The Great Exchange…
Sometimes we bring home something that doesn’t work out as expected. Maybe it’s clothing that just didn’t fit right after all. Maybe it’s a new plumbing piece that wasn’t the right shape. Sometimes it’s food that had gone bad but we didn’t know til we got home.
Next comes bringing it back to the store. Usually we exchange it for a better fitting, right shape, unspoiled item – sometimes just get our money back. But the exchange is usually even.
The exchange Jesus made wasn’t exactly even. He gave up perfect eternity to step into time with all it’s restrictions. He gave up the presence of the Father to step into the presence of fallen man. He gave up perfection for a frail frame that has an expiration date.
What an unwavering love. You, me – what we deserved was to pay the price for our deeds. What we got was the perfection of God in the flesh. A selfless act of the Creator stepping into His creation to exchange what only He could give for all that needed to be forgiven.
This would be like me taking back a dress I wore, got stains all over, and tore the hem as I stepped into it. “I’m bringing back this messed up dress, I would like a brand new one in return and I would like this one that costs even more.” Hmm, don’t think the store would go for that.
Maybe I bring back a sack of grapes that I ate half of and let the other half sit in the hot sun. “These grapes are no good anymore, I need a sack of new ones in exchange for these.” Umm, no don’t think I would get that either.
But that is what our sin does to us. It stains us, it tears us, we become as rotting fruit. But a God of boundless love says ‘It’s a great exchange. I will give my perfect, sinless Son for you.’
The Great Exchange… When the Father looks at me now He does not see my shortcomings, my ugly times, my defiance. He sees the Son who cupped my chin and said ‘It is finished, I have done this for you because you are so valuable to me.’
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV)
Re-Fresh…
Sometimes we just need a re-do. The burdens caused by this fallen world rest heavy on shoulders. It is time to Re-Fresh…
Like diving into clear water and coming up to sunshine and light breeze. The re-fresing we seek isn’t only outward, it’s soul-deep. Down where pools of joy always are but sometimes forgotten. To dance upon disappointment, where happiness has faded, but where joy is – because He is always making all things new.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2Corinthians 5:17 NIV)
We forget – we are made new. All these pressures want us to feel stale, worn out, without hope. But that is not us! We are children of God and His mercies are new every morning. We don’t have to wait for Christ’s return to be made new, to re-fresh. We are new creations and it is to us to: “…throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1b NIV)
But how?
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him…” (Hebrews 12:2a NIV) What is this joy before Him? You, me with Him – forever, starting now.
And He “…endured the cross , scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who encured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2b-3 NIV)
Don’t lose heart, dear one, we are here for each other. The body of believers, brought together in our common hope in Christ, to re-fresh each other as He re-freshes us.
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree…they will flourish in the courts of our God…they will stay fresh and green…” (Psalm 92:12-14 NIV) Not just someday – now – because He is ours, and we are His.
If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME! So glad you are here!
He Is…
Today is…a day to remember. Just a couple thousand years ago most of the world went about not knowing. The most life changing event ever was unfolding.
Sadly crucifixion was not uncommon. But only men had been crucified. This time the One to hang on the cross was not just a mere man. King. Creator. Author of life.
The unthinkable was taking place. The only One who could save the perishing, who could put an end to all striving, who could say ‘Enough!’ was going to take on all – past, present, future – darkness of mankind. Father/Son/Holy Spirit would be separated. The Son would be forsaken for the sake of the undeserving.
That Friday would have been tragic had it been the end. But it was the beginning. He was, He is, He will always be man’s Savior. He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, there is NO other!
Now we await that time promised. It will come. A reunion like no other. Joy without bounds. No more night, only day. No more time, only forever.
While we wait: “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3: 17 NIV)
In the quiet of your heart do you hear it? A heavenly song sung by the lover of your soul. A song of rejoicing, as He delights in you, quiets you, and is simply and oh so complicatedly with you.
Do you know this Savior? Who do you say He is? This is the most important question you will ever answer.
While you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. He was buried. On the third day He rose again. He appeared to many and departed to return to the Father’s side. He will come back for you. Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that Jesus died for you. Ask forgiveness for your sins and accept Him not only as Savior but also as Lord of your life.
This is salvation – it is free, a gift – better than baskets with candy, colored eggs, big dinners. Today He is waiting for you… Happy Easter!
If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME! So glad you are here!
Deep Roots…
Such wonder is all around – constantly amazing us who can only imitate the Creator and His creation.
A tree that was bare, not a leaf in site a week ago, is now providing shade alive with thousands of leaves fluttering in the breeze. A momma cat heavy with babes now has a litter of whiskers and pink paws.
Sunshine is warming soil and deep roots are drinking in spring rains. Seeds dropped by birds are sprouting zinnias and marigolds in unexpected nooks and crannies.
All things are re-newing. What became old after a year of the cycle of life is spring-new in all its glory.
“When You send Your Spirit, they are created and you renew the face of the earth. May the glory of the Lord endure forever, may the Lord rejoice in His works.” (Psalm 104:30-31 NIV)
As we age we don’t feel spring-new so much. I know, this week I am suffering with a back injury. Yet day by day those who love the Savior are being renewed. “Therefore, do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2Corinthians 4:16-17 NIV)
Sore backs, difficulties all around – an eternal glory is ours that far outweighs them all. So we sink our roots deep in the One who gives renewed eternal life. He warms our souls, awakening us day by day to knowledge. Knowledge that there is more – and it is even more glorious than what we see now. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2Corinthians 4:18 NIV)
Deep roots soak up much needed nourishment for all the days ahead and His spring of living water never runs out…
If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME! So glad you are here!
Inspire…
Officially spring is only nine days away. March winds are blowing, Easter dresses are showing up in stores. Its awakening time…
Butterflies are flitting in and out, around here things are yellow with pollen, and you can feel the earth waking up once again. New life.
The Giver of life is inspiring creation once again to renew. As His beloved it is always spring in our hearts. New life ours each day – now and forever. “The days of the blameless are known to the Lord, and their inheritance will endure forever.” (Psalm 37:18 NIV)
Blameless? Only because of a Savior who took all my blame. Now I can dance free as though every day were the first day of spring. Good news.
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth…For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” (Psalm 57:5, 10 NIV) As spring’s green leaves form on the trees and soft flowers wave in the wind look to the heavens, give thanks for great is His love for those who love Him.
All inspiration for our art, music, words rises out of creation.
The hope of spring is not in what we can see, it is in the faithfulness of the one who is the Maker of the fertile ground and fresh air. Yet in this world we see the hard as well – illness, broken hearts, death. But it won’t always be so. Next time a day seems overwhelming or even just ordinary – look at the intricacy of an insect, feel the wonder of warm sunshine, touch the hand of loved one.
The one who cares enough to give wings to a dragonfly, a purr to a kitten, and down to ducklings – cares even more for each of your moments. And so we have endurance for the hard days and the easy ones “inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thessalonians 1:3 NIV)
Inspired…by hope…in the One who is true and faithful.
Wild & Precious…
We all want to be the just blossomed rose. Petals fresh, soft, full of promise, fragrance beckoning all to notice.
But life has a way of shaking our just blossomed awe and we find ourselves instead hesitant, doubting the promise, and wanting anything but to be noticed.
Because…we take our eyes off the Maker. The One who knit us together and likes us just the way we are. The One who doesn’t see our outward shell. The One that plants all our desires deep in our hearts – because He has a great purpose for us.
But we forget and begin to think all this living stuff is about us. Notice the ones who seem to have a special something? Not the celebrities, not the famous, the rich, or the talented. No, the ones who light up a room because they light up our soul. This is our calling – not self-promotion but soul-promotion.
This One Wild & Precious Life – what is His plan for it? Our plans center around self, His plans center around eternity.
When He tells us in Jeremiah He knows the plans He has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us – that’s because the victory is already His. He knows that we are conquerors – when we choose to live as such we are useful for Him, His plans can be worked through us. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 NIV)
It is a wild and precious life full of opportunity to make a difference – but not the difference the world says matters. Instead of saying to the hurting ‘I’ll pray about that’ – take that shaking hand and call on the King of Kings right then and there. Instead of worrying about what others think, light up the room with the love He’s filled you with brimming over to all not just the easy.
Soul promotion says ‘I’ve got one wild and precious life I choose to pour into you’ – because we know that we can never empty ourselves when it’s the Holy Spirit moving through us. We are convinced “that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)
One Wild & Precious Life – are we planning it, or are we walking in the lighted path of the One who can make a wild difference?
Bad Weld…
As I drove home a loud noise started and I could hear a scraping sound. I pulled over and looked under, sure enough there was this long assembly hanging down – turned out to be a bad weld.
Normally if something goes wrong with my car I pout, I cry, I have a little fit. It’s always been my pet peeve, translated security blanket, I have to feel safe in my car.
This time I calmly called the tow company, noticed I had pulled off into an ideal spot for the tow truck to hitch up, the weather was gorgeous, and my husband was on his way to help me unload my stuff.
I actually enjoyed the serenity of watching the breeze stir the leaves overhead, feel the warm sun, and acknowledge that I am safest when I am trusting God – not when I have a perfect running car.
“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8 NIV)
A bad weld at manufacture had finally given way. A weld connects two parts so they can function as one piece and do their job. That’s supposed to be us with Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is our weld. “Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13b NIV) When we allow Him to be our conduit to God, then the weld is good. But what about those times we try and go it on our own? Though His Spirit never leaves us we are acting as if we don’t need to be welded to Him. That would have been like me continuing to drive my car because it wasn’t really important those parts were welded on securely anyway.
I want more times when I calmly look and see that God is good – even when the world’s welds give way. “But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” (Proverbs 1:33 NIV)
Grace Spread…
If life is brief and time something we cannot bottle and save up, then I want to spread a blanket of grace over all those who come my way.
Whether I have you in my life always because you’re my child or husband or I have you only once because you happened onto my blog, I want to spread grace like a large soft blanket – to lay on and look up at the blue sky full of hope or to curl up in and know you are safe.
Because in God there is always hope and in Him we are always safe.
The grace I want to spread doesn’t come from me. But it can come through me. What if the simple answer to all the complicated questions is this: spread grace.
Grace for the times we disappoint, anger, mess up, come up short. Grace for those who make it easy for us to love them and more grace for those we can’t imagine loving. I don’t have this kind of grace for you. I, like you, have an agenda, or a to-do list to check, or expectations. But He does have this grace and He invites us to just…accept.
Nothing to do to get it, just open our hands and more than we can hold is ours. Like a blanket of love to ward off the cold of the world or to spread beneath to soften the hard spots.
I want to be Grace-Full and truly that’s what I am, but I guess I forget and don’t spread it out for those right in front of me like I should.
Not everyone will accept grace when offered. It is foreign to us. We are suspicious. But like a field blanketed in wintry snow that bursts into a covering of green grass and wildflowers – so grace can spread through us. Melting away the harsh walls built for protection.
Grace spread – when we are covered in it, it’s like He’s pulling us closer that we can know His heart. Why would He do that? So we can make His heart known and spread His grace that all the world may know: From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16 NIV
His Girl…
You know those moments where your heart swells? Those times when your doggy looks at you with soulful eyes. Those times a toddler’s sweet voice undoes you. The times a strong hand with a wedding band covers yours in assurance.
What treasure there is in these earthly loves. They are what memories are made of and what make the days worth all the toil. Those times we wish wouldn’t end, where time would stop, and all our days would be held captive in those moments.
But that’s not how it is. Those love moments are the exception to most of our days.
Yet there is one whose heart swells because of us day in and day out. Our voices, our glances His way, our heart longings – these are His delight. “For the Lord takes delight in His people.” (Psalm 149:4 NIV)
This Valentines’ Day I want to remember that I am His girl first. “We love because He first loved us.” (1John 4:19 NIV) It is only because of His great love, that I – created in His image – have the capacity to love. All other loves in my life are secondary to committing my heart to my first Love.
How valuable we are to Him. With all our flaws and fears, so great is our worth, He paid the highest price. The life of His Son. He sends us not a bouquet of flowers, but a whole field of them. Not a box of chocolates, but all the ingredients to make them. Not a once a year card, but a daily book telling of His great love for His girl.
Are you His girl? He is our one true love…
(This is the two year anniversary of Paris Renae, thank you for reading, commenting, rejoicing, reflecting all that is so extraordinary about our lives. May the coming year for you be one filled with awe in the wonder He surrounds you with and His great love and peace. Happy Valentines’ Day!)
If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME! So glad you are here!
Hope Story…
Hope story – God is ever present…
Once there was a girl and her mom – just the two of them. Tomy was mom’s name, and her always smiling daughter was Jody.
Tomy always looked for love in men who loved her for a while – then betrayed her. She fiercely protected Jody and raised her to be different.
Fast forward many years to a time when Jody married and also found Jesus and fell into His caring arms. At the same time Tomy was misled into a cult thinking she was being taught truth.
Mother and daughter grew closer with each passing year. Tomy loving Jody’s children, making sure Jody had everything she needed, kindly loving Jody’s husband too. A week never went by where they didn’t spend time on the phone, so many miles separating them.
Then one day Tomy was old – and a diagnosis of an aneurysm was given. It rested on the optic nerve of her right eye and her sight and ability to read diminished. Add to it a botched back surgery and the next couple of years were very hard. But Jody’s words and prayers began to be answered. It seemed Tomy was pulling away from the cult.
Jody visited as often as she could never knowing one grey day when she drove away would be the last visit. The call came as Jody drove to work ‘Your mom’s in the hospital having emergency brain surgery, it doesn’t look good’.
Hospital and burial behind her, mementos packed in her car, Jody once again drove away. On the outskirts of town clouds gave way to blue skies. Flipping on the radio a song came on, an old song ‘I Can See Clearly Now’. For over four years Jody thought that was a nice song, a bit of hope that her beloved mother had indeed passed away knowing Jesus as Savior.
Then one day there was no one left of Jody’s family from the small town she had been born in. Taking a few days to herself she explored the beaches of her childhood, walked around the lake of her hometown, and finally, read the song’s words. This song wasn’t just about her mother, it was clearly about a mom and a daughter, just the two of them – and a God who loves them so much…
Tomy & Jody: ‘I can see clearly now, the rain is gone’ Jody ‘I can see all obstacles (worries and fears) in my way’. Tomy ‘Gone are the dark clouds (false religion) that had me blind’. Tomy & Jody ‘It’s gonna be a bright sunshiny day’. Tomy ‘Oh, yes, I can make it now the pain is gone, all of the bad feelings have disappeared’. Jody ‘Here is the rainbow I’ve been praying for’. Tomy & Jody ‘It’s gonna be a bright, bright, bright sunshiny day’!
The point of my story, dear reader, is two-fold – time spent on those you love is never wasted – and, never doubt our great God, He works out all things: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him…” (Romans 8:28 NIV)
If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME! So glad you are here!
parisrenae 