My daily devotions are something that I love!  I find strength for the day and hear God speak to me through his inspired word, the Bible.  This morning my husband and I went to Starbucks before work to enjoy a time of devotions together.  When we do devotions, we use the SOAP format:  we read Scripture, write an Observation, Application &  Prayer.  Here’s my SOAP from this morning.

S:  Psalm 105:4 says:

“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually !”

O:  As a kid, I remember one of my favorite games was Hide and Seek.  The point of this game is that one person hides with the intention of NOT being found and the other person counts to 100 (without peeking) to allow the person to hide, and then begins an urgent and diligent search for the one that hid.  This means opening cupboards, checking beneath beds and behind doors, in the closets…for the hidden one has to be found before the game is over.  The one who is seeking to find the hidden person is doing so with all diligence.

Just as the kids seek and search for the hidden one, so also we are instructed to seek the Lord, seek His strength, and seek his presence.  This means that we do so with all urgency and diligence.  The great difference between the kids game of “Hide and Seek” and us seeking the Lord is that He will make Himself to be found.  He wants to be found by us!  We see so many references to this in the Bible. One of them is found in Jesus’ words:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds , and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8

But you may ask, what does it really mean to seek the Lord?  Seeking the Lord is simple: it’s both a desire and an intentional step of walking in cadence with His will for your life. When we seek the Lord, we seek what it is that He wants for us.  When we seek his strength, it’s because we acknowledge our weakness and inability to do anything in and of ourselves.  When we seek His presence, it’s an intentional choice to live our lives for Christ and die to the struggles and desires of our flesh.

Moreover, Psalm 105:4 ends with the word continually.  We are instructed to do these things on a continual basis.  This means that we don’t make one decision to seek him, seek his strength or presence, but that we make continual decisions to seek for these things and to walk in step with where he is taking us.

A:  What does this mean for my life?  I acknowledge that of late I am worn down by some things that have taken place in my life and ministry.  I acknowledge my weariness and weakness.  Yet I also acknowledge my calling in life and ministry.  I MUST be intentional.  I MUST urgently and diligently search for the Lord, for his strength and for his presence in my life.  Moreover, I MUST choose to walk in cadence with His will for my life – that I would continually walk in the light of His presence.

P:  Father, I thank you for this reminder of where my strength must come from.  I am nothing without you o God.  I can do nothing without you.  I seek you o Lord.  Strengthen me to stand, that I may continue in the life and ministry to which you have called me.  Help me to walk in cadence with your Spirit, continually.  In Jesus’ mighty name ~ Amen.

My SOAP from Saturday is below.  SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer.

S:  John 17:15,18

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one…As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”

O: This Jesus’ prayer to the Father regarding those who are his (his current disciples) and those who will believe upon Him (vs20).  Just as there was purpose in Jesus coming to the world, through He was not of it…so also there is purpose in Him sending us into the world: to be His representatives, displaying His likeness, His love, His power and authority.  He prays to the Father for us, not that we would be taken from the world to which He has sent us, but that God would keep us from the evil one while we are here.  There is a real enemy of our souls; one that is in dominion over this world for now, and he desires to grasp onto us and snatch us from God that we would no longer be a threat to him.  For our enemy knows that Jesus overcame and gives us the power to overcome as well!

There is significance in this:  Jesus prayed this prayer for us.

A: Jesus says He sent me into the world. He has established purpose for my life.  He has placed me exactly where He wants me in time and location.  I am called and appointed, as a child of God, to be His representative to a world in desperate need of a savior, my savior Jesus Christ.  I must live my life with this in mind, this thought always before me.  And I must daily allow God’s inspired God-Breathed Word (2 Tim 3:16-17) to sanctify me through and through, that I would be strengthened in resolve to STAND against the enemy of my soul.

P: Father, thank you for giving me understanding of your scripture.  To know that Jesus prayed for me, to know that you are keeping me from the evil one and sanctifying me through your word – I am humbled.  Father, mold me into the likeness of you son, that the world may see Jesus.

~ Rebecca

These past weeks have been filled with many highs and lows, with a sense of hope and a sense of desperation.  I have a business that I have put my life into.  This business was not just any business, but a ministry to so many lost, hurting and broken women in our community.  Women would come with the intent of physical health, and would also receive spiritual and emotional health.  I can’t even begin to count the number of times I was able to pray with hurting women, give a word of encouragement or exhortation, and lead someone to the loving arms of the Savior Jesus.  Many of the members here consider this place a refuge amidst the storms of their life.  (Not my words, but theirs).  This business has existed solely to minister to the needs of women in this community and lead them to Jesus.  

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However, my husband and I moved away almost one year ago.  We tried to sell the business with no luck.  We tried to hang onto it hoping that it could still be a blessing to women in this community, but we were no longer able to sustain it.  About a month ago, my husband and I prayerfully made the decision to close the business.  That decision was met with what I feel is the favor of the Lord.   I alerted my landlord of our decision, and he released me of all future financial obligations – I’d call that favor!   Since the decision was made, we have begun the process of closing our business, as well as making a final attempt to give away our business to someone who can run with it and make it a successful venture for themselves, carrying on the vision of making women healthy spirit, soul and body.  

We are in the final stretch of closing our business this Friday, yet I have women that are seriously considering the take-over of my business.  This is a time where my trust has to be in the Lord.  This is a time where I feel burdened, but my hope must be in the Lord.  He must remain on the throne of my heart, even in the midst of trial.  

As I was reading my Bible this morning, I came across a Psalm that seemed to speak to me where I’m at- Psalm 55.  I was specifically struck by what this verse says:  

Cast your burden on the Lord , and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.   –  Psalm 55:22

Right now, I feel the burden of being in limbo.  I don’t know if in fact I am closing my business on Friday or if it will be transferring to a new owner.   It is an emotional roller coaster.  Yet I am encouraged.  It is so wonderful to know that I can cast my burden on the Lord and He will sustain me through this.  I don’t have to go it alone.  Even  more, he doesn’t want me to go it alone.   What a great God!

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As of now I don’t know if we will close or transfer, but I do know the one who does.  I don’t know wether to prepare for closure or prepare to walk away at the end of this week, but I will cast my burden on the one who does, and he will sustain me.  Either way, God is still my provider.  Either way, God will remain on the throne of my heart.

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