Jan 28, 2026 – Joyful Dependence
Another sweet soul in another hospital was added to my prayers this morning. The five year old great granddaughter of a friend had surgery to remove a brain tumor. The child’s mother is due to deliver her third child in two weeks and her grandmother had surgery for colon cancer just a few weeks ago. Lord, we know You don’t give more than we can bear, but this seems like quite a lot for this family. Perhaps the extra burdens, that could be crowding their minds and stressing their bodies, are carried by those of us who are lifting them up.
Weddings, like Don and I got to witness on Saturday, help remind us of our vows and our commitment to each other and the blessings of being together. When we are called to pray for others in their trials, we are privileged to be part of God’s covering over them and we are reminded that life is precious and we are grateful for the blessings in our lives and for a God who walks with us through everything, good and bad, that we face.
JA – When I opened Jesus Always to today’s devotion, Jan 27 caught my eye (I’d written Carrie’s name at the top of the page in years past because it was her birthday yesterday!) These words speak so well to my thoughts and concerns today, “WALK WITH ME in close, trusting Love-bonds of joyful dependence.” When I started writing this morning, I was going to use “joy despite the circumstances” but it didn’t seem “appropriate.” Indeed, it is even more than appropriate; it is what we are called to no matter what we are facing.
What’s different in this phrasing is the word dependence. We don’t have to be “happy” about our circumstances. We are joyful because we do have a loving, caring God to depend on (and He surrounds us with loving, caring friends and family who we need to remember to reach out to) during every season of our lives. Young continues in her interpretation of Scripture and how Jesus would speak to us, “’Joyful dependence’ may sound like an oxymoron, but it is the most fulfilling way to live. When you delight in relying on Me, you are living according to My perfect design for you.”
Young builds on our relationship theme sharing, “A happily married man and woman are connected by much more than law and morality. Their warm memories of shared experiences create ties that draw them close and keep them committed to each other. Dear one, I want you to know that I am totally committed to you! I can fill your heart with loving memories as you walk in the Light of My Presence, joyfully depending on Me.” See Philippians 4:19, Psalm 52:8, and Psalm 89:15-16.
Prevail #28 – Numbers 14:24 – “But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.” Larson writes, “Our faith shows God that we trust Him, and He so deserves our trust. We don’t have to do it perfectly; in fact, we never will. But He does ask us to put feet to our faith, to follow in obedience if we believe His promises are true.” The family of the five year old did this as they asked for believers to spread the word to pray for her and for the surgeons and for the team caring for her and for her family and friends waiting for news. They believed God was going before them and trusted Him. The doctor came out of surgery saying he got the whole tumor. The photo my friend shared shows a brave, smiling little girl, despite all the bandages and tubes, who can already use her left side! Larson causes us to think as she ask, “How many good gifts has God offered His people that have been left untouched because of unbelief? Make no mistake about it. Your faith is irresistible to God.”
Streams – Cowman drew from Days of Heaven upon Earth in her last paragraph yesterday, “There is a spiritual law of choosing, believing, abiding, and remaining steadfast in our walk with God. This law is essential to the working of the Holy Spirit in our sanctification and in our healing.” Today she takes from selected sources as she compares how a harpist loves and tunes his harp with how God loves and tunes His children, “Loving you more than any harpist loves his harp…. He plucks your heartstrings with torturing anguish. Tenderly leaning over you, he strikes the strings and listens. Hearing only a harsh murmur, He strikes you again. His heart bleeds for you while He anxiously awaits to hear the strain, ‘Not my will, but yours be done’ (Luke 22:42)….”
Max reminds us in his title today that, “Our Problems Matter to Heaven.” Ephesians 3:20 – “[He] is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.”
JC – From yesterday, “Trust is a golden pathway to heaven. When you walk on this path, you live above your circumstances.” Twenty six years ago, I experienced circumstances similar to what the five year old’s family has been facing with so many tough things happening at once and I remember that feeling of being lifted above the circumstances and realizing that that’s what it felt like when other people prayed for you and helped carry your burdens. Today, Young writes in Christ’s voice, “I am with you always…. A few people center their lives around this glorious promise and find themselves blessed beyond all expectations. When My Presence is the focal point of your consciousness, all the pieces of your life fall into place.”
Power – Joyce based yesterday’s devotion on 3 John 2 – “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way…” and explained, “In plain everyday language, this Scripture could read, ‘My dearly beloved children, I want you to have every earthly blessing you could possibly imagine but only to the degree that you have spiritual maturity and Christlike character’…. He wants to bless you more than you can imagine being blessed (see Ephesians 3:20). But even more than He wants you to have something, He wants you to be something. He wants you to be Christlike.” Joyce entitles today’s devotion, “And God Said…And It Was So, and points out, “Everything God said came to pass, and you are created in God’s image, and your words have power. Your words can call things into being, so use them wisely!
Utmost – Yesterday Chambers wrote from Matthew 6:25 – “Take no thought for your life” and wrote, “Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things [shelter, food, etc] so as to make the the concern of our life. Whenever there is competition, be sure that you put your relationship to God first.” Today, Chambers writes, “Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set upon our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus.”
