He holds all my days in His hands. . . .

This week has been crammed with events. When added to the usual, this results in fatigue for me, sometimes confusion, and even disappointment in what seems to be many wasted hours and years. I have a birthday in a couple days and have reached an age when that number is large and hard to believe.

Today’s devotional was instruction in defending the gospel of grace which is not a problem at the moment, so I opened a book called “Everyday Prayers” and was so blessed to read it.

First, God guided me to remember that from before I was born He saw me and thought about me. His knowledge and presence has always been with me:

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. (Psalm 139:16–18)

Part of my dreams and early morning thoughts were about regrets, things I wish I could do over, but the next verse was this one, and it brought tears and joy. God says:

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. (Joel 2:25)

Years ago, I presented a devotional at a senior’s home in Saskatchewan, an area known for its invasions of grasshoppers. I used this verse to encourage those aging people regarding their regrets. Now God uses it to bless me. Such a wonderful promise.

Then the writer wrote that this day is his birthday “and the number just keeps getting bigger. Yet as ‘vast’ and ‘great’ as the sum of my years seems to me today, vaster and greater are my thoughts of you. The number of my years is calculated merely in terms of decades, but if I tried to ‘do the math’ concerning your glory and grace, I’d have to count every grain of sand on every beach that has ever existed. With David I can honestly say, “How precious to me are your thoughts.” Again, I am blessed. The birthdays keep coming, but is that not better than dreading each one? Greater than wishing I could turn back the clock?

The prayer writer also wrote more, which is so easy to personalize. . . . 

“Father, keep on rescuing me from all wrong thinking about you. Keep showing me how little I really see and understand about the greatness of your love for me in Jesus. . . .  May the gospel keep on getting bigger and bigger and bigger. It’s a source of incredible peace and freedom to know that you’ve ordained all of my days for me. That feels not like unfair fatalism but rather Fatherly affection. I’ll not live one day more or one day less than you decree, by your sovereign purposes and eternal pleasure.”

He also wrote about wanting to turn back the clock for a do-over for certain parts of his life. Me too, but again, God “restores years eaten away by locusts.” It is a far better choice to rest in His love rather than be depressed with my regrets. He even commits to make all things new.

I can echo this writer’s prayer as well:

PRAY: Oh Jesus, every day, week, month, or year you may add to my life be full of a greater grasp of Your love that will never let go of me. Grant me the strength to comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, and fill me each day with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:18–19) This I ask in Your matchless and merciful name. Amen.

Time with Jesus

  

Yesterday the seniors in our church went on a field trip to our city’s spectacular main library. I qualify by age but knew I could not tour a library. I’d find a book and a chair to curl up in and read. Besides, Thursday is prayer day with several others. I knew they would be at the library, but I went to our little prayer room at the church and spent the time praying alone.

But not alone. It was a special time with Jesus and I had so many things on my heart. Friends whose family has fallen into sin, other friends whose relationships are broken, an amazing ministry being attacked by civil authorities, a long list of prodigals and others caught by Satan’s schemes, Christians who are confused about the role of ‘works’ in their walk with Jesus, unsaved family and friends, resistance all over the world to the will of God… and more.

What a delight to freely talk to Him about all these things and return home much later and feeling lighter. I pray at home but not as long and sometimes not as focused.

Readings today offered thoughts of the delight of being with God because of despair, and knowing that He is with me:

In the midst of the awfulness, a touch comes, and you know it is the right hand of Jesus Christ. The right hand not of restraint nor of correction nor of chastisement, but the right hand of the Everlasting Father. Whenever His hand is laid upon you, it is ineffable peace and comfort, the sense that “underneath are the everlasting arms,” full of sustaining and comfort and strength. When once His touch comes, nothing at all can cast you into fear again. In the midst of all His ascended glory the Lord Jesus comes to speak to an insignificant disciple, and to say—“Fear not.” His tenderness is ineffably sweet.

At the end of this prayer time, the sense of awfulness that began it was lifted. I also read Psalms and felt free of the burdens that brought me to that prayer place. How delightful to sense the support that only Jesus can give. In those psalms, phrases jumped out to bless me:

O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (Psalm 22:2–5)

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:3–4)

Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed… For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. (Psalm 112:1–8)

Today’s usual reading speaks of spiritual growth in which God changes His people. Meekness and quietness of spirit characterize daily life in a submissive acceptance of His will. Hourly events reveal pliability in His hands. There is sweetness under provocation; calmness in the midst of turmoil and bustle; a listening to the wishes of others, an insensibility to slights and affronts; absence of worry or anxiety; deliverance from care and fear.

I’m not always there, yet easily see how spending time with Jesus makes a huge difference in spiritual development.

PRAY: Jesus, thank You that in You I can become more serene, more heavenly minded, more transformed, less troubled by the bombardment of burdens. Thank You for allowing me to talk with You. When we are together, my burdens are not so heavy and You are continually saying, “I got this” giving me reassurance of Your amazing love and support. Praise Your holy name!

Perfect Freedom

 

While no one can earn their salvation by doing good, there is an element of pleasing God by our obedience. However, the Bible is clear — God is complete in Himself and does not need us to give Him pleasure. Consider what this verse says:

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:25)

God blesses me when I obey His Word! It begins by “looking into” which is a Greek word about bending down or stooping to examine something with care. This implies humility and a desire to see clearly. It is an attitude as well as an action.

This verse also sees the Word of God as a source of liberty or freedom. It is the “perfect law” because it is complete, sufficient, comprehensive, and without error. God uses it to tell us about Himself and how He meets all needs and gives me the desires of my heart. It is the “law of liberty” because the Holy Spirit enables me to apply its principles and thereby set me free from guilt and the bondage of sin. That is true freedom!

This verse speaks of perseverance. That means I keep at it, reading and studying, reading and receiving what it says in humility and obeying what I hear. Merely hearing, whether a daily reading or a Sunday sermon, is not enough; the blessing comes to those who act on what God says to them.

If I come to my desk feeling tired or anxious or some other negative, singing worship songs and reading the Word of God changes my mood to joy. Even when God shows me something in my life that needs to be confessed as sin, He gives that sense of well-being, a blessing from knowing that He is with me and wants the best for me. Looking into His perfect law and responding with obedience gives greater joy than anything else. And I am stunned that God uses this as a blessing; He is pleased by being able to bless me — utterly amazing!

PRAY: Jesus, may I never stop wanting to gaze intently into Your Word. May You never stop revealing any changes needed in my life and granting me grace to make those changes. Help me live more fully for You, to bring You glory and to be a blessing to those around me.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

PONDER: Read Some say that the truth hurts, but God says truth brings freedom. If Jesus, the Truth, sets me free, I am free indeed. (John 8:36) Hebrews 4:12–13 tell of His Word power to show me things I might not realize. It prevents me from trying to hide from God. Meditate on that, and keep reading and doing what it says!

 

 

Oh Happy Day . . .

READ Psalm 1–5

While reading the prophets is enlightening and fosters my sense of God’s holiness, I must admit that I’m glad to move into the song book of Israel — filled with praises for the wonder of who God is and His goodness to His people. There are warnings and struggles in this poetry, yet even reading them brings joy to my heart.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1–2)

This speaks of a slippery slope. Take counsel from a person who does not believe in God and that attitude is too easily adopted to a new stance, and can slide into mocking those who trust Him or worse — to deriding God. Those blessed spend enough time in the Word of God to realize His thoughts are a delight, worthy of thinking about all day long, and guiding everything I do.

What about those who mock God, who make a strong argument for not believing in Him or trusting Him? What about the kings and rulers in this world who consider power and money over humility and faith in Jesus Christ? They could distress me, but this is what God says:

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (2:4–12)

Such mockers in their unbelief have no idea of God’s power. They think they rule their world, that we mere mortals control such powers as the climate, that money thrown at it will solve the problems of crime and hate, that by sheer determination we can make the world a better place. And the Lord laughs. He addresses my worries with a holy ‘lighten up’ so I can rejoice in His power and wisdom and not be afraid as others try in vain to do what only God can do.

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. (3:3–6)

Amen to that! I just woke up from a sound sleep with joy in my heart, the usual for me in a world that says people my age don’t sleep very well. They need to interview those who trust God, pray their fears to Him and realize His grace and power. The psalm writers knew. So do those who have been touched by the grace of God and who can say: “But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him . . . . You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (4:3; 7–8)

It may take a lifetime to learn some of these things, yet all through my Christian life, God has been faithful. He will, “Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch” (5:2–3). He hears me. He respects the sacrifices made to show love to others. He is with me, and when I pay attention, I see His gracious hand in all of life.

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield. (5:11–12)

Oh Lord, Your Word encourages me and gives me energy as well as guidance and peace for each day. I stumble, make mistakes, become self-centered yet Your Son covers me with His sacrifice and Himself. I am shielded from the world’s lures, Satan’s lies, and the subtleties of my own sinful desires. And because of You, I can shout and sing songs of joy!