Sunday Writing... 7-5-20... "INDEPENDENCE"

Good morning!

It has been 10 years as of this weekend that Women's Focus Ministries has been publishing daily devotionals.  God has blessed this ministry through all the writers over the years, and specifically through Corinne Mustafa, our administrator who helped start this ministry.  Today's writing is a complete rewrite of our very first devotional, one that I wrote for Sunday, the Fourth of July, in 2010.  It has been retitled "INDEPENDENCE" and is for our Independence Day weekend this year.

May you be blessed,
Jan

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Today's Devotional:

"INDEPENDENCE"

by
Jan Andersen

This weekend the U.S. celebrated Independence Day, the Fourth of July.  Usually many people are busy celebrating with family get-togethers, cookouts, and watching fireworks.  This year with the pandemic many spent the day quietly at home instead.  Wherever we are, whether we are busy with activities with lots of other people or not, God is always with us.   

It is amazing to me that when we are not thinking anything about God, or even more so when we are searching for Him but feel He is nowhere to be found, He is still there by our side.  Even if we feel abandoned by God, or that He is not answering our prayers, or we feel totally numb as if there is nothing there, He is!  And when we feel He is there, but that we don't deserve his presence or his love, He embraces us and loves us, forgiving absolutely anything that might separate us from him.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, when we are in the heights and perhaps enjoying life but just not focusing on God, He is there to love us just the same.  Perhaps there are times we get so wrapped up in ourselves that we think we are the ones in control of our own destiny.  Or we become too self-absorbed and do not rely on God or give him the credit for what we have and do, and we are so proud of our supposed "independence."  God is there at that time too, loving us and desiring that we turn to Him and realize that He is the one who sustains us and gives us absolutely everything, including every breath we take.  We are actually completely dependent upon God!

There is absolutely nothing that can come between us and God's love.  It is not dependent upon our feelings or even our knowledge of His presence.  And with faith in his promise of forgiveness through Christ, He promises protection and deliverance and most importantly salvation.  We are more than conquerors with Him.  We can celebrate our dependence on God.  He loves us and cares for us and always will!

Romans 8:35, 37-39 NIV  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? …  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Father in heaven, we thank you that we can always depend upon You to be with us and to help us through anything this world might throw at us.  Even when we feel like we are falling or failing, You promise to work it out for our good in the end as we remain faithful through the power of your Spirit.  Nothing can ever separate us from Your love.  In Jesus’ name we pray,  Amen.          

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Song:

UNFAILING LOVE

Chris Tomlin

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Prayers are lifted up daily for you by the Devotional Writers 

and the Monthly Writing Staff of Women's Focus Ministries.

Blog Writers

 Sandy Billingham, Carol Steficek,  Jody Ward,
 Cathy Friberg, Julie Tofilon,  Synthia Nibasi

Jan Andersen and  Corinne Mustafa

Occasional Contributors
Kathy Bireley,  Terri Baker

Lynda Kinnard, Beverley Napier, 

 Amie Spruiell, Linda Garrett, and Lisabeth Lipp