If you have been in the military or been to a military award ceremony, you have probably heard these words, “… the actions of [recipient] reflect great credit upon himself and the US Air Force [or other service] …” These are the words at the end of the citation that goes along with a medal received by a service member. The citation is typically read aloud in the presence of the service member’s organization.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:15-16, “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

Jesus is saying that as Christians, we are carrying around the reputation of all Christians and the perception others have of our God. We should be examples of the love Jesus Christ showed us with his sacrifice, and our actions should reinforce the love Jesus shows all those who accept him. As a result, our actions should, like the award citation says, “…reflect great credit on Jesus Christ..” whom we represent.

Dear Lord You are the ultimate power and love. Help us show this to others through our belief in you for our needs, and reflection of your love, so that we may bring glory to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Surrender: Definition – to give oneself up into the power of another.

The picture we usually have in our minds when we think of the word surrender is the white flag of one side in a battle, surrendering to the other, with the likelihood of unpleasant consequences like imprisonment, or execution.

However, I believe surrendering is what God is really asking of us. He is asking for us to give ourselves up to his power, but different from surrendering to our enemy, we are giving ourselves up to someone who loves us and wants what is best for us.

Psalm 37:7 God’s Word translation writes, “Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him.”

Dear Lord, You are the ultimate power and love. Surrendering ourselves to you gives us great comfort and strength. Help us keep that in our minds so we will have the strength to do your will and the comfort of knowing that you have us in your care. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

When we think of worship, the picture of being in a church singing hymns, praying and praising come to mind, but Paul describes something different in his letter to the Romans.

In Romans 12:1 He tells them, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”

Paul is telling us that we should devote our bodies, or our whole person, to our Lord. How we live each day is our worship.

Dear Lord, We are grateful for all you have provided us. Help us live lives that are positive examples of your love and bring attention to your saving grace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

One of CS Lewis’ great quotes is, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” This is an insightful way to look at humility, without tearing ourselves down.

Paul tells us in Philipians 2:3-5, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” he goes on to tell us in verses 8-9, “He [Jesus] humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names.”

If we are like Jesus, we put our focus outside of ourselves, on serving others, and God will do the work of watching out for and taking care of us.

Dear Lord, Thank you for Jesus’ perfect example of a life of service to others. Like Jesus, who rose in glory after humble service, we too know we don’t have to selfishly promote ourselves, because you will watch over us while we serve others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

GPS Navigation systems have become commonplace in modern times, whether handheld devices, in car dashboards, or on our phones, they are ubiquitous.

One thing that amazing about these devices, is that when we are following directions to a destination but take a wrong turn, the system only takes a few seconds to recalculate the best alternate route, taking into consideration that we did not follow the previous guidance. If we have the voice commands turned on, the system becomes very persistent in getting us back on the right path. Many of us have heard the words from the computer generated voice, “make a legal u-turn.”

God’s direction for our lives is like this GPS guidance. Psalm 32:8 says, “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you,” Proverbs 3:6 writes, “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take,” and Proverbs 15:10 writes, “Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined”

God is always there reminding us through our conscience and other means when we are going off of his “route guidance.”

Dear Lord, Thank you for keeping watch over us and directing us on the path we should take. Help us have the humility and judgment to submit to your guidance so that we can have the peace and joy you desire for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.