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"Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 4:6

A few years ago, while I was praying, I felt God speak to my spirit: "It is time for you to walk in your apostolic authority."

At first, I did not fully understand what He meant, so I began to ask God for instruction and to study His Word. Through that process, I learned that walking in apostolic authority does not mean relying on my own confidence, ability, or strength. It means living in complete dependence upon the power of God.

Apostolic authority is not rooted in who we are—it is rooted in whose we are.

Sometimes we become paralyzed by the unanswered questions of life:

What if I cannot pay my rent?

What if my loved One does not receive healing?

What if my child never comes back to God?

What if the situation never changes?

What if? What if? What if?

Fear continually asks, "What if everything goes wrong?" Faith answers, "Even if I do not know what will happen, I know who goes before me."

My confidence is not anchored in receiving the outcome I desire; it is anchored in the unchanging character of God. "What if" is controlled by circumstances, but "even if" faith stands upon the truth that no matter what happens, God will still be God, and I choose to trust Him.

Walking in authority does not mean pretending that our fears are not real. It means refusing to allow fear to have the final word. When I remember that Jesus has not left me powerless, something changes within me. I stand a little taller. I speak with greater clarity. I declare the Word of the Lord with renewed confidence.

Why?

Because I am no longer relying upon my own strength to overcome fear, temptation, sickness, or uncertainty. I am relying upon the strength and power of Jesus Christ.

Our God can reverse a doctor's diagnosis, restore a broken family, provide in a season of lack, and cover the shame of our past with His mercy. We believe that He still performs miracles.

But our authority is not found in demanding that God answer exactly as we desire. It is found in trusting that He remains sovereign, faithful, and present—even when His answer looks different from what we expected.

When I understand that the outcome does not depend upon my might or power, I can surrender the burden to God. I can walk in apostolic authority because I know who goes before me, who stands beside me, and who lives within me.

It is time to lay down our insecurities, surrender our fears, and stop depending exclusively upon human reasoning. It is time to walk in the authority God has given us.

This does not mean we will always feel fearless or have everything together. It means that fear no longer has authority over us. We may feel weak, but His strength is made perfect in our weakness. We may be uncertain, but we are still held by the One who knows the end from the beginning.

Your prayers have power—not because of how perfectly you pray, but because of the One to whom you are praying.

Do not give up.

Keep praying for your family, and continue to believe for healing and restoration. You may not yet see the answer, but God is already at work. Walk in the authority He has given you, not with pride in your own strength, but with confidence in His Spirit.

It is not by might or by power, but by His Spirit.

Joshua 10:12, Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

Joshua was not satisfied with a partial victory — he wanted a complete one, so he prayed an impossible prayer.

Joshua 10:14, And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.

The Sun stood still, and the moon stopped for 24 hours.

1. Our 24-hour clock time is based on the Earth's rotation, which takes approximately 24 hours to complete.

2. The Earth right now, as I'm writing, is orbiting around the Sun, which will take about one year to complete.

3. As the Earth obits the Sun, the moon is orbiting the earth.

4. The Sun's relationship with Earth is just right to sustain life on our planet.

5. The moon is just the right size to cause the Earth to tilt at 23.4 degrees, bringing both winter and summer to the planet.

6. Every natural element in our solar system has been created with exact precision to give us a habitable climate on Earth.

7. The Earth, the universe declares the majesty of ALMIGHTY GOD.

In the natural realm, if the Earth stops rotating on its axis, then gravity would be severely disrupted. Scientists suggest that if this ever happened, everything on Earth would float into space, with devastating consequences.

However, we do not only serve a God who operates in the natural realm. We serve a god who moves within the realm of the supernatural.

We serve a God who can speak the world into existence, and also command the Earth to halt rotating and command the Sun and every other external circumstance to refrain from causing catastrophic destruction… all because one man had faith to pray an impossible prayer.

Joshua prays that God would reverse the laws of nature, and God hearkens to his petition and performs a miracle beyond anything the world has ever experienced and will ever experience again.

Sometimes we have to set our human reasoning aside and rely on the word of God.

My faith should never be contingent on the natural realm, but on the power of ALMIGHTY GOD.

I do not want to govern my life with natural phenomena.

Perhaps you are facing something today that appears impossible. The daylight may seem to be fading, the battle may feel unfinished, and victory may appear beyond your reach. But the God who answered Joshua has not changed.

We do not possess power within ourselves to command creation or manufacture miracles. Today, we need to bring our impossible situations before Him and trust Him to answer according to His perfect will.

Pray for the prodigal who seems too far away.

Pray for the marriage that appears beyond restoration.

Pray for the healing that no human hand can provide.

Pray until the victory is complete.

"For the body does not consist of one member but of many . . . But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose." (I Corinthians 12:14, 18, ESV)

The Bible paints rich pictures of some very interesting and colorful characters. Many are as familiar as old friends as they capture our interest with the actions of their lives. Others the Bible paints less distinct, and they seem to fill the background of the canvas. We only see a glimpse of what they are like, making it easy to overlook them in the shadows. But all, whether the colorful well-known figures or the subdued background people, create the whole picture of God's work.

Life is like that even today. Some positions in the body of Christ place them into the center of the picture. We easily recognize their role as musician, minister, or missionary. Others of us often feel insignificant in comparison, an indistinct brushstroke in the corner of the canvas. We fail to realize that even a small touch of color adds depth and detail to the complete scene.

As we go about our ordinary lives, we sometimes forget that Almighty God designed a special purpose for each of us. Satan tries to make us ineffective in achieving that plan by telling us our small contribution does not count. Others are much more valuable, he whispers. But he lies!

Romans 12:6 says that we are each essential to the body of Christ, "having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us" (ESV). Although our abilities and interests may differ, God will enhance those abilities as we use them for Him.

"I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service." (I Timothy 1:12, ESV)

In II Corinthians 10:12 Paul says we are unwise when we compare ourselves to others. We may do it through pride, thinking we are better than another, or with feelings of inferiority, deciding we do not measure up.

As a friend looked through reunion photos of classmates she had not seen in years, she noticed several who were involved in various areas of ministry. Some had even served overseas. In surprise, she held up a photo and exclaimed, "But they look so ordinary!" I realized that as a stay-at-home mom she felt her efforts for the kingdom did not match the contributions of others. Many of us make the same mistake. However, Matthew 10:41-42 says that even a small effort on our part brings great reward.

We each fill a vital role in the body of Christ. Yes, we have different personalities, different abilities, different interests, and even different intellect. But that does not mean only those in a more visible ministry are of value. We have our own unique contribution to make. Just as our natural body needs its different parts to function efficiently, so does the spiritual body.

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord . . . For the body does not consist of one member but of many." (I Corinthians 12:4-5, 14, ESV).

While mourning the death of an elderly prayer warrior. I told a friend that I feared we were not filling the gap as these aged ones passed on. "We still have prayer warriors," he assured me. "We just don't know them because they don't tell us." Some of the greatest contributions to God's work are being made by the quiet ones.

Whatever your place in the body of Christ, pray that you will fulfill God's purpose for your life. God's plan is designed just for you. The only role He expects you to fulfill is your own. God painted you into His canvas, and you help make the picture beautiful.

Devotion by Mary Loudermilk

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (II Corinthians 5:17, NKJV)

A friend at work had a habit of referring to others as "a good Christian man" or a "good Christian woman." But he used the term in a very loose way. To him, "Christian" was a basic term that could be used to describe any good, morally upright person. His version of the word had nothing to do with a person's salvation experience and spiritual life. I understood what he meant, but I did not agree with his version of the word. He completely left out a relationship that makes us seek to become Christ-like.

Have you ever stopped and asked, "What does a Christian look (or act) like?" Or, perhaps a better question is, "Do I look and act like a follower of Jesus? What do others see in me that would show I am a child of God?

Someone once described being a Christian as "being less like the world and more like Christ." This definition is true as far as it goes, but being a Christian goes deeper.

When we obey God's Word and are filled with His Spirit, we become a new creation. Our old life is gone. Our thoughts change, and our actions change. We have different priorities. We forsake the things of the world and take on the characteristics of Christ. His desires become our desires. His hatred of sin becomes our hatred of sin. This requires more than halfway commitment; we need total surrender. Only then we can boldly declare, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . ." (Galatians 2:20, NKJV).

Ephesians 4:22-24 describes that changed life this way:

"That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (NKJV)

In Philippians 3, the apostle Paul speaks of the changes he personally experienced. He was no longer the person he had been. Paul once took great pride in his Jewish heritage and his observance of the Law. He was zealous in his persecution of the believers. But then he encountered the Lord, and everything changed. All he valued before that fateful day on the road to Damascus no longer mattered.

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:7-8, NKJV)

Has your life changed? Can you say like Paul, "The things I used to value no longer matter to me." Does your life now bear the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-23? Do you hate sin but love people? Does Jesus shine through your life? Are you salt and light to a lost world?

Are you a Christian in the truest meaning of the word? Have you put on "true righteousness and holiness?"

How has your life been transformed by the Spirit of God living inside?

What matters more—success in this world or a deep, abiding relationship with the Lord?

Do others recognize that you are a Christian by the life you live, not by mere words?

Devotion by Mary Loudermilk

"And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." (Mark 11:25, ESV)

Have you ever had to forgive someone and, truthfully, you just didn't want to? If you've lived any time at all on this earth, you've probably had more than one situation that required either to offer forgiveness or seek forgiveness.

When someone offends us, it's easy to feel justified in holding onto our bruised feelings. Forgiveness is not easy, especially if that person never apologizes or tries to make things right. Yet, forgiveness is necessary. We cannot receive what we refuse to give.

Feeling justified about not forgiving may eventually turn into bitterness, anger, resentment, and a desire for revenge. Refusing to forgive destroys the bridge we all need to cross to receive our own forgiveness.

Can we ever just opt out of forgiveness because the situation feels unforgiveable? As I thought about some of the situations recorded in the Bible, I realized that many times forgiveness must have been very difficult. If we were to face a similar situation, would we decide it was just too much to forgive because the offense went too deep?

Jesus offers our greatest example of forgiveness. He taught forgiveness throughout His ministry, and His life demonstrated what forgiveness looked like in day-to-day living. He was ridiculed by religious leaders, betrayed by one of His own disciples, denied by another, and abandoned by all of them during His darkest moments.

Hanging on the cross, even in His agony, Jesus prayed for His persecutors, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34, ESV).

Joseph endured thirteen years of servitude and imprisonment in Egypt because of his brothers' jealousy and hatred. Joseph chose to see God's hand upon his life rather than allow bitterness and revenge to fill his heart. He responded with kindness, not retaliation.

"'As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good . . . So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.' Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." (Genesis 50:20-21, ESV)

Stephen, the first Christian martyr, used his dying breath to pray for those stoning him. Forgiving could not have been easy, but Stephen forgave anyway. Crying out with a loud voice, his last words were, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60, ESV).

Forgiveness may not be easy, but it is necessary. Matthew 6:14 tells us, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you" (ESV).

You may wonder if there is a limit to the number of times we must forgive someone? Surely at some point we can say, "I've done enough. God doesn't expect me to do more."

Peter asked the same question of Jesus. "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Peter no doubt thought seven was a very generous number. The Lord's answer surprised Peter. "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." (See Matthew 18:21-22, NKJV.)

In other words, we are to just keep on forgiving. When we realize how many times God has shown mercy and forgiveness to us, can we do any less?

"Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." (Colossians 3:13, ESV)

Love is the component we cannot forget to include. It is love that allows us to forgive. In Matthew 5:44 Jesus commands us to, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (ESV).

Do you love like Jesus loves? Will you forgive like Jesus forgives?

"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins" (I Peter 4:8, ESV).

How many of the following statements do you agree with?

1. Forgiveness shows strength, not weakness.

2. Refusing to forgive will hinder our prayers and our relationship with the Lord.

3. Forgiveness does not mean ...

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." (Colossians 3:12-13, ESV).

I almost always carry a large purse. Perhaps it's a fear of being unprepared in case of an emergency. I try to plan for almost any contingency. Band-aid? Right here. Chipped nail? Here's my file. Too spicy lunch? Take this antacid. Kleenex, pen, cough drop, safety pin, tape measure. I have them all!

My fear of needing something for an emergency only gets worse when I travel. I carry extra phone cords (in case one doesn't work), duct tape (great for emergency repairs), neatly folded plastic bags, a spare pair of glasses, antibiotic cream, sanitizing wipes . . . and the list goes on.

I admire, but cannot really understand, friends who can exist all day with a bag not much larger than a coin purse. Yes, my handbag may feel like I'm carrying a ten-pound sack of potatoes, but I'm prepared!

When I leave the house each day, I actually carry two purses. You may not see my second bag, but it is more important than the one that holds my credit cards and cell phone. This is my spiritual purse, and it contains important daily essentials.

Each day the Lord gives me a fresh supply of mercy. It never fails (Lamentations 3:22-23). In my human frailty I often disappoint the Lord, yet in His compassion He does not give me what I deserve. He extends mercy. As I go about my daily schedule, I may encounter someone who will hurt or disappoint me in some way. It may be a co-worker, a friend or loved one, or even a stranger I meet. At such times, I must reach into my purse and bring out mercy. I remember that I must be merciful just as my heavenly Father is merciful (Luke 6:36).

We inhabit this earth with 8.3 billion other humans. Because we each have our own unique personalities and habits, life goes better when we show patience. The Bible calls it longsuffering. This fruit of the Spirit makes things go smoother when given generously. Sometimes patience needs to be combined with forbearance, which means we make allowances for the faults of others. Always carry a good supply of both in your bag. They are needed frequently.

Every day we interact with people who are facing difficult situations. They may have their mask firmly in place and on the surface seem to be enjoying a great life. But the Spirit will direct us and allow us to see the pain behind the mask. If we have gone through similar times of trouble, God will use those experiences to help us to minister compassion and comfort to another.

"Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (II Corinthians 1:4, NKJV).

We don't need to make a trip to a store to find what we need for our purse. These qualities develop in our lives as we walk with the Lord and strive to become more like Him. They are the result of walking in the Spirit. Love, forgiveness, kindness, thankfulness, grace, humility, peace, faith, hope, and joy all fit neatly inside, ready to use as needed. They are for our own use as well as to minister to those around us.

I may never learn the art of carrying a small handbag. It's just not my style. But please feel free to ask if you need a mint, a tissue, or even my tape measure. But more importantly, if you need encouragement, mercy, or compassion, I pray I will have an ample supply to share with you.

Do you find it easy or difficult to reach out to someone going through a difficult situation?

How has God used your personal experiences help you minister to others?

Devotion by Mary Loudermilk

"Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him." (Genesis 40:23, NKJV)

It's easy to feel forsaken and alone when you are falsely accused and imprisoned for something you did not do. But this latest blow was only one of several things that had plagued Joseph in recent years. He now sat in prison with little hope of being exonerated.

Joseph was only seventeen when his life abruptly changed. That's when his brothers conspired to rid themselves of their father's favorite son. At least Reuben had convinced them not to kill him, their original plan. Instead, Judah suggested they sell him to passing Ishmaelite merchants. That's how Joseph ended up in Egypt. (Read Genesis 37.)

Even as a slave, things went well at first. Joseph became a servant in the home of Potipher, the captain of the guard. God prospered Joseph, and he became a trusted overseer in the household. But when he rejected the advances of his owner's wife, she lied that Joseph had tried to take advantage of her. Joseph maintained his integrity, but the false accusations landed him in prison. But even there, God blessed him and allowed him to find favor with the keeper of the prison.

Genesis 40 introduces two new people to Joseph's story: the king's butler (or cupbearer) and his baker. Both had offended the king and were now also in prison. One night both men had puzzling dreams, and Joseph was able to interpret those dreams. The baker would lose his life, but the butler would be restored to his position. And that's exactly what happened.

Joseph made a special request of the butler. "But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house" (Genesis 40:14, NKJV).

The butler forgot.

I wonder how long Joseph waited in hopeful anticipation before he finally accepted that the butler had never mentioned his case to Pharoah. It must have been discouraging.

Scripture does not tell us just how long Joseph was imprisoned. We know he was taken to Egypt at seventeen years old and then served in Potipher's house. We also know that two full years passed between the cupbearer's release from prison and when he finally remembered Joseph.

"Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream . . . Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: 'I remember my faults this day . . . Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there . . .' Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh." (Read Genesis 41:1-14, NKJV)

Was the two-year delay just bad luck? Or was God just choosing the perfect time? Many times, what may seem God's unconcern in a situation is really His strategic planning. It was not coincidence that the butler remembered Joseph two years later, exactly when the king needed someone to interpret his own troubling dreams. This was God's appointed time to work.

Joseph was thirty years old when Pharoah advanced him to second in command in Egypt. For thirteen years he endured many things—betrayal by his brothers, separation from his family and homeland, false accusations against his character, and imprisonment. Yet, when the time was right—God's appointed time—Joseph was in position to save his entire family during the famine.

Joseph waited thirteen years before the Lord revealed His purpose and plan. He did not compromise his integrity. He did not become bitter or resentful. But at just the right moment in time, Joseph was ready to step into the role God had prepared for him.

"And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Roman 5:3-5, NKJV)

Habakkuk 2:3 tells us, "For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it ...

"Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways." (Psalm 119:37, ESV)

Have you've ever gone shopping for one small item but came home with an armload of things you just couldn't resist? It happens — more than we want to admit.

For a friend of mine, it was shoes. She had boxes of them in her closet, many never worn. She just couldn't resist pretty shoes. Another friend loved shopping for clothes. Then she hid those items in the back of her closet for a month or two. If her husband questioned an item, she could declare, "Oh, no. I've had this for a long time."

Stores know how to display items in a way to draw our attention and entice us to buy them. Unfortunately, many of us cannot resist the temptation and go home with more "stuff" and less money.

It's a tactic the devil has been using since he enticed Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Allow the person to see something that seems very desirable and then wait for them to take the bait. Eve desired what she saw and ate the fruit. But Eve wasn't the only one to fall for this trick.

Achan, whose story is told in Joshua 7, saw a beautiful garment, some silver shekels, and a wedge of gold. He saw them, wanted them, and took them. His desire for these forbidden items not only affected him and his family but also the entire camp of Israel.

When an angel pulled Lot and his family out of wicked Sodom, Lot's wife allowed her eyes to look back at all she was leaving behind. That was a fatal mistake. She turned to a pillar of salt. (Read Genesis 19.)

King David saw a beautiful woman from his rooftop and allowed lust to lead him to sin. He then had his friend murdered in battle and took his wife. (Read II Samuel 11.)

Each of these took the bait dangled before them. They saw it. They wanted it. They reached for it.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, one of those temptations was visual. The devil showed Him all the kingdoms of the world to entice Him.

"And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time." (Luke 4:5, ESV)

Although the enticement was spread before Him, Jesus did not give in to the temptation. Instead, He rejected it with Scripture. He did not allow Himself to be lured by what He saw. He refused Satan's bait.

According to I John 2:16, there are three ways in which we become tempted:

Desires of the flesh—earthly pleasures that pull us away from God's presence.

Desires of the eyes—coveting what we see.

Pride of life—an attitude of self-sufficiency and conceit.

"For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." (ESV)

None of these things come from God. They are a trap.

Job knew the importance of living carefully and deliberately to protect his integrity. One of those ways was by controlling the things he saw.

"I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman . . . Doesn't he see everything I do and every step I take? . . . Let God weigh me on the scales of justice, for he knows my integrity. If I have strayed from his pathway, or if my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen. . . ." (Job 31:1-7, NLT)

Job knew that our eyes can lead us places we never intended to go. That's why it's so important that we guard our eyes. The devil will put his most glittery enticements before us, making them seem like just the thing we need in our life. Don't take the bait. Never let your heart lust for the things your eyes have seen.

Matthew 6:22 promises, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light" (ESV).

What is the connection between what we see and what our heart desires?

How can you protect yourself from the three types of temptation?

Are there things in your home that may lead to ungodly desires?

Devotion by Mary Loudermilk

"Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you . . ." (Isaiah 43:4, ESV)

This happened many years ago, but I still remember the day I met Precious. Let me tell you her story.

A nurse in the hospital unit where I did volunteer work asked, "Would you like to hold a baby?" This was one of my favorite jobs, rocking and cuddling an infant, so I immediately said yes.

"Have you held her before?" she inquired. This was not too unusual a question because the children were often in this unit for weeks or even months. But I had not held this baby before.

"I should tell you then, just to prepare you," the nurse explained, "that she does have multiple facial and cranial deformities." Whatever this meant, I had said yes, so I moved to the baby's crib. The nurse's words were not enough to prepare me for the infant lying there. No feature was what it should have been. Her deformities were extreme and her tiny face grotesque.

Handing me the blanketed infant she said, "She needs a little love, so hold her for a while." I accepted the little bundle and began to rock and talk to Precious. It was difficult, for she was not the adorable little form we all expect to see and love to hold when we think "baby."

"This is one good reason why a person should never use drugs," a passing nurse commented. Precious was the abandoned child of a drug addict. Life had dealt some severe blows in the few days of her little life. The sins were not hers, but her future would be forever altered because of them.

"Who named her?" another nurse asked. No one seemed to know who had given the disfigured infant such a loving name.

As I held Precious, I began to think of ugliness and love. Mine, not hers. Once I too was deformed, marred by sin. I too was unlovable, but Someone took me in His arms and began to rock me and say sweet words of love to me. I was given a beautiful name, far above what I deserved. Even in my ugliness and deformity, I became Precious and was cherished.

All of us were once like Precious. Sin had left deep, ugly scars that we thought could never be erased. But the hands that touched us were the healing hands of love. Because of God's tender mercies, we have been given a future and a hope. Our countenance has been transformed by His salvation. We are redeemed and have become a precious treasure to God. "For the redemption of their soul is precious," (Psalm 49:8).

We are deeply loved. We are precious.

"Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will." (Ephesians 1:4-5, ESV)

(Note: I later learned that Precious found love in the arms of a wonderful foster mother who saw beyond her outward appearance to the inward beauty and innocence of a child.)

Devotion by Mary Loudermilk

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2

This week we have been re-visiting some of the stories that show the compassion and love while Jesus was here on earth. I trust that we have been inspired to be more like Him.

One of the greatest ways that Jesus showed compassion was when He was hanging on the cross. What an opportunity it would have been for Him to speak out against those who had condemned Him to die. Among the crowd gathered around, were probably many whom he recognized. He had listened to their stories, healed their sickness, raised the dead, and restored their sight. And yet none of them had come to His defense when He was on trial. With one voice they had cried out for Him to be crucified.

But instead of condemning them, He spoke words of forgiveness and love.

Luke 23:34 "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

Jesus gave His life on the cross for all mankind. His love and compassion extend freely to you and me today. We come to Him broken, undeserving, discouraged. And He does not turn one away. Knowing our past, He also knows what our future could be. He sees potential that no one else sees. His precious blood washes away all our sin and makes us over anew.

II Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Because Jesus demonstrated what it means to show compassion and love, it is our responsibility to follow His example. The commandment He gave His disciples, still applies to us today:

John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

Thought For Today: Lord, help me to show compassion to all I meet.

Devotion by Anne Johnston