Sweeter than Honey (eBook)

ABOVE ALL

Let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.

PSALM 5:11 NLT

You are probably entering this New Year with new goals in mind. Whether they are physical, financial, or relational, this year is a fresh start for you to pursue good things. While you may already have all your goals in mind, it would be good to put this one at the top of your list: pursue Christ above all. Your relationship with him is the most important thing you can go after this year.

The Word tells us that when we take refuge in God, we rejoice. Those whose hearts are hidden in God are full of joyful praise. When we are loving the things of Christ, life is abundant, and peace filled. What could be better? It will likely require sacrifice of some things that we would normally otherwise pursue, and then also the denial of other desires. It will not be in vain. We should set our sights on the pursuit of God’s goodness, and in this we will find our joy complete.

God, this New Year is yours, and my plans pale in comparison to those you have for me. Help me pursue you foremost, knowing that if a deep relationship with you is what I have at the end of this year, I have succeeded.

HIDDEN GEMS

I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.

PSALM 119:11 NLT

Life is full, and during some seasons all you might have time for is a page from this devotional. May that page turn your thoughts to God as you chug your coffee. While you may be adopting the “something is better than nothing” mentality in more than one area of your life, your walk with God is one you don’t want to shortchange.

Scripture is powerful, and it is particularly influential when you meditate on it throughout the day. Have you ever had a song stuck in your head? That’s what you’re aiming for here. Ponder on a verse in the morning. Repeat it to yourself as you get ready for your day. Review it over your lunch break. Savor it and ask yourself, “What does this tell me about God?” or “What does this tell me about how God sees me?” When the Word is in your mind, it impacts the way you live each day, and consequently your life.

Holy Spirit, help me give time to your Word, so my mind is ruled by it. Of all the things I could think about, I know your Word is the most important. It brings life to my days.

SUSTENANCE

Sustain me, my God, according to your promise,
and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.

PSALM 119:116 NIV

What keeps each of us going throughout our days? Could it be a midday nap, an afternoon cup of tea, or a walk that gets the blood flowing? Whatever the method of choice, all of us have things that help sustain us through our long days. Beyond the midday slump, our souls require sustaining, too, and whether we realize it or not we are constantly on the search for something that will fill us, satisfy our hungers, and give us a reason to wake up and go to workday after day.

God promises to sustain us, and his bearing up of our soul brings life and hope where other things fall short. We need to take account of the state of our hearts in this moment. What are we giving ourselves to in hope of satisfaction? What are we pursuing in anticipation of numbing our pain? Dear one, it is in Christ alone that our hopes will not be dashed. We can set aside all else and find our peace in him.

God, I repent of pursuing created things that give me energy for a short period of time. I know all too well that I will be disappointed in the end. Help me instead to seek you when I feel myself drifting toward false support.

BEAUTIFUL INHERITANCE

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

PSALM 16:5-6 ESV

Perhaps you woke up this morning considering all the things that are not right in your life—your finances, your marriage, your job, your health. There are countless things in life that can be put in the category of “grievances,” but today is a day for recognizing God’s goodness.

Regardless of your circumstances today, you have been chosen by God to be a part of his family, and therefore you are blessed. You have a beautiful inheritance in Christ, and while the culmination of God’s blessings has not yet arrived, the realization of his goodness starts today. Will you, like the wandering Israelites, demand relief from pain and insecurity, or will you choose Christ as your portion, the source of all you will ever need? His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9), and his goodness pursues you (Psalm 23:6). May you draw peace from that knowledge.

Jesus, it is foolish of me to complain when I consider the many ways you have blessed me and given me the hope of a beautiful inheritance. Cause my heart to rest in contentment today.

TRULY GOOD

You are good and do only good;
teach me your decrees.

PSALM 119:68 NL

Who among us would knowingly let ourselves be led by false teachers or deceivers claiming to have our best interests in mind? Every day we are up against the deceptions of this world, and many times we allow ourselves to be misled by that which looks good but actually plots to destroy us. Materialism, consumerism, and influencers who emphasize what feels good rather than obedience to Christ—they are all ploys of the enemy to wean our hearts from the source of all that is good.

How are we to combat these sweet deceptions except by steeping our minds in what is good and true? The entire book of Psalms tells us that God is good and only does good—shouldn’t it be God we seek to learn from? Let’s accept the challenge today to note what seemingly good things are being influential at a personal level. How do they compare to the truth of Scripture?

God, forgive me for allowing myself to be swayed by things that look and sound good but really are empty. These things, I know, will leave me aching. Help me to fill up on the truth of your Word so that I am not tempted to binge on lesser things.

VICTORY IN CHRIST

“For your sake we are killed all day long;
we were regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

ROMANS 8:36-37 NASB

Chances are we are all under attack today. Regardless of our cognizance of the spiritual forces which seek to deter us from walking in God’s path, they are real and present. Scripture tells us that we who belong to Christ are like sheep being led to the slaughter every day. In other words, we are constantly under attack due to our relationship with Jesus. Satan wants nothing more than to create doubt instead of trust, disassemble our relationships, and lead us to a false belief that it’s best when we take the wheel.

We have the power when we realize this, though. The victory is ours when we are aware of the attack, we speak against our enemy, and we can then claim triumph over him in the name of Jesus. Today, remember that there is literally nothing that can separate you from the love of Jesus. Be aware of your enemy but walk in the victory that is yours through Christ.

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for the power that is mine to wage war against the enemy. Thank you for reminders of the battle that I face, but also of the victory that is mine because I am your child.

BOAST-WORTHY

“Those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

JEREMIAH 9:23-24 NLT

We’re proud of our strengths. Whether it’s our beauty, talent, or intelligence, we take pride in the things which we are good at. But better than anything that we possess on our own is the ability to know and understand the things of God. And what does God, who is all-powerful and all-knowing, desire that we boast in?

God, in his glorious humility, desires that the things we brag on are things that the world would find rather weak and dull. We can proudly profess the love that does not grow tired, the mercy extended to the undeserving, and the triumph in the right thing when the right thing is terribly difficult. Next time we feel the need to justify ourselves by sharing our own good qualities, let’s remember the things Christ finds boast worthy.

God, you remind me that the things that the world finds pleasing mean nothing to you. May these things—love and mercy, justice and righteousness—be the same things I treasure and boast in.

COURAGE

LORD, you are my shield,
my wonderful God who gives me courage.

PSALM 3:3 NCV

As a child or young adult, courage might seem like something called upon for great, meaningful accomplishments like saving someone from drowning, perhaps. But as we grow older, we learn that courage is most necessary when...