Read Scriptures Within the Devotion
Let's play “Who Said?” Ready? Whose quotes are these?
1. ‘The next time you stand in front of a mirror and want to scream, try to remember that God made that face. That smile. Those big eyes...and chubby cheeks. You are His creation, called to reflect Him. Spiritual transformation doesn’t come from a diet program, a bottle, a makeover, or mask. It comes from an intimate relationship with the Savior. He...appreciates us for who we really are. So, we can too.’
2. ‘Things may not be logical or fair, but when God is directing the events of our lives, they are right.’
3. ‘Whether our fear is absolutely realistic or out of proportion in our minds, our greatest refuge is Jesus Christ.’
4. ‘Whether you win or lose, whether you have a good day or bad day, God is with you; He loves you.’
5. ‘When a sudden ray of sun or a moonbeam falls on a dreary street, it makes no difference what it illumines-a broken bottle on the ground, a fading flower in a field, or the flaxen blonde hair of a child's head. The object is transformed and the viewer is transfixed. Celebrate that moment of beauty and take it with you in your memory. It is God's gift to you.’
6. ‘My favorite thing that God gives is grace. It is without performance, free in Christ.’
Give up? Each of these pithy quotes were spoken by Lucy Swindoll who just passed away at the age of 88. I remember laughing and being nourished by her words when we attended Women of Faith and also hearing her on "Focus on the Family." This woman's life surely radiated joy and the love of adventure. After all, her friends rented a hearse and took her out on an adventure to celebrate her 50Th birthday, and she loved every minute of it.
I want to thank God for Lucy Swindoll by briefly looking at each of these quotes and highlighting the scriptural truths on which they could be based.
1. God made each human being in His own image, Genesis 1:26-27. God made each person with care and oversight, Psalm 139:13-16. We didn't come into being by accident or without God's careful superintending. Our significance comes from belonging to the Savior Who has made us able to accomplish the tasks He has hand-picked for us, Ephesians 2:10.
2. We want to understand all that we see around us. We want to put the pieces together in an orderly fashion, but the picture that we form makes no sense. Yet, behind the scenes, the Lord is at work on our behalf and for His honor and glory. His grandiose plan will one day amaze us as we discover how He was at work weaving myriads of events together and making us more like Himself, Romans 8:28-29. If we need reminders of His behind the scenes work, we need look no further than the lives of both Esther and Joseph, Genesis 39-50.
3. There are many places that seem like shelters where we can run into when we are afraid. There is One that is tried and true, the Lord Who is always available, Psalm 20:7; Psalm 46:1; Hebrews 4:14-16. Even when we forget to run to Him first, He still waits to receive us when we find that our other shelters offer no real help in the long run.
4. God is not a fair-weather friend. His love does not wax and wane, depending upon whether we have done the day just right or blown it royally, Romans 8:38-39. He is always for us, Romans 8:31.
5. God gives glimpses of His beauty everywhere. After all, He is the One Who thought up loveliness. It marked His creation at the beginning, Genesis 2:9, and He gives us everything, even now, richly to enjoy, 1 Timothy 6:17. He delights to give good gifts to His children because He is the most awesome Father imaginable, Matthew 7:7-11.
6. The most wondrous gift God delights to give is grace. It is amazing because it comes freely and undeserved, and His offer of salvation is the sparkling jewel that God holds out to everyone, 2 Peter 3:9; Ephesians 2:1-9. There is no one who does not need God's grace, Romans 3:23, and it is the Lord's desire that all would run to Him to receive it, 1 Timothy 2:3-6.
Isn't God good to give us so many different people to share glimpses of Who He is, what He is like and how He loves us? How uniquely the Holy Spirit works through each of God's children who are born anew, John 3:3. When each of us uses the gifts God has given us, we really get a bigger picture of Him and His love to hold out to a world where He is often not known and loved.
Thank You Lord for Lucy Swindoll and how You used her. Show us each day how You want to make Yourself known through each of us.