Leave it Behind

[ Daily Selah ]

Have you ever watched runners in a sporting event like the Olympic Games? 

Have you ever noticed what they carry with them? 

Absolutely nothing. 

They prepare to run by leaving everything behind. 

This is how God wants us to run the race set before us. 

That race is the Christian life. 

The goal is Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith. 

If we want to get closer to Him and become more like Him, we also have to leave everything behind. Sin gets in the way of our relationship with Him. It slows us down and wears us out in the race. 

But, if we leave it behind, setting it at the foot of the cross, we are free to run ~ to become more like Him and to continue to grow in grace. 

Whatever is hindering you in the race, it's time to leave it behind.


Father, thank You that Jesus is our example and the Author and Finisher of our faith. Help us to leave behind all the things that hinder us and weigh us down in this race to know Him more and to become more like Him. Help us to be free to run, for Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen. 


[ Daily Selah is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.]

Do you need to move?

Daily Selah is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.

A few nights ago, my son and I were out on the deck talking about his varsity football game and enjoying a cool breeze.

He was happily describing some of the plays the team made, which resulted in a win of 14-0.

Then, suddenly, he pointed up and said, "Mom, look!"

All I saw was a few wispy clouds and the first stars beginning to twinkle.

"There, Mom," he pointed again.

I still couldn't see what he was seeing. He gently grabbed my arm and steered me over to where he was standing and pointed upward again.

Now, I saw what he saw. A flashing light making its way across the sky. I thought it might be a plane but he was quite sure it was a satellite.

The neighbor's garage had been blocking my view. I had to move from where I was in order to see.

Sometimes, in our relationship with God, things block our view and we need to move to be able to see what He sees.

Sin gets in they way of our relationship. We need to move from that place to where He is and agree with God about how He see us.

I am very thankful that when we sin, we can be forgiven. Its a matter of moving to where God is and confessing it to Him.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9

He is faithful and just. We just need to move so we can see how He sees.

What's in the way of your relationship with God?  Do you need to move?


Father, thank you for our salvation through Your Son who paid the price for our redemption. We know that we're not perfect yet. Thank You for the promise of Your forgiveness when we confess sin to You and thank You for the promise of Your faithfulness to forgive and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Help us to move from where we are to where You are so we will see as You see. In Jesus' wonderful Name, Amen. 

Daily Selah ~ What shall we say then?

Daily Selah is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. -Romans 6:1-4

What shall we say then?  

If you have read the chapters leading up to these verses, you will have some knowledge of God's grace and mercy. I pray that grace and mercy have also become a reality in your life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is the Lord Jesus who made this possible. His sacrifice not only paid the price for our redemption, but put us in right standing with God. 

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. -Romans 5:1-2

Paul reminds the believers in Rome that our justification is by faith in Christ and grace is also through Him alone. Having experienced the grace of God, some of them seemed to think that they were free to do whatever they wanted.

Paul was never known for pulling punches. He spoke truth without wavering. Let's look at our key text again.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. -Romans 6:1-4

Paul says, "God forbid" that we should live in sin so there's more grace. (Skewed logic from the Roman Christians here, don't you think?) He reminds them, and us, that we are dead to sin. How do the dead respond? Simple answer: they don't.

We shouldn't be living in sin either. We're dead to it. Water baptism symbolizes this truth. The immersion identifies us with Christ in His death and burial; coming back up out of the water identifies us with His resurrection.

Because of His grace we are not just set free from sin - we have been given a whole new life!

Now, its up to us to "walk in newness of life." In other places in His Word, God says He makes  new things and is making all things new. He has made you new in Christ.  If you have stumbled, confess it and move on to new things; walk in newness of life!

What shall we say then?

Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy so freely given in Christ. Thank You for making all things new in my life. Give me the strength to walk every moment of every day in newness of life, for Your glory. In Jesus' wonderful Name, Amen. 

Saddle Shoes & A Daddy's Love

Photo by Tom Roy Hobbs. Licensed under CC bySA 2.0


The year was 1972. I was so excited... I was finally a “big kid,” or so I thought. Kindergarten! New things to learn. New friends to know. New clothes. And, oh yes... new shoes.

A couple of weeks before school started, a girl came to my Sunday School class for the first time. She had the best shoes I had ever seen. Saddle shoes! Anybody remember those?

The following Saturday, my daddy took me shopping for school shoes. The first store we went to had some very nice shoes for big girls going to school but nothing I wanted. We went to another store and another and another. I still was not very impressed. (Spoiled brat? Probably.)

“One more store, pleeeeeese, Daddy!” We must have hit every shoe store in Scranton. Then finally, at the last store, there they were! MY saddle shoes! They were the best shoes in the whole, wide world in my 5-year old mind.

On the very first day of school, a freckled little girl with ringlets said, “Your daddy must love you a lot. My daddy said those shoes cost too much for kindergarten.”

I have never forgotten those words: “Your daddy must love you a lot.”

My dad does love me. He has often called me his favorite daughter. (Let me clarify that lest you think my dad was a bad parent who practiced favoritism. I'm the ONLY daughter.)

I know another Father who loves me even more than any human parent could ever love a child. I am highly favored by Him, but not because of anything I have done or could ever do. This wonderful, unconditional love for me has nothing to do with me and everything to do with who He is.

The Bible says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). God loves you and me so much that He sent His only Son to die in our place.

Why would God do that? Why did His Son have to die? Because God is also holy. “Holy” has been misused and misrepresented by our culture in so many ways. What does it really mean?


“God’s holiness is more than just His perfection or sinless purity; it is the essence of His “other-ness,” His transcendence. God’s holiness embodies the mystery of His awesomeness and causes us to gaze in wonder at Him as we begin to comprehend just a little of His majesty.”What does it mean that God is holy, holy, holy? S. Michael Houdmann


We have all “...sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 KJV). A simplified explanation of sin is anything we think, say or do that does not please God. God, in all His awesome holiness, cannot allow sin in His presence.

So, where does this leave us? Our sin has condemned us to eternal punishment and separation from God (see 2 Thessalonians 8-9).

Think about that for a moment. Every person who has ever lived deserves to be sentenced to eternal punishment. Everyone. You might say, “Well, I'm not that bad. I've never hurt anyone or stolen anything. I'm a good person.”

By what standard do we measure what is good? We have all come short of God's glory, which means His standard of “good” is much higher than we can ever reach on our own.

The good news is, God doesn't want to leave us in our sin. He doesn't want us to suffer eternal punishment. He made a way for us to be forgiven and made right in His eyes.

Why? God is love. And, because God loves us so perfectly and unconditionally, He sent His only Son to take our punishment. Jesus never sinned. He never did anything to displease His Father.

When Jesus died on the cross, He took my sin and your sin, the sins of the whole world on Himself (1 Peter 2:24). He took our punishment. Our sin put a great distance between us and God and His promise of eternal life in heaven with Him. But, the blood of Jesus brings us near to God (Ephesians 2:13).


“God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.”(John 3:17-18 MSG)


Did you get that? “Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted...” ANYONE. That means everything I've ever done that did not please God - my sin, your sin - all of it can be forgiven.

No matter how bad we may think we are, our record of wrongs can be wiped out (Acts 3:19).

How? A man once asked the apostle Paul and his friend Silas this question...

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:30-31)

That man wanted to know how to be “saved.” He wanted to know how to be saved from the punishment he deserved for sin. He was right. God does save us from condemnation, but being “saved” is so much more.

Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, when we put our trust in Him, we have a right to come directly to God and talk with Him. We become one of God's children, part of His family and, like the loving Father He is, He provides and helps us through every part of life, if we just let Him in. The awesome news about Jesus is that He didn't stay dead. He rose from the grave on the third day and He prays for us to the Father.

God loves you. He wants you to be saved so you can be free from condemnation, have a relationship with Him and spend eternity in heaven with Him.

What must you do to be saved? Many people have tried to make it harder that it is. They think they have to DO something to earn salvation.

That's not what God says. HE DID IT ALL for you and for me. He wants us to come to Him.

He really did make it simple enough for even a child to understand... as easy as A, B, C...

If you want to be saved, if you want to be forgiven, if you want to know God...


A. Admit that you are a sinner.


B. Believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and that He rose again.


C. Confess your sin and your faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, talk to God about it.


If you agree that you are a sinner, believe that Jesus died for you and rose again and want to live God's way, then tell Him about it. Feel free to use your own words. Your prayer could be something like this...


God, I know I have sinned and I deserve to be punished. Please forgive me for everything I have done that does not please You. Thank You for loving me even though I don't deserve it and thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross and take my punishment. I know He is alive today. Help me live Your way from now on. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.


If you prayed a prayer like that, I would love to hear from you.

You may contact me at faithinreview@gmail.com.