Trust in the Lord always, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
Today's devotion was sent to me by Maria Rusch, a student at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Hers is a devotion worth sharing, so I turn the microphone over to Maria.
My name is Maria Rusch and I'm a Lutheran college student who avidly reads the Daily Devotions! I simply love the encouragement they bring, reminding me of my Savior and the hope I have in Him!
I had something happen to me today I wanted to share with you. It was kind of funny, and it reminded me of a great lesson to learn from the Bible.
I was walking out of class today thinking about our upcoming test and the wonderful opportunity I had to get outside the last few days and work on my summer tan. I was looking down at my arm admiring how dark my skin was getting, when I missed the step and fell going up the stairs. I got a pretty good-sized bruise on my knee, but I was okay. I learned my lesson not to do that again.
It occurred to me that if I had only been looking ahead and focusing on my walk up the stairs, I would have never gotten hurt. That's when I smiled and chuckled a little.
It reminded me of God's promise to be there when I stumble and fall, and also His call for us to focus on Him and His plan for our lives. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord always, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths."
God calls us to trust in Him and believe in Him with every fiber of our being because He knows what's best for us. He loves us and has an incredible plan for our lives even when we don't know how to take another step. Will we stumble and fall along the way? Of course, we will. We are sinful.
But praise be to Jesus because He has rescued us from all sin and offers us forgiveness, life, salvation, and a fresh start each day. He's there to pick us up when we take our eyes off of Him and stumble and fall. God is our Way, our Truth, and our Life. He is the one that keeps us on level ground, and when we follow His ways, we avoid so many of the cuts, bruises, and pains of this life.
With our eyes on Jesus, our prize, we experience the greatest reward there is: a life filled with true love and joy devoted to our loving God -- with the hope of eternal salvation in the next!
THE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for being there to pick us up when we fall and for rescuing us from sin, death, and the devil. You give our lives total meaning and purpose. We are so grateful to have a God that loves us so much that He gives us a fresh start each day through the gift of Your Son and freely offers forgiveness and salvation. Our lives are Yours, now and forever. May we continue to walk in Your ways. In Your precious Name we pray. Amen.
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Kings 24-25 Acts 16:1-21
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