Plodding Along

Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
Psalm 31:23 NKJV

Thought for the day: You have probably heard the story of the hare and the tortoise, two animals who one day decided to have a race.  The hare, being speedy, decided to just take off running.  He told the tortoise that he would leave him in the dust and beat him hands down.  The tortoise paid no attention to this and, being a slow animal, proceeded at its own pace.  As he neared the end of the racecourse, he spotted the hare lying down, panting from running way too fast.  The tortoise just meandered along past the hare and won the race. 

In some ways, we can think of the faithful as the tortoise.  Plodding along, day in, day out, following the Lord.  It may not seem too exciting at times.  Yet, the life of the believer is not always flashy, nothing to show off about. Yet, the Lord does indeed use His tortoises to accomplish His purpose in this world.  The faster ones of this world, the prideful and arrogant, He cannot use, for He speaks through those of us who are willing to live lives in obedience to Him.

The hare had a choice on the day of the race. He could have paced himself and run at a moderate pace, finishing the race. Instead, due to his pride and arrogance, he decided to run as fast as he could, exhausting himself and his hope of finishing the race.  We have a choice today. Do we wish to plod along and obey our master or do we wish instead to keep up with this world, being full of ourselves and running along at breakneck speed not obeying the still, small voice calling us to obedience?

Heavenly Father, this day may we lay our lives down to you in full obedience, running the race set before us to please you only.  In the name of Jesus we pray.

Daperly Dozing Rapidly Rosen

  As the pre-dawn gray crept upon Parris Island, the young marines slept, snugly tucked beneath the covers after a long day.  Suddenly, in a flurry of noisy activity, the lights inside the barracks came ablaze.   Walking through the rows of bunks, the Drill Instructor shouted, "All right you maggots, up out of them racks!"  All, jumping out of bed, stood at attention, except for one recruit who continued to peacefully sleep.  Much to the dismay of the others, the D.I. in one swift move overturned the bunk, displacing its occupant, while shouting, "That will teach you lard buckets that no one ignores my orders."

 David writes "hide me in the shadow of your wings" in Psalm 17:8 (NIV).  Often, we view the Lord as one who covers us with His care, tucking us warmly in with the blankets of blessings.  Acting as children writing to Santa, we pray, asking that He continue to show His mercy and shower us with blessings.  Our Lord is wonderful in that He does provide for every need of those who put their trust and hope in Him.  Yet,  He wants us to stretch beyond the safety of the shadow of His wings to serve Him, bent to do his will, giving all of ourselves wholeheartedly. 

 Like the young marine,  we often need to be shaken out of a blissful spiritual sleep.  Most often, God awakens us by allowing difficulties to come our way. Psalm 66:10(NIV) says, "For you, O God, tested us;  you refined us like silver."  Silver is refined in a furnace of clay and purified seven times.  In the same way, our spirits, which reside inside of these fragile vessels of clay, are being refined by the fires of a God who longs for us to know Him.

Perhaps you have suffered a setback in your life and are struggling with why this would happen to one who trusts the Lord.  Maybe you are undergoing a difficult set of circumstances now.  Seek out the Lord, not asking Him to remove the circumstances or the pain of past events so that life would be all comfy-cozy again.  Rather, ask Him to help you to endure whatever He has allowed to come your way, that you may become more like Him, eagerly ready to do His will.

 Zech. 13:9 (NIV)

This third I will bring into the fire;

I will refine them like silver

and test them like gold.

They will call on my name

and I will answer them;

I will say, 'They are my people,'

and they will say, 'The Lord is our God.'

Cut Off

Blessed be the Lord,
For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!
22 For I said in my haste,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless, You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried out to You.

Psalm 31:21-22 (NKJV)

Thought for Today: Arthur had a happy childhood. Yet, when he reached adulthood, he began to believe that his parents had cut him off, wanting nothing to do with him.  He moved to a distant city after college and did not keep close contact with his parents. He met Sue, someone his parents did not accept for many reasons. Against their wishes, he married her.  The relationship with his parents was strained.  Sue became pregnant but had some difficulties, requiring her to take total bed rest. Arthur did not know where to turn, feeling so alone.  He did not think that he could call his parents for help.

Have you ever felt alone, abandoned, or cut off?  Sometimes, we can feel this way in our human relationships.  But do you feel that way right now in your relationship with God? You may be facing some struggles that could use a hand from our loving Father. Yet, you have done things you think would not please Him? Are you afraid to reach out and build a bridge to help you through this time?

In his time of need, Arthur picked up the phone and reached out to his parents, asking for forgiveness and understanding. Of course, being parents, they drove to his house and immediately pitched in. Having an extra couple of hands around made things easier for Arthur and Sue.

Are you hurting right now as you read this?  Is there pain in your heart that you just can't get over that is threatening to eat you alive?  We have a wonderful Lord who can help.  He is the master of the universe; nothing is too great for Him to solve.  Yet, you have to reach out and build the bridge to Him. How you ask?  It is simple: ask Him to forgive you and ask for help.  David wrote in Psalm 31 that our Lord still heard his supplications even when he felt cut off.  It is simple: just pray.  Will you do this today?

Heavenly Father, we often feel we are cut off from You.  Yet, You love us so much that You never leave our sides.  Help us ask for forgiveness and help as we travel this difficult road called life.  In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Secret Place

You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
Psalm 31:20 (NKJV)

Thought for Today: Tommy had been sick all night.  It was an important time of year in school when he would take his tenth-grade exams.  He really did not want to miss school, yet knew that he was too sick to do well on the exams. His mom and dad went to work that day leaving Tommy to care for himself.  He dozed off for a while and awoke to the sound of glass breaking and footsteps in the house.  When his family had moved into this house, they had shown Tommy a secret room off of his bathroom and told him to hide there should there ever be trouble.  He grabbed his mobile phone and headed for the secret room, locking himself inside. A few minutes later, he heard the footsteps of two men, looking for anything of value and, likely, for anyone home.  Thinking it was a closet, they pulled on the door to the secret room, but it would not open.  They moved on to other parts of the house.

What kind of difficulty are you facing today?  Perhaps the darkness you face is inside of you, depression, anxiety, and self-doubt.  Maybe you are facing circumstances beyond your control, the loss of a job, the loss of a family member, or health issues.  Whether internal or external difficulties, there is no hole too deep for God to reach down into and provide peace, comfort, and shelter.  Our Lord cares so much for each of us, those who have called upon His name to be saved.  He will shelter you when the storms of life come upon you.

Tommy was able to call the police while in the secret room.  The intruders were caught and Tommy was able to come out of the closet safely.  Lucky for him, the secret room spared him from intruders whose only intent was to steal and harm.  The Lord's shelter in His presence is a lot like that secret room.  A safe haven, where all the evil plots of men and the circumstances of life cannot prevail over us.  Will you trust our Lord today to provide shelter in His presence?  Will you surrender all of your burdens to Him and let Him care for you, shelter you and provide for you?

Heavenly Father, this day may You provide shelter under the shadow of Your wings for those who love You.  May we feel the peace that comes from knowing that You, our loving Heavenly Father, cares for us and protects us in all situations.  In the name of Jesus, amen.

God's Goodness

 Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!

Psalm 31:19 (NJKV)

Thought for Today: Randy's car did not start on his way to a job interview.  He really needed this job, since things had gone downhill with his current job after the accident.  Randy's family had been injured in an automobile accident and required a lot of medical care that stretched on for months.  Today was just turning out to be another bad day, part of another bad week and another bad month.

Have you ever been stretched to the brink, in despair because of circumstances in your life?  Perhaps you feel that way now after losing a job, a significant relationship or experiencing the death of a loved one.  You might feel that you are in a deep, dark place from which you can never escape.  The light that you once knew is just not present.  I could tell you countless stories of people in the Bible who have felt just like you do.  But maybe instead we should focus on one thing: God's goodness.  You see,  being His special creation, loved by Him from the beginning of time, you have a place in His divine mercy and love.  Our Lord, only being good, wants to give good things to you.  Maybe right now your life does not look so good. You might wish that there was a magical way to escape to the life you once knew. Regardless of how you feel, that does not change the character of God.  He is good and has your best interest in mind.  Our Lord, who wastes nothing, will use all that you are experiencing for good.  All you have to do is trust.  A simple concept, yet so hard to do.

Randy managed to get his car  jump started and made it to the job interview on time.  He got the new job which eased some of his financial pressures while his family healed.  Perhaps today you need a jump start, so to speak. Turn from despair to trust.  If only we all could learn to trust the Lord as a baby trusts his or her mother.  The Lord indeed is in control.

Heavenly Father, we all walk through difficult times.  Help us to learn to trust You in all things, for You, oh Lord, know what is best for us. You say in Jeremiah that You know the plans that You have for us, plans to prosper and not to perish. Help us to fully trust in your purpose for our lives. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Ashamed No More

Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You;
Let the wicked be ashamed;
Psalm 31:17

Thought for today: Eric was not happy about what he had done and was not certain about how exactly he was going to tell his father.  He and his friends were playing a game of baseball in the field behind his family's barn.  Had he been thinking, Eric would not have made the area near the barn the outfield. He was at bat when the ball was pitched, contacted his bat and flew through the air.  It likely was a homerun although no one noticed once the glass broke.  Having gone through a rather large window in the barn, the ball abruptly ended the game.

What is it that you are most ashamed of?  Perhaps it is a secret sin, one that no one knows about and, hopefully, never will.  Of course, God knows.  Maybe you have acted in ways that you should not have, not shown mercy or forgiveness.  Or is it that you can't forgive yourself?

When Eric's father came home, he ran to him and confessed what he had done.  Of course, there were consequences.  Eric had to replace the windows himself with his dad's guidance.  But, his father still showed mercy and understood that an accident can happen, even one that could have been avoided by thinking through things before starting the game.

Whatever it is today that is on your heart, whatever may be keeping you from fully loving the Lord, bring it to Him.  Call out to Him with a heart of repentance, He will indeed show His mercy and take your shame away.  Will you trust and call upon the One who saves us?

Precious Heavenly Father, we so often carry our shame for far too long.  We know in our heads that your son Jesus nailed that shame to the cross, yet our hearts don't believe it. Help us to see that all we need to do is call out to you and you will indeed take away our shame and sorrow.  In the most beautiful name of Jesus, we pray.  Amen

Mercy

"Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
Save me for Your mercies’ sake."
Psalm 31:16 (NKJV)

Thought for today: Many of you know the story of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and the grandson of King Saul.  He was crippled when rescued from certain death by his nurse after Jonathan and Saul were killed.  He went on to live in a desolate place named Lo Debar, literally the land of nothing.  In 2Samuel 9 we see King David honoring an oath to Jonathan and inviting Mephibosheth to sit at his table and live in his house.  Amazed, Mephibosheth asks "why would you notice a dead dog like me."  This, dear reader, is a great example of mercy being shown to someone and of shining one's light onto another.

Perhaps today you feel outside of God's mercy, that His face could not possibly shine upon you.  Maybe you have strayed away from Him, done some things of which you are not proud.  He may feel far away but there is no hole too deep for the love of God.  All you have to do is claim the unmerited favor that is ours through Christ Jesus.  Will you do that this day?

Heavenly Father, so often we feel far away from you yet you are always as close to us as our breath.  May we not dwell on the distance that we feel but instead feel your closeness.  May you save us from where we are and bring us back into a close relationship with you, the only true God.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray.

A Still Small Voice

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.

Psalm 31:15b (NKJV)

Thought for Today: Jack awoke on a bright fall morning to unfamiliar voices.  As the fog cleared from his brain, he opened his eyes only to see a room with white walls and a white ceiling.  On a typical morning, he would arise from bed upon waking and start his morning routine.  Today, he had obstacles preventing this, the shackles on his arms and legs.  The prior night Jack had experienced yet another bout with his schizophrenia.   The police were called as he was destroying his own home, threatening the very ones who loved him so dearly.

What enemies do you face today?  We often think of enemies as external, whether it be enemy troops or the neighbors with whom we constantly fight.  Yet, maybe our worst enemies are the ones living inside of our very beings.  I'm not talking about those that come with mental illness like the voices that Jack hears.  Rather, it is the small, quiet voices like self-doubt, fear of failure, regret.  Do you face these today?  Are you not quite sure how to quell the inner voices that threaten your peace?

The only way for Jack to stay well is to keep taking his anti-psychotic medication.  Fortunately, most of us do not need that. Mixed in with all of the quiet voices in our hearts and minds is the still small voice of our gentle Shepherd.  Do you want to be delivered from all of your internal enemies?  Turn up the volume of the one voice that offers deliverance.  How do you do that?  Spend time daily in His Word and in communion with our Lord through prayer.  As you enable His voice to speak more to your heart, the other voices of fear, self-doubt, regret, and hurt will slowly diminish.  This day, will you commit to focusing on the still, small voice of the One who loves you more than anyone else?

Precious Lord, help us this day to spend time in Your Word and in prayer.  May you, oh Lord our deliverer, free us from the voices inside of us that threaten our very peace.  In the name of Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Are you in control?

My times are in Your hand;

Psalm 31:15a (NKJV)

Thought for Today: Ned lived a fairly routine life.  He and Cheryl had married, bought a house, had two children.  He worked every day as an accountant while Cheryl stayed home to take care of the kids. Being in his early forties, he figured that his work routine would be the same for the next several decades until one day he and Cheryl could retire and really enjoy life.  Being savvy with money, Ned had saved what he could and invested well, awaiting the day when all of his hard work would pay off and he could live off the fruit of his labor.  That was until he began to feel tired all of the time.  A visit to his physician resulted in a battery of tests and waiting for the phone call with the results.

How often life seems to be going along smoothly, sometimes rather mundanely.  We falsely think that we are in control, that we control our destiny.  What we don't realize is that we control nothing.  Many have amassed fortunes for security in retirement only to die before even having a chance to spend some of the fortune.  Others see a relationship, perhaps with a spouse, as the one thing that defines them and meets all of their needs.  Suddenly, things change, the spouse leaves or, worse yet, dies. What do you rely upon today for your security?  What planning have you done to ensure a secure future or who do you rely upon to meet your needs and make you happy?

Ned's physician did call and confirmed his fears: Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.  Fortunately, there were treatment options and, after a season of illness, Ned was able to resume life again.  He was changed though, realizing that we can plan for nothing and only the One who planned us from the creation is in control.  Ned continued to pursue his retirement goals since these are not a bad thing. Yet, he put less stock in the security of his finances and focused on his security in the Lord Jesus.

Perhaps today you are not looking to the Lord for your security and you have not given over your life to His control. Friend, you can control nothing.  It is best not to try, for the Lord knows what is best and has a wonderful plan for each and every one of us if we let Him take control.  

Father, we are stubborn people who think that we can control our destiny by planning and plodding.  Help us to see that only You have ultimate control.  May we surrender to You and welcome Your wonderful plan for our lives.  In Jesus' name. Amen.

Safety from the Sharks

For I hear many whispering,
    “Terror on every side!”
They conspire against me
    and plot to take my life.
But I trust in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”

Psalm 31:13-14 (NKJV)

Thought for Today: Jane had decided to take her sea kayak out from Point Judith and paddle to Block Island even though the ocean seemed a bit rough that day and the weather looked like it might be getting worst.  Being an experienced kayaker, Jane felt that she could handle any weather and had no fear going out in any weather.  The view was beautiful on this fall morning.  As she left the shelter of Point Judith harbor, the sea was a bit rougher.  About one-quarter mile out from the safety of the harbor the swells were very high.  Jane tried as best as she could to keep the kayak from capsizing but then a giant wave hit and tipped her complete upside down.  Jane was able to escape from the overturned kayak but then another wave came and swept the partially-submerged kayak away from her, carrying it further out to sea.  Being a strong swimmer, she thought about pursuing the kayak but then it sank out of sight.  Jane's only recourse was to swim back to the harbor.  As she began to swim, she noticed a bit of blood on her arm from a cut sustained when the kayak tipped over.  Suddenly, out of nowhere, came several sharks attracted by the scent of blood.  Jane tried not to panic and continued to swim towards safety.  The sharks circled, trying to prevent her from swimming to shore.  To her astonishment, four bottle-nose dolphins appeared and swam beside, behind and in front of Jane to protect her from the sharks.  This magnificent team swam with her all the way to shore so that she could safely leave the water.

Perhaps you feel that you are surrounded by sharks, waiting to devour you. Your sharks might be people, but more than likely, they are emotions and circumstances.  You want to get to a safe place in life but find that you are about to be devoured. Perhaps you can't get over negative emotions or perhaps you are living in chaos due to a sick child, lost income, health issue or a host of other circumstances.  Like Jane, you can't be devoured if you are surrounded.  Who can surround you in the midst of your difficult circumstances?  Only the Lord.  He will put a shield around you, provide protection and peace.  But, you know what, He likely won't just appear like the dolphin team.  You need to ask Him for help, ask for protection, peace, and guidance.  He will provide for you because He loves you deeper than you could ever know.

Heavenly Father, we face so many trials in our lives; difficult circumstances, lost jobs, broken relationships to name a few.  You, oh Lord, know our pain and want to walk with us through our trials.   May learn this day to trust in You and You alone.  In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Forgotten?

I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;

I am like a broken vessel.

Psalm 31:12 (NKJV)

Thought for Today: Jeff awoke in a North Vietnamese prison camp.  Last he knew, he had been fighting with the 1st Calvary Division at Quang Tri. It was 1968 and the North Vietnamese Tet Offensive was in full swing.  He had no idea how he had gotten to the prison camp.  He looked down at his legs and saw the blood-soaked bandages covering the wounds inflicted by a morter shell.  What would follow were five long years of forced labor, beatings and sometimes solitary confinement.  Even more painful than the physical trauma, Jeff had no idea if his government or his family even knew that he was still alive.  He also did not know how his wife and children were, since there was no communication with family allowed from the prison camp.  He indeed felt forgotten.

Have you ever felt forgotten, out of the mind of someone else or a group of people? While the reality of death is that the memory of us will fade in others, there are other things in life that can cause us to feel forgotten.  Perhaps you have divorced and feel forgotten by your ex-spouse and your adult children.  Maybe a relationship has ended or is strained.  Distance and circumstances can also cause us to feel out of the minds of others. Have you ever felt forgotten by God?  

Jeff's wife Anne wrote letters to him every day while he was missing in action. She prayed continually for his safe return.  In 1973 he was freed as part of Operation Homecoming.  After a brief hospitalization, he was able to return home. His wife and children waited for him when he landed at the airfield. As they embraced Anne told him that she had never forgotten him and would never have even if he never came home.

Dear reader, do you think that your perceived distance from the Lord has caused Him to forget you?  He who knows every hair on your head, every thought that you have will never forget. If you feel broken today, thinking that you are too far from the Lord ever to be back in His arms, think again.  His arm is not too short to save, and His mercy is unending.  Confess your brokenness, your pain, your sin, your guilt; whatever it is that is keeping you from Him.  If you are angry with Him, tell Him so for He has broad shoulders.  But mostly, just open the lines of communication so that He can have fellowship with you, the one He so loves and for whom he gave His all.

Heavenly Father, in our humanness we so often put up barriers to You.  Help us to see that Your love knows no barriers nor knows no bounds.  Teach us to love You and to accept Your love and Your free gift of grace. In Jesus' precious name we pray.  Amen.

Abandoned? Surrender

Because of all my enemies,

I am the utter contempt of my neighbors

and an object of dread to my closest friends—

those who see me on the street flee from me.

Psalm 31:11 (NIV)

Thought for Today: Jim had been a hardworking man, holding down multiple jobs to support his family while also being a leader in his church.  Jim was everyone's friend, always offering a smile and a helping hand.  Family and friends would come by every day for advice or just to chat.  All of that seemed to end when Jim's secret life was exposed.  You see, for many years, while maintaining a facade of being the devoted husband, father and church member, Jim was also leading a double life.  He had met Jennifer at work, they became close and then entangled in an affair.  Jim's wife found out and all came crashing down. Now, no one stopped by the house and he dare not show his face in church.  Alone and abandoned, Jim has nowhere to turn.

When I think about verse 11 of Psalm 31, I can't help but think about the enemies inside of us.  Perhaps it is lust, greed or deceit.  Maybe it is hatred or pride. All of these, when they fester inside of us, work their way out.  It could be in subtle ways, but also could be on a grander scale.  Either way, what lies in our hearts eventually will be exposed to the light.  Have you ever felt abandoned by those around you?  Perhaps avoided.  Worst yet, have you ever felt abandoned by yourself, never expecting that you would make choices that have placed you on the road that you are now traveling?

Jesus knew abandonment and rejection.  Isaiah 53:3 tells us that He was despised and rejected by men.  Even more painful though was His abandonment by the Father who He had known for all time.  As He was about to die on the cross, He cried out “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”  translated as "My God, My God why have your forsaken me?"  Imagine the pain of being abandoned by the One who you are one with and  have been with from the beginning of time?  All of this, dear reader, for you and for me, for our sins, our pride, our lust, our envy, our greed.  

How then should we respond?  Surrender your abandonment to Him.  Go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to forgive you and ask for healing.  Only in surrender, abandoning ourselves to Him, can we experience new life.  May you run to the Lord today and surrender.  He will heal you.

Dear Jesus, we can't even begin to imagine the depth of abandon that you felt at the cross.  Thank you for enduring that for our sake.  We ask that you forgive us for not abandoning ourselves in your grace.  We ask that you heal our broken hearts.  Amen.

Failing Strength

For my life is spent with grief,
And my years with sighing;
My strength fails because of my iniquity,
And my bones waste away.
Psalm 31:10 (NKJV)

Thought for Today: I ran into Max on the streets of Boston one day when I was going to lunch. He looked like he once had a good life, but had fallen into hard times.  He asked me for some change.  Instead, I decided to offer to bring him with me for lunch.  Max and I talked for over an hour about life and how the choices that we make have a lasting impact.  As Max and I parted ways, he said to me, "Don't waste your life making bad choices as I have done.  Choose wisely and you will finish strong."  As I walked back to my office, Max's words hung over me.  I knew that we can make our own future, good or bad, by the choices that we make today.  Yet, I never really thought about how a lot of little choices add up and weigh you down.

Perhaps today you are experience grief, like you have lost your strength and your way.   Maybe you feel so far removed from God because of what you have done in this life, your iniquities.  Nothing that you have done or can do will separate you from God's love for you.  If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are forgiven of everything that you have ever done and will ever do.  End of story. Yet, as a believer, we will feel grief from our sins, we will feel a distance from the Lord until we confess our sins and restore fellowship with the Lord.  Dear reader, this day do you feel that you have gone over the edge of a cliff and fallen into a pit of your own doing?  The arm of the Lord is never too short to save and pull you from the pit. But, you need to ask for His mercy and forgiveness.  If you have never committed your life to Christ, that is the first step, asking Him to forgive you for all of your sins and trusting completely in His salvation.  If you are already a believer, all it takes is a simple prayer, asking Him to forgive, asking Him to help you to change so that you may live the life that He has called you to.

Heavenly Father, we ask that you forgive us of all of the bad choices that we have made in this life, even the seemingly small ones.  Forgive us for not always putting You first in our lives and for letting sin get in the way of a relationship with You, our ever-loving God.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

Secret Sin

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;
My eye wastes away with grief,
Yes, my soul and my body!
Psalm 31:9 (NKJV)

Thought for Today: The knot in his stomach grew larger as Jim sat waiting in the courthouse for his trial to begin. For so long, he had been doing well in his job, being the go-to person for the CEO and a role model for the entire organization.  At least until the auditors came one day to take a look at the books.  They uncovered how Jim had been moving money from the company into his own personal account.  He had been able to cover this up for many years, but now he had been exposed.  Facing the possibility of a prison sentence, Jim could not contain the anxiety inside.  He was indeed grieving his poor choices, feeling all in his life slowly slipping away.

Perhaps today you are caught up in a secret sin.  If you have given your life to Christ, the Holy Spirit can’t help but to convict you of that sin.  You may feel that you are wasting away, not knowing where to turn.  Your friends can’t know. Your spouse can’t know.  Surely, if anyone finds out about this sin, they will surely look down upon you and now longer want anything to do with you.  Dear reader, there is One who knows your sin because He died for it.  There is nothing that you can do or anything that you have ever done that is beyond His forgiveness.  Jesus paid for your sins, all of them, secret and exposed, at the cross.  Have you trusted Him and asked Him to be your lord and savior? If not, please do so today.  If you have, then go to Him, confess your sin and ask for His cleansing and renewal.  He will heal us of all of our iniquities.

Heavenly Father, you know our sin.  You sent your son Jesus to pay for our sins.  May we rest in Your forgiveness.  You alone can restore us and deliver us. Amen.

A Wide Place

And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a wide place.
Psalm 31:8 (NKJV)

Thought for Today: Last summer while swimming in the ocean with my family I was trying to catch up to my daughter, who was a little too far out in deeper water.  Although she is a good swimmer, there have been a lot of riptides lately and many people have been rescued by lifeguards as they were about to be swept out to sea.  With my total focus on her, I did not notice that I was walking in between rocks which made my footing unstable nor did I see a large wave coming right at me.  My legs were thrown into a large rock underwater, resulting in a good size gash on one leg.  

Sometimes, we are so concerned with the circumstances around us that we don't know where our feet are planted. Perhaps we are looking to the future without considering where we presently stand.  Maybe there is anxiety about some future event that has us paralyzed.  Fear can be such an enemy at times, robbing us of balance in our lives as well as joy.  

Just as I had been hit by a large wave, so too can anxiety sweep us off of our feet, leaving us feeling smashed and in pain.  Had I been paying attention that day in the ocean, I would have kept my feet on more stable ground and perhaps would not have been thrown into the rocks.  Do you feel overcome by fear and anxiety?  Are you afraid of it consuming you?  Our Lord promises that He will not let us be shut up into the hand of the enemy.  He can and will set your feet in a wide place, a place of stability and of peace.  All He wants you to do is surrender your fear to Him and ask Him to take it from you.  It is so simple, yet so difficult.  Trust Him to plant your feet on solid ground.

Heavenly Father, we are so tossed about by fear and anxiety.  Yet, you promise us perfect peace if we only trust in You for our comfort, our healing.  May we rest in You this day, knowing that we can cast all anxiety upon you.

He Knows my Soul!

You have known my soul in adversities,
8
Psalm 31:7b

Thought for Today: Sue and Jean were great friends, talking on the phone several times a day and getting together for coffee at least once a week.  Life was going well for both young professionals moving up in their careers.  They had so much to talk about, all the excitement of moving up in the corporate world as well as their hopes and dreams of finding a Mr. Right and settling down.  Their friendship continued to flourish until Jean became seriously ill and lost her job.  

It is easy to talk with someone and to understand where he or she is coming from when you share similar experiences, especially good ones.  Keeping within our comfort zone, we don't mind knowing the soul of another as long as it is not messy.  Our human nature drives us to seek relationships that aren't draining on our time and energy.  Once the relationship heads in that direction, we sadly tend to move on to something more comfortable.

As David writes in this verse, our Lord knows our soul in adversities.  He is not looking for a relationship with low maintenance, perfect people.  He wants to be intertwined in the messiness of our daily lives, all of it, the joy, the sorrow, the pain and the brokenness.  When I gaze upon the wreckage that I call my soul, I don't know why He would choose to want to know me, in the midst of my struggles.  Yet, His perfect love sees beyond my pain, beyond my sin, beyond my past and sees His precious child.  How can we even fathom such love?  Yet, it is real and it is true.  As you go through struggles this day, may you embrace God's love for you.  May you see that regardless of where you are at, in the deepest pit of despair or the darkest point of sin, He loves you and so wants to meet you where you are.

Heavenly Father, may we bask in the presence of Your love in all the parts of our lives, the good, the bad and the ugly.  For you, oh Lord, seek to know us, want to heal us and redeem us.  Thank You for Your unwavering love.  

You have considered my trouble

I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,
For You have considered my trouble;
Psalm 31:7(a)

Thought for Today: A little boy named Ben had lost his ball in a field one day. Many people went by but no one would stop to help him, at least until Dr. Turnbolt, a very prosperous and busy surgeon, came by.  Without even being asked, he took several minutes to help find the little boy's lost ball.  Then, to Ben's amazement, Dr. Turnbolt asked him if he would like to play catch.   They played in the bright sunshine for over one hour that day.

If you think about all of the difficulties that you have gone through in life and perhaps are going through right now, how many people genuinely care about your circumstances and are willing to lend an ear or perhaps a hand?  If you are honest with yourself, you will admit that it is very few.  All of us, in the busyness of life, do not stop often enough to show mercy to another, to lend a hand or just listen. What is so amazing about our Lord is that He is willing to consider our troubles even though He is the master of the universe.  One would think that He would be too busy to care, that our difficulties are too small when compared with many other terrible things going on in this world.  Yet, He does care because He loves us so much.

Today, as you go about your business, take some time to reflect upon the mercy shown to you by our Lord.  Is there someone in your life who needs to be shown mercy?   In gratitude for the mercy shown to you, reach out to that person and show him or her that you care and that God does care, even when in the depths of difficult circumstances.

Heavenly Father, this day may we be grateful for all the mercy that You have shown to us. Thank you for caring for us, for loving us and for sending Your only son, Jesus, to save us from our sins.  

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
Psalm 31:3 (KJV)

Thought for Today: I was reading recently the story of a 92 year old man, John Trippon, who is one of the few remaining soldiers left from the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944. The Germans had built bunkers on top of the cliffs on the beach, making landing troops incredibly difficult.  John recounts how he made his way to the shore, only to sink into a 20 foot pit made by German shells that had landed in the water.  He had to shed all of his gear, including his gun, grenades and ammunition in order to be able to swim.  When John arrived on the shore it was littered with bodies. He made his way to a the face of a cliff, which was so steep that the Germans could not shoot down at the troops standing next to the cliff.

Perhaps today you are struggling, having made your way out of the deep water of difficult circumstances only to find yourself in the midst of a new set of difficult circumstances.  You may lack energy to fight this next battle due to having to use all of your resources to make your way out of the pit of your last set of circumstances.  What can you do?  Run to the rock, our fortress, Jesus Christ.  In Him, you can find protection, safety and strength.  Within this fortress, the fiery arrows of the enemy of your soul cannot penetrate.

It is likely that you know the rest of the story.  John recalls how shelling from the ships took out the enemy fortifications and the soldiers were then able to scale the cliffs, eventually securing the beach and pushing forward toward victory.  In the same way, we too can move forward from difficult circumstances and experience victory. Had the soldiers not sought the protection of the edge of the cliffs, they surely would have died.  If we don't see the protection of our Lord, we too shall never experience victory over our difficulties.  My prayer today is that you would run, as fast as you can, from any difficulties to the protection and peace of our Lord.

Heavenly Father, help us to see that only you can be our fortress, our strength, our protection.