This weekend, we remember the millions of lives, mostly of those far too young, ended too soon on battlefields around the globe to advance our nation’s interests. And we should remember in graphic detail, so that the cost of war is never a light consideration. We need to accept responsibility since in our democracy it is you and I who give our political leaders authority to undertake military missions in our name; 'the people of these United States.'
Andy Rooney, commentator and curmudgeon on “60 Minutes,” who saw WW2 up close as a war correspondent, observed, “There is more bravery at war than in peace, and it seems wrong that we have so often saved this virtue to use for our least noble activity - war. The goal of war is to cause death to other people.” He went on to say that we speak of our warriors “giving their lives when, in reality, their lives are taken from them!” So, he concluded, we must never forget - more for our own sake, than for the sake of the dead. We must remember, with honor, those who have died in wars - and we must let their lost lives and their sorrowing kin cause us to seek new ways of resolving human conflict!
One of the Devil's great deceptions is the way he deceives humanity to glorify war! The 'great heroes' in our history books are too often warriors whose greatness is written in blood, ruthless men who were willing to kill and destroy to advance an agenda of economic opportunity or national pride. War is never glorious. That should be said often and with conviction! It is a terrible business with awful goals. I cannot, in this brief note, speak to the issues of the morality of war, or whether war is sometimes a justified response to evil. Greater minds than mine have explored that subject in depth. But, I will say, with great conviction, that the Christian should always be prejudiced to peace!
Jesus commended those who seek peace, calling them 'children of God.'
Peter urges us to 'seek peace and pursue it.'
In the book of Hebrews we read this passage which recognizes the limits of peace-making in a world filled with evil. There we are told to 'make every effort to live in peace with all men.'
In one of his most compelling statements, Jesus says, 'Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ... If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’ (Matthew 5:39-44, NIV) So quickly this rule is discarded in favor of attack with words, fists, bullets, and bombs.
We do not dishonor those who have fallen in war by remembering their deaths in the context of an appeal to peace-making. Those who seek peace whole-heartedly may be mocked as weak or cowardly, but truthfully – who is more courageous than the one who stands facing another with a gun and prays for him? What could be noble than offering forgiveness and absorbing the cost of loss for the sake of destroying hatred? Isn’t that exactly what Jesus, our Savior, did for us?
This Memorial Day holiday weekend- remember and honor, and pray for peace. Pray that it begins with you; first, reconciled to God, living in peace with Him, then reconciled to those near to you, at peace with them, and then as an advocate for peace on earth! Ultimately, peace will come with a new King, who Kingdom is one of perfect justice, equity, and love. How I long for His kingdom, and so I pray, often and with tears - "May your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."
__________________
This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for lands afar and mine;
This is my home, The country where my heart is,
Here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;
But other hearts in other lands are beating,
With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.
This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdom's
Thy kingdom come on earth, Thy will be done;
Let Christ be lifted up 'til all men serve Him,
And hearts united learn to live as one;
O, hear my prayer, Thou God of all the nations.
Myself I give Thee let Thy will be done.
This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for men in every place;
And yet I pray for my beloved country
The reassurance of continued grace;
Lord, help us find our oneness in the Savior,
In spite of differences of age and race. Amen.
A Song Of Peace
Stone, Lloyd / Wood, Dale / Sibelius, Jean
© 1968 Lorenz Publishing Company (a div. of the Lorenz Corporation)
CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Desperation
Our Bible study group just finished working through the book of 1st Samuel, the story of David’s rise to Israel’s throne. The tragic figure of the book is Saul, the man who stood head and shoulders above his fellow countrymen, who was chosen by God to be their first king. He is a flawed man, quick to set aside commitment to the Lord and to choose his own way. Time after time, he decided that his way was better than God’s way and he justified his actions by asking, “What else was I supposed to do?” By the end of the book, he is a pathetic figure. The time of war came. "When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear. He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets." (1 Samuel 28:5-6, NLT)
In his desperation, once again Saul decides on expedience over principle. Despite the strong prohibitions of the Mosaic law, he seeks out a medium. "Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.” His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.” (1 Samuel 28:7, NLT) In a chapter full of things that are hard to understand, we learn that medium brings Samuel’s spirit back from the dead. The king is told that this battle will be his last. Samuel’s ghost tells Saul that he will be dead the next day, that his sons will die in battle, and the army of Israel will suffer a terrible defeat! At that the desperate king, passes out cold, knocked out by fear!
Two chapters later, we catch up with David on the worst day of his life! He comes home from a military campaign to discover that the town of Ziklag, where he and his men were living in exile, had been attacked by raiders. All of their possessions, and worse; all of their wives and children, were gone! "When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. … David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters." (1 Samuel 30:3-4, 6, NIV) The last line of that passage reveals the difference between two desperate men: “But David found strength in the Lord his God!”
We will find ourselves in times of desperation; when God falls silent, when our best laid plans fall apart, when sorrow engulfs us.
What then, disciple?
To whom will we turn for solace? What will be our decision?
Will we resort to expedience, doing what seems right, feels good, or brings comfort in the moment? Or, will we wait patiently for the Lord, doing what’s right while we wait?
David wrote a song that we know as Psalm 34. Read these excerpts from it and may you find strength in the Lord for this day.
"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
… Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
… Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;
the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles." (Psalm 34, NIV)
In his desperation, once again Saul decides on expedience over principle. Despite the strong prohibitions of the Mosaic law, he seeks out a medium. "Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.” His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.” (1 Samuel 28:7, NLT) In a chapter full of things that are hard to understand, we learn that medium brings Samuel’s spirit back from the dead. The king is told that this battle will be his last. Samuel’s ghost tells Saul that he will be dead the next day, that his sons will die in battle, and the army of Israel will suffer a terrible defeat! At that the desperate king, passes out cold, knocked out by fear!
Two chapters later, we catch up with David on the worst day of his life! He comes home from a military campaign to discover that the town of Ziklag, where he and his men were living in exile, had been attacked by raiders. All of their possessions, and worse; all of their wives and children, were gone! "When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. … David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters." (1 Samuel 30:3-4, 6, NIV) The last line of that passage reveals the difference between two desperate men: “But David found strength in the Lord his God!”
We will find ourselves in times of desperation; when God falls silent, when our best laid plans fall apart, when sorrow engulfs us.
What then, disciple?
To whom will we turn for solace? What will be our decision?
Will we resort to expedience, doing what seems right, feels good, or brings comfort in the moment? Or, will we wait patiently for the Lord, doing what’s right while we wait?
David wrote a song that we know as Psalm 34. Read these excerpts from it and may you find strength in the Lord for this day.
"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
… Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
… Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;
the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles." (Psalm 34, NIV)
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Complexity and Faith
“What should I do?” is a question that I hear a lot on the phone or in my office. People bring complex issues my way almost every day. Parents wonder how to guide their children through the teen years when so many temptations can derail their lives. Men wonder how to deal with sexual desires that have such power to lead them astray. Husbands and wives wonder about how to create a strong intimate marriage relationship in a world that is so very different from that of their parents. Christians wonder about finding ways to balance the demands of work and the call to serve God. I wonder if I am really doing the things God wants done to build His Church!
Some Christians retreat from the complexity of life by creating lots of rules. It’s easier to just react to life rather than respond, to write laws than to live in the Spirit’s liberty! That choice leads to a kind of ‘Christian’ life that is built around “Don’t, don’t, don’t….” In a vain attempt to seize control of life, more and more rules get written, often enforced with grim determination or harsh consequences. But, is that really the ‘abundant life’ that Jesus’ promised us?
The Word reminds us that when we are ‘in Christ’ we are alive, no longer living under condemnation by God! Here’s that passage from The Message. "With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2, The Message)
The complex issues of our lives are no match to the amazing life we can find in the Spirit. He is our Counselor who lives in us, but how easily we ignore Him or even silence Him when we turn our focus onto ourselves. We are invited to take the complex situations to Him! We don’t have to devise scheme after scheme, stressing over life. James tells us that we need to walk it out with patience and that we can be completely confident in God’s wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5, NIV)
The principle of Spirit-life is so liberating, so life-giving. We should not be surprised that the devil wants to divert us into a religion of rules. If he can get us to obsess about controlling ourselves and others, he has stolen the rich heritage of the real Christian life from us. Paul found the Christians in Rome diverted into making rules about what food was ‘right to eat, what day was holy.’ They were fighting over these things and missing the Gospel. The principle he lays down is still compelling for us. Take a look. "Don’t you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning! God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you’ll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you." (Romans 14:16-18, The Message)
Challenged by sin in yourself, in your family, in your world? Does it seem so complex that you have no answer? Go, ask God! Take it all to Him, honesty, openly, humbly. Then, do what He says! And you will find the life of the Spirit released in you and through you producing the fruit of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)
Some Christians retreat from the complexity of life by creating lots of rules. It’s easier to just react to life rather than respond, to write laws than to live in the Spirit’s liberty! That choice leads to a kind of ‘Christian’ life that is built around “Don’t, don’t, don’t….” In a vain attempt to seize control of life, more and more rules get written, often enforced with grim determination or harsh consequences. But, is that really the ‘abundant life’ that Jesus’ promised us?
The Word reminds us that when we are ‘in Christ’ we are alive, no longer living under condemnation by God! Here’s that passage from The Message. "With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2, The Message)
The complex issues of our lives are no match to the amazing life we can find in the Spirit. He is our Counselor who lives in us, but how easily we ignore Him or even silence Him when we turn our focus onto ourselves. We are invited to take the complex situations to Him! We don’t have to devise scheme after scheme, stressing over life. James tells us that we need to walk it out with patience and that we can be completely confident in God’s wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5, NIV)
The principle of Spirit-life is so liberating, so life-giving. We should not be surprised that the devil wants to divert us into a religion of rules. If he can get us to obsess about controlling ourselves and others, he has stolen the rich heritage of the real Christian life from us. Paul found the Christians in Rome diverted into making rules about what food was ‘right to eat, what day was holy.’ They were fighting over these things and missing the Gospel. The principle he lays down is still compelling for us. Take a look. "Don’t you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning! God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you’ll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you." (Romans 14:16-18, The Message)
Challenged by sin in yourself, in your family, in your world? Does it seem so complex that you have no answer? Go, ask God! Take it all to Him, honesty, openly, humbly. Then, do what He says! And you will find the life of the Spirit released in you and through you producing the fruit of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
With life’s risks, any guarantees?
Americans have developed a near zero tolerance for risk. “Safety first,” is our demand! When something in our complex world fails, when an accident happens, we suddenly remember that everything we do has some risk involved. Yesterday, I strapped myself inside of a metal cage and hurled myself at high speeds along a corridor with other machines. It was a choice that exposed me to death or horrific injury. Yes, I was driving my car! Every time I go down the road, I choose to accept some level of risk.
Just about everything I do; driving, using an appliance, taking some medication, involves some risk of injury or illness. Those risks are usually very small, but they exist none the less. Most of the time we do not consciously think of the dangers of life because to do so would paralyze us with fear. We try to balance benefit and risk, minimizing our exposure to injury or loss with good safety practices.
Only God guarantees us a risk-free relationship and benefit. James reminds us that "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17, NIV) We can trust Him without calculation, without reservation, without insurance – because what He says, He will do. We accept that by faith, though there are times in our lives when it difficult to hang onto that promise. When sickness comes, friends fail us, our best laid plans do not work out; we are tempted to wonder where He is, why He is allowing us to go through the darkness. When we find ourselves in the middle of temptation, drawn away from Him by the work of the sinful nature, the world’s influence, or the Devil’s seduction, our security wavers, too.
In those times, we have a choice – to remain faithful and steadfast in our commitment, or to turn away and follow our own way. The amazing truth of the Word is this: even "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful!" (2 Timothy 2:13, NIV) God enters into a covenant with us that is secured by His unchanging love and the Cross, not by our perfection. Oh, what a glorious thought. That is amazing grace! If we anchor our hope of a right relationship with Him, of answered prayer, even of finding our home in Heaven in our own goodness, our spiritual experience will be one of fear and uncertainty. We know, all too well, (or at least we should!) how prone to failure we are. But, if we put our faith in God and His promise, we find a Rock that anchors us through it all!
Some would argue that such security would make us careless about our obedience. That’s not my experience. In my life, when I focus on His faithfulness and promise, I discover greater strength available through the Spirit to live a holy life! The perfection of His promise of salvation gives me reason to press onward with even greater determination. "Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ... we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:1-5, NLT)
Disciple, are you feeling insecure today?
Have circumstances arisen for which you have no explanation?
Are you afraid, sensing greater risk than you can manage?
Let me encourage you to turn to the One who cannot fail. Make Him your hope. Anchor your life in His immutable promises. It is the one risk-free choice we can make in a world full of uncertainty!
Here’s a word from the Word. Believe it! Live it! "God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us." (Hebrews 6:18-20, The Message)
_____________
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul,
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll!
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move!
Grounded, firm and deep, in the Savior's love.
Will Your Anchor Hold?
William James Kirkpatrick
Public Domain
Just about everything I do; driving, using an appliance, taking some medication, involves some risk of injury or illness. Those risks are usually very small, but they exist none the less. Most of the time we do not consciously think of the dangers of life because to do so would paralyze us with fear. We try to balance benefit and risk, minimizing our exposure to injury or loss with good safety practices.
Only God guarantees us a risk-free relationship and benefit. James reminds us that "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17, NIV) We can trust Him without calculation, without reservation, without insurance – because what He says, He will do. We accept that by faith, though there are times in our lives when it difficult to hang onto that promise. When sickness comes, friends fail us, our best laid plans do not work out; we are tempted to wonder where He is, why He is allowing us to go through the darkness. When we find ourselves in the middle of temptation, drawn away from Him by the work of the sinful nature, the world’s influence, or the Devil’s seduction, our security wavers, too.
In those times, we have a choice – to remain faithful and steadfast in our commitment, or to turn away and follow our own way. The amazing truth of the Word is this: even "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful!" (2 Timothy 2:13, NIV) God enters into a covenant with us that is secured by His unchanging love and the Cross, not by our perfection. Oh, what a glorious thought. That is amazing grace! If we anchor our hope of a right relationship with Him, of answered prayer, even of finding our home in Heaven in our own goodness, our spiritual experience will be one of fear and uncertainty. We know, all too well, (or at least we should!) how prone to failure we are. But, if we put our faith in God and His promise, we find a Rock that anchors us through it all!
Some would argue that such security would make us careless about our obedience. That’s not my experience. In my life, when I focus on His faithfulness and promise, I discover greater strength available through the Spirit to live a holy life! The perfection of His promise of salvation gives me reason to press onward with even greater determination. "Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ... we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:1-5, NLT)
Disciple, are you feeling insecure today?
Have circumstances arisen for which you have no explanation?
Are you afraid, sensing greater risk than you can manage?
Let me encourage you to turn to the One who cannot fail. Make Him your hope. Anchor your life in His immutable promises. It is the one risk-free choice we can make in a world full of uncertainty!
Here’s a word from the Word. Believe it! Live it! "God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us." (Hebrews 6:18-20, The Message)
_____________
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul,
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll!
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move!
Grounded, firm and deep, in the Savior's love.
Will Your Anchor Hold?
William James Kirkpatrick
Public Domain
Monday, May 24, 2010
On the Palm of His Hand
Do you awaken in the night, only to stare into the darkness as your mind tumbles in kaleidoscopic action, one thought layered on another in random patterns? When I awaken at 2 AM thinking about that counseling session of the previous day, some pending project at the church, someone’s broken heart, the Sunday sermon that isn’t coming together, a phone call I forgot to make, a conversation that never seemed to connect with the real issue… or something else: the clock advances and I see numbers my bedside clock projects onto the ceiling turn to 3, then 3:30, then 4! But, not so often as they once did.
In those moments, I've learned to pray. They are quiet prayers that are not eloquent but that express my deep longing for His Presence, for His wisdom, for His Kingdom to come; first in my heart and then in my world! Not many years ago, the cares of my life would cause me to leave my bedroom and often cost me the rest of the night’s rest. No more! It’s such a privilege to just commune for a while with the Lord, sometimes even wordlessly turning each concern to Him, sometimes matching need to Scripture promise, sometimes just breathing a quiet, “Jesus, be Lord!”
The Word reminds me of the folly of stress, of taking too much on myself, of trying to be God!
The Psalmist wrote, {127:1-2}
Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless.
Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
It's a wonderful Word, but it raises a question for me. Does God intend this promise to release me from all responsibility? In the context of the whole counsel of the Word, we know that God expects us to be diligent, to apply ourselves to gaining wisdom, to work hard to make a difference. The instruction in the Psalm is about taking on ourselves too much because of our vanity! If we make our work in life a means of proving our personal worth, of trying to secure ourselves against all threats, stress will overtake. The uncontrollable variables of weather, health, national economies, and other people’s choices will cause us terrible fear as we realize how completely impotent we are in the face of it all!
We may build a house, but only God controls the wind, the flood, the earthquake that can level it!
We may post our guard to drive away thieves and robbers but only God can secure us against the wily, evil that comes from the Devil and those who do his work.
We may diligently apply ourselves to getting the seed into the soil, but only God can make it grow! We can be thrifty and build our retirement account, but only God can guarantee our home in Heaven. Thus, Solomon, the writer of this Psalm, urges us to set aside anxiety and to trust our Sovereign Lord.
Jesus stated this same truth in these words found in Matthew 6:32-33: “Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.”
As I prayed last night, the Spirit formed a picture in my mind, based on the Scripture that follows. I ‘saw’ the Hand of God, with my name written there, as His reminder of me! What comfort. He never forgets us, always watches over us. Take this word from the Word and I hope it forms an image of comfort and peace for you today.
"This is what the Lord says: “At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them." (Isaiah 49:8, NLT) "See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of (your need)." (Isaiah 49:16, NLT)
________________
My Life Is In Your Hands
Life can be so good
Life can be so hard
Never knowing what each day
Will bring to where You are
Sometimes I forget
And sometimes I can't see
That whatever comes my way
You'll be with me
Nothing is for sure
Nothing is for keeps
All I know is that Your love
Will live eternally
So I will find my rest
And I will find my peace
Knowing that You'll meet
My ev'ry need
My life is in Your hands
My heart is in Your keeping
I'm never without hope
Not when my future is with You
My life is in Your hands
And though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing
'Cause Your love
Does amazing things
Lord I know my life
Is in Your hands
When I'm at my weakest
Oh, You carry me
Then I become my strongest
Lord in Your hands
© 1993, 1994 Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc.
Floating Note Music, Inc. (Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)
Bill Montvilo
Kathy Troccoli
CCLI License No. 810055
In those moments, I've learned to pray. They are quiet prayers that are not eloquent but that express my deep longing for His Presence, for His wisdom, for His Kingdom to come; first in my heart and then in my world! Not many years ago, the cares of my life would cause me to leave my bedroom and often cost me the rest of the night’s rest. No more! It’s such a privilege to just commune for a while with the Lord, sometimes even wordlessly turning each concern to Him, sometimes matching need to Scripture promise, sometimes just breathing a quiet, “Jesus, be Lord!”
The Word reminds me of the folly of stress, of taking too much on myself, of trying to be God!
The Psalmist wrote, {127:1-2}
Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless.
Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
It's a wonderful Word, but it raises a question for me. Does God intend this promise to release me from all responsibility? In the context of the whole counsel of the Word, we know that God expects us to be diligent, to apply ourselves to gaining wisdom, to work hard to make a difference. The instruction in the Psalm is about taking on ourselves too much because of our vanity! If we make our work in life a means of proving our personal worth, of trying to secure ourselves against all threats, stress will overtake. The uncontrollable variables of weather, health, national economies, and other people’s choices will cause us terrible fear as we realize how completely impotent we are in the face of it all!
We may build a house, but only God controls the wind, the flood, the earthquake that can level it!
We may post our guard to drive away thieves and robbers but only God can secure us against the wily, evil that comes from the Devil and those who do his work.
We may diligently apply ourselves to getting the seed into the soil, but only God can make it grow! We can be thrifty and build our retirement account, but only God can guarantee our home in Heaven. Thus, Solomon, the writer of this Psalm, urges us to set aside anxiety and to trust our Sovereign Lord.
Jesus stated this same truth in these words found in Matthew 6:32-33: “Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.”
As I prayed last night, the Spirit formed a picture in my mind, based on the Scripture that follows. I ‘saw’ the Hand of God, with my name written there, as His reminder of me! What comfort. He never forgets us, always watches over us. Take this word from the Word and I hope it forms an image of comfort and peace for you today.
"This is what the Lord says: “At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them." (Isaiah 49:8, NLT) "See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of (your need)." (Isaiah 49:16, NLT)
________________
My Life Is In Your Hands
Life can be so good
Life can be so hard
Never knowing what each day
Will bring to where You are
Sometimes I forget
And sometimes I can't see
That whatever comes my way
You'll be with me
Nothing is for sure
Nothing is for keeps
All I know is that Your love
Will live eternally
So I will find my rest
And I will find my peace
Knowing that You'll meet
My ev'ry need
My life is in Your hands
My heart is in Your keeping
I'm never without hope
Not when my future is with You
My life is in Your hands
And though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing
'Cause Your love
Does amazing things
Lord I know my life
Is in Your hands
When I'm at my weakest
Oh, You carry me
Then I become my strongest
Lord in Your hands
© 1993, 1994 Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc.
Floating Note Music, Inc. (Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)
Bill Montvilo
Kathy Troccoli
CCLI License No. 810055
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