Tag: #SacredJourneyDevotionalBlog #RevMarciaDavis

Day 187 of 365: Thank You.

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greeting, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, sometimes the greatest gifts God gives us are not things. They are people.
There are men and women who enter our lives for a season, yet their fingerprints remain on our hearts forever. They teach us, encourage us, challenge us, believe in us, and quietly help us become who God is calling us to be.

Today, I simply want to say, “Thank You.”
Thank You, Lord, for allowing our paths to cross. Thank You for placing people in my life whose wisdom, kindness, and integrity helped shape the woman I am still becoming.

My mentor, Dr. L. Guy Chelton, was one of those incredible people. Dr. Chelton was one of those rare people whose influence reached far beyond the walls of an office. He invested in people. He believed in them before they believed in themselves. His encouragement was never loud or self-serving; it was steady, genuine, and life-giving.

Looking back, I realize that many of the opportunities I have been blessed to experience were made possible because someone like Dr. Chelton took the time to open a door, offer guidance, or simply believe that I could walk through it.

As I reflected today, I realized something beautiful. Every mentor, every teacher, every encourager is evidence of God’s love. They are reminders that God often answers our prayers through people. Their words become seeds, and years later we find ourselves living in the harvest of what they planted.

Family, perhaps tonight your “thank you” belongs to someone who changed your life. Maybe they were a parent, a teacher, a pastor, a friend, a coworker, or a mentor. Some may still be with us, while others have gone home to be with the Lord.

Whoever comes to your heart tonight, take a moment to thank God for them. Their influence is part of your testimony.

Proverbs 22:1
New International Version

22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
    to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

As I read his obituary, one detail touched my heart. In lieu of flowers, his family asked that donations be made to the Mayo Clinic. Even in his passing, Dr. Chelton’s life continues to bless others. It reminded me that a life lived in service doesn’t end when our earthly journey does. The seeds we plant continue to bear fruit in ways we may never see.

Let Us Pray

Abba,

Tonight my heart is simply filled with gratitude.

Thank You for the gift of people who help shape our lives. Thank You for mentors, teachers, friends, and encouragers whose kindness leaves footprints on our hearts long after they are gone.

Thank You for Dr. Chelton and for the ways his life blessed so many people. Thank You for the wisdom he shared, the opportunities he created, and the compassion he showed. May the seeds he planted continue to bear fruit in the lives of others for generations to come.

And Father, I also pray for every person reading these words tonight.

Some of us know You deeply. Some are searching. Some have questions they have never spoken aloud. Some wonder if You are even there.

Wherever we find ourselves tonight, meet us there.

If someone is searching, let them find hope.
If someone is hurting, let them find comfort.
If someone is uncertain, give them the courage to keep asking honest questions.

And if someone already knows Your love, help them become the kind of person whose life quietly points others toward goodness, compassion, truth, and grace.

Teach us all to live in such a way that when our own lives are remembered, people will thank You for allowing our paths to cross.

Thank You for every life that becomes a blessing to another.

In Christ Jesus name we pray. Amen, Amen and Amen.

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

July 6, 2026

Day 185/186 of 365: Wilderness or Vacation?

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, have you ever heard the phrase, “I’m in my wilderness season”? Typically, that means someone is going through a very difficult time. But what if the wilderness wasn’t always a bad thing? What if there could be the gift of a vacation in the middle of it all? Let’s talk about how a wilderness experience can become a holy vacation with God.

What I have realized recently is that God is not necessarily punishing me when I enter a season of isolation. Sometimes isolation is exactly what the Great Physician has ordered so that I can return as my best self, or perhaps even better than before. We have to remember that God always has something precious He wants to teach us during those quiet seasons.

Drawing close to God and spending one-on-one time with Him should be a beautiful experience. Don’t get me wrong; there are seasons of isolation that are deeply painful, and I definitely know the difference. (You’ll just have to trust me on that one.)

Holy Scripture

Psalm 62:1-2
New International Version
Psalm 62[a]
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

The difference is not always where we are, it is often why we are there.

Sometimes, we find ourselves in difficult seasons because we have resisted God’s direction or wandered from His will.

Other times, God lovingly leads us away from the noise of the world into a quiet place of healing, renewal, and preparation.

The first is a place of loving correction.

The second is a place of holy restoration.

In both, however, God is present, and His desire is always to draw us closer to Him.

Family, whether you find yourself walking through a wilderness of loving correction or resting in a season of holy renewal, take heart. You never walk alone. The great I AM WHO I AM is already there, faithfully being everything you need for every step of the journey.

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being the great I AM WHO I AM. Before we ever knew what this day would hold, You were already there. Before we ever took our first step into this season, You had already gone before us, preparing the way with Your love, mercy, and faithfulness.

Lord, today we bring You every heart reading these words. Some are walking through a wilderness of loving correction, learning to trust and obey You more deeply. Others are resting in a quiet season of healing, renewal, and preparation. No matter where we find ourselves, remind us that we are never alone.

Your presence surrounds us, Your Spirit strengthens us, and Your love never fails.
Teach us to embrace the seasons You have ordained for our lives.

When You call us to be still, help us to rest without guilt. When You call us to move forward, give us courage to take the next faithful step. Protect us from comparing our journey to someone else’s, and help us to trust that Your timing is always perfect.

Father, thank You for being our Shepherd when we need guidance, our Healer when we are wounded, our Peace when life feels uncertain, our Strength when we are weary, and our Refuge when we need a safe place to rest. You truly are everything we need because You are the great I AM.

As we close this time together, quiet every anxious thought and calm every troubled heart. Fill us with the deep assurance that You are working all things together for our good, even when we cannot yet see the whole picture. May we walk into tomorrow with hope, joy, and confidence, knowing that the One who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it.

We surrender our wildernesses, our holy vacations, our questions, and our dreams into Your loving hands. Lead us one step at a time, and may every step bring us closer to You.
In the precious, powerful, and loving name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Draw Me Close/Thy Will Be Done · Marvin Winans
Marvin L. Winans Presents: The Praise & Worship Experience
℗ 2012 MLW Productions, Inc
Released on: 2012-06-26

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 183/184 of 365: Independent But Never Alone…

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, as I reflected on Independence Day, I realized that many of us are stepping into new seasons of life.

Every year a new group of people are transitioning to a new level of independence.

Whether it is a young child taking their first steps into school or a high-school senior throwing their graduation cap in the air, there is a new level of independence for all, including the parents.

As parents, you have watched each step your child has made. You have nurtured, encouraged, taught, and loved your child with the goal that each year they learn about themselves and the world around them.

I know, like me, everyone is not a parent. I still pinch myself when I think about  graduating with a masters degree just six months ago. As I get older there are several things that are new for me, especially as someone who is in their 50s.

Whether it’s beginning a new job, facing health challenges, or becoming empty nesters, every season we are learning to trust God in unfamiliar places. Change has a way of reminding us how much we need Him.

Family, while the world often celebrates independence as standing on our own, Scripture teaches us something even greater. Every new season is an invitation to become more dependent upon God.

We may become more independent in life, but we never outgrow our need for our Heavenly Father. In every new beginning, every unfamiliar path, and every unexpected change, God walks beside us. He does not send us ahead and wish us good luck. He goes before us, walks with us, and remains behind us as our protector.

So as we celebrate Independence Day, let us also celebrate the freedom we have in Christ. We are free from carrying tomorrow’s burdens by ourselves. We are free to trust the One who already knows what tomorrow holds.

Family, we may be independent in many ways, but with God we are never alone. Amen

Let Us Pray

Father, thank You for every season of growth You bring into our lives. When You call us into unfamiliar places, remind us that You never ask us to walk there alone. Teach us to trust You more deeply than we trust our own strength. As we celebrate the freedoms we enjoy, help us never forget that our greatest freedom is found in Christ. Walk beside us in every new beginning, calm every fear, strengthen every weary heart, and remind us each day that because You are with us, we are independent in life but never alone. In Christ Jesus’ name, Amen, Amen, and Amen

Video of the Day

Dependable God (Medley) · Victor Thompson

Dependable God (Medley)

℗ 2967292 Records DK

Released on: 2021-10-22

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 180 of 365: Room To Grow

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you.

Genesis 12:1-3
New International Version
The Call of Abram

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”

Family, whenever God opens a door, He has already gone before you. He has prepared what you will need for the journey, even if you cannot yet see it. Our response is simply to trust Him, obey His voice, and go.

Jesus, also gave us the same promise of going ahead of us and preparing a place. I have told people on multiple occasions that when it is God, the doors will open easily and the timing will be perfect, because Jesus promised to go before us and prepare a place. That place is not just talking about Heaven. It is also referring to seasons of our lives.

How will you know when it’s God?

You will know it is God because, even when the journey is difficult, He continues to provide peace, direction, and confirmation. The doors He opens do not require manipulation or striving. Instead, He faithfully guides each step.

An ordained door should not require a brick of C4 to force it open. If we have to manipulate, pressure, or force the door, perhaps it is time to pause and seek God’s direction again.

John 14:1-4
New International Version
Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Is change always easy? Of course not. Hearts may mourn, and tears may be shed. Yet when God’s hand is upon a journey, His grace is more than enough to carry us through.

If you are facing a new season that God is leading you to then trust God, stay close, and take one ordained step at a time.

Sometimes the greatest blessing God gives us is not a change of destination, but the room to become the person He created us to be.

Travel light, Family. Travel Light.

Let Us Pray

Dear Loving Abba:

Tonight, I don’t come before You with all the answers. I simply come as Your daughter.

Thank You for every step of this journey. Thank You for every mountain You have carried me over, every valley You have walked with me through, and every tear You have lovingly caught before it ever reached the ground. You have never left me, not even once.

Father, I can feel that something is changing. I cannot fully explain it, but deep within my soul I sense that You are preparing me for a new season. As exciting as that is, it is also a little frightening. The familiar has been comfortable, even when it has been difficult. The unknown requires trust.

So tonight, I choose to trust You.

Just as You called Abram to leave what he knew, help me to follow wherever You lead. I do not need to know every detail of the journey if I know the One who walks beside me. Remind me that before You ever ask me to take a step, You have already gone before me to prepare the way.

Lord Jesus, You promised that You prepare a place for us. Thank You that You not only prepare an eternal home, but You also prepare us for every season of this life. Thank You for making room for me to grow—to become more patient, more compassionate, more faithful, and more like You.

Father…would You hold my hand?

When my heart feels heavy, hold my hand.

When I cannot see around the next corner, hold my hand.

When tears come because someone I love is beginning a new journey, hold my hand.

When fear whispers louder than faith, gently squeeze my hand and remind me that I am never walking alone.

Teach me to travel lightly. Help me lay down every fear, every burden, every “what if,” and every attempt to control what belongs in Your hands alone. Fill those empty places with hope, peace, and quiet confidence in Your perfect love.

Thank You for the little girl who simply wanted to belong to You. Thank You for never letting go of her hand. And thank You for loving the woman she has become.

Whatever tomorrow brings, I know this one truth: I do not have to face it alone. Your hand is in mine, Your Spirit is within me, and Your love surrounds me.

So tonight I rest.

I rest in Your promises.

I rest in Your presence.

I rest in the certainty that the same God who called me is the God who will faithfully lead me home.

I love You, Abba.

In the precious, holy, and faithful name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

#Gospel #DeitrickHaddon #OpenDoorSeason
Director – Terrance Church & Deitrick Haddon
Dp – Terrance Church
Editor – Terrance Church
Producer – Deitrick Haddon
Executive Producer – Deitrick Haddon
Production company – DH Visions

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA,MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 178/179 of 365: Matters of the Heart

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Psalm 34:18
New International Version

18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Family, tonight’s devotional is different.

As I sat down to write, my mind was moving in so many directions that I could not quiet my thoughts. Sometimes life has a way of placing so many emotions before us that our hearts don’t know which one to process first.

Our physical heart is one of the hardest-working organs in our bodies. Every moment of every day it faithfully pumps blood to sustain our lives. Yet there is another kind of work our hearts do that no doctor can measure.

Our hearts carry love.

They carry hope.

They carry memories.

They carry disappointments.

They celebrate life’s greatest joys, and they quietly mourn life’s deepest losses.

Sometimes the greatest weight our hearts carry is not physical at all. It is emotional.

I have found myself grieving a season that has not quite ended, yet I can already feel it  changing. It reminded me of something many of us have experienced.

Preparing for a funeral.

In the days leading up to it, everyone somehow manages to keep going. We make arrangements. We answer phone calls. We check on everyone else. Then the day finally arrives, and suddenly the reality stands in front of us. Our entire body feels the weight of that moment, but perhaps no part feels it more deeply than the heart.

Grief is not reserved only for death.

– Sometimes we grieve changing seasons.

– Sometimes we grieve distance.

– Sometimes we grieve uncertainty.

– Sometimes we grieve because we simply do not know what tomorrow will hold.

Yet in the middle of all those matters of the heart, Scripture gives us one of the most beautiful promises in the Bible.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted…”

Notice what David did not write.

He did not say the Lord waits until our hearts are healed.

He did not say the Lord stays at a distance until we become strong again.

He said the Lord is close.

There are moments when God does not immediately remove our pain, but He never removes His presence.

Sometimes His greatest gift is simply Himself.

His nearness.

His embrace.

His peace that quietly whispers, “You do not have to carry this alone.”

Family, if your heart feels heavy tonight, know that you are not forgotten.

If you are carrying burdens no one else can see, God sees them.

If your heart is aching over someone you love, God understands.

And if you feel as though your heart has reached its limit, remember that the One who created your heart is also the One who knows how to hold it together when you no longer can.

Tonight, whatever your heart is carrying…

Give it to the One who promises to stay close.

Let Us Pray

My Holy Abba,

Tonight we come before You with hearts that are carrying things words cannot fully express. Some of us are grieving. Some are anxious. Some are facing uncertain tomorrows. Others are simply exhausted from trying to be strong for everyone else.

Thank You for being the God who is close to the brokenhearted. Thank You that we never have to hide our tears, our fears, or our questions from You. You welcome us just as we are.

Father, wrap Your loving arms around every person reading this tonight. Remind them that they are not walking through this season alone. When their hearts feel overwhelmed, become their peace. When they feel weak, become their strength. When tomorrow feels uncertain, remind them that You are already there.

Help us to trust You with the people we love, with the paths we cannot yet see, and with the future that rests safely in Your hands.

Teach us to rest, not because every problem has been solved, but because Your presence is enough.

Thank You for staying close when our hearts hurt the most.

We love You, Abba.

In the precious name of Christ Jesus, Amen, Amen and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Psalm 34 (Taste & See)
Written by: Shane Barnard & Joseph James Rigney / Watch the acoustic performance of “Psalm 34 (Taste and See)” by ‪@ShaneAndShaneMusic‬. Get free charts, lyrics, and resources here: https://www.worshiptog…

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Day 177 of 365: My Shelter and Strength

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, there are seasons in life when everything around us seems to be changing. Relationships change. Health changes. Our routines change. Even the dreams we thought we understood can begin to look different.

During those moments, our hearts naturally search for something that will not move.
For me, that place has always been God. He has become my shelter in every storm and my strength when I have none of my own.

When my mind is weary, He gives me rest. When my heart is wounded, He gently restores it. When fear tries to convince me that I am alone, His presence reminds me that I have never been abandoned.

God does not always remove the storm immediately, but He faithfully provides a refuge in the middle of it. Under His care, we find peace before the answers arrive, hope before the breakthrough comes, and strength before we ever realize we needed it.

These are the scripture passages that I immediately run when I need a time of refreshing and restoring.

The Word

Psalm 46:1-4
New International Version
Psalm 46[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.[b] A song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.

Psalm 91:1-2
New International Version
Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

Family, healing is not only about our bodies. Sometimes God begins by healing our thoughts, restoring our hope, calming our anxious hearts, and reminding us that we are safe in Him. Before He changes our circumstances, He often changes us within our circumstances. That is the beautiful work of our Shelter and our Strength.

Let Us Pray

Abba,

Thank You for never growing weary of Your daughter. Thank You that no matter how many times I come running to You, Your arms are always open.

When life changes, when my heart feels heavy, when my mind grows tired, You never tell me that I have come too often. Instead, You invite me closer.

Thank You for allowing me to crawl into Your lap once again. There, I find safety. There, I find peace. There, I remember who I am. You quiet my fears, heal the places no one else can see, and gently restore both my heart and my mind.

You have always been my shelter and my strength. You are my refuge when the storms of life begin to rage. You are the place where I feel completely safe, completely known, and completely loved.

Thank You for being my Abba. Thank You for being my home.

No matter where life leads me, no matter how the seasons change, may I always run first into Your loving embrace.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Mark Hall, Bernie Herms
© 2005 Be Essential Songs (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com) / My Refuge Music (BMI) (admin at CapitolCMGPublishing.com); Banahama Tunes / Word Music LLC (ASCAP) (admin. by WB Music Corp.)

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 175 and 176: Self-Care

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, yesterday was not my best day. I came to the realization that it was time to step back and practice something I often encourage others to do, self-care.

On the very first day of my master’s degree at Liberty University, one of the very first lessons we were taught was the importance of self-care. Our professors knew that as future therapists we would spend countless hours pouring into the lives of others. If we neglected our own emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being, we would eventually have nothing left to give.

Since graduating from Liberty and beginning the privilege of working with some truly amazing clients, life has become busier than I ever imagined. Between work, counseling, writing these daily devotionals, and life’s everyday responsibilities, I realized I could not continue at my current pace without intentionally making time to rest and be refreshed.

The beautiful thing is that self-care is not merely a modern idea, it is a biblical principle. God cares about every part of our lives: our spirit, our mind, and our body.

3 John 2
New King James Version

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Yesterday, I realized I had been giving so much of myself to everyone else that I had forgotten to extend that same grace to myself. Rest is not selfish. Sometimes it is an act of obedience.

Let Us Pray

Abba,

Thank You for loving us enough to care about every part of our lives. You are not only concerned with the condition of our souls, but also with our minds, our bodies, and our hearts. You created us, and You know our limits even better than we do.

Lord, forgive us for the times we have believed that constantly giving without resting somehow brings You glory. Forgive us for neglecting the temples You have entrusted to our care. Help us to understand that caring for ourselves is not selfish when it enables us to better serve You and those You have placed in our lives.

Teach us to recognize when we need to slow down. Give us the wisdom to build healthy boundaries, the courage to say “not today” when necessary, and the humility to admit when we are weary. Remind us that even Jesus withdrew from the crowds to pray, to rest, and to spend time alone with You. If the Savior of the world made room for rest, surely we should as well.

Father, refresh every person reading this devotional today. Some are physically exhausted. Some are emotionally drained. Others have been carrying burdens in silence for so long that they no longer remember what peace feels like. Wrap them in Your loving presence. Restore what stress has stolen. Heal what anxiety has worn down. Strengthen what has become weak.

Help us to remember that true self-care begins in Your presence. As we spend time with You, renew our minds, restore our joy, strengthen our bodies, and fill our hearts with Your peace. May we leave Your presence better equipped to love, serve, encourage, and care for others because we have first allowed You to care for us.

We surrender our schedules, our responsibilities, our worries, and our need to always keep going. Today, we choose to rest in You.

In the precious name of Jesus, we pray.
Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Watch Moses Bliss and Chandler Moore Perform ‘Your Love’ at House On The Rock , off the album ‘The Expression

Rev. Marcia Davis

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 173 of 365: Prince of Peace

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, we have been exploring the names of God and what they reveal about His character. But all of these names find their fullest expression in Jesus Christ.

In Him, we see not only the power of God, but the heart of the Father revealed to us in relationship, closeness, and peace.

Tonight, we continue with the names of Jesus that reflect this divine nearness.

Isaiah 9:6
King James Version

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

This is not only a prophetic declaration, it is a revelation of who Jesus is.

Peace is not simply something He brings; it is something He carries within Himself. It flows from His nature.

The world often defines peace as the absence of conflict, noise, or pain. But the peace of Christ is different. It is not dependent on external conditions. It is the presence of God steadying the heart even when circumstances remain unchanged.

This is why Isaiah does not separate His titles. He is Wonderful Counselor in confusion, Mighty God in weakness, Everlasting Father in uncertainty, and Prince of Peace in every storm.

Peace, then, is not something we reach for, it is Someone who reaches for us.

And tonight, in whatever your body is carrying, whatever your mind is holding, and whatever your heart is processing, this truth remains steady: His peace is not distant. It is near. It is reigning. And it is available right where you are.

Let Us Pray

Beautiful Jehovah, we come before You tonight in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

You see what we cannot always put into words, the pain in the body, the weight in the mind, the weariness that settles in the soul. And yet, You remain near.

Lord Jesus, we ask for Your peace to rest where we are right now. Not a peace that ignores what is happening in our bodies, but a peace that holds us steady in the middle of it.

Let Your presence quiet what is anxious. Let Your nearness calm what is restless. Let Your love remind us that we are not alone in this moment.

Where there is discomfort, bring Your comfort. Where there is uncertainty, bring Your assurance. Where there is weakness, be our strength.

We receive Your peace not as something we earn, but as a gift You freely give.
And tonight, we rest, not in perfect conditions, but in a perfect Savior.

In the name of Christ Jesus our Lord and  Prince of Peace. Amen, Amen, and Amen. 

Worship Video of the Day

In a world filled with noise, chaos, and uncertainty, there is One who brings peace beyond understanding — Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
A song of hope, worship, and peace.
8/30/2025

Rev. Marcia Davis

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 171/172 of 365: My Abba

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

Father / My Father

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you.

Family, today’s devotional is surrounding an Aramaic word that is very close to my heart. You have read several times when I start my prayers I still call God Abba.

I love the Lord and I have so much reverence for Him, I call Him Abba because he has been the most amazing Father. He makes me feel whole, loved, and seen. I know who I am through his eyes.

Abba is used three times in the Bible.

Mark 14:36
New International Version

36 “Abba,[a] Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Romans 8:15
New International Version

15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.”

Galatians 4:6
New International Version

6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[a] Father.”

What stands out to me about the word Abba is that it is not distant. It is not formal. It is not reserved for perfection. It is intimate, close, and spoken from the place of trust.

Jesus used this word in His most vulnerable moment in the garden of Gethsemane. In His distress, He did not turn away from the Father, He turned toward Him. Even while asking if the cup could pass, He still said, “Abba, Father…” That tells me something powerful: intimacy with God is not the absence of struggle. It is the presence of trust in the middle of it.

And in Romans and Galatians, we are reminded that this same Abba is not only the Father of Christ, but through Him, He becomes our Father too. We are not outsiders trying to earn access. We are adopted. We are welcomed. We are given the Spirit who teaches our hearts to recognize God as Father, not in fear, but in love.

So on this Father’s Day, I offer this thought:

Even if earthly fatherhood has been complicated, absent, or painful for some of us, there is still a Father who does not reflect those wounds.

There is an Abba who does not abandon, who does not withdraw love, and who does not misunderstand our hearts.

He sees fully. He stays fully. He loves fully.
And maybe today, the invitation is simple:

To let the heart learn again how to say, “Abba, Father,” not as a concept, but as a refuge.

Let Us Pray

Abba, Father,

Thank You for being near when life feels heavy and for being steady when everything else shifts. Thank You for adopting us into Your family and calling us Your own.

Teach our hearts to trust You more deeply. Heal what has been broken in our understanding of fatherhood. Replace fear with peace, and distance with intimacy.

Abba, for those who struggle today, those who miss a father, those who never had one, or those whose wounds are still tender, meet them gently and clearly.
Remind us that we are seen, known, and loved by You.

We rest in You today, Abba. In Jesus name, Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Official audio of Chris Tomlin’s “Good Good Father”
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Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)

Day 170 of 365: Jehovah Shammah

Sacred Journey Devotionals: A Journey To WholenessLeave a comment

The Lord Is There / The Lord Is Present

יהוה שמה

YAHWEH SHAMMAH

The Lord is There

Greeting, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, I have truly enjoyed this two-week journey of writing about the Hebrew names of God found in the Old Testament. Part of me truly wants to continue this journey into next week.

Tonight’s choice of Jehovah Shammah is especially meaningful to me. Throughout this two-week journey of learning about the Hebrew names of God, I have realized one very important truth: God is still the same today for me as He was for everyone in the Old Testament. God has always been there for me. No matter what I was facing, God has been forever faithful. It is also the reason that I lift my hands when I worship or just sit and cry. I am continually amazed at the never-ending love of God.

As we look at Jehovah Shammah in the context of where it is used in the Old Testament, the message is beautiful: God’s greatest promise is not that we will never walk through difficult places, but that we will never walk through them without Him.

Let’s look at Ezekiel 48:35 as it is the first and only time that Jehovah Shammah is used.

Before I share the scripture, I feel I should give it context. Ezekiel was a prophet used by God to rebuke and warn Israel—whom God called a “rebellious and stubborn” people. I know that I often encourage you to read the entire chapter to gain understanding of the text. The Book of Ezekiel is different. It is one where it is necessary to start at Ezekiel 1:1 and study the entire 48 chapters.

I know that sounds like a lot, but the chapters are very short. Unless you read Ezekiel in its entirety, you will never understand the full weight of our scripture selection today.

Ezekiel 48:35
New International Version

35 “The distance all around will be 18,000 cubits.[a]

“And the name of the city from that time on will be:

The Lord is there.”

Oh how I wish I could adequately explain the loving grace that has taken place and resulted in this verse. More than anything, what I want you to take away is this:

Love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Jehovah Shammah will walk with you through the journey—just keep your eyes on Him.

There is an old church song that says:

I WOKE UP THIS MORNING WITH MY MIND….STAYED ON JESUS

I WOKE THIS MORNING WITH MY MIND, STAYED ON HIM.

I WOKE THIS MORNING WITH MY MIND STAYED ON JESUS, HALLELU, HALLELU, HALLELUJAH!!

Let Us Pray

Father God, Jehovah Shammah, The Lord Who Is There:

We come before You with grateful hearts, humbled by the truth that You are not a distant God, but a present One. You are the God who remains, the God who dwells with Your people, and the God who never abandons what He has created.

Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness through every season. Thank You that even in the places of struggle, even in the seasons of waiting, even in the moments of uncertainty, You are still there. You have never left, and You will never leave.

Teach us to recognize Your presence when life feels heavy. Teach us to see You not only in answered prayers, but also in the quiet strength to keep going. Open our eyes so that we stop mistaking silence for absence.

Father, as we walk through our daily lives, remind us that we do not walk alone. Go before us, walk beside us, and uphold us when we are weak. Let Your presence be our peace, our strength, and our steady place of rest.

For every heart reading this today, let there be a renewed awareness: The Lord is there. In the home, in the workplace, in the waiting room, in the night season, and in the early morning hours, You are there, Lord.

And Lord, we thank You that this promise is not dependent on our perfection, but on Your unchanging nature. You are Jehovah Shammah, and Your presence is our assurance.

We give You honor, we give You glory, and we give You our trust. In the name and authority of Christ Jesus we pray, Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

May 27, 2010 Rayshan Booker / Sunday Morning service at Eastside OK

Rev. Marcia Davis, BA, MA

Covington, GA (USA)