Tag: alone

Wall of Fire

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst. Zechariah 2:5

When walking through life, do you feel alone?

Do you feel often overwhelmed by the world’s rubbish thrown your way?

Tired of falling too often towards temptation?

Walk in your authority from God.

He’s with you. He covers you with His strength, protection, and peace.

Psalm 5:12 reminds us: Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

When feeling overwhelmed by life, picture God surrounding you with HIs favor like a shield.

But it gets even better.

Our verse from Zechariah shares God’s promise of a literal wall of fire.

This wall of fire surrounds you. Nothing can come through.

Picture this wall of fire burning up temptation. Burning up fear. Burning up anything coming your way that is not of God.

Can we still have problems with God as our wall of fire?

Sure. Jesus reminds us we will suffer.

But suffering under God’s plan is different from allowing the world’s rubbish to affect you.

Within God’s plan, suffering looks like glory. Suffering looks like peace. It’s the opposite of how the world defines it.

Paul mentions suffering as a time to boast in God’s strength.

May God surround us as a wall of fire.

May God’s wall of fire burn up anything that comes our way not of Him and Him alone.

May God’s wall of fire burn up our selfish tendencies, placing in us the desire for God alone.

May God’s wall of fire burn up fear when tempted to rely on human knowledge.

And may God’s glory be forever in the midst of us.

Photos by Paul Bulai, Cullan Smith, Olivia Snow, & Zac Durant on Unsplash

Humility & Sacrifice

Published on by amylinnea2 Comments

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

Can you even imagine the love Jesus has for us?

Love so deep He gave us all of Himself.

He willingly came to earth, subjecting Himself to human life where hunger, thirst, and pain dwell.

He walked everywhere, dealt with constant questions, and ungrateful recipients.

His disciples seemed annoying at times and the Pharisees were downright rude.

Jesus didn’t need to put up with any of this. None.

Yet He did, because of you and me.

For our eternal home dwelling by His side.

Upon entering Jerusalem days before He would die, He wept for His city. For His people who could not see the Truth.

Can you imagine how frustrating that would have been for the One who created them?

How hard is it for you when your loved one either cannot see God or refuses?

That’s a tiny fraction of how Jesus felt while weeping for His people.

Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, His body was in agony.

Luke 22 records drops of sweat as blood, which can happen when a body is under severe stress.

Yet Jesus still stayed, anticipating what was to come, knowing His Father would be with Him.

During His flogging, crown of thorns, and other punishment, He stayed.

Through the torture, which could have killed Him as well, He endured for the purpose of our salvation.

Obedience to His Father’s will came from His love for us.

Love which surpassed His humiliating death.

Hanging on the cross, God turned away as Jesus bore the sin of the world.

Because God is holy, He could not look at the sin dying on the cross.

And Jesus felt alone.

Crying out to God, asking why He had forsaken Him, Jesus was alone.

He became the sacrifice for the sin of the world.

At the moment of crushing pain, Jesus was alone.

But He stayed for you and for me, giving up His last breath.

Upon His resurrection, Jesus conquered sin, death, and the grave forever and ever.

Absolutely incredible. Literally.

I think we have no true reality of what Jesus has really given us.

We can never repay our Savior, but we can share His love, forgiveness, and freedom to our lonely world around us.

Will you do that for Him?

Remember His sacrifice for you and live like it matters. Because it does. For everyone.

Photos by Thanti Riess, Rod Long, Haley Owens, Jon Tyson, & Samuel McGarrigle on Unsplash

Crashing Down

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 116:9

When the world comes crashing down, just give me Jesus.

When loved ones fall away from you, just give me Jesus.

When family fails to value you, just give me Jesus.

When you feel utterly alone, just give me Jesus.

When you are crying and no one hears, Jesus does.

He hears you and His heart breaks for you.

Jesus is everything.

He fills in the empty spaces others should fill.

He sits with you when others neglect to listen.

He understands your pain when no one seems to care.

He holds your hand when your pain is unbearable.

When no one else sees it, He does.

He sees you and He cares.

Jesus is the only one with whom we can fully rely.

He will never disappoint.

Never fail you.

Never leave you all by yourself.

When the world falls away, just give me Jesus.

Photos by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Alone

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. Psalm 73:23

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I’ve come to realize something.

We are all alone.

Yes, we might have a spouse or children if we’re adults.

We have parents, friends, maybe even a best friend.

But ultimately, we are alone.

We stand all by ourselves.

Our spouse might have other loyalties.

Our children grow up and move away.

Our friends choose others with whom to spend their time.

Our parents love us but have their own lives.

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Ultimately we are alone.

Someday, we will stand alone before God.

Giving account for our life.

On that day, Jesus will step in for us.

He will show payment for our sins.

He will if we trust in Him.

If we trust in Him for our very salvation.

He will step in for us on judgement day, but He has already stepped into your life.

He has already joined you here in this life.

Here.

So you’re not alone.

Psalm 73:23-26 says Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand.

Jesus is always with us.

He holds us by our right hands.

Psalm 23:4 reminds us Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Walking through dark times, or even daily life, we do not fear.

We do not feel lonely.

Why?

Because God, Jesus, is with us.

With us.

While you feel alone,  you are not.

You might feel lonely, but you are not.

Feelings are not accurate.

Facts are.

And the facts are this:  God is always with you; you are never alone.

Remind yourself that God, who created ALL things, is with you.

He cares.

He knows.

He loves you.

You.

And that, my friend, is why you are never truly alone.

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Photos by Thomas Q, Gabriel Garcia Marengo, Rodion Kutsaev, & Ben White on Unsplash