Google
AWESOME DEVOTIONS: 2010

Sunday, January 10, 2010

No Matter the Weather, the SON Always Shines!


It has been a dreary few weeks here in West Virginia. I don't think it has stopped snowing and the temperatures are about 25 degrees below normal. We haven't seen the sun in weeks - until today! I woke up this morning and looked out my window expecting to see what I have seen the last few weeks - snow on the ground and still falling. But to my surprise and delight I looked out to no snow falling and the sun shining. Granted it is still cold outside but we are supposed to have a high of 23 degrees today! But the sun is shining!

I immediately thought of how dreary the weather had been and how dreary it had made me start to feel. While I cannot always get out of the house due to physical limitations, it is still depressing to not be able to do anything even if I feel like it because of the weather. And for such a long period of time. I haven't even been able to celebrate the holidays with my daughter yet because of the weather.

But then I thought of no matter how dreary the weather is and no matter how long it is that we don't see the sun, God's SON always shines and is always there for us! What a comforting thought to know that God's son Jesus Christ is always there to help us through the cloudy times! He is our encourager when times are gray. He is our shelter from the storms of life. He can turn sadness into gladness, gloom and despair into hope and reassurance.

Lord, thank you for your SON who always shines. Thank you that no matter how dreary our lives may seem and no matter how many storms we may face, He is always there for us to brighten our day, to protect us, to love us, to shelter us. Thank you, Lord!


When Jesus spoke to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12









Friday, January 1, 2010

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

Happy New Year! Today is the day that we all make resolutions for the new year. We say we will lose weight, quit smoking, get out of debt, be kinder to our families and friends, just become a "new person"! But most of us rarely keep our resolutions. Usually within a few weeks we have quit our diet, started smoking again, pulled out the credit card and bought something we really wanted but truly didn't need, yelled at our kids, took our bad days out on our spouses.

But there is a way that we can start fresh and become new and that is through Christ Jesus. We can turn to Christ who truly gives us the opportunity to forget our past and truly become new. The thought of being able to do this truly fills me with joy! It means that we have a never ending supply of hope and endless opportunities to move forward! We can have the courage to deal with our past failures and move forward in Christ. We have the opportunity to lead more meaningful, Christ-centered lifes. We can look forward to a future of peace and security and hope that only Christ can give.

Lord, thank you for the opportunity to start this year anew with the hope that only you can give. Thank you for forgiving us our past defeats and helping us to live the life that you want us to live. Thank you, Lord, for your never ending supply of hope. Help us to live this year as you would have us live - showing you in everything we do and giving you the glory.

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14