The Palms of His Hands

DAILY VERSE

See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.

– Isaiah 49:16

DEVOTION

Sometimes God seems far away or far removed from our lives. We desperately search for God’s presence, but we can’t seem to find Him. He feels distant or even absent.

But God puts this notion to rest. In biblical times it was common for servants to have their master’s name tattooed on their hands. Who would expect that God would take the role of the servant and write our names on the palms of His hands?

God is not distant, He is present always!

Shrinking God to Our Size

DAILY VERSE

“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.

– Isaiah 40:25

DEVOTION

Discouragement can be a half-truth; it can see the truth of a challenging situation, but it lies about God’s part in solving the issue. We must stop thinking of God as being small. Our hearts are easy prey when our problems seem bigger than God can handle. 

If we take the greatness of God and shrink Him down to our human understanding, it can seem as if we are magnifying our problems to be greater than God. 

Discouragement grows when we shrink God down to our size.

Letting Go

DAILY VERSE

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

– Philippians 2:13

DEVOTION

Salvation is all about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It’s about relinquishing control and allowing God to guide your decision making. From the day you accepted God’s free gift you embarked an a lifetime journey of sanctification.

We have to let go of our selfish, self-centered nature and strive to be more like Christ. That means letting go of the wheel and sitting in the passenger seat.

He Has a Better Way

DAILY VERSE

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

– Psalms 37:5

DEVOTION

When you’ve been waiting for an extended period of time, these words can make you question if you’ve been waiting on the right thing. You begin to question yourself, your discernment, and sometimes your sanity. Even when you’ve succumbed and tried to focus your energy somewhere else, even those things don’t seem to lead anywhere.

I know it can be tough, but even in those times, I still am certain that whatever God has planned will be better than anything I could’ve imagined.

Don’t lose faith, God always has a better way!

Be a Fruit Barer

DAILY VERSE

They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.

Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

– Jeremiah 17:8

DEVOTION

Picture are large tree that grows next to a large, flowing body of water. Being constantly fed, the tree is huge, full of healthy leaves that provide shelter and shade. If it’s a fruit tree, it’s branches are heavy with fruit.

Now picture a tree where there is widespread drought. There are no leaves, no fruit, and the limbs a brittle.

If you are in search of sustenance, which tree are you hoping to see? The trees are also symbolic of the life of someone who maintains their focus on God; they read scripture daily, pray several times a day, and seek God in all situations.

Strive to be a fruit barer!

You Matter to God!

DAILY VERSE

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

– Romans 8:38

DEVOTION

God loves you completely and obsessively. Not for who you might become, but for who you are today. Not your mistakes. Not your attitudes. Not your failures and doubts. Nothing you’ve done has shifted God’s loving gaze away from you.

He knows the brokenness in your heart. None of your pain has gone unnoticed. God wants to heal your broken heart. And at the same time He wants to use your brokenness to heal others.

You matter to God!

Equipped to Conquer

DAILY VERSE

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

– Psalms 34:19

DEVOTION

Many people are under the impression that by becoming a follower of Christ, they’ll be walking into a trouble-free life. This is quickly dispelled. The disciples were persecuted mercilessly. Some were hung, most were beaten, some were imprisoned, and almost all were killed because of their faith.

Following Jesus does not make us immune to the troubles of this world. No, it gives us the power to endure them with our faith intact.

God has equipped us to conquer!

Rejoice!

DAILY VERSE

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

– Romans 12:12

DEVOTION

Before you face a trial, you go into it with a confident hope. You’ve acknowledged God’s existence, believed in Jesus Christ, and secured your salvation. For that, you can certainly rejoice!

This verse says, that in knowing that, you should patiently wade through the deep waters of a trial hopeful.

Prayer is the way we stay grounded. We have 24/7 access to God to petition Him for peace and direction. All the while, remembering that no man can take away what God has ordained.

Rejoice, and know going in, God is by your side and will not forsake you!

Humble Yourself

DAILY VERSE

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.

– 1 Peter 5:6

DEVOTION

If you’ve ever gone through a long period of trials you know how tough it can be. It’s easy to wonder if it was something you did that caused it. As time passes without resolve, you wonder why it’s taking so long.

More often than not, God is waiting for us to let go. To humble ourselves and allow Him to work things out. Most of us do this in spirts. We let go, then grab a hold again. God may be waiting for you to fully let go or there may be something you’re struggling with that He wants you to put aside. 

Humble yourself. Allow God to bring you a victory! 

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize!

DAILY VERSE

…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

– Hebrews 12:1

DEVOTION

Some runners tend to look back over their shoulder while they’re running a race. It’s like they need the added pressure of someone catching up to them to motivate them.

For the Christian, looking behind can hamper your growth or hold you back from what God has planned for you. Paul said he had stopped looking back. Instead, he was laser focused on the trophy that awaited the first to cross the finish line.

Keep your eyes focused on the prize and God will show you a life that as full!