Of Men, Monkeys, and Giraffes

Today is Thursday, February 8, 2018. Day 21,882.

John Williams, born on this date in 1932, said, “When you think about Boston, Harvard and M.I.T. are the brains of the city, and its soul might be Faneuil Hall or the State House or the Old Church. But I think the pulsing, pounding heart of Boston is Fenway Park.”
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I did not think it possible to like John Williams even more.

The word for today, from Dictionary.com, is naissance, a noun which means, “a birth, an origination, or a growth, as that of a person, an organization, an idea, or a movement.”

C was feeling better, yesterday, but then her fever went back up a little bit last night. I haven’t talked to her yet, this morning. I still have chest congestion, but no fever. What I have feels like a case of what we called “The Commerce Crud,” when I was in college. We’re supposed to do a Night of Worship, Saturday night. If my congestion follows its usual pattern, there is no way I’ll be able to sing, this weekend. Perhaps it won’t, though.

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

You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! 
Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord! 
Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me! 
Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.” 
Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me! 
Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!” 
Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.
Psalm 35:22-28

(From The Business of Heaven, C.S. Lewis)
We are Inveterate Poets

“When a quantity is very great, we cease to regard it as mere quantity. Our imaginations awake. Instead of mere quantity, we now have a quality–the sublime. Unless this were so, the merely arithmetical greatness of the galaxy would be no more impressive than the figures in a telephone directory. It is thus, in a sense, from ourselves that the material universe derives its power to overawe us. To a mind which did not share our emotions, and lacked our imaginative energies, the argument from size would be sheerly meaningless. Men look on the starry heavens with reverence: monkeys do not. The silence of the eternal spaces terrified Pascal, but it was the greatness of Pascal that enabled them to do so. When we are frightened by the greatness of the universe, we are (almost literally) frightened by our own shadows: for these light years and billions of centuries are mere arithmetic until the shadow of man, the poet, the maker of myth, falls upon them. I do not say we are wrong to tremble at his shadow; it is a shadow of an image of God. But if ever the vastness of matter threatens to overcross our spirits, one must remember that it is matter spiritualized which does so. To puny man, the great nebula in Andromeda owes in a sense its greatness.” (From Dogma and the Universe)

I am fascinated by this reading. Especially the bit about men looking at the heavens with reverence, but monkeys do not. I never considered that before, but it’s true. And this is fuel for the debate with people who foolishly believe that animals are the same as humans. Animals couldn’t care less about the beauty of nature and the heavens. We see a beautiful tree and ponder the magnificence of God. A giraffe sees the same tree and thinks, “Dinner!” In another sense, though, the animals are slightly ahead of us. For that giraffe never worries about where his next meal is coming from. But Lewis’s point, I believe, is that it is our imagination that sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom, and it is that imagination that enables us to appreciate the wonder of creation, from the depths of the Mariana Trench to the farthest reaches of the universe.

Father, I am often without adequate words to appreciate your creation. I look up at the night sky sometimes, especially when I am away from the city lights, and I stand in awe. I have traveled to all four corners of our nation, each with its own kind of beauty, and I stand in awe. I confess that my favorite of all of these is to sit by the sea and watch/listen to the ocean. I am in awe of the power represented by the gigantic body of water. I look out on the horizon and it, in a sense, terrifies me. When I ponder you, my God, I feel the same. I feel a sense of awe from your majesty and glory, and then am frightened by the scope of your power. But the greatest feeling of all is when I sense your presence, which is always around me. I thank you for that!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22

Grace and peace, friends.

Choose Life!

Today is Wednesday, February 7, 2018. Day 21,881.

Sinclair Lewis, born on this date in 1885 (died 1951), said, “Advertising is a valuable economic factor because it is the cheapest way of selling goods, particularly if the goods are worthless.”
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The word for today, from Dictionary.com, is lenity, a noun which means, “the quality or state of being mild or gentle, as toward others.” We could all do with a bit more of that, don’t you think?

Well, C has the flu. She went to Care Now, yesterday morning, where she tested positive for flu B. She also has bronchitis and asthma, and they were fearful that it all might turn into pneumonia. She is to stay home for five days and go back Friday if she doesn’t feel better. The good news is that, this morning, her fever was below normal. She said she is feeling better, too.

As for me, I have yet to have any fever. I have some chest congestion, this morning, but it is mild. My nose was a bit stopped up when I got up, but it’s better now.

We watched the big “This Is Us” episode, last night. The ads tricked us. That’s all I’m going to say about that.

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

Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. 
They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. 
But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. 
I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning. 
But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing; 
like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth. 
How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions! 
I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you. 
Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. 
For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit. 
They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”
Psalm 35:11-21

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live . . .
Deuteronomy 30:19

“Choose life.” This is often seen as an anti-abortion phrase. But this is certainly not the context here. Moses is close to death. He is making his final big speech to the people of Israel, as they are finally getting prepared to enter the “Promised Land.” This segment actually begins in verse 15, where Moses says, “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” (15-20)

What does this mean for us today? Obviously, we aren’t going to dwell in the land the Lord swore to our fathers. But I believe we have the same choices set before us every day. Life or death; blessing or curse.

In every conversation we have, life or death, blessing or curse. It’s our choice. And it’s a choice that must be made daily, often multiple times a day. The sad thing is, at least for me (I dare not attempt to speak for anyone else), many times I have made the choice without being consciously aware of it until later. Then I wind up having to backtrack and apologize, “eating my words,” as they say.

Every day. Every hour. Every conversation. Every action. Life or death. Blessing or curse. Choose life, that you may live.

Father, I pray for the Spirit to guide me to the right choices today. Help me to choose life in every moment of the day. May every conversation I have today be sprinkled with life and not death. May the decisions I make lead toward life, not only for me, but for those around me, as well. My heart’s desire is to be a harbinger of life and blessing, not death and curse.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Grace and peace, friends! And life!

The New Commandment

Today is Tuesday, February 6, 2018. Day 21,880.

Aaron Burr, born on this date in 1756 (died 1836), said, “Never do today what you can do tomorrow. Something may occur to make you regret your premature action.”
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It was a tough call for today’s word, so I’ll give two, today. From Dictionary.com, the word is cerebrate, a verb which means, “to use the mind; think or think about.” From Merriam-Webster, the word is logomachy (pronounced “loh-GAH-muh-kee”), a noun which means, “a dispute over or about words,” or, “a controversy marked by verbiage.” I really like both of these words.

C came home from work early, yesterday, with a fever of 101. This morning, it is only 98.8, but she’s still coughing and her throat hurts. I think she’s staying home. I hope she will get to a doctor today.

It’s unlikely that we will make it to the Y tonight, but we will see how C feels, this evening.

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

Of David.
Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! 
Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! 
Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!” 
Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! 
Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away! 
Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them! 
For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life. 
Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction! 
Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation. 
All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
Psalm 35:1-10

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13:34-35

I don’t remember when I began to see the importance of this “new commandment,” but it wasn’t all that long ago. I had long embraced Jesus’s most important commands. You know the ones, surely.

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:28-31

The parallel passage in Matthew 22 ends the conversation with, “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

But then, in John, he gives this “new commandment” specifically to his disciples. “Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” This has made me realize the level, the intensity of the love we are to have for other believers. This is a difficult challenge, sometimes. You know as well as I do that you don’t get along with everyone in the Body of Christ. There are some people who simply rub you the wrong way, right? But we are commanded to love them in the same way that Christ has loved us. And I’m pretty sure that I don’t have the words to adequately describe the way Jesus loves us. Even Paul had trouble describing this love in Ephesians, as he prayed for the recipients of his letter.

. . . that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge . . .
Ephesians 3:17-19

Paul prays that they might know that which is unknowable. So the depth and height and length and width of Christ’s love for us is not even knowable.

That’s how much we are supposed to love each other. Even the ones we don’t like.

That is the “new commandment.” First, we must love God with every ounce of our being. Second, we must love our “neighbors” as we love ourselves. But, last, and most certainly NOT least, we are to love one another in the same way Christ loved us.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got some serious work to do.

Father, I look at this command, and shake my head. How can I do this? I struggle so much with judging others, both the unbelievers and other believers. I know this is not right. I know that this is not showing love. So I need your help. I cannot do this alone. However, I also realize that you will not do it for me. I must work. So help me to do the right work that will result in me following the commands of Jesus and walking in his steps. Help me to find that “easy yoke” of which he spoke.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22

Grace and peace, friends.

Claiming the Promises

“We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.”~~Nelson Mandela
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from the Oxford English Dictionary, is muchwhat, which means “Many matters, various things (as the substance of talk, debate, etc.).” A rather nice word, I think.

Today is World Sleep Day. Then why am I going to work??

Today is Friday, but it feels like Wednesday, since we were off Monday and Tuesday. I don’t know if that made any sense at all.

Not much going on here. I talked to my mother last night, and her oncologist appointment went well. It was confirmed that she will do six weeks of radiation treatment, five days a week, but we still don’t know when that will begin. After that, there will be some kind of hormone treatment (a pill) for five years. The success rate for this kind of treatment is 95%. That’s pretty good. It was also confirmed that the “lump” (if you can even call it that) was very tiny, as well as very new. That is also a good thing.

I think my body is still recovering from the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. Anyone who knows me very well knows that I absolutely loathe DST. There is no good reason for us to be doing this, so it really needs to stop. It disrupts the “body clock,” and some people don’t recover from that. There are increased traffic accidents on the Monday after DST begins. And there was a Swedish study in 2008 that there is an increased risk of heart attack during the first three days after DST begins!

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.
For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.
They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”
You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!
Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!
Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!
Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!
Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.
Psalm 35:19-28

There are three times in this Psalm that his cry for help “anticipates a time of praise.” Verse 9, 18, and 28 are the praise that that will result from God’s answer to the cries for help. “The psalmist expects help, and he knows what he will do when he gets it.” It is important to note that he does not get so “immersed in his trouble” that he can’t see the possibility/certainty that he will be “celebrating God’s salvation.”

“Never, O God, let me lose sight of where I am going with you. Help me to make the transition from talking about my troubles to using my tongue to tell your praise ‘all day long’ in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

. . . bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1

Today’s reading is “Shall I Rouse Myself up to This?”

We are all quick to claim God’s promises, but do we realize that through those same promises, God has a claim on us? Do we realize that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit, or “have I a habit of body that plainly will not bear the light of God on it?” In the process of sanctification, the life of Christ is formed in us, but we have to do the work of transforming our “natural life into a spiritual life by obedience to Him.” We can’t just sit back and expect God to transform us into sinless creatures. We must keep ourselves cleansed in our own daily walk with him.

“I have to cleanse myself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit until both are in accord with the nature of God.” Essentially, the gist of all of this is that I have work to do, and it is, indeed, “work.” I can’t just sit back and expect to become “holy.” I can’t claim God’s promises without recognizing that his promises produce a claim upon me, as well.

Great food for thought and meditation.

Father, teach me these truths; may they burrow down deep into my being and take root. Give me, not only the strength, but the desire to cleanse myself daily in my walk with you, that the life of Jesus Christ might be fully formed in me. Help me to cleanse any habits that would not bear your light.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

A Life of Forgiveness

“If it was raining soup, the Irish would go out with forks.”~~Brendan Behan
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from Dictionary.com, is Hibernian, which means, “of, relating to, or characteristic of Ireland or its inhabitants; Irish,” or, in noun form, “a native of Ireland.”

And why all of this Irish emphasis? Because, of course, today is Saint Patrick’s Day! The one day of the year when you can get painfully punished for not wearing the proper color of clothing.

Today is Thursday, even though it feels like Tuesday to me. I had to remind myself several times, yesterday, to not drive to Southlake for band practice after work. We didn’t have band practice this week, anyway, for Spring Break.

I guess I will wear something green, today, but I’m tempted to wear orange, instead. After all, I am not Catholic. 😀 In fact, I think I will. Because I’m just that way, sometimes.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.
They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.
But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.
But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;
like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.
How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions!
I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.
Psalm 35:11-18

The psalmist complains because his “friends” repaid him evil for good. He sympathized with them when they were sick; fasted and prayed for them. Now when he needs them, they mock him, even to the point of rejoicing over his stumbling.

“O God, I want to be able to treat the ill and unfortunate the way you treat them, not using their illness as a chance to find fault with them or blame them, but as a time to share your compassion and strength in the name of Jesus, the great physician. Amen.”

(From Daily Guideposts 2016)

Today, in a segment called “WHAT THE SAINTS HAVE TAUGHT ME,” Elizabeth Sherrill writes a piece called “Patrick, Companion When You’re Wronged.”

But I say to you, Love your enemies . . .
Matthew 5:44

Elizabeth writes of dreading St. Patrick’s Day, when she was younger. It seems that the Irish-American kids at her school played it up, singing Gaelic songs, and generally making it clear to everyone else that there was some sort of privilege to being Irish.

But guess what! Patrick wasn’t Irish! He was the son of a government official in Roman Britain. “When Patrick was a child, Ireland was the stuff of nightmares–a pagan land of marauding pirates who periodically swept down on his civilized Christian homeland.”

When Patrick was 16, in 405, he was kidnapped in one of those raids, carried back to Ireland, and sold as a slave. He wound up tending sheep, practically naked, through long winters, for six years before he finally had an opportunity to escape. Once he finally did, and made it back to Britain, in his gratitude, he devoted his life to God.

He was studying at a seminary in France when he began to have strange dreams. “He heard Irish voices begging him to come back and bring them the Gospel.” Which is exactly what he did. “For thirty years he traveled ceaselessly throughout the island, teaching, baptizing, planting churches, and bringing learning and peace to the land where he had received only cruelty.”

. . .bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Luke 5:28

Father, I have never been kidnapped or sold into slavery. Nor have I, like David, been mocked by friends while sick. But I can point to times in my life where people have, in a sense, mistreated me. I pray to always have a spirit of forgiveness toward people when I am not treated the way I think I should be. If Patrick can go back and preach the Gospel to a culture that enslaved him, if David can continue to minister to people who treat him poorly, why should I not be able to do the same?

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Walking in the Light

“Our national flower is the concrete cloverleaf.”~~Lewis Mumford
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from Merriam-Webster, is obnubilate, which means “becloud, obscure.”

Today is Freedom of Information Day, set on this date because it is the birthday of James Madison, Jr., who was instrumental in ensuring that “the government of the newly formed nation held no secrets from the people it served.”

Well, it’s back to “reality.” Or is it? I like to think that where we have been for the last four days was truly “reality.” We definitely have a new favorite cabin at Paluxy River Bed Cabins in Glen Rose. For the past ten years or so, we have stayed at the Cedar House, which is wonderful, but it was getting more difficult to navigate those stairs. Both of us have joint issues in either feet or knees. And the bathroom is downstairs, so that always meant several trips up and down in the middle of the night. This time we stayed at the Cliff House, a single story cabin with a beautiful view of the Paluxy River, which has been flowing nicely every since last Spring’s “rainy season.”

The weather was nearly perfect, cool at night, warm in the days. Almost too warm Monday, but still wonderful. My favorite restaurant, The Bayou, had closed down at some point in the last year, which was sad, and we also discovered that the teachers have sold the Pie Peddlers, which was also sad. But it appears that the young lady who bought it is fully prepared to carry on their legacy. We had a nice Italian dinner at La Vita, a charming little restaurant a few doors down from the Pie Peddlers, and then on Monday night, we bought some juicy steaks and some potatoes and cooked out on the grill provided at the cabin. That was a most delicious meal!

It’s always good to be home, and we can’t wait to get back to PRBC again, this time in November for Christi’s birthday, as we have the week immediately following our anniversary booked in Galveston. Can’t wait for that trip, as well.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!
Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!
Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”
Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!
Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.
Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction!
Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation.
All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
Psalm 35:1-10

There are times when it seems like everyone in the world is in a “vast conspiracy” to make us stumble. In those times, “nothing less than God himself is adequate for deliverance.”

“Dear God, when I feel that the world is against me and other are, either by their indifference or hostility, impediments in my way, grant that I may not sink into the quicksand of self-pity, but rather call out vigorously to you to be my Savior, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

(From My Utmost For His Highest)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ
2 Corinthians 5:10

Today’s reading is “The Master Assizes.”

We aren’t too comfortable with that scripture up there. The idea of standing before Christ in judgment frightens us. Yet we constantly stand in judgment of others, especially our own brothers and sisters. Don’t pretend you don’t do it. I’m guilty of it, too.

Chambers says, “If you learn to live in the white light of Christ here and now, judgment finally will cause you to delight in the work of God in you.” If we walk facing the “judgment seat of Christ,” we will be walking in the holiest light possible. “A wrong temper of mind about another soul will end in the spirit of the devil, no matter how saintly you are. One carnal judgment, and the end of it is hell in you.” How true this is!! When this happens, we must “drag it to the light at once!”

“Walking in the light means for many of us walking according to our standard for another person.” Heavy words for us all to consider.

Father, help me to walk in the light. Help me to always walk facing that judgment seat of Christ, thereby stopping the problem of standing in judgment of others. Prevent me from dragging in that “spirit of the devil” in my life.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Goodness for Those Who Fear Him

Good morning. It is Monday, April 20, 2015.

Today’s Word of the Day is rurbanization. This is a mashup of “rural urbanization,” meaning, “The influence of rural society on urban life, or vice versa.”

Today is Patriot’s Day. While this is bigger in New England than down here in Texas, it is the day that signifies the beginning of the Revolutionary War. It commemorates the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, and happens on the third Monday of April. It is also the day of the Boston Marathon, as well as the day that the Red Sox game always starts at 11:05 ET.

We got a little rest yesterday evening, after getting the groceries done and the yard mowed. Christi is still coughing like crazy, which is keeping her from sleeping well. But this week should be a little easier on us. I talked to my mother on the phone yesterday evening, and the report seemed encouraging. She took Dad’s glasses up to him yesterday (she got a ride with a friend), as well as his Bible and an Open Windows devotional booklet. He actually asked her if she brought the Open Windows, which I interpret as a great thing. The people at the nursing home indicated that he had done well. He also told Mom that he slept well the night before, which is the first good night of sleep he has had in a good while. This is also encouraging.

Today, it’s back to work, of course. Who knows what this week has in store for us?

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!
Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!
Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”
Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!
Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.
Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction!
Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation.
All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.
They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.
But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.
But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;
like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.
How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions!
I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.
Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.
For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.
They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”
You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!
Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!
Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!
Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!
Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.
Psalm 35

(From Solid Joys)

Today’s reading is “Afraid to Stray.”

Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!
Psalm 31:19

John Piper points out two important truths in this verse.

“1. The goodness of the Lord”

While we believe that God shows a “general goodness” to all mankind (he sends the rain on the just and the unjust, the Bible tells us), we also believe that there is a “peculiar goodness” that he bestows on “those who fear him.” The scope of this peculiar goodness is “abundant beyond measure. It is boundless. It lasts forever. It is all-encompassing.” In fact, we can even safely say that there is “only goodness for those who fear him.” There may certainly be things happening in our lives that don’t seem good at the time. For example, my father’s fall twelve days ago. How could I possible see this as good?? Yet, Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 3:3-5 also points out that there is profit in our pain: Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Those who do not fear God will experience only “temporary goodness.” Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:4) This gives us pause, as we stop and realize that, just because God is being good to us, it does not mean that we have found favor with him. The goodness that God shows to those who do not fear him is designed to lead them to repentance.

“2. The fear of the Lord”

“The fear of the Lord is the fear of straying from him.” This is expressed in the phrase, “take refuge in you.” Two conditions are mentioned in this verse; fearing the Lord and taking refuge in him. This seems contradictory, at first. We would not normally run toward something/someone that we fear. Fear drives away; refuge draws in. But we might see this fear as a fear of “not being drawn in.”

“There is a real trembling for the saints.” Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12) “But it is the trembling one feels in the arms of a Father who has just plucked his child from the undertow of the ocean.” That was a most beautiful sentence!

Father, help me to fear you more, that I might be drawn in and take refuge in you more. I believe in your goodness in my life. I believe that, for me, and all who believe in your name, there is only goodness in life, even in situations like the one we are currently in the middle of. I believe that, because of the blood of Jesus Christ, you look at me and only feel love. This is, admittedly, difficult for me to fathom, especially when I am running away from you, engaging in some sort of sinful behavior. But you always draw me back in. Your Holy Spirit is irresistible. I pray for the healthy fear that causes me to take refuge in you, daily. May I ponder this as I drive to work this morning.

I pray for this day. May you keep my mother safe in her home as she goes about her daily activities. May you keep her safe as she rides with someone to the nursing home today. May you cradle my parents in your hands, keeping them safe and bringing healing mercy to my father as he waits for you in this nursing home. Strengthen his muscles, even beyond what they were before his fall. I pray that he may even be able to minister to the nurses at the home, as they minister to him.

May we have safe travel to and from work today. I pray for healing for Christi, that her cough and headache would be better. Give her energy to get through this day. May we draw on the mercy that you have given us, new this morning, just enough for this day. I pray for Stephanie today, that she would not worry much over her grandparents.

I pray for healing for Elizabeth, and comfort for her family.

Your grace is sufficient.

Rejoice in the goodness of the Lord today. Take refuge in him.

Grace and peace, friends.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

Good morning. It’s Thursday, July 5, 2012. Gotta make this quick today, because I’m going to work at 8am, since we had a holiday yesterday. The holiday took a tragic turn when we had to put our beloved cat, Midnight, to sleep yesterday. It’s possible she had some kind of stroke or seizure, or maybe even cardiac arrest. She was pretty old, though, and had a thyroid disease. We were pretty sure this day was imminent, anyway.

Midnight (1997-2012)

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Today is “National Graham Cracker Day.” I just might have some of those somewhere.

It was on this date in 1921 that the Chicago White Sox were accused of throwing the World Series. The infamous “Black Sox” scandal named players such as the great “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, Buck Weaver, and Eddie Cicotte. Jackson, however, had the best batting average of either team in the series, so it’s unlikely that he participated. Nevertheless, he, and all others implicated in the scandal, even though acquitted by a jury, were banned by newly hired baseball commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis. It was one of the saddest days in baseball history.
On this date in 1954, Elvis Presley recorded “That’s All Right (Mama).”

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Our lunch yesterday was delicious, and we had a very nice visit with Rachel and Justin. Stephanie and I got in our workout, while Rachel and Christi attended to the unpleasant task mentioned at the beginning of today’s entry. We thought it would be good to get Stephanie to the gym to keep her mind off of Midnight. The great thing is, even thought today feels like Monday, there are only two more work days until the weekend. It’s kind of like having two Fridays in the same week!

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Father, I pray for some inspiration today that would help me live this day in the shadow of your grace. Create in me a clean heart, O God…

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Today, I’m reading Psalm 35. In this one, David prays for vindication against his enemies.
Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me! (1)

Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! (4)

He speaks of the unfairness in the way he was treated as people for whom he wore sackcloth and fasted when they were afflicted rise up and malign him, rejoicing at his stumbling. (11-16) But in verse 18, he still insists that he will publicly praise the Lord.
I will thank you in the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise you.

I believe we see from this that it is okay to ask the Lord to vindicate us; it is fine to pray for the Lord to avenge wrongdoing against us. I suggest, however, that we be very cautious with our motives.

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My Utmost For His Highest

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:5

Today’s reading pretty much takes up where yesterday’s left off. It’s called “Don’t Calculate Without God.” Chambers notes that it almost seems as if God takes delight in upsetting the plans we have made without taking him into account. We don’t really believe this, of course; I don’t think God would delight in upsetting us. But sometimes, it’s as if he chuckles at our plans and then says, “Just watch this…” “We get into circumstances which were not chosen by God, and suddenly we find we have been calculating without God; He has not entered in as a living factor. The one thing that keeps us from the possibility of worrying is bringing God in as the greatest factor in all our calculations.”
We always say we put God first, especially in our “religious” activities, but when it comes to our personal lives, it’s a different story. We must come to God as we are, every day, with the practical things of life.
Chambers makes a bold statement: “You cannot lay up for a rainy day if you are trusting Jesus Christ.” Jesus told us, “Let not your heart be troubled…” That was a command. “Haul yourself up a hundred and one times a day in order to do it, until you get into the habit of putting God first and calculating with Him in view.”

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Father, I pray that I will always put you first in life…not just in matters of religion. Help me to always calculate with you in mind, not with the “rainy day” in view, nor with the idea of the evil that may happen in view. You should be first in mind, and you should be first in our plans and calculations. I commit to let not my heart be troubled; I commit to not fretting. Forgive me when I do, and nudge me with your Spirit when I begin to fret over anything. Whatever will be, will be…that much is true. I cannot alter one inch of what will come by fretting. Let that be the thing that I live by today.

I pray for this day, Lord, quickly, as it is time to go. I pray for Christi today, that she will continue feeling better. Comfort us in the loss of our family pet. Some think it silly that we grow so attached to an animal, but, nevertheless, we do. Especially, I pray for Stephanie today, as she will be at home with the memories. May she take comfort in your Spirit, as well as with her other cat, Honey. Bring her great peace today, Lord.

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I will continue my prayers on the trip to work this morning. Take comfort in knowing that God has his hand on all things in your life. Do not fret; let not your heart be troubled.

Grace and peace, friends.