Tag Archives: Jesus

Rejoicing in Life's Moments, Replenish

(The Everlasting Way) Recovering

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Basking in the beginning of a new year. It is chilly outside, but we are cozy inside. It’s so quiet. 😊

Jack, our two-year-old Aussie, is constantly making sure we’re okay. He’s been spending a lot of time checking on my bride lately as she is recovering from shingles and life-threatening clot removal surgery.

Today I want to take some time to align my insides with what’s happened externally. I don’t always take the time to do this.

Emotions from multiple difficulties tend to stack up in my soul and grow stale, numbing my tenderness. But today I need to steward my heart. It’s part of our recovery.

A Little Entomology

Re-covery – The word recover comes from Latin recuperare (“to get again, regain”), via Old French recovrer, meaning to return to a former state, health, or possession. [1]

I love ‘re’ words. There are several that work well as I unpack my heart.

• Reflect — to bend your attention back toward truth

• Replenish — to fill again what has been poured out

• Rejoice — to delight deeply, to let joy rise anew

Reflect

Reflect, to bend my mind back toward the truth.

 The truth is that my wife could have been blinded by a severe case of shingles. She could have had a stroke or lost her life with the blood clots in her leg and lungs.

Allowing these facts to pass the stubborn ‘No Entrance’ gate of my inner heart, I cry: “I could have easily lost by bride of forty-four years!”

The reality of these recent happenings is taking root deep within me. My eyes tear up.

Tears are rare for me, and I don’t hold back. My soul shakes a bit to go along with the tear, and soft sobs emerge.

With my eyes closed, I feel a gentle pressure on my arm.

My eyes open to find Jack’s paw on my arm, checking on me. Australian Shepherds are that way. I can learn a lot from him.

Replenish

re – (again) + plenus (full) to fill up again, to restore fullness

My tears don’t last long, and they never erupt into anything more than gentle sobs, but I’m glad for them.

I turn my thoughts to the word replenish.

During a crisis, you can’t easily tell how your soul becomes drained. But I could tell I was getting discouraged. It can be disheartening when someone you love is suffering and there’s not much you can do to ease their pain.

I felt this before during the deaths of my father, mother and sister. Seeing them suffer, I did what I could, but their pain remained.

In our present situation, many folks have rallied around us.

On the first day of the emergency, even before we knew how serious the situation was, Dean, Kevin, James, and Dave showed up at the first hospital.

On the day of the surgery, our kids came from all over the place; our brother Bill flew down. Elder Rob was with us in the waiting room.

The Andes, Anna, the Millers, the Hills, James, Kelsey and Becky brought food, and many others offered. Our kids cleaned up our house and even put clean sheets on our bed. Folks from our church, our neighborhood and long-term friends were constantly praying for us, checking in and offering help.

The presence of love replenishes. It was happening during the crisis, and it’s happening now.

And now, as I pause and draw near to God, though He never leaves me, His nearness, His comfort is replenishing me. My soul is being brought back to fullness. 😎

Rejoice

re–(intensive) + gaudere (to delight)–to delight deeply, to experience joy again

Being brought again to fullness in His presence, my soul senses joy.

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever (Psalm 16:11b NASB)

He is joy. All the “little joys” of this temporal place never satisfy us. Only God gives full joy.

But how can suffering and joy co-exist? The following answers to this question are not exhaustive.

Paul: For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia: that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life. 9 Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead (II Corinthians 1:8-9).

When our hard times stretch us beyond our abilities, it helps us realize our limitations. We can give up or we can trust in God.

James: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).

Testing builds our endurance and perseverance, teaching us not to depend on circumstances to be okay. In Christ, we lack nothing.

Peter: In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved in various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes, even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ — 8 whom, not having known, you love. In him, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory, 9 receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls (I Peter 1:6-9).

Trials purify and strengthen our faith.

Prayer

Lord, thank You so much for never leaving our sides during these difficulties. Thank You for allowing me to come to the end of me quickly when it comes to nursing my wife. This is allowing me to stop striving in my strength and more quickly depend on You. I should depend upon You always, no matter what.

I desperately need You. Even when I don’t realize it.

Thank You for providing new ways to show love to my wife.

Lord, thank You for these moments today to steward my heart. Thank You for being my God of all Comfort who is always by my side. Thank You for some tears. May others flow.

I love You

Reflections

In the days since, my bride’s asthma has flared up.

Honestly, this is not what I was expecting. In my sometimes-overoptimistic way, I was sure that after tooth problems, shingles and life-threatening clot removal surgery, health would surely be coming.

She’s had her weary moments, but overall, she’s kept a brave, persevering attitude.

I’m still very hopeful that things will turn around soon. But in the meantime, I’m reminded constantly of how needy I am of God’s strength and power. I must stay alert about this.

Allowing her to express to me what’s going on with her is vital.

I must Relinquish (give up the pursuit or practice of, desist, cease from) my dependence on me.

For my bride, I pray for her:

Recovery (return to health after illness, injury, misfortune)

Refreshment (to make fresh again)

Reviving (to live again)

Restoration (to be brought back to wholeness)

[1] Google AI search – entomology of recover

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the WEB World English Bible version of Scripture 

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Embracing God’s Amazing Love

Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man

Transforming Awareness: The Power of God’s Love

Minding Your Busyness

Our Deepest Longings Filled

Rules Don’t Rule

Mice in the Sock Drawer

Turning Gainers into Drainers

Until the Darkness Fades

Courage Rising

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Raw and Weary

(The Everlasting Way) Courage Rising

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I woke up this morning with light breaking through in my weary soul.

It’s a few days after Christmas, and it’s been a December to remember. In the last three weeks my bride has been through teeth issues, a severe case of shingles (V2 – maxillary variation, which affected the middle of her the left side of her face, very close to her eye), and potentially life-threatening blood clots (two of which traveled to her lungs).

She has been such a trouper through it all. 

Personally, I’ve felt extremely inadequate in my role as health care nurse. Nothing in me could have ensured my bride got the care she needed. But God’s strength held us up. I’m seeing that coming to the end of me sooner than later is way better, allowing His strength to shine through me. But it hasn’t been easy. 😑

I haven’t felt a lot of emotions during this time. As has been my MO, I tend to take a deep breath and keep on keeping on with whatever is required. This can be good, but now that there’s a break in the storm, I’m trying to care for my heart, to bring the realities of what’s been happening to Jesus, Keeper of my soul.

During my “soldiering on,” there was a moment, during the operation to remove the clots from my bride’s leg, that the severity of her situation hit me and emotions flowed.

At around 10:30 am, they wheeled her down to a special surgery room in the basement for a procedure that would last about an hour and a half. I met the surgeon and was told where to wait around the corner.

After two hours, I began to worry. I walked around to the surgery room and peeked in through a crack in the door. Bad idea. All I saw was a bunch of blood. Was she okay?

A few minutes later, the surgeon came in and let us know the surgery was successful, but that the clotting was quite extensive. He showed us the clot board. 

My brother-in-law, a cardiologist, flew down from Wilmington, N.C. for the day. After the surgery, he told me how serious the whole thing was.

As my bride continues to heal, I sense a measure of healing in my own soul. As I begin to come out of the raw weariness of what we’ve been experiencing, the Lord is showing me how to steward my heart, bringing all that I am to Him, my God of all comfort. [1]

 I’ve been quite discouraged, although I’ve only recently realized it.

Today I sense courage rising.

Affection

God’s truth always brings me courage. I turn to some of my favorite verses.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1-2 KJV).

I particularly like the way the King James renders ‘affection’ from the Greek word – “phroneite.”   

Other versions translate the Greek word as “mind.” But the idea of setting my “affection” on the things above resonates with me this morning.

“Affection” brings my focus from thinking to a heartfelt, whole-soul longing.

It’s so easy for me to set my affections on the happenings of this world, seeking in what I see and experience to carry my hope, my peace, and my joy. These verses help change my focus from all that’s swirling around me and helps me orient my life around God’s eternal truths.

Setting my fondness, my tenderness, my devotion, my attentiveness, my attachment, and my caring on the things above, rather than on the fragility of the here and now, makes so much more sense.

But how do I do that?

Attentiveness

Attentiveness is listed as a synonym for affection.

Our attention is a resource of our minds. Perhaps that’s where the term ‘pay attention’ comes from.

If I spend my attention on sports, politics, entertainment, leisure, etc., these things tend to dominate my affections. There’s nothing wrong with any of these, but they need to be subservient to my higher affection: my Lord Jesus Christ, His commands, and His Kingdom.

As He said:

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).

These verses seem to capture Jesus’ desire for us to set our attention and affections on loving Him and others, and on His emerging Kingdom (His rule and His reign).

Only by abiding in the Indwelling Holy Spirit, and yielding to His power, can I set my affection on the things above and not on the temporal things around me. [2]

Prayer

Lord, I thank You so much for Your care for us during these last three weeks. You’ve entrusted us with some hard things, but You have never left our sides.

These hard times quickly brought me to the end of me.[3] I can’t but You can. I need You desperately.

Thank You for the practical ways my wife is seeing how much I love her as You nurse her through me.

Thank You for bringing light to my weary soul and helping me process what we’re going through. And please continue Your healing of my bride, as the pain of shingles continues. 

And Lord, I desire to set my affections on things above, on You and Your emerging Kingdom. Please keep my attention on these things as the temporal world continues to swirl around me. 

Thank You for giving me courage through the truths of Your word.

I love You so much!

Reflection

As I continue to ponder, I see the connection between affection and affecting.

My affections affect who I am.

The words affect and affection come from the same Latin root meaning – “a state produced in a person by something acting upon them.” [4]

As I set my affections on the Lord and His ways, I’m affected in deep, soul transforming ways. 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit (II Corinthians 3:17-18).

As I am transformed, I pray I might affect (love) all those around me as Christ has loved me. [5]

As I’m affected in the ways of Christ, as Christ is formed in me [6], His life is revealed. 

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

Quotes 

  • “Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure; where your treasure is, there is your heart; where your heart is, there is your happiness.”  Augustine of Hippo (Augustine is essentially saying: your affections follow what you attend to.) [4]

  • “We are often distracted by trifles, and seldom fully recollected.” Thomas à Kempis (Our attention drifts toward what our hearts are already leaning toward.) [4]

  • “Set your affections on the things above, and your thoughts will follow.” John Owens (He often taught that attention is the steering wheel of the heart.) [4]

[1] II Corinthians 1:3-5

[2] John 15:5

[3] II Corinthians 1:8-9

[4] From Co-Pilot

[5] John 13:34-35, John 15:12

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the NASB 1995 version of the Bible.

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Embracing God’s Amazing Love

Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man

Transforming Awareness: The Power of God’s Love

Minding Your Busyness

Our Deepest Longings Filled

Rules Don’t Rule

Mice in the Sock Drawer

Turning Gainers into Drainers

Until the Darkness Fades

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Raw and Weary

(The Everlasting Way) Courage Rising

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I woke up this morning with light breaking through in my weary soul.

It’s a few days after Christmas, and it’s been a December to remember. In the last three weeks my bride has been through teeth issues, a severe case of shingles (V2 – maxillary variation, which affected the middle of her the left side of her face, very close to her eye), and potentially life-threatening blood clots (two of which traveled to her lungs).

She has been such a trouper through it all. 

Personally, I’ve felt extremely inadequate in my role as health care nurse. Nothing in me could have ensured my bride got the care she needed. But God’s strength held us up. I’m seeing that coming to the end of me sooner than later is way better, allowing His strength to shine through me. But it hasn’t been easy. 😑

I haven’t felt a lot of emotions during this time. As has been my MO, I tend to take a deep breath and keep on keeping on with whatever is required. This can be good, but now that there’s a break in the storm, I’m trying to care for my heart, to bring the realities of what’s been happening to Jesus, Keeper of my soul.

During my “soldiering on,” there was a moment, during the operation to remove the clots from my bride’s leg, that the severity of her situation hit me and emotions flowed.

At around 10:30 am, they wheeled her down to a special surgery room in the basement for a procedure that would last about an hour and a half. I met the surgeon and was told where to wait around the corner.

After two hours, I began to worry. I walked around to the surgery room and peeked in through a crack in the door. Bad idea. All I saw was a bunch of blood. Was she okay?

A few minutes later, the surgeon came in and let us know the surgery was successful, but that the clotting was quite extensive. He showed us the clot board. 

My brother-in-law, a cardiologist, flew down from Wilmington, N.C. for the day. After the surgery, he told me how serious the whole thing was.

As my bride continues to heal, I sense a measure of healing in my own soul. As I begin to come out of the raw weariness of what we’ve been experiencing, the Lord is showing me how to steward my heart, bringing all that I am to Him, my God of all comfort. [1]

 I’ve been quite discouraged, although I’ve only recently realized it.

Today I sense courage rising.

Affection

God’s truth always brings me courage. I turn to some of my favorite verses.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1-2 KJV).

I particularly like the way the King James renders ‘affection’ from the Greek word – “phroneite.”   

Other versions translate the Greek word as “mind.” But the idea of setting my “affection” on the things above resonates with me this morning.

“Affection” brings my focus from thinking to a heartfelt, whole-soul longing.

It’s so easy for me to set my affections on the happenings of this world, seeking in what I see and experience to carry my hope, my peace, and my joy. These verses help change my focus from all that’s swirling around me and helps me orient my life around God’s eternal truths.

Setting my fondness, my tenderness, my devotion, my attentiveness, my attachment, and my caring on the things above, rather than on the fragility of the here and now, makes so much more sense.

But how do I do that?

Attentiveness

Attentiveness is listed as a synonym for affection.

Our attention is a resource of our minds. Perhaps that’s where the term ‘pay attention’ comes from.

If I spend my attention on sports, politics, entertainment, leisure, etc., these things tend to dominate my affections. There’s nothing wrong with any of these, but they need to be subservient to my higher affection: my Lord Jesus Christ, His commands, and His Kingdom.

As He said:

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).

These verses seem to capture Jesus’ desire for us to set our attention and affections on loving Him and others, and on His emerging Kingdom (His rule and His reign).

Only by abiding in the Indwelling Holy Spirit, and yielding to His power, can I set my affection on the things above and not on the temporal things around me. [2]

Prayer

Lord, I thank You so much for Your care for us during these last three weeks. You’ve entrusted us with some hard things, but You have never left our sides.

These hard times quickly brought me to the end of me.[3] I can’t but You can. I need You desperately.

Thank You for the practical ways my wife is seeing how much I love her as You nurse her through me.

Thank You for bringing light to my weary soul and helping me process what we’re going through. And please continue Your healing of my bride, as the pain of shingles continues. 

And Lord, I desire to set my affections on things above, on You and Your emerging Kingdom. Please keep my attention on these things as the temporal world continues to swirl around me. 

Thank You for giving me courage through the truths of Your word.

I love You so much!

Reflection

As I continue to ponder, I see the connection between affection and affecting.

My affections affect who I am.

The words affect and affection come from the same Latin root meaning – “a state produced in a person by something acting upon them.” [4]

As I set my affections on the Lord and His ways, I’m affected in deep, soul transforming ways. 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit (II Corinthians 3:17-18).

As I am transformed, I pray I might affect (love) all those around me as Christ has loved me. [5]

As I’m affected in the ways of Christ, as Christ is formed in me [6], His life is revealed. 

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

Quotes 

  • “Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure; where your treasure is, there is your heart; where your heart is, there is your happiness.”  Augustine of Hippo (Augustine is essentially saying: your affections follow what you attend to.) [4]

  • “We are often distracted by trifles, and seldom fully recollected.” Thomas à Kempis (Our attention drifts toward what our hearts are already leaning toward.) [4]

  • “Set your affections on the things above, and your thoughts will follow.” John Owens (He often taught that attention is the steering wheel of the heart.) [4]

[1] II Corinthians 1:3-5

[2] John 15:5

[3] II Corinthians 1:8-9

[4] From Co-Pilot

[5] John 13:34-35, John 15:12

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the NASB 1995 version of the Bible.

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Embracing God’s Amazing Love

Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man

Transforming Awareness: The Power of God’s Love

Minding Your Busyness

Our Deepest Longings Filled

Rules Don’t Rule

Mice in the Sock Drawer

Turning Gainers into Drainers

Until the Darkness Fades

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Earnest Prayer, Prayer Never Ceasing

(The Everlasting Way) Until the Darkness Fades

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I don’t take advantage of it much, but one of my favorite times of day is right after the sun peaks over the eastern sky. Where we live, in a uniquely rural neighborhood in the midlands of South Carolina, trees block the horizon. However, I can still make out the soft bands of peach, lavender and rose as the sky slowly fades into a pale blue beyond the shadows of the pines.

In early fall, the drying of our wide variety of oak tree leaves releases a dry and nutty fragrance as the time of harvest begins. And oh, those acorns! This year they seem larger and many more than ever before.

The fallen pine needles emit a strong resinous scent, mingling with the sweetness of decaying foliage. Our tea olive blooms give off a soft fragrance, which I’ve always associated with heaven.

A gentle cool breeze brushes over my bald head and exposed skin as a welcome salve from months of summer heat. Breathing in deeply, the dawn air tastes clean and mineral rich.

Melodious bird songs awaken the quiet night. A neighbor’s rooster crows in boisterous glee.

Such are the marvels of a new day.

But in all the splendor, perhaps the fading of the veil of darkness most lightens our souls.

Jacob wrestled with a mysterious man throughout the night. At daybreak, God gave him a new name, Isreal (He that strives with God). Then he limped away, transformed. [1]

During the first Passover in Egypt, the Israelites endured the darkness of death throughout the night. At dawn, they began their journey of freedom, having been released from bondage. [2]

Light, as it brightens many a dark night of the soul, ushers in the hope of a new day and the fading of darkness.

In this World you will Have Trouble

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about our human endeavor to remain courageous while the storms of life swirl all around us. From Jesus’ own words, we know tribulation is a part of our journey, and He calls us to remain courageous. These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

But how? How do we remain courageous with so much darkness?

The twinge of grey in a predawn sky, which brightens with the rising sun, carries with it the mercies of a new day.

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease.
For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).

The smallest ray of God’s loving, healing light can illuminate the darkness in a human heart and grow ever brighter.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day (Proverbs 4:18).

May this Cup Pass

Jesus, in His humanity, asked God to remove the cup of suffering. He prayed earnestly until blood dropped from His pores. He longed for His Father’s purposes to be accomplished differently. But He always submitted to God’s will no matter how it affected Him.

“Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done (Luke 22:42).”

There are situations in my life right now that are very hard. But by the strength of God’s Indwelling Spirit. I want to keep earnestly praying for His love and healing touch to break through.

And always to surrender, as Jesus did, to Father God’s will in my life. And always to trust in His great love.

Darkness in the Land

There’s plenty of darkness all around. People we love are sick. People have broken relationships. Loved ones do not know Your love and will spend eternity without You. Folks are lonely, addicted, jobless and homeless. When we see these troubles, we can easily become discouraged.

Yet, we’re to expect trials and to remain courageous. Knowing this, and realizing God’s greater purposes, we keep asking for His light to shine in the darkness, around us and in us.  

Praying for Light  

But even as our hearts are being transformed and healing light shines around, darkness remains in our land. Do I allow it to steal my courage and zap my joy? Or, do they become the impetuous to follow Jesus’ example of earnest prayer? If this darkness is keeping me praying, it must serve some purpose.

As Graham Cooke stated on his podcast Brilliant Perspectives, “God has allowed in His wisdom what He could have prevented in His power.”

Praying and Not Giving Up

I’m learning not to hang my welfare on my happiness. I’m learning to draw my contentment from what Christ has already done, my hope for His return, my righteousness in His accomplishments,

I pray and never give up.

Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (I Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful (Colossians 4:2 NIV).

Prayer

Lord, I’m really not good at consistent praying, but I want this to change. I’ve seen light emerge in very long difficulties, and some remain completely dark.

Please give me the persistence and self-control to remain vigilant in prayer. My mind so often wanders.

Jesus, even as the Son of God, You prayed earnestly and often, getting up early before sunrise to be alone with Your Father. [3]

Lord, like anything else in life, apart from You, I can do nothing of real value. [4] Please develop in me a tenacity and consistency in prayer. I can’t do it without Your Spirit.

I love You

Reflection

My bride has created what she calls a war room, inspired by the book and film of the same name. [5]

It’s part of her office on our second floor.

So far, I haven’t used it as a prayer room, but I’d like to see that change.

On her walls, she has pictures of our family and those we hold dear. There’s much joy that springs forth from these photos and symbols, but also much pain. I hope to spend time in this warrior room, praying circles around all we hold near.

As I pray, I want to surrender idols in my own heart which would choose comfort and false affection above God, my Highest Joy.

I keep on praying until the darkness fades

[1] Genesis 32:24-31

[2] Exodus 12

[3] Luke 5:16

[4] John 15;5

[5] War Room is a book by Chris Fabry turned into a movie by The Kendrick Brothers

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the NASB 1995 version of the Bible.

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Embracing God’s Amazing Love

Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man

Transforming Awareness: The Power of God’s Love

Minding Your Busyness

Our Deepest Longings Filled

Rules Don’t Rule

Mice in the Sock Drawer

Turning Gainers into Drainers

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Connecting Love and Joy

(The Everlasting Way) Mice in the Sock Drawer

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I remember a tough day in the early nineties when our kids were small. My wife had just found a nest of mice in her sock drawer. We had a broken dryer. I had some high-priority work issues, along with the normal challenges of parenting four children.

After eliminating the mice, I was hanging up our wet towels and blue jeans on the clothesline, trying to plan how to fix all the brokenness.

Then it hit me,  like an apple plopping on Isaac Newton’s head. 

The temporal nature of the issues with the mice, the dryer, and my work problems were less important than how my wife and I weathered the stress these difficulties had on our relationship.

She was in acute anxiety over finding rodents in our room. She should be my focus, not trying to fix things.

Our relationship, and how I loved her through the difficulties, was much more important than solving the problems. 

When I finished hanging up the clothes, I sat down to unpack what seemed to be a huge paradigm shift in my thinking.

Shouldn’t relationships and loving be my focus?

I think ladies think more this way than we men. 

Perhaps the duties and the problems were more like opportunities to love and not the main thing.

I remembered Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees, as found in Matthew 22:36-40: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”  

Then I thought of the Ten Commandments and how they are all about loving God and loving others.

Since then, though I’ve forgotten the focus for sizeable chunks of time, I’ve been intentional about trying to have a love-first mindset.

I will testify that when this focus is operating as it should, I have unexplainable joy, like Jesus.

The Joy of Jesus

But of the Son He says,

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness above Your companions” (Hebrew 1:8-9).

God anointed Jesus with the oil of gladness (exultation and extreme joy). 

As we grow in our knowledge of God being our Highest Joy, we see how Jesus’ glad heart strengthened Him and gave Him courage. And we see how we’re fueled by the nearness of Jesus and His joy.

What can we learn about His Joy and how it flows from how we love?

The Joy of Relationships

Relating – a connection between.

Out of the depths of love within the Trinity, man was created and given the breath of life. God created us for fellowship and relationship. And as amazing as it seems, God delights in our connection with Him.

In fact, Zephaniah writes that our connection with Him causes the Lord to rejoice with shouts of joy. [1] We actually bring joy to God.

This helps bring clarity to the following verses in Hebrews: Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Knowing His death on our behalf would re-establish our broken relationships with God because of our sins, gave Jesus joy which fueled His endurance on the cross. 

Consider Jesus’ words to His disciples the night before He went to the cross: If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you  (John 15:10-12)

His command – love others as He’s loved us.

The outcome – we’ll remain in His Love and experience His complete Joy.

It may seem strange from an earthly perspective, but experiencing the complete Joy of Jesus has everything to do with our sacrificial love.

Love and Joy closely connect. They appear together at the beginning of Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit. [2]

True, lasting joy doesn’t spring from earthly happenings, but from the depth of love in our relationships.

Prayer

Lord, You’ve awakened me to the tight connection between love and joy. Thank You.

Please stop me quickly when I forget and try once again to derive my feelings of being okay from my circumstances.

Please keep my heart in a love-first mode, realizing all along that any loving I do must come from You. I pray the people I love would recognize You in every word and deed directed by You.

Amen.

Reflection

Joy marked Jesus’ life. 

As mentioned in the verses above, Jesus gave His disciples the secret to staying in His great Love and experiencing His complete Joy – loving others as He’s loved us – sacrificially. 

Paul also experienced the joy of sacrificial love. He equated joy with being poured out like a drink offering. 

But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me (Philippians 2:17-18). 

Paul called the people of Thessalonica his glory and joy: For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy (I Thessalonians 2:19-20).

He also commands us to be full of joy in our worship of the Lord.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4).

Joy, which satisfies our longing hearts, doesn’t come from fighting for ourselves. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Our joy comes directly from how we love.

[1] Zephaniah 3:17

[2] Galatians 5:22-23

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the NASB 1995 version of the Bible. The cover picture was generated by AI.

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Embracing God’s Amazing Love

Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man

Transforming Awareness: The Power of God’s Love

Minding Your Busyness

Our Deepest Longings Filled

Rules Don’t Rule

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Fears Chased Away, Loved to Love, Rooted and Grounded

(The Everlasting Way) Transforming Awareness: The Power of God’s Love

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Raymond had given up. It seems he’d failed at every opportunity in life. Though he was still a young man, his hopes were drained. What he’d always wanted to do was help people, but now he couldn’t even help himself.

His meager inheritance from his dad yielded only enough money for a semester in college. And when he missed the filing deadline to receive a grant, he’d have to drop out and move out of his dorm. 

After receiving the news, he stopped for a while at his mom’s grave, who’d committed suicide when he was seven. Going on in the grave yard, he found his dad’s grave, dug almost a year ago. He was a consummate entrepreneur, always on the brink of something big. He had such high hopes for his latest discoveries and was sure he could use what he’d developed to make a difference, to help those in desperate need. But a stroke cut his life and dreams short. 

Now, his only child was the one in desperate need.

Raymond sat down on a bench, buried his head in his hands and wept. A feeling of emptiness and poverty filled his soul.

“Raymond Anderson?”

Raymond opened his eyes to find an elderly black man standing over him. 

“Yes.”

“Someone instructed me to give you this,” he said, handing Raymond a legal-sized brown envelope.

Raymond received the envelope, noticing there was no return address – just his name.

“Who’s it from?” Raymond asked, looking up. But the man was gone.

He opened the envelope and began to read:

Mr. Raymond Anderson,

I’m delighted to inform you that shortly before your father passed away, a large corporation purchased his patent right out. Based on the terms of the contract and his will, which I drew up for him as his lawyer, you have received $500,000,000 as his sole heir. He has also designated you as his benevolence agent to give away another $500,000,000 to the charities and needs of your choice. Even though this money has been at your disposal for almost a year, your father instructed me to wait until now to let you know.

Please come by my law office as soon as you can so we can meet and begin turning over the funds to you.

Sincerely,
Walter H. James

Being Made Aware

Raymond suddenly became aware of his possessions and grand purpose. This knowledge changed everything about his life. He had a mission he could wake up to every morning.

As believers in Jesus Christ, a change in our awareness could have even greater ramifications on our lives than Raymond had. In our case, what we need to be aware of is beyond change and corruption.

God’s love.

What are some ways that an awareness of God’s love for us can transform our lives?

God’s Love Drives out Fear

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love (I John 4:18).

As I examine my heart, fear is the root of much of my sin. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of poverty. Fear of unhappiness. Fear of . . . 

Fear causes worry and robs me of peace, which is essential. 

In the above verses, John writes about a perfect love flowing from God, which drives out fear. To the degree that we realize God’s amazing love for us, our fears melt away and peace reigns in our hearts.

As I ponder these truths concerning God’s perfect love, different nagging fears come to mind, particularly fear of failure and fear of rejection. These fears have sometimes sent me down destructive paths. But more and more, the reality of a love that literally casts out fear is growing in my heart.

As I write, I imagine a life with no fear. Fearless. Oh, the freedom! Oh, the joy! And it’s not just something to wish for. God’s perfect love is genuine, the destroyer of all fears. 

God’s Love Enables Our Obedience

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40 NASB)

These verses summarize the Bible, instructing us first to love.

We love, because He first loved us (I John 4:19).

But our love must originate with His love for us,

Because God loves us, we are able to love Him and others.

God’s love for us empowers and guides us. Like a cart being pulled along by a horse (God’s love), our works of obedience (loving) flow from His love for us.

It’s not the other way around. Our obedience doesn’t gain God’s love. That’s like putting the cart before the horse and horses make terrible cart pushers. 

God’s love for us gives us the ability to obey His commands to love.

God’s Love Roots and Grounds Us

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB)

God’s love for us surpasses our knowledge. It’s beyond our understanding and our intellect. Paul prays we might grasp the superlative dimensions of God’s love in our hearts. What does not fit in our heads can dwell in our hearts as God is pleased to illuminate it. 

God’s love roots us and grounds us, establishing a firm foundation for our lives. When God’s surpassing love is revealed and made real to us, our souls are increasingly secured against the storms and trials of life.

Prayer

Lord, may my comprehension of Your amazing love for me continue to grow as I bathe in it. Thank You for chasing away my every fear with Your perfect love. Please remind me quickly when fears arise. Thank you that Your love enables me to love You. May I receive Your love and give it away.  Thank You for delighting in being with me. Please help me grasp Your love more and more. Steady my heart on the firm foundation of Your delight in me. Amen.

Reflections

Previously, in Embracing God’s Amazing Love, we established that God’s love for us:

  • Cannot be altered by anything in this world, whether seen or unseen.

  • Motivated Him to rescue us through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ

  • Is modeled by Jesus’ love for us.

In this post we learn that God’s love for us:

  • Chases away ALL our fears

  • Is our source of love, enabling us to love

  • Roots and grounds our soul, no matter what we go through

In today’s world of disunity and hatred, it’s essential to realize God’s love for us every day, in every way

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the NASB 1995. Photos generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Embracing God’s Amazing Love

Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Indwelling Christ, Rivers of Living Water

(The Everlasting Way) Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man?

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Teaching a class at church, I pull out figurines of Batman and Spider-Man and ask a question: As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, are we more like Batman or are we more like Spider-Man?

This seems to take the class back a bit, my intended results.

I don’t answer right away. I let the question simmer.

Growing up in the 60s, I have vivid memories of watching Batman on a regular basis. I remember Batman and Robin socking the bad guys who worked for the Penguin, Joker, or Riddler with labeled sounds such as BAM!, POW! and WHAM!. From his Batmobile, his tool belt, and his Batcave, Batman relied on many externals to conquer evil.

I was more into baseball cards growing up than comic books and missed when Spider-Man made his debut in 1962. However, I enjoyed the Spider-Man movies. I remember when Peter Parker was bitten by a  radioactive spider and was transformed from the inside out. His Uncle Ben said to him, “With great power comes great responsibility.” I loved how Spider-Man could attach a web to buildings and fly through city streets.

Batman or Spider-Man?

In Rankin Wilborne’s book, Union with Christ, he raised the question I asked my class. He describes Batman as a rich man with “lots of cool gadgets” [1]. Conversely, the spider bite is the only reason Peter Parker is a superhero. The encounter with the spider changed Peter from within. He became Spider-Man. Batman depends on outward trappings, not inner power.

Now you know the answer. We’ve been inwardly changed. We don’t need to rely on our own strengths or special gadgets we conjure up.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we’ve become new. Jesus Christ now lives within us. We’re like Spider-Man, but are we still living like Batman?

Jesus told His disciples, “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.” (John 14:16)

Paul confirms that the Holy Spirit of Jesus now lives inside believers, changing who we are. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13).

Spider Powers

Like Spider-Man, our insides have been changed. We’ve been given unnatural powers, but what are they? Although it would be fun, it’s not squirting webs to buildings and swinging through city streets.

Consider the following: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NASB)

Our new powers include:

  • a quality of love that is sacrificial beyond reason
  • joy and peace, which transcend every circumstance
  • kindness and goodness, which put others first and look past every offence
  • faithfulness and gentleness, which become for others a soothing balm in all infirmities
  • patience and self-control to walk in these inner powers no matter how we’re feeling

What would it be like if we continually experienced these powers of Christ flowing through us?

But too often we forget about the power within. We might ask God to give us patience or self-control, when in Christ, we already have these things and much more.  We have all of Christ available as we abide in His Holy Spirit.

Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, wants to be our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. He is our Rivers of Living Water flowing from deep within us. [2]

May we stop relying on our personalities, disciplines of self-control, our educations, our skills, and our gadgets.

Jesus made it very clear what results we can expect from our human efforts: I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5). 

And I’m told that from the Greek, the ‘nothing’ Jesus is referring to is a double negative. So, apart from abiding and relying on the Holy Spirit as we serve, our efforts produce nothing (nothing). That’s a lot of nothing. Who’s got time for that?

The life we’re to live is a life of total dependence upon the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, who indwells us. After all, the Bible tells us that we died, and that Christ now lives within us. It would be the definition of insanity to live from our old, dead self when we’ve been given newness of life. This new life is according to the mighty strength which raised Christ from the dead. [3]

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20).

Prayer

Lord, Your Spirit has changed me forever. Please forgive me for trying to live this Christian life on my own without depending upon You.

You tell me that apart from You, I can do nothing. I’m tired of wearing myself out, living life on my own. Trying to live apart from You is like Spider-Man fighting without his spider powers.

Never again, I pray. Please teach me how to live every moment of every day in the flow of Your Living Waters within me.

Please quickly stop me when I try and live life without You.  Teach me how to depend utterly upon You.

Have Your way with me, I pray. Amen.

Reflections

There’s a real difference between asking God to help us improve and relying upon His Spirit within to empower us.

My dad is a great example of this. He struggled with alcoholism for decades. It cost him his marriage and almost his life.

But things changed. He ended up not drinking for the last fifteen years of his life.

One day I asked him how he did it. “I tried everything,” he said. “AA and countless programs, but nothing worked. I’d been asking God to help me quit, but it just wasn’t working. Finally, I said, ‘God, you have to do it, I can’t.’”

After praying this prayer, he cut the grass, opened a beer, and took a swig. It tasted awful. He spat it out, poured it all out and never had another drop of alcohol the rest of his life. My dad learned to depend on the power of God to deliver him when nothing else could.

[1] Union with Christ, Rankin Wilborne, David Cook, p. 52-53

[2] John 7:37-39

Unless otherwise specified, all verses are from the New American Standard Bible – NASB

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Embracing God’s Amazing Love

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Eternal, Unparalleled

(The Everlasting Way) Embracing God’s Amazing Love

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It’s an especially hot, mid-summer morning, even for South Carolina. Today, there’s a bit of a break in the humidity. With the ceiling fan whirling at full speed, I’m writing on our newly constructed porch.

The old one, built on our septic tank by the previous owners, was collapsing. So, it had to be demolished and rebuilt. We love our new one. The ceiling is higher, and the floor raised, making it feel more like an extension of our house.

Jack, our twenty-month-old Aussie “puppy” is with me, as always. 😊

The low hum of cicadas dominates my hearing, even above the running water from our man-made mountain brook beside the porch. The sounds remind me of my childhood summers in the Upstate. My dad and grandfather built a water fall as well.

Divisions and hatred dominate the world these days.

Hard things are happening, much more than I can remember when I was growing up. I’m astounded at the number of shootings, natural disasters, and plane crashes throughout the world.

If we don’t grasp an overall, eternal perspective, we can easily get caught up in the madness and lose hope.

Love 

When it comes right down to it, we must build our lives on love.

From Jesus: 37 And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’ (Matthew 22:37-40)

And after washing His disciple’s feet, Jesus said, 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.  (John 13:34-35).

And a bit later that same night, He said, This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

Grasping the magnitude of God’s amazing love for us is not just informational, it’s to become a growing realization. Beginning with grasping His love for us: We love because He first loved us (I John 4:19)

What should we know about God’s love for us?

God’s Love for Us is Everlasting

The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jeremiah 31:3)

How do we get our head and heart around everlasting love?

‘Ahabah,’ the Hebrew word for everlasting love, describes a love which is beyond anything physical or any aspect of our soul, which people describe as our mind, will and emotions.

Nothing can alter God’s eternal, unconditional love for us. It outshines every war, every illness, every natural disaster. No choice, thought, or feeling can change the quality of God’s love for us. 

Pause for a moment and let this sink in.

As believers, God chose to love us before the world began. [1]

God’s Love Rescues Us

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Romans 5:8-10)

Before our deliverance, we were apart from God, facing eternal darkness, with no ability to change our situation. In our helpless state, while we were still hostile toward Him, God rescued us. And He did it by sending His Son, who lived a perfect life, to die in our stead.

Please don’t allow the familiarity of this great news to cheapen the impact!

We were hostile and helpless, but God, out of His unparalleled love, gave His Son to save us.

And not only did God’s love for us save us from His wrath through Jesus’ death, but much more He is now healing us, and making us whole by His life, which indwells us by His Holy Spirit.

He is always at work for our ultimate good according to His purposes: to free us from ourselves and to make us more like Jesus. [2]

Jesus Loves Us as Much as God Loves Him

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” (John 15:9)

As much as God loves Jesus, He loves us. How can this really be? It seems unimaginable. Yet, Jesus said it. It is true!

Don’t rush past this. Remain in the truth of Jesus’ abiding love. 

Story: If you’ve seen the movie Twister, the last scene is powerful. A raging tornado blows a building completely away. But because they strapped themselves to a pipe secured underground, the pipe saved the main characters.

God’s love is like that. He’s got us.

But we can’t assume upon the love and grace of Christ. [3] Though our actions can’t change God’s love for us, established before the world began, we can choose to disobey.

As believers, the strap of His love holds, but Jesus desires us to walk in the fellowship of His peace and joy. We can only do this by relying on His Holy Spirit and walking in obedience.

By His Spirit, we love.

Prayer

Lord, I’ll never fully comprehend the extent of Your love for me. It’s beyond my ability to comprehend.

However, because You describe it in Your word, I believe it and want to walk in it.

Though Your love doesn’t fit in my head, please make it real in my heart that it might shape every moment of my life.

Amen.

Reflections

As believers we rest in Christ’s finished work for us on the cross.

A first step in prioritizing and nurturing our relationship with our Lord is gazing upon Him and beginning to grasp the magnitude of His great love for us. 

God’s love has an eternal quality that keeps it from being affected by anything of this world, seen or unseen.

Even when we were against God, His love for us moved Him to send His own Son to die in our place, rescuing us and making us whole.

As much as God the Father loves Jesus, Jesus loves us, and we’re called to walk in the fellowship of His love.

[1] Ephesians 1:4-5

[2] Romans 8:29

[3] Romans 6:1-2

Unless otherwise specified, all verses are from the New American Standard Bible – NASB

Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:

Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.

Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.

It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.

Finding Joy in Life’s Moments

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

 

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Our Union with Christ

(In the Moments) Lord, You’ve Got To Do This. I Can’t.

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My father was at a low point in his life. He’d lost his marriage, his home, and his ability to live a normal life. Alcoholism imprisoned him. I tried to comfort him, but my words didn’t help.

One day, I read Jesus’ words to him, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 NASB).

I explained to Dad that Jesus wanted to give him rest from his life shattering burden and to shoulder what he’d been carrying for so long. He wept.

As a child, my grandparents had taken my dad to church, but the philosophies of the military college he attended led him to doubt God’s existence. When I was growing up, my mom was the one who took us to church. Dad rarely joined us.

But Jesus’ words that day opened up the eyes of his heart.

Come to Me

I love these verses as well. They speak deeply to my often-burdened heart. Sometimes, because I’ve moved ahead of God to do my own things, or, because of the ferociousness of life, I feel weary and heavy-ladened, just like Dad.

“Weary and heavy-laden” – fatigued and over-burdened. 

“Come” – “come hither” or “come this way”.

Jesus invites us to come to Him and remain with Him, to journey with Him. He promises to give us true rest, to take our burdens upon Himself, to teach us His gentle, humble heart as we travel together.

Dad’s Conversion and Continued Struggles

Eventually, Dad entrusted his life to Christ. We went to Bible studies together, and he was a part of our small group. He’d have seasons of sobriety, but he still struggled.

There was a gap between his reality and the deliverance he longed for. He went to alcoholics anonymous meetings and was in and out of rehab centers.

All along, he’d been asking God to help him quit, but it wasn’t working.

Lord, You do it, I Can’t

One day he came to the end of himself and cried, “God. I’ve tried everything I know. This isn’t working. I can’t do this. You’re going to have to do it.”

At that moment, Dad stopped asking God to help him. He started asking God, who Indwelled Him, to be his self-control. 

A bit later, after cutting the grass, he opened a beer and took a sip. It tasted horrible. He poured it out and never had another drop to drink the last fifteen years of his life.

Our Union with Christ

Dad modeled for me a powerful truth. Christ Himself is our life.

Jesus said. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NASB).

Paul said it this way, “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13 NASB)

 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20 NASB).

God never designed us to live life apart from Him. God pierced Christ for our transgressions [1] so that He might share His life with us. By God’s doing, we’ve been placed in Christ [2] and seated with Him in heavenly places. [3] We’re indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Jesus. [4]

As children of God, we’re new creations. [5] We’re united with Christ. God’s purpose is to transform us into the image of His Son. [6] But His way is not for us to try harder to improve ourselves. We died and our lives are now hidden in Christ. Christ now is our life. [7] We’re to yield to Him.

Challenge

What are you currently struggling with in your walk with Christ? Like my dad, it could be an addiction. It might have to do with a relationship, finances, a job, your health.

Like in my dad’s case, anything which causes us to realize we can’t, and God can, has the possibility to draw us deeper into our true-Life Source, but it takes humility and utter dependence.

We need to say, along with my dad, “God, I’ve tried everything I know to escape this burden. I can’t do it. Please work through me.”

Prayer

Dear Lord, as hard as it was to see my dad struggle with alcoholism, thank You that in his desperation, he cried out to You. Thank You that You opened the eyes of his heart to believe You exist and that You love him. Thank You that he surrendered his life to You and eventually trusted You for deliverance from his addiction.

Thank You for showing him that the Christian Life is not about trying harder but about trusting You in our weaknesses. And thank You for allowing dad to live in sobriety the remaining years of his life.

Amen.

Robert Elroy Buck III, whom I am named after, went to be with Jesus on April 30th, 2011. 

Thanks Dad. I miss you.

[1] Isaiah 53:5

[2] I Corinthians 1:30

[3] Ephesians 2:6

[4] Ephesians 1:13

[5] II Corinthians 5:17

[6] Romans 8:29

[7] Colossians 3:3-4

Other posts in our series In the Moments:

As Sea Gulls Fly

It is Finished

Behold the Moments

Tranquility

Stop Striving

Simplicity In Christ

What is Good

Yet Will I Rejoice

Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing

Exploring Grace and Joy together

Stay Present My Friends

Quiddity. It Could Change Your Life

The Cake Maker’s Blunder

God at Work (No Trespassing)

Hidden with Christ in God

Finding Joy in Love and Relationships

Escaping the Rat Race

When I don’t Feel God’s Loving Kindness

Experiencing Completeness in Christ

Overcoming Pain Through Faith

Recalibrating Our Hearts

The Joy of Waiting

On the Fifth Day God Created Dog

When Things get Really Hard

A No Lose Situation, Even with Cancer

Hey Pop

Mustering Our Faith

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

 

Sentenced to Die, What it Means to be Saved

Good Friday – The Story of Us

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A young man squatted in a dingy prison cell. His features were hidden by the deep shadows of his dark imprisonment. Only a thin plane of sunlight penetrated the darkness, revealing countless dust particles floating around rows of disheartened men. The man was seated, away from the light, staring, motionless, into the darkness.

Outside the prison, upon a hill, stood the place of execution, where condemned men were put to death. Today would be this man’s turn. In a way, death was a welcome ending to his pain. However, more strongly, the condemned man felt the fear of death’s mysteries. His soul, it seems, had died long ago, but the fear of physical death consumed every fiber of his being.

As he waited in the cruel anticipation of a violent death, his mind raced across the span of his life. What would have made a difference? What could have changed his inclinations towards evil? The answers to these questions could only be tossed out into his universe of despair. Like always, he knew no answers would come. There was no hope, never had there been hope.

Slowly and ever more increasingly, the young man became aware of the sounds of a great number of voices. There were shouts and roars, but none of the words could be recognized. The sounds increased and erupted past him like a huge ocean wave. An enormous mass of shouting people had passed just outside his cell and were proceeding toward execution hill. The time was near. The man could not remember so great a crowd ever gathered to witness a death before.

Just then, the outside door of the prison was slammed open hard against the wall. Keys jiggled and the main security door was unlocked. Prison guards streamed towards his cell. The hopeless man trembled and recoiled in fear. Death was pouncing upon him.

The guards unlocked his cell and converged upon him like many wild tigers. They seized him, and drug him out into the morning sunlight outside the prison. When they had cleared the outside door of the prison, he was slammed face down hard on the ground. The impact knocked him into a daze. In a semi unconscious state, he waited for the first slapping sting of the lashing whip.

After a while, he senses quickened and he slowly opened his eyes, spitting dust from his mouth. He tilted his head slowly, expecting his flesh to be ripped open at any moment.

Amazingly, he was alone.

People were flowing in masses towards execution hill, but he was left unattended on the ground.

Slowly at first, but with increasing urgency, the freed man got up and made his way into a block building, across the block from the prison. Looking around as he fled, he expected his fantasy to end at any moment. He made it to the dwelling and flung himself sobbing to the ground.

After a long while, the man’s curiosity couldn’t be contained. He left the building and circled around the back of execution hill. He came up upon the crowd and mixed himself safely among the masses. With much effort, he fought his way through until he could see what the commotion was all about.

Three men hung dying on crosses, the pain etched across their faces. Two of the men he knew from his time in prison, but he didn’t recognize the man in the middle. This man seemed much weaker and closer to death than the others. He stood watching the dying man with blood gushing down the wood of the middle tree. A strange magnetism drew his soul, locking him in on the suffering criminal.

Their eyes met. Though he was among a mass of people, the man on the middle cross was looking directly at him. The dying man’s eyes were not desperate and frantic, but peaceful and loving.

After a few moments the freed man turned and walked away. As he fought his way back through the crowd, he overheard someone asking about the man on the middle cross, “Why are they killing him, what has he done?”

“He’s done nothing wrong,” the answer came. “He’s dying in place of a man set free.”

Exchanged Life

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2nd Corinthians 5:21 NASB)

What would it feel like to find yourself in a prison cell, sentenced to die? Yet, being released at the last hour for another to die in your place. A man free of wrong, willing to die for you. This is our story.

Prayer

O Lord, as we approach the celebration of Your resurrection day, we pause to fully appreciate Your obedient cruel death on a Roman cross to reconcile us to eternal nearness to You. We can’t live a perfect life, but You did and were willing to die in our place. Thank You.

We pray for those in our lives who are close to us and far from You. May their hearts and minds be enlightened by Your love. May they come to saving knowledge by believing in You.

I pray these things in the powerful name of Jesus, the Christ.

Amen.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:1-3 NASB)

Take a look at our In the Moments devotional posts. 

As Sea Gulls Fly

It is Finished

Behold the Moments

Tranquility

Stop Striving

Simplicity In Christ

What is Good

Yet Will I Rejoice

Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing

Exploring Grace and Joy together

Stay Present My Friends

Quiddity. It Could Change Your Life

The Cake Maker’s Blunder

God at Work (No Trespassing)

Hidden with Christ in God

Finding Joy in Love and Relationships

Escaping the Rat Race

When I don’t Feel God’s Loving Kindness

Experiencing Completeness in Christ

Overcoming Pain Through Faith

Recalibrating Our Hearts

The Joy of Waiting

On the Fifth Day God Created Dog

When Things get Really Hard

A No Lose Situation, Even with Cancer

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.