Today's Verse - Joshua 1:9

Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

—Joshua 1:9

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Never forgotten!
Never abandoned!
Never alone!
What a promise. God promised Joshua that he would go with him into the unknown future. The Father has promised us that he will go with us through all the seasons of life. He was there at our conception, molding us, and he will be with us through all our ups and downs, through temptations and triumphs, even through death (Psalms 139:1-24). Nothing can separate us from the love of God we have through Christ Jesus our LORD (Romans 8:35-39). So we can believe God's promise, feel his strength, and launch into our unknown future with courage. We are not, nor will we ever be, alone, abandoned, or forgotten!

My Prayer...

O God, the one who is and was and is to come, thank you for being with me and staying near me when all others forsake and leave me. You are the one constant in my life, a life so full of change. Help me be steadfast and faithful in my commitments and relationships. May those commitments and relationships all honor you. Through the intercession and by the authority of Jesus, who will never forget or leave me, I pray. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

Today's Verse - Isaiah 55:8-9

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

—Isaiah 55:8-9

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

No matter how hard we try to perceive the awesomeness of God, he is still God, and we are not. We must forever remember that the original, and still primary, sin was seeking to become equal to God. We are to know God, and we should seek to know about God, but we can never fully know everything about him or become equal with him. Trying to become equal to God and losing our sense of reverence and awe for God are at the heart of all sin. While we should seek to put on God's righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful lovingkindness, in humility, we recognize that we cannot begin to approach his majesty, righteousness, wisdom, or holiness on our own. When we have done our best to describe and praise our glorious God, what Job said centuries ago is true:

"And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?” (Job 26:14)

However, by God's grace, the promise remains that one day we will be like him and see him as he is (1 John 3:1-3) and will know him fully even as we are fully known (1 Corinthians 13:11-12). We wait in eager expectation of that day!

My Prayer...

Tender Shepherd, thank you for your patience with me. I cannot fully understand or appreciate your holy, transcendent character and glorious nature. Thank you for sending Jesus so I can know you better and trust you to know me more than I know myself. I look forward to seeing you face-to-face when Jesus comes to bring me home to you. Until that day, please know I love you. In the name of Jesus, I humbly offer my thanks and praise. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

Today's Verse - Job 23:10-11

He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.

—Job 23:10-11

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

How we long for Job's words in this verse to be our true confession. We are not yet gold, but long to be. We are not yet fully following the LORDs steps, but are trying to follow faithfully. We have tried not to turn aside from God's ways, but we sometimes falter. Thank God for his grace until our intentions and desires are fulfilled in our genuine discipleship. Until that day, we pursue Jesus as we seek to reflect his character and compassion, trusting in the Holy Spirit to do the work of transformation (2 Corinthians 3:18) so that the following may be true of us as it was in Jesus:

He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.

My Prayer...

Magnificent Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, I confess my sin and my inadequacies in following your paths completely. Forgive me as I commit my life to serve you in holiness and joy. Thank you for your grace, which covers my sin and perfects in me the character of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. In the name of my Savior, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.