Daily Devotions

April 30

"For thus says the LORD: I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bodies shall flourish like the grass; and it shall be known that the hand of the LORD is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies." - Isaiah 66:12-14 (NRSV)

In this beautiful passage from the prophet Isaiah, we have a picture of God's comprehensive amazing motherly love that conveys our Lord's total provision for us. While we often think of God as only a Father, Isaiah is clear that God is also our Mother. God's love for us not only provides a Father's strength and power but also includes all the wonderful aspects of a Mother's love including comfort, healing, protection, health, life, nourishing food, watchfulness, and playfulness.

Just as God's love did not abandon the Jews when Jerusalem was under attack by enemies, God's love will never abandon us or leave his perfect plan for us unfinished. In this powerful prophecy through Isaiah, God reassures us he will accomplish what has been promised. These verses reaffirm God's profound love for his people. No matter what happens to us, no matter where we are, we can never be lost to his love.

Don't let fear, attacks, or suffering drive you away from God! Let our Lord's motherly and fatherly love reach out and protect and heal you. This scripture contains some of the most comforting promises in the Bible. Believers have always faced hardships that can cause us to fear we may have been abandoned by God. But Isaiah proclaims it is impossible to be separated from our Lord's amazing love. We never have to worry God will run out of love, because divine love flows from an eternal well that never runs dry.

Prayer:

God,

Thank you for your mothering love.

Amen

Meditation For The Day:

Love heals. Fear steals.

Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring Renewal (Seasonal Devotionals) Paperback – February 21, 2017

Used with permission of the family of the late Rev. Dr. Mary B. Johnson.

Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson, D.Min., (1942-2018)

Mary was Ordained in 1975.
She served both as a Parish Pastor and in multiple Specialized Ministry Settings.

She worked on the Clinical Staff of New England Memorial Hospital and Middleton Pastoral
Counseling Center in Massachusetts and was a Director of Green Pastures Counseling Centers in N.H.

She was a state Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor,
Nationally Board-Certified Counselor (N.C.C.), and Nationally Certified Pastoral Counselor (AAPC)
and held certification as a Clinical Member of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (A.C.P.E.).

She received a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Psychology and Clinical Studies
from Andover Newton in Newton, MA.

Dr. Johnson also founded Good News Specialized Ministries, Inc.
This unique ministry provided education and Clinical Christian Counseling to thousands of people over the decades and trained numerous Clinical Counselors and Counseling Ministers while offering weekly non-denominational worship services to the community for more than 20 years.

I had the honor and privilege of working with Pastor Arnie Johnson
when I served as the pastor for the Richmond Community United Methodist Church

in Richmond, NH from 2019 - 2022.
I personally have been deeply touched by Mary's writings.

Her family has graciously allowed me to share them with you.

- Pastor Sharon Sargent

"I always considered my ministry at Richmond as a shared ministry. Mary had the expertise that helped me function as well as I did. I received critiques on the way home after the services. I finally realized that I may have “arrived” when one day she was pleased with my performance with no critique! That took several years! So, I would love it if you would use the picture of the two of us and mention Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson as my spouse and partner in ministry, and she continued to be until the day she died, four days before the end of my appointment at Richmond." - Pastor Arnie Johnson

Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson is the author of eight other published books including:

"Activating The Power Of Pastoral Care: A Team Approach";

"Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter Renewal"(Vol.1-4);

"Flying Free: Transforming Grief and Loss into Renewal";

Following The Angel Trail: In The Steps Of Jesus";

"Love In Action: The Healing Heritage Of The Counseling Ministry Of The Church";

"Visions Of Hope: Voices Of Americana";

"Healing Streams: Journeys Of Healing".

She has also been published in the AAPC professional Journal "Journeys" and in the Keene Sentinel.