“All things work together for good, for those who love God and are called by Him to fulfill His purposes.” (Romans 8:28)

Our grandson came over with his parents for dinner. After dinner, his auntie turned on her computer to make a Skype call to her husband, who works on an ocean-going yacht.  Our grandson watched this whole process, and was excited when he saw his uncle on the screen, talking to him.  In jest, his uncle said that he was stuck inside the computer and couldn’t get out!

Our grandson became upset and wanted someone to get his uncle out of the computer, rescuing him from his prison! As adults, we laughed at the absurdity of someone being trapped inside a computer. We reassured our grandson that his uncle was not really in the computer.

It made me wonder, “How many times do I get all upset and worried about something that I do not understand?”  God works in ways that are confusing to me, as well. Like my grandson, I can become even angry because no one is doing anything and I feel helpless.

Trust in a loving God reassures me when seemingly impossible problems face me.  In my limited knowledge, I might also panic about things that I cannot change or fix.  But I can trust God through these times – even when it appears that God is not doing anything about the situation.  I may never understand why God allows certain crises in my life and in the lives of those I love, but I can know that He has a perfect plan.

God’s Word says that “All things work together for good, for those who love God and are called by Him to fulfill His purposes.”  (Romans 8:28) I know I can trust that!

I was backpacking and camping with some friends and my 3 year old grandson joined us. We were setting up camp at a beautiful lake in the mountains. As I was working on putting up the tent, he joined some of our group down at the shore line and yelled up to me, “Papa can I go in the water?” My response was, “Yes, but do not get your clothes wet.” He was wearing shorts, so I thought he’d be okay. I looked over a few minutes later and he was totally naked! He was definitely making sure he was not going to get his clothes wet!

This made me laugh, as well as made me reflect about my life. How careful am I about obedience? Do I think carefully about my actions to be “absolutely sure” I’m being diligent to obey God’s word? Or am I sometimes careless?

God tells us not to do certain things, but does give permission in other areas. He does this for two positive reasons, to protect us and to provide a good future for us. Obedience in how we live occurs within the bounds of God’s love.

Jesus says, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His Love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full”  (John 15:9-11 NASB).

I need to be obedient to God – both because He tells me to be and also because obedience is always to my benefit.  God loves me and commands me out of that love.  If is stay in His commandments, I’ll be in the very best place I can be and ready to do the work God has for me.

Questions: Why does God tell us not to do certain things, but does give permission in other areas? How can we know God’s will for us?

Are you struggling with obedience? Take this study.

This made me laugh, as well as made me reflect about my life. How careful am I about obedience? Do I think carefully about my actions to be “absolutely sure” I’m being diligent to obey God’s word? Or am I sometimes careless?

God tells us not to do certain things, but does give permission in other areas. He does this for two positive reasons, to protect us and to provide a good future for us. Obedience in how we live occurs within the bounds of God’s love.

Jesus says, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His Love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full”  (John 15:9-11 NASB).

I need to be obedient to God – both because He tells me to be and also because obedience is always to my benefit.  God loves me and commands me out of that love.  If is stay in His commandments, I’ll be in the very best place I can be and ready to do the work God has for me.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP: Obedience: Who’s story is this anyway?

Questions: Why does God tell us not to do certain things, but does give permission in other areas? How can we know God’s will for us?

About the Author Mike Woodard

“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5)

I witnessed a meaningful baptism of a teenager at church where the grandfather stepped into the baptistery with his grandson to baptize him. “It’s a pleasure to baptize my grandson,” the grandfather began. Then speaking directly to his grandson he said, “Jonathan, I’ve known you since you were a little twerp, and I’ve watched you grow into a fine young man.” Then he asked his grandson, “How long do you plan to let Jesus control your life?”

Without hesitation, his grandson replied with a strong voice, “The rest of my life.”

With that the grandfather baptized his grandson. Then putting his arm around his wet grandson, the grandfather prayed, “Lord, help Jonathan to keep his eyes on You. Help him serve You and live with integrity and faithfulness to You. I commit him to You to be a servant of the gospel the rest of his days. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

As the grandfather said amen, I wiped my eyes. I pictured each of my four grandchildren and asked God that they too would want to serve Him the rest of their days and would make a public commitment to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.

The congregation clapped for joy to celebrate a life dedicated to God. And in my mind, I thought I heard applause in heaven as well.

Respond: Heavenly Father, may others see my sincere faith and want to obey You. As David prayed for his son Solomon, so I pray my grandchildren and others I love will want to follow You with wholehearted devotion the rest of their lives (1 Chronicles 29:19).

Question: What wisdom and knowledge do you hope to pass on to others?

About the Author: Lydia Harris

Do you feel cared for? Try this online study.

One day I was home sick with a really bad cold/flu combination. I was lying on the couch. Our grandson wanted me to play. I explained that I was not feeling good and needed to rest.

A few minutes later, just as I was slipping off to sleep, he came up to me and put his blue blanket over me. This was not just any blanket. This was his special blanket that goes everywhere with him. (If it cannot be found at bed time or in sad moments, it is a major crisis.) The fact he was willing to loan me his blue blanket was a gesture of something special.  He did not say, “I love you,” or “I trust you with my blanket” but he cared for me with a simple, sacrificial act.

It made me reflect on what I hold as precious and what I’m willing to give to God. This blue blanket ranks really high on the list of precious things for my grandson. I was reminded that God is perfect in his love for me. I can and must trust him with any and all my precious things.

I wonder if we can bless God as we are willing to give to him in simple acts of love and obedience. Was this blanket big enough to cover me? No but at that moment it was the best blanket in the world!! It blessed me. It made me feel valued, cared for and loved.

The Bible indicates that we can bless God through giving generously from the heart.  2 Corinthians 9 says:

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8, NIV).

Questions: What is the most precious thing that you can give God?

About the Author Mike Woodard

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.

I was in the kitchen with my two year old grandson making cookies. Things were not going smoothly. I dropped an opened box of baking soda over the top of the stove and onto the floor. Then after cleaning that up, I stubbed my toe on a chair.

When I stubbed my toe, my grandson asked, “Are you okay Papa?” I said, “No!” He repeated the question, “Are you okay Papa?” I repeated my response, “No!” After the third repetition of this dialogue, I realized that unless I said yes to his question, he would keep asking till I gave the answer he wanted. He seemed determined that I should be okay, as that was just the way it should be.

I think I also have this deep conviction inside that things should be okay. Just like my two year old grandson I find it hard to accept it when things are not okay with me or others. I want life to be okay! Life should be like math where 2 + 2 always equals 4.

Sometimes the math does not work. People have accidents, they get sick, do really bad things, hurt others and themselves.   I want life to be okay but when it is not, I am much happier if I can accept the truth with an attitude of anticipation encouraged by Saint James.

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way” (James 1:2-4 The Message).

** An article about trusting God in difficulty.

Questions: Do you trust God in times of difficulty?  What steps do you need to take in order to be able to trust God for greater things?

About the Author Mike Woodard

Is God too slow for you at times? Have you rushed ahead of Him on occasion only to discover trouble?

“Guide me on the road to eternal life”  (Psalm 139:24b, The Message).

“My do it!” were the words he repeated over and over.

Recently I was hiking on a very challenging trail along the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. My almost three year old grandson was with me.   At least one section of the trail could possibly be described as dangerous, but overall it was a combination of easy and difficult stretches. I carried him on some of the sections of our 8 kilometer hike but for some reason along this particularly dangerous section, he was determined to walk on his own.

I was very vigilant in my coaching. At times I would pick him up and lift him over difficult sections. Each time his response was, “My do it.” At one point some other hikers passed us. For some reason he was convinced that he should try to keep up with them and started going faster. I glanced behind me for a split second and when I turned back to look at him, my heart missed a beat!

My small apprentice had slipped, and was hanging over the ocean, holding onto a tree root while his feet were swinging in the air.  A  5-meter drop to the water and rocks below awaited him, if he let go of that root. I grabbed his arms and lifted him to the trail.  He had no idea of the danger that he had just faced. He simply said, “Thanks, Papa.” Off he went. I, on the other hand, have relived that moment many times since.

As humbling as it might seem, we are all like two year olds in our strength, knowledge and wisdom when compared to God. Just as it is dangerous for a two year old to be on his own, even for a split second because they just do not understand the dangers, so it is with us.  Just as we don’t allow two year olds to hike a challenging trail on their own, we also were never intended to go through life without someone to watch over us. We are invited, but not forced, to journey with God.

There are areas of my life where I like to say, “My do it!”  When I try to do it on my own, I miss out on God’s strength and wisdom. Here is a prayer from the writer of Psalms 139 that helps to motivate me to move from self reliance to God dependence.

“Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life”  -Psalm 139:23-24 (The Message).

Questions: Are you tempted to rush ahead of God and live life your way? How are you motivated to move from self reliance to God dependence?

About the Author Mike Woodard

“You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing” (Isaiah 42:20, NIV).

Have you heard the old saying, no two ways about it?  Well, I beg to differ if you’ll allow me.

A few weeks ago, my five year old grandson and I were down at our little brook enjoying a beautiful early summer afternoon.  All at once, he shrieked, “Ants!  I hate ants!” And he turned and began stomping up the hill.

“Wait, a minute,” this old grandma called to him.  “Sit here with me and let’s just watch them for a minute.  Look how they work together, how they form a trail and take food back to their whole family. They work and don’t tire. They are always so busy and eager!”  As my grandson took time to listen to me and consider my words and turn his attention to my way of thinking, he began to see the ants with new eyes — eyes of wonder instead of eyes of hate and disgust.

Aren’t we a lot like that? Don’t we often see situations with just our own eyes and our own selfish motivations and beliefs? We need new eyes to really see all of God’s truth for us.  We need an understanding of God’s purpose to grasp how to look at a situation without panic, disgust or even fear.  In every circumstance, in every thought and feeling where we deem that there is only one way — our way — there are always two ways about it.  There is our way and there is God’s way.

In each circumstance I find myself in, I am learning to practice seeing it with “God’s eyes and hands” instead of only my own.  When I determine to do that, I am choosing God’s way and putting Him first.  This is one way that I can love the Lord with all my heart, by putting His way, His will and His law first in my life.

You might be wondering, “How do I begin to place God’s way first in my life?”  Do you remember my grandson and his disgust of ants?  What did he have to do to begin to look at them in a different way?

First he had to listen. Are you listening to God’s Word?  Then he had to believe what his grandma told him.  Do you believe the truths that God is sharing in His Word with you?  And lastly, he had to give up his way of thinking and be willing to see ants from his grandma’s perspective.  Have you begun to look at every situation with God’s eyes and heart and His will and way?

Today, choose to listen, to believe, to apply a willing heart to God’s perspective. Take time today and open your eyes, pay attention, be willing to hear and to change your way to God’s way.

Yep, two ways about it — your way or God’s way.

Lord, I lay down myself and yield all of me to You, Your hand, Your truths and Your will and way in my life.  Thank You that Your power is great enough to do miraculous work in my life.  Your love is of greater measure than I can hope or dream or imagine.  Help me Lord to begin to see with new eyes more of who You are.  Give me greater understanding of Your way.  Help me to walk in Your truth this day with a whole heart and new eyes of perspective.

Questions: What area do you need to work on in order to put God’s way first in your life? (listening, believing, change perspectives)  How are you putting God first in your life?

About the Author Nancy O’Bosky

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Thin Air-ogance, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

When your child is fussy, what do you do? You take him or her onto your lap and talk soothingly. Maybe you sit in a rocking chair and sing until he or she falls asleep. Or, like me, you might hold the baby in your arms and do a little dance and make up silly, little songs.  When I do that with my grandson he quickly relaxes and his eyes, resting on my face, seem to say, “I like that, Oma! Sing some more.” It always amuses me that I have at least one fan who likes my singing!

Sometimes we adults have fussy spirits. Things are not going as planned. Disappointments, pressures and delays disturb our peace. Fretting happens when we take things into our own hands. It leads to the evil of being self-centered.

Jesus never worried and He was never anxious because He was not out to realize His own ideas; He was out to realize God’s ideas.  Do you have an anxious spirit this morning? Let me suggest the following:

Sit quietly for a few moments and slowly repeat the following words of Scripture:

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him” (Psalm 62:1&5, NIV).

–Visualize yourself sitting on God’s lap. Or, if you like, being held in His arms with your head resting on His shoulder. Hear him saying, “I am with you. I am mighty to save. I take great delight in you” (Zephaniah 3:17).

As you let Him love you, He will calm your fears.

Father, thank you that you are with me now and I have nothing to worry about, for my salvation and my hope come from you.  Amen.

Questions: What is the result of worrying and fretting? What do you do when you become anxious?

About the Author Helen Grace Lescheid

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, The Resurrection, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s  Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.

This spring our grandson was visiting on a nice sunny day so the two of us went to the back yard to do some clean up. The task would have gone faster without the help of a two year old but for the delight of being together I invited him to join me.

I learned two lessons from a two year old child’s perspective that day. In the middle of the afternoon it started to snow, one of those spring squalls that produce large flakes of snow. Domonic turned to me with a big smile and said, “Me chase snow!” He proceeded to run, turning in circles, laughing all the time while attempting to catch the snow flakes. His joy was infectious! The lesson I learned in watching him was that we need to enjoy the moments that God gives.

The second lesson Domonic taught me had to do with his wanting to help me In the clean up process we filled several baskets with debris. I started to carry the first one away when Domonic said, “Me help.” I really did not need his help but I let him take hold of the basket.  He didn’t really have the strength to help, but I let him do it even though I had to slow down.  It gave him great pleasure to help his Papa!

I began to think about how God views us. I do not claim to be a theologian, but I am convinced that God does not really need our help. The fact that God invites us to join him in his work is because he delights in the relationship with us and knows we will be satisfied in that partnership with him. In my desire to help God, I am very much like a two year old trying to help his Papa.

So the lessons from a two year old that I learned that day were to enjoy each moment God gives, even though there is a task to be done, and to understand that God desires and delights in our relationship with him.

For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD;
I sing for joy at the works of your hands.

How great are your works, O LORD,
how profound your thoughts!  Psalm 92:4-5 (NIV)

I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.

Show the wonder of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.

Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.   Psalm 17:6-8 (NIV)

Questions: What kind of relationship with God do you have? Why does God desire and delight in a relationship with you?

About the Author Mike Woodward

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Deliver Us from the Evil One, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog