by Mary Manners
(Jeremiah 33:2-3)
Have you ever tried to teach a teenager, only to be demoted to the most lowly and unintelligent creature on earth? By their own account, teenagers know everything, and we—their parents—are simply clueless. Sometimes our own pride and selfish independence makes us teenagers in God’s eyes. He wants us to listen, to learn, but we think He’s clueless about what we really need. After all, we know best, right? In truth, it’s only when we bow to God’s will and we seek His guidance that we learn “great and unsearchable things.”
The Lord formed the very earth where you live, and the ground upon which you travel in your daily walk. Surely, if you listen, you will find the treasure you’ve been seeking and learn the great things He is patiently waiting to tell you.
REFLECT: Relinquish your own selfish will and cry out to the Lord today. Consider all the times you’ve ignored His promptings or rejected His guidance. Ask Him to teach you His ways, and then listen for His answers.
PRAY: Lord, fill me with Your Holy Spirit and make me hungry for Your word. It’s my fervent desire to grow closer to You and to gain spiritual maturity. Let my will bow to Yours as You reveal the awesome, boundless mystery of Your ways.
DAY Fifteen
How May I Help You?
Serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you.
(1 Chronicles 28:9)
Walk into any restaurant and you are most likely greeted with, “How may I help you?” Bright smile…engaging eye contact…animated voice. This greeter has put his own needs aside and is completely focused on the task-at-hand. He’s fresh-faced and eager to assist. He makes you feel glad to be there. This is the way God wants us to be when He walks through our door. He requests a willing heart and giving hands, a heart eager to do His work. And He knows the true purpose of those who come to serve.
Look around you for opportunities to serve Him today. Seek those in need and approach them with a smile and engaging eye contact. Welcome them warmly in His name and put your own needs and desires aside in order to serve. God welcomes a happy heart and giving hands—your heart and hands—as they cheerfully accomplish His work.
REFLECT: Consider ways you will be able to serve the Lord today. Can you offer a smile or a word of encouragement to someone in need? Grab every opportunity and watch the blessings flow. God has a servant’s heart…strive to be more like Him.
PRAY: Lord, give me eyes like Yours to see where others may have a need that I can fill. Give me a smiling face and a willing heart and hands. Fill my mouth with encouraging words and my heart with the desire to serve.
DAY Sixteen
The Man in the Mirror
Do not listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
(James 1:22-24)
How many times have we asked our friends questions such as, “Does this color look good on me?” or “Do these jeans make me look fat?” We are oftentimes overly concerned about our outward appearance while neglecting the inward appearance of our heart and mind. Think about it. Have you ever said to a friend, “Does this lie look bad on me?” or “Do you think I hurt her by making that false promise?” What do you think concerns God the most—the size of your jeans or the size of your heart? The color of your shirt or the words that flow from your lips?
Our Lord has set forth a guide book—the Bible—for our thoughts, actions, and words. He didn’t do this for himself—He already knows what’s desired and expected. Go into the world as a person who remembers his place—as a child of God. Cut the labels from your jeans and, instead, let the word of God define you.
REFLECT: Have you read His word lately? Have you soaked it in and taken it to heart? Begin today to draw closer to God by setting aside time each day to study His word. Make it a priority, as God has made you His priority.
PRAY: Lord, when the world bombards me with images of what it would have me be, help me to remember that my true beauty comes from serving You.
DAY Seventeen
Are We There Yet?
We pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.
(Colossians 1:10-11)
You know the drill…a small child rides in the backseat of the car and his constant chatter is a distraction—and sometimes an irritation—to the driver. Again, he asks, “Are we there yet?” He wants the car to move faster, longs to arrive at the destination. He is beyond impatient. In our daily walk we are often like that child, scurrying at lightning speed from one task to another, devoid of the simple pleasure of life’s journey and the landscape that forms our life. Time passes in a blur, and when we do take a moment to grab a breath, we wonder just how the hours turned into weeks, months, years.
Slow down. Enjoy the ride and drink in the scenery—a sunrise, the laughter of a child, perhaps a friendly chat with a neighbor. Discover the purpose of your actions and take few minutes to thank God for the countless blessings in your life. Soon, instead of the nagging, “Are we there yet?” you may find yourself exclaiming, “Are we here already?”
REFLECT: Look around and discover the people you are traveling through life with. What can you share with them…including God’s love?
PRAY: Lord, when life’s hectic pace threatens to steal my joy, let me remember the countless blessings You’ve bestowed upon me. Help me to appreciate Your boundless love that paints the world with children’s laughter, kind words from a neighbor, and the beauty of a new sunrise.
DAY Eighteen
Welcome Home
Jesus said, “In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am.”
(John 14:2-3)
When I was a little girl, about five years old, my large family went on a vacation to the Wisconsin Dells. Bundled in the backseat of our Chevy station wagon, we drove for what seemed like hours, and then spent a weekend in a hotel with an indoor swimming pool—a true adventure for me! When it was time to depart for home, my parents gathered all my siblings while I sat on the balcony overlooking the pool, captivated by shimmering, blue water. Soon, the lobby grew quiet; my parents had left—without me. Did I panic? No. I knew they would return for me as soon as they realized I was missing. They had promised, and I trusted their word. Soon, a boisterous commotion filled the lobby. My parents had returned, their arms outstretched to welcome me and tears streaming down their faces. I was precious in their sight.
Aren’t we like that with God? He has promised to come back for us, and to take us to a place devoid of suffering and heartache. Do not panic…though we cannot see Him, He can see us. He knows our every thought and action, and He wants us to be with Him. One day He will return for us, arms outstretched and tears flowing down His face because we are with Him…and so very precious in His sight.
REFLECT: What are you doing while you wait for the return of our Lord and Savior? Do you spend time worrying about what will happen tomorrow? Don’t worry. The Lord has promised us great things, and He will return. All things in this world pass away, but His love is forever. Fill your time with deeds that bring Him glory.
PRAY: Lord, when worry overwhelms help me to remember that You are in control. Pain and suffering will fade, replaced by the peace that only You can provide. Let me be joyful and diligent as I wait with hope for Your return.
DAY Nineteen
Pulling the Wagon
God gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.
(Isaiah 40:29-31)
I am the second-eldest in a family of seven, and as a child I was often put in charge of my younger siblings. Sometimes, this responsibility included a trip to the store for milk or bread with my brother and sisters in tow, nestled together in a little red wagon. Of course, I was in charge of pulling the wagon—a load that seemed to weigh tons after walking a block or so in the blazing Chicago-summer sun. Sometimes I wanted to turn back home, to give up and admit to my parents that I was too weak to carry out the task. The walk, though only a few blocks, seemed like miles. But I knew they would be disappointed, so I continued on, putting one foot in front of the other along the concrete sidewalk while my younger siblings chattered merrily from behind.
Sometimes our walk with God seems insurmountable. The tasks we are asked to carry out are beyond our abilities, and the weight of responsibility weighs on us like tons of scrap metal. We want to give up. It’s then that we must call on Him for help and guidance, and for the strength required to carry out what He wants us to do. With God’s help, anything is possible.
REFLECT: Call on God today, and He will lighten your load. He will walk beside you, pulling the wagon.
PRAY: Lord, when the burdens of life make me weary, help me to remember to call on You. Guide my feet so I do not stumble, and lift me up when I am weak. Make me strong as I run the race for You.
DAY Twenty
The Chain of Life
Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness knowledge; and to knowledge self-control; and to self-control perseverance; and to perseverance godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Peter 1:6-8)
Children love to make paper chains. It’s a simple art project…requiring only scissors, paper, and a bit of glue. They work together, helping each other. One link nestles around another, and soon the chain grows long and strong. Faith is like this. A single link, such as goodness, leads to another…perhaps knowledge or self-control. We want to know more—to grow more—until the chain surrounds our life and spills into the lives of others. It’s simple and requires only desire and the word of God as a guide for our lives. Together, we help each other form the chain and to carry out God’s plan for our lives.
REFLECT: Today, take time to gather the tools to begin your own chain reaction. Stoke your desire to grow closer to God and to those around you. Take up your Bible and read. Ask Him to guide you as you begin your walk with Him. Soon, you’ll begin to understand the way you should go—God’s plan for you. Thus, the chain begins.
PRAY: Lord, today it is my desire to build a chain for You. Give me the tools of faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, and love. Help me to build the chain long and strong, so that I may be an example to others, and help draw them closer to You.
DAY Twenty-one
God’s Jewelry
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies…she is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
(Proverbs 31:10, 25-26)
My mom had a jewelry box on her dresser—a precious gift from my dad on their wedding day. I’m sure he planned to fill it with fine jewels—but God had other plans. Five children later, the box wasn’t much more than a play toy for the kids. Mom never got the gold and diamonds she’d dreamed of, but she didn’t care. I doubt she ever missed the man-made baubles. Instead, she wore God’s jewelry—boundless laughter, the ability to give heartfelt advice, the strength and patience to dry our countless tears over the years.
What kind of jewelry do you wear? Is it the glitter of man-made cubic zirconia, the cascade of diamond teardrops, perhaps the splash of blood-red rubies? Or do you clothe yourself in God’s jewelry—the glow of patience, the shimmer of kindness, and the vibrancy of wisdom?
REFLECT: Consider what you strive to adorn yourself with. Talk to God today. Ask Him to dress you in His jewels—strength, dignity, laughter, and wisdom.
PRAY: Lord, though the media would have me believe otherwise, I know that true beauty comes only from the garments You provide: strength, dignity, wisdom, laughter, and faith that grows through Your instruction. Fill me with the desire to grow closer to You. Help me not to want the passing glitter of this world, and adorn me with Your priceless jewelry.
DAY Twenty-two
What’s in Your Toolbox?
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
(1 Peter 4:10-11)
My dad was a builder. He had the gift to take a few two-by-fours and a handful of nails and create beautiful and sturdy structures. In his toolbox, he carried all he needed—hammer, tape-measure, screwdrivers in various sizes. I loved to delve inside the box, to examine and handle each item. Their power—the fact that these tools could work together to create amazing things—captivated me. My dad was strong; he could do anything and everything with his tools.
Each of us is like my dad. We all have our own set of tools, compliments of God. Perhaps you are blessed with hospitality, or a deep sense of compassion, or the ability to speak in front of large crowds. Maybe you sing like an angel, or have the ability to organize charity events. Or maybe, like my dad, you have the gift to take a piece of lumber and fashion it into a room—or a building. It’s our responsibility—and our calling—to seek God’s wisdom concerning what’s in our own personal toolbox.
REFLECT: Ask God today to help you examine the gifts in your toolbox so you can take each out, dust each off, and begin to serve Him.
PRAY: Lord, please unveil my tools and give me a willing and eager heart to use them for Your good. Thank you for making me unique in the gifts I bring to Your kingdom. Let me never take them for granted, and, should I ever grow weary of the work, help me to remember just how precious each job is.
DAY Twenty-three
God Stands Guard
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.
(Philippians 4:6-7)
To most of us, our homes are precious possessions… places where we gather with family and friends in fellowship. From time to time, news of a home invasion sparks fear at our very core. We worry that our house, too, will be assaulted if we are not vigilant in protecting the premise. So, perhaps, we install a security system. Well, with God there’s no need to have fear for anything. He is the security system for our lives. With God, no real harm can touch us. His gift to us is peace, even in the midst of trial, hardship—and home invasion—if we ask for and accept it. God is the Almighty Protector.
When you feel afraid, cry out to Him and be reassured. Soon, fear and worry will be replaced by trust. God is the Master of the Universe…your own personal security system. He cares for you, and wants you to seek His protection in all things. So, turn to Him today, and find peace.
REFLECT: Immerse yourself in God’s word. Read His passages of promise and protection and be assured His words are His own personal gift for you.
PRAY: Lord, when I feel vulnerable, let me remember that you are the Almighty Protector. Each day, I will clothe myself in Your armor and ask for Your gift of peace.
DAY Twenty-four
Black Friday
I will lead the blind by the ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
(Isaiah 42:16)
The Friday after Thanksgiving is the frenzied shopping day traditionally known as Black Friday. Hordes of people across the country rise well before daybreak to claim their places in the most sought-after shopping lines. And they wait…and wait to purchase bargains. As I consider this, I wonder…what is so black about the beginning of the holiday season—the season of our Savior’s birth? Shouldn’t the day be called “Bright Friday” or “The Friday of Light”? When God sent His Son to earth the darkness became light and hope replaced fear. What an amazing event! And, better yet, the light of Jesus shines way beyond the hours of a single day—it shines for all eternity.