Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

He Sings Over You. {No Matter What Monday}

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Last year I spent a few days in Michigan with my brother, sister-in-law, and newborn nephew. It had been years since I rocked a baby in the middle of the night, but all the memories came rushing back . . . A baby cradled in my arms, the soft glow of a nightlight, and quiet singing to help lull him back to sleep.

As I sang over the cherished, peaceful baby in my arms, I was reminded that this is how God loves His children. Did you know that the King of the universe sings over you?

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

God’s singing over us shows His love and care for us. We don’t sing over acquaintances or even our friends. Just think how awkward it would be to ask a stranger if you could hold her and sing over her!

We sing over those we are closest to – the children we hold in our arms, whose every need we would give our lives to meet, whose presence with us brings great joy.

Your heavenly Father holds you and sings, because the Son gave His life to meet your greatest need and bring you into a relationship with the Father. Two verses earlier in Zephaniah 3:15, we read that the Lord swept away the judgments against us and now dwells with us. This restored relationship bring us joy, and it causes God to rejoice as well (see also Psalm 149:4, Isaiah 62:5, Isaiah 65:19).

The singing of your heavenly Father isn’t quiet singing meant to put you to sleep. It is the loud singing of One who rejoices in bringing His children home. He gladly rejoices over you, quiets your fears with His love, and celebrates your salvation with singing.

No matter what you face this week, your heavenly Father sings His love over you.

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Hope that Overflows {No Matter What Monday}

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God will fill you with overflowing hope. Biblical encouragement, Scripture, and devotionals for women.

I’m a mostly boring person, and I don’t push the envelope very often. But occasionally, I let my gas gauge get down to E and create some excitement.

Once I let my engine run on a cold day while I waited for my kids to finish piano lessons. (See how exciting our life is?) I finally realized the little display on my dashboard was trying to tell me I only had five miles to go until empty. I immediately turned off the car and pulled out my phone to search for the nearest gas station. Two miles away. No problem.

But when the kids piled in and I started driving, the miles on the fuel range display ticked down more quickly than I expected. My kids and I prayed anxiously until we slid into the gas station with a zero on the display.

Do you feel like you’re running on empty today? I’ve got good news for you! The God of hope will fill you with joy, peace, and hope that overflows.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, NIV)

This overflowing hope is more than you could ever need. It never runs out. You’re not just driving around with your gas gauge on full, there is gas gushing out of your car!

This hope is overflowing because its source is our infinite God of hope. He is the source of our hope, and our hope is in Him. This overflowing hope comes by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

When we face circumstances that look hopeless, we can continue to be hopeful. The God of hope promises to fill His children with more than enough hope for all our struggles and suffering.

No matter what you face this week, God will fill you with overflowing hope.

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Cling to the Better Promises {No Matter What Monday}

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Cling to the One who makes better promises. Biblical encouragement, Scripture, and devotionals for women.

When my daughter was two and a half years old, she experienced the best day she’d ever had.

She didn’t understand why I put the butterfly wings and bright, puffy tutu on her. But her older brothers were wearing weird stuff, too, so she didn’t complain. I handed her a bucket and told her to walk up to our neighbors house and ring the doorbell. She timidly followed her brothers to the door.

And then the craziest thing happened. A woman opened the door and gave her candy for no reason at all!

A couple hours later, my little girl sat at our kitchen table with her candy collection spread in front of her. She was enjoying a lollipop and eyeing the rest of her stash when I told her it was time for bed. She looked at me, looked at the abundance before her, and replied, “I need to finish my snack.”

My daughter still loves candy, and Halloween is one of her favorite holidays. But I don’t want her to find her greatest joy in the treats of this world. I want her to know the One who gives life, joy, and pleasures that will never fade or run out. My prayer for her is that one day she will wholeheartedly declare with the psalmist:

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

The Lord has shown you the path of life: His Son, Jesus Christ. Only in His presence will you find true joy that satisfies your weary soul. And one day those who have been redeemed will see Him face-to-face and enjoy pleasures forevermore with Him.

Are you chasing after pleasures that don’t satisfy you? Are you struggling to find joy in difficult or stressful circumstances? Is this life disappointing you with its hardship and heartache? We don’t have to settle for the hollow promises and fleeting pleasures of this world. Instead, we can stand on the better promises of our Savior.

No matter what you face this week, cling to the One who promises you life, joy, and pleasures forevermore.

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Your Debt is Fully Paid {No Matter What Monday}

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Your debt is fully paid. Biblical encouragement, Scripture, and devotionals for women.

It’s happened to me twice now, and each time was surprising and impactful.

I’ve pulled up to the Starbucks window and found out that my (grande, non-fat, one-pump-caramel) latte was paid for by the driver in front of me. It feels strange to receive my drink without giving anything to the cashier. I accept the gift of a free latte because someone I don’t know paid the debt I owed.

It’s a beautiful picture of the Gospel. Romans 8:1 tells us, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Condemnation is not a word we like to discuss. But God’s Word is clear that we are all sinners, and our sin deserves God’s punishment.

So how can Romans 8:1 say there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus? Has God decided to look the other way? Did He change His mind about sin? Is He just being nice?

There is now no condemnation because Someone else paid for our sin.

On the cross, Jesus took the punishment our sin deserved. God is fully satisfied with Jesus’s sacrifice and will not demand payment from those who are in Christ. Our debt has been paid. We freely receive the gift of God’s grace.

As we drink deeply of His grace, we are set free from trying to convince God and others that we’re good enough. We don’t have to keep looking around, hoping to be a little better than the next guy. We don’t have to keep striving, hoping the good works will outnumber the bad.

When Jesus took your punishment, He gave you His perfect, sinless record. If you are in Christ, when God looks at your life, He sees what Christ has done. You can walk in the joy and freedom of God’s grace.

No matter what you face this week, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

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