Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

He Restores My Soul {No Matter What Monday}

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Do you ever choose your coffee mug based on your mood? I do. When I need to feel productive, I pick the mug that says, “I turn coffee into books.” When I need a boost of confidence, I grab “Anyone can be cool, but awesome takes practice.” But I have one mug in my cabinet I reach for more than any other. I love its shape and how it feels in my hand, but mostly I love the simple script message on its side: “He restores my soul.”

There are many days when my soul feels depleted. I’m weary from serving my family. I’m frustrated by my sin. I’m burdened by the brokenness all around me. I won’t find what I need in the caffeine-laced beverage poured into my favorite mug. But I have a Shepherd who restores my soul.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:2–3)

We saw last week in Psalm 23:1 that we have a caring Shepherd who provides everything we need. In these verses, we learn that our Shepherd gives us rest, refreshment, restoration, and righteousness.

The Hebrew word translated “restore” means to turn back or return. Our souls were originally created for communion with God, but our relationship with our Creator has been ruined by sin. The good news of these verses is that our Shepherd has returned our soul to the fellowship it was created for, bringing us back into relationship with Himself.

Although David penned these words centuries before Jesus walked the earth, we learn from John 10 that these verses find their fulfillment in our incarnate Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Jesus said that He is the door of the sheep and if “anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:7,9).

We can rest because Jesus our Shepherd laid down His life for us. He refreshes our weary hearts with His love, grace, and mercy. He restores our soul with His Word. He guides His sheep as we grow in righteousness for His glory.

No matter what you face this week, God will give you rest, refreshment, restoration, and righteousness.

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Your Shepherd Will Give You What You Need {No Matter What Monday}

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The clock read 12:30 a.m. as I tried to calm my daughter’s cries. Sleeplessness had turned into panic as she realized how exhaustion would affect her the next day. I stroked her hair and struggled to believe my own words: “Sweetheart, you can trust God to give you the rest you need to face each day.”

One of the most well-known verses in the Bible tells us that God will supply everything we need. But have these familiar words taken root in our hearts? I know this is an area where my trust still needs to grow.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)

Step back and imagine you are an ancient Israelite, worshipping the Lord with your family, hearing this for the first time. I think it would make me stop and think, because this verse makes some shocking claims!

First of all, David says the Lord is our Shepherd. He’s not only Creator and King ruling over all things. He isn’t just a strong Rock or Shelter we can run to for protection. He is all of these things, but He is also our Shepherd: He is with us, knows us personally, carries us, and provides for us.

And because our Shepherd is also the Creator of the universe and the powerful King of kings, we shall not want. Let that soak in. We will not ever go without anything we need.

I’ll be the first to admit this doesn’t always feel true. But we see throughout God’s Word that He provides for His children. He gave His most precious gift to provide for our greatest need: His only Son sacrificed for our salvation. As Romans 8:32 says, we know that in addition to Christ, He will give us everything else we need.

My Shepherd may not give me everything I want, but He gives me everything I need. As I learn to find my greatest delight in Him and in His gifts, I shall not want.

No matter what you face this week, your Shepherd will give you all that you need.

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Poured Into Our Hearts {No Matter What Monday}

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When I was a kid, I swore I’d never say this to my kids: “Because I said so.” I love information. I love explanations. I love knowing all the reasons why.

And yet, sometimes I simply don’t have time to explain. My kids just have to take my word for it. Despite my childhood convictions, they’ve heard me say “because I said so” countless times!

When it comes to faith, sometimes we simply have to take God at His Word. We obey or believe because He said so.

But there are other truths that God doesn’t ask us to blindly believe. In His kindness, He gives us evidence. The hope we’ve been discussing for the past few weeks falls into this latter category.

Romans 5:5: And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

God proves to us that our hope will endure through suffering and will not put us to shame. The proof is the outpouring of God’s love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:5 reminds us that we’ve been given a gift Who keeps on giving. The Holy Spirit is given at our conversion. Then throughout the Christian life, He keeps on pouring God’s love into our hearts.

God gives the Holy Spirit as Exhibit A in His testimony that our hope is not in vain. The Spirit pours love into our hearts over and over and over again, reminding us that the One who redeemed us will never leave our side.

No matter what we face this week, God keeps pouring out His love into our hearts, proving to our weary souls that our hope is certain and true.

 

This devotional originally appeared on my blog on July 25, 2016. I’m taking a break from writing this month to spend more time with my family and hope you enjoy these replays!

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You Can Count on Hope {No Matter What Monday}

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Romans 5:5a – And hope does not put us to shame . . .

Last week’s verses showed us how our suffering produces hope. Romans 5:5 goes on to say that this hope does not put us to shame. This is an important aspect of hope, because the certainty of it allows us to endure suffering with joy and peace.

When we talk about hope, we often refer to something that may or may not happen. We hope it doesn’t rain on our family picnic. We hope our husband remembers our anniversary. We hope to lose five pounds.

But when the Bible talks about hope, it refers to a sure thing. A rock-solid guarantee. An anchor for our souls.

I love how Dr. R.C. Sproul described this truth: “Hope is not taking a deep breath and hoping things are going to turn out all right. It is assurance that God is going to do what He says He will do.”

We don’t cross our fingers and hope God’s love doesn’t turn out to be a sham. We know. We have hope because the God who always keeps His promises said that one day, He will make all things new. This hope will never put us to shame.

Wishes and dreams can’t anchor a hurting soul. Only the true and certain hope of the Lord is our sure foundation in the storm.

Whatever you face this week, your hope in the Lord will not put you to shame.

 

This devotional originally appeared on my blog on July 18, 2016. I’m taking a break from writing this month to spend more time with my family and hope you enjoy these replays!

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