Tag: Jenn Haynes

The Root of Learning

Proverbs 1-3

I’m a homeschooling mom. I never meant to be one, it just kind of happened. It happened in such a weird way, actually, that I know it was God speaking into our lives. That being said, we follow what is known as a classical model of learning. I won’t go into details about it, but when you dive into homeschooling, or if you’re an educator, you have probably become familiar with pedagogy – the study of learning. Or, as most people think of it, the study of how to instruct. We’ve developed many different ways of learning over the years, trying to help people in various situations learn in different ways that speak to them more clearly. We require different methods because we are different people with a beautiful variety of brains. 

But the root of learning is not teaching. It’s not the brain, nor the instructor. It is knowledge and wisdom itself. And behind all knowledge and wisdom is God. 

God did an interesting thing when he created us and the world we live in. He placed a tree of the knowledge of good and evil and then told us not to eat from it. What a crazy thing, right? Why place the tree there at all? But to be completely free, he had to give us freedom of choice. And that means we have to have options to choose from. Humanity chose poorly. We continue to choose poorly. 

How do we choose wisely? Proverbs 1:7 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The fear of the LORD means showing God the respect and awe that he’s due so that we long to obey him in all things. When we obey the instructions of the loving Father who wants only the best for us, then we are led to knowledge and wisdom. 

As you start through the book of Proverbs, take note of how this wonderful book is not only trying to grant you wisdom and knowledge, but also moral guidance. Let these Proverbs speak to you in a way that helps you see how much God loves you and wants to guide you and protect you. I hope you start to see the benefits of wisdom, as they are beautifully outlined in chapter 2, show up in big ways in your life. 

-Jenn Haynes

Reflection Questions:

What are some of the ways that God’s guidance has kept you from trouble? In what moments of your life do you feel you would have avoided trouble if you HAD followed God’s instruction more closely?

Proverbs 2:10 says, “For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” What wisdom have you gleaned from scripture that has given you that sense of pleasantness in your soul? 

My prayer for you today is that you will experience the truth in Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

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Set Me as a Seal

Song of Solomon 5-8

While I was in college at Ohio Northern, I was a member of their touring choir. We sang many beautiful pieces, most of them filled with Christian content and stories. Our director chose them for their beauty or technical difficulty, as he was not a man of faith. But I loved the content. One piece from my years there stands out to me to this day because our director told us the story of its composition, and it has never left me.

René Clausen, an accomplished American composer and director, wrote Set Me As a Seal after the tragic death of his unborn child. After three miscarriages, he and his wife were six and a half months into pregnancy. Because his wife was 39, and their three previous children died before birth because of birth defects, the doctor wanted an amniocentesis done. Due to misplacement of the needle, the baby was killed instantly during the process. The Clausens still had to deliver their baby, who had no birth defects and was perfectly sound, in a delivery room to the sound of crying babies being born around them. 

I cannot imagine the agony. The senselessness of the loss is overwhelming to me. It was to Dr. Clausen and his wife as well. After the stillbirth of their fourth child, Clausen went home and composed Set Me As a Seal in 20 minutes. 

I remember singing this song with our choir, time and again as we went on tour. It was beautiful in its simplicity of words, and complexity of notes and harmonies. It sounded like a plea from a grieving heart. The lyrics were short but profound, and straight from Song of Solomon chapter 8, verses 6 and 7. 

“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm: for love is strong as death.

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.”

While grieving the loss of another child, Clausen turned to scripture and faith and found his inspiration in a book of love songs written for a husband and wife. But these love songs aren’t just for husband and wife. They are to mirror the love that God has for each of us, and the love we should have for him. These lines represent complete ownership and belonging. They represent a love that is to last forever, that cannot be removed or washed away. 

God wants us to belong to him in such a way. He wants us to seek him first and always. And his love for us is also without end. How beautiful it is to know that a love this deep exists. When we are in our darkest hour, or in our greatest moment of joy, his love is the same. He is unwavering. 

As you read through the last half of these songs today, I hope you see the beauty of God’s love for you and the relationship he longs to have with you, and also the relationship Christ has with the church. You are beautiful to him, and worthy of love. You are so worthy, in fact, that Christ died for you. 

– Jenn Haynes

PS: If you would like to hear a lovely recording of Set Me As a Seal, this choir performs it beautifully: 

UNT A Cappella Choir: René Clausen – Set Me As a Seal Upon Your Heart (1989) 

I hope it helps you to reflect on his profound love for you

-Jenn Haynes

Reflection Questions: 

Do you see yourself as beautiful and worthy of the love God has for you? 

How do you think God sees you? 

Take a quiet moment to reflect on the fact that God’s love for you is so deep and passionate that he desires your love above all else. The God of the universe wants a relationship with you that is deeper than any other relationship you’ve ever had. He sees you as valuable and lovely. Hold that close to you. 

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Chapters of Love

Song of Solomon 1-4

This collection of songs is something that, sadly, is frequently misunderstood and avoided today. At a wedding we celebrate love, yes, but certainly not like this. The beautiful imagery described in these chapters of love, desire and passion are everything we should want in a relationship with our spouse. Unfortunately, discussions of sexual desire and attraction like this are usually either twisted by an immoral society, or avoided by Christians. The world has thrown sex around until it’s dirty, misused, and undervalued. And Christian religion has gone in the complete opposite direction and has made it into something secret and almost shameful. We feel embarrassment.

But desire is not shameful at all when it is within its perfect time and place. Amidst all of this expression of love, there is one important phrase repeated again and again. 

“Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”

There is no rushing here. When we want to be in a relationship or long to fill our sexual desires more than we long for God’s good and perfect plan, this is when everything falls apart. The imagery stops being intimate and beautiful. It becomes cheap and our relationship is no longer the reflection of God’s love for us that it should be. 

But when we acknowledge God first and seek him for our fulfillment, we restore the proper order of things. God created man and everything was good. Adam had God and relied on him completely. And in that complete reliance, God provided the perfect partner. 

God knows our needs far better than we do, and that includes our need for relationships and intimacy. When we seek him first before seeking fulfillment in others, God will provide in his own perfect timing. 

I hope you see the beauty reflected in these chapters! Love and desire within God’s plan is a treasure to be appreciated. 

-Jenn Haynes

Reflection Questions: 

For those who are unmarried: Do you find yourself growing impatient? Are you seeking fulfillment from people rather than God? How can you turn your focus more on your relationship with God and rely more fully on him? 

For those who married: Maybe you’re a newlywed, or you’ve been married for years, or you’re widowed. Take some time to reflect on your love. Read through the descriptions and think about your own beloved. What do you appreciate about your spouse? How did God provide for you by bringing you together? How does your relationship reflect the relationship God desires to have with you? 

My prayer for you today is that you see beauty in this passage. I pray you seek intimacy with God first, and that you rely on him fully. And for those who are/were married, I pray you are able to reflect and appreciate all of the wonderful qualities of your spouse. 

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My Hope is in His Word

Psalm 119:89-176

I don’t think that any child would say that they love rules. And yet, they subconsciously crave them. Rules from a loving parent show a child that someone loves them enough to guide them. Structure makes them feel reassured and gives a sense of stability. Without those directions and guidelines, children become stressed and tend to feel out of their depth. 

Even as an adult, I like to have rules and guidelines that make logical sense. Structure eases my mental burden because it removes some of the many options that exist. In fact, research says that too many decisions and too many options are harmful to our mental health and can lead to mental fatigue and anxiety, causing us to either avoid making decisions or make harmful decisions that don’t align with our life goals. 

If I know that by following wise guidelines I will avoid many mistakes, my mind and soul feel more at ease. How blessed are we, then, that we have a loving father who cares so much about us that he has set boundaries for his children to keep us safe? 

The author of Psalm 119 clearly knows the value of God’s laws. His gratitude to God for providing wisdom and guidance is clear. When I first read through this passage my initial thought was, “How can someone go on this long about laws and rules!?” But the truth is that these verses aren’t proclaiming the glory of guidelines. They are testifying to the everlasting love God has for us.

We live in a sinful world that is full of deceit, pitfalls, and endless opportunities for mistakes. But Psalm 119:113-114 offers reassurance that though the world is wicked, our God loves us so much that he has provided all of the guidance we need to navigate life. 

“I hate double-minded people, but I love your law. You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”

What a beautiful reminder to bury ourselves in God’s commands. I pray that you find love, peace, and reassurance in his words written for you. 

-Jenn Haynes

Reflection Questions

What are some decisions you are facing right now? What would God advise? 

Many people find rules restricting. How do you feel about some of God’s rules for you? If you find them restricting, do some reflection to find out why. Is what God wants for you clashing with what you want? 

Take some time to thank God for some specific rules he has set forth for you that you have found helpful. Revel in his love for you! 

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Contemplation – Take it to Heart

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 24-26

POETRY: Psalm 119:17-24

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 1

Revelation is a tricky book. I will admit that I struggle with it, as I’m sure others do. When meditating on this passage I actually sat down and tried to put myself in John’s place. He is receiving one intense vision, full of important messages, all of which he might not fully comprehend in his time. 

This devotion is less of a devotion today and more of an invitation to join me in a practice of contemplation. 

John introduces himself and tells the reader what he is writing and why he’s writing it. And the first part of this great message is actually a collection of letters to the seven great churches of the time. 

Now these letters are laid out in chapters 2 and 3. However, I’m not actually going into those so I feel like I’m within my realm of Revelation 1 for this little exercise! 

Join me, if you will, in constructing a letter to yourself and/or your church, written by Christ. This can be either written or mental. This devotion will primarily be reflection questions to give you some things to contemplate. 

Reflection: 

Take a few minutes with each of these questions to pray and evaluate: 

Christ, seated at God’s side, knows your deeds. In looking at your current habits and practices, what does he lift up? What is he pleased with? Pray over these things and ask God to continue to help you to grow. Thank him for allowing you the circumstances that allow you to minister and please him. Thank him for the blessings he has given you. 

What about in your church body? What does your church do well in God’s eyes? Pray over your church family now, thanking God for individuals that serve alongside you in the church body. Thank God for the blessings he has given your church family. 

Now, what practices in your life are not pleasing? What do you struggle to turn away from? How would Christ address those? How would he advise you to take action? Pray over these, and ask for strength and guidance in those areas. Pray for mercy and forgiveness. 

Are there practices within your home church that Christ would not be pleased with? Are there attitudes that need changing? Does your own attitude need adjustment? How would Jesus address your church in this regard? How would he encourage you to correct these behaviors and thoughts? Pray now over your church family. Pray for forgiveness and mercy. Pray that God will show you a way in which you can help be a positive force of change in your church body. 

Dear father, I’m so thankful for my fellow believers in churches all over the world. I pray that we would be pleasing to you. I pray that we are able to seek out what we are doing wrong and right ourselves. Please show us the way and also show us great mercy. Thank you for the sacrifice that was made so that we could one day see Christ’s return and see your kingdom established forever here on a perfect earth. Grant us all guidance and strength until we see that great day. In your son’s name I pray, Amen.    – Jenn Haynes

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Chameleon Effect

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 20-21

POETRY: Psalm 119:1-8

NEW TESTAMENT: 3 John

My kids love to study animals, especially my 8 year old son, Oliver. He has a particular interest in sea-life. He told me once, in depth, about the amazing mimic Octopus. This creature mimics the actions of some other sea life, rather than just using camouflage, in order to protect itself. 

There are other animals in nature that do something similar, pretending to be something they are not in order to achieve safety or to catch prey. They pick out what works for other animals, and do those things themselves. We do this all the time, sometimes knowingly, sometimes not. When in a group of people I generally am subconsciously on high alert to fit in. It’s exhausting and tense and causes me so much anxiety. I will likely mimic what is around me so that I can be more comfortable while interacting. This is normal human behavior that some use more than others. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing! It entirely depends on who and what we are mimicking. 

There have been studies behind how and why people do this, and it has been coined the chameleon effect. We subconsciously pick up on micro-level behaviors around us and those behaviors affect how we interact. When someone around us is tense and rigid, it tends to make us tense up as well. If someone is relaxed and at ease, this puts us at ease and we subconsciously relax. It’s why yawns are “contagious” and why some people pick up speech patterns and mannerisms when in a group of people speaking in a style different to their usual one. This phenomenon allows us to interact with others with greater ease. 

3 John verse 11 says, “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.” We are constantly picking up the speech and behavior around us and whether we actively try to imitate them or not, we will do so. Even if it’s on smaller levels, those around you will have an effect on how you speak and behave. John is warning a friend in this letter of a church leader who is being self-serving and giving false teaching. But not only is he warning him away from this danger, he’s also giving an example of who he should imitate instead. 

We like to think that we are stronger than we are, when it comes to this particular issue that John is warning against. How many of us have had the thought, “It’s ok, their bad influence isn’t affecting me. In fact, I’m probably having a good influence on them!” We are called as disciples to go out into the world, yes. And we are to set a good example for others to follow. But this requires some maintenance. When we are fully immersed in worldly behavior and speech for a majority of our time, those mannerisms will affect you. Don’t delude yourself otherwise. 

1. Guard yourself. Spend frequent time in scripture, prayer, and worship. Arm yourself with spiritual armor and replenish that armor frequently. 

2. Balance your time. Most of your time should not be spent being surrounded by sinful behavior. Be sure that most of your time is spent imitating godly mannerisms by surrounding yourself with them. 

3. Have accountability. Be sure that you have a reliable, godly support system who will keep you in check. We often don’t even realize when we pick up bad habits, but our closest friends and families will. 

4. Keep your focus on imitating good. When you’re out in the world, preaching the gospel and interacting with others, your goal should always be to imitate Christ. Without Jesus visually there in front of you, sometimes that is harder to do, so be sure you have another wise influence in your life that you can imitate as John mentions here. When you are focused on imitating good, it’s much more difficult to imitate evil. Be vigilant. 

Reflection: 

Who in your life should you be imitating? Are they solid examples of good, Christian behavior? Why? Those traits that tell you they are good to follow are probably traits you want to work on in your own life. 

Are you regularly around non-christians and possibly some dangerous habits and behaviors? Probably, as we don’t all work and live in a fully Christian setting. However, it’s important to recognize those potential areas of our life where we might be imitating bad behavior in order to fit in well. 

Are there any behaviors or speech you’ve picked up from them that aren’t good or godly? How can you counteract those? What is a good way to behave in those settings while still being able to interact and have a positive influence on your environment? 

My prayer for you today is that you have a positive influence on your surroundings and others are led to imitate you! I pray that if you don’t already have a person in your life with godly influence for you to imitate, one steps in. I pray that you find the support and strength you need to go be in the world, but not be a part of it. Be a world changer for Christ today! – Jenn Haynes

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Word Association Games

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 18 & 19

POETRY: Psalm 119

NEW TESTAMENT: 2 John

Word association games. Have you ever tried them? If I say, “Fruit,” for example, what is the first thing that comes to your brain? 

Have you ever tried those with people? I don’t think most people can be broken down into one word. We are far too complicated. But when you think of an individual – for example, “Mom”- what is the first word that comes to mind? I just tried this exercise on each member of my family, using other family member’s names. I’m happy to say that at least one of my children as well as my husband said, “loving” when presented with my name or “Mom.” I’ll take that win and ignore the fact that the others thought of food. 

When doing a word association with “Christian,” what do you think people come up with? What about when nonChristians think of you? 

Verses 5 and 6 are another reminder from John to love others. And again, as he did in 1 John, he describes what love is. “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”

Walk in love. The Greek here is agape, which is the highest form of love. This is a selfless and sacrificial love. And the command is that we walk in it. 

This is not an occasional action, loving one another. It’s not even a frequent action. It’s even more than that. Walking in love means that every intention and motivation must be love. Love should be our defining characteristic. When people see you and think of you and hear you, they should associate you with God’s love. And walking in love means behaving like Jesus. 

It’s difficult knowing how Jesus would behave in every situation. There’s so much misinformation out there, and so many lies. I started and deleted so many examples of common lies that Christians believe here. I will instead say this: read the scriptures. If you’re unsure as to how Jesus would behave in a given situation, read the scriptures. Read God’s commands. 

This short letter was important enough to write and send, so the short message in it must be vital. Walk in love and in truth. In other words, live as Jesus did. 

Reflection: 

What do you imagine people think of when they consider you? Is your most defining trait love or something related to love? If you don’t think it is, how can you go about changing your actions and words so that others see God’s love being reflected from you? 

Think of other strong believers that you know and admire. Do a word association for them. What characteristics do you think of? Are any of those characteristics ones that you’d like to work on in yourself? 

Have you allowed any lies to sneak their way into your faith? How much time do you spend in scripture that would allow you to recognize the lies if they showed up? Do you find yourself thinking of how Jesus would behave in a given situation when you encounter it? 

My brothers and sisters, my prayer for you today is that you have open eyes and hearts so that you can see how God is working in you. I pray that your influence on others be one that is full of truth and love.

– Jenn Haynes

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Crushed or Overcoming?

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 16 & 17

POETRY: Psalm 118

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 John 5

Have you ever felt crushed by the world? I joke sometimes that that’s basically adulthood – being stressed, harassed, crushed, overcome, squeezed by life. Sad way to look at it, really. Some days it just feels like everyone around me is trying to suck out every last bit of patience, gentleness, joy, and peace that I have. They aren’t, of course. But sometimes I just feel so … done. Have you ever felt that way? Then you just have to take a deep breath, request a refill from God, and get back to living, serving, and loving, right? It sounds easier than it is, sometimes, but John here is basically telling us just that. 

1 John 5:2-6 says “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” 

Who overcomes the world? The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. I love that. It reminds me of John 16:33, one of my favorite passages. Jesus is talking to his disciples, describing how the world will hate them, but to remember that it hated him first. And he warns them that they will grieve, but promises that their grief will turn to great joy. And before he prays over them and over all believers, he says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

We believe in the savior given by God our perfect father. And he was hated and crushed and persecuted by the world. But he followed God’s commands, and found that in those commands he overcame the world. In 1 John 5:19, John says, “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” 

That explains the frequent crushing feeling, then. Of course we sometimes feel overwhelmed and under fire. We are children of God in a world that is under the enemy’s control. But John follows by saying, “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”

There is a lot in the world we could easily give in to. When crushed, we could give in. We could turn to sinful comforts. We could allow our frustrations and complaints to turn to bitterness, unkindness, pride, gossip, and the like. We could give our attention to worldly things and idols to distract ourselves from our trials. 

But God’s commands are not burdensome. In fact, they are freeing. It’s very difficult to succumb to sinful nature when I’m in God’s word, or when I’m worshiping, or when I’m serving or loving others. When I’m doing something God commands of me, my heart and my thoughts are protected and the world cannot touch it. I’m no longer in the world’s control.

Reflection Questions:

How is the world controlling you right now? How is it affecting your attitude, your actions, and the way you speak to others? How is it affecting your heart? Are you bitter? Are you angry? Are you envious? 

What are some of God’s commands that you aren’t giving enough attention to that could help you overcome this worldly influence? Could you be spending more time communicating with God, rather than gossiping or complaining to others? Could you spend more time in gratitude rather than in frustration? Are you spending enough time in God’s word or is most of your time devoted to entertainment? Maybe put more worship into your life, rather than secular music? 

What could you be praying over right now, rather than complaining over? Take some time now to ask God to help you overcome the frustrations of the world. 

My beloved friends and fellow children of God, I hope you choose God’s commands every day and that those commands lift you and free you. The world should not be holding that kind of power over you and your heart. God gave you his son, so take heart! He has overcome the world, and so will you! 

– Jenn Haynes

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Perfect Love

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 14 & 15

POETRY: Psalm 117

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 John 4

There are some pretty confusing messages about love out there in the world. I’m sure you’ve seen some of them. Oftentimes it’s defined as an emotion, a feeling. (How vague and disappointing a definition.) Some say it’s something you cannot help. You fall in and out of it, with little to no control. (Yikes. No accountability there.) Some say it’s something you have to work at, and that love takes effort. (Ok, I have to agree with that one a bit.) The Greeks separated love into 8 categories: eros, ludus, philio, agape, storge, mania, pragma, and philautia. (Talk about complicated.) I very clearly remember listening to a lot of DC Talk as a kid in the 90’s and they told me that love is a verb. (Or maybe that was Luv. It has been a long time since I was “d-d-down with the DC Talk.”) And then there’s the currently popular, on bumper stickers everywhere, “Love is love.” (Not super helpful, thanks.) 

John here tells us God is love. And if that doesn’t tell you how amazingly wonderful and powerful real, actual love is, then I don’t know what will. And fortunately for us, John goes into this a bit more.

 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

We know what love is when we know God. And we know God by listening, and learning, and understanding exactly what kind of sacrifice was made in order that he could have a relationship with us. I think we sometimes miss the gravity of this. When you sit and truly contemplate it, it sits heavy on your chest and chokes you. This love is devastating. 

I have a son. I love him dearly. I would die for him without hesitation. And there’s not a person on this planet that I want a relationship with badly enough to put my son through the torture and death that Christ suffered. I can’t fathom it. My heart breaks with the thought. 

God did not love his son any less than I love my little Oliver. In fact, God, in his perfect love, loves his son more, I’m sure, though that’s hard for me to understand or admit because I feel like I love my boy without end. But God is love, and God is perfection, and God loved his son Jesus. And yet he offered his son as a sacrifice. 

WHY!? Why would he do that!? If he loved his son so much, HOW could he do that!? 

That same perfect love extends to each of us as well. Though we are imperfect, ungrateful, selfish, and sinful, God’s perfect love covers us. He loves us SO MUCH, that he gave us his son. Jesus Christ was the model of all things good and perfect and brought us hope of a kingdom and eternal life with God and then he willingly suffered and died to make that future a possibility for all of us. And God allowed it. God gave us everything. And that is real Love, with a capital L. That is God’s Love. 

And God asks us to show that Love to others. I’ll admit immediately that I’m not capable of that kind of perfect Love. It hurts. It’s difficult. I don’t always understand it. My imperfect self, with my petty thoughts and frustrations and impatience… I’m only capable of love with a lowercase l. I’m not sure I can Love like God Loves.

But even when I’m not able to Love like that myself, I am VERY capable of sharing God’s Love with others. My version of love fails, but my God never does. 

“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.”

We must know and rely on the Love God has for us. We are not capable of this kind of Love on our own, but God grants us his Spirit, and we know what his Love looks like. Share His Love with others. Love your neighbors enough to share God’s true and perfect Love with them. 

Reflection:

Who do you struggle to love? Do you have any relationships in your life where you find it difficult to love your neighbor? 

With whom can you share God’s perfect Love? Who do you know that desperately needs to see that Love in action? Who do you know that needs to hear that they are loved SO MUCH that God wants a personal relationship with them? 

Do those around you see God’s Love in your actions and in your words? Do they recognize God’s Spirit working in you? If not, or if not often enough, how can you do a better job of allowing God to work in you? 

My friends, I hope that this was a message of Love to you today. I pray that God’s perfect Love overcomes you this week. I pray that it overwhelms you so much that you have to share it with others.

– Jenn Haynes

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Can they Recognize you as God’s Child?

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 12 & 13

POETRY: Psalm 116

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 John 3

I love looking at my children and seeing which traits of theirs are mine and which are my husband’s. My eldest is my miniature, with her blue eyes and wavy brown hair. She also has all my attitude, but also my creative flair. My second has her father’s eyes and coloring and his gentle spirit. And our son…I’m not sure if either of us were ever that mischievous, but I think we can both claim his cleverness. 

What a beautiful thing to be recognized as God’s child, though. 1 John 3 starts out with this proclamation. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” He claims us as his own, and loves when people recognize us as being children of God. And who can recognize us as such? Only those who know the Father as well. 

Those who know me well, can likely look at my children and see that they belong to me. They recognize characteristics. But those that don’t know me? It’s not so obvious. And that is why the world does not understand us. If the world doesn’t know God, it won’t recognize God’s traits in us. 

This chapter speaks a great deal on sin and how we must turn from it. It speaks on love and hate. But my favorite part of this passage is the promise that it offers, right off the bat. Verse 2 says, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 

One day, we will be without sin. One day, our relationship to God will be obvious. We will look like his son, Jesus Christ our savior. Everyone will see the resemblance. But until that time, we struggle against sin and imperfection. Verse 9 tells us, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” 

The world is looking at us, Christians. They are seeing us proclaim to be children of God, followers of Christ, and they are suspicious. If they don’t know God, they won’t recognize our conviction and our faith. But they recognize sin as we all do. And they see when we proclaim to follow God but refuse to turn from our sin. They see when we don’t love. They see when we are spiteful, or petty, or cruel. They see when we say “Love your neighbor” but do not carry out the actions. They see selfishness, pride, and haughtiness. These traits are fully recognizable as worldly traits. 

The world may not always understand true, Godly love, but we are to show it anyway so that others can see glimpses of God’s love for them. It is his great desire that we all be his children, and that one day, at Christ’s return, we are all made pure and fully known as Children of God. 

Reflection Questions: 

What traits do you show that you hope others see as Godly traits? Which areas in your actions and attitude do you feel you need to work on so that others better recognize you as God’s child?

How can you better love those around you? Is there someone in your life right now that frustrates or hurts you that you find difficult to love and be kind towards? Read through verses 21-23 and pray now for some extra strength and grace from God to be more loving toward them, so that they can see God in you.

Praying over you this week, my brothers and sisters. I’m so grateful to be a part of God’s chosen family with you.

– Jenn Haynes

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