I have hated those who regard useless idols;
But I trust in the Lord.
Psalm 31:6 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: After being falsely accused of a crime, Silas Marner, the main character in George Elliot's Silas Marner; The Weaver of Raveloe, moved to another part of England. He established a solitary life as a weaver and enjoyed clinging to his gold in an idolatrous fashion. One day, his gold was stolen by the son of one of the wealthy families in the village. Although he had not associated with them much, the villagers tried to help him get back his gold, to no avail. It seems that once the object of his idolatry was taken away, his faith in humanity and ability to live life once again returned.
We live in a society of many idols, some obvious and some subtle. So what is yours? It is real easy to look at this verse and say, "yes, I will not like those who replace the living God with idols." Yet, how often do you and I trust in the things of this world at the exclusion of trusting in our Lord? Some of the idols that we have are good things, like family, friends and work. When we measure our worth on anything besides being a child of God, we begin to walk down a dangerous path. You and I were created to relate to our living God as His child, to trust fully in Him regardless of what we have or don't have in this life. You see, the things of this world are constantly changing. One day, you have a great job, the next day you are downsized. Trusting in anything but the Lord is like building a house on a foundation of sand; one day, the sand will shift and the house will fall.
My prayer is that you will examine your heart. What are you trusting in besides God? What idols do you need to tear down? By doing this, you, like Silas Marner, can be free to love the Lord and to live a full life as He has planned for you.
Thursday, May 18, 2017
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Commit your Spirit
Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
Psalm 31:5 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: During World War II, many families in England spent the night time in air raid shelters, since the Germans were quite often bombing. One story written by someone who was a child during the war depicts the shear terror of the bombs dropping near the shelter contrasted by the assurance of being inside an impermeable place while the world above was being turned into a shambles. Upon exiting the shelter the next morning, the writer discovered that his family's home had been destroyed, there was nothing left.
Have you ever been at a place in life where there is nothing left? Perhaps you lost a job, a spouse, a child or a marriage. Do you cultivate a place in your heart where there is peace, even when brought to the end of yourself? Most of us cruise along through life, rarely thinking about caring for the inner self. Yet, our Lord wants us to commit our spirits, the very being of our souls, to Him alone. Commit not just for redemption, but commit knowing that our Lord is enough, He will provide. He who is the author of your soul will care for you and provide even in the darkest of times.
In order to stay safe, the writer's family stayed in the shelter every night for the duration of the war. In order for everyone to feel at home, items from the house were brought down to the shelter over time. In the same way, we must create a space inside our hearts, cultivate it with God's Word and allow His Spirit to live there with us. It should be a space not just to go to in the tough times, but to go to often in order to make an impermeable retreat for our souls. This day, may you commit your spirit to our Lord, seeking Him who is our peace.
You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
Psalm 31:5 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: During World War II, many families in England spent the night time in air raid shelters, since the Germans were quite often bombing. One story written by someone who was a child during the war depicts the shear terror of the bombs dropping near the shelter contrasted by the assurance of being inside an impermeable place while the world above was being turned into a shambles. Upon exiting the shelter the next morning, the writer discovered that his family's home had been destroyed, there was nothing left.
Have you ever been at a place in life where there is nothing left? Perhaps you lost a job, a spouse, a child or a marriage. Do you cultivate a place in your heart where there is peace, even when brought to the end of yourself? Most of us cruise along through life, rarely thinking about caring for the inner self. Yet, our Lord wants us to commit our spirits, the very being of our souls, to Him alone. Commit not just for redemption, but commit knowing that our Lord is enough, He will provide. He who is the author of your soul will care for you and provide even in the darkest of times.
In order to stay safe, the writer's family stayed in the shelter every night for the duration of the war. In order for everyone to feel at home, items from the house were brought down to the shelter over time. In the same way, we must create a space inside our hearts, cultivate it with God's Word and allow His Spirit to live there with us. It should be a space not just to go to in the tough times, but to go to often in order to make an impermeable retreat for our souls. This day, may you commit your spirit to our Lord, seeking Him who is our peace.
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Don't Go in the Water Alone!
Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.
Psalm 31:4 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: My friend Bob was an avid scuba diver. Although advised against doing so, he often went diving by himself. One day, while trying to surface, Bob could not move in any direction. Looking around, he found that his tank had been caught on a net, likely placed by lobstermen trying to prevent a diver from stealing from their traps. Without thinking, and with no thought of stealing, Bob had inadvertenly swam too close to the traps. Not having a diving buddy, he was left in a dreadful predicament which could have a very bad outcome.
What have you become caught up in? It could be any number of nets laid out by the enemy of your soul: sin, pride, envy, greed to name a few. Indeed, it is not hard to become entrapped in a pattern, engulfed in our circumstances or to live in a state of self-deceit, even when we never had any intention of getting trapped in the first place. When the psalmist writes of a net secretly laid out for him, that is exactly what the enemy does. In subtle ways, we become trapped in a net that does not let us move in any direction spiritually. Like a fly trapped in a spider's web, we become stuck, unable to grow, unable to find our way to freedom.
How did Bob manage to free himself? He was able to very carefully cut the net from around his tank with his knife, surfacing just as his air was about to run out. What can we learn from Bob's experience? First, don't go in the water alone! Find another Christian to walk alongside you, one who can point out that you are caught and can help to free you. Secondly, keep a sharp knife with you at all times: God's word. Through prayer and study of God's word can we become freed from all nets set out to ensnare us.
Heavenly Father, we so often become entangled in sin, consumed by our circumstances that we lose site of You. Help us to see that only You, through the power of Your word, can free us from the entrapments of this life. In Jesus' name we pray.
For You are my strength.
Psalm 31:4 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: My friend Bob was an avid scuba diver. Although advised against doing so, he often went diving by himself. One day, while trying to surface, Bob could not move in any direction. Looking around, he found that his tank had been caught on a net, likely placed by lobstermen trying to prevent a diver from stealing from their traps. Without thinking, and with no thought of stealing, Bob had inadvertenly swam too close to the traps. Not having a diving buddy, he was left in a dreadful predicament which could have a very bad outcome.
What have you become caught up in? It could be any number of nets laid out by the enemy of your soul: sin, pride, envy, greed to name a few. Indeed, it is not hard to become entrapped in a pattern, engulfed in our circumstances or to live in a state of self-deceit, even when we never had any intention of getting trapped in the first place. When the psalmist writes of a net secretly laid out for him, that is exactly what the enemy does. In subtle ways, we become trapped in a net that does not let us move in any direction spiritually. Like a fly trapped in a spider's web, we become stuck, unable to grow, unable to find our way to freedom.
How did Bob manage to free himself? He was able to very carefully cut the net from around his tank with his knife, surfacing just as his air was about to run out. What can we learn from Bob's experience? First, don't go in the water alone! Find another Christian to walk alongside you, one who can point out that you are caught and can help to free you. Secondly, keep a sharp knife with you at all times: God's word. Through prayer and study of God's word can we become freed from all nets set out to ensnare us.
Heavenly Father, we so often become entangled in sin, consumed by our circumstances that we lose site of You. Help us to see that only You, through the power of Your word, can free us from the entrapments of this life. In Jesus' name we pray.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
A Mighty Fortress
For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.
Psalm 31:3 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: Sitting on Castle Rock overlooking the city, Edinburgh Castle has quite an interesting history. From it's early beginnings, it was constantly changing hands between the English and the Scottish. In 1573, the English laid seige to the city in an attempt to capture Mary, Queen of Scots. This seige lasted for two years. Eventually, the English were able to blast through the fortified castle and capture all of the defending troops. After every battle, the castle was patched back up, refortified and used again by either side.
If you are a believer, you have an undefeatable fortress, the Lord God Almighty. He is our unchanging rock, a fortress in which to seek refuge. Yet, so many times, we come under attack from without and within, feeling like the walls of our fortress will fall down around us. We don't trust in ways that we should and allow the walls to come down, sometimes in very subtle ways, allowing this world to draw us away from our Lord. We so often can't feel the loving arms of protection around us, missing out on allowing the Lord to shelter us during our most trying times. What to do? When you can't feel Him near you, He still is there. Look to Him, turn towards Him and ask for guidance, ask for His leading. Seek to repair the cracks in the walls of your fortress, confess your unbelief and He will bring you back to a place of shelter.
If you visit Edinburgh Castle today, you will see evidence of many repairs done over the years; patched walls, rebuilt towers. Our lives as Christians are much like that. Something falls apart, leaving us vulnerable. Yet, through God's grace we are able to rebuild, to return to the safety of resting in the shadow of His wings. My prayer today is that you will turn to Him always, regardless of what you are going through.
Heavenly Father, we face so much in this life and so often turn from You in our unbelief. Forgive us for not believing fully in your goodness, your peace and your protection. May we run back to You, like a child running to the safety of his father's arms, knowing that we can find true protection in You alone.
Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.
Psalm 31:3 (NKJV)
Thought for Today: Sitting on Castle Rock overlooking the city, Edinburgh Castle has quite an interesting history. From it's early beginnings, it was constantly changing hands between the English and the Scottish. In 1573, the English laid seige to the city in an attempt to capture Mary, Queen of Scots. This seige lasted for two years. Eventually, the English were able to blast through the fortified castle and capture all of the defending troops. After every battle, the castle was patched back up, refortified and used again by either side.
If you are a believer, you have an undefeatable fortress, the Lord God Almighty. He is our unchanging rock, a fortress in which to seek refuge. Yet, so many times, we come under attack from without and within, feeling like the walls of our fortress will fall down around us. We don't trust in ways that we should and allow the walls to come down, sometimes in very subtle ways, allowing this world to draw us away from our Lord. We so often can't feel the loving arms of protection around us, missing out on allowing the Lord to shelter us during our most trying times. What to do? When you can't feel Him near you, He still is there. Look to Him, turn towards Him and ask for guidance, ask for His leading. Seek to repair the cracks in the walls of your fortress, confess your unbelief and He will bring you back to a place of shelter.
If you visit Edinburgh Castle today, you will see evidence of many repairs done over the years; patched walls, rebuilt towers. Our lives as Christians are much like that. Something falls apart, leaving us vulnerable. Yet, through God's grace we are able to rebuild, to return to the safety of resting in the shadow of His wings. My prayer today is that you will turn to Him always, regardless of what you are going through.
Heavenly Father, we face so much in this life and so often turn from You in our unbelief. Forgive us for not believing fully in your goodness, your peace and your protection. May we run back to You, like a child running to the safety of his father's arms, knowing that we can find true protection in You alone.
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