Month: February 2021

Life can feel like all the lights have gone out and someone moved all the furniture.  We stumble through, trying to feel our way to the next place.  All is unsure.  We are trying to get a sense of what is around and how to maneuver to the next place.  The dark is real dark and any glimmer of light would help.  But muddling through, it can feel so lonely.  

These are the times when a small spark could change our entire world.  A simple flame would illuminate our path, opening our eyes to see things are not as we had imagined.  In the dark, we create images and scenes which may not even be real.  In the light, we see we are not alone.  We see we have a guide on this path.  We see there are treasures all around us.  All of these things are hidden in the dark, but come to life in just a little light.

For me, Jesus brings this light.  We stumble in our grief.  We fall over our anxiety.  Our fears weigh us down.  We are afraid to even move, it is so very dark.  And then a spark changes everything.  God sends us just what we need to see a little more.  We are given simple joys which ignite our spirits and show us the next step.  We don’t need to see the whole path – that could be daunting.  All we need to know is God is with us and he lights the way.  

Jesus is our light when we find ourselves covered in darkness.  He is our hope when there seems to be no way hope could exist.  He is our peace when all of the rest of our world is in chaos.  He is our joy when sorrow is all we feel.  He is our light.  Our light will show us the way.  Our light reminds us this is not the end.  Our light gives us a glimmer into the beauty all around.  

May the Light guide you on your path today.  May your joys be illuminated.  May your hopes be ignited.  May you see you are not alone.

Focus Scripture:

John 8:12

¹² Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” 

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

Loving God should be easy.  But it’s not.  We think of love in a conditional sense.  We feel loved when… Someone shows love by… We know they love us because… We take those same concepts and apply them to God.  The rules don’t apply, though.  God doesn’t work by our rules and doesn’t mold to fit our ideas (thankfully).  His love doesn’t work the same way.  He does have expectations of his children.  He does redirect when we go off course.  There are consequences for our mistakes.  These are all for us.  It does not change his love for us, though.  

God doesn’t love us because…  God just loves us.  He doesn’t need a reason.  He doesn’t need an excuse.  And his love is steady and sure.  So when things don’t go well, God is still love.  When our entire lives fall off track, he is there to help pick up the pieces.  When we completely lose all understanding of his love, he continues to love us.  

These are things which should baffle us but also bring us to a place of gratefulness and peace.  We didn’t earn his love so we don’t un-earn his love.  He does not work like we do.  He is exactly the One we need when all else fails.  God loves you.  God loves me.

Out of this, how could we not love him?  We struggle because we don’t understand.  We fight against his love because things are a mess.  We push him away because we are hurt or damaged or simply broken.  We strive against the One who welcomes us home.  Yet, he continues to love.  

What a gift it is to be loved more than we could ever imagine.  What might it look like to truly begin to love God with our all?  What does it feel like to love him in spite of… ?  What does it mean to love God with our strength – all that we have that we can muster?  How might we love God because he first loved us?

Focus Scripture:

1 John 4:19

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery