AlwaysFaithful | Kristi's Morning Devotional

November 23, 2024November 23, 2024

It Will Last Forever

Our world is filled with so many disposable things. I’m not just talking about paper plates, plastic tableware and cups. Those are very prominent this time of the year. We don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen preparing our Thanksgiving meal only to spend more hours in the kitchen cleaning up and washing dishes after it’s over. So, disposable pans and paper plates come to the rescue.

This got me to thinking about all the other things in our homes that we replace after 1, 5, or 10 years.

I appreciate those things that have stood the passing of time. The butter churn, cookie jar, my silverplate tableware and my wooden handled knife, spoon and meat fork are favorites in my kitchen. Yes. So many memories.

As Thanksgiving and Christmas approaches, I get a bit melancholy. Remembering my favorite holiday traditions from childhood and also the ones we tried to create for our children and grandchildren.

But nothing lasts forever – or does it?

“Shout praises to the Lord, everyone on this earth. ²Be joyful and sing as you come in
to worship the Lord! ³You know the Lord is God! He created us, and we belong to him;
we are his people, the sheep in his pasture. ⁴Be thankful and praise the Lord as you enter his temple. ⁵The Lord is good! His love and faithfulness will last forever.” Psalm 100

His love and His faithfulness last forever!

Does that thrill your heart like it does mine? God’s not going to “fall” out of love with us and He will continue to be faithful to His word and to us forever. (Stop and think about that for a minute)

“Our Lord, I will sing of your love forever. Everyone yet to be born will hear me praise your faithfulness. ²I will tell them, “God’s love can always be trusted, and his faithfulness lasts as long as the heavens.” Psalm 89:1-2 CEV

This may be silly, but I’ve been known to be unconventional at times so bear with me. Wouldn’t it be great to have a sign over our trash cans that reads “His love and faithfulness will last forever”? Every time we dispose of things from this daily life, we would be reminded of what truly is important and what lasts forever.

“Things that are seen don’t last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. This is why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen.” II Corinthians 4:18 CEV

Enjoy your day. Don’t be bothered or distracted by the temporary things of this life. Let’s keep our focus on things that will last forever.

November 15, 2023November 15, 2023

Stuck in the Mud

When we lived in Montana our home was out in the country on a dirt road. To be more specific, the composition of the road was more of a clay base than a dirt base. When it rained, things got sticky.

I used to walk that road most every day, even the rainy ones. On those days I needed to watch where I stepped, keeping my feet on drier ground. It was not uncommon to break through the upper layer, sinking into the mud. On more than one occasion I had my shoe pulled right off my foot. Now, I find it humorous but then, I was not amused.

Have you ever had an experience where you were stuck in the mud? Maybe you weren’t literally stuck but possibly, figuratively stuck.

Stuck in a job that’s not meant for you; stuck in an association that isn’t healthy? I have good news.

“ I did not give up waiting for the Lord. And He turned to me and heard my cry. ²He brought me up out of the hole of danger, out of the mud and clay. He set my feet on a rock, making my feet sure. ³He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and will put their trust in the Lord.

⁴How happy is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud or to the followers of lies. ⁵O Lord my God, many are the great works You have done, and Your thoughts toward us. No one can compare with You! If I were to speak and tell of them, there would be too many to number.

⁶You have not wanted gifts given on the altar in worship. You have opened my ears. You have not wanted burnt gifts or gifts to cover sins. ⁷Then I said, “Look, I have come. It is written about me in the book. ⁸I am happy to do Your will, O my God. Your Law is within my heart.”

⁹I have told the good news about what is right and good in the big meeting with many people. You know I will not close my lips, O Lord. ¹⁰I have not hidden what is right and good with You in my heart. I have spoken about how faithful You are and about Your saving power. I have not hidden Your loving-kindness and Your truth from the big meeting.

¹¹O Lord, You will not keep Your loving-pity from me. Your loving-kindness and Your truth will always keep me safe.” Psalm 40:1-11 NLVs

As I read these verses this morning, my mind went to those times of being physically, literally, emotionally and spiritually stuck. Stuck in worry and anger, stuck in a job where dishonesty and deception were the norm, stuck in a defeated life spiritually.

Did you notice the last line in verse eleven? “Your loving-kindness…will always keep me safe”. The hesed of God, his loving-kindness is our safety.

I am so grateful that God in His love pulled me out of the mud and set my feet on the Rock of His Word.

December 29, 2022December 29, 2022

Rough Roads

We had a great time taking the family to the Polar Express in Williams on Tuesday. It was one of those “memory makers” that we, grandparents, hope to make with our grandchildren.

We had hoped for some snow so the kids could also make their first snowballs and possibly a snowman. When we woke yesterday morning the cars in the parking lot at the hotel had a nice little covering of snow. What we didn’t realize was that the road which led to home was snow packed.

Making snowballs in the parking lot was fun for them. They giggled as they made their slushy projectiles, lobbing them at their mother and siblings. All the while Pappy and their Dad were making plans on how to navigate the roads.

The weather and road apps didn’t give us the full story. We talk with the hotel desk clerk, and she said her managers had come from Flagstaff and they didn’t report any problems, so we loaded the kids in their car, we got in the truck and headed out.

The first several miles were fine. Driving slower than normal but nothing too concerning. And then – well the roads got worse, no ice but snow packed ruts narrowed to one lane and it was very slow going. It was that way for the next hundred miles. (The picture was taken when the roads got better.)

As we reached the lower elevations the snow turned to rain and the roads were open again. Our daughter text me saying, “This is why I’m glad we no longer live in the snow”. Amen to that.

Those roads reminded me of a Scripture.

“A voice is calling, ‘Make the way ready for the Lord in the desert. Make the road in the desert straight for our God. ⁴Every valley will be lifted up and every mountain and hill will be brought down. The turns in the road will be made straight and the bad places will be made smooth. ⁵Then the shining-greatness of the Lord will be seen. All flesh together will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’” Isaiah 40:3-5 NLV

These are the words of prophecy that were given about the ministry of Jesus.

When life seems to be full of twists and turns, rough and rocky places, we can depend on the Lord to make the bad places smooth. The power of God in our lives will make crooked places straight; turn struggles into strength and battles into triumph.

Keep going even though the path narrows and the way seems constricted. It may be a difficult road to navigate but when we keep your eyes on Him we will see the path clear and His shining-greatness will be revealed.