Tag Archive for: ecme devotions

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

Isaiah 43:1b

The end of a school year often finds teachers reviewing their year. They look back on the things that went well and find satisfaction. They look back on the rough parts and decide what can change and improve for the upcoming year. As you do this, you may be tempted to fall into one of the following ditches:

1) You may look at all that went well during the year and think, “I am an awesome teacher. I have accomplished so much, and I am a professional that others should learn from.”
2) You may look at all that did not go well and fall into despair. You may say, “Why am I a teacher? There are so many things that I failed to handle with grace and professionalism. I can’t even begin to imagine doing this all over again next year.”

The problem with both of these scenarios is that we are trying to find our identity within ourselves. We are measuring our worth by our own outward accomplishments or failures, and this creates fear. We fixate on our mistakes because we fear that others will see us as failures. Even in our successes, we put more pressure on ourselves to repeat them and fear the ridicule if we don’t.

Reread today’s verse. “I have called you by name.” We can look at ourselves as God looks at us. Isaiah says to “fear not”, because God has redeemed us. Christ went to the cross and erased all the pride and all the self-pity with which we fill our minds. When we were baptized, we became God’s very own child; he claimed us. We find our identity in Christ, and when we do, we see a God who loved us enough to die in our place. We see a God who calls each of us personally by our name. How special we are to him!

So as you review this past year, focus on what God has done through you and around you. Thank him for the blessings he has given you and those you serve. And start those plans for next year knowing that he who has called you by name and calls you his own, will be with you.

Prayer:
Go, my children, with my blessing, never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you; you are my own.
In my love’s baptismal river, I have made you mine forever.
Go, my children, with my blessing–you are my own.
(Christian Worship 332:1)

Reprinted from June 20, 2016

Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Colossians 3:1,2

Ahhh! It’s summer! Another school year is drawing to a close. At times we thrived and at times we survived! It’s time for some rest and relaxation, right? This month we’re focusing on the 4 R’s of summer: relax, renew, review, and reflect.

As we look back and reflect on our year, it is easy to say, “I deserve a break. I faithfully kept X number of kids alive and fed. I shared Jesus with them and maybe even taught them a few things. I am ready to take time away from it all and relax. That’s great! It’s good to take time away from the work that we do and spend time with family and activities we enjoy outside of our everyday work.

Sometimes though, when we take a break from our jobs, we tend to take a break from more than just our work. We set our hearts on beaches, time with family, camping, the lake cabin, and other things we love. We often forget to continue to set our hearts on God. Throughout the school year we meet weekly with faculty around God’s word. We study Bible Stories daily to teach to our students. We pray for patience and wisdom. Then summer comes, and the temptation is to forget about God for a while or even unintentionally, set him aside. Weekends become filled with activities, and we might miss church. Our kids are out of school, so we don’t make time for those quiet morning devotions.

Paul tells us in the letter to the Colossians to “set our hearts on things above”. It is not wrong to dream about our summer getaway, but we need to remember what is most important. What is up above? “Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” Christ, our Savior, who pleads for us in front of the Father every time we lose our patience with a student. Christ, our Redeemer, who gives us peace and rest at the end of every stressful week when we doubt whether or not we are making an impact. Christ, our Redeemer forgives us for every mistake we make, and he forgets every time we put our summer plans before him.

Summer is here. Whether you serve in a part time program or a year-round program, go ahead and make plans to take a break. As you make those plans, set aside time to be with Jesus. Look forward to worship and Bible study each week. Relax in knowing his grace and mercy for you.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for guiding me through another school year and the blessings that you brought through my humble efforts. Be with me during the summer months and help me to continue to seek you in your Word each and every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Question to Consider: With the extra time that summer provides, what are some ways that you can stay connected to the Word? Is there a spiritual book you’ve been wanting to read? Maybe there’s a friend that you can do a book study with. Can you find someone to do daily devotions with? Maybe this is the time to start that prayer journal you’ve been thinking about. Have fun finding ways to keep yourself and maybe others, connected to the Word. May God bless you as you do!

(Reprinted from June 6, 2016)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 14:27

As most of the children settle on their mats or cots and drift off to sleep, you sit quietly rubbing the back of a little one. She is new to your center and is having trouble adjusting to being in a new place with new caregivers. You quietly assure her that you are there, Jesus is with her, and that all will be ok.

You turn your head toward the nightstand. It’s 2:45 am and restful sleep still has not come. Your mind whirls with things to do and worry about a family concern increases as each minute ticks by. You know that sleep will help you handle the day, but it won’t come.

It’s likely that both scenarios have a ring of familiarity. As you serve the young children in your care, you often have opportunity to reassure them that Jesus is always with them, Jesus loves them, Jesus is watching over them. And then come our own stresses: a to-do list longer than the day, a parent who is unhappy, bills (for the ministry or personal) that are larger than the budget, guilt over any number of things. We can be so comforting and encouraging to the children and to each other. But taking those reassurances to heart – for ourselves – can be entirely different. We know the truth of those comforting words we share. But how well do we apply them to ourselves?

The words of our Bible verse today were spoken by Jesus to his disciples. He had explained to them that he would soon be leaving them. You can imagine their anxiety level. Imagine Jesus’ calm voice in these words: I’m giving you a peace that is beyond any peace the world has to offer. It is a peace from your sin. It is a peace in knowing that I am with you always. It is a peace that knows that I will take you with me to heaven.

We have peace from guilt; our sins are paid for. We have peace that defeats worry and fear. No matter how difficult the situation, Jesus is with us through it all. No matter how difficult our earthly life, we will be with him in heaven for eternity. This peace is one that we’ll never find in the world but always find in Jesus, our peace. As those concerns and worries keep eating at our sleep, we can pray the simple hymn that we teach our little ones. Rest well in Jesus’ peace.

Prayer:
Now the light has gone away; Father, listen while I pray,
Asking you to watch and keep and to send me quiet sleep. Amen
Christian Worship 593:1

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

This month, many of you are in your last weeks of the school year. You are likely looking forward to the final days of school and a summer with a different routine. You are also likely reflecting on this last year with the group of children in your care. This month, we’re going to take a look at some of the songs and hymns that you may have shared with your little ones and Scripture verses that reflect the message of the song. Feel free to hum along as you spend time in the Word, reflecting on the blessings of this year of sharing Jesus with your children.

Let’s start with what is probably one of the most well-known and dearly loved songs sung by little ones everywhere.
“Jesus loves me, this I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong.
They are weak, but he is strong.”

There are a number of Scripture verses that can reflect the messages in this song. The one that first comes to mind is, John 3:16 “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but will have eternal life.” You see it on signs at sporting events, on t-shirts, on public signs, and on pieces of art. It’s easy for such a verse to become so well known to us that we gloss over the words. Think with me about the stunning message in this verse. God loved this world of ours enough to go into action. He did more than just say he loved us. He showed us he loves us. How? He wanted to give the most incredible gift-his only Son. Imagine God the Father, turning to his Son and saying to him that he is God’s ultimate gift to a world that doesn’t always love him. From an earthly logic, it makes no sense. He loves us when we don’t always love him. We turn from him and he turns to us. We wander. He comes to us as Jesus, our Savior and in his Word. Why would God do that? He loves us. How do we know? He gave us his word in his Word, the Bible.

“Little ones to him belong.” “Little ones” includes the young children you serve, their families, you, me. It is his desire that all people everywhere would believe in him and be with him for the endless years of eternity in heaven with him. Like an earthly father who yearns to be with his children, even more so, God yearns to have us with him. After all, he loved the whole world.

“They are weak, but he is strong.” Oh my! We get that, right? How often do you feel like you’re in over your head? How many times have you wondered how you could possibly work through a challenge or crisis? How often does fear or worry take up your thoughts? How long do we agonize before we realize that our dear friend and Savior, Jesus, has been there all along? He is loving. He is patient. He knows all things. He made all things. He can and wants to help. He is never weak but always strong. Our weakness shows itself in our sins. His strength and his love are demonstrated in the perfect life he led that we cannot live. His strength is shown in the words of the cross, “It is finished” as he took the terrible consequences that are ours. He paid what we couldn’t pay. “Yes, Jesus loves me!”

As you make your way through the final days of the school year and sing those song one more time, think about the simple, yet amazing message that is planted in the hearts of the children. With confidence and joy, we can all sing, “Yes, Jesus loves me!” Wow! Thank you, Jesus. May I and my students, always love you, too!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you. Thank you for loving me so much. Thank you for being strong when I am weak. Thank you for your word in the Bible. Thank you for being my Savior. Help me to share this with each child, family, colleague, and friend I know. In your name I pray. Amen

A Question to Consider:
This week consider one phrase of John 3:16 each day and ponder what it means for you and how you can share that with the children, their families, and others.
• God so loved the world
• He gave his one and only Son
• That whoever believes in him will not perish
• But have eternal life.

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

Isaiah 12:2

“I know that my Redeemer lives! What comfort this sweet sentence gives!” (Christian Worship 152:1)

We’ve waited months to sing those lines, and Easter is finally here! The words from Isaiah are also a song of praise for our salvation. Jesus is our salvation, that is, he saved us from our sins, when he died on the cross and came back to life on that first Easter.

It is finished—Jesus’ mission is complete! We are the ones that deserve the punishment, but instead Jesus was punished in our place. We praise him for his undeserved love!

But we still have a daily struggle against our own sin and temptation.
God gives us the faith to trust in him and the strength to turn away from sin. Although the world wants to lure us from him by encouraging our greed, deceit, and pride, we can daily ask God for the strength to help us resist temptation and thank him for the forgiveness that he freely gives when we fail.

One way that we can show our thankfulness to God for his grace, or undeserved love, is to study his Word at church and in our home. By reading his Word, the Bible, we are daily reminded of how frail we are and how mighty he is. We are daily reminded that God’s Word has the power to change hearts, starting with our own.

We do not need to be afraid of anything in this life, including our own death. Jesus is God, who rules over all things. May we praise him now and until he comes again!

Prayer:

He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death.
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives, all glory to his name!
He lives, my Jesus, still the same.
Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives;
“I know that my Redeemer lives! “ Christian Worship 152:7,8

A Question to Consider:
What routines can you put into practice so that you continue learning what the Bible tells us about Jesus and the strength he gives us?

Jesus said to [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

John 11:24-27

Her brother had just died. When Jesus said these words to Martha, she was grieving the loss of her dear sibling. Can you imagine? Martha was looking at her Savior, Jesus, who is also God and can do anything—and yet he chose not to stop her brother’s death. The pain she must have felt that day!

And yet, even in her grief, Martha was hopeful. Jesus reminded her that we do not need to fear death because Jesus has given us a place in heaven.

Jesus’ question, “Do you believe this?”, is for everyone. Everyone disobeys God and needs a Savior. We fall short of perfection. We fail to trust and love God. We miss opportunities to study his Word in church and at home. We disobey God by doing what he tells us not to do. And so our sin causes us to doubt. It leads us to wonder if God’s promises are really for me.

Jesus’ words are his gospel invitation to see ourselves in his promises. He is our resurrection because he rose from death for us. We will live because the Spirit has put faith in our hearts to cling to that truth. In fact, nothing, not even death, can separate us from Jesus because even though we die, we will live because of him!

We are living not for this world, but the next. Yes, we will leave behind this world and all that we love in it, but death is not the end. In fact, death is the beginning!

Even when we have sadness, we place our comfort in what Jesus has done for us, knowing that we will someday leave this world and all the sadness behind. May we answer as quickly and joyfully as Martha: “Yes, Lord! We believe that you are the Christ!”

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, sometimes I am overcome with grief, sorrow, or troubles of this world. Thank you for being my source of comfort when troubles arise. Help me to remember that I am living not for this world, but for heaven. I say with Martha, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ!” Amen.

A Question to Consider:
How can you use these Bible verses to comfort someone who has lost a friend or family member? What words would you use to help them share your confidence that Jesus is the Christ?

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

A gift from a friend shows up on your desk. There is no reason for it. It is not your birthday or a holiday. “Just because…” the note reads. Sometimes those unexpected gifts mean more than the extravagant birthday or Christmas gifts. It was given in love with thoughtfulness, and not because we deserved or earned it. They really knew what you needed, even when you didn’t.

That is what Christ did for us! But his gift was beyond our thinking, more than we can comprehend. While we were miserable, dirty, rotten sinners, he gave his life to save us! We did nothing to earn or deserve it. He did not make us earn it. He didn’t wait until we were ready or asked for it. He just gave it, forgiveness, a gift beyond all understanding. Wow! What an amazing gift! He shed his blood to save us from God’s wrath. We deserve only punishment, yet Jesus took that punishment for us. What a blessing!

Now, because of his life and death, we rejoice in his gift to us. We sing praises to our Lord and Savior. We proclaim his glory! This blessing is for all people, all sinners. He wants all to be saved through his blood. He sends us forth in this world to share that same love and kindness to others. For many of us that starts in our classrooms, our schools, and our communities. Go the extra mile for your families. Take time to learn about them and their lives, needs, and wants for their child. Share Christ’s love with your students and their families. Let your light shine in your classroom, your school, and your community. When the world sees that light, let it reflect the love of our Savior for them.

Prayer:
All are redeemed, both far and wide,
Since Jesus Christ for all has died;
Grant us the will, and grace provide,
To love them all in you. Amen.
Christian Worship 499:4

A Question to Consider: Are there ways you can let your light shine in your community when you are out and about conducting your everyday routines? At the grocery store? At the gas station? How can you share the love of Jesus in your words and actions?

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Romans 5:19

“I am ready to try again.” It happens almost every day. A child needs redirecting. They are struggling with an activity, social interactions, sharing, or a group setting. The teacher redirects them to a new activity, but the child really wants to go back to what they originally were doing. The child says, “I am ready to try again.”

We are all sinners. Sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden. We all struggle with choices, activities, peer pressure, or navigating this sinful world in a God pleasing way. The reality is we sin. Thankfully, God had a solution for this problem—the problem of sin. He sent his Son to offer the obedience we couldn’t. Christ lived an obedient life. He lived perfectly where we fall short. He did that for us that we might be made right with God. He humbled himself, obedient to death, even death on a cross for us. He died perfectly too. He did that so that God would no longer see our sins, but rather Jesus’ perfection! God made us new. We are his own dear children through Jesus’ life and death. He gives us a new identity through the obedience of his Son. He calls us his child!

Therefore, it is because of that love and that peace with God, that we can start each new day saying, “Lord, I am ready to try again!” Motivated by God’s love and this new life through Christ, we want to do better, and we want to share his love with those we meet daily. God has empowered us by the Holy Spirit. He has given us a gift that we can share daily with the children and families we serve. What a joy and privilege this is!

Prayer:
Dear Father, empower us with your Spirit. Give us strength and wisdom as we start each day as your dear child. Help us share this gift of love with all those we meet today and always. Amen.

A Question to Consider: What are some ways you can share this message and the gift of forgiveness with the children and families at your school? Are there ways you can use Law and Gospel in your redirection and discipline that you are not already doing?

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 17:20

Determination. It can be seen on any toddler’s face! You know exactly what it looks like and you know that a toddler can spend an amazing amount of time, fully determined, on one task. In a toddler’s mind, nothing is impossible. At a young age, toddlers feel they can take on the world and trust that they’ll win and succeed whatever the task!

Matthew 17:20 expresses that nothing is impossible. Many think Jesus is encouraging us to be just like that toddler. “Have confidence and determination and you can do whatever you set your mind to!” But Jesus means something very different. Jesus is teaching us that faith can do the impossible, not because it gives us determination, but because faith looks to the God who can do the impossible.

To emphasize this, Jesus talks about the power of faith even the size of a mustard seed. On average a mustard seed is one to two millimeters in diameter. It seems like mustard seeds can often be missed by the human eye. Jesus is using beautiful, figurative language by comparing something as miniscule as a mustard seed to faith that can do the impossible! His point is that it’s not the size or strength of your faith that matters. It’s that there is faith, period. And any faith, no matter how small, connects you to your big and powerful God. And with him nothing is impossible. For example, take your salvation. You couldn’t do a thing to save yourself. But God could and did. He came into this world to live and die for you. Faith gives you his perfection and his forgiveness. With faith, because it clings to God and his promises, nothing is impossible for you, not even overcoming sin and death.

“Nothing will be impossible for you”. This does not mean that everything in life is seen through rose colored glasses. There will be temptations, struggles, and sadness. The promise from God is that overcoming these struggles is not impossible…because GOD is faithful. God is always with us and has a plan for all that is happening in our life. God has promised to be with us and help us through all of life’s trials. Faith trusts this promise. The promise is fulfilled! God makes the impossible possible and gives us triumphs over the hardships in life!

This bible verse provides so much comfort! We find peace in the simple fact that God is faithful and faith trusts that his promises are fulfilled!

Prayer:

I know my faith is founded on Jesus Christ my God and Lord.
And this my faith confessing, unmoved I stand upon his Word.
Man’s reason cannot fathom the truth of God profound.
Who trusts in worldly wisdom relies on shifting ground.
God’s Word is all sufficient, it makes divinely sure,
And trusting in its wisdom, my faith shall rest secure.
Christian Worship 403:1

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.

Deuteronomy 7:9

“Dear Jesus, thank-you for the firefighters. Thank-you for keeping me safe when I had to leave my house. I knew you would stop the fire and keep me safe. You are always by me.” This is a prayer that one of my 4-year-old pre-k students prayed the first week of school this year. As adults, we had all moved past the wildfires that ripped through our northern California community. However, the fires were still on the minds of the little students. As I listened to this child’s simple prayer I looked over at the little boy and I will never forget what I saw in his face. It was complete confidence in God. It was pure faith! This child had no doubt that God is HIS God and had been with him through the disaster. He also had the assurance that God would always be at his side. The phrase, “childlike faith”, came to my mind. This little boy, only 4 years old, gave a beautiful demonstration of faith with his simple prayer.

You and I have the same confidence of the little boy. God is our God! Deuteronomy 7:9, begins with the phrase, “Know that the LORD your God is God”. The word KNOW stresses that there is no doubt or question, the Lord God IS God. The further comfort of this small opening phrase is that God is your God. Faith is personal. Each person has a faith that God has given them through the Holy Spirit. God is YOUR God. He has you in his hands and is always with you.

The verse goes on to say, “He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.” God is faithful. God never leaves us or forsakes us! His covenant, promise of love is real and unchanging!

God is your God! Have the same confidence that the 4-year-old demonstrated. God is faithful and he is with you! His covenant is fulfilled. Through thick and thin God is with you protecting you and showing his love to you!

Prayer:

Faith finds in Christ whate’er we need to save or strengthen us indeed,
Receiving grace from heaven’s throne and humbly sharing cross and throne.

Faith in the Savior brings us peace and bids the mourner’s weeping cease;
By faith the children’s place we claim and give all honor to your name.”
Christian Worship 404:2-3

I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

1 Corinthians 9:23

During World War II, there was a series of films, newsreels, and printed material that explained “Why We Fight.” The tyranny and raw aggression of the Axis Powers was detailed out to provide the reasoning behind the war effort. Young men were motivated to do their part in the fight oversees, even being willing to give up their lives. Those who stayed home did their part with rationing and producing war materials. The reasons for fighting became all the more clear as the end of the war neared and the atrocious labor and death camps of the Holocaust were discovered. Evil had to be stopped. That was why they fought.

When St. Paul wrote these words, he didn’t say that he fought. But he did work hard, or labor intensely, as the verses that precede these words indicate. Why did Paul work so hard? As he said, he worked so hard for the sake of the gospel. In the gospel we find that the main battle has already been fought. We didn’t have the ability to defeat our enemies, so Jesus did. Paul’s Savior had already fought the good fight and won by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. The evil of sin, death, and the devil had been defeated.

Paul does say he labored. And so do teachers! Why work so hard in the Christian classroom, at church, or making your home a Christian home? To share in the blessings of the gospel. Don’t jump to an incorrect conclusion, though! Our labor doesn’t defeat evil. Remember, Jesus already did that by paying for our sin. Our labor, like Paul’s, is an exercise for our faith. By focusing on the gospel, and working really hard to do so, we are reminded that the blessings of the gospel are eternal. They are much greater than a new car or another pricey gift. God blesses us by rescuing us from eternal evil and giving us membership in his family through faith in Christ.

Beneficiaries of this relationship with God want to share it with others, even if that means labor and hard work. Teachers have a unique opportunity to spend hours every day of the school year sharing the message of Jesus with children. The hard work is worth it for those who realize that the spoken Word is the tool that God uses to grow the faith in those young hearts. You are a messenger of rescue from the eternal holocaust of separation from God in hell. This is why we work: Those who have a share of the blessings of the gospel work to share it with others!

Prayer:
Fight the good fight with all your might;
Christ is your strength and Christ your light.
Lay hold on life, and it shall be your joy and crown eternally.
Christian Worship 447:1

I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Psalm 121:1-4

When Jay was 3 years old, he had a seizure. He had not been sick, and he had never had a seizure before. When his mother came in his room to check on him before going to bed herself, she felt his body seizing uncontrollably. It was one of the few times in his father’s life that he ever dialed 911. The paramedics came and a trip to the ER followed, along with hours of tests and scans. Nothing abnormal was found. Doctors concluded that a virus had induced a high enough fever to cause the seizure, which the doctors explained was how the body resets itself. Jay’s parents were thankful that help came so quickly when they dialed 911 that night.

The words of Psalm 121 can be considered God’s 911. Open up to Psalm 121 for help in any and every struggle. Read about the One who loves his people Israel, which includes you, enough to watch over you at all hours of the day and night. The Maker of heaven and earth doesn’t take breaks or naps that prevent him from taking care of you. “He…will neither slumber nor sleep.”

Have you ever experienced insomnia? Statistics say that on any given night one in four Americans is experiencing insomnia. Chances are that at some point you have been the one lying awake. When we head to bed for the evening or wake up in the night, our brain turns to the thoughts of yesterday’s challenges and tomorrow’s possible difficulties. Worry. Anxiety. Stress. Call it what you like, but whether you realize it or not, those struggles are a result of trying to have control over the things that are in God’s control. When our failures haunt us, and our challenges overwhelm us, trying to carry those burdens ourselves will only leave us worse off by far. Doing better next time won’t cancel your guilt and no amount of stressing out about the future can change a single thing.

But you have a God who is in complete control. Lift your eyes and find your help in him. He calms your troubled heart filled with your failure by pointing your eyes to the cross of his Son who paid for every one of your mistakes. He calms your worried and anxious heart filled with the unknowns of tomorrow by reminding you that if he went to all the trouble of saving you eternally, he’s not going to forget to watch out for you tomorrow.

The Psalmist assures us that God does not slumber, he does not sleep. He is awake all night long, so he can be watching over everything. He does this so we can sleep. He is our watchman both at night and during the daylight hours.

How can we keep our hearts and minds on things above? Paul tells us. Remember that you have been raised with Christ. Christ has made you a brand-new person. He has made you a forgiven and living child of God. You have been raised with him.

That puts your day to day preoccupations into perspective. Only one reality is forever. Only one concern is eternal. Set your hearts on such things. As a resurrected child of faith find and take advantage of every opportunity to be in God’s Word and surround yourself with fellow Christians who can encourage and remind you of what is truly lasting and important.

Prayer: Dear Lord, you know that I worry over so many things – little things and big things. Remind me that I am not the one in control, but you are. You have everything planned for my good. Most importantly, you have sent your son Jesus to pay the debt for every one of my wrong doings. Keep my anxious heart from worrying, knowing that you are my watchman. In your name I pray. Amen.

A Question to Consider: What situations in your life are causing you to turn to your Lord for help so that you can sleep in peace? How could you use Psalm 121 and other verses from Scripture to remind you of the peace you have each day in Jesus?