|
Listen to this devotional: |
Listen while you read: "O Lord Thou Art My God And King"1 (Lyrics) |
Matthew 7:7 – Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (NIV)
With a fifth child on the way and in need of more space, we bravely knocked on the door of a big, old house. My husband and I had just heard that the owners were thinking of selling. That day, we began our very own "It's a Wonderful Life" adventure. Just like George Bailey, we would come to question our decision to buy the "drafty old barn". Built in 1880 and in Queen Anne style, our family would be only the fourth to call it home. When two train lines had come through town, the house was set on logs pulled by a team of horses, and rolled down the hill of our street to sit on an older, smaller foundation. Our "barn" was in a sorry state, but that meant that we could afford it! As we renovated over the next thirty years, I would say that our house was done up in the style of "early depression". The day that we moved in, our oldest child took one look at her new room and started ripping off the deplorable wallpaper. She drew pictures and wrote a Bible verse on the bare plaster before it was repapered. Thirteen years later, she and her husband tore off that wallpaper to find her little-girl art. What stood out was the verse that she had written all those years before:
Psalm 14:1a – The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." (NIV)
Just think of the evidence that contradicts that:
Psalm 19:1-3 – The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. (NIV)
The Word of God has guided me in my walk in faith. The Lord Jesus said, "You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is those very Scriptures that testify about Me; and yet you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." (John 5:39-40 NASB)
I believe that it is no accident that what our hearts desire and think about keeps on showing up. One day in a back room of our used bookstore, my granddaughter found me crawling out from under a table. Hidden behind cases of romance novels, I had discovered a little box containing five pocketbooks — old classics. A small, well-thumbed Bible was nestled under them. As a former kindergarten teacher, I am experienced at locating owners of misplaced items. Keith, a pastor, was happy that one of his many old Bibles had found a good home. It turned out that we have the same family name and ancestral background. I have this hidden treasure beside me as I turn to the PresbyCan Daily Devotional each morning. Ten years ago, I happened upon this wonderful devotional source. Thank you to the volunteer editorial staff and the contributors who have helped readers like me find life in God's Word.
Psalm 119:130 – The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. (NASB)
Jeremiah 15:16a – Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart. (NASB)
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come to You and ask You to bless our lives. We pray Your blessing on the work of the PresbyCan Daily Devotional, and we ask that You would strengthen and guide the staff and writers. Thank You for speaking to us, enlightening us, and touching our spirits. In Your Word we find Your love, forgiveness, and guidance, so that we might live our lives the way that You would want us to. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Forward this devotional Share this devotional on Facebook Like PresbyCan on Facebook
Although PresbyCan doesn't have a mobile app, you can still have a PresbyCan icon on your mobile phone home screen. 
Thursday, April 18, 2024 – In East Asia — Pray for more partners who become trainers in our house church planting network in East Asia. We are asking God for around ten of these trainers for each district in our region. May the Lord grant them courage in their next step of faith.
stressful travel ahead: "April 17, 2024: Please pray that our upcoming travel will be okay. A few problems have arisen with..." 
Thanks so much, Sandra.
Wonderful message. May God bless you always.
Wonderful story and application Sandra.
Blessings.
And again, I say, Amen. Thanks for everyone for helping us stay on track. Shalom.
Sandra – thank you for this devotional. May God continue to encourage you in your writing.
Sandra, thank-you so much for your uplifting and meaningful devotional today. God is good!
Be safe and stay healthy.
Congratulations, Sandra, on having your writing in print! It’s a very nice piece. You have a wealth of experience to choose from and usually, the details you choose are very unique.
Amen and amen Sandra.
I enjoy this devotional each morning and am so thankful for it.
Thank you for your thoughts this morning.
(Ont)
Good morning Sandra,
Every morning I read the devotional before I start my day and it put a smile on my face when I saw your name.
Thank you and have a great day!
Truly enjoyed your devotional this morning. It was nice to have someone so close to home contribute. I lived for the first 5 years of my marriage 68 years ago in a place we called the shack. The Lord has always been with me through thick and thin . Blessings.
Wowie. So many of your memories match mine. In a similar house built in 1840 but wallpaperless. Yay for finding a home in our God and in the place where he causes us to bloom! Love to you as you share your hope and faith today, Sandra. Keep writing!
Thanks for these words of acknowledgment to this ministry. I love reading the devotionals and sometimes recognize the style of certain writers before I see the author!
May you continue to find support and encouragement in you writing, which is truly inspiring,
(BC)
Good afternoon Sandra
Thank you for this devotional and how interesting it was to read about the beginning of your home. Amazing for your daughter years later to rip off the paper and to see her art from so many years ago. Just like the Word of God withstands time!!
God bless.
Dear Sandra,
What a wonderful way to start my day! I felt truly blessed in reading your inspired and inspiring Devotional. I related to so much of it. I, too, am so grateful to Presbycan and all its dedicated staff and Spirit-led contributors. Thanks for mentioning them.
Blessings! Joy! Laughter!
Thanks for your great devotion today. Love to read them every day. My husband-built bridges, so we had a mobile home and moved over 20 times the first 10 years we were married.
Now with the Covid shutdown, we take a Timmy’s coffee down to the lake and watch ships come in for salt and grain. Goderich has the largest salt mine in the world.
Thanks again for your great devotion.
Hi Sandra
It’s 10 am and I’m sitting on the swing in my backyard, reflecting on my life today. I’m listening for the holy spirit today.
I pick up my phone and read today’s devotional.
I read your devotional. Wow. Just what I needed this morning. The holy spirt was talking to me through your words.
Thank you so much.
(On)
Thank you for the inspiring and wonderful Devotional.
I particularly enjoyed the story about your little daughter who tore off the wallpaper in her room and wrote a Bible Verse. Then to think many years later the verse was found when the room was papered again.
What a praise and blessing!
I pray the Lord will give you the opportunity to write more Devotionals….you are a talented writer.
May the Lord richly bless you and your family.
Dear Sandra,
What a beautiful story that you unfolded of part of your family life. Very interesting what your oldest daughter wrote on her wall but also very ambitious to tackle removing the wallpaper and ingenious to think of decorating it until it could be refinished. I also loved hearing about how your house was moved and that you are only the fourth owner. My home is not as old as yours but my family are the only owners. My grandfather bought it when my dad was 12. My father inherited it and now we own it. We hope it will stay for at least another generation in our family.
The Presbyterian devotional is definitely an inspiration for many of us to start our day and share with others. The Word helps us to confirm our faith, remind us to stay close to God, to listen for his advice and wisdom and to remember to pass it along.
Thank you for sharing and may you stay in His Word. Blessings.
Dear Sandra,
Thank you for sharing your experience and devotional that point us to trust in God, encouraging us to live a Godly life in Christ.