Category: Devotions

And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Luke 12:7

So Sunday at church I had the sweetest experience. It was Youth and Teens Day, where the youth and teens are responsible for leading the service and the worship experience. And I don’t know what it was, but I was truly overcome by the Spirit. I truly believe it was because these children were worshipping the Lord from a pure heart, not seeking anything but just wanting to praise God. They sang several songs I was familiar with so I was able to jump right into the experience.

Then they sang this song, Worth, by Anthony Brown and Group Therapy that hit every part of my heart. Here are the lyrics:

You thought I was worth saving

So you came and changed my life

You thought I was worth keeping

so you cleaned me up inside

You thought I was to die for

so you sacrificed your life

So I could be free

So I could be whole

So I could tell everyone I know

repeat chorus (3 times)

Hallelujah

Glory to God who changed my life

Forever

Because I am free

Because I am whole

And I will tell everyone I know

Repeat

You thought I was worth saving

So you came and changed my life

You thought I worth keeping

So you cleaned me up inside

You thought I was to die for

You sacrificed your life

So I can be free

End

This song expressed every feeling I’ve had lately about how much God loves me. He loved me enough to lead me to let go of people, disconnecting from some altogether and others to be repositioned into their proper circles and spheres. He loved me enough to teach me my worth, in His eyes. He loved me enough to heal me…to restore my kidney function (claiming it, already made progress), to heal me from childhood wounds, to empower me to be bold, and to allow me to live in the light. He restored me and brought me back to life. So as they sung, these were little kids and teenagers singing this song, God reminded me to have the heart of a child in my approach to Him and His throne. He reminded me that I needed to be open and willing to receive with a pure heart and with innocence. Before now I couldn’t do that. I needed to remember that God loves me unconditionally without pretenses, like a child does his mother and a mother does her child. I needed to know that God favors me with an everlasting love and wants to see me become all that He has planned for me to be. I needed to move beyond limitations and into freedom…being free enough to come to Him as a child! Little kids don’t care about what people think, they just laugh, dance, shout, play and be free in that innocence.

Maybe you need to know you’re worth it too. You are worth saving, loving, healing, redeeming, restoring, and renewing. You are worth separating from that unhealthy situation, you are worth changing how you see yourself, you are worth being renewed. You are worth it. I encourage you to listen to the song, but I wish you could have heard the children sing it. God loves you with all of Himself. He created you for Himself, and gave His only son for you to live! So live today! YOU ARE WORTH IT!

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11

***I actually wrote this last year sometime while I was still in New Orleans. For whatever reason, God has me tying up loose ends, including finishing devotions I started or sending out ones that have been in drafts for months and even years. Hope this blesses you!***

For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. Romans 11:30-31

Today I was slightly disobedient. Well I guess not slightly. I was walking Parker and God told me to say something to this lady I passed by. I resisted and did not because she was a complete stranger and I felt that I was supposed say something more to her. I asked God to forgive me and then I heard more from Him. When we disobey God we miss windows of opportunity to pour into others, we miss opportunities to reap His blessings in seemingly pointless situations, and we miss the chance to step out and trust Him in uncertainty.

I then thought about why we disobey God and how do we miss out on these windows. This is what I saw:
1. Fear
2. Stubbornness and Rebellion
3. Opinions of Others

Truthfully what usually happens is some combination of the three. You fear the opinions of others and in stubbornness you don’t act or more as God tells you to. I was afraid to speak up to an older white lady and tell her what God instructed me to say to her. Like I said I felt I was supposed to say more, but that initial word was my window, both to do God’s will and to possibly have the extended conversation with her. But I allowed my thoughts to keep me from being obedient.

I have countless other stories of my disobedience to God smh. Times He has nudged me to say something to my family or friends and out of fear of what they thought, I kept the vice grips on my mouth. There were other times when I was supposed to not do something that I instead did.

***Fast forward to today, 08/12/2015*** As I look back on this, God has given me other situations in which He told me to do something unorthodox and strange. Fortunately, I believe I’ve passed the tests since then and gotten so much peace in being obedient. I encourage you today to take every opportunity as it comes and to be used of God as He desires. Don’t hesitate, don’t wait. Move at His decree and be a blessing! The seed you sow in someone else could be the final seed needed to experience that breakthrough. Be selfless and generous in your obedience. Someone could be waiting on you!