Hey everybody – I’m Ashley Pinciaro, the Children’s Ministry Director at Grace Chapel’s Lexington campus. I’m glad to be with you guys today to share a brief devotional thought.

For those of you who don’t know me, a bit of background. I’ve been at Grace Chapel for almost four years now. I came to Boston for this job at Grace Chapel, straight from Long Island where I’d spent 7 years. Before Long Island, I was in Boston, but before that I spent 22 years in the great state of Mississippi, which I still miss today. Now, I live in Arlington with my husband and our 2 girls who are 3 and 5. So, you guys, are joining me outside this morning in Arlington.

With a 3-year-old, a 5 year old, a house to run and a full time job, life feels busy for me all of the time, but right now, as we enter day 34 of quarantine, life feels especially busy. My husband and I are balancing our full-time jobs while caring for our kids full time and trying to give them a good, diversified experience at home. So far, it’s going ok, but it does leave me tired, and it also leaves me struggling to find time to sit with God in the way that I know I need to.

For me, a lot of times, my moments to be with God are when I’m taking a quick walk around the block, taking the dogs out for a walk or driving somewhere alone in the car. For these moments I often listen to worship music and one group in particular has caught my attention this year. Maverick City Music is a group of worship artists that come together to blend the contemporary Christian music world with the gospel world. The result is incredible, powerful music that helps me feel more connected with God.

Thankfully, while we’ve all been in quarantine, they’ve released a new record, and I’ve found myself listening to one song in particular over and over again. It’s called Promises. Let me share with you some lyrics from the song that stick out to me – “God from age to age, though the earth may pass away, your world remains the same.” Can you understand why that lyric right now in this season for us resonates in my soul? Another one: “I put my faith in Jesus. My anchor to the ground. My hope and firm foundation. He’ll never let me down.” And one more: “From the rising sun to the setting same, I will praise your name.”

Listening to those words over and over, singing those words over and over, I’ve found myself wanting to sit with God’s Promises to us. During this season more than maybe any other, what are some of God’s promises to us that we can hold on to?

Two that are resonating with me right now: The first from Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat wit that person, and they with me.”

As I’ve sat in quarantine for the last 30+days, I’ve asked myself, what is God trying to say to me right now? I still don’t know the exact answer to that, but I do know, because God promises it right here, that I can count on God to listen to my questions and I know I want to be ready to listen for God’s response. God promises that he will come in and eat with us. Imagine that – eating with God, asking God question after question over dinner. God – what is this season? God – what do you want from me, from us during this time?

Another promise that I’ve been reflecting on in this season comes from Hebrews 13:5-6. I actually love The Message translation of this: “Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, ‘I will never let you down, never walk off and leave you.’”

Isn’t that the promise we need right now? To know God is with us in whatever we are facing and however we are processing where we are.

So today, whenever you are watching this, think about, Which of God’s Promises stand out to you? Write them down. Grab some paper or put them in your phone so you can come back to them. Talk to God about them in prayer, over breakfast, over dinner. Answer the door and let him in, knowing he won’t walk off and leave.

From the rising sun to the setting same we can put our faith in Jesus and let him be the foundation that holds us steady. For those promises, I am so thankful.