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The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 1

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The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 1

Carol Graft

January 28, 2023

Anchored,Courage,Faith,Freedom,GT Weekend

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Romans 8:29-30

For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Thank you, Lord, for knowing me long before I knew You. Thank you for loving me even when I don’t see how any part of my situation, whether in the past or present, could possibly fit within Your plan. I don’t understand why I walk through hard challenges when You could remove them. It would be so easy for You to make my life smoother, Lord. From my perspective, the questions, hurts, and doubt could all be erased by an “easier life”.

So, I am faced with a question to either trust You as fully good, despite my pain and limited view, or choose to believe You’ve lied to me in Your Word. Help me to hold fast to what is true. I confess my unbelief; Lord, build my faith! Help me trust the depth of Your goodness extends far beyond my finite vision of my current reality. No matter what I am going through, You are working out Your good plan for me. Help me to see you in the midst of my every day, whether they are good days or bad. Teach my heart to trust you with steadfast surrender. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.  

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Astounding healings, provision, and deliverance from bondage are just a few of the miracles that leap from the pages of the Bible. It’s easy to focus on those incidents and say, “Yes, please!”, for we all want big miracles.

When we come to the end of our budget and the pantry seems bare, we hunger for the miracle of the loaves and fish to effortlessly replenish our lack. If we wrestle with chronic illness, we read the amazing healing of the hemorrhaging woman and ask, “Why not me, Lord?”

But God didn’t come to dwell in the flesh only to provide temporary fixes for our woes. Though he can, and often does, His “Come and See” bidding is meant as a far greater invitation to an eternal relationship with Him. The invitation can only be embraced through willing surrender.

We may not be called to leave behind jobs or families to follow Jesus, but it’s possible. When we come to Jesus open-hearted, fully surrendered, and repentant our lives will be changed. Christ will provide, often in ways we never considered. Through surrender, we find we are fully known and fully loved by the Savior of the world.
JOURNAL TWO

I was challenged and convicted by “Pride Or Intimacy” on Wednesday; if you haven’t read it, go there! Mary K. explained how easy it is to return to old sin patterns after becoming a believer. How many times have we wanted to snap back a sharp retort, painfully revealing we are choosing not to surrender to Christ. We all have places in our hearts we haven’t fully surrendered to Jesus.

Consider how often we’ve bypassed the ‘neighbor’ standing on the street corner holding a sign and lacked the compassion of our Lord. Are we engaging our literal neighbors? Or perhaps we’re excluding the neighbors we perceive as different from us.

As I was thinking of surrendering pride, I was reminded of the Journey Study, “Dining With Sinners”, which stories about the scandalous woman who dared anoint Jesus’ feet despite her outrageous sin. Still, she surrendered her pride and walked into Simon’s dinner party uninvited. She wasn’t just surrendering her pride, she was surrendering her history at the feet of Jesus, who lived in total surrender to Father God.

Christ surrendered Himself to a death-penalty we owed in order to extend us eternal life with Him.
JOURNAL THREE

Are you a type A personality? Do others gravitate towards you or shun you because you like to be in control? Even if you don’t fit these descriptions exactly, deep down, we all desire to be in control. Some more publicly than others. I don’t consider myself a controlling person…until…I am.

Still, God lovingly pursues us, calling us to live under his call of Surrender. Rebekah pointed to the Old Testament biographies of Abraham and Sarah, both of whom were called to complete surrender of their control. Surrendering our willful control to God, trusting Him in all the things is not easy, but it is essential. We can rest on the truth revealed in Romans 8:29-30 as we grow in our discipline of surrender.

God predestined us to be a part of His plan. Whether we believe Him now or are still searching for Him, we are known and loved. Though we may often be tempted to wrestle control from the Lord, stomping our feet in frustration, the Lord still pursues our hearts, wooing us to know Him as He knows us. He who knew you, and the paths you would take before you were born, knows what He is doing. He will be faithful to accomplish His good work in us!
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conform,control,courage,faith,spirit,surrender
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Surrender Day 5 The God Who Holds Us: Digging Deeper

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Surrender Day 5 The God Who Holds Us: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

January 27, 2023

Faith,Hope,Identity,Legacy

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "The God Who Holds Us"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Hebrews 11:13-16

13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. 14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them!
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who died without receiving what they were promised? (verse 13)

“These all died…” without receiving the things they were promised! (verse 13) That’s a challenging promise, isn’t it? Yet to many Bible students, this chapter of Hebrews 11 has become known as Scripture’s “Hall of Faith.” In other words, these became famous for their faith.

“These all” refer to those mentioned in the preceding verses: Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob. (verses 8-11) THESE lived as exiled strangers by faith. The writer of Hebrews began this section by rehearsing the faithful lives of these Old Testament characters. (For more study on these characters, see Genesis 12-35)

In previous verses, the author had been stressing to his readers the importance of actively living a life of faith. (Hebrews 10:35-39) This chapter begins by defining faith (verses 1-3) and giving examples of what it looks like in real life. These faithful saints all continued to live by faith, believing God would fulfill His promises to them.

I can only imagine how often Abraham and Sarah revisited the promise God made to them in the decades of time between “promise given” and “promise fulfilled”. (Genesis 17:10-14) In fact, the writer of Hebrews, inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), gives a vivid description by saying these saints “saw them from a distance and greeted them.” They saw and greeted the promises they had received from a trustworthy God!!

Even though they died before receiving them, they trusted God would provide just as He always had. (Genesis 22:14) “The saints ‘embraced’ the promises. The Greek word signifies ‘salutes,’ as when we see a friend at a distance.” (Spurgeon, Blueletterbible.org) They were able to greet the distant promise with faith because they assuredly knew that their condition was temporary and their God was ever-faithful and trustworthy.

The Everyday Application

1) Who died without receiving what they were promised? (verse 13)

The term Hall of Faith is never used in the Bible. It is a title that has been used to describe Hebrews 11. It comes from the modern-day idea of the “Hall of Fame” which we find in the world of sports. One of the greatest honors of an athlete is to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. One of the remarkable things about it is the opportunity for fans to hear of the extraordinary athletes who they never saw play in their lifetime. In the same way, and of much more significance, is this chapter in the book of Hebrews.

God inspired the author to place these names on a list of people who HE wanted to be remembered for their faith. (verse 4) Reading the life stories behind these people, I’m shocked at the brokenness I discover. But God! He saw them differently. Oh, my sweet Sister, aren’t you glad? He has a perspective we don’t. He knew their hearts’ deepest desire.

Faith that is from God enables us to see the things not humanly revealed by our present experiences. This faith is perfected by God Himself. It’s not up to us, praise His glorious name!! We are broken people, but just like these, He sees and hears our cries for mercy. (Psalm 86)

A personal relationship with God begins when our eyes are opened to see His promises revealed in Jesus Christ. When we confess we are helpless to save ourselves, He welcomes our contrition and invites us to His heavenly dwelling, our eternal home. It’s a promise! (1 John 2:24-25) “O for the wonderful love He has promised for you and for me … Though we have sinned He has mercy and pardon for you and for me. Come home, come home … you who are weary come home.” (Softly and Tenderly, Will L. Thompson, pub.1880)

The Original Intent

2) What was the attitude of those who were seeking a different homeland? (verses 14-15)

The term foreigner in the Bible refers to a person who is just passing through. The verse describes them as “temporary residents.” These were willing to surrender control of their lives to God’s purposes and promises. They chose not to turn back to what they had left and known. Instead, they looked forward and believed God was faithful because He had proven to be so. Each of them needed to choose to trust God rather than go back to what they could see. This was the proof of their faith: continued hope amid the unseen. (verses 1-2) Their mantra had become “believing is seeing.”

We learn of the testing of Abraham’s faith in Hebrews 6:13-15. God had given him a specific promise after he obeyed God by offering up his son. Abraham trusted God to fulfill His promise by raising Isaac from the dead. (James 2:21-23, Genesis 22:16-18)

The author is prompting his readers to recall the history of faith in the Old Testament characters. He is also reminding them there is a history of faithfulness in their God. These could have returned to their homeland if they had been looking for an earthly inheritance. The living conditions “back home” were likely more developed than the place they found themselves wandering. I feel certain had they returned, their family and friends would have welcomed them with open arms. (Genesis 12:1-5)

But they didn’t go back because they were seeking a better country. A future one! There was a time Jacob fled to his familiar country, but he understood it was never to be his true homeland. (Genesis 30:25)

The Everyday Application

2) What was the attitude of those who were seeking a different homeland? (verses 14-15)

When you read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) you realize that not all who saw Jesus’ miracles in person believed in Him. When you talk to neighbors or coworkers, you’ll find the same to be true. Not everyone who hears or reads the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ miracles in the Gospels believe in Him. Many wonder if something that can’t be proven is true?!

The story is told of a pastor who met three young boys and asked them, “Do you want to go to heaven?” The pastor was shocked when one of them answered, “No, not me!” The perplexed pastor asked, “You don’t want to go to heaven when you die?” The boy answered much like we might answer if we were honest, “Oh, you mean when I die. I thought you were getting up a group to go today!” Some of us may share those feelings about Heaven.

Someday, it would be nice to go there. We may say we long for heaven, but we don’t necessarily wish to change our address today! The author of Hebrews reveals the discomfort the saints of old had with this world. They didn’t completely comprehend what the future promise meant for them, but they had learned to trust the God who made the promises.

We can too, my friend! We can have confidence that God made us for so much more than we can imagine! (2 Corinthians 5:4-8)

The Original Intent

3) Why was God not ashamed to be called their God, and what makes that reality so essential to this passage? (verse 16)

When God appeared to Moses, He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (Exodus 3:5-6) Even though these were frail and sinful people, God was pleased to identify Himself with them. He had made them and envisioned a better future for them. (Isaiah 64:4-8) God’s mercy toward humanity, represented by these, is demonstrated in the many times He identified Himself as “the God of Jacob”, who was quite possibly the least exemplary of these! (Psalm 146:1-10)

God is not ashamed to be called their God, and “He has prepared a city for them!” (verse 16) The Creator God (Genesis 1:1) has a city crafted just for them, one unlike their temporary dwelling places. This one has foundations “whose architect and builder is God.” (verse 10) It is God who has worked for them. The pleasure of God was rooted in what He had accomplished.

The author of Hebrews explains in the next chapter how salvation began with HIM and would be finished by HIM, that is the LORD Jesus Christ! (Hebrews 12:1-2) “Therefore” signals the reason God is not ashamed. (verse 16) It was because these desired a better country, the city God had made ready for them. Their desire was pleasing to God, and they would be rewarded for their faith.

God had made a promise to them. He would certainly fulfill it. (Genesis 15:1) Their desire demonstrated their faith in His promise of a new city. (Revelation 21:1-4)

The Everyday Application

3) Why was God not ashamed to be called their God, and what makes that reality so essential to this passage? (verse 16)

Sister, do you SEE it?! Do you FEEL it? Do you KNOW it?! I hope you do. We can surrender our lives to Jesus knowing that one day it will be worth it. John writes in 1 John 3:1-3 “that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”

Our hope in God’s promises reveal our faith in Him. The desire we have to one day look at the face of Jesus and spend eternity with Him MOVES the heart of God! Isn’t that incredible?!

Because of our faith, the faith HE has given us (Ephesians 2:8), He is preparing a place for us. He unashamedly calls us His own for He has forgiven us, redeemed us, and is shaping us to be like Him! Sister, it is our longing that points to the superior worth of what God offers compared to what the world offers.

While there are many questions we can’t answer about Heaven, we can know with certainty it will exceed all our imaginations and expectations. (1 Corinthians 2:9) The revelation to John talks of golden streets, walls and gates made of precious stones. (Revelation 1:1) God gave him a vision of indescribable beauty for us to gain a dim idea of how magnificent it will be.

The best part of Heaven, and what these understood, is that God Himself will live among His people. (Revelation 21:3) His glory will illuminate the earth as we dwell with Him. Hebrews says that these were not ever fully at home while they lived on earth. This is true for you and me, dear friend. We live on earth recognizing we will never fully belong and have yet to arrive at our destination.

But we live here with hope! This hope keeps us near Jesus, relying on His promise to hold us fast until the day He makes everything right and complete. (1 Peter 1:3-9)

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faith,glory,hope,saints
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Surrender Day 5
Journey Study

Will things go as we want?
Or will we be required to leave our comfort zones, surrender control, and trust the Lord with the results and outcomes?

When, like Abraham, our futures are unknown . . .
When, like Hannah, our souls are overwhelmed with anguish . . .
…will we surrender control to the God Whose plans are best for He sees the end from the beginning?
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Pause VI Day 9 Walk Wisely

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Pause VI Day 9 Walk Wisely

Melodye Reeves

January 12, 2023

Faith,Follow,Hope,Joy

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 3:1-6

1 In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.
To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.

2 Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh— 4 although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.

Read More Of His Words

“In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.” (Philippians 3:1)

Although Paul is only in the middle of his letter, he begins this section with a transitional phrase that reads like he’s about to conclude. It’s like a PS before he’s even finished, but if you’ve ever read a letter from Paul, you know this is typical for him. (If that’s you too, you’re in good company!)

We don’t know if Paul is referring to his repetitive theme of joy or if he’s about to repeat a previous warning, but we know he feels it’s important to say again what he’s already said to them. He passionately desired to see them walking wisely in faith.

“To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.” (Philippians 3:1)

As observed earlier in this letter, Paul pointed out that a sign of immaturity in the Christian is consistent grumbling and complaining. The mark of maturity is joyful obedience. A believer should be continually finding ways to rejoice in their unearned and undeserved salvation.

Paul exhorts (biblically, that’s earnest advice) the reader to be aware of anyone who would lead them to add anything to their salvation. As if anyone could add anything! Paul certainly never preached grace for his own benefit! He was persecuted harshly precisely because he preached the truth that we can only be rescued from our death sentence earned by our sin if we solely trust in Christ alone through faith alone, without a drop of our own work. (Ephesians 2:8-9) He was demoted from respected teacher of the Law to imprisoned apostle. All for one reason: Jesus crucified! He had reminded them that everything else was useless for salvation. It was all Christ.

Sisters, read through the list of Paul’s reasons to boast in today’s focus passage. Take note of Paul’s continual theme. If the song had been available in his day, I think Paul would have told the believers in Philippi to turn to a certain page in their hymn books and begin singing:
“I will not boast in anything – no gifts, no power, no wisdom.
But I will boast in Jesus Christ – His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom.”
(Stuart Townend, “How Deep The Father’s Love)

Today's Pause Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write out Philippians 3:1-6 . As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to radiate Jesus’ love to others as you hold tightly to the anchoring truth of the eternal confidence we have only through Christ!

a) Pitch in to do something above and beyond - serve the body of Christ in some way.

b) Consider sending your church leader(s) an email or card!

c) Check out some local ministries in your area and make plans to serve with them for an afternoon. Maybe it’s organizing school donations, serving soup, or stuffing backpacks for kids. Even better, get some friends to join you!

d) Prayer walking is a simple way to begin shifting the eyes of your heart to truly see others. Walk around your neighborhood, some city streets, the aisles of your grocery store, or intentionally sit at a local coffee shop and pray, pray, pray. Pray for the people around you, pray for hearts to turn towards Jesus, pray for your own heart to be ready to share the full gospel if given the chance. Don’t worry about seeing results, that’s God’s job!

e) Strike up a conversation with a random stranger. It may move to spiritual topics, it may not, but showing love to those outside our immediate circles always begins with a simple conversation. “What have you been doing today?” “Do you live nearby?” “Where do you go to church?” “What are your favorite local restaurants?” “What a cute handbag! Where did you get it?” These open-ended questions work well!

3) Share the exciting, bold ways you are living out your eternal confidence today with the rest of the GT Community! Our Facebook community page is always open! Or snap a photo and tag us on Instagram @gracefully_truthful

4) Continue your memory work: Philippians 3:13-14

Tags :
faith,joy,obedience,suffering
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Pause VI
Day 8!

What a joy for Paul to not only encourage them to be like Jesus, but to also send them two people who will show them how! Don’t you love these guys he’s sending? I can only imagine Paul’s selfless longing for the believers at Philippi to be strengthened by Timothy and Epaphroditus. I can see why Paul prayed what he did in Philippians 1:9-11.
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Jan 2 - Jan 20, 2023 - Journey Theme #112

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The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched X Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Many of us know the hard edges of pain, injustice, and sorrow we felt would surely swallow us whole, or worse, bit by bit. Joseph’s story, the longest recorded single narrative in Genesis, is fraught with many opportunities to sink into the waves of sorrow, bitterness, and injustice. But God’s love was, and always will be, the greatest game changer of every story. In His lavish love, He strengthened Joseph’s faith in the midst of suffering and, rather than allow him to be swallowed by grief and despair, slowly taught Joseph to trust the Almighty Sovereign God. We each have this same choice. Every day. Every moment. Inside of each second of mundane or pain, God has provided the opportunity to lean into Him with authentic honesty or pull back. When we lean in, He increases our faith, strengthens our souls, sustains us, and gives His courage and peace. When we pull back, we soon find ourselves running blind through a minefield of bitterness, anger, depression, and despair. In the end, we lose everything. Take time to identity the opportunities the Lord is giving you recently. Where do you find your heart turning?

2) Joseph wasn’t really looking for redemption. He certainly wasn’t expecting to see the familiar faces of his brothers amidst the sea of faces that day as they came to Egypt, bowing to him, to purchase grain. Redemption and restoration within his family relationships may have surprised Joseph, but it didn’t surprise the Lord. He had seen this day from long before Joseph’s brothers had plotted to murder him. The Lord knew redemption was coming when Joseph unjustly sat in prison. More so, the Lord knew all the internal wrestling, heart ache, and grieving hot tears Joseph would cry in the years between being sold into slavery and the day he would embrace his brothers with glad tears. God never once abandoned Joseph; not one of His promises was broken. The Lord proved faithful at every single point, and eventually, Joseph saw with his physical eyes what the Lord had taught him to see with his spiritual eyes: redemption. The Lord loves us far too much to simply give us what we think we want in the physical realm without first teaching us what we really need in the spiritual realm: God Himself. Wherever you are in your own journey, high hope or struggling to lift your head, be encouraged that the God of redemption sees you, and He knows your redemption story inside and out. Trust Him!

3) Every injustice. Every broken place. Every wound that has relentlessly damaged bodies and relationships. Every single tear that has stained our cheeks. Healed, made whole, and redeemed one day. Joseph experienced only a small sliver of the full redemption the Lord had planned for His people during his life. Joseph’s family experienced partial redemption and the nation of Israel was blessed temporarily with safe harbor and sustaining food for a season. Eventually, though, Israel became enslaved for 400 years and suffered significantly in many ways even into modern times. Still, their homecoming is sure and certain, and so is ours. Whatever good we experience and whatever redemption we receive in this life is merely a hint of the good restoration still to come for those who have trusted Christ completely for their salvation. When we choose to adjust our lens to see our struggles with the perspective of Home on the horizon, even hardship becomes more bearable. Practice turning over your perspective to the Lord this weekend. Ask Him to fix your gaze on the eternity to come! To help you anchor in this truth, marinate your soul in truths of Scripture like Revelation 21 and 22 and Psalm 27.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from John 13:7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, like Peter at the Last Supper, like Joseph in prison, like Israel wandering the desert, like Abraham leaving his homeland to follow Your lead, Your words speak truth to our reality, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.” (John 13:7) When You sat with Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3), when You commissioned Joshua to “be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:9), when You came to Isaiah in a vision (Isaiah 6), they had no way of knowing what You were doing in their timeline or how it would echo through the ages. But You did; You knew all along. You never cease to be faithful, steadfast, and true.

Teach us to trust You with our stories. Teach us to honestly bring You every piece of our painful suffering, surrendering it fully to You, and waiting with great, expectant Hope for Your sure and certain coming redemption. What You are doing now in our lives, we cannot comprehend the wide spectrum You have planned, but teach us to live by faith and not by sight. May our hearts choose praise, worship, and adoration now, whatever our circumstances look like. Here is my life, Lord God, make Your redemption known in its storyline!

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Sketched X Day 15 Coming Home

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 46:1-7
Genesis 46:28-47:12
Genesis 50
Romans 8:28
Revelation 21:3-4

Sketched X, Day 15

It was a day I thought I’d never see . . .

As I lay at the bottom of the well expecting to die;
as I came to grips with my new life of servitude in Egypt;
as I sat in jail, imprisoned for a crime I didn’t commit;
even as I knew success as governor of Egypt:
I never thought I would see my father again.

But, to my delight, after I finally revealed my identity to my brothers, Pharaoh told me to send them to get my father and the rest of the family. He offered them the best of the land of Egypt as their home. I could hardly wait to be reunited with my father at last.

I’ll never forget the moment I saw him. It was overwhelming. Both of us wept as we embraced one another, neither of us wanting to let go. So many years had passed, but the love between us had endured. He had believed me to be dead, and I had been unsure whether he was still alive. The pain brought by the years apart was eclipsed in an instant at the joy of being together again.

My father told me how God had spoken to him on the road to Egypt:

“I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back. Joseph will close your eyes when you die.” (Genesis 46:3-4)

It reassured me that in the mess of our family’s complicated story, God was sovereign. He had gone before us, He was with us, and He had a good plan for us. We had seen God’s faithfulness.

There were many happy times together in Egypt in the years that followed. My brothers worked as shepherds, and I successfully led Egypt through the remaining years of famine. Our family grew and flourished.

It sounds like this should be the end of the story, the part where “they all lived happily ever after,” but of course real life doesn’t work out like that. My father was growing old, and all too soon, the time came for him to join his ancestors in death.

We had seventeen years together in Egypt; a blessing I never dared dream possible. My father saw his grandsons and blessed them; his final years were filled with joy and gratitude at having the whole family together once more.

Before he died, my father asked to be buried with his grandfather, Abraham, and his father, Isaac. He had never forgotten God’s promise all these years, “I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back.” (Genesis 46:4)

Although he had prospered during his years in Egypt, Canaan was his home, the land God had promised, and he knew God would be faithful to His word. So, after seeking permission from Pharaoh, my brothers and I set out to lay our father to rest at home.

On our return to Egypt, I was surprised to receive a message from my brothers asking my forgiveness for how they had mistreated me. Didn’t they realise I had forgiven them long ago? Although I had assured them of this even before our father came to Egypt, it seems there was some lingering doubt causing them to speculate that now our father had died, I might decide to take my revenge!

I was overcome with sorrow at how worried they were, at how they must have tormented themselves over the years. Their actions were wrong and caused me great suffering, but, looking back, I see how, even in hardship, God was working for good. He led me to Egypt and put me in a position where I could save the lives of many people.

Through all that happened, God had been with me. How could I hold a grudge? I had known God’s kindness, the kindness  intended to lead to repentance (Romans 2:4), and I was more than happy to offer that same kindness to my brothers.

I comforted them and promised to care for them and their children, and I think this time they saw my sincerity.

As I look back over my life, I marvel at how God has worked and I’m grateful for how He has brought my brothers and me to this place of peace and flourishing. I trust God will keep His promise to bring my family back to Canaan one day, but I also look beyond Canaan to the day I will be reunited with my father again, forever this time, when we will dwell together with God at the great heavenly homecoming, the true happy ending.

“Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

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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!
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Sketched X Day 4 Shepherd Boy: Digging Deeper

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Sketched X Day 4 Shepherd Boy: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

July 14, 2022

Faith,Family,God,Love,Relationship,Sin

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Shepherd Boy"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 37:1-19

Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 2 These are the family records of Jacob.

At seventeen years of age, Joseph tended sheep with his brothers. The young man was working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought a bad report about them to their father.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age, and he made a long-sleeved robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him.

5 Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood up, and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.”

8 “Are you really going to reign over us?” his brothers asked him. “Are you really going to rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said.

9 Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

10 He told his father and brothers, and his father rebuked him. “What kind of dream is this that you have had?” he said. “Am I and your mother and your brothers really going to come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

12 His brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers, you know, are pasturing the flocks at Shechem. Get ready. I’m sending you to them.”

“I’m ready,” Joseph replied.

14 Then Israel said to him, “Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the Hebron Valley, and he went to Shechem.

15 A man found him there, wandering in the field, and asked him, “What are you looking for?”

16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph said. “Can you tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?”

17 “They’ve moved on from here,” the man said. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

18 They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Oh, look, here comes that dream expert!”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who is Jacob and what is his significance in the big picture of the Bible’s story? (verses 1-4)

Since the Bible is one big story written by God, it’s wise to place its characters within the context of the whole Bible. Verse 1, which places Jacob in Canaan, is connected to the preceding narrative as a conclusion to the early Jacob story we read in Genesis 25-36. (netbible.org)

When Jacob’s mother was pregnant with him and his twin brother, Esau, God told her there were “two nations” in her womb who would eventually be at war. (Genesis 25:23) Esau’s family records are preserved in Genesis 36 and Jacob’s family story is recorded in Genesis 37 as stated in verse 2. Isaac and Rebecca seemingly did not take the prophecy seriously enough regarding their sons being at odds as Jacob and Esau grew up with their parents playing favorites. (Genesis 25:27-28)

This devastating favoritism crept into the next generation (verse 3) resulting in unintended consequences for Jacob’s beloved son, Joseph. It was no secret who the favorite was, and Joseph’s bad report of his brothers’ deplorable actions didn’t help matters. The brothers were despicable characters, and through no fault of his own, Joseph was rejected by them. Receiving special treatment from his father caused such great resentment among them that they want Joseph out of the picture. Verse 4 tells us they treated Joseph with the worst possible treatment: hatred. This Hebrew word is used interchangeably with our English word “unloved’ in Genesis 29:31 and 33.

We hear unloved and may dismiss it inconsequentially until we understand it is the complete antithesis of God Himself. Of the 149 times “שָׂנֵא” is used in the Old Testament, the vast majority of instances occur when God speaks of sin. The Sovereign Almighty hates sin. And Joseph’s brothers hated him. The one their father deemed most important was the one they held in contempt.

The Everyday Application

1) Who is Jacob and what is his significance in the big picture of the Bible’s story? (verses 1-4)

Friend, have you been the casualty of favoritism in your family? It can be a painful experience causing years of hurt and lasting insecurity. One sad part of this story is the lesson unlearned.

How could Jacob not have recognized the damage favoritism would cause? He’d lived it! He had feared for his own life at one point, knowing the emotional distance there was between his brother and himself all those years ago. He surely remembered how all the problems were centered around his parents playing favorites.

Thankfully, the stories of Isaac and Jacob don’t end with them or the failures of their parents. Jacob had a son who chose to walk a better path. Even though Joseph’s story is filled with people who wished evil upon him, he trusted in his God. Like our Savior, Joseph chose mercy and forgiveness. (Genesis 50:15-21, Luke 23:32-43)

The bigger story is that we are all somewhat like Joseph’s brothers by choosing to sin against our Creator God. But oh, Sister, know this, there is a Redeemer! Jesus, God’s own Son “proved His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8 Once accepting this lavish love for ourselves, we are equipped by God’s Spirit to extend love to others.

While it’s easy to fall into hatred and wield the weapon of contempt, God’s love arms us with His goodness and kindness instead. Love well, Sisters, and leave hatred for sin and its destructive ways.

The Original Intent

2) Were dreams common in the lives of people in the Old Testament? (verses 5-11)

The Old Testament teaches that Joseph was not the only dreamer in the history of God’s people. God often used dreams and visions (waking dreams as in Numbers 24:2-4) to communicate with His people.

Check out the testimonies of dreams and visions in Genesis 15:1, Genesis 20:1-7, 1 Samuel 3:11, and Judges 7:13-14! Even Joseph’s own father, Jacob, received a message from God through a dream in Genesis 28:10-17. Dreams seem to have been frequent enough that their absence was noticed. (1 Samuel 3:1) It’s important to recognize that Joseph’s dreams were revelations from God and would eventually come to pass, but neither his brothers nor his father grasped their significance. I doubt even Joseph fully comprehended them until he witnessed their unfolding as God orchestrated the events. (Genesis 42:5-6)

The passage seems to indicate, though, that Joseph realized there was something important enough in those dreams that he should share them. Scripture gives no indication that Joseph was attempting to brag about his dreams, although we could conclude it wasn’t his most discerning approach to interaction with his brothers! (verse 8) Even so, as the brothers grew more resentful of Joseph, Jacob possibly recalled his own dream as he pondered the words of his son. (verse 11)

Though we aren’t told, perhaps he had finally learned to keep his strong feelings about Joseph to himself. Sadly, it was much too late for that recognition. He had driven a wedge so deep among the brothers it would change the course of their family history. Humanly speaking, of course, for God holds the final word of every story! (Genesis 50:19-20)

The Everyday Application

2) Were dreams common in the lives of people in the Old Testament? (verses 5-11)

As long as there have been humans, God has been working while they sleep. (Genesis 2:21, Psalm 42:8) There are several accounts in the Bible of dreamers. Some dreams were surprising and exciting like the one Gideon overheard in Judges 7:13-15. Some were disturbing dreams like King Nebuchadnezzar’s in Daniel 2:1-3. The prophet Daniel in the Old Testament (Daniel 7) and the apostle John (Revelation) in the New Testament both had visions given by God about the future and the last days. The Bible mentions several other visions and dreams throughout its pages.

Dreams were a way God revealed Himself to His people in special times, but there were serious cautions for those who claimed to have prophetic dreams. The Old Testament Law declared that if a prophet proclaimed a dream to people and then called them to worship another god, he was to be put to death even if the dream came true. (Deuteronomy 13:1-5) God has already told us that He alone is to be worshipped. Any dream that violates this foundational truth is not from Him which is why we study Scripture so we can confidently know what is true. God has revealed Himself to us through His promises found in His Word. He has told us we have everything we need to know in His word. (2 Peter 1:3-4)

I love that God works for us even when we don’t know it, and I’m thankful to know that whatever He’s doing is good for me. Sister, He’s singing and praying over you even now! Rejoice and be glad! (Zephaniah 3:14-17, Romans 8:24-28)

The Original Intent

3) Why did Joseph’s brothers despise him enough to plot against him? (verses 12-20)

The cards appear to be stacked against Joseph from the beginning of his life. While the causes of the brothers’ hatred for Joseph are detailed plainly in Genesis 37, they do not begin to uncover the troubled background of this family. His older brothers always knew their father loved his mother Rachel more than their mothers. (Genesis 29:28-30)

Though the text doesn’t say it explicitly, the brothers were likely aware that Jacob chose to protect Rachel and Joseph above all when confronted with a potentially dangerous encounter with his estranged brother. (Genesis 33:1-2) The implication in these passages from chapters 29 and 33 give us great insight into their strong feelings toward Joseph. Even if Joseph had never shared his dreams or worn his special coat, their hatred had been growing for years.

It wasn’t uncommon in those days for a younger brother to check on his older brothers and give a status report to their father. The Bible tells us that a young shepherd boy named David was sent by his father to check on his brothers and report back. (1 Samuel 17:17-20) But for Joseph, this was seen as more reason for his brothers to despise him. They knew he would give a bad report again. So, without pause, they immediately plotted against him when they saw him coming toward them. They had so much bitterness toward their younger brother, they even devised a plan to lie to their father about murdering him. (Genesis 37:20)

Vivid coats and vivid dreams had put them over the edge of reason. They had no mercy left in their wicked hearts. “Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”, they said mockingly. (verse 20) Little did they know that what they intended for evil in Joseph’s life, God would use to save a nation. (Genesis 50:15-21)

The Everyday Application

3) Why did Joseph’s brothers despise him enough to plot against him? (verses 12-20)

Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote the famous words in a poem, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” (Sonnet 43, Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1806–1861) We read in Genesis that Jacob loved Joseph more than all his brothers, and the brothers despised Joseph for the favoritism shown him. It seems they spent their days counting the ways they hated him. On the better days, they ignored him. On the worst day, they sold him.

But God!

Sweet friend, I don’t know if you feel rejected or despised by someone you care about. It may be that you have experienced years of pain because of someone else’s bitterness and resentment, not caused by anything you’ve done. I encourage you not to lose hope. The psalmist reminds us to cry out to God with our pain … AND our hope!

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long will I store up anxious concerns within me, agony in my mind every day? How long will my enemy dominate me? Consider me and answer, Lord my God. Restore brightness to my eyes; otherwise, I will sleep in death. My enemy will say, ‘I have triumphed over him’, and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in Your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance. I will sing to the Lord because He has treated me generously!” 
(Psalm 13)

Bring your honesty to the Lord for He will carry and sustain you in the midst of your hardship just as He did for Joseph!

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Shepherd Day 3
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The sun burned and sweat dripped down my back as I trudged home. We were supposed to be shepherding our father’s flocks, but Father needed to know about my brothers’ behavior. It’s my duty to give him an honest report of what’s happening, which is usually less than honorable.

I’ve watched the effect of Yahweh’s presence on my family. I remember how Father’s gait changed following his encounter with God one night. I was a young boy, but I know he hasn’t always walked with a limp.
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Sketched X Day 3 Shepherd Boy

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Sketched X Day 3 Shepherd Boy

Kendra Kuntz

July 13, 2022

Dream,Faith,Family,God,Love,Yahweh

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 37:1-19
Psalm 105:7-11
1 Samuel 16
John 10:11-18
Luke 2:25-35

The sun burned and sweat dripped down my back as I trudged home. We were supposed to be shepherding our father’s flocks, but Father needed to know about my brothers’ behavior. It’s my duty to give him an honest report of what’s happening, which is usually less than honorable.

I’ve watched the effect of Yahweh’s presence on my family. I remember how Father’s gait changed following his encounter with God one night. I was a young boy, but I know he hasn’t always walked with a limp. 

I’ve seen with my own eyes the place where Father entered into a covenant with Yahweh at Bethel.  (Genesis 35:1-15) I know the passion in Father’s eyes when he speaks of the covenant passed down since Great Grandfather Abraham. I know our family is flawed with three step-mothers, ten step-brothers, and a step-sister; what else can be expected? 

Despite the chaos of home, I know Yahweh is real. I know He has called our family to greatness, especially me. Because of His calling I must always be honest, even if I anger my brothers. I must uphold my duty to Yahweh and to Father.

Shortly after bringing Father the ill report on my brothers, Father gave me a special robe. It displayed every color of the rainbow and featured elaborate stitching and intricate details. I’d never seen a robe quite like this one. (Genesis 37:2-4)

Part of me filled with deep dread when he gave me the coat. My brothers were already livid with jealousy; everyone knows I’m Father’s favorite. When I was younger, they used to joke about Jacob, our father, being Grandfather’s favorite, but comments of Father’s favoritism toward me aren’t jovial; they drip with bitterness. 

This wonderful and exuberant coat, I really love it, and I love Father deeply. I don’t want to disappoint him, and I’m honored he knows me well enough to design a robe I’d thoroughly enjoy. 

So, I wore the robe with pride, but the familiar pit settled in my stomach when I saw my brothers’ faces. It’s hard to feel confident and loved when the only words they speak are cruel. They purposefully trip me, ignore me completely, or mimic my every move.  

Still, Yahweh reminds me of His hand on me. One night I had a dream of such vivid brilliance that I woke up breathless. It surely meant something! I felt a reassurance deep in my soul: Yahweh had something special planned for our family, like Great Grandfather Abraham and Grandfather Isaac promised. 

Perhaps if I told my brothers this dream, they’d feel Yahweh speaking to them, too.

Maybe they’d know He had an important plan for our family and even for me! 

Maybe, just maybe, they wouldn’t hate me as much if they knew Yahweh would use me for something great. 

“Brothers! Listen to my dream! It was so real and the colors so magnificent, it surely came from Yahweh!” I told them I’d dreamed we were binding sheaves in the field when my sheaf arose and stood upright.

At first, their faces held a mixture of amusement and leariness, but when I told them their sheaves encircled mine and bowed down, their faces reddened, burning with anger. 

“Oh, so you think you’re going to reign over us? You’re so full of yourself, you think we’re all going to bow to you? Ha!” They angrily laughed at me, then turned away. They hadn’t believed this dream came from Yahweh at all. 

A few days later, I had another dream. Like the last, my dream was so vivid I had to squint from the brightness of the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me. I woke up wondering if I’d even been dreaming. 

Perhaps if I told my brothers about this dream, too, they’d believe my first dream and they’d realize the importance of these dreams! Yahweh would use our family in mighty ways and He had a specific purpose for me! 

This time I shared my dream while Father and my brothers were together. However, my face flushed a flaming red this time, not from anger, but in shame as Father rebuked me. Even he, who knew me so well, didn’t understand the significance of this dream. 

It has been a few weeks since my last dream and once again, sweat drips down my face as I head toward Shechem to check on my brothers for Father. To honor Father, I donned my colorful robe and headed out to see my brothers, even though I know they’ll be angry to see me.

David: While King David wouldn’t descend from Abraham’s lineage for a few hundred years, he and Joseph were both the younger of many older brothers, who shepherded their father’s flocks. They both would start off as unassuming teenage shepherds who would one day shepherd entire nations with which God entrusted them. (1 Samuel 16)

Simeon: God spoke to Simeon through visions over one thousand years after He spoke to Joseph through dreams. Joseph would see his dreams come to fruition and eventually understand the meaning of them; so would Simeon. God is never-changing and the God who gives visions can be trusted. He is a promise-keeper. (Luke 2:25-35)

Jesus: Some scholars count as many as 105 similarities between Joseph and Jesus. As adolescents, both Jesus and Joseph were shepherds; however, Jesus was already shepherding the hearts of those around Him when He was just twelve years old. (Luke 2:41-52) There are many references to shepherding throughout the Bible, and all of them point to Jesus as The Good Shepherd. He is loved fiercely by His Father and faithfully cares for the sheep entrusted to Him (that’s us!). (John 10:11-18)

A Note About Sketched

In Sketched themes, we imaginatively step 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 viewed God, themselves, and the world around them.

Perhaps we will find parts of our story reflected in theirs!

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Sketched, Day 4
Digging Deeper

Friend, have you been the casualty of favoritism in your family? It can be a painful experience causing years of hurt and lasting insecurity. One sad part of this story is the lesson unlearned. How could Jacob not have recognized the damage favoritism would cause? He’d lived it! He had feared for his own life at one point, knowing the emotional distance there was between his brother and himself all those years ago. He surely remembered how all the problems were centered around his parents playing favorites. Thankfully, the stories of Isaac and Jacob don’t end with them or the failures of their parents.
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July 11 - July 29, 2022 - Journey Theme #110

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The GT Weekend! ~ Whole Week 3

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The GT Weekend! ~ Whole Week 3

Katelyn Palmer

July 9, 2022

Attention,Broken,Called,Captivating,Courage,Excuses,Faith,Faithfulness

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
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Pray His Words Back To Him!

2 Corinthians 4:7-9, 16-18

“Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed…Therefore do not give up…For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, life has been heavy lately for all of us. There is brokenness in this world we each feel. In this, remind us how desperately incomplete we are without You!

As loved ones and strangers alike inflict pain on me, Lord, please give me a heart that reflects Your love. You delight in mercy (Micah 7:18), and it was Your Son who taught us to forgive tenfold, not for the purpose of counting tallies against our brothers and sisters who hurt us, but with the knowledge that You forgive us everyday for our own sins. (Matthew 18:22, 35) You are the only One who can make our spirits feel whole, God, and I want so badly to show others what wholeness in You looks like!

When my mind and body grow weary in suffering, simplify my thoughts, God, and focus them on Your sweet, unending, incomprehensible love, Lord. Be my strength in these times of trouble and straighten my path so my steps do not falter. (Psalm 37:31, 39-40) I pray for my brothers and sisters in this same way, that we may be blameless in Your eyes, Yahweh. May it be as You’ve said that on the day of judgement, we will know You and will be made whole, praising You in all Your glory. It is in Your Son’s name I pray this, Amen.

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Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

A beautiful thing about God is His inclination toward mercy and forgiveness. He’s the purest embodiment of love, and we are made in His image! (Genesis 1:26) God shows us the ultimate act of love when Jesus died on the cross for our sin then resurrected, reconciling us to God so we may live with Him eternally. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

Eternal life with Him starts now and He has called us to spread the news of this ministry of reconciliation to lost souls in this life. (2 Corinthians 5:19-21) If we view our daily interactions and conflicts through this lens, forgiveness and mercy will come naturally. We have all been hurt and we have all hurt others, but with God as our example, we can reconcile our relationships.

Challenge yourself to understand why someone may have wronged you; ask questions and communicate your pain to them. If you wronged someone else, listen to them and allow them to feel heard. This creates a space to restore what was broken and move forward with love and hope rather than hate and fear. Remember, we are each more similar to one another than different, and often, we share the same fears.

JOURNAL TWO
Faith cultivates hope and hope presses us into action. The Bible overflows with beautiful promises of God and, as we place our faith upon His trustworthy word, He calls us into action. 

By studying the visions of Living Water and the Tree of Life (Revelation 22:1-7), we allow ourselves to be filled with the Lord’s joy and urgency of our mission. We must trust God’s timing and recognize our duty today to carry out the Great Commission of Christ. He commands us to spread the news of the Gospel and the Ministry of Reconciliation to the ends of the earth while we still have time! (Matthew 28:18-20) 

How do we begin this enormous task with our God’s Spirit living inside us and our brothers and sisters in Jesus linking arms together around the globe? 

Don’t overcomplicate it; invest in those around you. Perhaps it means volunteering at local soup kitchens and shelters, donating items and time, mentoring troubled children, or tithing at church. Or it may look like reaching out to someone at work or in your Bible study and spending intentional time with them. It can look like prayer groups and coffee dates and serving at church. Jesus made an impact by investing in people; let’s follow His example!
JOURNAL THREE
“Sonder” is an informal word (not in the dictionary) meaning the realization that each person, even strangers passing by, have a life as complex as one’s own. Every human being has a story; each has a past and a future; each has made mistakes, found success, and will do so again. Jesus came to forgive it all. 

In each of their stories these brave women shared, we see how difficult expressing pain and sorrow can be, but God is present. (Psalm 147:3; 34:17-18). In their stories, we realize we aren’t alone in our doubt and stress, but God is present (Philippians 4:7).

We all struggle with worry and anxiety, especially when plans don’t go as we expect, but God is present (Matthew 6:34). Through others’ stories, we remember we are not alone, but we’re also reminded how God is moving in our lives.

I challenge you to share how God has made you whole with someone in the next week and experience the joy of God’s stories in us used for His glory. Who knows what doors and fruitful conversation will open when we share about Jesus!
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Champion Day 8 Fearful Made Fierce

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Daniel 1:3-21
Daniel 2:27-30
Daniel 6:10-24
Philippians 1:3-11

Champion, Day 8

“Am I good enough?”
“How could God ever use me? I’m so weak in my faith, in my trust, in my understanding of You, God.”

These questions regularly pop into my head. Sometimes, when I look at the Bible Greats (those characters who *seem* to have it all together and act perfectly before the Lord), I get discouraged. I’m sure my name will never go down in recorded history for doing anything amazing. I’m a hot mess just trying to consistently read my Bible every day. How then do we approach the accounts of people in the Bible doing extraordinary things for the Lord?

Daniel is a Bible hero well-known for faithfully praying to the One True God, despite being forbidden by the king. He was thrown into a den of lions and the king expected him dead by morning. (Daniel 6:16-18)

Miraculously, when the king reached the den the next day, “Daniel said to the king, ‘May the king live forever. God sent His angels and shut the lions’ mouths; and they haven’t harmed me, for I was found innocent before Him. And also before you, Your Majesty, I have not done harm.’”  (Daniel 6:21-22)

Wow. Daniel’s faith must’ve been great to be considered innocent before God Almighty. Who was Daniel really? How did he get into this pickle?

Daniel and many others were captured and taken from their home in Israel to foreign Babylon. Forced to leave his family, along with everything familiar, Daniel was taken to a strange new place with many different customs and values.

His whole identity shifted to become Babylonian; he was even given a new name. In the midst of this upheaval, he needed to decide if he would continue following God Almighty or worship other gods, as was expected of him by the king. (Daniel 1:1-7)

As Daniel navigated such challenging circumstances, we see that behind every holy choice Daniel made, God was at work, revealing Himself as the true champion.

Daniel chose obedience when he and his friends decided to break the cultural norms and follow God.
The Lord gave them favor with the king, who then entrusted Daniel and the others with great responsibility.
By living in authentic community, they were able to support and encourage each other onward in obedience. (Daniel 1:17-21)
The Lord empowered Daniel to interpret dreams of several successive kings, a feat impossible for Babylonian sorcerers.
Daniel was humble, giving God the credit and glory for his ability. He was able to recognize his limitations and his need for God’s power.

“No wise man, medium, magician, or diviner is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen[.]” (Daniel 2:27-28)

Notice who Daniel didn’t mention?

Himself.

Standing before the king, in possession of an extraordinary ability, facing an opportunity to curry earthly status and success in a new land . . . and Daniel recognized this as an encounter between the king and God, with Daniel simply present as God’s voice.

Daniel demonstrated this understanding as he closed his speech before the king.
“As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king[.]” (Daniel 2:30)

Repeatedly, the Lord provided perfectly for Daniel. 

The Lord showed Daniel how to be wise with heavenly wisdom.
The Lord gave Daniel strength to be faithful to the truth.
The Lord God Almighty carried Daniel through every trial he experienced;
he was never alone.

At first glance, it’s easy to think we could never do what Daniel did.
In all actuality, he was a boy who was kidnapped and forced to live in a new place.
His God, however, was and is extraordinary.

Daniel chose to be obedient, and the Lord provided for him.
Ladies, the Lord is faithful to finish the work He’s started in us until He returns again! (Philippians 1:6) He is our champion, our rescuer and redeemer!

Lord God Almighty, we long to be great for You. Give us pure hearts when we do what You’ve called us to, humble us if there is any pride in us. Give us favor with those in positions of authority over us. Let us respond with faithful, simple obedience, Lord. Jesus, give us courage to live in community that will keep us accountable. We wait for you to show Your face to us, so we might follow You. We trust you, Lord! In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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