I pray for the one who is seeking Youβsearching for Your guidance and compassion. Be with them as they seek and find the treasures You have hidden for them to discover throughout their day. May discernment and wisdom help them navigate what lies ahead.
I pray they will be aware of Your presence as You walk with them, hemming them in behind and before. Prepare them for all they will encounter today as they seek you with their whole heart. Give them strength and protection as they follow You, Your staff clearing the way of obstacles and things wishing to entangle and ensnare them. The day can take a drastic turn when fear engulfs and invades their heart and soul, causing their mind to spin. Please hide and shelter them with Your wings. Banish fearful thoughts the enemy pokes and prods them with, and fill them with Your peace.
Father, remind Your child that just the whisper of Your name causes a shift in the heavenlies beyond anything they can imagine. You never leave them; You never forsake them. Your promises are sure and solid.
Thank you for being all-powerful, yet full of compassion. Give them patience and a holy determination as they seek Your face and navigate this day. May they lean on You and bask in the songs of love You sing over them. Those who seek You will find You.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Shepherd,
Amen
Jeremiah 29:13 NLT βIf you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.β
βHe will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.β
Up early, drinking that beautiful first cup of morning coffee, I savor being alone before the demands of the day start fussing and insisting on attention. The soft light from a few brightly glowing candles is soothing and peaceful.
As I listen to the world wake up, I notice how easily the candlelight sways and pulls toward any disturbance in the air. The little lights struggle to stay lit, bouncing and fluttering with the whims of the draft. They are helpless to move, shift, or regain equilibrium on their own.
Watching the brave dancing of the candlelight brings to mind Psalm 91. Arenβt we often like these confident candles? We burn bright, strong, and lovely when things are calm and no disturbances surround us. We are proud and sure of ourselves and our world.
Butβ¦drafts happen. Gusts of change, storms of conflict, gales of fear, and the cold winds of diagnoses come, often suddenly, leaving us ill-prepared and helpless. We blow around in the confusion and anxiety, fearful that our light will snuff out; that we wonβt stay steady on our own.
Sitting at my kitchen table, hot coffee warming my hands, I remember the times Iβve been tossed, thrashed, and shaken by gusts and gales that blindsided me. The feeling of being lost, alone, and defenseless is such a frightening and lonely place to be. But I also remember His voice echoing through the chaos and breaking through the whims of the wind, as I simply breathed His name β βJesus, help me.β
When you call out to Him, even if your voice is but a raspy whisper, Jesus hears. He is there in the gentle brush of feathers along your cheek and the hush of being wrapped up tightly in wings of safety and peace. He is there as the scent of heaven surrounds you. You are sheltered, protected, and delivered from the chaos and debris that the world and wounds of humanity throw fast and hard.
Jesus is faithful. Jesus is good. He is the one who rebukes the fickle winds of chaos that always come as part of living on Earth.
We canβt save ourselves. He came to do that. Emmanuel, God with us. Always. Everywhere.
Have you ever felt like you need to slow down and just breathe?
The Divine Series is for the moments when you need to feel Godβs arms wrapping you up in His presence.
Heβs there…
on a hike through the Redwoods
as you sip your morning coffee
in the chatter of a mountain stream
in a whispered prayer
when you need to remember that you are not alone
Through poetry, short stories, Scripture, and reflections inspired by nature, these devotionals give you space to relax and experience God’s presence in the beauty of everyday life.
If this speaks to your heart, I invite you to take a look at the Divine Series and see where the journey takes you. Perhaps one of these books will become a much-loved companion for your own journey with God.