God of Wonders

Today is Thursday, the seventh of April, 2022, in the fifth week of Lent.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,401

I’ve got a thing or two that I want to get done before I go to work today, this being my first Thursday to work at the library. I’m due in at 11:15 and will work until closing time. The entire shift will be in the Computer Center, as this is replacing my previous Friday shift. I don’t work this Saturday, so my next shift will be next Tuesday evening.

I really don’t have much else to mention, this morning. I actually just got one of the things done, which was starting the soup we will have for dinner tonight. In case anyone is interested, we call it “Chicken Ranch Crockpot Soup.” All it has in it is three chicken breasts, three cans of cream of chicken soup (we usually use the 98% fat-free variety), a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch mix, and a can of water. It cooks in the crockpot on low all day, and we shred the chicken right before serving. Delicious and easy!

Oh, and one more thing. I haven’t mentioned it, lately, but today is Opening Day for baseball season. The Red Sox and Yankees were supposed to play today, but have been postponed until tomorrow. The Texas Rangers open their season in Toronto tomorrow. I reckon we will be watching.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

"Love one another;
This is how they know you're Mine;
Love one another."
(Inspired by John 13:34-35)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
(1 John 4:7-11 NIV)

Today I am grateful:

1. for love; for the love God has for us and the love that I have for Him and the love He has placed in my heart for you
2. for the wonder of God's creation
3. for baseball, Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox
4. that my treasures (and my heart) are not on this earth
5. that, when I walk in the kingdom of God, this world is a perfectly safe place for me to be (Dallas Willard)

Today’s prayer word is “wonder.” Now, there’s a word I can be fully behind. In this case, I see the word as a noun, meaning, “a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.” I really like the last half of that. “Something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.” That is a great way to describe the wonders of God and His creation.

You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.
(Psalms 77:14 NLT)

Like the writer of today’s reading, I haven’t seen any seas parting or rivers drying up or water coming from a rock or turning into wine. But I have seen things like this:

That was beautiful and unexpected and inexplicable.

I choose to celebrate God’s wonders, and I also wonder at His beauty, love, and faithfulness. So, you see, “wonder” can be either a verb or a noun, and both ways work equally well.

And I believe this song has always said it pretty perfectly.

(From Pray a Word a Day)

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
(Matthew 6:19-20 ESV)

Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.
(Proverbs 23:4-5 ESV)

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
(Luke 12:32-34 ESV)

In other verses in that Matthew 6 passage, Jesus points at some of the “wonders” of creation in His efforts to get people to take their eyes off of themselves and their problems. And, truthfully, once I have witnessed the grandeur and majesty of God’s creation, in “wonder,” how can I even consider laying up treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal?

Father, I revel in Your many wonders. I am reminded of the hymn, “How Great Thou Art,” especially that bit about seeing the stars and hearing the rolling thunder, “Thy power throughout the universe displayed.” I thank You for the wonders that You have created and for the wonder that You placed in my heart when I gaze upon these things. I am still grateful for the opportunity that we had to visit those mountains in the photos above. You have blessed us with so many opportunities to see Your beauty, just in our country alone (and a few in Mexico, as well). How someone can gaze upon these wonders and refuse to open their hearts to Your love and grace is beyond my comprehension.

I thank You that You have led me to not place my trust in the “treasures” of this world. The older I get, the more generous I get with the resources that You have provided. This is partially because I know the truth of the old phrase, “you can’t take it with you.” But I don’t really want to take it with me, either, because I believe that my inheritance in heaven will be so much greater, beyond my wildest expectations and dreams. In fact, it too, I believe, will be wondrous. I look forward to Home, Father, wherever that will be and whatever it will look like.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Forsaken for Us

Today is Friday, the second of April, 2021. Good Friday in Holy Week.

Day 23,031

Resurrection Sunday is the day after tomorrow.

C has the day off today. I don’t think we were expecting that, and she didn’t realize it until a week or so ago. I’m not taking the day off.

My mother finally got her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine! She called me the day before yesterday to tell me that she had finally gotten a call to notify her that it was her turn to get one, so a blessed friend took her yesterday morning.

We also finally got the notification for S’s second dose, which will be next Tuesday morning. I will be taking the day off, and will take her to get her shot.

In other news, the Texas Rangers’ Opening Day, yesterday, was the opposite of spectacular. The pitching for both teams was disappointing, to say the least. By the end of the first inning, the score was 5-5, and by the middle of the second inning, both starting pitchers were gone. In fact, the Rangers’ opener didn’t even last a full inning. Final score, Royals 14, Rangers 10. The Rangers hit no home runs, while the Royals hit three. I was also surprised to find Andrew Benintendi playing for the Royals. I found out later, that he was traded earlier this year, in a three team deal. He was previously with my other favorite team, the Boston Red Sox.

Speaking of the Red Sox, it appears that their home opener was postponed. That happens a lot in the northeast, around opening day. They were supposed to play Baltimore, at Fenway. They will try again today, with Nathan Eovaldi taking the mound for Boston.

The Rangers have the day off. Probably a good thing.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

"O Lord,
you have mercy on all.
Take away my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me
the fire of your Holy Spirit.
Take away my heart of stone
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore you,
a heart to delight in you,
to follow and to enjoy you, for Christ’s sake.
Amen."
(Prayer for A Renewed Heart, St. Ambrose)

they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
(Psalms 22:13-15 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

• for the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross
• that, though it is Friday, Sunday’s coming
• that You, Lord, are not far from me; You are my strength
• for my mental image of the scene in the midst of the Holy Trinity, between the death and resurrection of Christ
• for the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world

Scriptures and Prayers from Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year

LENT – DAY 39 – GOOD FRIDAY

INVITATION

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
(John 1:29 ESV)

I pause, this morning, to reflect on the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

BIBLE SONG

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?
(Psalms 22:1 NIV)

All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
“He trusts in the LORD,” they say, “let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
(Psalms 22:7-8 NIV)

They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.
But you, LORD, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
(Psalms 22:18-19 NIV)

BIBLE READING

It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!”
In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
(Mark 15:25-39 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I sit quietly in the presence of the Lord, this morning, remembering that I (as well as all of you) am precious to Him, I read these passages, asking the Holy Spirit to teach me, to draw me in closer, to speak to my soul.

As I read, once again, David’s psalm, which so accurately predicts the scene which we commemorate this day, I notice verse 19. “But you, LORD, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.”

As Jesus hung on the Cross, near death (this morning I learned that, as I am typing this blog, it is about forty minutes until the time of Jesus’s death in Jerusalem, as it is 2:20 in the afternoon, at this moment), He knew that His Father was not far from Him. Yes, He will cry out, in a little over a half hour, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” But that moment, which may have seemed like eternity, would only last a short time.

And His Father, would, indeed, come quickly to help Him. I can only imagine the scene between the death and resurrection of Jesus. I wonder what was going on in the Holy Trinity during those three days. I expect it must have been quite beautiful, as the love between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is infinitely beyond what any of us could even imagine.

As Jesus breathed His last, at least one of the soldiers standing there had a glimpse of the Holy, and said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

May the Holy Spirit give all of us the same glimpse today.

Father, today is a somber day. Yes, we call it “Good Friday,” but it is mixed feelings that we have when we commemorate. We know that, without this day, we would be lost; there would be no salvation, no forgiveness of sin, no relationship with You. But it chills our souls and saddens us to see what happened to our Savior on this day. Up to this moment, as He hangs on the Cross, He has been beaten, almost beyond recognition; He has been mocked and scorned; all of it unfairly, as His only crime was making fools of the religious leaders of the day. As I walk through this day, today, may this scene be on my mind; may I ponder it, meditate on it, on the words that came out of His mouth during the event. Yes, I know what is coming. But for today, may I think only on the Cross, and what my Savior endured for our sake.

Crucified Savior,
on this dark day it seems crass and opportunistic to think of your death as an advantage to me.
And yet,
we call this Friday good because through your death,
my old self is crucified,
put to death,
buried with you,
and no longer rules.
Today,
I dedicate my life as an offering of gratitude to you.
Amen.
(Heidelberg Catechism 43)

BLESSING

In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
(Revelation 5:12 NIV)

At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
(Matthew 27:46 NLT)

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
(John 10:14-18 NLT)

My Savior, Jesus, to say I am grateful that You allowed these things to be done to You is not enough. There are not enough words. I love You, Jesus; thank You; may my life belongs to You; do with it as You will.

Lord, during this day, please give me a depth of gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Give us more of a capacity to know suffering, alongside our brothers and sisters. For any who might be entertaining doubts, today, may Your Holy Spirit give them the glimpse of holiness that the centurion saw. Show them, Lord, who You really are, and what You have done for them.

I pray for peace in our nation, peace in our world. I pray for racial injustice to end, and I pray for the pandemic to be over. Above all else, though, I pray for Your will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Come To the Table

Today is Thursday, the first of April, 2021. Maundy Thursday in Holy Week.

Day 23,030

Three days until Resurrection Sunday!

Opening Day is today! The Texas Rangers will face the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City at 3:10 PM CDT. Kyle Gibson will be starting for the Rangers.

I’ll update the pool situation, even though there’s not a lot of news. We are waiting on the insurance people to determine how much, if any, is covered by our homeowner’s insurance. Once we get that, then we will contact the person who gave us the estimate to get started on the work. I’m sure it will take a while, as he has a regular job, servicing our pool chemicals each week. We will have to give him some money up front, so he can order the parts needed. The biggest piece will be the pool heater. And, of course, we are hoping that there is no damage to the actual pool, itself. It doesn’t seem to be leaking anywhere, so that is good.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Your love
flows like a stream
into the ocean of your Grace.
Your love
encircles this world,
displays your faithfulness.
Your love
is patient and kind,
brings wholeness and true peace.
Your love
is all we desire
to heal our brokenness.
As all things pass
and fade away
love remains
eternally
(Author unknown, obtained from faithandworship.com)

O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah.
to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.
Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!
(Psalms 68:32-35 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

• for the Holy Supper that we commemorate on this day
• for the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world
• that You do not scorn nor despise the suffering of the afflicted
• for the Supper Table, where all are welcome to sit next to Jesus
• for my daily bread

Scriptures and Prayers from Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year

LENT – DAY 38

INVITATION

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
(John 1:29 NIV)

I pause for a moment to reflect on the love of God, which encircles the world and displays His faithfulness.

BIBLE SONG

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.
In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
(Psalms 22:1-5 NIV)

You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever!
(Psalms 22:23-26 NIV)

BIBLE READING

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
(Luke 22:7-8 NIV)

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!”
(Luke 22:14-22 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I take refreshment in His presence, this morning, I consider the passages above, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to me, however He desires.

This morning, I am drawn to the idea of praising God; “You who fear the LORD, praise him!” Why? “For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one.” The Lord cares for the suffering and afflicted among us. “The poor will eat and be satisfied,” and “those who seek the LORD will praise him.”

I am fully persuaded that our God is able to accomplish this. We will do whatever we can, in human terms, to help, but our God will make sure that, someday, the poor will eat and be satisfied. Scripture warns us, over and over, that God cares deeply for the poor and needy, the widows and orphans, and I feel relatively confident that the myriads of people who claim the name of Jesus, and then turn around and scorn the needy, will be judged, somehow. Their salvation may not be in jeopardy (if, in fact, it exists at all), but I believe there will be some kind of consequences.

The one thing that I see in the Gospel passage gives me pity for Judas. We tend to be angry with him, and that is probably not wrong. However, Jesus’s statement at the end of verse 22 should send chills through anyone’s bones. “Woe to that man who betrays him!” Matthew, in 26:24, adds, “It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

There is a lot of speculation out there on how Jesus could have saved Judas, but Judas wasn’t willing and so on, and so on. But this speculation fails to take one important thing into consideration. This had to happen! It was part of the plan. Judas was in a no-win situation.

Father, I praise You, just as the psalmist tells me. I am grateful for the words that admonish me to fear You and praise You. I am also most grateful that You do not despise or scorn the suffering of the afflicted. I pray for people who do, just as I pray for the people who are the afflicted, who suffer. I lift up widows and orphans everywhere, people who have no one in their lives. May Your people rise up and care for them. I thank You for the faithful people who do this. There are some folks in my own mother’s life for whom I am eternally grateful and pray Your riches blessings upon them, for they give her transportation and company, as well as encouragement and blessing. May we all take lessons from such folks.

Lamb of God,
at the last supper you gave us the spiritual table by which you continue to communicate yourself and all your benefits to us.
May this meal nourish,
strengthen,
and comfort our poor,
desperate souls with your life-giving body and blood today and every time we gather around it.
Amen.
(Belgic Confession 35)

BLESSING

In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
(Revelation 5:12 NIV)

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. . . . As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
(John 15:7, 9 ESV)

And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
(Luke 22:14-15 ESV)

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
(Acts 2:42-47 ESV)

Marci Alborghetti, in today’s reading from Daily Guideposts 2021, brings out a very important thought. As Jesus sat at table with His disciples, He “knew that just as He would soon suffer alone, so would each of them in the coming days and years suffer alone.”

There are many, many people in our world today who suffer alone. These are they whom God does not scorn nor despise. And what we see at the Supper Table is “a place next to Jesus for everyone who at some point suffers alone.” Beautiful words worthy of pondering. Thank you, Marci.

Father, I praise You for the Table, where there is a place for all of us, next to Jesus! May this bring joy to my heart today, as we commemorate the “Last Supper.” May Jesus bring blessing and joy to His people today!

Lord, may You give me and all of Your children a deeper and richer understanding of the Gospel. May the love of Jesus flow from me to all whom I encounter today. May You give us all vibrant and living prayer lives. Help me to pray better and more often.

I pray for peace in our nation, peace in our world. I pray for racial injustice to end, and I pray for the pandemic to be over. Above all else, though, I pray for Your will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

For the Joy Set Before Him

Today is Wednesday, the thirty-first of March, 2021, in Holy Week.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,029

Four days until Resurrection Sunday

Opening Day is tomorrow!

Things are humming along, just about as usual, around here, so there’s nothing really new to report.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.
(The Prayer of St. Francis)

The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.
When you ascended on high, you took many captives;
you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious— that you, LORD God, might dwell there.
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.
(Psalms 68:17-20 NIV)

Today I am grateful:

• that You are a God who saves
• for Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world; have mercy on us!
• that my ancestors put their trust in You, and You saved them
• for the unspeakable horrors endured by my Savior during this week of His life on earth
• that my sin is removed as far as the east is from the west

Scriptures and Prayers from Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year

LENT – DAY 37

INVITATION

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
(John 1:29 NIV)

BIBLE SONG

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
“He trusts in the LORD,” they say, “let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
(Psalms 22:1-8 NIV)

BIBLE READING

Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”
But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.
A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”
“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.
About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”
Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” And they said many other insulting things to him.
(Luke 22:54-65 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I rest in the presence of the Lord, this morning, I reread these passages, allowing the Holy Spirit to draw me in and speak to me.

In the reading from Psalm 22 (which seems to be a focal chapter for the week), today, for the first time, I was struck by verses 4-5. For, truly, my ancestors (at least as far back as I know about, put their trust in God. In many cases, they pretty much had no choice.

I know that my maternal Grandmother’s family was abandoned by their father. I forget how many children there were, but it was close to ten. Some of them wound up in an orphanage, because their mother couldn’t handle the load. I mean, how could she? Abandoned with so many children, in that day and age? My Grandmother emerged from that scenario with a strong faith and hope in our God and in Christ. Where else could she turn?

On top of that, both of my parents were born into, or at least right toward the end of, the Great Depression. But I never heard them or my grandparents talk about it. As far as I can remember, they did not dwell on that. But they most certainly dwelled on their faith in the Lord, because I heard about that a lot.

My ancestors put their trust in the Lord; they cried out to Him and were saved; they were not put to shame.

The Luke passage is a difficult passage to dwell on. First, there is the painful fulfillment of Jesus’s prophecy as Peter denies knowing Him, three times. I cannot begin to imagine the pain when Peter locked eyes with Jesus as the rooster crowed. We all know how Peter was restored and arose to be one of the greatest of all of the apostles. But this moment? It hurts terribly.

And then, after that, what those soldiers did to my Savior. They mocked Him; they beat Him; they punched Him in the face, while He was blindfolded, and demanded that He prophecy who hit Him; they pulled out pieces of His beard.

And, as far as I know, He remained silent throughout it all. Why did He endure all of that? Hebrews says it was “for the joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2).

So, let us, as that same passage in Hebrews encourages, “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.”

Father, my heart hurts when I read this passage of Scripture. It hurts for Peter, as he failed our Lord in that moment; as he locked eyes with Jesus as the rooster crowed and realized his great sin; as he wept bitterly. My heart hurts even more when I read of the contemptuous treatment that Jesus endured at the hands of the soldiers, who did not know with Whom they were dealing. By the end of the crucifixion, though, at least one of them did, as he proclaimed, “Surely this was the Son of God.” Lord, help me to be more persevering in my faith, just as my ancestors were. Help me to endure the slight inconveniences that come my way, during the day; inconveniences that can hardly be called “trials,” compared to what the apostles and Jesus faced. I complain and moan at the slightest thing, while my Savior quietly endured beating, scourging, and mocking. Have mercy, O God, and give me courage to face whatever is ahead. Make me stronger against temptation.

God,
in Peter's betrayal,
I see my own.
In blindness of soul and hardness of heart,
I turn my back on you,
full of pride and fear.
One glance from your bloodied face and I see my utter failure.
Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
have mercy on me,
a sinner.
Amen.
(Westminster Larger Catechism 28)

BLESSING

In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
(Revelation 5:12 NIV)

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”
(John 7:37-38 NLT)

A voice said, “Shout!” I asked, “What should I shout?” “Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field. The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the LORD. And so it is with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”
(Isaiah 40:6-8 NLT)

God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
(John 1:3 NLT)

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.
(Colossians 1:15-17 NLT)

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
(Psalms 103:12 NLT)

“I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.”
(Isaiah 44:22 NLT)

Justice miscarried, and he was led off— and did anyone really know what was happening? He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
(Isaiah 53:8 MSG)

My Lord, Jesus, You who hold all creation together, I lift my heart and my hands to You, this morning, in worship and praise. I owe all to You, yet, like Peter, I so often fail You. And, still You love me and forgive me and bless me. Hallelujah, my God and my Savior! I praise You today. Give me strength against the temptations that will come my way. Let those rivers of living water flow out of me today. All glory to You, my Lord!

Lord, I specifically pray for governments and leaders throughout the world, this morning. I lift up the many needs of this world, and pray for Your presence to be felt throughout. For the continent of Antarctica, I pray for Your protection and sustenance for the few who reside in that wasteland. And I lift up courts and judges to You, this morning, praying that justice be done, especially in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I pray for peace in our nation, peace in our world. I pray for racial injustice to end, and I pray for the pandemic to be over. Above all else, though, I pray for Your will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
(The Jesus Prayer)

Grace and peace, friends.

“From My Mother’s Womb . . .”

Today is Monday, the twenty-ninth of March, 2021, in Holy Week.

Peace be with you!

Day 23,027

Six days until Resurrection Sunday!

It’s Monday, so back to work, we go!

But it is also R’s birthday, today (oldest daughter), so happy birthday to you, just in case you read this blog today! Much love to you!

The big news for today is that our little church group has agreed to meet together this coming Sunday to celebrate Resurrection Sunday. Agreement was made to continue to practice safe measures. I know for sure that we will wear masks or at least practice safe distancing. We may even sing a couple of songs. Weather permitting, we plan to meet outside, in their back yard.

I think there is a plan in the works, as well, for the family to gather, weekend after next (possibly Saturday, April the tenth) to celebrate some birthdays. As already mentioned, R’s is today, and Mama’s (Grandma) is April the eighth, which is a week from Thursday.

That’s all the news I have for today. Oh, except that Opening Day is this coming Thursday, April first. The Texas Rangers will start the season in Kansas City, with a 3:10 PM start time.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

This morning’s opening poem/prayer is from Daryl Madden, called “Be Here Now.”

The past is behind us
To let go, allow
To God give the future
To be grateful now

Each soul of encounter
Of blessing, endow
A binding of sharing
To be present now

Each moment receiving
To fully allow
His treasure embracing
To be loved now

This moments’ a gift
That God does endow
A practice of living
To be here now 

My prayer, this morning, is that I be fully present in this moment of meditation and prayer.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!
(Psalms 67:5-7 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

• for a new week, full of opportunities to serve God and people; may I not miss those opportunities
• for the blessings of our Lord
• that, from my mother’s womb, You have been my God (Psalm 22:10)
• for the testimonies of believers and their lives with You
• that every moment of every day we can rest in Your presence and know Your glory

Scriptures and Prayers from Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year

LENT – DAY 35

INVITATION

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
(John 1:29 ESV)

This morning, I pause to reflect on this moment, on being fully present and aware of the presence of the Lamb of God.

BIBLE SONG

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?
(Psalms 22:1 NIV)

“He trusts in the LORD,” they say, “let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
(Psalms 22:8-11 NIV)

BIBLE READING

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
“Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.
He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”
They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!”
(Luke 22:7-22 NIV)

DWELLING: SILENCE AND MEDITATION

As I enjoy the presence of the Lord in this place, I reread these passages, allowing the Holy Spirit to direct my thoughts.

I begin by noticing Psalm 22:8. We read this psalm, yesterday morning, and this stood out to me, then, as well. Those familiar with the Gospel narrative know that much of this chapter in Psalms is repeated during the hours of the crucifixion, including the words in verse 8, which were repeated by onlookers, perhaps even the Pharisees or Romans. It was intended to be mockery.

But I see it as truth. I do trust in the Lord, and I believe that He will rescue me. Over and over, the Psalms make that declaration of truth. And, ultimately, the Father did rescue the Son, but not until the sacrifice was done.

As for me, God, indeed, brought me out of my mother’s womb, and I was trusting Him from my birth. I don’t remember anything about those days, but I do know that, immediately, I was taught to trust and love my God and my Savior. I can say, as the psalmist said, “from my mother’s womb you have been my God.” (verse 10)

As Jesus prepared for the sacrifice, He shared the last Passover He has had, to this day, with His disciples. He declared that He would not have another Passover until “it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” And this has not happened, yet.

He took the bread and the wine, in the famous institution of what we call The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, or Eucharist, or, sometimes, simply The Supper. The bread is His body, the wine is His blood. And we partake of this, whenever we do it, “in remembrance” of Him.

I look forward to sharing this “meal” with my brothers and sisters, this coming Sunday morning.

Father, I thank You that You have been my God, in whom I trust, from my birth, from out of my mother’s womb. I am aware that not everyone can say this. We had that discussion, yesterday, as well, and believe that every testimony of a person’s life with You is beautiful, whether we began life with You from infancy or started it later in life. It is beautiful, because it all depends upon You and Your mighty work in our lives. We have, quite literally, nothing to do with it.

Perfect God,
I bow my knee before the wisdom of the cross.
The death of your spotless Son is the only and entirely complete sacrifice and satisfaction for my sins.
It is of infinite value and worth,
more than enough to cover not only mine but the sins of the whole world.
Amen.
(Canons of Dort 2.3)

BLESSING

In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
(Revelation 5:12 NIV)

When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.
(Psalms 94:19 ESV)

Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
(Psalms 55:22 ESV)

For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
(Isaiah 41:13 ESV)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
(John 14:27 ESV)

Yes, and amen!

“‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.'”
(Revelation 2:19)

Yesterday, we spoke of the burning eyes of Christ, as revealed by John’s depiction of Him to the Church in Thyatira. It was said that there was mercy and generosity in those eyes.

This generosity is exhibited in Jesus’s first assessment of this church, repeated in the verse above. These people were not resting on their past achievements. Unlike the previous churches, their “latter works” were better, even, than their first.

“There was no sitting back and telling stories about how vigorous and exciting it had been in the early days of the church. They had not fallen into the habit (which Christians seem prone to) of lamenting the present evil generation and nostalgically looking back to a better time.”

The Christians at Thyatira were “skilled in and increasingly committed to love, faith, service, and patient endurance.”

(From This Hallelujah Banquet, by Eugene H. Peterson)

Father, I pray that Your Church today may be as the Church in Thyatira, continuing to be committed to love, faith, service, and patient endurance, not attempting to rest on past achievements or blaming its problems on the “present evil generation.” We dwell on the “mountaintop” with You, Lord, in Your presence at every moment of every day. Let us rest in Your presence and know Your glory as we walk through this world.

Lord, may You give us eyes to see Your work in the world around us, as we walk through our day. May Your care for us be evident, even in the face of natural disasters and a creation that groans for its rebirth. May You guide those who work in conservation efforts, to make us better stewards of Your creation.

I pray for peace in our nation, peace in our world. I pray for racial injustice to end, and I pray for the pandemic to be over. Above all else, though, I pray for Your will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, 
have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O, Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
grant us Your peace.
(Agnus Dei)

Grace and peace, friends.

Deliverance

Today is Saturday, March 7, 2020, in the first week of Lent. Peace be with you!

Day 22,640

36 days until Resurrection Sunday

Also, nineteen days until Opening Day!

Yesterday had the potential of being a very stressful day. However, by the grace of God, all things turned out well. There was, at one point, a serious chance that I might have to work today. But several of us stayed about ninety minutes late, last night, so we don’t have to work today. C got a report back from her upper endoscopy. She has esophagitis and gastritis. No ulcers. No cancer. We weren’t really concerned about cancer, but still, to see those words in a report can tend to make one shed some tears. Happy ones, you know. Tears of relief.

And one other thing. I haven’t been able to blog about this, but I can, now. C has been going through a jury pool process for over a month. She was called to jury duty back in early February. She went to the courthouse and, after an initial selection process, she told me that she would need to come back in a few weeks, for more questions and stuff, and that I couldn’t blog about it and she couldn’t talk to anyone about it. This sounded serious. She went back toward the end of February, and was chosen for an even smaller pool that was to appear at the court yesterday morning. By now, C had learned that her company would only pay them for ten days of jury service, so we started hoping that she would not get picked. By yesterday morning, my worrying brain had begun to conjure up all kinds of scenarios. What if they got sequestered? What if the defendant started threatening jury members and/or their families??

She did not get picked. She was struck. She has no idea why, because all of that was done up by the judge’s bench, very quietly. Several people right next to her were selected, but she was struck. Again, almost tears of relief. On the way back to the parking lot, C and several others started Googling the case. I won’t go into any details, as they are quite graphic. It is a horrendous case, and we are both grateful to God that she did not get picked for this jury. It makes the last case she served on, a case of child starvation, look like a nursery rhyme.

Today is a busy day. We have our WW workshop at 10:30. I should lose several more pounds at the weigh-in. Then we’ll come home and have our traditional Saturday-after-weight-watchers omelets. The grocery pickup is scheduled for 1:00 to 2:00 PM. Then, we have Night of Worship tonight, so we need to be at their house around 3:00 PM, and will be there until probably close to 9:00 PM. Somewhere in the midst of all of that, I should probably practice a little bit. I’ll do in in spurts, whenever I have a few minutes.

Tomorrow, fortunately, we only have our church gathering. It will be our third gathering as The Church that Meets at Brandon and Kristin’s House. The rest of tomorrow will be spent resting.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted

Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
(Psalms 103:20-22)

Today I am grateful:
1. That I don’t have to work today
2. For the weekend, to rest up for the next work week
3. That C did NOT get picked for the jury on what looks to be a terribly brutal case
4. That, though our memories may fail us, You, O Lord will not forget us (Isaiah 49.15)
5. That You will deliver me from all of my troubles (Psalm 34). You will not necessarily keep me out of trouble; You will, though, deliver me from trouble.

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.
Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
(Psalms 5:1-3)

“In the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.” As I read that, this morning, I am convicted that I’m hardly ever “watching” after I finish my morning devotional time. I get it finished, hop in the shower (not literally), and head off to work. I need to be more mindful of being in a watchful attitude, even as I do all of those things. If I’m not watching, what am I missing?

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
(Psalms 19:14)

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.
(Psalms 33:11)

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
(Matthew 25:31-46)

A Psalm of David.
O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.
(Psalms 15:1-5)

These are two passages of Scripture that we should probably take more seriously.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
(Isaiah 9:2)

“O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant that I, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear my cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
(1 Corinthians 12:20-27)

This is something that The Church that Meets at Brandon and Kristin’s House is working hard to practice. We are all members of the body of Christ. Every one of us. And, as such, we are all members of one another. There is one Church. And we are all members of that Church. And there is not one of us who is not needed!

The memory of the righteous is a blessing . . .
(Proverbs 10:7)

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
(Psalms 63:5-6)

I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
(Psalms 77:11)

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.”
(Isaiah 49:15)

(From The Songs of Jesus, by Timothy and Kathy Keller)

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
(Psalms 34:17-22 NIV)

If we are not careful, we might read verses 17 and 19 to say that we are exempt from trouble. But the true believers know better, right?

Right??

These verses say that God will deliver us from our troubles. In order to be delivered from something, we must already be in the middle of it. In the words of Joe South, “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden.” In fact, there are other verses in Psalms that tell us that God is with us in our troubles.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
(Psalms 23:4)

When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
(Psalms 91:15)

That’s God talking in Psalm 91.

“Indeed, verse 18 says we can be broken and crushed by life. But these sufferings bring God’s presence near in a way nothing else can.”

Verse 22 tells us that the Lord redeems, or rescues, his servants. We find out in the New Testament what the cost of this redemption was. Because of this, there is “no condemnation” for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8.1).

Prayer: “Lord, it is not exactly right to thank you for my sorrows, for you did not create a world filled with evil, and my grief causes you grief. And yet I do thank you for the many riches I have found in these dark mines: patience, courage, self-understanding, and most of all your love and presence. Amen.”

Yes, Father, I see the truth in this. Though You never promise to keep us out of trouble, You do promise to be with us in the midst of trouble and/or suffering, and also to, eventually, deliver us out of trouble and suffering. Help me to find Your presence when I experience dark times, when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

“As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.” Job 5.8-9

Grace and peace, friends.

Waiting

Today is Saturday, February 15, 2020. Peace be with you!

Day 22,619

40 days until Opening Day!

The main thing to report this morning is that I got my test results late yesterday afternoon. My A1C was 6.7, which is improved from 7.1 in November. According to my PA, I had lost 13 pounds since the visit in January, when I went about my finger. The estimated average glucose was 146. That’s a little high still, but over the last week, my average has been right at 100, in the mornings. Somehow, they are able to estimate back a number of days in their average, and it is probably pretty accurate, considering that I didn’t even try to eat right during the Christmas/New Year’s season. Even better, I don’t have to go back for another follow-up for six months. So that’s . . . let me see . . . (counting fingers) August! Over all, though, I am pleased with this report.

We have our second WW workshop this morning at 10:30 AM. S will go for her first one, so we need to be there approximately thirty minutes early. We will also stock up on their snacks/breakfast stuff while we are there, as we almost ate all of the snacks we got last week. I’m anticipating a modest five pound loss for the week. That is slightly disappointing for a first week weight loss, but I have to remember that we actually started tracking food two days before our first official weigh-in. AND, I’ve lost 11.4 pounds in the last month! So I’m not really disappointed.

We’re going to meet up with our pastor (soon to be ex-pastor) at 2:00 PM. We have a “going away” gift for him, from just our family. After that, we will pick up our groceries, and then the rest of the day will be for relaxing or whatever.

Tomorrow will be our last official meeting of The Exchange Church. My feelings are bittersweet; deep sadness mixed with anticipatory joy.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
All Scriptures are from the ESV unless otherwise noted

Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
(Psalms 107:8-9)

Today I am grateful:
1. For a good report from the doctor yesterday
2. For the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world
3. That he who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4.4)
4. That our Lord is worthy to receive glory and honor and power (Revelation 4.11)
5. That my hope is in God

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.
Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.
(Psalms 5:1)

Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
(Psalms 8:2)

I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts.
(Psalms 119:141)

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
(Luke 9:57-60)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
(Psalms 51:10-13)

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, grant me your peace.
(Agnus Dei)

“O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
(The Divine Hours, The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
(1 John 4:1-11)

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
(Revelation 4:11)

“You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.
(Nehemiah 9:6)

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
(Psalms 19:1)

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
(Romans 1:20)

(From The Songs of Jesus, by Timothy and Kathy Keller)

My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you. Deliver Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
(Psalms 25:15-22 NIV)

The word translated “hope” in verse 21 literally means “to wait eagerly.” In fact, the ESV does translate the word “wait.” “This is not resignation or passivity but an active stance toward life. David lives in integrity and uprightness (verse 21) despite how well his enemies are doing (verse 19).” According to verses 15-16, he keeps his eyes on the Lord and seeks the presence and touch of God. “Those two things–unconditional obedience and prevailing prayer–are the constituents of ‘waiting eagerly’ for God. Waiting on God, rather than jumping the gun by taking matters into your own hands, is the epitome of wisdom.” All you have to do to see the truth of that is compare the lives of Saul and David. Of course, David does have that one episode with Bathsheba . . .

Prayer: “Lord, I confess I do not understand your timing. If I were in charge of history and my life I would have arranged things differently. But I cannot see the whole picture, I cannot see from beginning to end, and so I wait for you in obedience and prayer. Amen.”

Father, help me to wait for you, both eagerly and patiently. When I am tempted to “jump the gun,” remind me who is in control.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

“As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.” Job 5.8-9

Grace and peace, friends.

Sovereignty Over Life

Good morning. Monday is back. March 31, 2014. ‘Tis the last day of March, but ’tis also OPENING DAY!!! NO more days until baseball season.

Today is Crayola Crayon Day. What a joy those used to bring me. I remember having on of those 76 or 84 or whatever number they had in them boxes. It even had a built in sharpener!! Ah, those days of magic and innocence. Anyway. . . If you have a chance, today, recall your “inner child” and color with some crayons. But not just any crayons. . .

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Yesterday turned out being a lovely day. It was beautiful outside, which is a good thing, because, when Rachel decided she wanted to try Lee’s Grilled Cheese for her birthday lunch, it was packed and we wound up having to sit outside. And it was delicious, as always. Then we came home and had strawberry cake. Which was also delicious. We sent half of the cake home with Rachel and Justin. She enjoyed her gifts of Skullcandy headphones, as well as some Peeps and peach rings. We threw in a little unexpected cash, as well. It was a good day. The rest of the evening was spent just resting.

Today, it’s back to the grind, and this week will likely be one of the “grindiest” that I’ve had in a while. I’ve been trying to prepare myself for it. Christi has a doctor’s appointment at 10:00am (CDT), so if any of you happen to think about it during that time, a prayer would be appreciated. This guy is an orthopedic doctor, so we are hoping he can shed some light on the cause of this pain, and maybe have some advice on how to stop, or at least reduce, it.

The Texas Rangers play their first game at 1:05pm and the Boston Red Sox play at 2:05pm.

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(Source: History.com)

It was on this date in 1943 that the musical, Oklahoma opened on Broadway. This was the first collaboration by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It was different than most Broadway musicals, in that, instead of opening with a bang, it opened with a “lone cowboy singing a gentle idyll about corn and meadows.”

In case you haven’t done the math, that was 71 years ago.

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Today’s birthday features another event that happened 71 years ago today. The birth of Christopher Walken. Walken is an actor, known for many roles. My favorite is the eighties movie Brainstorm. But he has also been good in many others. He is also known for some doing some quite funny things, such as this reading of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.”

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TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From The Divine Hours)

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!
Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
Psalm 119:1-3
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Psalm 51:12
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Psalm 86:15
For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?
Psalm 18:31

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He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
Psalm 23:2-3a
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
Psalm 46:10a

Today’s Daily Guidposts reading reminds us that God sometimes speaks most clearly we “don’t do, but . . . simply be.” “Be still and know. . . ”

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Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “The Meaning of Easter.”

It’s probably difficult to place readings like these past few in a yearly devotional guide, since Easter moves around every year. Most of the time, you would be safe placing Good Friday and Easter readings right around this time, but this year, Easter falls on April 20, which is still 20 days away.

This readings turns out to be one of those that I will simply quote in its entirety.

“The meaning of Easter is more than hope beyond the
grave, more than the infallible guarantee that the
resurrection of Jesus Christ is the pledge of my own.
His Easter victory means first his sovereignty over the
living as well as the dead. The risen Christ is Lord of
my life right now, meaning he is god above all the gods
of the unreal world out there–security, power, wealth,
beauty, or whatever else makes false claims on my life.
Easter means for me empowerment to freedom, the freedom
to be a living fulfillment of the First Commandment,
‘I am the Lord your God . . . You shall have no other
gods before me.'”

Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
Ephesians 4:8

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Father, may I know this sovereignty over my life! Jesus, may I fully acknowledge your Lordship over my life, through all aspects of my day. I cannot “make” you Lord of my life; I cannot ask you to be Lord over my life; you already ARE Lord! All I can do is acknowledge this fact, and I pray for your Spirit to help me remember this each moment of each day. How often I forget your Lordship and just go on about my merry (or not so merry) way. I pray that this fact of your sovereignty over my life would color all of my speech, especially around unbelievers. I pray that it would even penetrate my thoughts, to the point that I find myself utterly unable to think things that would not glorify you. This is quite a challenge, I realize, at least for me. Nothing is too difficult for you. It is always me who is the problem. Therefore, I call on your name. Teach me your ways, that I may walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name. May your word be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

I pray for this day. May I have safe travel to and from work. I pray that Christi’s doctor appointment this morning will provide some much needed relief, as well as some answers. I also pray that she might hear something back from one of the job opportunities. Lord do not let these people forget about her in the midst of their own problems and issues. I pray for Stephanie today. May she thoroughly enjoy the first day of our team’s baseball season. While I don’t know that you care a lot for who wins sports games, your child, Stephanie, cares a lot. I pray that she might receive some joy today. Teach her your ways and give her wisdom and understanding. May my work day go smoothly today, and help me draw strength from your Spirit.

I also pray, Father, that you help me to spend at least as much time being as I spend doing.

Your grace is sufficient.

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We always tend to focus on Jesus’s sovereignty over death at Easter time. Let us, this year, focus, as well, on his sovereignty over life.

Grace and peace, friends.