No Fear


“The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”

― Oswald Chambers

Teach me, Lord, to rely only on you. Then I will have nothing to fear.

Wisdom

Father, you are the source of all wisdom and you have promised to give it to those who ask. Yes, Lord, I desire your wisdom in my life. Show me the wise way to give to others and to give you glory.

The Beckoning Whispers

            As I sit in the kitchen, the sound of the sea beckons me. From the beach house, the waters whisper, calling me to the beach. I grab my sunscreen and my towel and walk across the street and into the soft, dry sand. I sink ankle deep with each step, the gentle waves whooshing louder the closer I come. In moments I reach the water’s edge. The ocean’s beauty never ceases to amaze me. Blue stretches as far as my eyes can see. Summer’s gentle swells roll on the beach, breaking only a foot from where I stand.

Only when I step into the water do I feel the strength of its pull. Standing ankle deep, my feet sinking into the sand, I let the waves break against my legs. Small as the waves are, I feel their strength as they rush to the shore. I venture a little deeper, and the water breaks against my thighs, splashing up to my waist. I brace myself as larger waves approach, knowing they have the strength to knock me down. After breaking, the waves rush back to their ocean home, pulling against my legs, beckoning me to come deeper, to immerse myself in their crystal clear waters.

I look beyond the small summertime Pacific waves, and see the blue curve of the ocean’s edge, miles out to sea. I marvel at the power of the water, stretching for thousands of miles in every direction. A hundred yard from where I stand, the waves boom and crash against rocks and coral, thundering across the bay. What tremendous power lives in the ocean! It’s so great and so strong my mind cannot fathom it. Nor can I explore its depths. I observe only what washes ashore and what I can see from a few hundred yards out, as far as I feel safe swimming.

Just as the gentle waves washing the shore call to me, God calls His people in a still, small voice. In the quiet times when I listen for His voice, He calls to me, beckoning me closer. When I listen, He speaks clearer, louder.

As I wander at the edges of God’s greatness, experiencing His waves along the shore, I sense the awesome majesty and greatness of Him, stretching farther than my eyes can see, deeper than my mind can conceive. I hear His voice in still, small whispers, washing my soul clean, and I long to plunge in, swimming stroke by stroke nearer to the heart of God.

Father God, thank you for the beckoning whispers of your creation, drawing me ever closer to You.

Psalm 46:10a “Be still and know that I am God.”

Quiet in the Chaos

“The devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements: noise, hurry, crowds. He will not allow quietness.” Elisabeth Elliot

Lord, help me to find quiet in the noise, calm in the hurry, and solitude in the crowds. Teach me to listen to your still, small voice, even in chaotic times.

Teach Me, Lord

Lord, you know I try, but I want to do more than try. I want to yield to your will. I want to obey your will. Open my eyes and ears so I can discern your truth. Teach me, Lord, teach me.

A Leafy Canopy

(This devotion was first published in The Secret Place.)

The nature trails near my city home meander through the woods. Beneath overarching branches of walnut, cottonwood, ash, and other trees, I walk in shade, the leafy canopy protecting me from the summer’s heat. Here I enjoy temperatures ten degrees cooler than the sunnier pathways.

As I walk, I listen for the breaking of twigs, signaling me to look for deer. Recently, I heard a different sound, one I hadn’t heard before. At first I couldn’t place it, but then reality dawned: raindrops pattered on the leaves. The summer shower was light and the leafy canopy caught all the drops. I didn’t feel one. The green over my head protected me from both heat and rain.

While I walked, listening to the pattering rain, I thought about God’s protection. He doesn’t always remove the storms, but like a leafy canopy, he deflects the heat of life’s difficult moments and shelters us from life’s storms. Just as I choose to walk in the shade on hot days, I have choices for my life’s path. I can seek God’s refuge when life gets hot or stormy, or I can walk in the open, on my own.

Which path will you choose?

O Lord, keep me walking on your path; keep me trusting in your protection.

Isaiah 25:4 “You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his

distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.”

Nourish My Soul

“What wings are to a bird, and sails to a ship, so is prayer to the soul.”

~Corrie ten Boom~

Lord, you know how often I allow my soul to become dried and withered when I neglect time in prayer. Forgive me Lord and help me to cherish that time when I can converse with you and listen to your still, small voice nourishing my soul.

Fear God

God, I hold you in awe and reverence, for you alone are God. I Thank you for your love, justice, wisdom, and creative power. Thank you for providing your word to guide me on this earthly journey. I pray you will show me how to lovingly follow your commands and ask you to continually mold me into your image.

In His Hands

“Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on him who has all things safely in his hands.”

Help me to remember, Lord that You do, indeed, hold all things in your hands. Help my heart to wait on You and trust your will for my life.