God's care Archives - Marissa Henley

God’s Provision Overflows {No Matter What Monday}

August 27, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

When I was a teenager, an exciting new restaurant opened in my small hometown: we finally had a Chili’s! The best part about Chili’s wasn’t the thin, crunchy tortilla chips or the indulgently breaded chicken strips with salty fries. Chili’s most amazing feature was something I’d never seen before—unlimited soft drinks.

Before my Dr. Pepper could empty all the way, the server would swap it for a full glass. And this endless supply of Dr. Pepper would continue throughout the meal. I wondered how they could stay in business, handing out glass after glass of Dr. Pepper like that!

David lived a few thousand years before Chili’s and their unlimited Dr. Pepper, but he had a Shepherd who led him in green pastures, through the valley of the shadow of death, to an even better table overflowing with good gifts.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5)

Even though David is still in the presence of his enemies, God provides a refuge filled with refreshment. With the Shepherd’s protection and provision, David sits to eat in a lavish setting. Expensive oil anoints his head; his cup is filled to overflowing. God’s precious sheep lacks nothing.

Maybe your cup doesn’t feel overflowing today. Maybe you feel worn out from suffering, tired of waiting for relief, desperate for God to restore and refresh you. God hasn’t wiped out your enemies, and it feels like they’re closing in on you.

Can you see the table spread before you? His good gifts may not be exactly what you want, but He will always provide what you need: His grace, mercy, forgiveness, presence with you, care for you, unparalleled comfort, unexplainable peace, unending faithfulness.

Friend, I know it’s hard when it feels like you can’t escape your enemies. But your Shepherd invites you to take a seat and feast on His lavish goodness to you. Feel the oil on your head that reminds you that you are precious to Him. See your cup overflow with good, spilling over onto the table as you reach for it, reminding you that God’s provision is more than you need.

No matter what you face this week, God’s provision of good gifts overflows.

You Can Rest in God’s Sovereign Care {No Matter What Monday}

January 29, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

It was 4:15a.m., and I was having a pity party. I crawled under the covers that night without setting an alarm. I looked forward to getting the rest my mind and body craved after a long, busy week. But Samson had other plans for my early morning hours.

It doesn’t happen often (if it did, this devotional would include an advertisement for a free dog), but occasionally our dog decides he needs to go potty around 4 a.m. When Samson started pacing around our room and then scratching at the door, I was forced to abandon my hours of uninterrupted slumber and let him out.

I fumed as I got back in bed and worried that I wouldn’t get back to sleep. I wasn’t just angry at Samson—I was mad at God. “Don’t you know how tired I am, God? Don’t you know I needed sleep tonight?”

But then God’s Word flooded my mind, and I remembered that God is sovereign over all the details of my life—even dog’s bladders. He doesn’t withhold anything I need, and all that He allows is for my good. My anger subsided, and I eventually drifted off to sleep for a few more hours.

It’s one thing to find comfort in God’s sovereignty in the minor annoyances of life like a dog needing to potty in the middle of the night. But what about in the major hardships? Even in a cancer diagnosis, looming layoffs at work, or a difficult relationship, God’s sovereign care is an anchor we can cling to.

“Oh fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” (Psalm 34:9-10)

In His wisdom, God knows what we need. In His goodness, He desires to care for our needs. In His sovereignty, He is fully able to give us all that we need. We can trust Him to be the God on the throne who sees and knows and cares for each of His children. Those who are His lack no good thing.

No matter what you face this week, you can rest in God’s sovereign care.

(Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash)

The Lord is Sovereign Over Every Detail {No Matter What Monday}

January 22, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

By the time my daughter finished opening presents by the Christmas trees of various family members this year, she was thrilled to own several new beanie boos. If your home hasn’t been invaded by these tiny stuffed animals, let me fill you in on the craze. They are small stuffed animals with huge creepy eyes. The brilliant toy-makers have come up with an endless variety—cats, dogs, owls, tigers, and on and on. My daughter owns dozens of them, and each one is precious to her. She knows their names and celebrates all of their birthdays, which she finds printed on their tags. She loves them and cares for them because of their great value to her.

Do you know that you have great value to your sovereign heavenly Father? Jesus tells us so in Matthew 10:

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matthew 10:29-30)

Two for a penny—back in Jesus’ day, sparrows were the cheapest animal you could buy for your sacrifice. (I wish beanie boos were that inexpensive!) Even the poor could afford to buy one or two. And we read in Luke that if you paid two pennies, you could get five sparrows—they were of so little value that they’d throw in an extra for free.

And yet, these insignificant birds are of great value in the eyes of their Creator. Not one falls to the ground without His knowledge and involvement.

God’s care for us, His beloved children, goes beyond an awareness of whether we’re in a tree or on the ground. He knows each and every hair on our heads. God is concerned with and sovereign over even the smallest details of our lives.

Nothing touches one hair on your head before passing through the hands of your loving, faithful, sovereign heavenly Father.

No matter what you face this week, the Lord is sovereign over every detail of your days.

(Photo by Josh Adamski on Unsplash)

The Creator Cares for You {No Matter What Monday}

November 13, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Have you ever been stuck in traffic in a big city? When I’m sitting in several lanes of gridlock, watching several more lanes of gridlock on the other side, I’m struck by how many people there are in the world. Who are all these people, and why are they trying to get somewhere at the same time I am?! If there are this many people in one spot of highway in one city, what must that mean about how many people are on this globe?

It makes me feel so small—I’m one of 7 billion people on earth. And this planet is just one tiny speck in all of God’s creation. According to Space.com, the Milky Way alone contains over 200 billion stars—and we are one of the smaller galaxies!

Simply put, the size of God’s creation is beyond comprehension. I’m one of 7 billion on one of several planets circling one of 200 billion stars in one of only-God-knows-how-many galaxies in the universe.

And yet, God cares for me.

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4)

Your Heavenly Father placed each one of those stars not just in the Milky Way, but in the entire universe. He knows each one and sustains them by His power.

He not only knows every star, He also knows you. He knows your schedule, your to-do list, your worries, your struggles, your tears. He knows your past, your present, and your future. He cares for you and will never let you go.

No matter what you face this week, the One who placed all the stars in the heavens cares for you.