On July 22, 2017 at 5:30 pm, Maggie Marie Baxter became Maggie Marie Gilmer. Her utmost heart’s desire at her wedding was for all those attending to understand and know that the ceremony that they were witnessing was an acting visual of God and His great love for each one of them.

In Scripture we are called “the bride of Christ.” Here are some of His beautiful promises straight from His longing heart. Allow them to wash over you today. Become His bride all over again. Live in His love.

For your Maker is your husband–the Lord Almighty is His name–the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. Isaiah 54:5

photo by Marissa Roberts

As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you. Isaiah 61:10

I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord. Hosea 2:19-20

…Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her… Ephesians 5:25

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Isaiah 1:18

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Revelation 21:2

From the beginning of time and then for all eternity, God has picked His bride, His people. He pursues in steadfast love.

He asks, “Will you say, ‘I do’?”

If so, He changes your name and gives you a new identity, in Christ. You wear His white, His purity. He is faithful and true…forever. Today, let us each rejoice and live securely in the strong arms of our Perfect Husband.

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A bible verse that I revisit over and over again is this one:
...casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. (I Peter 5:7)And this one:
Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you... (Psalm 55:22)The word "cast" means to throw forcefully in a specified direction. In these two verses, we are given the simple instruction to throw all our anxieties and burdens off of our hearts and minds, into the direction of the Lord, who will then take them upon Himself. I wish this straightforward instruction was as simple to obey. Why do I hold onto things I cannnot control?
For example, I have four children in their twenties, each with their own set of predicaments, large and small. As their mother, I have a tendency to take on the dangerous attitude of ownership, making their problems, my problems. I then can add my husband's "stuff", as well as both of our aging parents, not to mention my own personal struggles. If I'm not careful, in a matter of only minutes, I've gathered in my arms stressful stones, burdensome bricks, and worrisome rocks. Oh how they weigh me down! In this condition, I'm not only useless to my kids, my husband, my parents, myself, but also to others in my path who may need a helping hand.Therefore, I must continue to develop and strengthen the healthy habit of casting. I must name each worry that I naturally accumulate, and then hurl it in the direction of the One who can not only catch it (He never misses), but also can do something about it (He's always productive). In His hands, each troublesome pebble has the opportunity to become a precious stone, but I must choose to let it go.

So friend, if you are holding a heap of havoc, start hurling it with hope. Throw it forcefully into the direction of your Savior. Your healthy habit of casting is His earnest heart's desire.
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. (Psalm 68:19)

Have you ever felt like you have obeyed the Lord by taking a giant leap of faith, and now you're just waiting to land on solid ground? You know you have been called to do something but you just don't know the details of that call; so, you... just... wait... on the Lord... and His... perfect... timing.

Waiting is beautiful to the Lord. It puts us in a place of complete dependence on Him, which pleases Him, because He can then do His work in us.  Yes, while we humanly wait, He supernaturally works.  Hear His promise:

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not become tired, they will walk and not become weary.  Isaiah 40:31

Because I appreciate any kind of athlete in action, these pictures speak to me about the concept of beauty in the waiting. Observe the strength and grace in the mid-routines of the gymnasts. Now take note of your current situation that may be "up in the air." Remember, you may feel completely out of control, but He never is! So in the midst of your waiting, hold on to your invisible God who is beautifully present... in your... present... and... in your... future.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.   Psalm 27:14

July's intense heat made me think about many many years ago (maybe about 15 years ago), when I took my young kids to a water park with a friend and her kids. First, let me tell you, I have an aversion to water parks, so this was definitely an act of sacrificial love on my part! My friend Sharon and I put our kids on the buddy system and off they went to conquer the slides in the refreshing water. There was one particular water attraction in which a HUGE bucket filled up with water and then eventually poured out all over those who were waiting in anticipation underneath. When this powerful diluge finally happened, the whole group of both young and even older people squealed with delight!

Meanwhile, because of my waterpark phobia, I was sweltering in the wretched heat of mid-July. I was miserable... but my childern were free!

Today, I aiso read these particular verses that spoke extra loud to me due to our hot summer days: When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer (Psalm 32:3-4). This verse makes me feel sweaty and miserable just reading it. I don't want to be in this place physically OR spiritually. Thankfully, there's a remedy!

My friend, let us realize that just like the refreshing water poured out all over my own kids and provided immediate relief and joy physically, we too have an outpouring of forgiveness waiting for us every single day spiritually. We have been invited to the waters to confess our sins before the One who can wipe us completely clean! He delights to see us standing at the foot of the cross, waiting to be covered with His unfailing love. No sin is too great for Him to wash away! What freedom! What redemption! What revival!

May His delighted children shout, How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How joyful is the man the Lord does not charge with sin and in whose spirit is no deceit! (Psalm 32:1-2)

No need to be miserable…stand under the Living Water…and join in the joy of forgiveness.

Several years ago, I wrote a devotional entitled Awesome Biblical Concepts, a Devotional for Every Family. This devotional offers a challenging phrase using alliteration, and then expounds on it by looking at two different Bible stories, each one teaching us how to, or how not to live. I hope you will be encouraged by God’s Word along with these alphabetical phrases.

So, let us begin with A: Ask and Accept.

Ask and Accept? A synopsis of Mark 10:17-22.

‍‍There once was a rich young ruler who approached Jesus asking, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus, knowing the pride in this man’s heart, and the dependence he had on himself in following rules and gaining wealth, said to him, “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” At this, the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. This rich young ruler asked, but did not accept Jesus’ offer of true and abundant life. He was too full already.

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Ask and Accept! A synopsis of John 4:1-42.

‍However, there once was a Samaritan woman who went to a well to draw water. There, she met Jesus who was waiting to meet with her. Jesus, because He was God in the flesh, could see into her heart; He knew she was a lost and lonely woman. While at the well, He looked her in the eyes and gently told her that He cared. He offered her His living water, telling her that if she drank of it, she would never thirst again. With eagerness she asked for this water; and with joy she accepted Jesus as the Messiah. As a result, she ran to tell the whole city about Him, causing many others to believe.

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When looking at these two contrasting stories, the challenging questions to us today are:

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Will I ask and accept? I must realize that when I ask for His way, I must deny my own.

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Do I believe His path is better, more rich and full than what I can accumulate by myself?

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Will I lay down my selfish ambitions and my ruling addictions, and hold out my empty hands and my humbled heart for Him to fill in His time and in His way?

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Take note of the rich young ruler; he walked away with his pockets full, yet downcast, while the Samaritan woman, left her water pot behind and ran to the city with her heart overflowing with joy.

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Ask and Accept, my friend.

Receive His gifts of love, joy, and peace.

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Embrace his forgiveness, redemption, and power,

His beauty, guidance, and grace.

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Fill your vessel with all of who He is; resist the fleeting things of this world.

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Hear Him say to you personally, “Whoever drinks of the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

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‍Ask and accept, drink and be filled, savor and be satisfied.

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In keeping with our ABC phrases, A is "Ask and Accept", and now B is "Believe and Be Bold."

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Believe and Be Bold? A synopsis of Jonah 1:1-17.

The Lord said to Jonah, “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah rose up… found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. And the Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up… At Jonah’s command, the reluctant sailors hurled Jonah into to the sea and it became calm. And then mercifully, the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah believed in God, but chose not to be bold in his faith. He actually ran in the opposite direction.

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Believe and Be Bold! A synopsis of 1 Samuel 17.

However, there once was a young shepherd boy named David. His father ordered him to take food to his brothers who were soldiers in the Israelite army. David went to the Valley of Elah, only to find the Israelites full of fear and dismay concerning the Philistines. Their champion-giant Goliath had been jeering them, morning and evening for forty days. Young David, uninhibited by the giant, said, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” Because David believed in his God and was bold in his faith, he picked up his sling and five stones and ran quickly toward the battle line. There in the Elah Valley, Goliath fell on his face to the ground, struck by a single stone that sank into his forehead.

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When contrasting these two stories, the questions are:

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When I hear uncomfortable or “impossible” instructions from the Lord, will I believe and be bold?

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Will I run away from Him like Jonah, or will I run toward the battle line like David? Jonah tried to flee the presence of the Lord, which of course is impossible; David, however, was fully assured that his God was not only with him, but also that His power was going to do the impossible through him.

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I encourage you to know your God and wholeheartedly believe in all of who he is; and then, move steadily forward in boldness, knowing that he will be both present and active in all that he has asked you to do. If you choose this route, both you and all those around you will be blessed.

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So decide today to run to your battle line, because faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. (I Thessalonians 5:24)

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