Run to Our Daily God

March 5, 2024 by 2 Comments

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” Psalm 68:19 NIV

Some people see God as a far-off, detached-from-their lives God. They think he’s someone they can only turn to in a crisis or call on when they’re faced with some other major need. The verse above blows that theory right out of the water, though, doesn’t it?

Yes, indeed, we have a daily God. A God who promises to bear our burdens each and every day. And the size of the burdens is not specified. Nowhere does scripture tell us we can only bring the crushing burdens to God.

In fact, the Apostle Peter tells us to cast all our cares and anxieties on the Lord because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). The Apostle Paul also instructs us to turn to the Lord for everything: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6 NIV)

So are we availing ourselves of the help God has for us each day, the help that scripture exhorts and encourages us to rely on? Or do we turn to him only when the big stuff hits? Our answers may be determined partly by how we see God. Do we believe he is our loving heavenly Father who cares about everything that concerns us?

I sometimes forget to call on God for help or direction when life is swirling all about me, but most of the time I take my burdens to him—even when I don’t think to do it immediately. He is my source of peace and strength and provision. I can’t imagine going through life without him as my strong tower and refuge.

Next time we’re faced with a burden, let’s not try to carry it on our own. Let’s run to our Savior and our God. Our daily God.

“Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.” Psalm 71:3 NIV

*What burdens do you try to carry on your own?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early May. Sign-up is FREE! *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*Flickr photo by Vince Alongi, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: burden, comfort, faith, help, life, love, peace, prayer, strength, stress, trust, Word of God, worry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Midweek Morsel: Our Help Is in God

April 14, 2016 by 4 Comments

2403346923_be16fd3eee_z“Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:8

As believers, think of the mighty help that is available to us through our heavenly Father. The very Maker of heaven and earth loves us and stands ready to help us at all times. No better help can be found.

The Bible is filled with passages that describe our God, our divine Helper, but today let’s look at a few more verses from the Psalms. Read and be blessed by these words that David sang after the Lord had delivered him from his enemies:

“You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.

. . . He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.” Psalm 18:28-32

Anyone in need of help today? Why not turn to the Maker of heaven and earth?

*When has God helped you in a mighty way?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, will come out in early May. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by Paul Weingartz, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: creation/creative/creator, help, light, protection, strength, unfailing, Word of God Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Midweek Morsel: How Big Is Your God?

November 19, 2015 by 2 Comments

Teewinot 2

*I’ll be taking a blogging break next week for Thanksgiving. What are some of the best blessings God has given you this year? I’m especially thankful for God’s gift of our twin grandsons, for my husband’s back healing well enough so he could go back to work early this year, and also for God blessing me with a book contract in August.  I hope you all have a wonderful week celebrating Thanksgiving with your families. See you November 30th!

Sometimes we need a reminder of how big God is. We need to remember that his love and faithfulness can’t be measured—and that they never fail. We need to hear once again that his justice and love and protection are for one and all. Yes, sometimes we need a reminder of just how big our God really is.

And so, my friends, be blessed by this reminder from God’s Word today:

“Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
     your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
    your justice like the great deep.
O, LORD, you preserve both man and beast.
    How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
    take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”
                                                             Psalm 36:5-7

*When have you taken refuge in the bigness of our God?

*My photo (taken in Grand Teton National Park)

Filed Under: Above and Beyond, big, faithfulness, love, protection, Word of God Tagged With: , ,

Midweek Morsel: Find Shelter in God

October 8, 2015 by 2 Comments

16630003164_7cd84ffeb2_zAnyone in a need of a shelter, a refuge from the storms of life? When we’re faced with difficulties, pain, stress, and heartbreak, there’s no better place to go than to God and his Word. May this passage from the Psalms give you comfort and strength today, my friends!

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
     will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress,
     my God, in whom I trust.’
Surely he will save you
     from the fowler’s snare
     and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
     and under his wings you will find refuge;
     his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91:1-4

Thank you, Father, for your faithfulness. Thank you for being our refuge!

*When have you found refuge under the wings of the Lord?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early November. Sign up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by Moyan_Brenn, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: Above and Beyond, faithfulness, help, life, protection, rest, Word of God Tagged With: , , ,

Resting in His Hands

June 8, 2015 by 4 Comments

DSC01800*My nephew Gavin’s photo in this encore post from June 2009 is certainly outdated (boy, has he grown!), but the message of the post still rings true. May it be a special blessing to you today!

Look closely. What do you see resting in my nephew Gavin’s hands? No, it’s not a little plastic toy. It’s a real, live lizard—a Missouri lizard that decided to accept Gavin’s friendly overture during our Memorial Day family gathering at Mom and Dad’s. In all honesty, I don’t know if there’s such a thing as a Missouri lizard, but since that’s where we were, it seems like a good name to me!

I came upon this scene exactly as you see it above. I never did hear the story of how this little guy ended up hanging out with Gavin, completely at ease while several of us drew near snapping photos. For whatever reason—whether he was simply content with a warm place to rest, scared to death, or maybe even sick — he decided to trust himself to Gavin’s caring hands.

Gavin certainly rose to the occasion, becoming very careful and attentive. Hands that busied themselves that weekend with everything from playing badminton to playing Wii to putting up bunny ears behind unsuspecting victims quieted themselves long enough to give refuge to another of God’s creatures. And both, I might add, seemed quite pleased with the arrangement.

Does a refuge sound pretty good to you about now? We all need one in our lives each and every day. Sometimes we just need a warm and loving place to rest, while at other times, fear consumes us and finds us desperate for a safe place, a shelter from all harm.

That shelter, that refuge, awaits us in the hands of God. It’s there for all who will accept His loving overtures, to all who will trust themselves to His tender and capable hands. If Gavin, in all his 7-yr. old glory, can provide a safe place for a little lizard, how much more will God, the Creator of the universe and the Lover of our souls, give refuge to all who will trust their lives to Him?

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to trust my mighty God, my heavenly Father. I’m going to rest in Him. I’m sure we’ll both be quite pleased with the arrangement. Join us, won’t you?

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.” Psalm 62:1

*My photo

Filed Under: family, love, nature, peace, rest, trust Tagged With: , , , ,