Darkness and Light
The Challenges Come…
All is well.
My anchor holds.
God is good.
I have peace.
Jesus heals.
These are phrases I use regularly these days. I believe the words. As I write these words down in the middle of the night I feel again like the father of the possessed boy… “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”
Because the challenges come. Holes are poked in our faith. We’re reminded that we’re human - flawed, limited, imperfect. The voices I hear in the middle of the night are the loudest sometimes. That pain in my side gets into my head - “healing isn’t coming, what makes you so special that you think you deserve healing?” A moment of correction rings out, repeating itself, creating doubt in my ability to serve and shepherd well. Simple mistakes brought to mind take on a life of their own and grow and spin and morph into something bigger. Questions come, worries accumulate, the noise gets overwhelming as I stare into the darkness.
But… Light. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.”
John 1:5 CEB
Who am I, God that you are mindful of me? Maybe that’s the wrong question.
Who are YOU, Lord of creation, that you draw me out of my challenges and remind me that you are near? Who are YOU, Prince of Peace, that you have paid it all for us so we can call on your name in the darkness? Who are YOU, Spirit of Truth, that you quiet the noise and shine light in the darkness that surrounds and tries to overtake and distract us from your mercy and grace and love?
You LORD, are the object of my worship. You LORD, are the messenger of perfect peace. You LORD, are the light that shines in the darkness and reminds me that the voices of challenge will come. Faith will be tested. But, You, Lord, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith advocates for us still today. And if you are for us, who can stand against us?
So, help me Lord, to take the thoughts and the correction and the reminders of my humanity, and order them rightly. I pray, do not let the circumstances of life be overwhelming, but instead be guideposts on the journey - opportunities for reflection and positive growth in Your likeness, Lord. Guide me forward by your grace. May this journey bring You honor and glory. Thank you for being Light in the darkness.
The challenges come. And You promise to be with us, to comfort, and to guide us. And You are faithful. So we can say…
All is well.
My anchor holds.
God is good.
I have peace.
Jesus heals.
My anchor holds.
God is good.
I have peace.
Jesus heals.
These are phrases I use regularly these days. I believe the words. As I write these words down in the middle of the night I feel again like the father of the possessed boy… “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”
Because the challenges come. Holes are poked in our faith. We’re reminded that we’re human - flawed, limited, imperfect. The voices I hear in the middle of the night are the loudest sometimes. That pain in my side gets into my head - “healing isn’t coming, what makes you so special that you think you deserve healing?” A moment of correction rings out, repeating itself, creating doubt in my ability to serve and shepherd well. Simple mistakes brought to mind take on a life of their own and grow and spin and morph into something bigger. Questions come, worries accumulate, the noise gets overwhelming as I stare into the darkness.
But… Light. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.”
John 1:5 CEB
Who am I, God that you are mindful of me? Maybe that’s the wrong question.
Who are YOU, Lord of creation, that you draw me out of my challenges and remind me that you are near? Who are YOU, Prince of Peace, that you have paid it all for us so we can call on your name in the darkness? Who are YOU, Spirit of Truth, that you quiet the noise and shine light in the darkness that surrounds and tries to overtake and distract us from your mercy and grace and love?
You LORD, are the object of my worship. You LORD, are the messenger of perfect peace. You LORD, are the light that shines in the darkness and reminds me that the voices of challenge will come. Faith will be tested. But, You, Lord, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith advocates for us still today. And if you are for us, who can stand against us?
So, help me Lord, to take the thoughts and the correction and the reminders of my humanity, and order them rightly. I pray, do not let the circumstances of life be overwhelming, but instead be guideposts on the journey - opportunities for reflection and positive growth in Your likeness, Lord. Guide me forward by your grace. May this journey bring You honor and glory. Thank you for being Light in the darkness.
The challenges come. And You promise to be with us, to comfort, and to guide us. And You are faithful. So we can say…
All is well.
My anchor holds.
God is good.
I have peace.
Jesus heals.
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January
Day 1: Genesis 1-3; Psalm 1Day 2: Genesis 4-7; Psalm 2Day 3: Genesis 8-11; Psalm 3Day 4: Genesis 12-15; Psalm 4Day 5: Genesis 16-18; Psalm 5Day 6: Genesis 19-21; Psalm 6Day 7: Genesis 22-24; Psalm 7Day 8: Genesis 25-26; Psalm 8Day 9: Genesis 27-29; Psalm 9Day 10: Genesis 30-31; Psalm 10Day 11: Genesis 32-33; Psalm 11Day 12: Genesis 34-36; Psalm 12Day 13: Genesis 37-39; Psalm 13Day 14: Genesis 40-41; Psalm 14Day 15: Genesis 42-44; Psalm 15Day 16: Genesis 45-46; Psalm 16Day 17: Genesis 47-49; Psalm 17Day 18: Genesis 50 - Exodus 3; Psalm 18Day 19: Exodus 4-6; Psalm 19Day 20: Exodus 7-8; Psalm 20Day 21: Exodus 9-11; Psalm 21Day 22: Exodus 12-13; Psalm 22Day 23: Exodus 14-16; Psalm 23Day 24: Exodus 17-20; Psalm 24Day 25: Exodus 21-22; Psalm 25Day 26: Exodus 23-25; Psalm 26Day 27: Exodus 26-28; Psalm 27Day 28: Exodus 29; Psalm 28Day 29: Exodus 30-32; Psalm 29Day 30: Exodus 33-35; Psalm 30Day 31: Exodus 36-38; Psalm 31
February
Day 32: Exodus 39-40; Psalm 32Day 33: Leviticus 1-4; Psalm 33Day 34: Leviticus 5-6; Psalm 34Day 35: Leviticus 7-9; Psalm 35Day 36: Leviticus 10-12; Psalm 36Day 37: Leviticus 13; Psalm 37Day 38: Leviticus 14-15; Psalm 38Day 39: Leviticus 16-17; Psalm 39Day 40: Leviticus 18-20; Psalm 40Day 41: Leviticus 21-23; Psalm 41Day 42: Leviticus 24-25; Psalm 42Day 43: Leviticus 26-27; Psalm 43Day 44: Numbers 1-2; Psalm 44Day 45: Numbers 3; Psalm 45Day 46: Numbers 4-6; Psalm 46Day 47: Numbers 7; Psalm 47Day 48: Numbers 8-10; Psalm 48Day 49: Numbers 11-13; Psalm 49Day 50: Numbers 14-15; Psalm 50Day 51: Numbers 16-17; Psalm 51Day 52: Numbers 18-20; Psalm 52Day 53: Numbers 21-22; Psalm 53Day 54: Numbers 23-25; Psalm 54Day 55: Numbers 26-28; Psalm 55Day 56: Numbers 29-30; Psalm 56Day 57: Numbers 31-32; Psalm 57Day 58: Numbers 33-35; Psalm 58Day 59: Numbers 36 - Deuteronomy 1; Psalm 59Day 60: Deuteronomy 2-3; Psalm 60
March
Day 61: Deuteronomy 4-6; Psalm 61Day 62: Deuteronomy 7-9; Psalm 62Day 63: Deuteronomy 10-11; Psalm 63Day 64: Deuteronomy 12-14; Psalm 64Day 65: Deuteronomy 15-17; Psalm 65Day 66: Deuteronomy 18-20; Psalm 66Day 67: Deuteronomy 21-23; Psalm 67Day 68: Deuteronomy 24-26; Psalm 68Day 69: Deuteronomy 27-28; Psalm 69Day 70: Deuteronomy 29-30; Psalm 70Day 71: Deuteronomy 31-32; Psalm 71Day 72: Deuteronomy 33 - Joshua 2; Psalm 72Day 73: Joshua 3-5; Psalm 73Day 74: Joshua 6-7; Psalm 74Day 75: Joshua 8-10; Psalm 75Day 76: Joshua 11-12; Psalm 76Day 77: Joshua 13-16; Psalm 77Day 78: Joshua 17-19; Psalm 78Day 79: Joshua 20-22; Psalm 79
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