ReceiveHelp | Kristi's Morning Devotional

Every day we have the opportunity to continue on the path of the previous day or to begin anew. Honestly, many days I am thankful for the opportunities to start over.

My hobbies include knitting, baking and gardening. They have taught me it’s ok to start over. Some knitting projects haven’t worked out the way the pattern indicated they would – I’ve ripped out rows and rows of stitches and with a couple of them I have started over with a completely new pattern that works better.

I’ve experimented with recipes in the kitchen that I won’t be repeating. I’ve made breads that didn’t rise and the whole batch had to be scrapped and I’ve started over. There’s no shame in that; it’s a learning experience.

Living in different climates my enthusiasm for gardening has also had some do-overs. Some plants thrived during the milder summers but couldn’t survive the frosty winters. So Spring was a time to prune and pull up and start over.

Life also challenges us to start over. New career, city, friends, relationships, financial plans, educational training, physical well-being can all lead to us on a path of beginning again. Sometimes we can get overwhelmed, and feelings of insecurity and failure try to take over.

One thing I am confident of is that God is the God of the second chance.

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends.²³Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! ²⁴I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 ERV

We go to bed at night, heavy-hearted, because we have failed in some way or another. We had displayed an attitude that we thought we had conquered; we harbor a grudge or fail to resist a temptation that we swore we would never do again.

And then comes the promise of a new day. We can live with regret, wallow in our past mistakes or we can begin again trusting in God’s amazing love.

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. ²³The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning.²⁴Deep in my heart I say, “The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!” Lamentations 3:22-24 CEV

Yes, I know I repeated the same verses…and I would like you to read them again, and again, and again. The Lord’s kindness NEVER fails! His mercy is new EVERY morning!

“I was in trouble, so I called to the Lord for help. The Lord answered and made me free.
⁶The Lord is with me, so I will not be afraid. No one on earth can do anything to harm me.
⁷The Lord is my helper.” Psalm 118:5-7 ERV

Today is a new day filled with new hope; new mercy and grace; new strength. It’s time to begin again!

As parents, we all know what it’s like to have our hearts ache for our children.

When they are little and run a fever, break a bone or even go to bed hungry we hurt. As they grow and encounter their first bully or insensitive comment that causes them to cry and question their self-worth, we immediately speak words of love and healing but our hearts ache.

Then there are the times they work so hard and fail to make the team, the choir, the squad; they fail to advance in some academic, artistic or agricultural competition and we hurt. All the time reassuring them that they did their best and we are proud of them. There maybe times when they face overwhelming sickness and we volunteer to take their place.

Oh my, God understands!

When His son was here on earth He lived among a hostile people. Many people were drawn to Jesus, they followed Him and learned from Him but those who seemed most vocal were the ones who hated Him and plotted His death. They were relentless.

I can only imagine how the Father must have felt when He heard Jesus praying in the garden. His Son was in such anguish, the pain was almost unbearable. Jesus had never been separated from the presence of His Father’s love, it was something He considered inconceivable but it was about to happen and He was in great turmoil. Jesus had to make the decision to be obedient to the Father’s plan, for our salvation, which also meant He would be separated from the Father because He was carrying our sin.

His heart ached and so did the Father’s.

“When Jesus had said these things, He looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come! Honor Your Son so Your Son may honor You. ²You have given Him power over all men. He is to give life that lasts forever to all You have given to Him. ³This is life that lasts forever. It is to know You, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ Whom You have sent.” John 17:1-3 NLV

How the Father’s heart must have ached! He saw His Son die so that we could have a restored relationship with Him. We are welcome in His presence; we are invited to come with our broken hearts and with our tears for our children. He promises to give us the help and comfort we need.

“We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. ¹⁵Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! ¹⁶So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:14-16 CEV

Mothers, Fathers, never hesitate to bring your heart for your children to God’s throne. He knows the anguish and He promises to give us undeserved kindness and help in our time of need.

Tag: ReceiveHelp

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