by Victoria Heinecke

God’s got it. All of it.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

When I was a child, I’d draw pictures of Heaven. I drew the earth with lots of clouds above it. There were angels and saints sitting on the clouds; some were playing musical instruments such as harps and lyres, and they all had smiles on their faces. And God, a kindly man with white hair and beard, sat on the biggest cloud of all!

Throughout life, in the midst of its peaks and valleys, we continue to be encouraged to look up.  Even the words “up” and “down” are synonyms for the highs and lows of our lives.

“The Lord is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens!
Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?”
Psalm 113:4-6 ESV 

Take a moment to read Psalm 113 in its entirety. It’s only nine verses, but it says so much!

• He lifts up the poor: the downtrodden, the burdened, the sad, the lost.
• He lifts you from your ash heap. God sees you as precious; he will never leave you and he will never discard you.
• He makes you to sit with princes: everyone is God’s beloved child, unconditionally.
• He gives “the barren woman” a home: are you feeling outcast, rejected, alone? God will take you in his loving arms and comfort you.
• He will give you his favor and his peace.

That’s a lot of promises.

It’s because God loves you more than you can ever know.

“…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:8-9 ESV

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado