Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
December 28, 2022
Read Psalm 104:24-30
24 LORD, you have done so many things! You made them all so wisely! The earth is full of your creations! 25 And then there’s the sea, wide and deep, with its countless creatures living things both small and large. 26 There go the ships on it, and Leviathan, which you made, plays in it! 27 All your creations wait for you to give them their food on time. 28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled completely full! 29 But when you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to dust. 30 When you let loose your breath, they are created, and you make the surface of the ground brand-new again.
Good Morning, Let us rejoice in this day which you have made.
God created the heavens and the earth and every living thing that fills the world. Most of us have had the experience where we were placed in charge of something: a meal, an event, a program . . . Some revel in this opportunity, while others are frightened or overwhelmed. I would guess that however, as you approach your time of being in charge, you quickly realize that it is hard to keep track of everything.
Just about the time you think, “All right, I’ve got this!”, you discover that you neglected some element of your responsibility. Now, it might be so small that everything will happen as planned and perhaps no one will even notice this missing piece. For that small moment, everything is good!
Now imagine having that responsibility every minute of every day! That small, neglected detail that didn’t cause a problem at the moment might grow into a major problem over the long haul.
Our God is an awesome God who is able to care for and provide for every living thing that he created. Whether big or small, the Lord God knows us intimately and is with us always. When we consider all the living things that fill the world, we realize that we are but a speck on the landscape of life, but no matter how small or insignificant we might seem in this grand scheme called life, God cares for us.
God simply asks us to submit ourselves, our worries, and our problems, so that he can provide for us. As I type these words, this idea sounds so wonderful, so why do we struggle with letting go? If only it was as easy as flipping a switch, we’d be right there.
Deep within us, we want to be in control. We think, “I’ve got this! Woohoo!”, and then something we didn’t anticipate comes along and changes everything. God has a plan for our lives and is ready to be by our side regardless of the unexpected struggles we face.
26 Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns— and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?… Matthew 6:26-27
Our lives seem to be filled with giving control to God when we struggle and then when we feel secure, we take it back. Someday, after much practice and failure and more practice, we will Let Go, and Let God!
Gracious God, Thank You for loving us. You created us and gave us many gifts. Help us to give our struggles to you. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Even though I am a small part of God’s creation, God cares deeply for me.
God is ready to be in charge! Pastor Liz