March 31 Draw Near to God

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
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I approach the end of Lent... heading in to Holy Week. For five weeks I've meditated on nails, blood, suffering, my sinful nature... these things that have put my Lord on the Cross.

Life has joy, life has sorrow. Some days these past five weeks have been hard. Life is like that. This devotional site has often been the highlight of my day. It reminds me of the strength that comes from my Lord in spite of any struggles I face.

I love today's verse.

Draw near to God.
Draw near with a sincere heart.
Draw near with full assurance.
Draw near in faith.
Draw near cleansed.
Draw near without a guilty conscience.
Draw near washed pure.

Draw near.

I do, Lord.

Today's photo was taken this morning at a brook in the woods behind our house.

March 30 Come Closer

Ephesians 3:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

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"If God seems far away, guess who moved?" I heard this quote for the first time when I was in high school. It was on a group of stickers I put around my space.

There are times in our life that God seems far away. Before come to know Him in a personal way. When we are living a life that isn't pleasing to Him. When we are depressed and don't care about much of anything.

But He made a way for us to be so close to Him. Through His blood, He is our dearest friend. He is closer than a brother. He is never far. He is as close as we let Him be.

I need to sense your presence, Lord, in a fresh way. Teach me how to draw closer each day.

Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

This photo was taken recently a block from our house (the other direction from the sheep). The horses are far away in the pasture.

March 29 Pampered

Ephesians 1: 7-8a In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us.

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Women, what makes you feel pampered? Chocolates? New jewelry? A day at the spa?

Guys, what makes you feel grace and love lavished upon you? You come home from a tough day and the wife has bread in the bread maker? Steak and ribs? A back rub? A hike to the top of a mountain?

God has forgiven us. Redemption in this verse implies the Old World concept of being released from a terrible prison sentence.

Released from the prison of our sins. Paul uses the term "riches" related to God 6 times in the book of Ephesians. God is so good to us. He longs to lavish His grace and love on us.

Let Him.

He did it.

For me.

For you.

March 28 Crucified with Christ? WHAT!?

Galatians 2: 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

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So I go to the garage, looking for a rough piece of wood. Can't find that. Instead I find a nice smooth piece for woodworking. That'll do. Next I place my hand on it and imagine the nail... that large rusty nail probably covered with tetanus germs slamming into my wrist or my palm.

Wake me up from this nightmare!

Such a pretty verse, sung so sweetly by Phillips Craig and Dean. Sorry, I can't seem to find a good clip of it online to share!

How horrifying to imagine myself crucified. And yet that is the attitude I should take about my sins. Put them to a horrible death. Live for God. He did it. With His strength, I can live for Him.

This photo was taken this morning with wood from our garage. Taken with my left hand.

March 27 The Price

1Co 6:20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.


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How much for my soul?
How much?
How much did He pay for my Soul?

A coin here.
A bill there.
My tax return.

How much did He pay for my Soul?

The blood.
His blood.
That messy stuff.
From His hands.
From His feet.
From His side.

How much for my soul?
How much?
How much did He pay for my Soul?

This photograph was taken this morning in the dew. My husband recently had a business trip to Turkey and brought back this lovely coin purse. The shiny coins and bills are a mix of Euros, US dollars and cents, and Turkish change.

March 26 The Joy of the Prize

Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

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The JOY set before Christ? Was that like a medal that awaits at the finish line of a race? The medal was my Salvation? Yes, that must be it!

First of all, He had my salvation (and the world's) in mind when He headed to the cross. It helped Him endure the cross. It helped Him get over the shame of taking on my sins and the sins of the world. He thought of ME and what He'd do for me and it got Him through the worst day of His life. His death.

Because He got through it by thinking of me, I can get through anything by thinking of Him!

When I fix my eyes on Him, and what He made it through to do for me... I can get through my own suffering and inadequacies.

OK, this photo is not going to win any contests. Here's the story. I took an award my son got in high school this morning after I wrote the devotional. I photographed it by our ivy in the sun to get the medal to shine. Of course my reflection ended up in it, taking the picture. Yet, I thought... how appropriate! I am the prize, the medal, that Christ thought of when He went to the cross. So the photo works for today!

March 25 Oh Joy

Romans 5:11 We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
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Reconciliation is making a relationship smooth between two people. I need this, through the grace of our Lord, for my daily relationships. But I also need this on a much bigger level. With Him.

Because of the cross, I am now reconciled... my relationship is smoothed over, with Him...God. My relationship with Him is pure and right. Nothing between us. And that is joy.

I think of the chorus of this hymn... "Nothing Between."

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,

So that His blessed face may be seen;

Nothing preventing the least of His favor,

Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

http://www.hymnal.net/cgi-bin/hymns/index?t=h&n=372

The photo of today was taken at lunch time. I bought some German frozen fries yesterday that look like smiley faces. They were so cute I had to take their photo. They were delcious. Husband ate them with ketchup. Yum.