Till the Storm Passes By
(NRSV) TO THE LEADER: DO NOT DESTROY. OF DAVID. A MIKTAM, WHEN HE FLED FROM SAUL, IN THE CAVE.
Psalm 57:1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
until the destroying storms pass by.
(NRSV)Psalm 27:4 One thing I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the LORD,
and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock.
I wonder if people throughout the ages have believed they were living in unprecedented times. I know I have witnessed a lot in my 74 years, some triumphs and some tragedies.
Not even a year ago parts of North Carolina were washed away and close to 200 lives were lost. In Kerrville, TX the Guadalupe River swelled above its banks and over 100 fatalities occurred on the Fourth of July with more than 150 still missing. Tragic beyond our understanding, yet I know that our God reigns. How do I know? The Bible tells me so.
When life spins out of control, I am not one who hides in bed with my covers over my head. Nor do I shake my fist toward heaven, cursing God in anger. Instead, I turn to the comfort found in God’s Word. And I know, believe and understand that just as God is with us when we take our first breath, He is with us when we take our last breath.
May we grieve over lives impacted by disasters, praying for God’s supernatural peace and may we provide comfort to those in pain, using God’s Word as our source and the Holy Spirit as our guide.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
An Example for All
(NIV) 1Tim 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (NIV) 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners —of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.
When we read this scripture we should receive so much comfort. After all, this is Paul’s testimony of his faith and his deliverance from sin. Read what he tells us:
- He was given strength
- Was considered trustworthy
- Was appointed to Christ’s service
- Received mercy because he was
- A blasphemer
- A persecutor
- A violent man
- Received grace that was poured out abundantly
Not only was Paul used in a mighty way during his lifetime, he became an example, particularly to those who believe they have done too much to be redeemed. When we believe our transgressions are too great to be covered by the blood of Jesus, we are saying that Jesus isn’t enough—God forbid.
May we not only receive assurance from these words, but may we, too, be a model of one who has been changed by Christ into a new creation.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Keeping a Tender Heart
(NIV) Ps 95:6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
7 for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
Today, if only you would hear his voice,
8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,
as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested me;
they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
Have you thought lately about the condition of your heart? Do you still long to be in the Word as you did when you first accepted Christ, or have you allowed life to get in the way? You know what I mean—you miss reading Scripture and praying one morning because you have an early doctor’s appointment, or perhaps you slept in and you won’t make it to work on time if you keep your quiet time with God. A myriad of things can interfere with our morning devotions, but it is vital that we do not allow these interruptions to set up a pattern of neglect.
We are beginning a new study about the Parable of the Sower, and we looked at the first seed that fell upon hardened ground. The differing soil conditions, of course, are metaphors for the state of the heart. I mentioned that normally things are subject to breakage when they are brittle. Think about fine china or crystal.
Hearts, though, are different. It is not when a heart becomes hardened that it is in danger of breaking, but rather when it remains soft. Just like the pathway where the first seed fell had become packed down from people traveling on it daily, the burdens and cares of this world can begin to make us unfeeling or uncaring.
During our discussion the point was made that we should harden our hearts against Satan’s attacks but keep them pliable before God. But can we do both? What if we, instead of hardening our hearts, strengthen our resolve to stand against the enemy but at the same time keep our hearts soft by kneeling before God?
May we stay in communion with God daily, as we allow His Word to breathe life and light into us through the power of the Holy Spirit, keeping our hearts ready to receive and ready to give.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Enduring Love
(NIV) Psalm 107
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
Enduring love—in a time when love is often conditional at best, the everlasting love of God our Father is steadfast and true. Just as the people of Israel were redeemed from their sin, we look to God to deliver us from all unrighteousness.
Must we wander in the desert for forty years, or is there a sign showing a clear exit? The problem with the desert is that much of it looks the same with few identifiable characteristics. So it is with sin. Yet, there is an exit from a life marred by sin and it is marked by an old rugged cross.
May we allow Jesus to lead us from the desert of fear and uncertainty and into the marvelous light of His love. And, let the redeemed say so!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let your Gentleness be known
(NRSV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Personalized scripture card:
“The Lord is near, Carol. Do not be anxious, but in everything through prayer and supplication and thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God, and His peace which passes all understanding shall guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.* Philippians 45-7
Years ago I began following a model of prayer by using the acronym “P.R.A.Y.” As a young Christian, I had little confidence in my prayers. By using this model to pray I began to gain the awareness of Who God was and who I was in Him. After all of these years I barely notice the order in which I pray because it has become so much a part of me.
I have been in a personal struggle over the past few months, making choices that hurt other people so that I could have peace. Then, in reversing those choices I hurt still more people. So today I share a prayer for restoration of peace, asking for mercy from God and forgiveness from those I hurt.
Father God, I come to You today with praise in my heart for Who you are. You are the One, True and Living God and my desire is with my dying breath that your praise will be on my lips. I have learned from reading your Word that you desire the praises of Your people, and you deserve all honor and glory because You are holy, holy, holy.
I repent of my sins, knowing that sin builds a wall between You and Your children, but the sacrifice that Jesus made tears down any walls, restoring us to a right relationship with You. And so I pray you would search my heart today, and if there be any wickedness in me forgive me. If I have been prideful or failed to show kindness, I repent before You. If I have acted hastily, failing to search out the answers in Your Word before making life-altering decisions , I pray not only for your mercy, but I pray you will soften the hearts of those I hurt.
I come to You on behalf of people I have hurt, not through malice or intent, but because their idea of how I should live out the rest of my life clashes with what I believe You want. I chose to return to a life that has yielded so much pain, believing the Holy Spirit has intervened and will continue to work miracles of faith. I pray with everything within me that my family whom I love and would never intentionally hurt will be surrounded by the peace that only you can give and that they will, through Your love and mercy, forgive me for what they consider a betrayal and that our relationship will be restored.
And finally, I ask for the strength to really mean it when I pray thy kingdom come, thy will be done. May I understand that praying in Jesus’ name is not just the way we were taught to end our prayers, but it is the admission that we are asking only for things that would honor our Savior and our Lord.
May we each spend time in prayer rejoicing, repenting and being restored in our relationship to God and to our fellow man.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 