Last Bastion of My Independence
Father, what a wonderful weekend You have given me! It is indeed a rarity when Karen and I can spend a whole day together. We are truly blessed. On this Sabbath may we not just experience Your presence in a mighty way in worship – twice! – but may we feel You with us all day long! Amen!
1 Peter 3:22 (<<click here)
As I read this one verse, Lord, it is not incomprehensible but it is easily grasped. Simply put, shortly after Your resurrection You went to heaven and are “seated in the place of honor next to God.” For believers, a simple concept.
But the next few words? Even believers aren’t always on board. The line reads, “…and all the angels and authorities and powers accept [Your] authority.” Now we don’t have a problem with the concept stated. It makes sense. It fits comfortably into our theology. So, what’s the problem? The problem for many arises when we realize the necessity of fitting ourselves into the equation. Along with “the angels and authorities and powers,” do we accept Your authority?
Many of us are not bothered in the least as we comply with the ritual of worship and the basic demands of service. But in the deep recesses of our souls do we accept Your authority? Or is our inner sanctuary the one to which we cling? For the most part, whether we like it or not, a good part of our lives are controlled by outside forces – parents, spouses, teachers, bosses, etc., etc. Our inmost beings are the only thing we have left that is ours and ours alone. It may not be easy but if we are to truly be Your followers, Lord, we must accept Your authority – especially there.
Oh, Lord, my tendency is to have a death grip on that last bastion of my independence. My life is controlled on every other front. But if I am to be all I can possibly be, if I am to see the greatest fulfillment in my life here on earth…that is what must do. I must accept Your authority over my life. And as I do, it is not another weight placed upon my shoulders but it is a freedom! Instead of weighing me down, I am lifted up. I gladly accept Your authority. I joyously embrace Your promise.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Jan 29th, Sun, 6:47 am
Sextillion and Counting!
Father, this morning I have already been praying that I would follow the course You have set before me this day. May I make the most of it. Enable me to do what is pleasing in Your eyes. Amen.
I love where we live. We have to drive a bit to get to most things but the pros outweigh the cons by far. A special treat I get occasionally is a clear sky at night. I got out of my truck last night after a full day at work and was immediately caught up in the beauty of the night sky. We are far enough out that we don’t have to contend with city lights and we don’t have any glaring lights around the house either.
As I gaze into the heavens, I never cease to be amazed. I saw familiar constellations. Orion is one I readily see. And as I glanced to the northern sky, there was the Big Dipper in all of its splendor! Breathtaking!
Lord, as I sat down with You this morning, these thoughts entered my mind. I knew stars are mentioned in the Psalms, so I Googled it and Psalm 147:4-5a came up.
“He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord!”
Lord, You are the creator of all that is. Looking up I could not begin to count the stars I can see with my naked eye. Even scientists have to guess. Their estimate is that there are 1 sextillion stars in the observable universe – that’s a one followed by 21 zeros!
We guess but You know, Lord. You know exactly how many stars there are but it’s not just some cold calculation! You “call them all by name. How great is our Lord!”
It is awesome to think about but even more astounding is that You know me and You love me. How great is my Lord!
Jan 26th, Thurs, 8:41 am
Baptism
Father, it looks like today is going to be little out of the ordinary. Help me to key in on what is important and to accomplish what needs done. And through it all may my life reflect Your word as found in Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you.” May I think of You all the day long.
1 Peter 3:21 (<<click here)
Baptism. It is a very important part of a Christian’s life but as with anything in life, especially life in the church, we must be careful to see it for what it is. Too often we enhance things and then run with the enhancements.
Plain and simple, baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. It is a physical demonstration of a spiritual occurrence. When we accept Christ as our Savior because of his sacrifice in our stead, our “flesh”, i.e. our sinful nature, is crucified with Christ. In doing so we are raised with Him in resurrection power to live with Him in daily victory over sin.
Baptism is symbolic of this. When we are immersed in water it symbolizes our death to sin. Being brought back up out of water symbolizes our resurrection into new life in Christ.
Baptism can be by immersion or by pouring of water or even by sprinkling but it all communicates dying to sin and self. There is nothing “magical” about it. And it’s not some sort of “Get Out of Jail, Free” card. If we turn our backs on Christ and forsake our relationship with Him, going what we want, our baptism was for nothing.
Lord, Luke 9:23 records Your words,
“Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”
Once again, sovereign Lord, opening thoughts have meshed perfectly with closing ones may I live this day for You. May I take up my cross, this day, and may I think of You all day long. Amen.
Jan 25th, Wed, 9:13 am
We Can’t Know the Future
I am so grateful for Your presence in worship yesterday, Father. You multiplied what was given several times over! It was surely a privilege to be Your mouthpiece.
One of the concepts mentioned yesterday, Lord, as we studied the life of Joseph in Genesis was the fact that all-in-all we cannot see what lies ahead in our lives. We are to trust in Your guiding hand on our shoulders but no matter how much we would like to, we cannot see what our future holds.
Joseph had his heart set on You. His father loved him more than his many brothers and doted on him. Josephs own dreams seemed to point to a day when they all would bow before him. His brothers so greatly despised him that they refrained from killing but did end up selling him into slavery. God blessed him in these circumstances and he rose to prominence in his master’s home. Because of a false accusation he was thrown in to prison but once again God blessed him and he rose to prominence under the leadership of the prison warden. He thought he found a way out when he helped one of Pharaoh’s servants understand that he would find favor in Pharaoh’s eyes once more but was forgotten and left to continue to rot in jail.
Time and again he would work his way to the top only to be pushed back to the bottom. It would have been easy to become bitter or to have simply given up…but he didn’t. He clung to You, Lord. His destiny was in Your hands. He remained faithful to You and You brought him through and used him to literally save the lives of thousands of people from the surety of starvation.
Could Joseph see where his life was headed? No, he just continued to trust You, Lord. He was greatly rewarded for his faithfulness. He was given power and wealth. He was reunited with his family – holding no animosity toward his brothers – for he saw God’s saving hand through it all. But…he didn’t know any of it was coming to him.
As we watched his life unfold, his faith in God was unwavering. Through all the ups and downs, he held on to You. If he had ended his days serving the warden in the jail, with none of his hopes and dreams fulfilled, I believe he would have remained faithful to God.
Lord, we really have no idea what our future holds but, without a doubt, we can trust You to bring us through and with our faith placed in You we can be content in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. May I find peace in You. May I be used by You. Amen
Jan 23rd, Mon, 6:41 am
Plough Deep
Father, use this day for Your glory. May my actions, thoughts, and words bring You praise. Direct me in the way I should go. May I reflect the light of Your love brightly into a darkened world. Amen.
Lord, my reading in the The Valley of Vision this morning says so much that have to share. It. So many things on so many fronts – this is my prayer as well.
THE DEEPS
Lord Jesus,
Give me a deeper repentance,
a horror of sin,
a dread of its approach;
Help me chastely to flee it,
and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be thine alone.
Give me a deeper trust,
that I may lose myself to find myself in thee,
the ground of my rest
the spring of my being.
Give me a deeper knowledge of thyself
as Saviour, Master, Lord, and King.
Give me deeper power in private prayer,
more sweetness in thy Word,
more steadfast grip on its truth.
Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action,
and let me not seek moral virtue apart from thee.
Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly Husbandman,
that my being may be a tilled filed,
the roots of grace spreading far and wide,
until thou alone art seen in me,
thy beauty golden like summer harvest,
thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.
I have no Master but thee,
no law but thy will,
no delight but thyself,
no wealth but that thou givest,
no good but that thou blesses,
no peace but that thou bestowest.
I am nothing but that thou makest me,
I have nothing but that I receive from thee,
I can be nothing but that grace adorns me.
Quarry me deep, dear Lord,
and then fill me to overflowing with living water.
Jan 21st, Sat, 6:37 am