broken

Follow Day 6 A Time To Act

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 1:1-2:5
Nehemiah 4:1-14
Nehemiah 6:15-16
Luke 10:30-37

Follow, Day 6

Life seemed to be going well for Nehemiah. As cupbearer to the Persian king, he was in a well-paid and influential position. He was highly respected, trusted enough to be privy to the king’s most important conversations, and even responsible for the king’s life. For a Jew in exile, his success was remarkable.

Yet when his brother arrives with news from Jerusalem, Nehemiah’s heart breaks.

After years of displacement, the Jewish people have finally been freed from captivity and permitted to return home, but all is not going well. Although the people are back in their land, the city walls remain in ruins and the gates have been burned to the ground. They are “in great trouble and disgrace.” (Nehemiah 1:3)

Presumably, Nehemiah’s success in Susa had led him to remain there, rather than choosing to return to Jerusalem, but the impact of his brother’s words is profound, revealing the concern Nehemiah still has for his homeland and people.

“When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.” (Nehemiah 1:4)

His prayer is passionate and heartfelt, appealing to God’s unfailing love and pleading for restoration.

Nehemiah’s compassion for the Jewish people and his grief over their situation also prompt him to act, and he asks God to grant him the king’s favour.

It is not until five months later that his opportunity comes, but it is clear the situation in Jerusalem has remained on his mind and in his heart. On this particular day, the depth of his sorrow becomes evident to the king, and as Nehemiah begins to explain the situation and request the king’s help, he demonstrates he has also thought through the details. He has a plan to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and he knows exactly what he will need from the king to turn his vision into reality.

It is a costly plan, one which means leaving the luxury of the palace to go on a long and arduous journey. It will involve effort and sacrifice.

Yet there seems to be no doubt in Nehemiah’s mind his passion and calling have come from God, and he knows his plan will only succeed by God’s grace. His compassion for the Jewish people and his desire for restoration mean he is willing to follow wherever God leads.

What about you? Is there a situation where you feel sorrow and compassion? A longing for justice or restoration?

Often, that’s a sign God is moving.

For me, one of those areas of compassion is women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. It breaks my heart to see the wounds inflicted on so many, and I long to point them to hope in Jesus and to see restoration. This passion has built over the years, even when I had no idea what to do with it. As with Nehemiah, it has involved seeking God, praying about each step, and waiting for the right moment.

One day, as I listened to the parable of the Good Samaritan, the familiar story struck me in a fresh way.  Just like the Samaritan, I was moved by compassion to take action, to do what I could to help the bruised and the broken, to be willing to inconvenience myself to help them to a place of healing. I knew I had to find a way.

Eventually, I completed a mentor training course with Journey to Heal Ministries and launched the programme in my church. Like Nehemiah before the king, I was terrified. It is difficult to raise a topic no one wants to talk about yet, I couldn’t let go of the call to “speak up for those who have no voice.” (Proverbs 31:8)

And like Nehemiah, I experienced God’s favour. I was able to begin mentoring someone straight away and I witnessed God’s healing power. Others came forward to offer help and support in various ways, and I saw God at work in ways I would never have imagined . . .

. . . And then COVID . . .

As I write, it has been six months since lockdown restrictions paused our work, and it may be several more months before it can resume.

In some ways, it’s comforting to recognise Nehemiah faced challenges, too. In his case, the difficulties came not from a global pandemic, but from people who opposed the rebuilding.  As soon as the work began, so did the mocking and reviling, and it continued throughout the rebuilding process.

Yet Nehemiah persevered. Despite facing ridicule, mocking, and even death threats, he was determined to keep looking to God and he encouraged the people to do the same. (Nehemiah 4:14)

He kept taking the next small step of obedience and,
one brick at a time, the wall was built.

What a day that must have been when, after 52 days of hard work (not to mention the months of prayer and preparation), the wall was finally finished!

Following God brings no guarantee of an easy life or a straightforward path, but Nehemiah’s story encourages us to keep seeking God for the next step, to follow where He leads, and to trust He will bring to completion the work He has begun.

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Sketched VIII Day 10 Tamar & Judah

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 38
Matthew 1:1-16
Isaiah 30:18-22

Sketched VIII, Day 10

“Judah has chosen you to marry his son, Er!”

“Papa!” my disgust was as thick as the outrage in my voice.

I’d always been too outspoken, and Mama’s quick glare reminded me I’d spoken out of turn, again.

“Tamar!” My mother clicked her tongue and added reprovingly, “Judah is one of the twelve sons of Jacob; you should be honored! Covenant promises with Yahweh surround his family.”

I whirled to face her. My family was well-accustomed to my vigorous debates, and this was one I would not lose. “You know Judah’s reputation! I don’t care a whit whether he’s Jacob’s son, that man has a wandering eye for any woman with a pulse!”

“Well, Tamar, you’re marrying Er, not Judah. That’s final!”

“Papa! No! It’s not fair!” My shrill voice drew the glances of passersby.

Papa responded with tender grace, “Tamar, I love you. You are important and precious, and Yahweh will use you for His work.” He reached out to touch my cheek. “My fiery girl, I adore you. Er has no idea what he’s in for.” He winked and took his seat to bless our meal.

I smiled at the memory. I loved Papa dearly, and he had loved me for who I was. I grieved every day he was gone, but also breathed a prayer of thanks he never had to witness the obscenity that was my marriage to Er.

Er was spiteful and addicted to many things: alcohol, women, and anger . . . but mostly, himself. Whatever Er wanted, he got, until finally, the Lord mercifully answered my pleas for safety. Er was killed by the Lord’s hand.
Truly, the Lord is a God of justice.

In accordance with the Lord’s law, Judah gave me to his next son, Onan.

“Onan.” I spat out his name like a curse. Onan was devious, passive aggressive, and manipulative. Where Er had beaten me with his fists, Onan cut my heart with his words and insidious deception. The death trap of marriage to Judah’s sons was stifling.

My only hope was to bear a child. Even one son would bring purpose to my suffering. Please, Lord, please, I whispered all day and through the watches of the night, grant your daughter redemption.

My situation felt hopeless. Onan only had sex with me for his own pleasure, pulling out at the last moment so I couldn’t conceive. Yet, I knew Yahweh saw all. I clung to my God of justice, waiting.

Mercifully, the Lord did see Onan’s treachery, and He hated it. By Yahweh’s hand, Onan was also put to death. Two dead husbands, a heart damaged enough for a lifetime, and all hope was dashed.

Still, Yahweh was and always would be just, even if I couldn’t see it. There remained Judah’s youngest son, Shelah. I would be close to the end of my child-bearing years by the time Shelah was old enough to marry, but Judah, with some semblance of honor, promised me Shelah if I returned home and waited for him.

Mama. Sweet mama. I nestled my head against her aging shoulder, wrapping my arms around her. “Tamar, my girl, I love you. You are important and precious. Yahweh will use you for His work.” Despite my pride, tears flowed down my cheeks into my mother’s silvery hair. Such faith! Lord, look upon Your daughter! Extend Your just arm!

Shelah’s coming of age came and went. Weeks turned to months as I waited, sure the Lord heard my pleas, but Judah never fulfilled his promise. Word had it, he blamed me for the deaths of his other two sons.

Angry, I cried out to the Lord. Where is your justice, Yahweh?! Have you not seen me waiting, oppressed, and broken all these years?! I have trusted You, haven’t I?!

“Tamar, Judah is heading to Timnah to shear his sheep.” My friend’s bit of information lit a match within me and hope sparked to life. My plan was devious, yes, but I was too angry to care. Yahweh had given Judah the responsibility of protecting and caring for me, yet he shirked his duties. Now was the time for action.

My heart raced as I removed my widow’s clothing, and hurried to the outskirts of Timnah where Judah would pass. Dressed as a prostitute, I was counting on old Judah to be as scandalous as always. I was not disappointed, for moments later, he asked for my services.

I would not be taken advantage of this time. “Give me your signet, your cord, and your staff from your hand as pledge of your payment.” Greedy Judah readily agreed and the deed was done. We both went on our way, Judah to shear his sheep, and me to plead with Yahweh for mercy.

Three months later, Judah’s baby was 12 weeks along.
The Lord had heard! Evidence of His justice fluttered in my womb.

Proof of His abundant kindness washed over me when I safely delivered two sons a few months later. As I held their tiny bodies close, tears streamed from my eyes. The Lord was righteous! Perez and Zerah were proof!

But when the community heard of my sons’ birth, they cried out for my death as an adulteress. As they dragged me to the place of judgement, I clenched Judah’s signet, cord, and staff, calling out for their owner to claim his items, and his sons.

The blood drained from Judah’s face as he put the fragmented pieces together.
I held my breath.

Would the Lord bring justice?

Judah stepped forward, raising a shaking voice,
“She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her my son, Shelah.”

I trembled, in shock at Judah’s confession and in awe of the Lord’s justice.
I would live and raise my boys in peace!

Hundreds of years later, Yahweh further unfolded a plan Tamar wouldn’t know until she reached Heaven: Perez and Zerah are listed in the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord is faithful and just; His righteousness knows no limits. God used a woman of fierce bravery, fighting through difficult circumstances, to usher in the One who would bring justice and righteousness to all people through His death and resurrection. Never doubt, dear sister, the Lord sees, and knows, and fights for you!

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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 Sketched VIII Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Open Day 15 The Land Of Offense

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Open, Day 15

Genesis 45:4-16
Psalm 112:5-9
Luke 12:31-34
2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Are you familiar with the Land of Offense, friend?
Allow me to paint a picture….

The trees in the woods are dark; the forest shrouded in hurt. Every branch juts furiously into the air, each one a reminder of the unforgivable thing done to us. The sky is aflame with ugly orange and red streaks of anger, while the clouds are vicious and circular…not unlike the thought patterns which turn the offense over and over in our minds.

Flowers are unable to bloom for the infestation of irritation, and the borders of the Land of Offense are closed to visitors, because we refuse to allow anyone close enough to see our brokenness. The most interesting feature?
In many cases, the Land is virtually invisible to whomever we might consider “the offender.”

That’s right. This thing we’ve chosen to pick up and carry affects us and everyone around us…..while the person(s) we blame for our misery remain blissfully unaware.

It’s no mistake that when Jesus taught on anger, He instructed that if we are presenting our offering to Him and remember our brother is carrying an offense against us, we are to stop and leave at once to make amends with that person.

Isn’t His wording interesting there?
Rather than instructing us to go and make amends with the person we have offended, He specifically instructs us to first recognize if our brother has picked up an offense against us, and to make that right before we continue with our own offering.

Do you catch the nuances there?
It has little to do with whether or not we feel like we have done something wrong, and everything to do with accepting our responsibility to go to the person who is offended and restore that relationship.

Talk about high challenge.

The truth here, Love?
We have all undoubtedly been hurt.
We live in a world full of broken people. In fact, I can guarantee that 100% of the people in your circle are broken. In the same way, I can guarantee that 100% of us have hurt someone else, intentionally or not.

Do you know who had every right to be offended?
Joseph.
He was betrayed by those who should have loved him best: his older brothers. Worse, they planned to kill him! At the last minute, they sold him into slavery, then convinced his father he’d been killed by a wild animal.

I wonder what we would have done in that situation. 

If you or I had been on the receiving end of murderous intent, then trafficked by our own brothers, would we have resisted the temptation to harbor un-forgiveness and anger toward those who hurt us?
Would we have extended forgiveness?
Would we have offered praise to the Lord, even then?

I don’t know, Sister. I’d like to think so, but if I’m being honest, the truth is that I’ve picked up an offense over far (and I do mean far) less than Joseph’s offenses.

Yet, that’s exactly what Joseph did.
Rather than wallowing in self-pity, or fueling himself with anger and hatred for the rest of his days, he chose to view everything through Kingdom vision and rest in the knowledge that his God was in control.

Even when he was betrayed by those closest to him.
Even when he was stripped of honor and dignity and thrown into a pit like an animal.
Even when he was sold into slavery for a few coins.
Even when he was falsely accused and his reputation destroyed.
Even when he was imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit.

The Lord blessed Joseph, not because of who Joseph was or what he did, but because the Lord is God, and He chose to be with Joseph. He made Joseph successful in every endeavor.

When the time came, and Joseph was given the opportunity to exact vengeance on his guilty brothers, the Lord moved his heart to act in forgiveness instead.
Because Joseph had chosen to trust God even when he had a right to be offended, he wasn’t hung up on what had happened all those years ago.
Because Joseph chose forgiveness rather than offense, the Lord was able to move through Joseph and extend hospitality to the very brothers who once longed to murder him. Through Joseph’s obedience and faith, his entire family was spared from the famine which ravaged the land. They, and everyone in their households, including their livestock, were well cared for and had all they needed.

Sister, what would this place look like if each one of us committed to forgiveness and obedience, in our even when?

Would we begin to see the Lord move powerfully in our families and schools and churches and cities because we would be unwilling to choose citizenship in the Land of Offense?

Would He begin to fill us with a fresh spirit of hospitality,
because there would be so much room to fill in a life lived free from offense?

Would we begin to see a move of God that doesn’t make sense to the world, because rather than handing out condemnation, we would allow Holy Spirit to do His work while we do ours by inviting the broken into our homes, our lives, and our church pews?

Father, You are just and holy.
Forgive me for the times I have been quick to pick up an offense against others.
Show me what a life lived free from offense looks like, so I can be Your vessel, capable of extending hospitality from a heart that is open and ready to give.
I want to be a good ambassador of your Name.
Shape me to look like You!
Amen.

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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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Captivating Day 13 His Heartbeat

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 1:7-13
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Revelation 14:6-7

Captivating, Day 13

Our miniature matatu (think African style of a city bus…kind of) bumped up and down and our bodies bounced with it without the constraint of seatbelts. Red dust flew up behind us while some billowed through the windows, filling our nostrils with the ever-present African-dust smell. The chatter of my seven teammates filled the matatu, but I wasn’t hearing them. My senses were in the slums of Kenya, seeing, hearing, smelling, breathing my surroundings, but my heart and my head were somewhere else.
I saw children playing in the streets made of dust, I saw women walking to and fro, and I heard men shouting to one another, but in my mind, the red dust of this town was replaced by red dirt of Southern Utah. Children’s laughter was replaced with the memory of the foster children’s laughter from the camp I’d worked at earlier that year.
Never in my life had I experienced the pull and the weightiness of the world… and I broke. 

As we drove through Kenyan slums, I could literally feel my heart being torn in two, slowly ripping right down the middle. When we arrived at the preschool ministry site for the day, everything came pouring out with deep sorrow. I turned to my leader, Allison, and said, “I don’t know what’s wrong. I’m here, I know I’m here and I’m supposed to be, but I’m so broken for the people in Utah who need Jesus, and I’m aching for the foster children in Kansas City who need redemption. What is wrong with me?”

“Kendra,” she told me gently, “have you ever prayed that God would break your heart for what breaks His?” I slowly nodded my head and squinted my eyes.
“He’s doing that right now.” 

If I was weeping before (which I was), I was weeping harder now.
I didn’t know God’s heart hurt so much for us, and I only had a glimpse.

If we know anything, it’s that our world is shattered and broken.
Spreading the healing hope of the gospel and praying for nations to know the Lord is our urgent mission until Jesus returns. Paul presses the Church to pray for God’s creation in each of his epistles by asking them to pray for other churches, for people in leadership, and for those who are still lost without hope… but, why?

Why do we pour out our hearts in prayer for the
hurting, hungry, desperate, lost, broken people who make up God’s creation?
Because, God… “wants everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4). The Father’s heart is for His Creation.
He longs for us to know His love and be rescued from our sin.

Let us learn from Ezekiel 22:30, where God says He is looking for someone to stand in the gap for their nation, but found no one. We are called to stand in the gap for the nations with the hope of the gospel! Let us, who have the authority to approach the Father’s throne because of Jesus in us, pray for the nations!

Can I be real for a minute? (Ok, ok, I’m always real.)
Sometimes, I feel so overwhelmed with how many people I need to pray for, and how many things I need to pray for, and all the brokenness and lostness and heaviness
that I just don’t pray at all.

I know I need to pray for the nations, for my daughters, for my friends and family, for the people in leadership positions in the Church and in my country, but I don’t always know where to start or what to pray.

I’ve found the best place to begin is rooted in Scripture, following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Read His Word, and be ready to pray whenever and however the Spirit is pressing in.

Pray for the nations’ leaders to be filled with wisdom and be surrounded by wise and godly advisors. Pray for their hearts and ears to listen to wise counsel. (Proverbs 11:14)

Pray for leaders who don’t know Christ to have divine encounters with believers who would point them to salvation. Pray for leaders who are Christians to have steady discipleship pouring into them and that they would have strength to fight the arrows shot at them from the enemy. (Proverbs 2:1-8 and Ephesians 6:12-18)

Pray for unity in the Church in each nation. As each nation writes their own laws and citizens live in ways they feel just, the Church has different struggles in each country. How the Church is being pulled in the United States is entirely different than the struggles for the Church in New Zealand or India. Pray for unity within the Church in each country, and that followers of Christ would base their standards on biblical truth and not what society dictates. (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Sisters, sometimes I feel small.
Sometimes I feel like my prayers and voice won’t matter.
Will the Lord really hear my pleading for the underground church in North Korea?
He will.
He does.
And my prayers are pleasing in the sight of the Lord, as are yours.

Ask the Lord to break your heart for what breaks His.
Ask Him to burden your heart for the lost.
You might be surprised who you feel burdened for, but don’t be surprised when He answers your prayer. When He does, take action and pray for the lost, the hurting, the persecuted, the Christians and the non-Christians, then take steps to bring hope to them!

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Glimmers Day 1 Hope In The Darkness

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:1-5
John 1:12-18
Genesis 3:1-6
Hosea 6:4-7

Glimmers, Day 1

My five year old looked up from the Jesus Storybook Bible he held on his lap. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were a little teary.

“Mama, I don’t understand. If God knows everything and He is always good, then why did He let Eve and Adam sin in the Garden of Eden? If He really loved us, why didn’t He just make that not happen? He could have done it. I KNOW He could have. So why didn’t He just do that?”

I pulled him on to my lap and hugged him. “It’s hard to make good choices, isn’t it?” I asked.

“Yes,” he huffed. He was just coming out of a time out, and his thoughts were centered around a poor choice he had made a little while earlier. No doubt, he was thinking about how much easier life would be without the opportunity to make a bad choice.

I can totally relate to how he felt. And maybe you can, too?

Sometimes, after I’ve said a harsh word or entertained a negative thought, I wish my own fleshly feelings could be cancelled out completely. I mean, how much easier would this life be without any opportunity to do or say the wrong thing? I think I could win that game. Right? How about you? Do you find yourself frustrated when you haven’t made the choice the Lord would have you make?

The kind choice.
The honest choice.
The forgiving choice.
The loving choice.

If we’re being honest? I think we can all agree that this refining fire of the Holy Spirit-filled life stuff is exhilarating and so necessary. We need His constant teaching to shape our hearts as He trains us to turn from sin. At the same time, it doesn’t always feel good. In fact…(and maybe I’m speaking only for me here) often it is painful. As He works and refines us, it’s easy for us to subscribe to the feeling that our sin has hooked us so deep, we will never be able to separate ourselves from it.

But Loves? That’s because we can’t.
No matter how hard or long or mightily we try, we will never be able to remove our own sin.

When we find ourselves feeling trapped under the weight of a sin we can’t seem to escape, or fighting despair as we stand at the altar, wondering how we are in the same place, again, or feeling hopeless in the face of our frail humanity, we must remember Whose responsibility it is to save us from our sins… and turn toward Him.

That sovereign, weighty duty belongs only to Jesus.
He paid a hefty price, and for us to attempt to shoulder the weight of our salvation on our own shoulders is both foolish and wrong.

What my five year old didn’t fully grasp (and many of us may sometimes forget) is that Jesus was always ever “the Plan.” God wasn’t surprised by Adam and Eve’s sin as they chose to live by their rules instead of God’s design. He knew it would happen. And while His heart undoubtedly broke (and continues to break) at that separation, He also wrote glimmers of hope into His story.

I mean, if any of us could have ever walked without sinning, it would have been that first son, Adam, and his Eve, right? They had no outside influences. No violent television shows or easy access to pornography. They didn’t have broken families or spend time with other broken people who might portray broken lives for them.

And yet, they fell.
Just as we fall.

God knew, all along, that the only One who would ever walk this earth without falling would be He, Himself.

Emmanuel, God with us.

God the Son, come down to His people in the form of the weakest of beings: a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. He was the powerful King Who had been foretold from generation to generation, but He was not the King anyone expected.
He was Jesus: perfect love and our everlasting Hope.

Loves? God never expected us to save ourselves.
He never expected we could live a sinless, perfect life, but He longs for us to choose Him above all else! His passion for us runs deeper than any we can imagine. Read His words about you in the book of Hosea if you have any doubt, and know that the God of the universe feels those things for you and me, His Bride!

From the beginning of His story until now, the fall of Eve and Adam has always pointed straight to the eternal hope we find in Christ Jesus, the sinless Son of God Who gave Himself to pay for our sins and secure our eternal citizenship in Heaven!
Grab hold of this hope and share it today, Sisters!

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Worship IV, Day 7 Praise You In My Pain: 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 Praise You In My Pain!

The Questions

1) A conjunction at the beginning of a sentence indicates a connection point. What is Paul connecting together in verse 9 when he uses the word “but”?

2) What did God’s answer reveal about His ultimate purpose for Paul’s life, as well as His purpose for ours?

3) What does Paul mean when he says in his weakness he is strong?

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Original Intent

1) A conjunction at the beginning of a sentence indicates a connection point. What is Paul connecting together in verse 9 when he uses the word “but”?
In the previous chapters (10-11), Paul defends his authority as an apostle of Christ by referring to the trials and successes he had experienced. He does not boast for his own glory, but he apparently senses the need to remind the Corinthians of what makes his opinion credible. In the verses at the beginning of the chapter 12, he details a marvelous vision he had received from the Lord. But just in case they think he’s placing himself on some sort of spiritual pedestal, he includes in his account that he was also given a “thorn in the flesh” (verse 7).  Although we are never explicitly told in scripture what Paul is referring to, we can confidently surmise it was some sort of trial he was experiencing in which he had prayed for relief (verse 8). The conjunction “but” connects Paul’s suffering with God’s answer.
Although the phrase “but God” (or something similar) appears many times in the Old and New Testaments to contrast the bad news of sin/suffering with the good news of God’s powerful sovereignty and rescue, “but He” in verse 9 precedes an answer that may not have been the one Paul was expecting to receive. It was however, the answer that led Paul to discover the deeper grace of the God he worshipped.

2) What did God’s answer reveal about His ultimate purpose for Paul’s life, as well as His purpose for ours?
“My grace is sufficient.” Did Paul have to wait days, or even years, to fully grasp the depth of the truth found in these four words? Commentator Albert Barnes gives us some insight into this, reminding us we don’t know the timing between Paul’s suffering, his request, and God’s answer. (studylight.org) What we do know is that at some point Paul accepted God’s answer. As we position these words within the context of his life, we have the benefit of a zoomed-out perspective. The gladness in Paul’s response reveals his heart of worship. He chose a lifetime of thankfulness even though he was bruised and battered by many hardships. (2 Corinthians 4:8-11). In Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth he rehearsed the reality of suffering several times, always emphasizing the sufficiency of God’s grace. (1 Corinthians 1:8-9; 10:13; 15:30-31; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 11:23-30) His faith in God’s bigger purpose was the very essence of the gospel he had been set apart to proclaim. He wanted all people to know this grace so that God would be worshipped forever! 1 Timothy 2:7-8

3) What does Paul mean when he says in his weakness he is strong?
Paul reminds us many times that the weakness of his frame was meant to amplify the message of God’s grace. “Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.” I Corinthians 4:8
From Question 1 above, we see Paul connect two things that don’t typically fit together in today’s way of thinking. “Power” and “weakness” would not both be words on someone’s resume. Yet Paul makes it clear that his weakness was the very thing that demonstrated his strength because his strength was from God. Paul’s continual focus on the gospel reveals his heart to communicate that God chose to save sinners because of His grace. It has always been by God’s might and God’s power that we are saved and sustained in grace. Ephesians 2:8-9  Paul accepted God’s answer and he preached it to himself as he suffered. It’s as if verse 9 was the sermon and verse 10 is Paul’s worshipful response. Paul found pleasure in God’s ways! God had shown Himself to be more than enough in every way! 2 Corinthians 9:8

Everyday Application

1) A conjunction at the beginning of a sentence indicates a connection point. What is Paul connecting together in verse 9 when he uses the word “but”?
When we see faith lived out during trials and suffering, we can either walk away angry at God or awed by Him. Paul ultimately chose awe. In the Old Testament story of Job, we find a different story play out. Though Job’s friends attempted to comfort him, they eventually talked too much and their speculative opinions about God’s purpose in suffering was skewed. Their responses contained many inaccuracies about why God allows people to suffer. (Job 42:7)  When we connect Paul’s response with his request (12:8), it indicates he had chosen to rest in the answer (or to some, a non-answer) he was given by God. Paul had asked for relief from his suffering, “but [God] said” instead of healing, His presence and power would be enough to sustain him through it. As we walk through difficult days, we may also call out to God for rescue. The psalmists sure did! (Psalms 40, 69, 80). But if we receive an answer we didn’t hope for, we can pray for the kind of faith response that will eventually lead us to say: Your will, God, not mine.

2) What did God’s answer reveal about His ultimate purpose for Paul’s life, as well as His purpose for ours?
Paul saw his suffering as part of his sanctification (ie: “the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.” Westminster Shorter Catechism). As he came to the realization that he would not be released from this particular burden, Paul had come to know that the power of God’s grace was able to sustain him through it. Walking through the trial would best serve God’s purpose this time instead of being removed from it. God’s foundational purpose for creating us and saving us is that we would reveal His glory so that all would worship Him. Sometimes God’s answer for us is simply: “I AM ENOUGH.” And that answer requires faith and trust on our part.  “And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” (Hymn, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus)

3) What does Paul mean when he says in his weakness he is strong?
James Boice wrote, “If you understand the two words ‘but God’ they will save your soul. If you recall them daily and live by them, they will transform your life completely.” Often, we find paradox in scripture, two seemingly contrasting ideas. We especially notice it in the gospel message. We die to live. We get low to be raised up. And here, we see that we are strong when we are weak. These two verses (9-10) begin with “but” and end in “I am strong”. Verse 10 says Paul’s pleasure in his sufferings was all due to Christ, His Redeemer. We don’t really know what Paul’s thorn was, but Paul’s thorn itself was never really the point. Given the various possibilities, we can make Paul’s situation applicable today. We can all identify with Paul in some way or another, whether it’s a season of trial or personal physical suffering. Along with Paul, we can pursue a thankful heart. Our worship comes when we make our way to our inner sanctuary, the place of soul rest. “When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless, until I entered God’s sanctuary.” (Psalm 73:16-17)
It’s in that place where God reveals that His grace is more than enough to strengthen and sustain us in our weakest moments!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Praise You In My Pain.

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

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship IV Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

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 :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Incorruptible Day 8 Redeemed From Emptiness

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 1:17-21
1 Peter 5:8-14
Ruth 2-3
Joshua 2

Incorruptible, Day 8

“For you know that you were redeemed (bought back) 
from your empty way of life inherited from your fathers, 
not with imperishable things like silver or gold, 
but with the precious blood of Christ.”
1 Peter 1:18-19

Rahab. 
Ruth. 
Saul. 

And so many others throughout Scripture have been bought back
by the precious blood of Christ.  

Joshua 2 tells the story of Rahab.
A prostitute.
Giving away her body for money, she was used and abused.
Hers was an empty life.
Rahab had heard of the mighty deeds of the Hebrew God called Yahweh, enough to know He was worthy of awe and respectful fear. (Joshua 2:8-11)
Enough to know that if He would provide her protection, she would turn her back on her people.
True to His Word, as the walls of Jericho collapsed around her, Rahab’s house was left untouched and her family was saved.   

Rahab married a Hebrew man, was rescued from prostitution, was welcomed into the blessings of Yahweh, and grafted into the lineage of Christ.
One moment of choosing to be in exile from her people 
brought about new life for Rahab. 

As we come face to face with the reality of who God is, 
we are free to walk confidently into the redeeming grace He offers. 

Ruth was a Moabite widow who followed her mother-in-law Naomi, against cultural custom, back to Israel. She was a foreigner without food and protection of a husband.
An outcast among Jews.
If anyone felt empty, it was Ruth.  

Like Rahab, she chose to be in exile, displaced from her own land to follow Naomi and her God.  

Through events only God could ordain, Ruth became the protected wife of Boaz and mother to Obed, another generation in the lineage of Jesus.
Redeemed from emptiness and vulnerability, 
Ruth found fullness, life, and purpose. 

As we lay ourselves humbly at His feet, the Lord faithfully redeems our empty places. 

In Acts 9, we meet Saul. 
Well-known as murderer and persecutor of Christians, Saul made it his life mission to kill all who claimed the name of Jesus.
Death always leads to emptiness. 

But Jesus interrupted Saul’s crusades in a blinding moment of awe-filled truth where Saul surrendered to radical grace.  

Having been redeemed from his old way of thinking and living life, Saul-turned-Paul spent the remainder of his days proclaiming Christ, forever exiled from the life he’d once so passionately known. 

Emptiness was all he had known, 
but grace captured his heart, exchanging life for death.

As we accept the redemptive grace of God, we become new people.  

Each of these people were exiles in one form or another.
Each heard and understood the character of God through His people.
Each found hope in the midst of their exile because of God’s faithful, trustworthy character.  

Peter reminds us that we are exiles too.
Separated here on earth from the One in Heaven who crafted our hearts to beat in rhythm with His. Aliens here with broken relationships, heartache, loss, destruction, and sufferings coming in all shapes and sizes.
Exile is not forever, Sisters.
We can trust that truth because of our God’s character! 

“And after you have suffered a little while, 
the God of all grace, 
who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, 
will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
1 Peter 5:10
Jesus says He will restore us, confirm us, strengthen us, and establish us!  

Restore – to repair or renovate so as to return it to its original condition.
Confirm – to establish the truth or correctness of something believed. 
Strengthen – to make or become stronger.
Establish – to achieve permanent acceptance or recognition for. 

As we look at those definitions we see redemption so clearly!  

Through the lives of Rahab, Ruth, Paul, and so many more, we see how God
restored the broken places,
confirmed what they believed about Him to be true,
strengthened their faith,
and established them firmly in the incorruptible inheritance that was to come.   

Redemption is such a beautiful thing, 
but it’s only ours to claim if we accept the gift of salvation.  

Salvation is a free gift from God that buys back (redeems) us from the chains of Sin and Death, adopting us as His very own daughters.  

Jesus Christ, the only mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) between humanity and God, wrapped Himself in human flesh (1 Peter 1:20-21), became one of us, was sinless like none of us, and willingly laid His life down on the cross that each of us might know Him, trust His character, and be redeemed from emptiness!  

“For you know that you were redeemed (bought back) 
from your empty way of life inherited from your fathers, 
not with imperishable things like silver or gold, 
but with the precious blood of Christ.”
1 Peter 1:18-19

What’s your emptiness?
Has it been redeemed?!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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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 Incorruptible 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 Incorruptible!

Tabernacle Day 12 Drawn In: 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 Drawn In!

The Questions

1) Who is included in “brothers and sisters”?

2) What is meant by “through the curtain that is His flesh”?

3) Why does the author use the terms “sprinkled clean” and “washed in pure water”? What significance do these phrases have?

Hebrews 10:19-22

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— 20 he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— 21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.

Original Intent

1) Who is included in “brothers and sisters”?
To get a broader picture of this language, we look back a few chapters to Hebrews 3. The author has just finished up his discussion on Jesus needing to become “like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest..” (2:17) This reference to “brothers and sisters” refers to all of humanity. Jesus became 100% human and struggled as we do with temptation to sin, but He overcame it all perfectly! Christ became as his “brothers and sisters” in this regard, but 2 verses later in 3:1, the author makes a distinction which he carries through the remainder of the book. “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.” This reference is entirely different. Rather than including all of humanity, this “brothers and sisters” phrasing is smaller, more intimate, and carries 3 distinct marks. First, these brothers and sisters are “holy”, having been made righteous and their sins removed by the blood of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice. Second, they all “share in a heavenly calling”, meaning they are set apart, collectively and together, for the specific purpose of growing God’s kingdom and bringing Him glory. Third, they share a common “confession”, that is they each, personally, claim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Throughout the remainder of Hebrews, the author uses “brothers and sisters” to demarcate the collective Body of those who have committed to following Jesus.

2) What is meant by “through the curtain that is His flesh”?
In the Old Testament Tabernacle, which was a portable place of worship where the Israelites would go to meet with God, there were 3 sections. First, there was the courtyard, followed by the Holy Place, followed by the Holy of Holies. Separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was a thick curtain (or veil), with its purpose being to further display God’s supreme holiness. In Leviticus 16:2, the Lord God gives the priest, Aaron, strict instructions to never enter the Holy of Holies, with the exception of once a year, or He would surely die for God’s presence dwelled there in the Holy of Holies. Hebrews 10:20 says, “He (Jesus) has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh).” The author is stating this glorious truth: Jesus is the new way through the curtain! We no longer need to depend on a single High Priest to give us access to God vicariously through himself once a year. Through Jesus’ flesh and blood sacrifice, we have been bought, we have been made righteous, we are permitted access to enter into God’s very presence for ourselves!

3) Why does the author use the terms “sprinkled clean” and “washed in pure water”? What significance do these phrases have?
Remember that Hebrews was written to a Jewish audience, and these phrases would have had perfectly clear ties to the Tabernacle for them. The laws and rituals of Tabernacle worship were routinely common for each of them, so the phrases “sprinkled clean” and “washed pure in water” would have immediately brought to their minds images of Tabernacle worship, specifically referencing the Bronze Basin. Anytime a priest entered the Tabernacle, he was required to stop and wash at this Bronze Basin before proceeding. To rush madly into God’s presence without washing was grounds for immediate death (Exodus 30:20). Because the author knew his intended audience, he chose a word picture that would help his hearers understand that, while the water from the Bronze Basin may have washed their bodies clean, only God through Jesus could wash their hearts!

Everyday Application

1) Who is included in “brothers and sisters”?
Though the author was originally writing to Jews and had no idea how many centuries would pass and people would still be reading his words, the Holy Spirit did know. The growing group of “brothers and sisters” the author had in his mind’s eye was infinitely larger than he could imagine. It would span the across time, encompassing all men, women, and children who chose to trust Him as their Savior. That’s me! And, I pray that is you also! While wildly exciting, this phrasing also carries weighty duty. The precious truths we will unpack in today’s Digging Deeper Study are for believers. The incredible gift of coming before God, right into His sanctuary, having been made whole, is only for “brothers and sisters” who each, personally, hold unswervingly to Jesus Christ for salvation from sin and death. This should at once fill us with gratitude and worship, while also breaking our hearts for those outside the familial circle of unity with Jesus. Who, in your sphere of influence, doesn’t know of the hope of Christ? Pray intentionally for opportunities to share truth with them that they too might enjoy the wonder of being drawn in to deep worship!

2) What is meant by “through the curtain that is His flesh”?
Do you live as if you’ve been redeemed and bought and set free from duty, obligation, and fearful performance? Does your life look like worship in the middle of your everyday because of that gift? When the relationship tension strains, when the budget doesn’t balance, when the dog vomits on white carpet, again, has your heart learned the rhythm of authentic worship? Worship takes practice and intentional self-discipline as we learn to listen to the Spirit’s voice as He Himself teaches us how to dance. Worship isn’t easy, but it’s always worth it. Because of access through Christ’s own flesh, because we can go “through the curtain”, we are in His presence at every moment…the wonderful and the yucky ones. Each moment is an opportunity for worship, what will you do with yours?

3) Why does the author use the terms “sprinkled clean” and “washed in pure water”? What significance do these phrases have?
A clean heart? No sin to mar it? No stumbles over words you wish you hadn’t said, no angry thoughts or rash deeds, no underhanded attempts to gain control, no jealous eyes, lustful heart, or dishonest hands, just a clean heart. There is only one who can provide that!
No amount of rule-following, church-going, generous giving, or well-crafted apologies can give us a clean heart, and we know it. Sure, we can justify our deeds all we want, explain away that God is exactly who He claims to be in the Bible, and “put off” getting right with God for another time, but none of that changes reality. To have a clean heart, we need a righteous intercessor, because we simply can not become right on our own. No amount of water washing is good enough. Whether you’ve crossed the line of faith or you haven’t, the temptation to keep washing in plain old water will always be there. Just try harder next time, compensate for the way you treated her, but nothing will hide our hearts before the God of the Universe. How desperately we need the blood of Jesus to cleanse us eternally from dead works?! (Hebrews 9:14) Whatever your everyday mess looks like, hold fast to the truth that forgiveness for your heart, and a new way to live, is being held out by the hands of the crucified Christ!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Drawn In!

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

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Tabernacle Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

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 :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Bride Day 11 My Adultery

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Hosea 4
1 Peter 2:9-10
Hosea 1:10-11
Genesis 15 

Bride, Day 11

The word adultery makes me shudder. In my lifetime, I’ve watched so many marriages crumble, and all too often, an affair is the the last straw that completely destroys a marriage.  

“Not me.” I’ve thought, more times than I’d like to admit.
“I will never be an adultress.” 

But sisters, one thing I’ve learned, is that… I am.  

I am an adulteress.  

When I chose to give my life to Christ and walk in the grace that has been given to me, I entered into a covenant with the Lord. The theological definition of covenant is: an agreement that brings about a relationship of commitment between God and His people.  

In the Bible, covenants were a legal contract, and they were so extreme that blood was spilled to seal the covenant. Abraham sacrificed animals when entering into a covenant with God. (See Genesis 15:7-18 and this Digging Deeper Study)
When I entered into a covenant with God, there was also bloodshed, but it was Jesus’.  

At the Last Supper, Jesus held up the cup of wine, symbolizing His soon-to-be-shed blood on the cross, and said, “this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28)  

When I accept Jesus’ sacrifice to forgive my sins,
I enter into a covenant relationship with God. 
Not based on my works or ability to maintain good standing,
but based on the shedding of Christ’s perfect blood.  

In the covenant relationship of marriage, the adultery of giving one’s heart or body to someone besides their spouse, breaks the covenant.  

When I give my heart or body to something besides the Lord. 
That is adultery.  

And I hate to admit this…
but many things have captured and held my heart more than the Lord.  

I know that He is never going to be the one to leave me, hurt me, walk away from me…
I have His full attention all the time.
He will always uphold His side of the covenant.
But I don’t. I haven’t. And I’ll probably fail again tomorrow or the next day.  

I am an adulterous.   

Some days, my phone and social media has my heart more than God.
What is the first thing I check in the morning?
What is the last thing I do before I fall asleep at night? 

Sometimes, motherhood has my heart more than God.
Not my kids, but the act of motherhood; the busyness and craziness of it. 

Sometimes trying to uphold a certain image has my heart more than God.
My appearance, my home, my marriage.
Everything needs to look shiny and wonderful on the outside.

These idols…
They are damaging. 

They fill me with envy, greed, low-self esteem.
They make me feel unworthy and incompetent.
They catch me in the trap of comparison.
Inside of them, I give my love away to other, lesser things.  

Never being satisfied with my lesser loves, I find myself feeling miserable because I’ve completely broken my covenant with God.  

And yet, God never stops loving me.
He never stops pursuing me.
I am His, and I will always be His.  

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.” (Hosea 2:14) 

He is alluring me, calling me back into the wilderness, reminding me that He is present.
Always here, always loving.  

Hosea’s love for Gomer and God’s pursuit of Israel, is a side-by-side comparison of His great love and pursuit of His people, of us.  

Hosea and Gomer entered into a covenant with each other when they got married and their children were fulfillments of promises God was making despite Gomer’s adultery.  

God has entered into a covenant with me, despite my adultery. 
He knew I would run just as far and as fast as Gomer,
but He pursued a covenant relationship regardless.  

In Biblical days, when someone broke their part of a covenant, they could be put to death by the other person they were in covenant with. The sacrificial bloodspill of an animal when a covenant was made symbolized the two parties agreeing, “If I don’t uphold my end of this vow, then let what is done to this animal, be done to me.”  

Israel didn’t uphold their end of the bargain.
They deserved death. 
But God was gracious and merciful and continued to pursue them over and over again.  

Gomer didn’t uphold her end of the bargain. 
She deserved death. 
But Hosea was gracious and merciful and continued to pursue her over and over again. 
I have not upheld my end of the bargain. 
I deserve death.  

But God is gracious and merciful and JESUS died FOR ME.
Jesus died for me because there was no way I would ever be able to uphold my end of the covenant.  

I am an adulteress.  

And yet, God still loves me,
He longs for me,
He is jealous for me,
He pursues me. 

He still takes my hand in His,
pulls me into the wilderness and speaks tenderly to me.  

And just like Israel, 
Just like Gomer,
I will come back.
I am redeemed.  

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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 Bride Week Three! 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 Bride!