January 2026

By Nina Ellis

Have you ever felt like the enemy was directly pursuing you – with no break in sight? A number of years back I was tested on every level: physically, spiritually, emotionally, even socially. Only a few months into a very bad divorce, bankruptcy came knocking at the door which resulted in losing my car. Then came robbery at gunpoint right in front of my apartment and viewing mug shots at work with the police. And afterwards a client threatening me with a knife. Yes, there were physical and emotional battles (even some PTSD) that ensued and “friends” that disappeared. Where was God? How can evil win? How do I survive it all?

David in Psalm 37 answers that age-old question about the wicked versus the righteous. As an old man he looks back on life and offers wisdom and instruction. From the time he was a shepherd boy facing scoffing brothers and an evil army with a giant champion, David knew battles with the world, the flesh, the enemy. He faced a mad, evil king, neighboring armies, wicked advisers, and even his own children! What would he say to us? Although he mentions “wicked” or “evil” in some form almost 20 times in Psalm 37, he offers us practical wisdom to stay on track: don’t fret; trust and do good; commit; delight yourself in God; be still; don’t be angry; wait for the LORD Yahweh – He will not abandon His faithful ones! In fact, He holds our hand (v24)!

David’s godly advice points toward a God who will destroy evil and give an everlasting inheritance to His own – guaranteed because our enemies are in fact His enemies. In the meantime we have a path to walk with Him.

When we turn to John 11, evil and death are front page news in Bethany, near Jerusalem.
This chapter has unexpected main characters: a corpse 4 days in a tomb, two grieving sisters, crowds mourning and crowds plotting evil. And then there’s Jesus, deliberately late to the event. He’s just told the religious people that He and the Father are One – a public declaration of “I AM”. Now He’s going to trigger the final event which causes His arrest and execution: the public raising of Lazarus from stench to life! “I AM the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live and never, ever die!”

All the goodness and life that David foresaw was wrapped in God’s best gift – His blameless, perfect Son. No more grave clothes. Victory over sin, flesh, and an evil world! Don’t fret, Mary and Martha, be still and wait for the LORD. Don’t fret, Christian, God is still on the throne! Delight in Him.

Prayer: LORD, I confess that too often I look at evil and fret – it’s not fair! I’m drowning! Turn my eyes towards Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith, the One who carries me and holds my hand when I’m facing evil. In the Powerful Name of Jesus, I pray.

By Kylie McCracken

As we hit the halfway mark of the first month of 2026 and halfway through this 21 Day journey together, how is it going? What is your heart longing for in this new year and in this season of prayer & fasting? I believe your true answer is probably found in today’s reading. (Did you read John 10 & Psalm 34 before ending up here? If you haven’t read it, go there first! God speaks to us through His living & active Word. Don’t skip the most important part.)

What are you praying or longing for:
Is it a rich & satisfying life? (John 10:10)
Is it knowing & being known by the Father? (John 10:14)
Is it hearing the voice of Jesus? (John 10:27)
Is it freedom from fear? (Psalm 34:4)
Is it joy? (Psalm 34:5)
Is it peace, help, rescue, protection? (Psalm 34:14, 17, 19, 22)

I believe your answer is on the list because the list describes the life Jesus died to give us. It also describes the life the enemy does not want us to experience. Many remain stuck in restlessness, anxiety, and a daily life that feels anything but rich & satisfying. The enemy’s lies and our own choices cause us to forget we are sheep who are known, protected, and led by the Good Shepherd. We try to be shepherds of our own lives. We don’t really trust our true Shepherd, so we have to depend on ourselves to figure it all out and hold together everyone & everything around us.

It doesn’t have to be that way!

I am a sheep. I can’t protect myself. I can’t carry heavy burdens. I can’t even lead myself without ending up needing rescued. I can stress and wear myself out wandering around in the dark all on my own, or I can choose to trust my Shepherd. We live in a broken world and we WILL face helplessness, shame, fear, desperation, and troubles. What we decide to do with those moments will determine if we get stuck, or if we walk in peace, joy, and freedom. The choice is ours.

“I sought the Lord and He answered me.” Psalm 34:4
“Those who look to Him for help are radiant with joy.” Psalm 34:5
“Oh the joys of those who take refuge in Him!” Psalm 34:8
Our part is Seeking Him, Looking to Him for help & taking refuge in Him. And the result is Joy.
The hard part is, there is no need for help or refuge on an easy, boring road where everything goes right all the time. Trust me, I know none of us want to sign up for circumstances that will drive us to asking for help and seeking refuge. But the truth is, the hardest moments in my life have created the deepest confidence in me that the Father’s promises are true and His faithfulness is unwavering. Not just because I have heard He is faithful, but because:

He freed me from my fears.
He saved me from my troubles.
He surrounded me & defended me.
He has given me every good thing I need.
He heard me. He is near.
He rescued me – over and over again. He redeemed.
He knows me, and I hear his voice.
He has been my peace and He has given me joy.

At the end of John Chapter 10, the people wanted proof that Jesus is who He says He is. After witnessing wonders and miracles first hand and hearing Jesus’ words from His own mouth, they still had to make a choice. Was He a blasphemer or was He truly God? The chapter ends with “many followed Him…many believed…” that meant some still didn’t. Some wanted to arrest and stone him. I just want to stand on the side of the road pleading, “Look at how much proof you have already seen! How much more do you need?” But as I was reading this, I felt the Holy Spirit point me back to my own heart and ask me the same question. I still do that sometimes, too. I have seen His goodness, and I can still choose to hold on and not run to Him for help until after I have exhausted myself trying to handle it on my own.

What about you? What have you seen Him do? What proof is in your life that Jesus is who He says He is? Are you still looking for more when you have already seen Him at work? I can promise you, friends, He is faithful. And I can promise you that when you cry out to Him, call on Him for help, seek Him as your refuge – you will experience it for yourself. His Word says so. And all of His words are true.

As sheep, our job description is simple:
Trust our Shepherd. Believe. Listen. Follow.
This is the narrow path to the full, abundant life of being known, protected, and led by a loving Shepherd. This is the heart that is prepared and equipped to be part of His Kingdom work all around us. Radiant with joy. Walking in freedom. Guarded & Surrounded. Rescued & Redeemed. May this kind of life not just be the longing of your heart, but the reality of your days as you trust your Shepherd and listen to His voice more and more.

Father,
In our world, and in my life I am so grateful for the relief and peace that comes from knowing I have a Good Shepherd. Help me to fully trust you and to surrender daily to your loving guidance, your protection, and your voice that leads me. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for giving me the desire and the power to do what pleases you. I let go of all of the ways I try to shepherd myself. Help me to rest from all of the striving and figuring it out on my own. I choose to believe, to listen, and to follow you. Thank you for hearing me, rescuing me, freeing me, and being near. Amen.

By Phyllis Suske

Do we see with our eyes or with our heart?

John 9 is about Jesus healing a man blind from birth. The Pharisees question the man who insists Jesus healed him and is a prophet. They also question his parents who fear expulsion and say “ask our son” and then the Pharisees decide that the man is to be excommunicated from the synagogue. Jesus later finds the man and asks if he believes, and he declares that he believes and worships.

This verse shows me that you can claim to see but be spiritually blinded. You can have physical sight but not see the lessons that Jesus teaches us. Faith is following God’s plan without being able to physically see. We must learn to follow God’s word without seeing a miracle or physical proof. That is what God is truly asking of us.

I went through a very difficult time in my life and I asked God for a miracle. When that miracle was not granted I assumed that God didn’t hear me or just didn’t care. Nothing was further than the truth. He heard, he cared deeply, but had a different plan for me. I didn’t see with my eyes so I did not believe it.

God, I come to you today with faith so small that I can’t see a way. I want to believe you have everything under control and are able to see things that I can not. I know that you can do the impossible and I am trusting in your promises. Thank you for being a God that sees me and hears me. In Jesus name, Amen

By Pastor Robby

Right at the start of chapter 8, we read an interesting story about Jesus and a woman caught in adultery. The men drag this poor woman before Jesus and ask what should be done with her. According to the Law of Moses, she was to be stoned, but according to Roman law, which the Israelites lived under at the time, adultery was not a capital offense. Stoning this woman to death would have been considered unlawful and murder. Moreover, the law commanded that the man be stoned as well. Since he is not present in the story, we can assume he was let go.

Jesus recognizes this for the trap that it is. If he says that the woman should be let go, in accordance to Roman law, then he would be seen submitting to Israel’s oppressors and lose credibility with his Jewish followers. If he said that she should be stoned, then he could find himself in trouble with Rome for committing this extra-judicial killing. Jesus, instead, flips the script and embarrasses the men who try to trap him. He answers, “The person who is without sin should cast the first stone.” Of course, no one standing there, apart from Jesus himself, is without sin and is therefore in no position to judge another for their sin. One by one, the men drop their stones and leave. Once they have all gone, Jesus turns to the woman and asks her who is left to accuse her. She answers that no one is left. Jesus then tells her that he also does not condemn her and commands her to go and sin no longer.

This is a powerful story that can teach us about judgment and justice. I find it shockingly easy for me to look at those whose sin is so easy to judge and to look on them with a sort of smug self-righteousness. The drug addicts and alcoholic deserve the pain and misery of a life enslaved to addiction. Sex workers and exotic dancers deserve the ridicule and abuse that they receive for the life they have chosen. Criminals and felons deserve to be villainized and live as social outcasts. But, please, let’s not talk about what I deserve. That’s the issue. Like the men in this story, we don’t always apply God’s laws equally and often beg for mercy for ourselves while praying for others to be punished for their sins.

In this story, Jesus reminds us that the beauty of the gospel is we don’t receive what we deserve. Thank God for that because we all deserve death for our sins. Jesus, instead, offers us forgiveness and life. Do I go to those who are suffering in the consequences of their decisions and offer them forgiveness and life, or do I simply offer them more judgment and condemnation? Let’s pray that the Lord will open our eyes to the hurting and look past the fallout from their sin to bring them relief instead of judgment.

Father, I have sinned. The ways that I fall short of your standard is more than I can possibly count. Yet, in the darkness of my sin, you have shown your light. In Jesus, I have found forgiveness instead of judgment. Through your amazing grace, you have redeemed my sinfulness and made me righteous. Even though I didn’t deserve it, Christ was sacrificed for me, and you paid the price and purchased my soul. Lord, help me to bring that same relief, that same forgiveness to others that you have shown me. Remove from me a spirit of judgment or false, self-serving piety, and replace it with a spirit that loves the broken, like you have loved me in my brokenness. Amen.

Fresh Filling | James Nereim

John 7:37-39 During the Jewish festival of Shelters, on the last day and most important day, Jesus stood and proclaimed with a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.”

Being that, at the time you’re reading this you’re likely in the middle of a fast, you probably know a little bit about being hungry and thirsty. Similarly, I can relate. When I was in high school I was on the wrestling team (That’s important because wrestling is the first real sport mentioned in the Bible). Something that is often associated with wrestling is cutting weight and withholding food. I remember times where I’d be cutting weight to prepare for a coming weigh-in, exhausted, but still having to go and practice to prepare. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I know what it feels like to be thirsty.

That said, in high school, something I didn’t realize was that as thirsty as I was for my sport, my soul was even more thirsty for water that could satisfy it. The reality is, spiritually we all long to be filled. If you’re anything like me you have likely tried to find ways of filling that void within you. That ever growing thirst for something more. Whether that be through social media, binging tv, hidden sin, or eating to excess just to distract yourself. In my experience, pursuing vain pleasures and distractions such as these only emphasizes the need I have in my heart for something more. Something that can satisfy me.

So what can be done? Jesus lays it out for us here. Come to Him. Put your faith in Him. Trust in Him. When you do, not only do you receive the Holy Spirit which seals you for salvation, but you will also find what has been missing that your soul has been longing for. An everlasting spring of living water that will perfectly satisfy that thirst within you. But there is a difference between having the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit. The new testament teaches us this truth as we can see through the early apostles and disciples being filled with the Spirit, and God did mighty works through them. And they received this fresh filling of the Spirit the same way you can. Through spiritual disciplines that draw us closer to God. So, as we are in the middle of this fast, let’s be intentional about removing the barriers in our life that keep us from drawing closer to God. Those things which don’t truly satisfy us. Instead, during this fast, draw close to His Word, pray each time that craving comes back, and lean into Him to satisfy you. Then all of us, and those who bear witness to the mighty deeds God does in and through us, may also sing as they did in Psalm 24:8, “Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle.”

Father, You are the king of glory, and You are strong and mighty! As we fast to kick off this new year, may our hearts grow ever more surrendered to Your Spirit’s direction. God, I ask that you would fill us fresh with your Spirit. May the longings of our souls find satisfaction in You. Lord, if there are barriers in my life that are drawing me away from You, distractions that captivate me in place of Your glory, may You reveal them to me and help me to take them down. Fix my eyes on You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

By Pastor Jason Mecum

Psalm 23 describes the Lord as a shepherd who cares for and protects His flock. He who “makes me lie down in green pastures” and “leads me beside still waters” provides more than physical provision. Beyond what the sheep may want, this provision extends to what the sheep truly need. The Shepherd provides, leads and restores. Because the Lord is near, the psalmist lacks nothing. Want is replaced by trust and striving gives way to rest.

Likewise, John 6 describes Jesus sitting on a hillside looking out over a multitude of hungry followers. Like sheep lying down in a green pasture, the crowds were seated in the tall grass below. It was the time of Passover – a time to remember God’s provision in the wilderness and manna from heaven. Ironically, it was now late in the day for those who had followed Jesus seeking healing and miracles and they found themselves without provision in a remote wilderness.

Jesus had intentionally moved away from the crowds to be alone with His disciples. However, this logistical nightmare would allow Jesus an opportunity to reveal what His flock needed, rather than what it merely wanted.

It’s a significant detail that Jesus specifically asks Philip how they are going to provide food for the crowd. We learn in John 1:44 that Philip is from this area and would likely know which local villages and marketplaces could provide resources. The question Jesus poses is a rhetorical one. In a sense, Jesus is asking the “expert” for a solution, appealing to human reasoning. However, John 6:6 makes it clear that Jesus wasn’t expecting Philip to solve this problem. Instead, Jesus wanted his disciples to recognize that this was beyond their capabilities. That they needed help. This was a test.

With the lightbulb switched on and the disciples recognizing the seriousness of their dilemma, the seated Jesus was now ready to teach the lesson.

The Gospels repeatedly present us with disciples who witness the miracles and teachings of Jesus firsthand but continually fail to grasp who Jesus really is and what He is capable of. Presented with a logistical problem, the human response is to focus on resources and calculations, rather than faith in the sufficiency and provision of Christ. Imagine if Philip’s initial response had been to ask Jesus how He was going to provide sustenance for the crowds (and how Philip and the other disciples might assist). What if turning to Jesus for the answer wasn’t our last step?

The question that Jesus posed to Philip exposed the instinct we all have when facing a challenging dilemma: to calculate rather than trust. Are you facing a seemingly impossible challenge today where you can identify this “Philip Question”? For you, it may be an area of finance. Perhaps it’s a parenting challenge or a health issue. Something where a significant decision or action is yet to be made but the answer is not yet obvious to you. Where does our help come from?

I want you to grab a piece of paper and write down the following two questions (in this specific order) and their answers:
1. What must I do to solve this challenge?
2. What does God want me to do in the face of this challenge?

In John 6:10, Jesus commands the disciples to “have the people sit down” before he feeds them. “He makes me lie down…” – Psalm 23:2.

Are you treating this situation as a math problem or a discipleship moment? Before “fixing” the problem, I want you to pause and pray this simple prayer: “Lord, this problem is real and beyond my ability to solve. But I trust you. What is it that you are trying to teach me?”

The same Lord who makes His sheep lie down in green pastures also sits calmly on the hillside, untroubled by the size of the crowd, fully sufficient for the need.

[John 6:35 ESV] Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

The crowd sought Him for more food, but Jesus invited them to something deeper: not provision alone, but Himself. Don’t just seek bread – but the Bread of Life.

Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd and the Bread of Life.
Lead me away from self-reliance and into a deeper dependence on you.
Feed my soul through the reading of your Word and teach me to rest as I pray.
These are not just obligations for me to fulfill but a sacred pasture for me to enter.
A place to receive restoration.
With you leading me, I shall never want.
Amen.

By Pastor Steve Williams

God’s timing can be so unpredictable. We yearn for Him to answer our prayers in our timetable, yet that is not always His way. Today’s two verses highlight this fact from two opposing points of view. In Psalm 22, King David cries out for deliverance. He begs for God to help him, but he has not yet received the relief that his heart so desperately seeks. In John 5, we meet a sick man who has an unexpected miraculous encounter with Jesus. And despite the fact that the timing is all wrong, Jesus chooses to heal him completely. 

The man beside the pool of Bethesda has no expectation that this would be the day that he would walk. He has been sick for 38 years. He knows in his head that healing is an option, but when Jesus flat out asks him if he wants to be healed, his mind immediately goes to an excuse as to why it won’t happen. Nevermind that it was the Sabbath and it wouldn’t be legal for Jesus to heal him on that day. Yet that is exactly what Jesus does. He heals him and commands him to carry his mat away, breaking all sorts of traditions in the process. 

King David’s prayer in Psalm 22 is heart breaking. He is crying out, his soul yearning for God to move. He lays out many reasons why God should answer his prayer. Yet in the end, David simply lands on his faith that God WILL answer the prayer. We don’t see it happen, but we do see David’s faith in the midst of his uncertainty. 

What is going on with God’s timing?

To further complicate  the question, we come to John 5:17, where Jesus points out that “My Father is always working, and so am I.”  It can be easy to wonder, “If Jesus is always working, why doesn’t help come when I think it should come?” The only answer is that Jesus is working by answering our prayers with an answer of “no” or “not yet”. He has something else in mind. 

Let’s be honest, that can be super frustrating. Jesus is working, but His purpose for this moment isn’t to answer our prayers in the way we think they should be answered. He has some other purpose. He’s using this for something else. What? That’s the point. 

It’s an invitation to change our prayers from “God, I need you to move now” to “God, show me Your purpose in this situation. Align my heart and my thinking with Your will.”

God is always working. He always has a purpose. He always has an intention. Our part is to align ourselves with His plan, to surrender, and to become more like Him. 

Father, I confess that I’ve been frustrated with Your timing. I’ve been focused on my will and my preferences. I know that You are always working. If You are not answering my prayer right now, You have a reason. I surrender my heart and my point of view. Help me embrace Your will by seeking answers to my prayers based on Your way and Your timing. Make me more like Jesus, aligned not with my own preferences but looking to You, following Your steps, and Your heart. I have faith You see me and know my heart. I trust You to answer my prayers in Your timing and in Your way.

By Todd Stephenson

In John 4, we are introduced to a revival that occurred in the town of Sycar. The scripture helps us to see that through jealousy and human frailty, the Holy Spirit is able to spread God’s love and bring about belief that leads to salvation. Jesus’ exercise of unconditional love and use of curiosity brought about an opening to share the gospel in a deeply personal way to a woman who wasn’t used to being seen, perhaps never. In the story, we get to see how God’s truth spoken in love has the power to change everything. This idea of God’s message and instructions being powerful and transformational are magnified in Psalm 19. Here, the psalmist invites us to acknowledge the creation itself speaks of God’s true nature and that his instructions are rich with blessing for those who listen and revere them.

• Note how the jealousy of the Pharisees in verse one and Jesus’ weariness in verse six led to a “God appointment” for this woman and the town of Sycar. What is your openness to God using your weakness and the brokenness of others for the gospel? Do you normally see weakness and brokenness as opportunity or obstacle? What would happen if you embraced Jesus’ perspective?
• Jesus speaking to a Samaritan and also a woman was a radical departure from the religious and social culture of his day and communicated profound acceptance and worth to this woman. What break from the social norms and expectations would you be willing to break to reach those that are lost and in need?
• What are the several mentioned blessings on God’s commands and instructions from Psalm 19? How might your life be changed if you simply spent more time pondering them?

For a large part of my life, I spent a lot of time in shame and guilt beating myself up with judgemental words because of my mistakes. I wasn’t okay with my weakness and brokenness because I was convinced it disqualified me and caused my heavenly father to be angry and frustrated with me. It was transformational for me to realize that not only was he not disappointed but that he actually expected me to make loads of mistakes (2 Cor. 3:4-6); after all, that is what children do. You see, what I realize now but didn’t see then, when I was focused on shame and guilt I was focused all on me and not the needs of anyone around me. This focus on shame and guilt was keeping me not only from receiving his love, it was keeping me from loving others. Because Jesus embraced the brokenness of this life instead of judging and rejecting himself, he was present and able to see this woman’s need and share the love of the Father with her. And look at the results! My encouragement to you today is to change your mind about your weaknesses and mistakes. Embrace the truth that God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work (2 Cor. 9:8).

Father, I am amazed at how you use everything, including all my weaknesses and mistakes, to accomplish your good and perfect will. I am so thankful that none of my mistakes are a surprise to you and that they have all been made a part of your plan according to 2 Corinthians 9:8. I don’t want to listen to guilt and shame any more about my mistakes, past, present or future. Your word says in Romans 8:1 there is no condemnation for me because I belong to Jesus. Today, I change my mind and embrace the truth that you are not disappointed in me and that you are using all of it for your good. Help me to believe this truth in my heart and begin to thank you instead. Open my eyes to see the opportunities around me and share the good news to those you put in my path. I pray all this is the name of Jesus. Amen

By Dave & Sandy Goede

Psalm 16 is a confession of trust that God Himself is the source, security, and fulfillment of life—now and beyond death. It expresses what it means to live a God-centered life marked by loyalty, joy, and hope.

John 3 teaches that entry into God’s kingdom requires a Spirit-given rebirth, made possible by God’s love through Jesus Christ, and received by faith rather than earned.

Psalm 16 tells us that God is worthy of our ultimate trust and hope. Life ordered around God brings joy and stability that extends beyond this life. John 3 reveals how such a life becomes possible through the entry into God’s kingdom. Our entry into God’s Kingdom requires a Spirit-given rebirth, made possible by God’s love through Jesus Christ, and received by faith rather than earned—resulting in life that begins now and lasts forever.

Throughout our life we are encouraged to be a productive member of society. Our productivity is evident by our possessions such as a car that is loaded with all of the latest accessories or a house that is in the best neighborhood. In our careers, our productivity is measured by our continued rise on the corporate ladder and our title. As an educator in a university setting, I was driven to earn more “letters” after my name as this was seen supposedly as a source of pride and accomplishment. As we continued to chase these tangible rewards, we never felt fulfilled. As we have allowed God to enter our lives, we realized that everything we had been chasing was of this world. As we have learned through following God’s word, everything in this world is temporary. Since coming to know the Lord, through rebirth, our focus is now living a life that we have received through our faith in our Lord and Savior.

God of life,

You have loved us into a new birth through your Son.

Teach us to trust you as our refuge and joy,

By your Spirit, keep us walking in your light,

That we may know the joy of your presence—

Now and forever. 

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be

A world without end.

Amen

By Steve Mills

I remember growing up in the Mercury/Gemini/Apollo space flight era, watching all the work leading up to Neil Armstrong’s “One small step for man” speech on the lunar surface. This young boy’s eyes were wide watching what he later saw of his Creator’s universe. Stuff he could see in microscopes, telescopes, and from his own eyes.

Have you considered how awesome your and my Creator is? Our finite minds have a tough time grabbing hold of and defining anything infinite…. Infinitely small like germs and cells, infinitely big like stars, planets and galaxies. Consider what Psalms 8 and John 2:1-11 show of this very Creator whose creation listens to His voice and follows Him.

As you read Psalms 8 you see how it speaks of the many facets of His creation. From the mouths of babes (v. 2) He shows His strength to His enemies, so that even the smallest of us that are created in His image show His glory to the world. All the creations in His heavens (v. 3), the stars and the moon, show His plans in how they move exactly as He ordained. His crowning jewel, man, made in His image, has also been made to show His glory as we rule within His creation (v. 3-8).

John 2:1-11 speaks of a creation that still listens to His voice. When called upon, He provides exactly what is needed and more, converting one thing (water) into another (wine) by just His word.  

One may ask, in looking at God’s creation, “exactly who am I?” Creation is so vast, God is even more vast, and I am so small. Yet here, in Psalms 8, we hear echoed similar thoughts that was stated in Genesis 1:26 “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” He created us like Himself, much more complex than the rest of creation. Complex enough that we can actually interconnect with Him and develop a relationship.

 As an adult, I’ve been able to purchase my own telescopes and look at God’s creation from afar. It’s given meaning to Psalms 8:1 “O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!”. It has spurred my heart to praise Him for all of creation. And yet when I look, I wonder like Psalms 8:3-5 “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty!” It humbles me to consider that as small as I am, He meticulously made me so I could commune with Him.

Take some time to consider this, that you ARE made in His image. He loves you. He desires more than anything to hear from you. Join with me and let Him hear your heart.

Oh Lord God, You are the creator of all things great and small. Yet in my smallness, You created me greatly…..in the image of You Great Yahweh!!!! I pray, Lord, for the humility Your Son showed to be manifest in me, so that Your greatness may be shown in and through me.