For Memorial Day

Posted on May 27, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


“O beautiful for heroes proved
in liberating strife,
who more than self their country loved,
and mercy more than life!

 

America! America! May God thy gold refine,
till all success be nobleness,
and every gain divine.”
Katherine Lee Bates, 1893

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See God with Us (Emmanuel)

Posted on May 24, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


“By the light of nature we see God as a God above us, by the light of the law we see Him as a God against us, but by the light of the gospel we see Him as Emmanuel, God with us.”
Matthew Henry (1662-1714)

 

Some folks think God is too far away to care. Some folks think they aren’t good enough for God to care about them. Truth is, God is as close as the air we breathe. He absolutely cares. 

 

 

Good morning, Lord. Thank You for seeing me, for caring about me, for dying for my sins. As I go about my business today, let me see You at my side. Let me hear Your voice of instruction. Let me feel Your love filling my heart.


Teach me to love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Show me how to love others as I love myself (Matthew 22:37-39).

 

 

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Look Up and See God

Posted on May 23, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Psalm 19:1-2 (NLT)
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.


Look up and see God. See Him in the sun, moon, stars, sunrise, clouds and lightening. See the Creator in His creation.

 


Good morning, Lord. I don’t understand how folks can see the changing sky and not see You. I am amazed by the orderly movement of stars in the night sky, the ever-changing colors of sunrise and sunset, and the vast variety of cloud formations moving from horizon to horizon. I see Your beauty on display and Your power at work.

If this is how things look from earth, I cannot imagine the glory of heaven. Thank You for this preview of coming attractions.

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God Who Sees

Posted on May 22, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Hagar, an Egyptian slave, got caught in the drama between Abram and Sarai and their inability to have a child. Pregnant and unhappy, Hagar ran away. Alone in the wilderness, she had a life-changing conversation.


Genesis 16:13 (EXB)
The slave girl gave a name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are ‘·God who sees me [or God of seeing; Hebrew El-Roi]’ ” because she said to herself, “Have I really seen God who sees me?”

Hagar — a foreigner and a slave — gave God a name.  Unexpected. But that’s how God works.

 


Good morning, Lord. Teach me to see You, even when I don’t expect to. It’s easy to see You in the glorious sunrise and the spring flowers. Give me eyes to see You in dreary mornings and dirty snowbanks. Teach me to see Your image in “the least of these my brothers and sisters” (Matthew 25:40). 


Let me see things the way You do, El-Roi. Show me the bigger picture.

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God Sees Me

Posted on May 21, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 


Psalm 33:18 (MSG)
Watch this: God’s eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love.

 

 

I look for God. He sees me. Works both ways, yay!

[Note to self: I can’t hide from God. He sees.]

 

 

Good morning, Lord. There are times when I try to hide from You, times I wish You weren’t watching me. When that happens, I’m doing something I shouldn’t. Forgive my wrongdoing, forgive my rebellion, forgive my stubborn attitude.


On the other hand, I am never alone — You are always with me. For that, I am thankful.

 

 

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God Sees

Posted on May 20, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Proverbs 15:3 (ESV)
The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.

 

Sometimes I think God isn’t paying attention.

I’m wrong. He sees it all.

 

Good morning, Lord. I believe You are all-seeing and all-powerful. When bad things happen, it’s not that You don’t see or don’t care. You created us with free will, and our actions have consequences. Sometimes innocent folks suffer the consequences of someone else’s actions. Truth be told, my free will sometimes gets me into trouble, or makes trouble for others.

Forgive me for my wrongful deeds. Forgive me for blaming You when someone else’s deeds hurt me. Teach me to trust You, to know that You see it all and are always with me.

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WWJW (What Would Jesus Wear?)

Posted on May 17, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

The Bible says this about the clothes Jesus wore:

 

 

John 19:23-24 (ESV)
 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.”

It’s vague. Apparently, the clothes Jesus wore were unremarkable. Folks paid attention to his words and deeds, not his attire.

I want to be like Jesus and be remembered for what I say and do, not what I wear.

 

 

Good morning, Lord. Forgive me for judging others by how they look. Help me forgive people who make snap judgments about me. May we all learn to look deeper, to see Your image stamped on each soul.

 

O God, I want to wear Your image well. Show me how to live — how I look, how I think, what I say, what I do — in ways that honor You.

 

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What Should I Spend?

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Decades ago, I heard someone say that most American adults could go three years without buying any new clothes.  Certainly, it’s been true for me. Right now, I have a closet full of shirts, dresses, pants and sweaters.


John the Baptist’s words come to mind.

Luke 3:11 (NLT)
“If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”

I have more than enough, but still I buy more. I have money to spend on things I want but don’t need. Clearly, I can afford to be generous.

 


Good morning, Lord. Give me eyes to see when someone else needs what I have to share, be it clothes, food, help or encouragement. Teach me to hold my resources with open hands, to be willing to let go of what I’ve earned or been given when someone else needs it more than I do.


All that I have comes from You, O God. I want to be a wise steward of Your gifts, so be it, amen.

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What to Wear? Keep It Simple

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


“Always remember the essence of Christian holiness is simplicity and purity: one design, one desire: entire devotion to God.”
John Wesley (1703-1791)

 

It’s simple: what I wear should line up both with God’s plan for me and my devotion to Him.

1 Peter 3:3-4 (NLT)
Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

It’s not about my outfit. It’s all about the state of my spirit.

 

Good morning, Lord. On one hand, there are the passing fads and fancies of my culture. On the other, the unfading truth of Your Word. The difference is clear, and yet I too often follow the ways of the world and try to bend Your Word to make it OK. But it’s not OK, God, and I’m sorry. Teach me to see worldly trends through the lens of Your Word, and to thus choose wisely.

 

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Worrying about What I Wear

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Matthew 6:28-29 (NLT)
And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.

I always thought this verse was about having something, anything to wear. With a full closet, I skipped over it. Not my problem.

But I do worry about what I’m wearing: is it too casual, am I overdressed, does it make me look fat or frumpy?

Oops, it is my problem. 

 


Good morning, Lord. Forgive me for worrying about how I look, how others see me, how I stack up compared to others. Teach me to focus on You, to compare myself to no one but You, to strive to be more like You. Fill me with compassion, discernment, generosity, grace and love.

 

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