Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube of song and lyrics from Chris Tomlin singing … Good Good Father … poignantly singing of the reality a loving Abba Father Who’s always there with His mercy and love for His children, even if that love is the love of discipline.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Malachi 1:1-2 [NLT] … 1 This is the message[a] that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi. … 2 “I have always loved you,” says the Lord.
… To the remnant of believers returning to Jerusalem from Babylon, God assures them of His everlasting love.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Malachi 1:1-5 [NLT]… USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Malachi, declares His everlasting, covenant love for His children.
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We must trust God no matter what occurs in our lives
Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s mercies never end … they are new EVERY MORNING!!
Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28 [NLT] … 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
… ALL things which occur in the life of Christians are for our good … from a loving/caring Father.
Reference Passage : … 1 Peter 5:7 [NLT] … 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.
… We have a loving, Abba Father, Who ALWAYS loves us.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Kirsten Holmberg, uses a personal story to illustrate the love of a parent which at times can seem hard or even harsh, but is a reflection of real parental love. As a teenager, I went through the typical season of rebellion against my mother’s authority. My father died before I entered adolescence, so my mom had to navigate these turbulent parenting waters without his help.
I recall thinking that Mom didn’t want me to ever have any fun—and maybe didn’t even love me—because she frequently said no. I see now that she said no to activities that weren’t good for me precisely because she loves me.
Perhaps there are those reading this who had times in our youth where a parent, especially a father, who had to express his/her love with discipline, which, at the time, may have seemed harsh but was for our good. But now we see that the discipline was the love of protection and caring concern.
That was where the Israelites were when they were allowed to return to Jerusalem from Babylon [see highlight passage]; and God sent the Prophet Malachi to tell them that His love, the love of their Heavenly Father, had always been with them, even when the Abba Father, allowed their captivity for a time. It was the discipline of a good, good Father … as is sung in the linked song [which I hope all readers here take the time to hear].
And if readers have meditated on the truths above in the reference passages, we need to see that our Abba Father ALWAYS loves us and that His mercies are new every morning; and … He allows ALL things into the life of His children for our good … yes, ALWAYS!
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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, thank You, Lord, … for Your eternal goodness.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that I can always see Your loving hand of discipline in my life. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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