Turtle

Today is Sunday, April 22, 2018. Day 21,955. Fourth Sunday of Easter.

Six days until our next Night of Worship.

Terry Francona turns 59 today. He said, “As a manager, the more consistent you are, the better off you are. It’s easy to be up when things go well. When things don’t go well, the players will follow your lead. So you have to be consistent and upbeat, which takes some work sometimes.” BrainyQuote

The word for today is traduce, a verb which means, “to expose to shame or blame by means of falsehood and misrepresentation.”

We had a nice day, yesterday, of not doing a whole lot. C went to the library and picked up some lunch while she was out. Then I went and picked up our Kroger Click List at around 3:30 PM. C painted some during the afternoon, while I played video games and learned something new about my new keyboard, getting it set up for this morning’s worship gathering.

The Red Sox lost their third game of the season, last night. And, I suppose, if you’re going to lose, you might as well do it in premier fashion! They only lost 3-0, but not only did they get shut out, they also got no-hit! And I watched every painful moment of it! Sean Manaea allowed only two base runners the entire game, one walk, and one on an error. The error was a possible questionable call by the scorekeepers, but you gotta figure the home town scorekeepers are going to protect the no-hitter if they can. There was also a close call at first base when Andrew Benintendi skirted around a tag to make to first base. He was initially called safe, but Oakland manager questioned the call, and the umpires gathered to discuss it. There was no instant replay review, but they decided that Benintendi had, in fact, left the base path to avoid the tag. The replays showed that they were right. But I wonder, had it not been a no-hitter, if that would have even come up.

At any rate, the Sox remain the best team in baseball by three games, with a record of 17-3. They finish the series with Oakland, this afternoon at 3:05PM CDT.

The Rangers gave up five runs in the seventh inning to lose their third consecutive game. They lost to the Mariners, 9-7.

We are getting ready for our worship gathering, this morning. We worship with The Exchange Church, which meets at 9100 N Beach Street in Fort Worth, TX. The gathering begins at 10:15 AM.

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

“O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people:
Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who
calleth us each by name, and follow where he leads;
who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
The Book of Common Prayer

Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. 
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake! 
  Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes! 
Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die! 
Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord! 
But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise
Psalm 79:8-13

I wonder, frequently, why God allows “the nations” to say, “Where is their God?” But I have the same faith as the writer of this Psalm. I, as one of the sheep of his pasture, will give thanks to him forever.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
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 12:29-31
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Colossians 3:12-13

In all of these verses there is a common thread: that of showing kindness and hospitality to others. Kindness, compassion, forgiveness, fellowship, love, humility, meekness, and patience are to be shown toward all people, but most especially to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should not, as Edward Grinnan puts it, in Daily Guideposts, “simply tunnel through life,” doing little or nothing for those who are hurting and needy. By God’s grace, we need to pay attention to situations around us, and be ready to serve in any way we can.

Father, you are only just beginning to get me out of my shell of isolation in my life. I have spent far too much of my life with the kind of tunnel vision that Edward describes in his prayer. But that is changing. And I pray that it continues to change, even though I am oh, so comfortable in that shell, like a turtle. Give me compassion and kindness and love toward other people, such that they have never seen before. Help me to even surprise people with love.
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.

How To Love Your Enemy

Today is Saturday, April 21, 2018. Day 21,954.

Seven days until our next Night of Worship.

It’s the birthday of Aiden Wilson Tozer (1897-1963), who said, “An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.” BrainyQuote

The word for today is panchreston, a noun which means, “a proposed explanation intended to address a complex problem by trying to account for all possible contingencies but typically proving to be too broadly conceived and therefore oversimplified to be of any practical use.” If you’re like me, and you are sometimes, you just said, “huh??”

Supposedly, there is 100% chance of rain today. So far, it has not done so. We postponed our plans to go to Scarborough Faire today, because of the forecast. The YMCA even postponed their “Healthy Kid Fest” because of the forecast. The Fort Worth Main Street Arts Festival is also going on this weekend. We still have thunderstorms predicted for later today, though.

The Red Sox had a close call, last night. Drew Pomeranz made his first start of the season, as he faced the Oakland Athletics, and got into trouble fast. In the first inning, he gave up three runs and threw more than forty pitches! So, after one inning, the Sox were down, 3-0, something they had yet to experience this season. In the top of the second, though, the Red Sox and Jackie Bradley, Jr. said “Oh, no you don’t,” when he belted a three-run home run to tie the game. It went on this way for several more innings until Mitch Moreland (remember him, Rangers fans?) sealed the deal with the Sox’s FIFTH grand slam home run of April! That was “all she wrote,” and the game ended with the Sox winning 7-3. This increases their astonishing record to 17-2. Their run differential in the first seventeen games is seventy! That’s the best in MLB by twenty-seven runs! They are only the fifth team in the “modern era” to win 17 of their first 19 games, and the first to do so since the 1987 Brewers. I can’t speak for any other Sox fans, but I’m vacillating between, “Holy cow, this is amazingly awesome!” and, “When’s the scandal going to hit, or the injuries going to start?” You see, I’m pessimistic at heart. Nevertheless, I’m loving this while it is happening. I have to confess, I was foolishly worried after the first inning last night. I should have known better. They continue their series in Oakland tonight.

The Rangers held their own against Seattle until the top of the ninth, last night. It was looking good for a bit. They even went ahead 2-1, at one point. But, alas, the Mariners tied it up in the eighth, and then Kela gave up three runs in the top of the ninth, and Diekman gave up one, which was, in the big picture, irrelevant. Rangers lose 6-2, to make their season record 7-14.

The Red Sox continue to be the best team in MLB, by three games over the New York Mets. The Cincinnati Reds have the worst record, at 3-16.

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

A Psalm of Asaph.
O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 
They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth. 
They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. 
We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. 
How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? 
Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name! 
For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
Psalm 79:1-7

This Psalm seems to have been written after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, circa A.D. 70, which is odd, because it is attributed to Asaph. However, as far as I know, the “titles” of these psalms were added later.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:11-12

In today’s Solid Joys, John Piper writes about “The Key to Radical Love.”

When he was preaching on Matthew 5:44 (“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”), Piper posed this question: “How do you love the people who kidnap you and then kill you?” That seems rather extreme, doesn’t it? I mean, how many of us have been kidnapped?

The point is, though, the source of the kind of love that can do this. “Where does the power to love like this come from?” I am immediately reminded of Corrie ten Boom and her sister, and the things they endured in a German concentration camp.

Jesus gives us the key to this kind of radical love in verses 11-12 of the same chapter. We can not only endure the mistreatment of our enemies, we can also rejoice in it!

“This seems even more beyond our reach than praying for our enemies or doing good to them.” Indeed, it does. It seems humanly impossible, and there is a reason for that. It is humanly impossible. But if I could do that, if I could actually rejoice in being mistreated by enemies, then I could certainly, as Jesus commanded, love those who are mistreating me. “If the miracle of joy in the midst of the horror of injustice and pain and loss could happen, then the miracle of love for the perpetrators could happen too.”

What is the key to all of this? It is in the second phrase of verse 12, “for great is your reward in heaven.” This points to something that John Piper has long called “future grace.” “The key to joy is faith in God’s future grace — that is, being satisfied in all that God promises to be for you.”

So, then, when we are commanded to love, we are, essentially, commanded to set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2). And things are above consist of all of the things that God has promised to be for us.

“The command to love our enemy is a command to find our hope and our deepest soul-satisfaction in God and his great reward — his future grace. The key to radical love is faith in future grace.” As stated in Psalm 63:3, the steadfast love of the Lord is better than life. And, lest we get things backwards, loving our enemies does not earn us the reward of heaven. “Treasuring the reward of heaven empowers you to love your enemy.”

Father, I thank you for the promises of future grace. I pray that you help me remember these whenever I am tempted to hate my “enemies.” Help me to love my enemies and rejoice if I am persecuted (which, in all honesty, has not happened to me in my lifetime). Your steadfast love truly is better than life, and the promises of what you will be for me, what you are for me, are great and precious to me. Help me to always realize the truth of Isaiah 41:10.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

Grace and peace, friends.

Pray On the Path

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” – Henry David Thoreau
(Eduro)

The word of the day, from Dictionary.com, is vexillology, “the study of flags.” Sheldon Cooper, no doubt, knows this word well.

Aha. I get it, now. Today is Flag Day!

I really don’t have much to talk about, this morning, on a personal level. Band practice was good, work was busy, but went well. Plus I’m running a little behind, this morning, so I’ll get on to the important stuff.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Praying With the Psalms)

O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.
They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?
Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name!
For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes!
Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!
Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
Psalm 79

“The desecration of Jerusalem by the Babylonians is behind this prayer.” There are cries for vengeance, because of the pillaging brought on by the enemy. But the psalmist is also aware that the judgment of God is involved, which explains the cries of repentance, seeking compassion.

“O God, help me to be aware of the wrongs done to your children, to be sensitive to the violence done to your people. Then teach me to pray in a caring, compassionate spirit for your justice and your salvation. Amen.”

(From Daily Guideposts 2016)

“Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.”
Jeremiah 6:16

Lisa Bogart writes of a time when she discovered a labyrinth at a local Presbyterian church. I am fascinated by labyrinths, and wish I could find one close to home. I know of one in Southlake, but it’s a ways from my home. A labyrinth is a prayer path, designed for people to pray while they follow the meandering path to the center. When Lisa found this one, she followed the path and stood at the center, praying, “Thank you, God, for the joy of this discovery.”

She has walked this labyrinth many times, but still finds herself wondering which way to turn next. “If I try to see where I’m headed, I’m often wrong. Yet I know if I stay on the path, I will make it to the center.”

It’s easy to trust our steps when we are walking on a planned-out path, such as a labyrinth. It’s harder when we are not on such a path. “With no clear path to follow, it’s difficult to stay on course.” The lesson is there, from the labyrinth . . . “pray on the path.”

We may not hear God’s voice, but we can know and feel his presence. We can also know and acknowledge that we all walk together, and we walk with God. Sometimes, we have a clear destination. Other times, we cannot see where we are going, and we may find ourselves on a detour. But if we pray on the path, we can have confidence that we walk with God.

Father, this is a good, simple, life lesson. It is also something that I have been striving for, over recent days, to “pray on the path.” I am still finding it a struggle to pray without ceasing, throughout the day. I am finding some success, but not enough to be satisfied. May your Holy Spirit remind me constantly to be praying, as I walk through my day. I also pray for the knowledge that you and I are walking together, in Christ, by the Spirit.

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.

Intelligent Mysticism

Good morning. It is Sunday, June 28, 2015.

Today’s word of the day, from Merriam-Webster, is cybrarian. You might be able to guess this one. It’s a noun, meaning, “a person whose job is to find, collect, and manage information that is available on the World Wide Web.” Personally, I think it’s an impossible job. Maybe not, though, considering that it did not say, “manage all the information that is available . . .” Still, I believe it to be quite the daunting task.

Today is Log Cabin Day, encouraging us to step back and get away from modern convenience for a bit, and just relax. Sadly, we have too much to do today to even think about that. But it does remind me of our stays at Paluxy River Bed Cabins, in Glen Rose.

This morning, we’re going to Southlake to look at a trombone! It looks like a good one, and appears to be, based on the serial number given by the seller, about ten years old. From the pictures, it looks to be in pretty good condition, as well. The seller agreed to take $1700 for it, down a little from the asking price on the ad. It’s a Bach 42, and appears to be a “TG,” with a Thayer valve. I’m rather anxious to check it out.

After that, we have to pick up Christi’s car, which is at the tire shop, as she needed four new tires before we could even think about getting the car inspected. The inspection isn’t due for a while, but she experienced some frightening driving conditions during our monsoon season. After that, we have to get the groceries for us and Christi’s mom and step-dad, and then Tessie, the dog, has a 1:30 appointment for her regular checkup at PetSmart (Banfield Pet Clinic). I think that’s all. Maybe.

Next weekend promises to be great fun. I will be playing with the Southlake Community Band on Friday evening, at Southlake Town Square, for their July 4th festivities. I’m not sure why they chose to do it on Friday, but I’m glad they did, because our church is having a July 4th picnic on Saturday at 5:00 PM, in place of our regular gatherings. The really cool thing is that we have invited my mother to come to these, offering to go pick her up in Mineral Wells on Friday morning, and maybe have her stay a couple of nights with us. I’m really excited about the weekend.

On this date in 1846, the saxophone was patented in Paris, France, by Adolphe Sax. Huh. I had no idea it was actually named after the inventor. In 1881, there was a secret treaty between Austria and Serbia. Must not have been very “secret.” On this date in 1894, Labor Day became an official U.S. Holiday. On this date in 1914, Franz Ferdinance, the Archduke of Austria, and his wife Sophie, were assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a young Serbian nationalist. Thus began what we know as World War I. Exactly five years later to the day, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, formally ending World War I. Exactly three years later, the Irish Civil War began. And on this date in 1997, Mike Tyson was disqualified in a heavyweight boxing match, for biting off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear.

Today’s birthdays include John Wesley (English founder of Methodism), Richard Rodgers (American composer), Mel Brooks (American filmmaker), Pat Morita (American actor), Chuck Howley (American football player), Ron Luciano (American baseball umpire), Tom Magliozzi (American radio personality, Car Talk), John Byner (American comedian), Gilda Radner (American comedienne), Kathy Bates (American actress), John Elway (American football player), Mary Stuart Masterson (American actress), John Cusack (American actor), Gil Bellows (American actor), Felicia Day (American actress), and Kellie Pickler (American singer).

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

A Psalm of Asaph.
O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.
They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?
Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name!
Psalm 79:1-6

(If my posting of the Psalms passages seems random, it actually is not. I’m following the Psalms readings from Heart Aflame, devotions from John Calvin’s commentaries on the Psalms, edited by Sinclair B. Ferguson.)

(From Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God)

Timothy Keller speaks of the path clearing a bit for him as he preached through Romans 8.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
(verses 15-16)

It is the Spirit who assures us that the Father loves us. It is the Spirit who enables us to approach the Father. It is also the Spirit who joins forces with our own spirit “and adds a more direct testimony.” Many modern biblical scholars see this as “a religious experience that is ineffable,” and consider this assurance of God’s love to be “mystical in the best sense of the word.” We simply cannot afford to underestimate the emotional aspect of our experience.

As Keller was inspired to go back to writers he had read in seminary, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Owen, he discovered that these did not attempt to separate spirit and truth, doctrine and experience.

So as Timothy pursued his deeper prayer life, he “chose a counterintuitive course.” He avoided new books on prayer, completely. He returned to historical texts of theology that had been instrumental in his initial formation. Now he could read those with questions in mind regarding prayer and experience. He found that he had missed much in his initial readings. “I found guidance on the inward life of prayer and spiritual experience that took me beyond the dangerous currents and eddies of the contemporary spirituality debates and movements.”

John Murray, a Scottish theologian, wrote that we must recognize that there is “an intelligent mysticism” to the life of faith. He quotes Peter’s first epistle. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. (1:8) In this, Peter assumes “that an experience of sometimes overwhelming joy in prayer was normal.”

“Intelligent mysticism” means “an encounter with God that involves not only the affections of the heart but also the convictions of the mind. We are not called to choose between a Christian life based on truth and doctrine or a life filled with spiritual power and experience. They go together.”

Father, I pray that you help me discover this intelligent mysticism in my own prayer life as I go forward and attempt to learn more about communing with you in my daily life.

I pray for this day, that we may be able to get everything accomplished that needs to be done, and then have time to rest this evening. Give us wisdom as we make a decision about this trombone, this morning.

Your grace is sufficient.

I love the idea presented in today’s section of the book, the idea of “intelligent mysticism.” I think too many people run in fear at the mere mention of “mysticism.” Yet, I firmly believe that there is a place for it in our prayer lives.

Grace and peace, friends.

Sell All You Have

And it’s Saturday! Today is August 18, 2012. Today is “National Bad Poetry Day.” I follow a few poets on WordPress. I don’t think they will be participating. I’ll try one.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
This is a bad poem
I wrote it for you.
(If you don’t want to try bad poetry, it’s also “National Soft Ice Cream Day,” so you could always go to Dairy Queen or Sonic for a cone.)

On this date in 1940, Walter P. Chrysler died at the age of 65. I bet you can guess what he did. On this date in 1227 (a couple years earlier), Genghis Khan died. Several centuries later, he opened a restaurant. On this date in 1590, the famous Roanoke colony was found completely deserted by John White, who had been away on a supply trip to England. No trace was ever found of the inhabitants of the colony. Only the single word, “CROATOAN,” was found carved into the palisade around that was built around the colony. A palisade is a fence made from posts. On this date in 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified, guaranteeing women the right to vote. On this date in 1933, Roman Polanski was born. On this date in 1958, Vladamir Nabokov’s book, Lolita was published. Does anyone else find that ironic? (Those last two items, I mean…look it up.) And on this date in 1941, Hitler suspended the systematic slaughtering of mentally ill and handicapped people because of protests in Germany. Lest anyone think he had a sudden case of conscience, he later revived the program in Poland.

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Today, the celebrations begin. In a little while, Christi and I will go to the west side of Fort Worth, pick up Grandmother and Don and bring them back to our side of town for lunch at Fogata’s followed by strawberry birthday cake. Later, we will head over the mall (I know…it’s “tax free weekend”) to pick up a cookie cake, which we will take with us to Mineral Wells tomorrow for the celebration with Grandma and Grandpa. So, Grandma, don’t make a cake or anything. If you already have, it’s okay. So, it’s going to be a right busy weekend! But all to celebrate our special girl turning 19! (Stephen King would like that…if you don’t get that, there’s no way I can explain it to you.)

In about thirty minutes, we head to the grocery store, so I don’t have much time, now. We slept in, because we took off from church setup today, in order to get ready for Steph’s birthday stuff. This is her weekend, so we’re putting off some other things that we normally do. Anyway…better get moving.

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Father, I pray that you show me a glimpse of you in the time I have left today.

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Today I’m reading Psalm 79. This one was written by Asaph, probably after the Babylonians defeated Jerusalem in 586 B.C. It begins rather hopelessly.
O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
they have defiled your holy temple;
they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food,
the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.
They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. (1-4)

Asaph then calls on God for vindication.
How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever?
Will your jealousy burn like fire?
Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name!
For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation. (5-7)

Forgiveness and compassion are called for, and finally, we should note that Asaph, while crying out for deliverance for Israel, is also asking God to stand up for his own name’s sake.
Do not remember against us our former iniquities;
let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!
Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes!

Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!
Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord! (8-12)

And fittingly, the psalmist closes out with praise and thanksgiving.
But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever;
from generation to generation we will recount your praise. (13)
Even in the face of the massive destruction of Jerusalem, the true servant of God can still give him praise and thanksgiving.

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My Utmost For His Highest
But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Luke 18:23

What “things?” If you look were looking at the book, you would see yesterday’s reading right across the page with verse 22 at the top of the page. Jesus had just told this “rich young ruler” to sell all that he had and distribute the proceeds to the poor, then to come follow him. He went away, “expressionless with sorrow.” Chambers asks, “Have you ever been expressionless with sorrow?” There was no debate. He didn’t argue with Jesus; he understood exactly what was said to him. Has the word of God come to us in something that we are very rich in? This can cause great sorrow, for if we are rich in something, we are hard pressed to give it up. He will not chase after us; he did not chase this ruler. He watched him go. But, when we see him again, he will remind us, “If you mean what you say, those are the conditions.”

What is our version of, “Sell all that you have?” Chambers says, “…undress yourself morally before God of everything that might be a possession until you are a mere conscious human being and then give God that.” The battle is fought in the domain the will! “Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Himself?” This is such a very difficult question! “Beware of allowing anything to soften a hard word of Jesus Christ’s.” We rationalize…”Well, what Jesus really means is…” No. What he means is what he says. Now, we must be careful that we don’t read a story like this one and assume that Jesus wants us all to go sell every physical possession we have. That was specific to this person. However, there is much we can learn from the encounter about how much we hold on to both physical possessions and mental ideas.

Consider this: It is possible to be so “rich in poverty” that we become useless to Christ! If we get so caught up in NOT having things that we lose sight of our Lord, it does us no good. “I can be so rich in the consciousness that I am somebody that I shall never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute of the sense that I am destitute?” Oh, yeah. He just said that. I cannot love anything more than Jesus, not even my love for Jesus.

This is an amazing reading! It runs circles around my head, making me dizzy, but, yes…it makes perfect sense. Even our devotion to Christ can become an “idol” in our lives. We must guard against any such thing. Jesus is all. And he must be all, or he is nothing.

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Father, I pray that nothing ever hinders my walk with Christ. May I forsake all worldly things that would distract me from this walk or tempt me down a different path. May I also guard (or, rather, I ask that your Spirit guard) against idolatry, even with something as important as my devotion to you or my sense of having nothing and being nothing. All of these things can become idols, Lord. Yet, I need not live my life in fear, being afraid at every corner that I have made something an idol. All that is needed is a simple devotion to Christ, fueled by the power of the Spirit, and a love for the Scriptures, by which I gain knowledge and wisdom. Lord, I’ve been reading the beatitudes each day, praying that you would bring these characteristics to life in me. And if that happens, if I gain those qualities, truthfully, then there will be no worries of “worshiping my worship.” Be my all in all, Lord. Be my strength when I am week, be that treasure that I seek. I will seek you as a precious jewel. I will not give up.

I pray for this day, Lord. We have much planned, and I pray that everything will go smoothly, even down to transferring Don from his wheelchair to Christi’s car. May the day be pleasant and peaceful, as we celebrate Stephanie’s birthday. I pray for her, Lord. Be a blessing to her today, and may we be a blessing to her, as well. May your grace flow down into her heart today, and make her feel your love flowing over her. She is your special child, Father.

I also lift up a special prayer this morning, for Rachel and Justin, who have just embarked on a drive to Minnesota. No, I’m not kidding. Give them travel safety, especially Rachel, who will be doing all of the driving. I pray that they have a wonderful time, visiting their friends, Vince and Patrick. May your blessings, grace, and mercy travel with them.

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Jesus has not asked me to “sell all you have.” However, he has asked me to be “poor in spirit,” and to be humble. If there is anything that I consider “riches,” I must be willing to consider it nothing for the sake of Christ.

Grace and peace, friends.