Trust Him at All Times

Read Proverbs 3:5-6; see also Deuteronomy 33:27; Jeremiah 29:13, 14; Matthew 1:18-24 Prayer: Lord, it has been one of those weeks. The car has been making a funny noise, and the mechanic is claiming that only a costly repair can fix it. My daughter needs dental work that will run into the thousands. The athletic director has asked me to help organize a team fund-raiser, my boss moved a project deadline up two weeks, and my in-laws announced they'll be visiting for three days starting tomorrow.  Overwhelmed? Yes. So much so that I just want to curl up in bed until next week. Or next year. I know, God, that You have blessed me richly. I know that You provide for my needs. I have a car, after all. I have healthy children. The school places confidence in me, my boss relies on me, and my in-laws enjoy visiting. Why then, does my trust waver when demands pile up? Why is it so difficult to peel my eyes away from my circumstances and rest on Your promises? Renew my faith, Lord. Pull my focus from the swirling whirlwind of chaos to the calm of Your presence. I need to know that I can come to You for peace in the midst of the craziness and trust that You'll bring me through. -- Nathan Devotion: I am taking care of you. Trust Me at all times. Trust Me in all circumstances. Trust Me with all your heart. When you are weary and everything seems to be going wrong, you can still utter these four words: "I trust You, Jesus." By doing so, you release matters into My control, and you fall back into the security of My everlasting arms. Before you arise from your bed in the morning, I have already arranged the events of your day. Every day provides many opportunities for you to learn My ways and grow closer to Me. Signs of My Presence brighten even the dullest day when you have eyes that really see. Search for Me as for hidden treasure. I will be found by you. (From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young) Contemplate:

Put yourself in Joseph's shoes for a moment. Mary, your fiancée, has come to you bearing news that she's pregnant. You know you're not the father, and Mary claims the child is the offspring of the Holy Spirit. You love her, but her story is so . . . utterly unbelievable. And then God shows up in the night and instructs you to marry the girl and give her son the name "Jesus." It's a moment of truth, a moment of trust. If you obey, surely you will hear the whispered gossip of those who also disbelieve Mary's story. What makes you trust God and obey? What consequences might you have to endure for your obedience? And how can these insights help you today, in your real life?

From the Jesus Calling Christmas Devotional