Character

The GT Weekend! ~ Champion Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) On average, authors will write up to ten drafts before they are ready to publish a finished novel. Each time life has thrown you something of a plot twist, have you found yourself reaching for a pen, furiously rewriting what the next chapter of your life should look like, desperate to get it right this time? Well, I have a secret to share with you. Just as He was the author of Esther’s story, Yahweh is the Author of yours, too, so you can put down your pen and take a deep breath. And unlike the literary greats of our time, it only took God one draft to get it right. We can trust God with our own stories because His good works are all around us. His characters illustrate imperfection, gumption, disobedience, obedience, pride, humility, fear, courage, doubt, and faith. That is to say, His characters are perfectly human. And the best part of all of His stories? Each one ends with redemption. So the next time you find yourself reeling from one of life’s great heartaches, turn to your favorite story in the Bible and remind yourself who is writing your story.

http://www.gracefullytruthful.com/champion-day-6-behind-the-scenes/

2) It is easy in our world, today, to forget that we are lacking. Self-fulfillment is the message preached in every corner, but we have limitations, weaknesses, struggles. We are insufficient. God is what connects us from where we are to where we are meant to be. The thing is, God also values free will. This means every day from the moment we wake up, we are faced with the choice: do I act in God’s name, or do I act according to my flesh (the world)? Daniel shows us what it’s like to face the majority culture and say no for God’s sake. He abstains from the easy meat and wine of the king (Daniel 1:8-16); he calls out the incapable Babylonian priests and magicians, pointing to God for wisdom (Daniel 2:27-30); he worships God despite the fatal repercussions of breaking the king’s new decree (Daniel 6:7;10-13). These choices don’t make Daniel’s life easy, nor does God promise to make our lives easy, but rather He promises to never leave us (Deuteronomy 31:8); He promises to make us fruitful (Jeremiah 17:7-8); He promises us eternal life with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Which choice will you make today?

http://www.gracefullytruthful.com/champion-day-8-fearful-and-fierce/

3) Just as Daniel showed us that each day we are offered a choice to follow God, king David shows us repentance will also be a daily battle. David gets quite the rap as far as Godly men are concerned, but make no mistake, he was just as broken and sinful as we are. What David does so well, though, is honest repentance. Let’s visit Psalm 51 to get a closer look at how he does this. At the time of writing this psalm, David has just coveted a loyal soldier’s wife, knocked her up, and had the soldier killed so he can marry the woman and hide the unlawful pregnancy (2 Samuel 11). Yikes. How does David even start to address this mess? Well, he starts with asking for forgiveness from God, relying wholly on God’s mercy and compassion. Then he admits his sin without trying to hide any of it from God. David recognizes that of all the people he hurt when he sinned, his relationship with God suffered the most. David continues by asking God to renew his heart and recognizes that God wants our broken spirits and hearts more than He desires physical sacrifices. The next time you find yourself in need of repentance, look at Psalm 51 as a reminder of how to ask God for forgiveness. Remember that your words matter less than your humility, honesty, and a willing spirit to turn from sin and back to God.

http://www.gracefullytruthful.com/champion-day-10-casting-out-the-shadows/

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Philippians 1:6, 9-11 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

“I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (…) And I pray this: That your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.”

Prayer Journal
Yahweh, I come to You today with a solemn heart for life troubles me. I cling to the promise You have made to always be with me (Deuteronomy 31:8) and I know, Lord, that even in times of lamentation I can be joyful in God my savior (Habakkuk 3: 17-18). So I lay my sin bare in order that I may receive the righteousness You have offered through Your Son, Jesus Christ, and I seek your compassionate, merciful heart just as David did in Psalm 51. I pray that when I get lost in the words of the page I am living now, I will be reminded of the great stories You have woven throughout history and the redemptive and eternal ending that waits patiently at the close of mine. I know you will finish what you have started in me according to Your own timeline. The troubles of today will prepare me for Your glory tomorrow. So God, I ask that You give me the discipline to obey, the humility to submit to Your will, and the patience to see Your plan through, God. It is in Your Son’s name that I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Community

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Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Build Day 10 Building Restoration

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 8
Romans 3:21-24
John 1:1-18

Build, Day 10

Before Nehemiah began his quest to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, his friend Ezra was on the scene to bring the Israelite community back together after years of exile in Babylon. (Ezra 7) Ezra gathered exiled Israelites from Babylon, uniting them with those already in Jerusalem to bring spiritual restoration as a community to the nation.

As Nehemiah governs God’s people in Jerusalem and works to rebuild the wall, he finds a partner in the spiritual leader, Ezra. When the wall is finally rebuilt, Ezra and Nehemiah join forces to point their people back to God. (Nehemiah 8) What a refreshing view of spiritual and governing leaders coming together for the benefit of their people and the glory of God!

For seven days, Ezra and other spiritual leaders read the Torah and taught its meaning to the people.

And the people began responding.

After years of being unable to hear God’s word and celebrate their religious holidays, the Israelites began repenting. They listened and followed instructions to build the same festival shelters their forefathers had built; they began celebrating God through feasting together, and they began worshiping the Lord with JOY.

Joy was restored.

Can you imagine, after 70 years of slavery and exile, doing anything but grumbling and throwing yourself a pity party? I don’t know about you, but I’d be attending that pity party, table for one!

But this is the power of God’s Holy Word: to build back up what has been torn down, to transform us and restore us to the beautiful, joyful creation He intended us to be.

It’s easy to read this story on the other side, thousands of years later, and quickly pinpoint where the Israelites made mistakes. Yet, we are in need of the same restoration God graciously offered them in their renewed city, for we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23-24)

Just as the Israelites were exiled from Jerusalem, so in our sin, we were exiled from a relationship with our Creator and Father.

But then God’s Word was made flesh in the form of Jesus, and a whole new era of restoration began. (John 1:1-18) Just as Ezra and Nehemiah made space for the Word of God to be heard, taught, and practiced, Jesus was God’s Word incarnate, dwelling among us, teaching us how to live and turn back to God.

Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus was the way for restoration.

Now, as we live on the other side of restoration, in relationship with God, we wait for the second coming of Jesus and the restoration of the world as we know it.
Don’t we see it around us?
Don’t we see it in ourselves?
We’re living in “the now and the not yet” of restoration.

So, what do we do as we wait for our final restoration?
Where do we find our joy in the meantime?

We remember the dedication of Ezra and Nehemiah and we turn to God’s Word. We seek it, and we allow others to teach us. We learn and practice what it says. We gather together as brothers and sisters in Christ and we celebrate all God has done.

Here, we find joy.
We find daily renewal and restoration.
We find hope when it seems all is lost, and we feel like we’ve endured 70 years of exile.

Will you join me in continuing to dig into God’s word? (Look at you, doing that right now!)
Will you seek understanding?
Will you do what His Word says?
Will you gather your friends and family to delight in God together?
Will you remember to find Joy?

Because you, my friend, have been Restored.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Build Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Build!

Build Day 9 Building Perseverance: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Building Perseverance!

The Questions

1) How does being justified by faith give us peace with God? (verse 1)

2) How does affliction produce endurance? (verse 3)

3) Why would Paul say proven character produces hope that will not disappoint? (verses 4-5)

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.

Original Intent

1) How does being justified by faith give us peace with God? (verse 1)
Romans 5:1 says, “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We become justified by faith when we trust in Jesus and accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23), which means we are no longer separated from God because of our sin. Author John Piper explains, “God laid on [Jesus] the iniquities that we performed, and God laid on us the righteousness that He performed. He takes our sin, though He didn’t perform it. And we take His righteousness, though we didn’t perform it.” Though we are guilty of sin, we are justified through the blood of Jesus, and that reconciliation through Christ gives us peace. We have peace because we are no longer enemies with God. (James 4:4) R.C. Sproul asserts, “We cannot understand the full ramifications of this peace unless we are fully convinced of what our relationship to our Creator was truly like before we knew Jesus. Scripture describes this relationship as an all-out war.” In Romans 8:7, Paul describes the mindset of the flesh as hostile to God. Sin creates enmity (bitter fighting) between every human being and God. (Genesis 3:15) Being justified by faith in Jesus erases that hostility caused by sin and brings us into communion with God, giving us peace. We are no longer at war with God because we are one with God who is our peace. (John 14:20, Ephesians 2:14) May we all fully embrace the lasting peace that only comes from knowing God today!

2) How does affliction produce endurance? (verse 3)
When we experience afflictions, we have two choices: give up or keep going. Romans 5:3 encourages perseverance when we face trials because “we know that our affliction produces endurance.” Paul admonishes that, when we experience difficulty and keep moving forward, we become stronger for God uses all things for His glory and our good, even the times we feel most weak or incapable. (2 Corinthians 12:8-10, Romans 8:28) When we believe God can be trusted in every situation (Proverbs 29:25), we are willing to persist in faith even when the situation becomes difficult. The hardships we face with God’s help strengthen us. (1 Peter 5:10) Kathryn Butler suggests, “With our eyes set on Him, our suffering refines us, as iron in the forge. The cross infuses even our most harrowing tribulations with purpose.” Going through trials with God sustaining us, and coming out on the other side victorious, builds our faith and teaches us we can endure anything because God is with us. (Romans 8:31) As He proves Himself faithful, our faith increases. Priscilla Shirer asserts that pain “is the gift that keeps us from further discomfort. When we feel it, it becomes a teacher pointing us to the only correct Answer. . . . [God]. [He] desires for us the blessing of pain because, mysteriously, it keeps us, comforts us, humbles us, teaches us and drives us back to safety.” God uses our pain and problems to teach us to rely solely on Him and, in the process, we realize we can endure all things in Christ alone.

3) Why would Paul say proven character produces hope that will not disappoint? (verses 4-5) Paul teaches in Romans 5 that going through hard things produces proven character, which produces hope. (verse 4) When we come through adversity stronger than we entered it, character is built. (James 1:4) We have to come to know and trust God’s character more deeply by relying on Him and His promises; He has built His faithfulness inside of us. Persevering through struggles builds our character and gives us hope because we know that what God says is true and the love and help He promises is real. R.C. Sproul suggests, “perseverance refines our character, creating stability and integrity, and such stability strengthens our hope. When we see God’s faithfulness to us through our periods of suffering, we are encouraged to grasp the hope of glory.” Romans 5:5 declares, “This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Learning to abide and trust God in harrowing times, allows the opportunity for God to make us more like Christ. (Galatians 2:20) Through perseverance, we know our hope is genuine and we can rely on God’s love and His Spirit’s power to cause us to endure. No circumstance can take us off course because we have a hope we’ve come to know is trustworthy and true. Kathryn Butler asserts, “Those who know Christ have a hope which no calamity or disaster can wrench from us. It points our eyes away from this sin-sick world, toward Christ, who makes all things new (Revelation 21:5).” With disappointment looming large in many areas of our world, our culture, and our everyday lives, what a blessing to have a sure and certain hope in Jesus that will not disappoint!

Everyday Application

1) How does being justified by faith give us peace with God? (verse 1)
There is no magic number of good deeds we can do, or amount of money we can donate to a worthy cause to make us “right” before the Righteous Lord. (Titus 3:5) We like to think God accepts us if we are “good” people, but truthfully, without Christ’s redemption, there isn’t one person who is righteous. (Romans 3:10) However, if we believe in Jesus and accept His redeeming love, we are justified by faith in Him. Jesus took our sins upon Himself, so God sees us as righteous because Jesus is righteous. David Guzik explains, “because of what Jesus did, the righteousness of God is given to all who believe. The guilty sentence is transformed into a sentence of justified, and justified by faith.” There is deep peace in knowing we don’t need to do anything to earn God’s love or His forgiveness. There is no pressure to keep all the rules without making a mistake, because God has already perfectly done the work that saves us. We can add nothing to it, for even our “good deeds” are considered “filthy rags” according to God’s standard of righteousness. (Isaiah 64:6) God knows we will mess up, even after we have surrendered to following Him in faith (1 John 1:8-9), but His grace sets us free, forgives us completely, and equips us to follow Him. Titus 2:11-12 states, “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age.” We can enjoy God’s declaration of righteous over our lives because of Jesus and we can delight in the peace of living life inside the very life of God.

2) How does affliction produce endurance? (verse 3)
When I look up endurance in the dictionary, I expect to find a picture of my friend, Timothy. He grew up in an abusive home and relied on the Lord to sustain him. (Psalm 55:22) He became a missionary in a war-torn country and lost a loved one while there. Again, he allowed the strength of the Lord to carry him. (Isaiah 46:4) He lost his first child and spent months in the hospital with another baby, praying alongside hundreds of believers and watching that child grow and heal against all odds. He was replaced in a ministry position he loved, but he allowed the Lord to use that loss to birth a new ministry which blessed and served others and eventually led him into pastoring. He lost his church building due to denominational red tape, which led him to an under-served area of town where he now has a thriving congregation. He is a brilliant example of Paul’s teaching, “And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance.” (Romans 5:3) The first time Pastor Timothy trusted God to get him through a situation, his faith was strengthened, and he learned he could endure because of God’s grace. This growing faith helped him face each subsequent situation with the belief that God would come through. He faced these afflictions and others, including betrayal, rejection, and life-threatening illness, by persevering in faith, enduring with the Lord, and coming out stronger because of his reliance on God. I think of my friend when the going gets rough for me, because his example reminds me that God can handle anything, which means I can handle it because I have access to God and His strength! (Philippians 4:13)

3) Why would Paul say proven character produces hope that will not disappoint? (verses 4-5)
One of my favorite poems is Emily Dickinson’s “Hope Is The Thing With Feathers.” “Hope” is the thing with feathers/That perches in the soul/and sings the tune without the words-/And never stops – at all.” This stanza reminds me that hope goes against expectation and outlasts when it seems like it shouldn’t. These lines come to mind as I read Romans 5:4-5, “…endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Hope in God will never disappoint, even when that hope seems to go against everything the world and the culture tell us. Our hope in God is an “anchor for the soul, firm and secure.“ (Hebrews 6:19) When we know God will constantly be with us in everything (Joshua 1:9), seeing us through anything (Psalm 121:8), our faith is built stronger. Having a proven character that trusts the Lord completely (Proverbs 3:5) makes us hopeful for all God will continue to do according to His promises. When we have hope, we believe God is in control no matter what the prognosis or the projected outlook. (Psalm 22:28) We don’t feel lost or shaken when unsettling news comes our way because our hope is anchored in the steadfast love of a God who faithfully sustains us. We understand that “The reality of God’s love in a believer’s heart gives the assurance, even the guarantee, that the believer’s hope in God and His promise of glory is not misplaced and will not fail.” (preceptaustin.org) This hope we have in God sings in our hearts as we realize His unfailing love will never disappoint us!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Build Day 8 Building Perseverance

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 6:1-7:73
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Romans 5:1-5

Build, Day 8

Ice cream cone in hand, the woman walked to the nearest park bench. As she sat, her dog planted himself in front of her with a laser-sharp focus on the sweet treat.

The woman ate her ice cream at a contented pace and appeared to enjoy watching the activity around her: young families caravanning by with their bikes and strollers, other dog-walkers out for a leisurely stroll, and rambunctious squirrels playing tag amidst the trees.

Her dog, however, paid little attention to his surroundings. The occasional shifting of his ears indicated his awareness, but his focus never strayed more than a moment from the yummy goodness in his owner’s hand. She rewarded his calm patience with the last bite of the cone.

Just like that, the spell was broken. All evidence of the cone licked clean, the dog looked around him, taking in the activity and sniffing his surroundings.

The entire interaction was quite mesmerizing to observe, and served as a prime example of Nehemiah’s focus on building the wall.

Nehemiah possessed a similar focus and determination. He, too, could have become distracted by the efforts of Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and those others opposing the rebuilding of the wall. However, he kept his focus on the Lord and His glory. (Nehemiah 6:1-4)

Such focus required intentionality and a great deal of faith. His enemies sought to cause Nehemiah to give up on completing the wall. They constructed false narratives about Nehemiah planning to declare himself as king. (Nehemiah 6:5-9) If he’d attempted to clear himself of these accusations, Nehemiah’s energy and time invested in the wall would have been derailed.

When he persisted in building, the tactic changed.
False prophets began to warn Nehemiah of those coming to kill him. (Nehemiah 6:10-14) Nehemiah could have hidden in fear and declined his leadership role in order to save himself. However, much like the dog focused on the ice cream cone, Nehemiah kept his eyes and ears trained on the Lord. He listened for the Lord, did not hear the Lord confirming the warnings as true, and proceeded to lead the Israelites in rebuilding the wall.

Nehemiah showed great perseverance throughout his leadership of the rebuilding project. Successful perseverance is predicated on knowing the what and the why of a goal. Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem was a large-scale what, and the why rested solely on the promises and character of the Lord. Nehemiah’s responses reflected his understanding of these concepts, and displayed a conscious choice to trust the Lord’s faithfulness.

Additionally, Nehemiah did not build the walls alone, and others followed his demonstration of the same faith-filled perseverance. Without all Israelites working together, the rebuilding would have taken longer or may never have even been completed. As the wall took shape, the team then needed to continue persisting in their faith by guarding it effectively.

The Lord’s focus and perseverance are also interwoven deeply throughout the story. He provided Nehemiah with favor, supplies, leadership grace, humility, wisdom, and courage. All of these, in turn, blessed the people whom Nehemiah led and displayed surrender to the Lord’s plan to rebuild the wall.

Evidence of the Lord’s faithfulness didn’t stop there! He prompted Nehemiah to gather the people according to genealogies. These names and numbers, listed in chapter 7, show the ongoing fulfillment of promises the Lord made to Abraham regarding his descendants being more numerous than the sand of the sea. (Genesis 22:17-18) Talk about a long-term example of perseverance!

The Lord’s perseverance and faithfulness continue to endure long past the close of Nehemiah’s story. His faithfulness is displayed today as He is near to each of us, waiting for us to lean into Him and His building plans for our lives. We are invited to persevere with Him as He builds His kingdom in and through us. While the context of our individual needs for His presence to pursue us varies, the foundation for our perseverance is the same: Jesus.

How has the Lord spoken to you in your current scenario? Are there specific verses, promises, or elements of His character you can focus on to empower your obedience?

The Lord has great rewards for our perseverance, rewards which may not be experienced for some time, or even in this lifetime. However, they are coming! (James 1:2-4) We may experience ridicule, misunderstanding, exhaustion, and many other challenges in our journeys, much like Nehemiah. For those who surrender to the Master Builder, Jesus, every trial will be accompanied with the joy of knowing obedience honors the Lord and His work carries an eternal impact.

Dear sisters, the effort and probable pain of perseverance is always worth it when Christ is the laser-focus of our life’s purpose. May we keep our gaze unswervingly on Him.
He sees it all and will reward our faith and trust in Him.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Build Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Build!

Build Day 7 Building Character: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Building Character

The Questions

1) What is Nehemiah’s situation in this passage? (verses 1-5)

2) How does Nehemiah’s response in verses 6-11 demonstrate righteous leadership?

3) What motivated Nehemiah to choose this course of action? (verses 12-19)

Nehemiah 5:1-19

1 There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen. 2 Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.” 3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.” 4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6 I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 7 After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.” So I called a large assembly against them 8 and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back.” They remained silent and could not say a word. 9 Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies? 10 Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest. 11 Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil that you have been assessing them.”

12 They responded: “We will return these things and require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath to do this. 13 I also shook the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. Then the people did as they had promised.

14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah-from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, 12 years-I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor. 15 The governors who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking food and wine from them, as well as a pound of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but I didn’t do this, because of the fear of God. 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn’t buy any land.

17 There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table. 18 Each day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every 10 days. But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.

19 Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.

Original Intent

1) What is Nehemiah’s situation in this passage? (verses 1-5)
“The underlying problem this chapter chronicles sprang from pride. Instead of putting God’s interests first and seeking the welfare of their brethren, the Jews were putting their own interests first and taking advantage of their brethren.” (Constable.NET) In Nehemiah 4:14-20, we see God’s people faithfully doing the work God had called them to do despite all the difficulties and hurdles. There was a wall to be rebuilt! Yet in the following chapter, our focus chapter, there is suddenly no mention of the work of rebuilding. Verse 1 reveals a “widespread outcry” among one group of Jews toward another group of Jews. A famine and taxation were causing financial strain on the people, consequently interrupting the work of rebuilding. This internal conflict among the people resulted in poverty and starvation for many. While there is no mention of the tax itself being unfair, we are told in verse 11 that the rich were taking advantage of the poor by charging unreasonable interest rates. (Enduring Word) Due to the substantial number of Jewish people needing food during a famine (verse 2), many were forced to borrow money at an unfair and extremely high rate. Although the process of borrowing and pledging to a lender was a lawful and customary practice (verse 3), overcharging was forbidden in Jewish law. (Leviticus 25:36-37) Also an acceptable form of paying debt was the practice of slavery. These dire circumstances had demoralized some of the Jews (whose children were already enslaved) and created a never-ending cycle of debt and oppression.

2) How does Nehemiah’s response in verses 6-11 demonstrate righteous leadership?
Nehemiah recognized the people were being exploited by their fellow countrymen and a virtuous anger arose in him that compelled him to speak up. (verses 6-7) Commentator Guzik wrote, “This was great leadership from Nehemiah. He was a man passionate enough to get angry; but wise enough to not act until he had considered the matter carefully.” (Enduring Word) Becoming a voice for the victims of injustice is the sign of a good leader. Especially when, as in Nehemiah’s case, the leader is justifiably able to use himself as an example of what is right. As he confronts the offending parties, Nehemiah presents his personal integrity as a comparison. In his persuasive rebuke, he reminded his fellow Jews how inconsistent it was for them to enslave their own community, some of whom they had liberated from the hands of foreigners. (verses 8-9) Nehemiah references himself as someone who had lawfully and morally loaned to the poor. (verse 10) Although there is no indication he was wrong in lending, he now calls for a complete stop to it, himself included, “Let us stop charging them.” The wealthier Jews agree to “require nothing more” from the poor. Nehemiah’s careful response prompted swift and just action from the people. (verse 12)

3) What motivated Nehemiah to choose this course of action? (verses 12-19)
It is possible that Nehemiah was unjustly accused and was included in this criticism from his Jewish countrymen. Even so, when confronted with what is happening, he demonstrates compassion toward their plight. This passage does not explicitly say, but it would not be too far of a stretch to conclude that Nehemiah leads with humility by dealing with the injustice head on rather than attempting to justify himself to the people. His gripping plea for an oath from the people (verses 12-13) and his extreme anger regarding their misery (verse 6) demonstrates his love for the people. He also exhibited a heart for God in how he instructed the people to fear God (verse 15) and by how he spoke to God in prayer, “But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy. Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.” (verses 18-19) I don’t see this as boasting in himself. Nehemiah was boasting in God just as the apostle Paul did in the New Testament in his letter to the Corinthians. (2 Corinthians 9-12) Nehemiah believed in a good God who rewards the sacrificial and generous person. He took his desire to a God whom he had come to trust and believe was for him.

Everyday Application

1) What is Nehemiah’s situation in this passage? (verses 1-5)
As I studied this passage, I was ‘feeling all the feels’ for everyone involved. Sometimes we find ourselves in the place of the forgotten ones. Perhaps you are in a circumstance that has left you vulnerable to those caught up in the corruption of money and power. In your oppressed condition, you may be praying for a leader to rise to the occasion, desiring an advocate to speak up for you. Or it could be you are like the Jews who were caught up in their desire for more wealth. Is it possible you have unintentionally allowed yourself to be part of the problem by ignoring the cries of those who have been unfairly treated? Oh, dear Sister, we all tend to be blind to our own sin. Especially when it has subtly taken root in our lives. I’m so thankful for grace-filled leaders who come alongside us with the truth and call us to higher and holy living. But what if you are the leader?! Yes, it could be that it’s you God has called to do the work of Nehemiah. To speak with courage and humility and take the lead in making wrong things right. If so, I pray you will step out in faith with God’s presence going with you!

2) How does Nehemiah’s response in verses 6-11 demonstrate righteous leadership?
Nehemiah was not a respecter of persons but had a foremost desire to honor God and the truth. Good leaders model integrity by confronting those who need to be challenged no matter who they are. One of the reasons we don’t have many biblical examples of righteous anger is because it is nearly impossible to possess! Only by God’s grace can we exhibit the anger Ephesians describes, “Be angry and do not sin.” (Ephesians 4:26-27) Nehemiah demonstrated how to respond to injustice with righteous anger. When circumstances were getting out of control he responded rather than reacted. He hit the pause button to “consider the matter.” A wonderful way to demonstrate mature leadership is growing in the grace of response rather than reaction. One of the ways I evaluate my anger is to ask myself if the anger is for someone else’s justice or my own. When mercy leads our hearts, we can know we are heading in a good direction with our anger. A merciful motive usually signifies unselfish anger. Nehemiah’s pause from the work of building the wall demonstrated a heart for the people over a desire to finish the mission. He led with compassion by calling for a promise from the people to care for those who had been unjustly treated. As a result, the task was completed with a reunified group of people in an astonishing 52 days! If you’ve ever been to Jerusalem, and seen the size of the wall, you also stand in amazement. (Nehemiah 6:15-16)

3) What motivated Nehemiah to choose this course of action? (verses 12-19)
When our motive and mission have God’s purposes at the forefront, we ignite a passion in others. As Sarah wrote, “We need to be inspired by Nehemiah’s approach to leadership, by sacrificing where necessary for the betterment of those under us; be it members of our families, workplace or community.” Entrusting the entire outcome to God will help develop leadership characteristics in us that demonstrate a wonderful blend of confidence and dependence. Others will be motivated to join us because we radiate God’s grace. As we pray and ask God to reveal His heart to us, we will care about the work that needs to be done and we will notice the people who are engaged in the work. Most commentators believe the book of Nehemiah is his personal diary or journal. Following his example, we can remember and pray within our personal quiet time with the Lord, “Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.” (verse 19) I’m thankful God gave us this personal look at Nehemiah’s heart through the pages of his journal. It shows us that a leader who leads with integrity can pray with boldness. When our public words are from a humble and pure heart, our private prayers can include courageous requests! (Hebrews 4:16)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Build Day 6 Building Character

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 5
John 21:15-19
Luke 19:41-47

Build, Day 6

Leadership positions are challenging. 

When people look up to a leader for guidance and direction, the leader may be tempted to think he’s better than his followers and become full of himself. On the other hand, if a leader is intimidated by the demands of his role, he may feel incapacitated and lead others to be ineffective. As leaders, if we depend on our human effort, we are likely to fall victim to one of these unhealthy scenarios, neither of which glorify God.

Whatever position of leadership God has given us, we are His ambassadors. The earthly life of Jesus Christ is our practical example; as He ministered, He said, “I do as the Father commanded Me.” (John 14:31) Likewise, before He returned to Heaven, Jesus asked Peter, one of His disciples, three times if he loved Him. At Peter’s positive responses, Jesus commissioned, “Feed my lambs,” and again, “Shepherd my sheep.” (John 21:15-17)

Jesus’ emphasis indicates what biblical leadership entails.
As leaders, we are responsible for the people and accountable to God.
God calls us to care for His people and help them become who He made them to be.

As governor over Judah, Nehemiah modeled this type of leadership. He was confronted with challenges, both without and within, yet was not found wanting. He contended with enemies who were bent on stopping Jerusalem’s wall project. While he concentrated on rebuilding, Jewish nobles and officials compounded his problem by oppressing the less privileged.

“There was a wide outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen.” (Nehemiah 5:1) Their own countrymen had subjected them to poverty and slavery by lending to them with high interest and seizing their properties when they were unable to pay. Nehemiah described his response, “I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints.” (Nehemiah 5:6) The unjust behavior of the Jewish nobles and officials prompted righteous anger in Nehemiah. He perceived their behaviour as contrary to God’s standard of caring for people.

Jesus acted with this righteous anger when He drove out money changers and sellers from the temple. He said they had turned His Father’s house into a den of thieves. (Matthew 21:12-13) As Jesus was passionate about doing the will of His Father, likewise Nehemiah was also passionate in keeping with God’s standard in leadership.

Nehemiah summoned the people after careful consideration. He accused the nobles and the officials of behaving reproachfully for lending to their fellow Jews with interest and seizing their properties. He asked them to stop charging interest when lending, and instructed them to return to the people their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses they had seized. (Nehemiah 5:7-11)

A quality worth emulating from Nehemiah’s leadership is not allowing emotion to be the driver. We may have good reasons for being angry with the actions of our followers, but when we are unable to control our emotions, we are likely to compound issues.

In fact, the Bible tells us Nehemiah considered the matter carefully before taking action, despite his anger. (Nehemiah 5:7) He composed himself and handled his emotions with maturity. When he rebuked the people with self-control, they became remorseful, and promised to do as he commanded. Nehemiah charged them with an oath to obey God or face His curse. Instead of becoming angry and defiant, the people praised God. (Nehemiah 5:12-13) Nehemiah’s rebuke led to willful repentance and restitution.

Like Nehemiah, as leaders, we are God’s instruments to ensure righteousness prevails where He has placed us to represent Him. In this regard, the Apostle Paul charged Timothy, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine[.]” (2 Timothy 4:2-3) We must lead those under us to God’s standard, even if doing so involves rebuke.

Nehemiah’s rebuke was effective because of the trust he’d built with his people through his genuine care for them. He loved his people and sacrificed much for them. He declined his privileges as a governor because he sympathized with their suffering, unlike his predecessors who “heavily burdened the people, taking from them food and wine as well as a pound of silver.” (Nehemiah 5:15) We can be inspired by Nehemiah’s approach to leadership, sacrificing when necessary for the betterment of those we lead.

A leader has a responsibility to care for his people and hold them to God’s standard, as Nehemiah did.
He expressed his anger against the unjust deeds of the nobles and the officials when they extorted the poor.
He was self-controlled and courageous; he rebuked them with maturity leading to their repentance and restitution.
He had compassion on the people and sacrificed his privileges as a governor.

His exemplary life challenged and encouraged Jewish nobles and officials to repentance and restitution, while leading them to reach their goal. Sisters, may we be challenged to learn from and emulate Nehemiah’s Godly leadership, partnering with Him in the fulfillment of His plans for our communities!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Training Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) I often find myself getting busy and eventually, I realize I haven’t eaten or been hungry. However, when intentionally choosing to fast, my attention becomes desperately focused on the necessity of food. Funny how our minds work! Not so funny is understanding that Satan is working against us by attacking our discipline of fasting with distraction. For me, I find fasting to be among the more difficult spiritual disciplines. Fasting for various reasons has become trendier in recent times, providing a more comfortable platform for discussion, but spiritual fasting is still often forgotten. On the other hand, believers who fast can be tempted to look down upon those who haven’t yet practiced fasting. For years, I didn’t fast as I was either pregnant or nursing, and undisciplined in between. The more I leaned into relationship with Jesus, the more convicted I became concerning fasting. I realized I may be missing the movement of God because I was unwilling to set myself aside through prayer and fasting. Where can you begin to train in fasting? Try giving up a single meal once a week, then move towards two and three a day. Watch how the Lord shows you Himself in deeper ways and moves mountains with your faith as you physically surrender to Him! Written by Carol Graft

2) It’s easy to become caught up in worship music and think we’ve truly worshiped the Lord fully, but Wednesday’s Journey Study showed us how worship is much more than an experience. Brenda taught us that biblical worship is a lifestyle that glorifies God, moves us to obedience and complete surrender, and cultivates respect for the Lord. Reflect on being sustained by God. Write out prayers of thanksgiving and praise for the ways He guards, protects, and preserves. As we reflect upon and see the characteristics of God, allowing Him to be everything we need in every situation, we worship! How can you incorporate meditating on God’s character into your daily schedule? As you meditate on those characteristics, find Scripture you can use to remind yourself of these truths about God’s heart so this fundamental understanding will lead our hearts into genuine worship. Written by Marietta Taylor

3) Generosity is almost always associated with giving money. While this is certainly part of generosity, we saw how exercising our generosity muscles encompasses more than finances. A generosity that reflects God’s heart is founded upon intentional and joyful sacrifice. This lifestyle of giving can involve money, prayer, sharing wisdom, or using your talents to encourage and edify the Church. I remember offering to babysit for our neighbor’s young children so the couple could enjoy their anniversary. My husband and I kept the kids not one night, but two. Something so simple, but richly life-giving to them, and memorable for all of us! Think of some instances when you’ve experienced another’s generosity toward you. Record what they did, how it made you feel, and how it reflected the heart of God to you. How have you been generous to others? Remember that being generous is something only God equips us to do. How can you make space in your life to be more generous? Begin by praying about how the Lord may be specifically calling you to be generous and then do it! If you need some inspiration, check out the Open Journey Theme! Written by Marietta Taylor

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Colossians 3:23-24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.

Prayer Journal
Heavenly Father, as we close out this study on training, I pray all I have learned will remain with me. You know I struggle with consistency. So, I pray the Holy Spirit will continually nudge me to evaluate my life to reveal how I can better worship you, serve you and others, and grow ever closer to You. May I spend my everyday moments practicing for that One Day when I will finally be in Your presence, worshiping You forever. Every breath spent on this endeavor is well spent and echoes into eternity! May I never stop pursuing after, and participating in, spiritual training, for here, I come to know You in ever deepening ways. Help me be an example to others, not for my glory Lord, but for Yours. Praise Your glorious name for the good work You are doing through my surrender!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Kneel Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) On Monday, we read about Abraham pleading with God for Sodom and Gomorrah. It is not always comfortable to think of these cities being destroyed; however, as well as God’s judgement, it also shows His mercy as He would have been willing to spare the two cities for the sake of ten righteous people. Abraham knew of God’s love and mercy and so he was willing to appeal to God for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Like Abraham, we are called to stand in the gap to intercede for others, including those who may not even be aware of their need for salvation. Who is God leading you to pray for today? Who do you long to see experience God’s mercy? You may want to pray for individual people, your community, or even your country. Start by reflecting on God’s character as Abraham modeled. Make a list of some of His characteristics, such as His goodness, faithfulness, love, and justice. Then, bring your requests before Him.

2) Sometimes, even as we bring a situation to God in prayer, we doubt our prayers will be answered. Maybe we have prayed in the past, only to be disappointed when circumstances didn’t turn out as we had hoped. If you feel that way today, take a moment to acknowledge it before God. These feelings are understandable, yet the Bible shows us several examples where situations were changed in response to prayer, where even those who were praying were surprised by the outcome! What situations do you want to bring before God today? Where do you long to see breakthrough or transformation? Take some time to pray about these things. Even if we feel our faith is lacking, the decision to pray is an act of faith. Our prayers may not always be answered as we hope or expect, but we can trust that God is a good Father who cares and wants what is best for us. Come before Him with expectation and prepare to be surprised!

3) Do you ever wonder if God hears when you pray? On Friday, Carol led us in looking at the example set by David.  Through his Psalms, David was honest with God in good times and bad; he wasn’t afraid to bring his doubts and questions before the Lord. However, even in the midst of challenges, he also made the choice to focus on God’s character and ways he had previously experienced God’s power and faithfulness. Take time to be honest with God today about what you are facing and how you feel about it. No situation is too big or too small to bring before Him and no emotion is too messy. God is more than able to deal with our tears, questions, doubts and anger, and He meets us with love and grace.  Where do you need God to meet you today? What examples of His power and faithfulness (from your own experience or from the Bible) encourage you as you come before Him?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 63:1-3 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.
I thirst for you;
my body faints for you
in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.
My lips will glorify you
because your faithful love is better than life.

Prayer Journal
Father, thank you for the privilege of coming to You in prayer, and thank You for always hearing and answering. Forgive me when I try to be self-sufficient, seeking to deal with situations myself instead of turning to You in faith. Thank You that I can come to You as I am, knowing You care about the people and situations I bring before You. Please help me to be faithful in doing this, trusting that prayer makes a difference, secure in the knowledge that you are a loving Father who knows what is best and who longs to give good gifts to your children. Lord, I thank You for Your power to change people and situations, that you are able to do even more than we can ask or imagine. I pray You will give me expectancy that You will work in the lives of those I care for and the situations I bring to You today. “I do believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

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Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Kneel Day 15 Hear My Cry

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 63
Psalm 54
Psalm 22
1 John 1:5-10

Kneel, Day 15

“God, hear my cry; pay attention to my prayer.” (Psalm 61:1)
Have you ever wondered if God hears your cries?

If so, you’re not alone! David–shepherd, king, and psalmist in ancient Israel–expressed a similar sentiment when he penned the opening to Psalm 61. David was considered a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), yet he wasn’t perfect. Just like you and me, he was full of dreams, plans, goals, desires (some good, some not so good), but his heart was most often set on the Lord.

David’s life and prayers appear in several books in the Old Testament, but his psalms offer the clearest depiction of his character and prayers.

David’s psalms teach us that prayers don’t only need to be offered with bowed head and quiet voice. In fact, David was often quite vocal as he poured out the depths of his feelings to the Lord.

“O God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.
I thirst for you;
my body faints for you
in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water.” (Psalm 63:1)

David wrote this psalm in the desert of Judah, his words echoing the landscape around him as he cried out to God. Similarly, Psalm 62 expresses David’s pursuit of the One who is his hope, his satisfaction, and his deliverer; we feel the depth of his emotion as he sought the God who was everything to him, Yahweh Tsuri, “The Lord is My Rock.” (Psalm 62:7-9)

David also prayed before and during battles. While we don’t know the exact circumstances of each prayer, we know that in the midst of our own battles, we can pray like David. Like Psalm 62, Psalm 144 begins with David stating God as his rock and fortress. He continues by asking, or perhaps yelling, as he passionately pleads with God to destroy his enemies. He cries for rescue. (Psalm 144:7-8)

In fact, several of David’s prayers were written while under attack or hiding from his enemies. He composed Psalm 54 while doggedly pursued by his predecessor, King Saul, and Psalm 71 describes David’s heart’s cry to the Lord while fleeing from his own son.

Have you questioned God?
Have you ever wondered if He knew what He was doing?
Or why He seemed silent?
David experienced much of the same at times.
Psalm 22 asks, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
In David’s prayers, we find a man unafraid to bring his human-ness to the One who made him, the One who knows every part of him, and the only One who could bring David true comfort and peace in any circumstance.

One of David’s most relatable prayers is recorded in 2 Samuel 11-12. After committing adultery and murder, David is confronted by the prophet Nathan. Convicted of his sins, David moves into deep repentance, then grief at the consequences of his sin. I can picture him prostrate on the floor, utterly broken, crying out the words recorded in Psalm 51:

“Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.”

While we may not have sinned in the same way, we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s perfect holiness. (Romans 3:23) Crushed by the weight of our sins, utterly broken, we can cling to the hope living in David’s story and words. This hope is rooted in God’s unchanging character and redeeming power. (1 John 1:8-9)

For God does hear us. He knows our hearts, therefore we can bring Him our messy prayers, our confused or questioning prayers, and our disjointed prayers when we don’t have the right words. The Spirit will make intercession for us, praying on our behalf when words fail us. (Romans 8:26-27)

In 2015, Psalm 121:1-2 became my constant prayer (it’s also the inspiration for For King and Country’s song, “Shoulders”). While traveling, my mother became ill. As my family rushed to be with her, it wasn’t clear whether she would survive. Though I was near the Gulf of Mexico in Florida’s panhandle, this verse about keeping my eyes looking up was my soul saver.

Perhaps David’s heart had cried the same words as he was trapped in a valley, hiding, unsure if foes or friends were lurking in nearby caves and hills. He needed to set his gaze higher than the natural hilltops for his protection and help. Similarly, as I waded through the valley of my mother’s death and my subsequent grief, I needed to keep looking up. At times, I still do.

We can rest assured that no prayer is too small or too great to reach God’s ears.

Whether our prayers are offered in the quietest of whispers or with reverberating intensity sizzling through every word . . .

Whether we come to Him battle-weary or devastated by the wreckage of our sin. . .

Whether we are in a time of rejoicing or lost in grief . . .

He hears our cries.

“I called to the Lord in my distress,
And I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
And my cry to him reached his ears.” (Psalm 18:6)


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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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