The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2 NIV).
There are many examples from the natural world of God’s protective provisions. Perhaps you have traveled through San Juan Capistrano. For centuries these golden-breasted birds have spent their summers in the eaves of the old mission located there. They always arrive on March 19th and leave on October 23rd, never missing those dates. Not once have they varied over the years. Even leap year does not change the times of their coming and going. And the swallows invariably start out before daylight on their southern flight. Now, how would you explain this unusual phenomenon? Nature's guidance? Luck? Coincidence? Of course not! God has placed within them an instinct that tells them with uncanny accuracy when to head south and when to return. Their survival depends on this innate sense of timing. And, if He cares so much for these tiny little birds, consider how much more we mean to Him.
God’s protection is unlimited. This psalm of David explains five basic truths of this protection.
God is like “a rock” that can’t be moved by any who would harm us.
God is like “a fortress” or place of safety where the enemy can’t follow.
God is “a shield” that comes between us and harm.
God is “a horn of salvation” which was a symbol of might and power.
God is “a stronghold high above our enemies.”
Knowing these truths should bring encouragement to continue in our walk. I know from my own life that God is always right on time. Especially over the past few years I have wondered what God could possibly do to make some of my experience “work together for good.” And, often just about the time I was about to surrender to feelings of doubt and fear, God arrives and shows me His abundance of mercy and grace. You may be going through such a time in your life. Please remember that nothing is impossible for our heavenly Father. Nancy Spiegelberg has written a wonderful bit of verse:
Lord, I crawled across the barrenness
to you…
with my empty cup…
uncertain in asking
any small drop of refreshment.
If only I had known you
better…
I’d have come running…
with a bucket.
Do you have your bucket with you today?
Saturday, November 27, 2010
"Happy Birthday Faith and Logan!"
I love my children and grandchildren. Today is the seventh birthday of my grandchildren, Faith and Logan. They are such incredible gifts from God. The more I am able to be close to them the more I have learned of the grace of God. I recently read a snippet that expresses my thoughts about the experiences we have with our grandchildren by Angie Papadakis. She wrote, “A baby has a way of making a man out of his father and a boy out of his grandfather.” How true!
As I have been convalescing after back surgery, I have not been as sturdy as they have been accustomed to. I am restricted to what I can pick up. That has meant I am unable to catch them in my arms and scoop them up for a kiss and a twirl. Just the other day when we went over to their house to have our family thanksgiving together and watch a little football, Faith came up to me and gently snuggled up for a kiss. She said, “I know you will get better Grandpa. Then you can twirl me in the air.” I was incredibly humbled to think that she would even notice! Both Faith and Logan were gentle around me. Once Logan came and climbed into my lap to sit for a bit. He was very careful to sit still (an accomplishment for a very busy boy) and then slid off and went about his way. As I thought about our relationship, the following passage came to my mind:
Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? (Psalm 8:1-4 NIV).
That highlighted verse jumped to my mind. After all, how will our children and grandchildren learn to praise the Lord except through us? It is an awesome privilege to be able to show our children the way to secure ourselves from any “strongholds” and “silence the foe and avenger.” There’s ample evidence based on interviews with children and grandparents that children need their grandparents and vice-versa. The study shows that the bond between grandparents and grandchildren is second in emotional power and influence only to the relationship between parents and children. Grandparents affect the lives of their grandchildren, for good or ill, simply because they exist. Unfortunately, a lot of grandparents ignore that fact, to the emotional deprivation of the young. Of the children studied, only five percent reported close, regular contact with at least one grandparent. The vast majority see their grandparents only infrequently, not because they live too far away, but because the grandparents have chosen to remain emotionally distant. These children appear to be hurt, angry, and very perceptive about their grandparents. One of them said, “I’m just a charm on grandma’s bracelet.”
Positive roles that grandparents play are caretaker, storyteller, family historian, mentor, wizard, and confidant, negotiator between child and parent, and model for the child’s own old age. When a child has a strong emotional tie to a grandparent, he enjoys a kind of immunity—he doesn’t have to perform for grandparents the way he must for his parents, peers and teacher. The love of grandparents comes with no behavioral strings attached. The emotional conflicts that often occur naturally between children and parents do not exist between grandparents and grandchildren. The challenge I have embraced is to be such a positive influence. I pray you will join me in that commitment. And, of course, I must end with Happy Birthday Faith and Logan!
As I have been convalescing after back surgery, I have not been as sturdy as they have been accustomed to. I am restricted to what I can pick up. That has meant I am unable to catch them in my arms and scoop them up for a kiss and a twirl. Just the other day when we went over to their house to have our family thanksgiving together and watch a little football, Faith came up to me and gently snuggled up for a kiss. She said, “I know you will get better Grandpa. Then you can twirl me in the air.” I was incredibly humbled to think that she would even notice! Both Faith and Logan were gentle around me. Once Logan came and climbed into my lap to sit for a bit. He was very careful to sit still (an accomplishment for a very busy boy) and then slid off and went about his way. As I thought about our relationship, the following passage came to my mind:
Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? (Psalm 8:1-4 NIV).
That highlighted verse jumped to my mind. After all, how will our children and grandchildren learn to praise the Lord except through us? It is an awesome privilege to be able to show our children the way to secure ourselves from any “strongholds” and “silence the foe and avenger.” There’s ample evidence based on interviews with children and grandparents that children need their grandparents and vice-versa. The study shows that the bond between grandparents and grandchildren is second in emotional power and influence only to the relationship between parents and children. Grandparents affect the lives of their grandchildren, for good or ill, simply because they exist. Unfortunately, a lot of grandparents ignore that fact, to the emotional deprivation of the young. Of the children studied, only five percent reported close, regular contact with at least one grandparent. The vast majority see their grandparents only infrequently, not because they live too far away, but because the grandparents have chosen to remain emotionally distant. These children appear to be hurt, angry, and very perceptive about their grandparents. One of them said, “I’m just a charm on grandma’s bracelet.”
Positive roles that grandparents play are caretaker, storyteller, family historian, mentor, wizard, and confidant, negotiator between child and parent, and model for the child’s own old age. When a child has a strong emotional tie to a grandparent, he enjoys a kind of immunity—he doesn’t have to perform for grandparents the way he must for his parents, peers and teacher. The love of grandparents comes with no behavioral strings attached. The emotional conflicts that often occur naturally between children and parents do not exist between grandparents and grandchildren. The challenge I have embraced is to be such a positive influence. I pray you will join me in that commitment. And, of course, I must end with Happy Birthday Faith and Logan!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
"Wherever You Go, There You Are"
Dr. Viktor Frankl, author of the book Man's Search For Meaning, was imprisoned by the Nazis in the Second World War because he was a Jew. His wife, his children, and his parents were all killed in the holocaust. The Gestapo made him strip. He stood there totally naked. As they cut away his wedding band, Viktor said to himself. "You can take away my wife, you can take away my children, you can strip me of my clothes and my freedom, but there is one thing no person can EVER take away from me -- and that is my freedom to choose how I will react to what happens to me!" Even under the most difficult of circumstances, happiness is a choice which transforms our tragedies into triumph. One of the ways that we may choose this happiness for our lives is in the practice of the principle that “wherever you go, there you are.” The following psalm of David speaks to this truth:
“Don't worry about the wicked. Don't envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like springtime flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop your anger! Turn from your rage! Do not envy others – it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.” (Psalm 37:1-9, NLV).
We all tend to believe at one time or another that if we were somewhere else – on vacation, with another partner, in a different career, a different home, a different circumstance – somehow we’d be happier and more content. The truth is, if you have destructive mental habits – if you get annoyed and bothered easily, if you feel angry and frustrated a great deal of the time, or if you are constantly wishing things were different, these identical tendencies will follow you wherever you go. And, the opposite is also true. If you are generally a happy person who rarely gets annoyed and bothered, then you can move from place to place, from person to person, with very little negative impact.
That’s what David meant when he closed this paragraph of Psalm 37 by saying, “…those that trust in the Lord will possess the land.” Life is like driving an automobile. It must be driven from the inside, not the outside! As we learn to focus more on becoming more peaceful with where we are, rather than where we would rather be, then we begin to experience peace. An older man taught me a beautiful lesson one-day when I casually wished him a good day. He remarked, "They're all good days. It's what we put in them that changes them.”
What are you going to put into your day today? Remember, wherever you go, there you are!
“Don't worry about the wicked. Don't envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like springtime flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop your anger! Turn from your rage! Do not envy others – it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.” (Psalm 37:1-9, NLV).
We all tend to believe at one time or another that if we were somewhere else – on vacation, with another partner, in a different career, a different home, a different circumstance – somehow we’d be happier and more content. The truth is, if you have destructive mental habits – if you get annoyed and bothered easily, if you feel angry and frustrated a great deal of the time, or if you are constantly wishing things were different, these identical tendencies will follow you wherever you go. And, the opposite is also true. If you are generally a happy person who rarely gets annoyed and bothered, then you can move from place to place, from person to person, with very little negative impact.
That’s what David meant when he closed this paragraph of Psalm 37 by saying, “…those that trust in the Lord will possess the land.” Life is like driving an automobile. It must be driven from the inside, not the outside! As we learn to focus more on becoming more peaceful with where we are, rather than where we would rather be, then we begin to experience peace. An older man taught me a beautiful lesson one-day when I casually wished him a good day. He remarked, "They're all good days. It's what we put in them that changes them.”
What are you going to put into your day today? Remember, wherever you go, there you are!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
"Happy Thanksgiving!" (Part 3)
Happy Thanksgiving! “Yeah, right!” is the retort from those who are having a difficult time in life. You may be one of those people today. For you, the sun simply is not shining. What do you do when the sun doesn’t shine? Well, it has happened before!
In 1883, history records that in New England the Sun didn't rise! The people awoke to an eerie darkness. They went outside to do their chores in stony silence. No rooster crowed, no birds chirped, none of the usual sounds of a new day. At the very start, people began to gather in small groups to question what was happening, to wonder and discuss what was taking place. Slowly, people began to make their way to the churches. They say that by noon every church in New England was filled to overflowing with people on their knees crying out to God. There were cries for mercy, people begging for forgiveness and others confessing their sins. They say that there were few people who didn't pray the day the sun didn't rise. The churches were full late into the night.
As the next morning neared, great crowds began to gather on the hilltops and the high places near their homes and churches. People were staring toward the eastern horizon. Every eye was fixed on that point where the sky touched the land. Every eye watching, hoping to catch a glimmer of the first rays of the Sun. As the sun began to come up over the horizon, people began to shout and yell praise to God; they clapped, danced and rejoiced because the Sun shined on the land again. As if in one voice, they began to praise the Lord for the sunlight, the warmth and the joy of God's new day.
They had no idea that on the Island nation of Indonesia, the sleeping giant of a volcano, Krakatoa, had come to life. They had no idea that this great mountain exploded sent a huge cloud of dust and ash into the upper atmosphere. This black cloud would be carried around the world by the jet stream. It was said to cover whole regions, covering the sky from horizon to horizon. Few people had any idea that a volcano, half way around the world, could create such a cloud that could block out the Sun. Yet for most of those people that was the very first time they ever thanked God for the warmth and wonder of the Sun.
It may be that in the midst of your trials, you have found it next to impossible to thank God. Today, as you find yourself in the midst of a “holiday,” won’t you spend a moment and thank God. It may be that you will have difficulty thinking of anything to thank Him for. Begin with the life He has given you – not the quality of your life at the moment, just life itself. Then, let your mind wander a bit. Little by little, find yourself replacing the negative with the positive. You have much more than perhaps you at first thought to thank Him about. You have freedom. You have family. You have food and shelter. You have eternal life! You have much to be thankful about.
“Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLV). Happy Thanksgiving!
In 1883, history records that in New England the Sun didn't rise! The people awoke to an eerie darkness. They went outside to do their chores in stony silence. No rooster crowed, no birds chirped, none of the usual sounds of a new day. At the very start, people began to gather in small groups to question what was happening, to wonder and discuss what was taking place. Slowly, people began to make their way to the churches. They say that by noon every church in New England was filled to overflowing with people on their knees crying out to God. There were cries for mercy, people begging for forgiveness and others confessing their sins. They say that there were few people who didn't pray the day the sun didn't rise. The churches were full late into the night.
As the next morning neared, great crowds began to gather on the hilltops and the high places near their homes and churches. People were staring toward the eastern horizon. Every eye was fixed on that point where the sky touched the land. Every eye watching, hoping to catch a glimmer of the first rays of the Sun. As the sun began to come up over the horizon, people began to shout and yell praise to God; they clapped, danced and rejoiced because the Sun shined on the land again. As if in one voice, they began to praise the Lord for the sunlight, the warmth and the joy of God's new day.
They had no idea that on the Island nation of Indonesia, the sleeping giant of a volcano, Krakatoa, had come to life. They had no idea that this great mountain exploded sent a huge cloud of dust and ash into the upper atmosphere. This black cloud would be carried around the world by the jet stream. It was said to cover whole regions, covering the sky from horizon to horizon. Few people had any idea that a volcano, half way around the world, could create such a cloud that could block out the Sun. Yet for most of those people that was the very first time they ever thanked God for the warmth and wonder of the Sun.
It may be that in the midst of your trials, you have found it next to impossible to thank God. Today, as you find yourself in the midst of a “holiday,” won’t you spend a moment and thank God. It may be that you will have difficulty thinking of anything to thank Him for. Begin with the life He has given you – not the quality of your life at the moment, just life itself. Then, let your mind wander a bit. Little by little, find yourself replacing the negative with the positive. You have much more than perhaps you at first thought to thank Him about. You have freedom. You have family. You have food and shelter. You have eternal life! You have much to be thankful about.
“Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLV). Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
"Happy Thanksgiving!" (Part 2)
“Happy Thanksgiving!” becomes an empty greeting in the face of so many difficulties and trials. All of us have been faced with challenges and hardships that seemed to take away all hope and joy. There is a way to transcend the worries of the moment. While it is true that we must never lose our sense of “present tense,” we must also balance that with a knowledge that this moment is not all there is in life. We are destined for so much more in the gift of eternal life that awaits us through Christ.
Lavonn Brown, in his book, "The Other Half of of the Rainbow," wrote, “Every year thousands of people climb a mountain in the Italian Alps, passing the stations of the cross to stand at an outdoor crucifix. One tourist noticed a little trail that led beyond the cross. He fought through the rough thicket and, to his surprise, came upon another shrine, a shrine that symbolized the empty tomb. It was neglected. The brush had grown up around it. Almost everyone had gone as far as the cross, but there they stopped. Far too many have gotten to the cross and have known the despair and the heart break. Far too few have moved beyond the cross to find the real message of Easter. That is the message of the empty tomb.”
Today’s reading comes from the psalms. It is a declaration of David in the midst of his flight from Saul. Perhaps it will speak to you as much as it did me.
“I love the Lord because he hears and answers my prayers. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death had its hands around my throat; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: "Please, Lord, save me!" How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and then he saved me. Now I can rest again, for the Lord has been so good to me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. And so I walk in the Lord's presence as I live here on earth!” (Psalm 116:1-9, NLV).
That’s the balance! There is a sense in which we must live here and now, but we must not forget that we are destined for the then and there. Regardless of how bad this life may get at times, we have the promise of eternal life. A little boy was offered the opportunity to select a dog for his birthday present. At the pet store, he was shown a number of puppies. From them he picked one whose tail was wagging furiously. When he was asked why he selected that particular dog, the little boy said, "I wanted the one with the happy ending." There is a happy ending to our lives with Christ as our Savior. That makes the possibility of a “Happy Thanksgiving!”
“But let me tell you a wonderful secret God has revealed to us. Not all of us will die, but we will all be transformed. It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die. For our perishable earthly bodies must be transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die. When this happens – when our perishable earthly bodies have been transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die – then at last the Scriptures will come true: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. How we thank God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-58, NLV).
So, today, start looking for the “happy ending!” And, then have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Lavonn Brown, in his book, "The Other Half of of the Rainbow," wrote, “Every year thousands of people climb a mountain in the Italian Alps, passing the stations of the cross to stand at an outdoor crucifix. One tourist noticed a little trail that led beyond the cross. He fought through the rough thicket and, to his surprise, came upon another shrine, a shrine that symbolized the empty tomb. It was neglected. The brush had grown up around it. Almost everyone had gone as far as the cross, but there they stopped. Far too many have gotten to the cross and have known the despair and the heart break. Far too few have moved beyond the cross to find the real message of Easter. That is the message of the empty tomb.”
Today’s reading comes from the psalms. It is a declaration of David in the midst of his flight from Saul. Perhaps it will speak to you as much as it did me.
“I love the Lord because he hears and answers my prayers. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death had its hands around my throat; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: "Please, Lord, save me!" How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and then he saved me. Now I can rest again, for the Lord has been so good to me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. And so I walk in the Lord's presence as I live here on earth!” (Psalm 116:1-9, NLV).
That’s the balance! There is a sense in which we must live here and now, but we must not forget that we are destined for the then and there. Regardless of how bad this life may get at times, we have the promise of eternal life. A little boy was offered the opportunity to select a dog for his birthday present. At the pet store, he was shown a number of puppies. From them he picked one whose tail was wagging furiously. When he was asked why he selected that particular dog, the little boy said, "I wanted the one with the happy ending." There is a happy ending to our lives with Christ as our Savior. That makes the possibility of a “Happy Thanksgiving!”
“But let me tell you a wonderful secret God has revealed to us. Not all of us will die, but we will all be transformed. It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die. For our perishable earthly bodies must be transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die. When this happens – when our perishable earthly bodies have been transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die – then at last the Scriptures will come true: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. How we thank God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-58, NLV).
So, today, start looking for the “happy ending!” And, then have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Monday, November 22, 2010
"Happy Thanksgiving!" (Part 1)
As we approach this year’s celebration of Thanksgiving, let’s look at some of the gifts He has given us. In his book, In the Heavenlies, Dr. Harry Ironside tells the story of an attempted assassination of Queen Elizabeth I. “The woman who sought to do so dressed as a male page and secreted herself in the queen's boudoir awaiting the convenient moment to stab the queen to death. She did not realize that the queen's attendants would be very careful to search the rooms before Her Majesty was permitted to retire. They found the woman hidden among the gowns and brought her into the presence of the queen, taking from her the poignard she had hope to plant in the heart of the sovereign. She realized that, humanly speaking, her case was hopeless. She threw herself down on her knees and pleaded and begged the queen as a woman to have compassion on her, a woman, and to show her grace. Queen Elizabeth looked at her coldly and quietly said, ‘If I show you grace, what promise will you make for the future?’ The woman looked up and said, ‘Grace that hath conditions, grace that is fettered by precautions, is not grace at all.’ Queen Elizabeth caught it in a moment and said, ‘You are right. I pardon you of my grace.’ And they led her away, a free woman. History tells us that from that moment Queen Elizabeth had no more faithful, devoted servant than that woman who had intended to take her life.”
Of course, this is the central motivating factor in our service. God’s grace has been shown to us without reservation. God has given us the greatest of all gifts in the life of His Son, our Savior. There was nothing we did, or could have done, to deserve such grace. Yet, it has been given to us. David’s praise focuses on this work of God in redemption:
“That day David gave to Asaph and his fellow Levites this song of thanksgiving to the LORD: Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles. Exult in his holy name; O worshipers of the Lord, rejoice! Let all the earth tremble before him. The world is firmly established and cannot be shaken. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Tell all the nations that the Lord is king. Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst forth with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise before the Lord! For he is coming to judge the earth. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:7-10, 30-34, NLV)
Just one of the many things we may be thankful about this year is His “faithful love.” Over forty years ago, as a young preacher, facing the delivery of my first sermon, I was given a Scripture that has been a point of strength through many difficulties. I was just twenty that year. The pastor of First Baptist Church of Bryan, Texas, H. Bailey Stone, Jr., had asked me to preach in his absence on a Wednesday night. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. Of course I had practiced, studied, and prepared for weeks prior to the night, but when the time came, I found myself frightened and unsure. One of the deacons met me at the church and prayed with me prior to going into the sanctuary. That certainly helped. But, just before I went into the sanctuary, he handed me a telegram from the pastor. It was brief, but powerful. It said: “Read Dt. 31:6 Love Bailey”. I still have that old yellow telegram. Though I no longer need to be reminded of the Scripture. I long ago memorized it and often recite it to myself. Perhaps it will help you today as we being to focus on the things we may be thankful about.
“Do not fear them, nor be in dread of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, KJV). His faithful love does endure forever! What greater gift can there be than this grace?
Of course, this is the central motivating factor in our service. God’s grace has been shown to us without reservation. God has given us the greatest of all gifts in the life of His Son, our Savior. There was nothing we did, or could have done, to deserve such grace. Yet, it has been given to us. David’s praise focuses on this work of God in redemption:
“That day David gave to Asaph and his fellow Levites this song of thanksgiving to the LORD: Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his miracles. Exult in his holy name; O worshipers of the Lord, rejoice! Let all the earth tremble before him. The world is firmly established and cannot be shaken. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Tell all the nations that the Lord is king. Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst forth with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise before the Lord! For he is coming to judge the earth. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:7-10, 30-34, NLV)
Just one of the many things we may be thankful about this year is His “faithful love.” Over forty years ago, as a young preacher, facing the delivery of my first sermon, I was given a Scripture that has been a point of strength through many difficulties. I was just twenty that year. The pastor of First Baptist Church of Bryan, Texas, H. Bailey Stone, Jr., had asked me to preach in his absence on a Wednesday night. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. Of course I had practiced, studied, and prepared for weeks prior to the night, but when the time came, I found myself frightened and unsure. One of the deacons met me at the church and prayed with me prior to going into the sanctuary. That certainly helped. But, just before I went into the sanctuary, he handed me a telegram from the pastor. It was brief, but powerful. It said: “Read Dt. 31:6 Love Bailey”. I still have that old yellow telegram. Though I no longer need to be reminded of the Scripture. I long ago memorized it and often recite it to myself. Perhaps it will help you today as we being to focus on the things we may be thankful about.
“Do not fear them, nor be in dread of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, KJV). His faithful love does endure forever! What greater gift can there be than this grace?
Sunday, November 21, 2010
"Christ, the Bearer of Our Burdens"
We completed our series in “Becoming a Believer” with the thought of allowing the Holy Spirit to bear our burdens. Perhaps you are one of those fortunate enough not to be under any burden in this difficult time. If so, then read the following and save it for future use. On the other hand, if you are facing trials and burdens today, these few words are written for you now. Margaret Bishback Powers has written one of the most beautiful and memorable works, “Footprints in the Sand.” It is so familiar, yet so true.
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonged to him and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you".
David must have felt much the same way as the man in this story when he wrote Psalm 145. The key verse reads: “The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down” (Psalm 145:14, NIV). He found himself pursued like a common criminal for no reason other than the jealousy of King Saul. Living from cave to cave in the hills of the Judean desert, David found strength in the knowledge that God would lift him up and bear his burdens. That is the same promise we have today. David cites eleven reasons why God can be trusted to lift us up:
1. His greatness is unfathomable (145:3);
2. He does mighty acts across many generations (145:4);
3. He is full of glorious splendor and majesty (145:5);
4. He does wonderful and awesome works (145:5-6);
5. He is righteous (145:7);
6. He is gracious, compassionate, patient, and loving (145:8-9);
7. He rules over an everlasting kingdom (145:13);
8. He is the source of all our daily needs (145:15-16);
9. He is righteous and loving in all his dealings (145:17);
10. He remains near to those who call on him (145:18);
11. He hears our cries and saves us (145:19-20).
If you are bending under a burden and feel that you are about to fall, turn to God for help. He is ready to lift you up and bear your burden. As you meditate today, you might want to ask yourself whether you have a big God or a little God? A little girl listened attentively as her father read the family devotions. She seemed awed by her parents' talk of God's limitless power and mercy. "Daddy," she asked, placing her little hands on his knees, "how big is God." Her father thought for a moment and answered, "Honey, he is always just a little bigger than you need." His call is the same today, as it was thousands of years ago: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:29-30; NIV). How about it, won’t you crawl into His lap and rest today?
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonged to him and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you".
David must have felt much the same way as the man in this story when he wrote Psalm 145. The key verse reads: “The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down” (Psalm 145:14, NIV). He found himself pursued like a common criminal for no reason other than the jealousy of King Saul. Living from cave to cave in the hills of the Judean desert, David found strength in the knowledge that God would lift him up and bear his burdens. That is the same promise we have today. David cites eleven reasons why God can be trusted to lift us up:
1. His greatness is unfathomable (145:3);
2. He does mighty acts across many generations (145:4);
3. He is full of glorious splendor and majesty (145:5);
4. He does wonderful and awesome works (145:5-6);
5. He is righteous (145:7);
6. He is gracious, compassionate, patient, and loving (145:8-9);
7. He rules over an everlasting kingdom (145:13);
8. He is the source of all our daily needs (145:15-16);
9. He is righteous and loving in all his dealings (145:17);
10. He remains near to those who call on him (145:18);
11. He hears our cries and saves us (145:19-20).
If you are bending under a burden and feel that you are about to fall, turn to God for help. He is ready to lift you up and bear your burden. As you meditate today, you might want to ask yourself whether you have a big God or a little God? A little girl listened attentively as her father read the family devotions. She seemed awed by her parents' talk of God's limitless power and mercy. "Daddy," she asked, placing her little hands on his knees, "how big is God." Her father thought for a moment and answered, "Honey, he is always just a little bigger than you need." His call is the same today, as it was thousands of years ago: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:29-30; NIV). How about it, won’t you crawl into His lap and rest today?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
