NorMel House Devotions

I've been rather absent in my posting for the last few weeks, and while I feel a little bad about this, I'm trying to give myself the grace to get through the things I need to. December is not an easy month for me, and while I try to put on a smile and participate in all the family functions, my heart isn't usually in them. I find I need to distract myself from thinking about the children I have loved and lost, but there are constant reminders everywhere that they're not here. And while I have been productive in my writing (my book on the letter of James is now with the publisher!), it hasn't been in the form of blog entries... here's where my heart has been... When it comes to the loss of a child or loved one, the empty spot they leave behind in our hearts and lives is never completely filled up again. God created us as unique individuals, and no one can ever truly replace another person. We can make new friends, try to have more children, get married, and try ...

Have you ever felt disappointed in God? Something happens in life that you can’t understand, and it makes you feel let down that God allowed it to happen. Sounds pretty awful, but hear me out. I always wanted children, but when I received them, it was nothing like I had imagined. God blessed me with nine children; however, He chose to call every one of them home to Himself before I could even meet them. When I was pregnant with our last child, I ended up carrying her for the longest time. I got to a point where I thought perhaps I would be allowed to keep this one. But God had other plans, and my little girl was called to her heavenly home long before I was ready. My disappointment and hurt were harder to endure than anything else in my life. God gave me what I wanted, but I felt He took them away too soon. I was devastated and disappointed that God would let me go through the same loss and pain so many times and still not let me keep and raise a child. I was disappointed that He waite...

This world is filled with evil. We don’t like to think about how evil the world and people truly are, but sometimes it feels like it slaps us in the face and knocks us to the ground. When people do hateful and hurtful things to us, it’s easy to want to strike back. However, Romans 12:21 reminds us, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Not an easy thing to do, and it goes against our own sinful nature; but if we turn back a few verses, we’re told “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the LORD’.” (Romans 12:19). 1 Thessalonians 5:15 tells us, “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” Don’t strike back. When people slander you or do evil towards you, remember, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (2 Timothy 4:18). But...

So we’ve now learned that God’s grace is the undeserved gift of salvation that all people need. We could not earn it ourselves, but rather, by the working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we are given faith to accept this gracious gift. We’ve learned that God’s grace is limitless and all-sufficient. So, what else can we say about grace? Romans 6:14 says, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” So, we who sinned and could not do any good, who “were once slaves of sin” (Romans 6:17), now, “Having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18). So we see that grace transforms us! We go from being slaves to sin to being slaves of righteousness.  Titus 2:11-12 tells us, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” When God gives us His grace, He also gives...

Nehemiah 9:16-31 16  “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.  17  They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. [ c ]  But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.  18  Even when they had made for themselves a golden [ d ]  calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies,  19  you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go.  20  You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and...

  Grace. What is it? Do we need it? Google AI says, “In Christianity, grace is commonly understood as a divine gift, an unearned favor or blessing from a higher power…Essentially, it is something good that is given to someone without them having to earn it.” While this is true, it doesn’t even remotely come close to the full explanation of what grace truly means for us. Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” So, we know that we are all sinners, unable to do good. So, yes, we all need God’s grace. Romans 6:23 tells us why this is important to know: “For the wages of sin is death.” However, it goes on to tell us why we can have hope, continuing with “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 3:23-25a says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation...