The Comfort of God’s Everlasting Arms
Have you ever noticed how parents instinctively position themselves to catch their children? Whether teaching a toddler to walk or spotting a child learning to ride a bike, their arms are always underneath, ready to catch their precious ones when they fall. It's a natural response—one born of love and an intense desire to protect.
This morning, as I was reading in Deuteronomy, a familiar verse caught my attention in a new way. "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27). I've read this verse countless times, but today, that word "underneath" jumped off the page and grabbed my heart.
Why underneath? Of all the ways God could have positioned His arms—around us, beside us, or even above us—He specifically tells us His everlasting arms are underneath.
Lessons From the Birds, Part One
I'm always fascinated by the birds that visit our backyard feeder. They're a lively bunch, full of personality and quirks. This morning, as I sat sipping my hot tea and watching them flutter about, I couldn't help but chuckle at their antics.
One particularly stubborn sparrow refused to share the last remaining suet ball. He perched on the feeder, puffing out his chest and squawking at any bird who dared to come near. The other birds would try to sneak in for a quick bite, but the sparrow was having none of it. He was determined to guard his prize.
As I watched this little drama unfold, I found myself thanking God for His wonderful qualities, which are never in limited supply.
How Good Is Good Enough? (A Repost)
Today, I want to do something a little different. While this devotion applies to anyone in any stage or area of life, I want to specifically talk to those who suffer from chronic illness. Perhaps, like me, it's a joint disorder, arthritis, bursitis, or other pain-related situations. Or maybe you suffer from an autoimmune disease like lupus, celiac disease, or type 1 diabetes. It could even be you're many months into cancer and the various treatments related to that. Whatever the disease or illness, I want to speak to your hurting hearts.
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Tess is undeniably adorable, but she's got a bit of a disobedience problem. She can't resist the urge to find a way out of our yard and into the sheep pasture behind us. Despite our best efforts to contain her, our mutt just can't help herself. Sound familiar? Observing Tess's behavior can give us valuable insights and lessons from a biblical perspective.
First and foremost, Tess's antics remind me of our human tendencies to wander from God's plan for our lives. Just like my pup can't resist the allure of exploring beyond her boundaries, we often find ourselves tempted by worldly distractions that lead us astray from God's intended path.
One Last Day
As I strolled with Tess on our daily walk, I pondered the inquiry. It’s a question that’s been asked more times than any of us could ever count: if you knew you only had one day left to live, how would you spend that day?
What would I do? For starters, I would throw the words “diet” and “exercise” out the window and pig out on all my favorite foods. After all, if it’s my last day on earth, I don’t have to worry about weight gain, right? I’d also want to spend as much time as possible with the ones I love.