not freedom at all. Sin
takes us captive, and the only thing that can set us free is Jesus.”
The world wants to tell us the
opposite. It wants to tell us that
living of the world is freedom. But true
freedom comes from a transformed life.
True freedom comes from grace. God
is freedom.
What does freedom mean to you? Are you free?
Dear Lord, Thank you for setting me free. Thank you for freedom. Help me to find freedom from the things that
hold me captive. Help me to find courage to share with others this freedom you
have given me.
In
Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Day 6 . . . Saturday, July 5th
Read - Psalm
62:1-2 ; Romans 15:13
Ellipses ( …
) are used in writing to omit or take the place of words that are left out that
must be supplied by the listener or reader.
It’s your job as the reader to fill in the blank. It’s a pause of sorts. During this week,
you’ve had many experiences. You’ve hung
out with friends, gotten to know new people that maybe feel more like family
now, worshipped, served, eaten lots of good food, and maybe spent some time
rocking on the porch. You’ve been approached by God and you’ve probably seen
and heard Him in many different ways.
You’ve probably had what Christians often say as a “mountaintop
experience”.
But life
doesn’t stop there. The Lord has done
GREAT and AWESOME things this week.
Things that hopefully have set you on fire for Him. Tomorrow begins the … of your story. This is the point in the story where you fill
in the blanks.
Don’t let the world put a period where God wants
to put ellipses.
God
has shown you who He is this week. Trust
in Him. Overflow with Him. Go back home ready to share just who this
Jesus is. Your story has just begun.
Who have you learned that
“He is …” this week?
Dear Lord, Thank you so much for this past
week. Thank you for this story you are
writing in my life. Help me to overflow
with hope and the power of the Holy Spirit as I go home and live out who you
are in my life.
In
Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
