Daily Devotionals for Women - Today's Encouraging Word from Scripture

RECOGNIZING GOD

And the Lord appeared to him [Abraham] by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Genesis 18:1-3

The point. God appeared in a human body. Abraham recognized Him instantly. His heart overflowed as evidenced by the hospitality he showed to his LORD.

Recognizing God is the challenge. You find it to be so? This is a particularly powerful message for me this morning. I’m 1000 miles from home. A conference starts tonight. Yesterday was, humanly speaking, extremely difficult. Everything related to travel was challenging. Delays. Lost luggage. Violent weather. The threat of a long conference weekend without clothes, supplies, medications, etc.

The life of God’s son and daughter is not meant to be lived alone. Each step, even when challenging, is an opportunity for prayerful conversation. When it appears there will be no answers, a child who knows his Father’s power and loving intentions, anticipates answers joyfully.

Yesterday ended with long lines at baggage service. One hundred people were like us. No luggage. The venom being spewed out behind us by a group of people polluted the environment spiritually. We could feel the spiritual effects of it. Elizabeth (my helper and traveling companion) and I were praying, humming songs of worship independently, to keep our eyes focused on a kind Father who delights in caring for His children.

This morning, we can make two lists. The obstacles of yesterday were many and would fill the left side of a sheet of paper. The provisions (and yes, luggage by 3:00 a.m.) would fill the right side. Looking for, and then recognizing God’s presence, was the challenge before us. God is everywhere but He walks by the masses unnoticed.

The same three heavenly beings, two angels and God Himself, left Abraham and went to Sodom. There, the reception was completely different. A mob showed a desire to use the three for sexually deviant behavior. How man defiles what is holy.

Things going wrong today? Will we only see the bad? God is among us if we are His children. Asking Him to enable us to recognize Him will give gifts that far outweigh the hardships.

Trouble is always my companion. So are You, though. And that makes me see way beyond the half-empty cup. My cup runneth over because You are with me. Amen.

For more from Christine Wyrtzen and Jaime Wyrtzen Lauze, please visit www.daughtersofpromise.org