“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day word is deep. Do you know how deep the love of Christ is for you? Do you truly grasp the fullness of God?

I think we know in our heads what the Bible tells us of the love of Christ, but we don’t always grasp the fullness of God. Or, do we get caught up in our busy schedules and forget just how wide, long, high, and deep God loves us?

Today’s featured photo by Ray White is of a hole in the sand. Can you tell how deep it is? I can’t tell at first glance. Unless you were there when the photo was taken or experienced the digging of the hole, you can’t tell the depth. You and I have to experience God’s overwhelming love to grasp His fullness. Spend some time today recalling moments that you have truly grasped and experienced just how wide, long, high, and deep God’s love is for you, and give Him praise.

Dear God, Thank you for Your wide, long, high, and deep love. I praise You for loving me so much that You gave the life of Your son for me to have eternal life. There is no greater love and for that I am eternally thankful. May my words and actions reflect Your deep love. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” ‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Photo-A-Day word is celebrate. My word for the year is relish. Click here to read my blog post about my word of the year.

Today I encourage you to relish and celebrate the big and the small. Today I chose to share with you photos I took at our church “camp” night. It was an enjoyable time of food and fellowship. It was a perfect gift from above that I relish.

God gives us moments to celebrate every single day. What can you celebrate today? What moments are you relishing?

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of today. May I relish each moment and celebrate each gift. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

If you would like to share your Rethink Photo-a-Day with us, you can do one of the following:

Post comment on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/waterwalkers29?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Tag us in a photo on Instagram @waterwalkers29

Email us at waterwalkers29@gmail.com

We want to hear and see from you!

“And then God answered: ‘Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.’” Habakkuk‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Join me for See You Saturday as I talk about vision.

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.” Habakkuk‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Dear God, You who are sovereign, You give me strength. I trust in Your faithful promises. Forgive me when I question Your plans. I can see Your past faithfulness in Your word and the story of Your son, Christ Jesus. Although I can’t see what is ahead, I trust in the vision you have for my life. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

Below are the photos shared with Water Walkers this week. If you would like to share your Rethink Photo-a-Day with us, you can do one of the following:

Post comment on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/waterwalkers29?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Tag us in a photo on Instagram @waterwalkers29

Email us at waterwalkers29@gmail.com

We want to hear and see from you!

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Photo-A-Day word is alone. Solitude is the state of being alone. Did you know that bears prefer to live in solitude? Other than mating and raising cubs, they are known to be the loneliest carnivores. Although Jesus didn’t prefer to live alone, He did like to pray in solitude. In our key verse, He instructs us where we should go and pray. I have included two instances where the Bible illustrates Jesus retreating in solitude to pray.

Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV: “After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,”
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Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭36‬ ‭NIV‬‬: “Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’”

I encourage you to read two more instances on your own, Mark 1:35 and Luke 22: 39-41. It isn’t always easy to be alone on this earth. The truth is, with Jesus, we are never alone. Next time you find yourself in solitude, I encourage you to take the opportunity to just sit in His presence. Let’s pray.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16‬:‭33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Today’s Photo-A-Day word is overcome. This photo could symbolize different things. I was able to overcome the challenges of a run. If you live in our area, you may have or have not overcome the pollen. Jesus overcame His journey to the cross. In our key verse, Jesus is talking to His disciples. He is acknowledging the trials we will experience here on earth. He is also saying to “take heart” which means courage and confidence because He overcame the world. I encourage you to read the full passage; John 16:16-33. I also encourage you to take a moment to listen to the Story of the song “Overcome” by Jeremy Camp. Some of the lyrics sing: “We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.”

A testimony comes from a test. Jesus knows the trials and tests we are facing. What trial are are you facing today? Do you feel like running from it? God has not abandoned you. What if we courageously ran towards our trial with God? In the message version of verses 31-33: “Jesus answered them, ‘Do you finally believe? In fact, you’re about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I’m not abandoned. The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.’” Let’s pray.

Dear God, I am so thankful You have never left me. Help me to see, even through my trials and tests that You are right beside me. Forgive me for running away. Give me the confidence I need to run towards my trial because I know I can do all things through You. I worship the one that has conquered the grave. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

“While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭5‬ ‭ASV‬‬

Today’s Photo-A-Day word is beloved. In our key verse, God refers to Jesus as His beloved. According to the dictionary beloved means dearly loved. Notice Ray White’s beautiful picture of the sun setting over a church. As you look at this picture I want you to be reminded that we are God’s church and we are His beloved. In 1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭ASV‬‬ we read: “Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Now read the key verse again. Notice there is a call to action. As His disciples, we are asked to hear God. Hearing involves a relationship with God. Keeping in mind that we are His beloved, I encourage you to really listen to the words of the song, “I Am Your Beloved” by Johnathan David Helser and Melissa Helser. Some of the lyrics sing, “I am Your beloved, You have bought me with Your blood and on Your hand, You have written out my name. I am Your beloved, the one the father loves. Mercy has defeated all my shame.” Let’s pray.

Dear God, I come to You today as Your beloved child. I desire to hear Your voice. Thank You for defeating my shame and loving me. I lift up all those that do not know You. May they see Your love through me. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Photo-A-Day word is dazzling. According to the dictionary, this means extremely bright, especially so as to blind the eyes temporarily. Similar words are extremely impressive, beautiful, or skillful. Have you ever looked into the sun a little too long and then tried to come inside? You start to see spots and are almost blinded for a few minutes. Notice this picture from Ray White. There is a surfer who appears to be staring into the sunrise. If you ask me that is a pretty dazzling place to watch the sunrise.

Over Jesus’ journey on earth, the Disciples had a dazzling view of His life. From His teachings, healings, transfiguration, last supper, death on the cross, and when the Son would rise from His grave. Can you envision the Disciple’s view of Jesus’s transfiguration? This took place just six days after Peter’s declaration of faith in Matthew 16:16 NIV: “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’” How close is your view of Jesus? Are you on the mountain watching His transfiguration with the Disciples? Are you declaring your faith like Peter? Make today transfiguration Tuesday and be dazzled by Jesus’ light. Let’s pray.

Dear God, Thank You for desiring to have a close relationship with me. Forgive me for the times I have missed seeing and shining your glory. I declare my faith in You. I desire to be so close in relationship with you that I am dazzled by your light. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.