Posted on by Renee Meyer

My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? {The Last Words of Jesus}

A daily devotional for the week before Easter, slowing down to consider each of the last words of Jesus from the Cross. #Lent #Easter #Devotional

When have you experienced darkness, a time where you felt that God was far from you? When have you felt the most abandoned?

 

After 3 hours of darkness, Jesus cries these words of despair, quoting Psalm 22. The Psalm continues,

“Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest. Yet You are holy…”

Theologians debate the significance of this moment and argue about what Jesus intended to communicate by quoting this particular Psalm. But at its simplest, most basic level, we can see this moment as Jesus entering fully into our human condition.

Born into a broken, hurting world, sin eclipses the sun. We feel forsaken, alone, and hell comes in close.

Darkness falls, we feel we don’t deserve God’s love, we’ve turned away from His presence and goodness: Might we meet Jesus, even here?

 

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. (Psalm 139:11-12)

 

Picture yourself at your darkest hour: Your hardest trial, your greatest failure, your most alone. Now picture Jesus, meeting you there. Can you see the grace in His eyes?

 

 

Every day between now and Good Friday, come back here to find a devotional on one of the last statements of Jesus from the cross, as well as an invitation to slow down and meet Jesus at the foot of the cross.

I’ve compiled all of these posts into a PDF for my subscribers. If you’d like a copy of that, you can sign up here.

 

Posted on by Renee Meyer

Woman, Behold Your Son {The Last Words of Jesus}

A daily devotional for the week before Easter, slowing down to consider each of the last words of Jesus from the Cross. #Lent #Easter #Devotional

Sometimes it’s easier to serve the poor and be generous with strangers than it is to be kind to my own family.

Is God pleased when I stand up for the oppressed, then turn around and belittle or yell at my children? Does it honor God when I bring an audience of hundreds to praise and tears, but neglect my mother, lonely in her empty nest?

I can blame ignoring the needs of those closest to me on my devotion, my commitment to the gospel, my care for the world. But that attitude is revealed for the lie it is, here in the eyes of Christ. Even in pain, even in death, there is no conflict between His obligation to His family and His Father’s will and plan.

In Jesus’ care for His mother in these last minutes of His life, I see the heart of a son, a good and loving son. And I see the heart of God.

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:27)

 

When have you been tempted to use religious obligation or the need to do “good things” as an excuse to neglect caring for those closest to you (things for which there is no applause or even thanks)?

 

Orphans and widows were the 2 of the most vulnerable populations in New Testament times, people for whom there was no societal safety net. Think about the vulnerable people in your own neighborhood or city, people for whom there is no safety net. What could you do to care for vulnerable people this week, in Jesus name?

 

 

Every day between now and Good Friday, come back here to find a devotional on one of the last statements of Jesus from the cross, as well as an invitation to slow down and meet Jesus at the foot of the cross.

I’ve compiled all of these posts into a PDF for my subscribers. If you’d like a copy of that, you can sign up here.

 

Posted on by Renee Meyer

Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise {The Last Words of Jesus}

A daily devotional for the week before Easter, slowing down to consider each of the last words of Jesus from the Cross. #Lent #Easter #Devotional

Which is harder for you, forgiving others or being forgiven? Why?

 

As I read Jesus’ words of Grace to the criminal dying next to Him, I am reminded of His forgiveness of ME. Am I that different from a thief, really? I steal God’s glory, I trade my own value and worth for a bowl of soup, I ignore the face of God in my brother.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. (Isaiah 53:6)

As I see and receive the grace and forgiveness of Jesus with the thief on the cross, I’m reminded that our Lord died the way He lived: With arms opened wide to the downcast, the sinners, the breaking and broken in this world.

 

I let my to do list, my social media, my overstuffed schedule, distract me from hurting people, from the business of God’s Kingdom. And here is Jesus, even as He suffers and dies, seeing the hurting ones around Him, responding in grace.

 

Lord Jesus, I see You. I see your arms open wide, and I hear your invitation to follow You in a life lived wide open, available to the hurt and hurting, even to death. Meet me here, Jesus, and change my heart to look more like yours.

 

 

Every day between now and Good Friday, come back here to find a devotional on one of the last statements of Jesus from the cross, as well as an invitation to slow down and meet Jesus at the foot of the cross.

I’ve compiled all of these posts into a PDF for my subscribers. If you’d like a copy of that, you can sign up here.

 

Posted on by Renee Meyer

Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing {The Last Words of Jesus}

A daily devotional for the week before Easter, slowing down to consider each of the last words of Jesus from the Cross. #Lent #Easter #Devotional

Back raw with the wounds of scourging, face dripping blood from the crown of thorns, with spikes in His hands and feet, Jesus cries,

FATHER, FORGIVE THEM…

Jesus is living out God’s teaching: Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you.

Jesus is demonstrating God’s heart. It looks to me like His enemies know exactly what they’re doing: They set Him up, they trapped Him, they rejoice even as He suffers, mocking Him.

And He says, “They do not know what they are doing…”

Picture yourself, standing at the foot of the cross on that dark day, a friend of Jesus, grieving what has been done to Him. How do you feel, hearing Him cry forgiveness? Can you forgive those who put Him here, believing they don’t know what they’re doing?

Does it help you to forgive them, knowing Jesus’ forgiveness includes you, too? We lash out at goodness, hating ourselves, hurting others. Crucifying, over and over. We don’t know what we’re doing.

 

Can I extend this same grace to my enemies, or even to those who simply annoy  and inconvenience me? When wronged, can I pray, “Father, forgive them?” Even in the face of human calculating, deceit, harm, can I see a bigger picture, “They don’t understand what they’re doing”?

Take a moment and think of someone who has wronged you, maybe even someone you would consider an enemy. Ask Jesus to join you in your thoughts and memories of this person. Picture the look in His eyes. Are they included in His forgiveness? In yours?

 

 

Every day between now and Good Friday, come back here to find a devotional on one of the last statements of Jesus from the cross, as well as an invitation to slow down and meet Jesus at the foot of the cross.

I’ve compiled all of these posts into a PDF for my subscribers. If you’d like a copy of that, you can sign up here.

 

Posted on by Renee Meyer

Holy Week: The Words of Jesus on the Cross

As we head into this week in the church calendar set aside to remember the death of Jesus, I want to SLOW DOWN. I don’t want to rush past Good Friday, anxious to move beyond the uncomfortable story of Jesus’ death in order to celebrate the Resurrection.

Why? Because Jesus came to this earth and called people just like me to follow Him. I follow a risen savior, conqueror of death and hell. But the road He’s called me to follow Him on is a road lined with pain, suffering, humiliation. His road is the road to the cross.

We walk the road of life, grieving the pain and suffering in this fallen world, seeing humiliation and oppression around the world and in our own neighborhoods, sure to experience death ourselves.

Perhaps we need the example, the encouragement, the words of Jesus? Perhaps we could meet Him here?

Join me this week and slow down with Jesus, looking each day at one of the things He said in His last hours from the cross at Golgotha, expecting Him to meet us here.

Set aside time over the next 6 days to meditate on each of the last words of Jesus on the cross. Every day between tomorrow (Palm Sunday) and Friday, I’ll share one of the last statements of Christ on the cross, along with reflection questions and brief devotional thoughts.

Tomorrow we we begin prayerfully considering each statement Jesus cried as He finished the work our Father sent Him to accomplish. Today we remember the path that led Jesus to the cross.

After sharing a Passover meal with His dearest friends, our Lord was betrayed into the hands of His enemies, arrested, and brought before the Roman Governor.

Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. 2 Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He *answered him, “It is as you say.” 3 The chief priests began to accuse Him harshly. 4 Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!” 5 But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.

6 Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. 7 The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. 9 Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead.12 Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13 They shouted back, “Crucify Him!” 14 But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” 15 Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

16 The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they *called together the whole Roman cohort. 17 They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; 18 and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. 20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him.

21 They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.

22 Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23 They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. 24 And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. 25 It was the third hour when they crucified Him. 26 The inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

(Mark 15, NASB)

 

Why did Jesus’ life end in gruesome, painful death?

The Sunday School answer is “He died for my sins.” This is true, and beautiful, but paying a penalty for sins is not the only thing Jesus accomplished on the Cross.

What else do you think Jesus was doing for you and for the world on the cross?

 

If you had to explain what the death of Christ means to you to someone who didn’t know anything about it, what would you say?

 

Every day between now and Good Friday, come back here to find a devotional on one of the last statements of Jesus from the cross, as well as an invitation to slow down and meet Jesus at the foot of the cross.

I’ve compiled all of these posts into a PDF for my subscribers. If you’d like a copy of that, you can sign up here.

 

Posted on by Renee Meyer · 1 Comment

6 Easy Things You Can Do to Read More

6 Easy Things You Can Do To Read More: Would you like to return to your childhood love of reading? Increase your attention span and avoid the dumbing down of soundbites, tweets, and everything else the internet lulls us with? Need an alternative to your phone?

In 2017 I tried to read 100 books (only made it to the 60s). This year I set the goal at 100 again, but really I’m just trying to read more than I did last year: 2 books a week is probably an unreasonable goal for me anyway.  I have several reasons for aiming high with my reading goal:

  1. Reading is a life long love. My first best friends were Anne Shirley, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Lucy Pevensie. I lived with my nose in a book. High school and college dampened my book-love with their years of forced-reading. I wandered away from reading again when I had small children, because of years of, well, small children. Picking up a good book is a gentle reminder of the comfort and friends books have been my entire life.
  2. I worry that the internet is making us all dumb. As a teenager I read Shakespeare and Jane Austen for fun, as an English Lit major I read long books, boring books, ridiculously hard books. I surfaced from those small child years into the smart phone years. and I realized that my attention span had been reduced to 144 character chunks.
  3. My phone is the main enemy to my reading life. The first year I tracked my reading on Goodreads I read 46 books, without even trying. Having an audacious reading goal encourages me to put down my dang phone.

Would you like to return to your childhood love of reading? Increase your attention span and avoid the dumbing down of soundbites, tweets, and everything else the internet lulls us with? Need an alternative to your phone?

6 Easy Things You Can Do To Read More

Read a series

Finding a series you enjoy takes the “what should I read next” out of reading, letting you speed from one book to the next. Here are some I’d recommend:

Make reading part of your daily schedule

I’ve set aside certain times just for reading. This works differently in different seasons, but I like to read first thing in the morning (usually Christian growth) and at night before going to bed (fiction.) Right now I’m trying to sit down and read for a bit after work, while the boys do their homework (if I’m not reading at this time, I’m messing around on my phone…)

Try Audiobooks

Read while you’re driving, cooking, getting things done. Even housecleaning (not my fave) is more enjoyable when listening to a book. I have different taste in Audiobooks than in physical books, so it took some time for audio-reading to click for me.

My favorite audiobooks are memoirs (Tina Fey’s Bossypants and Shonda Rimes’ Year of Yes, both read by their authors, are fantastic), light self-help nonfiction (I adore Gretchen Rubin’s books on audio), and gentle mysteries (like the Maisie Dobbs Books.) I can’t listen to anything scary or suspenseful, but if a book seems long and slightly boring, I might try it on audio (I’ve listened to quite a few classics, Middlemarch last year, and working my way – sloooowly – through Anna Karenina right now.)

I listen to anything I can get from the library for free through the Overdrive app, but we also love Audible. With a membership, you get a free audiobook every month, plus they have a daily deal that regularly features something on my to be read list. Audible has a great deal right now, try it out for free for 30 days, and get 2 free audiobooks.

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Keep a book with you at all times

I hardly ever get to the school early enough to actually read, but I put a book in my car every day, just in case. If I end up waiting for a kid’s practice to end, waiting for a friend to show up for lunch, waiting for an appointment, I’d rather be reading than scrolling on my phone.

Track your reading

This may work better for some personalities than others, but seeing my list of books grow week by week is motivating for me. I use Goodreads, but you could also just keep a list in the back of a notebook. I find it super satisfying to add books to my list, and see that number climb. When I’m tempted to just mess around on my phone, it helps me to think of my reading goal, and how good it will feel to add a finished book to my list.

Mix it up & Put it down

Maybe more than any other strategy, changing up the kinds of books I’m reading helps me read more. I alternate fiction and non-fiction, but I’ve also learned to follow up a heavy book with something lighter. If I finish a super long book, I need to have an easy, quick book waiting. I’m finishing up a longish book with heavier themes right now, and I have another kind of meaty book I’ve been dying to get to. But I know I need a break, so I have the second book in a fun series waiting for me, almost like dessert.

I’ve also learned that grown ups don’t have to finish books they aren’t enjoying. I don’t have to quit forever, I can always come back if I want to. Most of the books I’ve abandoned over the past few years I’ll probably read eventually, they just weren’t what I needed at that exact reading moment (my goal next month is to go back and finish some of my abandoned books from the past few years.)

Have you tried any of these things, and did they help? Why are you interested in reading more, and what’s helped you?

 

Photo used in images by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
Posted on by Renee Meyer · 3 Comments

The Last One chosen for the Team and Other Childhood Trauma {No Fear Devotional}

From my distress I called upon the Lord; The Lord answered me and set me in a large place.
The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?
The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in princes. (Psalm 118:5-9)

My grade school days taught me a life-long aversion to picking teams. There isn’t any situation in a standard PE curriculum for which I wouldn’t be the last one picked for the team. (Too bad we never chose teams for reading. Or making up stories. Or bossing around younger siblings.)

Through the years I’ve found myself in job searches which stirred up that “please pick me” feeling again. Is there anyone in the world who enjoys interviewing, attempting to sell themselves as the best candidate for a job?

In my pre-marriage days, I loved the independence singleness offered, along with the freedom to be fully available to friendships and serving my community. I did not love situations that required a partner, highlighting my “table of one” status, making me feel like the last kid chosen for the team, again.

Surely no one likes feeling unwanted, like the last one chosen?

As human as these feelings are, they are also a danger zone for me, leading as they do into the fear of man. My desire to be chosen quickly escalates into idolatry of the person in charge of choosing. I am easily fooled into giving human beings rights to my heart that belong to God alone.

I walk into a room, and feel like people are talking about me. I wonder if they like me, if anyone here wants to be my friend.

I watch a co-worker, whose areas of excellence overlap with my own, succeed. Rather than celebrating her success, I’m suddenly stuck on the sidelines, while she is chosen to play in the big game.

At work, decisions are being made that could affect my future. I feel threatened, attacked, unappreciated. I am convinced that my future and well-being are in the hands of people who care nothing for me.

I really wish life did not include so many situations that tempt me to believe that my value, my worth, my future, were things that other people get to decide for me.

What if these minor annoyances and major struggles are actually opportunities? Here I find a chance to live in the belief that I am not at all the last one standing, but in fact “chosen and dearly loved” (Colossians 3:12).

Here I find an occasion for turning from my fear of man, taking back the right to name me as wanted, chosen, valued, protecting that privilege for my Maker God alone. God is FOR me.

In every situation that sends me back to that PE gym, feeling unchosen, unwanted, not good enough, I find the possibility to choose trusting God rather than trusting in man.

Pushed to the wall, I called to God; from the wide open spaces, he answered.
God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me?
God’s my strong champion; I flick off my enemies like flies.
Far better to take refuge in God than trust in people;
Far better to take refuge in God than trust in celebrities.

(Psalm 118:5-9, The Message)

How about you? What makes you feel unwanted, unchosen? Do you find yourself trusting in human help, human favor, human solutions to your problems?

Be encouraged: The beautiful NO FEAR promise in Psalm 118 is bookended by an even more beautiful promise. Psalm 118 begins and ends with the words:

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

The good Lord, full of everlasting lovingkindness, is for me. And for you. We will not fear.

This post is the latest in the NO FEAR Devotional Series. Check back every Tuesday, and read the previous posts in the series here. And If this resonated with you, feel free to share it using the link below: That really helps people to find this site, which hopefully will bless them as it has blessed you!

Picture used in image is by Kyle Fang on Unsplash
Posted on by Renee Meyer · 1 Comment

3 Tips for Parenting Middle Schoolers

Parenting: The slow process of letting go of the humans you love most in the world, releasing them into God's hands. Where they were all along. (3 Tips for Surviving Sending Your Kids to Middle School)

T Baby Pic11 Years ago this month I woke up on a chilly Monday wondering, like so many overdue women before me, if I’d be pregnant forever.

8 hours later I was having an unexpected (unwanted but necessary) C-Section. Please do notice that even in the crazy surprise of that day, I managed to get my bright lipstick on.

I blinked, and that tiny baby – my first to birth but second of 3 to mother – sauntered into my house this week and handed over an invitation to his middle school registration/info night. The NERVE of these children, to keep growing up on us!

I thought the second time around would be easier, but with 7 years between my oldest and middle, I’m responding with similar light-headedness and the need to repeat, “CALM, the thing to do is BE CALM.”

In the service of holding tight to CALM, I decided to think back to what I learned the first time we face Middle School, remembering the conversations I had with other moms, and the things I journaled back then.

I know I’m not the only parent reminding herself to breathe over this particular milestone. When I asked Facebook for advice for sending a kid to Middle school, the responses were everything from warnings about more homework and the need for organization (likely to be a a bigger problem this time around than it was for my type A firstborn) to “I am absolutely terrified.”

For those of us freaking out about sending our babies to middle school next year, here are the Top 3 Lessons we learned from surviving Middle School the first time around (with high hopes for surviving it two more times!) Read more

Posted on by Renee Meyer

Fear + Enemies

There may not be any area in my life where I need to hear the Father's "Do not be afraid" more than in the context of loving my enemies and facing the violence in our world. Perhaps if I received the Father's "Do not fear", I'd be less likely to see people as my enemy. Perhaps I'd be more likely to look to God, who is my defense and help

I’m determined to continue studying the Biblical command “Do not fear,” but I’ve run into a road block. A mind block. Six books into the Bible (beginning with Joshua), and I’m only finding verses where the context of “do not fear” is enemies.

Now the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. (Joshua 8:1)

“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. (2 Chronicles 32:7)

When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.” (Nehemiah 4:14)

Battle, conquest, even the wholesale slaughter of people groups as Israel takes and keeps the promised land. These stories need more context than I have the time to present.

But more importantly, I find myself in a world where culture and even the church regularly tells me who my enemies are: Whom I should hate, who I am against, who is evil and with whom we should do battle.

I believe the Bible is God’s Word and we should be guided by it. But I’m not sure I want ancient cultures naming enemies for me, or prescribing my response to the enemies I might have. I have to follow Jesus in these things, and He leads in a different way.

And frankly, in a week when I’ve had to take a break from the news, from the sound of gunshots in schools and deep divisions over how we can curb the violence breaking out among us, I don’t want a Bible study that is centered on war and naming people as my enemies.

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Posted on by Renee Meyer

Ree Reads: February Book Reviews

February Book Reviews: Quick reviews of Henrietta Lacks, Eleanor Oliphant, my latest Sarah Addison Allen, and more!

Every month I do quick reviews of the books I’ve read: Because I love to share good things and because the only thing I like better than reading books is TALKING about books.

This was a GREAT reading month, partially because of good books, and partially because my poor kids had influenza, so I was stuck at home for over a week.

We have a wonderful non-fiction book I think you all should read, an excellent book club read, a sweet story from an author I’ve loved in the past, another book from an author whose works I make myself wait to read until I really need happiness, and the latest in two fun mystery series (one of which I actually read in January and somehow missed in last month’s post.

February Book Reviews from reemeyer.com: Her Royal Spyness, Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The Music Shop, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions

 

 

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