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God, You are worthy of all my trust. I want to trust You like Mary did, totally unphased by changes to my plans and able to rejoice in You no matter what! Thank You for sending a Savior to give me life and hope and a future. I know I can trust You! In Jesus' name, Amen.

ISAIAH 6:3 They were calling out to each other, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven's Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!

Re-read that verse and think about what it means to have the entire earth filled with God's glory. Now, slowly read that passage aloud and make it your prayer. Bring God whatever praise comes to mind.

MATTHEW 11:28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest"

Picture holding your concerns and worries out in front of you, and bring them before the God who hears and cares about you.

Lay down any burdens you have in front of Jesus.

Father God, today I want to focus on You alone. Please show me what it means to delight in You and to do Your will. Deepen my love for You so that my desire to obey You grows stronger. In Jesus' name, Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING: EXODUS 27-28 MATTHEW 21:1-22 PLANS FOR THE ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING PLANS FOR THE COURTYARD LIGHT FOR THE TABERNACLE Aaron and his sons must keep the lamps burning in the Lord’s presence all night. This is a permanent law for the people of Israel, and it must be observed from generation to generation. CLOTHING FOR THE PRIESTS DESIGN OF THE EPHOD DESIGN OF THE CHESTPIECE ADDITIONAL CLOTHING FOR THE PRIESTS JESUS' TRIUMPHANT ENTRY JESUS CLEARS THE TEMPLE “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. JESUS CURSES THE FIG TREE he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up. “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

PHILIPPIANS 1:3-11 PAUL'S THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER 3Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. 7So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. 9I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. INSIGHT Paul writes to encourage his spiritual children whom he lovingly describes as “God’s holy people . . . who belong to Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:1 nlt). He’s praying they’ll mature in their faith and become more like Christ (vv. 9-11; see 1 Thessalonians 3:12). The apostle doesn’t simply want them to love each other; he wants them to overflow with God’s love (Philippians 1:9 nlt). Because God is love and He’s demonstrated His love by sending His Son to die for our sins, the apostle John commands us to love one another just as God loved us (1 John 4:7-12): “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect” (vv. 16-17 nlt). Our identity as believers is rooted in knowing that God made us and loves us.

By: K.T. Sim

ABOUNDING LOVE At the last night of summer camp, my teenage self felt conspicuous as I stood alone in a group of campers. When one of them mocked me, I felt hurt. I ran back to my tent, pretending to sleep when the group leader checked on me. The next morning I avoided her attempt to talk about it.

She later wrote to me, helping me understand that God truly cared for me. She quoted from the apostle Paul: We can be “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). I felt like the apostle’s words were directed right to me.

Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, which he’d planted over a decade earlier, to encourage them to root their love for God and each other “in knowledge and depth of insight” (v. 9). God would carry on His work in and through them as He filled them “with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ” (v. 11). At the time I didn’t understand the original context, but I started to comprehend that my identity as one loved by God came from knowing and accepting the love of Jesus.

God desires that we receive His love and that it would abound in us more and more. As He fills us with His joy and peace, we’ll grow in the knowledge not only of Him but of His good work in us.

By: Amy Boucher Pye

REFLECT AND PRAY How does knowing that God will complete His work in you shape you? How can you root your identity in Christ more deeply?

Creator God, You made me and love me. Please help me look to You always for love, joy, and help. in Jesus' name, Amen.

ALL THE FEELS - LEADING OUR EMOTIONS TIRED/EXHAUSTED Do you feel like you just can’t keep up? Every day seems like another mental marathon and the to-do list never quite reaches a finish line?

Maybe you're having trouble focusing and the energy reserves you used to pull from are running on empty. As a culture, we are getting busier with more demands and most of us don’t create the extra space we need to recharge. This makes us feel flat out "bad".

Did you know on the emotional wheel, one of our core feelings is actually “BAD?” The ones closely associated are overwhelmed, out of control, sleepy, stressed, tired… you get the point. So what is the antidote? I have to say, there isn’t one exact answer but the general principle is this. We need to take seriously implementing biblical rhythms and rest. Have you set aside one day of the week to truly rest and recoup? Do you take time to shut off the phone for the evening and connect with your family, friends and nature?

If you’re unfamiliar with "Sabbath" or biblical rhythms for rest, take time this week to search Scripture and other resources so you can be well equipped to take steps towards relieving exhaustion and living renewed.

MATTHEW 11:29-30 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

JEREMIAH 31:25 25For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”

ISAIAH 40:29-31 29He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. 30Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. 31But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

PSALMS 62:1-2 1I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. 2He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.

GALATIANS 6:9 9So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.