Shaky Ground and Darkness

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


“On shaky ground” means I’m in an uncomfortable position. “In the dark” means I don’t know what’s going on. Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1922) knew the feeling and wrote these words:

 

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground. 

Like Oatman, I’m aiming higher, above earthquakes and beyond eclipses — where the ground is solid and the light is always bright.

 

Good morning, Lord. I read the news and hear updates from around the world, and I see creeping chaos. If I dwell on it, I’m terrified. Fill me with hope, O God! Place in my heart a sincere longing for Your coming kingdom, for eternal peace and rest — no more pain, no more conflict, no more power grabs, no more lies, no more destruction. Fill my soul with the hope of heaven.

 

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Earthquake, Eclipse and Easter

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Friday, I felt a small earthquake. On Monday, I saw a partial eclipse. It brought to mind Scripture I read during Easter week.

 

Matthew 27:45, 50-51 (ESV)
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour … Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

… And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

I just got a tiny peek into the big picture.

 

Good morning, Lord. I see so much that reminds me of Your glory and power: the bright yellow of forsythia and the soft pink of cherry trees, the blue of the skies and the dark thunder clouds, the hustling squirrels and plodding bears. Sometimes Your power is beautiful, sometimes it is scary. Teach me to both love and fear You.


Fill me with reverence for Your holiness, gratitude for Your grace.

 

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The Unexpected and the Predictable

Posted on April 9, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Friday: an unexpected earthquake
Monday: a much-anticipated eclipse

They bring to mind God’s conversation with Job (read the whole thing in Job, chapters 38-42).

 

Job 38:4, 33 (NIV)
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand …
Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?”

God does both the expected and unexpected (that is, unexpected by us — God is never surprised). On earth and in heaven, God reigns! Declare along with Job:

Job 42:2
“I know that you can do all things;
 no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

 


Good morning, Lord. Sometimes I’m certain of my purpose for the day and sometimes You surprise me. Either way, teach me to obey. Grant me wisdom as I make up today’s to-do list and let me hold it loosely–willing to let it go and change it up as You direct. Your will, not mine, be done.

 

 

 

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Eclipsing the Glory

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Psalm 19:1 (NIV)
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

The sun and the moon declare the glory of God … especially during today’s eclipse.

 

 


Good morning, Lord. Augustine said it better than I can:

 


“Lead us, O God, from the sight of the lovely things of the world
To the thought of Thee their Creator;
And grant that delighting in the beautiful things of Thy creation,
we may delight in Thee, the first Author of beauty
and the Sovereign Lord of all Thy works, blessed for evermore.”
Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

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With and In

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

“Christ with me,
Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left.”
St. Patrick (5th century)


Christ in me. Christ around me. I am never alone.

 


Good morning, Lord. “Christ in me,” like the air I breathe. Everywhere I go, You go. And yet, I am not in charge. Sometimes, I confess, I try to push You into a dark corner, simply because I want to think or do something You wouldn’t. Silly me, thinking I can push God around. Forgive my foolishness!


Shine Your light into all the dark places of my soul, Lord. Shine, Jesus, shine.

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More or Less

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

John 3:30 (NLT)
He must become greater and greater,
and I must become less and less.

 

Less me, more God. Less self-centered, more God-centered.

 

Good morning, Lord. I know the world doesn’t revolve around me, but sometimes I act like it does. I ask You to rearrange things for my benefit, without stopping to think how it would impact others. Give my eyes to see the wide view. Teach me to think less about myself, more about others and most about You.

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Up and Down

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Psalm 139:7-8 (NIV)
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.


Up or down … God is there. God is everywhere. 


Good morning, Lord. I know You are with me in the mountaintop moments. But “even when I walk through the darkest valley … You are with me” (Psalm 23:4). I am never alone. I don’t have to see You to know it is true. Thank You.

 

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Magnify!

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Psalm 34:3 (ESV)
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

 

Magnify the Lord? He’s already the greatest, kindest, strongest, holiest One in the universe. He needs no magnification. It’s us … we need to magnify our understanding, our reverence, our devotion, our worship.

 

Good morning, Lord. Let me start my day by meditating on You: Your power, grace, mercy, righteousness, goodness, wisdom, love. I consider Your holiness and perfection, and I cannot find the words to properly describe You. My best thought is only a poor reflection of all that You are. I fall to my knees in amazement and awe. 

 

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From Easter to Pentecost

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Today is the first of the 50 days between Resurrection and Pentecost Sunday.

 

 

“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart, O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.”
Robert Robinson, 1758

 


Good morning, Lord. Yesterday we celebrated Your victory of death — hallelujah!  Today and in the days to come, there will be moments when I forget about Your victory, moments when I forget about You, moments when I rebel. Yes indeed, I am “prone to wander.”


Holy Spirit, bind my heart to You. Fix my eyes and ears on You. Seal my relationship with You for all eternity.

 

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Holy Week: Dark and Light

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Friday … the crucifixion … darkness.

Luke 23:44 (AMP)
It was now about the sixth hour (noon), and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.)


The sun couldn’t keep watch. But in the end, we know, the Light of the world prevailed.

 

 

Good morning, Lord. Thank You for the darkness of the crucifixion. Thank You for the light of the resurrection. Thank You for opening the way from death to eternal life. I cannot understand it, I do not deserve it — the kind of love that gives till it hurts, that gives unto death, that gives up the glories of heaven to become servant and Savior.


Mere gratitude is not enough, I owe You my life, my time, my talents, my all.

.

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