In You, O Lord, I put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Psalm 31:1 (a)
Thought for Today: In our previous meditation, we looked at the the word trust in this verse. As you may recall, a sailor named Leo and his shipmates were evading Castro's troops after their ship sank off the coast of Cuba. Eventually, the group was captured and sent to a gulag. Can you imagine the shame that they felt, after being led away by the enemy troops. Their years of training to evade capture had failed.
Do you sometimes feel so close to losing a battle in your life? Do you worry about being ashamed that you could not handle this battle yourself? Perhaps you have been unable to overcome some circumstances in your life and feel like a failure. You've been taught that good Christians don't struggle, don't have problems. I'm here to tell you that we all struggle and will struggle until we cross over to Glory. We will never be ashamed if we put our trust fully in Jesus. You see, He uses our weaknesses, our failures, even our poor choices, for His purpose that His will be done on this earth. This day, can you trust Him fully, knowing that you will never be ashamed, bringing all of your trials, all of your weaknesses, all of your failures before Him? My prayer is that you will know His peace as you seek refuge in Him knowing that nothing is outside of His will for you.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Our Refuge
In You, O Lord, I put my trust;
Psalm 31:1(a) NKJV
Thought for today: Leo and his companions had been evading capture for days. After their patrol boat was hit by a torpedo in Cuban waters, they had managed to swim to shore. Castro's troops knew that there were survivors and sent out troops to search for the Americans, who had hidden in a swamp not far from where their ship had sunk. One night, as the exhausted sailors lie in hiding, a contingent of about 100 men fanned through the area, coming within yards of the hideout that the men had made for themselves. So close to imminent death, yet protected by their hiding place, the men felt a sense of great relief as the troops passed by without noticing them.
What is translated as trust in our English Bible actually is the Hebrew word חָסָה, which means to seek refuge or flee for protection. Like Leo and his fellow crew members, we all need protection from the enemies in our lives, whether external or internal. While, like the sailors in our story, we have a hiding place in the Lord we also can flee to Him for protection when the enemy is near. What enemies, or struggles, do you face in your daily life? Have you sought refuge in the Lord? Only He can be our Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our refuge. My prayer is that this day you will seek His protection, bringing all of your needs before our living and loving Lord.
Psalm 31:1(a) NKJV
Thought for today: Leo and his companions had been evading capture for days. After their patrol boat was hit by a torpedo in Cuban waters, they had managed to swim to shore. Castro's troops knew that there were survivors and sent out troops to search for the Americans, who had hidden in a swamp not far from where their ship had sunk. One night, as the exhausted sailors lie in hiding, a contingent of about 100 men fanned through the area, coming within yards of the hideout that the men had made for themselves. So close to imminent death, yet protected by their hiding place, the men felt a sense of great relief as the troops passed by without noticing them.
What is translated as trust in our English Bible actually is the Hebrew word חָסָה, which means to seek refuge or flee for protection. Like Leo and his fellow crew members, we all need protection from the enemies in our lives, whether external or internal. While, like the sailors in our story, we have a hiding place in the Lord we also can flee to Him for protection when the enemy is near. What enemies, or struggles, do you face in your daily life? Have you sought refuge in the Lord? Only He can be our Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our refuge. My prayer is that this day you will seek His protection, bringing all of your needs before our living and loving Lord.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Mourning into Dancing
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You for
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You for
Psalm 30:11,12
Thought for Today: It was just another day for Andrew as he pounded the pavement looking for work. He had once had everything: a lucrative career, beautiful wife and wonderful children. Now, all of this was just a memory. You see, Andrew had fallen in a very bad way, the consequences of years of hard living. Andrew met Simon, who seemed a bit different. Not just interested in filling a position, Simon was interested in Andrew, where he had been, what he had done. Within no time, Andrew was offered a job in Simon's firm. One of the benefits of this job was free housing in a beautifully remodeled mansion. After his meeting with Simon, Andrew was about ready to flip cartwheels leaving the office.
What circumstances of your life have you mourning, living in despair? Perhaps, like Andrew, you have lost everything. Maybe you have lost just a little bit, something precious to you that, once taken away, cut to your innermost being. Do you feel a sense of shame coming before the Lord, perhaps sensing His anger towards you over your choices? Realize that there is nothing that has been taken away from you, whether by your own doing or other circumstances, that the Lord cannot restore. Do not be ashamed to pour your heart out to Him, humbly asking Him to restore you and to turn your mourning into joy. May this day be one in which you dance with pure joy.
What circumstances of your life have you mourning, living in despair? Perhaps, like Andrew, you have lost everything. Maybe you have lost just a little bit, something precious to you that, once taken away, cut to your innermost being. Do you feel a sense of shame coming before the Lord, perhaps sensing His anger towards you over your choices? Realize that there is nothing that has been taken away from you, whether by your own doing or other circumstances, that the Lord cannot restore. Do not be ashamed to pour your heart out to Him, humbly asking Him to restore you and to turn your mourning into joy. May this day be one in which you dance with pure joy.
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