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Kaleidoscope Day 13 Enduring

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 13:7
Jonah 3:8-10
1 Peter 5:6-11
Luke 23:32-35

Kaleidoscope, Day 13

“I LOVE Chipotle!”
“I LOVE this nail polish!”
“I LOVE that outfit!”

Love is a word we use to describe admiration for something.
It begs the question, what is love?

As believers, we refer to 1 Corinthians 13, “The Love Chapter”, to define love and how it’s fleshed out in everyday life. We’ve spent the past 3 weeks diving into each of these descriptions in this chapter and walked away with some incredible truths, but we are coming up on the benediction.

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7
Loves bears, meaning to carry or support.
Love believes, means to accept something as true.
Love hopes, reflects the desire for something to happen.
Love endures, which is the most challenging one, means to suffer patiently.

All of these words are verbs, suggesting that love is an action not a feeling;
at its core, love is a choice.

Have you ever heard….
“we fell out of love” or
“I don’t feel the love I use to feel” or
“I just don’t love him anymore”?

The reality is that true love in its best form is
exceedingly difficult,
exquisitely costly, and
downright impossible for us to live out in real life.
Impossible, that is, without Christ and His love flowing through us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

What does Christ’s love look like?
Let’s start with Jonah 3:8-10.
“but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God.
Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
Who knows?
God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way,
God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.”

The prophet Jonah was asked to go to the ISIS of his time, the Ninevites. Jonah was tasked to call these people, cold-hearted, brutal killers, to repentance away from sin and towards God. Jonah was not happy, understandably so, and he ran in the opposite direction.
But God followed him with a storm and even a “big fish” that swallowed Jonah whole in effort to get his attention. In the fish’s belly, Jonah decided reluctantly to be obedient..
He went to Ninevah, preached as God asked, and to his surprise (and frustration), the people repented.
In this story God is lovingly hopeful.

Hopeful, because He wants the people He created to know Him and have relationship with Him. He was so hopeful He continued to push until the opportunity was brought to those people.

Another example is 1 Peter 5:6-11.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
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.
To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Peter says we are free to cast all our worries or anxieties on our Lord, who is present to constantly bear us up in love.  Even though suffering and enemy attacks will come, in the end, Christ will restore us and strengthen us.
This is a beautiful picture of bearing with us!
The creator of everything loves us enough to bear each of our individual burdens. He supports and also carries us through this life and into eternity!

Forgiveness? Its thread can be found on every page of Scripture, but the most powerful one is found in Luke 23:34:
“And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

While nailed to the cross, after being beaten, mocked, and abused,
Jesus asks for forgiveness on behalf of His murderers.
In His cries for forgiveness, He believes they do not understand the depths of their actions.

How powerful is the love of Christ!
I have experienced Christ’s sweet love for myself; it has changed me and how I love others. Christ has born up the hardest things I have had to carry.
He has hoped things for me I couldn’t see.
He has believed beautiful things about me I am still learning to trust.
But, sweetest of all, Christ has endured me.

As a mother, I can only imagine part of the pain He has felt as He has endured with me.
He has endured me hating Him.
He has endured my turning from Him.
He has endured me trying to kill myself.
He has endured me living a lie.

He has suffered patiently, waiting for me to open my heart back up to Him.
He lovingly endured my walking away to demonstrate the vastness of His love that has always stayed beside me.

This Jesus love is the very best thing that has ever happened to me.
It is the most addictive, sweet, precious thing I’ve ever tasted.
His love has not only brought me into beautiful grace,
but also daily challenges me to love others with this love.

As I reflect on Jesus love showing up with kaleidoscope colors in my everyday life, I wonder….
Does my love bear the hardest things with people?
Does my love hope the craziest things with people?
Does my love believe on behalf of others?
Does my love endure with the goal of Christ at its end?

Where I lack, I am called deeper into the well of love He offers
in order that His sweet nectar may flow through me.
I will choose expensive, lavish, enduring love!

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Screenshot Day 14 The Story Isn’t Over: 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 The Story Isn’t Over!

The Questions

1) What does this passage teach us about Satan’s relationship to God? 

2) Why does Job have a “hedge of protection” and “blessings” from the Lord? 

3) What would it have meant for Job to “curse” God to His “face”? 

Job 1:9-12

9 Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Haven’t you placed a hedge around him, his household, and everything he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he owns, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 

12 “Very well,” the Lord told Satan, “everything he owns is in your power. However, do not lay a hand on Job himself.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence. 

Original Intent

1) What does this passage teach us about Satan’s relationship to God?
It first tells us they actually have a relationship in that God does not “ignore” Satan or his evil workings; God is intricately involved and has full knowledge of all Satan’s schemes.  Additionally, Satan is very much under the control of the Lord God; Satan does not have any power that is not first allowed by God. It’s important to know that while Satan is the archenemy of God, they are not on equal footing, not even close! When comparing power and authority, The Lord God holds all of it, only allowing Satan to have a certain measure of power because of the current fallen state of the world we live in. Our world is sinful because we, as humanity, have chosen it. The Lord graciously allowed humanity to have “free choice” in who we would worship, either God or Satan. In our sinful, arrogant ways, when left to our own choice, we choose to worship Satan by pridefully loving ourselves more than God.  

2) Why does Job have a “hedge of protection” and “blessings” from the Lord?
The word “hedge” has a cross-reference (noted by a subscript letter that correlates to other Scripture verses) to Psalm 3:3 and Psalm 34:7. Both of these, and their surrounding verses, refer to God sheltering, shielding, delivering, and saving His children because they cried out to Him, trusted Him, and feared Him (as in, stood in awe of Him and His authority). Protection from what? The Enemy and his attacking schemes. This hedge is precisely what Satan is referring to in regard to Job. In essence, Satan is saying, “Of course Job trusts You, God! You are protecting Him with Your power and impenetrable shield!” Satan argues with God that if the hedge were removed and the blessings God has given Job were taken away, Job would easily fall prey to Satan’s desires for Job to curse God and be spiritually separated from God.  

3) What would it have meant for Job to “curse” God to His “face”?
To curse, or blaspheme, God is to discredit Him and speak irreverently about God, His Word, or His character. Job made it his regular habit to intercede for his children, praying for them in the event they had “cursed God in their hearts”. To curse God “to His face” carries significant weight. The psalmist writes in Psalm 10:3 of cursing God as being equal to renouncing Him entirely, this would be similar to what Satan is describing here to God about his hoped-for-response from Job if blessings were removed. This would be a complete abandonment of the relationship with God from Job’s perspective. God used similar language in Isaiah 65:2-3 in describing Israel’s rejection of God. Later in Job’s story, his wife urges Job to simply “curse God and die”, as the result of cursing God would be death. (Job 2:9) 

 

Everyday Application

1) What does this passage teach us about Satan’s relationship to God?
Do you fear Satan? Are you ever afraid of what the Enemy might do, or ways he might attack you or the ones you love?  Only the Lord God has the power and authority to see all things, know all things, and be present everywhere at every moment. Satan has none of those powers. The Enemy cannot know your thoughts, but God knows every intricate detail about you including your thoughts, your words, your motives, and the hairs on your head. (Psalm 139:4, Luke 12:7) Satan cannot do anything beyond the extremely limited amount of power the Lord God allows, which means that we can live free of fear from Satan and his attacks. Hide yourself in the shelter of the Most High God and cling to the truth that He alone is our stronghold. (Psalm 91:1-2, Psalm 59) If God is for us, as Christ followers, who can be against us?! (Romans 8:31)

2) Why does Job have a “hedge of protection” and “blessings” from the Lord?
God’s nature is to protect and defend and guard His beloved. Sit with that for a moment. Do you ever worry that you’ve made God angry so He will no longer protect you, as if He were a fickle parent or friend? He will not abandon His character based upon your choices; His love for you is unchanging and unconditional. He loves to protect His own and He loves to bless us and give us good gifts. (Matthew 7:11) However, like Job modeled, we cannot associate God’s physical blessings in our lives with God’s presence. God is a gracious, generous, protecting God, but He never guarantees our safety or the permanence of physical or relational blessing. In this passage, we see God lift a portion of His “hedge” of protection, and later, even Job’s family died and blessings were removed from Job’s life, but God never once abandoned Job nor did His good character change. Take it from Job, enjoy the gifts of God, praise Him for them, fear Him only, trust Him whole-heartedly and He will faithfully protect you. But when His protection looks different than you expect or His blessings are removed for a time, trust His character and His good Father heart! 

3) What would it have meant for Job to “curse” God to His “face”?
Cursing God to His face is a stubborn insistence that we hate Him, we reject Him and despise Him; it’s a total renouncing of God Himself. This is clearly Satan’s end goal, not only for Job, but also for every created person, past, present, and future. For anyone to renounce God spells victory for Satan, but utter loss and destruction for a soul. The truth is that each of us, in our core, have renounced God to His face. We have each stubbornly chosen to set ourselves as rulers over our lives. But the gracious, good news of Jesus Christ brings hope!  While we were still sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6-8) He sacrificed Himself, even as we spat in His face, cursing Him. That is radical love! By His grace, He offers us a path of restoration, a way to come home. When we acknowledge that yes, indeed, we do want to be our own god. We would rather choose sin over God’s ways. And yes, we see how that sin does separate us from a Holy God, we have come to a place where we can ask Jesus to save us from ourselves and span the gap with His own righteousness in place of our sinfulness. Saying Yes to Jesus, frees us from the curse of Sin and unshackles us from the dominion of Satan! 

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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

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Screenshot Week Three!
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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 :-))

Memorize It!

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Repurposed Day 15
Faith In Action

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Read His Words Before Ours!

James 1:22-27
James 2:14-20
Jeremiah 31:31-34 

Are you ready for some encouragement to live more effectively for Jesus? The book of James has been a great resource to me, bringing so much delight in the Scriptures.

We have been remade after His heart, repurposed for His kingdom,
what are we waiting for?!

If you’re anything like me, you wish you read the Bible more, studied it better, and more often. Not to mention, had someone really break it down for you, point out the highlights, and give you something to ponder on as you go through your day.

Take it from me, I’m not a Bible scholar, and even just a couple of years ago would have told you that I had no idea how to study or read the Bible with understanding. But, with practice, intentional study, and Christian community around me, the Bible has come alive! Be encouraged that Bible study is for every Jesus follower!

James was a leader in the Jerusalem church, and the half-brother of Jesus Christ (since Jesus didn’t have an earthly biological father). His book outlines the importance of faith through genuine fellowship in community and daily living to “see beyond ourselves” as we interact with the world around us.  Good works aren’t the reason one gets into Heaven, but walking in faith, living by the Word of God, doing good for others and God, as well as engaging in a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, prove the authenticity of saving faith.

It’s faith in action!

Studying James helps us discover how we can equip our hearts for action as we engage in real life circumstances like hardship, temptation, guilt, conflict, gossip, fear, pain, conviction, and so much more.

James’s letter makes living the Christian life super practical. We all walk through tough stuff in life, but James teaches that the purpose of a test or trial is to point us to God. It’s in fire that our character is built and, if we allow Him, He will train our hearts to lean into His sufficiency.
The testing of our faith produces
perseverance, maturity, wisdom and strength. James 1:3-4

Little else reveals our heart as clearly as the temptation to compare ourselves to others, especially as women. Whether it’s comparing our appearances, our possessions, or our spiritual gifts, pride has no place in the life of a Christ-follower. Rather, James calls us to take pride in our position as believers in Christ.

“Believers in humble circumstances
ought to take pride in their high position.” James 1:9-10

Sisters, nothing gets us in trouble faster than the tongue! James says it is set ablaze from the fires of hell! As James talks about this little muscle that does so much damage, he identifies the meaning of words and the way we use them.
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father,
and with it we curse human beings,
who have been made in God’s likeness” James 3:9
We are called to tame our tongues, using words to praise our Lord, be kind and spread God’s love and faithfulness because of the great gift of love Christ has unleashed in our hearts! By submitting to the Lord and resisting the devil, we can have victory in taming the tongue!

The theme of James is faith, yet faith and good deeds are both significant.
“As the body without the spirit is dead,
so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:26
Dead. Flat-lined.
A new creation cannot be called “alive” if their “life” is proving nothing but death.
Christianity is characterized by both faith and good works.
According to James, genuine faith in Jesus and fellowship in community allows us to perform good deeds for others and God.

It’s faith in action!

That life-transforming faith shows up again when James talks about patience in suffering and faith-fueled prayer, which brings blessings from the Lord who is compassionate and merciful.  Through faith and prayer, God will bring healing!  Through suffering, God will not leave us, but provide us with the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
That’s real confidence for life!

God’s Word is powerful, living, and active!
Take just 60 seconds and let the Spirit encourage you through His Words!

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:
Everyone should be slow to speak and slow to anger,
because human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20

“There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,
the one who is able to save and destroy.
But you – who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:12

“My brothers and sisters,
believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ
must not show favoritism.” James 2:1

“Don’t grumble against one another,
brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.” James 5:9

“Therefore confess your sins to each other
and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

While it is easy to get wrapped up in the busy world, God-honoring deeds become a lifestyle, rather than a to do-list when fueled by faith.
Allow your faith to be active and sincere, not useless!

Do actions save us?
Does plugging in and using our gifts
to further God’s kingdom score us spiritual points?
Not in the slightest!
But, lean in ladies, if our lives aren’t diligently chasing after Christ and the proof isn’t seen in the life choices we are making, then we should carefully consider whether our faith is sincere!

Faith in action.
Jump in!
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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 Repurposed Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Adoring Day 13
Even Now

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 125
1 Peter 1:1-8
Psalm 118:22-24

The floor creaked as I walked towards the bedroom and slowly turned the doorknob. Before me was the perfect little girl’s bedroom; pink and green walls, dolls and stuffed animals, and a closet full of little clothes. If I didn’t know better, it appeared she had just gone to school for the day, and would return soon. “Miss Kendra!”My thoughts were interrupted by her big sister’s call, and I headed back downstairs.

I began nannying for the Rechtien family when their oldest daughter was 10.
Their youngest daughter, Annie, had passed away almost two years before.

I didn’t know what to expect the first time I met them. Openly, the Rechtiens talked about Annie, showing me her bedroom as we toured the house and telling me about Mary Cate, their oldest girl. Through our conversation, there was nothing but peace and steady joy.

I learned a lot about Annie while I nannied. She was a bubbly girl who followed the rules and loved giving hugs. I watched videos of Annie in her preschool performances and singing about going to heaven one day. I heard Mary Cate tell me that she missed her sister, and watched as she ever-so-sweetly chose a Christmas ornament for her parents in memory of Annie. I rejoiced with the Rechtien family as they adopted first a baby boy, followed by a baby girl. I saw Mary Cate’s big sister arms filled with a little sibling to love and hold again.

Throughout all of this, there was peace and steady, deep joy.

One morning while Kathleen was reading her Bible, she shared the verse that had anchored her despite her grief.
“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved,
but abides forever.”
She had memorized it as a little girl, never knowing that these words would carry her as her own little girl fought brain cancer.

Every morning I found Kathleen, coffee in hand and Bible before her. The family’s evenings were filled with church small groups, gymnastics, and Wednesday night services. They weren’t just going through the spiritual motions. No.
Praise was constant on their lips and in their hearts.
Peace was always there and joy was always steady.

Annie got sick at just five years old and Kathleen and her husband had a choice to make. Abandon the faith they’d grown up with or choose to trust God even when.

Annie passed away ten months after her battle began. She was at home, with her family surrounding her and her big sister laying next to her. As Annie took her last breath on earth and her first in Heaven, Kathleen knew that there was no going back. Her baby girl was gone.

They buried Annie that week, and went to church the day after, because that’s who they are. Before this moment came, they had already decided to trust God even now in the darkest storm.

Kathleen stated at Annie’s funeral that they were shaking.
They ached to hold their little girl.
Their world had changed overnight.
They were shaking, but their faith was not.
When life was easy, Robert and Kathleen had made Jesus their cornerstone,
so their foundation was set when tragedy came.
They could praise God, even when everything was crumbling,
because their foundation was the only thing not crumbling.

Loss comes in many different shapes and sizes.
To me, loss looks like losing my Papa.
You may have lost your marriage, a baby,
a relationship, a job, your home, or something else.
Loss will come to all of us, but we can choose now to build a foundation
that will allow praise in the tragic.

Robert and Kathleen never would have chosen this road.
But with joy,
not a bubbling over dancing kind of joy,
but a steady, deep joy,
they can say the Lord has used Annie’s life in incredible ways.

Praise might not look like standing with widespread arms.
Praise may look like ugly tears before God.
Praise may look like a choice to love, to welcome, to extend grace even now when your heart breaks.
Praise, just like loss, comes in many shapes and forms.

The Rechtiens still grieve.
They still miss their precious girl,
but because they chose to hide away in the shelter of Jesus,
praise, peace, and joy are theirs even now.
And because of their choice,
they remain unshaken, even now.

“How would you look at eleven
If God hadn’t called you to heaven?

Tall like your sister, or short like me?
Soccer, gymnastics, or cheerleading?

Your classmates all grow and change every year,
But you are my forever kindergartener in your uniform so dear.

Our family of four, now a family of six
A brother, a sister, I think you helped pick!

Six years was our gift, how we wish we had more!
Happy Birthday, sweet Annie, on the day you were born.”

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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 Adoring Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Adoring Day 6
Finding Satisfaction in the Sanctuary

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 42
1 Samuel 1:1-11
Philippians 4:4-7 adobe-spark-23

The woman exhales as she tosses a heavy-looking satchel over one arm and winces as the weight digs into her shoulder. She thrusts her toddler forward with one hand, deftly snatching a coin from chubby fingers while balancing a smaller baby on her hip. Nodding, she smiles brightly in answer to a bystander’s question. “Fine, thanks! Glad we made it!” she responds. She pivots and hands her older child over to the worker in the toddler room.  “How are you guys?” Smiling, she nods in agreement as she turns down another hallway toward the nursery. “It IS a beautiful morning! Enjoy the service – see you later!”

Nodding and smiling, smiling and nodding.

Her heels click persistently and she hooks the straps of her bag with her thumb and slings it back over her shoulder again. Kissing her baby’s forehead, she steels herself against the cries she knows will start at any moment. She waves to an acquaintance and opens the nursery door. An unearthly wail pierces the relative calm of the hallway. Smiling, she gently plucks imaginary fuzz from her smallest one’s shirt. She hugs him close for a moment as she whisper-comforts the child she has affectionately dubbed “the Screamer”. The shrill sound seems to grow louder. She winces again as she disentangles herself from swinging legs and arms and pries the infant’s fingers from her hair. “Mama will be back right after class, okay Sweetheart? Have fun!  You are fine!” The little boy presses his screaming face up to the window, tears streaming as she adjusts the heavy bag and blows him a kiss before striding purposefully down the hallway, nodding and smiling to acquaintances and strangers alike.

Nodding and smiling, smiling and nodding.

Turning the corner, she slips into a small room tucked inside a quiet hallway. A cursory glance assures her that no one else is present, so she sets her heavy purse down and rests two hands on the countertop.  She takes a breath and examines the reflection before her. A pale face and slightly disheveled hair draw her attention; she sighs as her reflection reveals obviously tired eyes.
Weary. Sad. Overwhelmed.
The sudden serenity following a week of cacophony is almost too much contrast to bear, and tears slip silently over pale cheeks.

Can you see her?

Nodding and smiling, smiling and nodding.

Are you her?

Different circumstances perhaps, but still her.
Instead of a child, it’s a sickness, or a relationship, a heart-wound, financial struggle, depression. Something that reflects a heavy spirit.

I have been her. Truthfully, I might be again.
Maybe tomorrow, maybe next month.
And that is okay.

Doing life is an amazing, wonderful gift.
And doing life is also hard.
There are
days and nights,
middles and ends,
expectations and responsibilities,
broken families and heartbreak,
absent mamas and overbearing daddies,
loved ones gone too soon,
frustration and,
infertility and,
disappointment and,
all
the
things….

And sometimes, our response to the constant, noisy, overwhelmingly beautiful gift of LIFE is to feel sad.
And it’s okay.

Hannah experienced deep feelings of sadness, too.
She loved her husband and was heartbroken over her inability to conceive.
She couldn’t eat and the Word tells us that, “her heart was sad.”
Her husband loved her and desperately wanted her to be happy, but as much as he loved her, he simply wasn’t capable of changing her circumstance or her perception.

Her husband Elkanah said, “Oh, Hannah, why are you crying? Why aren’t you eating? And why are you so upset? Am I not of more worth to you than ten sons?”
So Hannah ate. Then she pulled herself together, slipped away quietly, and entered the sanctuary.  (1 Samuel 1:9-11, The Message)

Did you catch that?
She entered the sanctuary.

Faced with the reality of her emotion and the inability of herself or her husband to change her feelings or her circumstance, she entered into the place of worship. Rather than continue to wrestle with her feelings on her own, she entered her Father’s Presence. She responded to a conversation with Him that He had undoubtedly begun with gentle whispers in her heart.
She accepted the opportunity to build relationship with Him.
And He listened to her heart and changed her reality, by giving her hope.

If you know Hannah’s story, you know that God gave her the desire of her heart, a baby boy.
And Hannah gave that little boy right back to God.
Yet she was still satisfied.
Her heart wasn’t devastated when she literally gave up her young son to live and work in the temple
because her heart was already satisfied by worship and adoration of the God who loved her.

The morning after she heard from God, “she rose early and worshipped before the Lord.”
The day she brought her son to live at the temple, she first brought an offering and worshipped.
Through the life focus of such adoration, she taught her son to also live a life of worship.
As she left her little Samuel, who would grow up to be an incredible leader and prophet, her heart overflowed with adoration in the form of a song.
Her sadness ended with a song because adoration was her heart’s focus.

Each of us will inevitably experience sadness. It’s what we choose to worship when that sadness comes that makes all the difference. Will our worship be focused on our self or our Savior?
Only one recipient of our adoration can bring about life transformation!

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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 Adoring 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 Adoring!