Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

Our Greatest Joy {No Matter What Monday}

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Just two weeks ago, I had no idea what a gift it was to spend time chatting with friends after church. My kids often get annoyed with me when the church building empties and I’m still talking. They line up in height order in front of each other in what they call the “kid totem pole”. The oldest rests his chin on the head of the middle child, who rests his chin on the head of the youngest, and they give me puppy-dog eyes that beg me for lunch. It’s one of the many small pleasures I’m missing right now. 

 We’re all grieving the loss of normal life and routine, and our grief is appropriate. So many earthly pleasures have been taken away in such a short time—big ones like spring break trips and little ones like annoying the kids by talking too long after church. And yet, the Lord is at work. All the good right in front of us can often distract us from the ultimate good that can only be found in the Lord. When so much of life is stripped away, we see the treasure of Christ more clearly. 

“Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you . . . You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness is joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:1-2, 11) 

The happiness that the world offers can be taken away in days or even minutes. Many of these pleasures are good gifts—sharing a meal with a group of loved ones, learning in a classroom, singing a hymn with our church family, trying to find a table in a crowded coffee shop to catch up with a friend. 

But in the Lord, we find the fullness of joy and pleasures that last forever. He is the source of all the good things we have, and He is our refuge when so many good things have been taken away. Nothing can separate us from the goodness of His great love for us in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:38-39)

And by the way, somebody should warn my kids to pack a sandwich when we go back to having church services. One day when we’re there together again, I just might never leave. 

No matter what you face this week, your greatest joy can be found in the goodness of God. 

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“Everything seemed better a week ago.” {No Matter What Monday}

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“Coronavirus is ruining everything.” 

“It feels like coronavirus has taken over.” 

“We get more bad news every day.” 

“Everything seemed better a week ago.” 

These are a few of the statements I’ve heard my kids and their friends say in the past few days. They mirror many of the thoughts that have run through my head, along with the question of whether life will ever be normal again. These are hard times. 

“Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:5-6)

When our enemy seems to be winning—whether it’s man or virus—we can still face our days without fear. Why? Because the Lord will answer when we call to Him. He has set us free from the power of death and given us eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lord is on our side, and He always wins. 

If you look at these verses in your Bible, you’ll see that Lord is printed in small capital letters. The Hebrew word used in these verses is the covenant name that God shared with His people. It’s His name that reminds us that He always keeps His promises. He’s not just the king on the throne—He’s also the faithful Father who cares for His people. 

While a lot has changed in the last week, one thing hasn’t changed: the truth of God’s promises. Coronavirus can’t ruin His good plans for us. Our heavenly Father, not a virus, rules over our world and our lives. The good news of the Gospel gives us hope and peace every day. While we pray that our situation improves, we remember that God is with us and will be faithful in all circumstances. 

No matter what you face this week, the Lord is on your side. 

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Rich in Mercy {No Matter What Monday}

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One night years ago, my daughter had her most brilliant bedtime stalling idea ever: She started complimenting me from head to toe. When she mentioned my hands and the beautiful wedding ring with the fake diamond in it, I stopped her. “That’s not a fake diamond, honey,” I said. “It’s real.” 

Her eyes got huge, and she said, “Wow! We’re rich! You should sell that diamond and buy me an American Girl doll!” 

My daughter wanted me to use my riches to give her what she thought she needed most in life. And we see as we continue in Ephesians 2:4-5 that our Heavenly Father is not just merciful—He’s rich in mercy. Because of the vast wealth of His mercy, He is able to give us what we most need: salvation and new life. 

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4–5)

When we were dead in our sins, God intervened with the riches of His mercy. There is no level of sinfulness that’s beyond His forgiveness. He has all the mercy you could ever need. He’s rich in mercy, and He gives this mercy freely to His children. 

We can trust that if God gives the riches of His mercy to meet our greatest need, He will meet our lesser needs as well. Philippians 4:19 tells us that God will supply all our needs according to His glorious riches. Romans 8:32 teaches that He who did not spare His own Son will graciously give us all things. In Christ, we have everything we need. Our Heavenly Father lavishes us with the riches of His mercy. 

No matter what you face this week, God is rich in mercy. 

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“But God” {No Matter What Monday}

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It’s a little word that can change everything in a second. It’s responsible for turning points in sentences and some of the most dramatic moments in reality TV. And when you pair it with God, you have some of my favorite verses in the Bible. Just when everything seems hopeless, we see these words: But God. 

This month we are going to be digging deep into Ephesians 2:4-5. But before we get to the good news, we need to acknowledge the bad news. We find a grim situation in Ephesians 2:1-3. We were dead in our sins and actively chasing disobedience and wickedness. Like all of mankind since Adam’s fall, we were deserving of God’s wrath because of our sin (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23). We were without hope and powerless to change our standing before God. 

But God. 

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4–5)

Our spiritual situation was hopeless—but God intervened. We were dead in our sins—but God gave us new life. We couldn’t keep God’s law—but Jesus obeyed perfectly in our place. We couldn’t atone for our sin—but Christ gave His life for us. We deserved death—but Christ conquered death and rose again. 

As we look around at a world filled with sin, disease, and difficulty, let’s remember that behind what we can see, there’s a “but God.” We’re hurting, but God is working all things for our good. We’re exhausted, but God will sustain us with His strength. We’re lonely, but God will never leave our side. We’re suffering, but God is preparing an eternal glory beyond our wildest dreams. 

No matter what you face this week, remember that “but God” changes everything. 

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