September 17, 2016 – Deuteronomy 8:3 

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

There are so many nuggets in this scripture.  As I find myself in a foreign place – living in a new house (past 7 months) and having resigned from my job 4.5 months ago – I feel lost and anxious.  Neither of these feelings are from the Lord.  I pray that I’ll learn to be content with my daily manna and trust that each day the Lord will provide and guide me into tomorrow.  I’ve also been struggling with rejection – as always, from people closest to me.  I realized yesterday that this rejection leaves me feeling empty.  The thing that is most important to me in a relationship is substance.  When I’ve invested my heart and someone can so easily just turn on me for no reason other than their own self-centeredness, it leaves me feeling empty.  It shows me that there was never any substance to that relationship.  There were never any firm roots in the ground.  Without roots things can be blown away by the slightest wind.  This scripture shows me that only the Lord can fill me – not people, not food.  My substance is Him.  As John 1 says: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  I must remember to live on the Word for Substance and Nourishment and to feel full.

September 12, 2016 – John 4:13-15

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

This passage reminds us that we are always looking for the next thing that we think will fulfill us – a new job, a new house, a new car, a new relationship, a baby…

If we want to truly live with peace and be fulfilled, there is only one Way – give your life to Jesus!  We were created with a longing for fulfillment, but this void was only meant to be filled by Jesus!  Once we give our life to Him, we will never thirst again!

 

September 1, 2016 – Psalm 2:4

But the one who rules in heaven laughs.  The Lord scoffs at them.

My Bible is the life application study version.  In the notes about this scripture it likens the Lord as a father laughing at a small child who thinks he can beat Him at a race or arm wrestling match.  I love the picture this paints of a Father who adores us – so much stronger and wiser than us.  We have the love and protection of a Father so fierce and wise and strong.  No one could ever hurt us – we (all on this earth) can never overtake Him.  Even the most evil of evil are so small and powerless that they are like a speck of sand next to Him.  This gives me so much comfort.  We sometimes fight and fight and fight when all we really need to do is be still and know that He is God!