Christmas Is All About Relationship

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image,"...After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

 Defiance against God...separation...death.

And then came Christmas! Christmas is all about establishing a new relationship with God.

In the Christmas account recorded in Luke 1:26-38, we see God Almighty in relationship with a humble maiden named Mary.

In Matthew's account, Matthew 1:18-24, we see God in relationship with Joseph, her honest and good husband-to-be.

In Luke 2:1-20, God includes some lowly shepherds among His inner circle, as He announces the birth of His Son through His messengers, the angels.

In Matthew 2:1-12, God includes foreigners, non-Israelites, among those with whom He wants to share the great Advent of His one and only Beloved Son.

[Please see the complete text of all these accounts below.]

What do all the above accounts from God's word show? That God wants relationship with those whom He created in His own image.

Psalm 19 displays the two main ways that God reveals Himself to mankind--1) through His natural creation, the world; and 2) through His Word, the Bible.

 Psalm 19:1 For the director of music. A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

 Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. 11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

 Proverbs 8:1-5 tell us that God calls out to all mankind and offers a relationship with Himself to all who will listen and call upon His name.

 Proverbs 8:1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud: 4 "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. 5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding. 

Whom does God choose to bring into relationship with Himself? All who are humble--the woman at the well, who had been married five times and whom Jesus found living with a man not her husband (John 4:7-26); those with great debt who cannot possibly pay it themselves (Luke 7:36-50); sinners--those who have totally blown it time and time again (Matthew 9:13); and the outcasts, those whom our society despises (Matthew 11:19).

Whom does God despise? The proud in heart. These He rejects completely.

Psalm 138:6 Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.

Why would the Creator God of the entire universe choose to give Himself in relationship with the humble, and yet reject the proud, the self-capable, and self reliant? One look at Jesus Christ, God's beloved Son, hanging naked and despised upon a wooden cross, will answer that question. As God is by His own nature, so He gives.

Isaiah 53:2b-3 describes the nature of God in very human terms--

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

From the very beginning God has always desired to be in relationship with His people. This is the story of Christmas. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ in your heart, or even if you have, why not take the time to draw near to Him this lovely Christmas time of year?

My Christmas wish for all of us is this: if you have a Bible, read it every day! If you don't have one, get one, and read it every day! Psalms and Proverbs is a great place to start, as these two books tell us plainly again and again what God is like and what He expects of people. They extend an open invitation to all to get into relationship with God.

And in the New Testament, in Jesus' own words--

Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

The Christmas account in scripture:

Luke 1:26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." 34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God." 38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Matthew 1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

Luke 2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Matthew 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 6 "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'" 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

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Warfare -- Psalm 94:16-17

Psalm 94:16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? 17 Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.

There are times when wickedness comes close to us; it does not remain far away. Perhaps a club, a professional group, a church, a political organization, a nation, or just a small group of coffee clatchers-- comes to be dominated by those who wander from the precepts of justice, righteousness, and mercy that characterize the God we know and love.

Should we remain silent and go with the flow? Or should we speak up?

Psalm 94:17 characterizes silence as being equivalent to death. When we die and our remains are laid to rest, we are silent. We are dead. When we remain silent in the face of evil, are we not in like manner as good as dead?

Our God is a God of war. The history of Israel is very nearly one long chronicle of battle after battle in which the Lord supported the faithful troops of His people. The angels of heaven are warriors. Daniel and Revelation speak of ferocious battles in which Michael and other angels fought against Satan and won. Ephesians 6 speaks of battles against the rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places. Are all these battles spiritual, or as Christians, are we meant to actually take a stand on current issues, open our mouths, and fight?

The psalmist in today's verses was abandoned, left alone. Who was there to fight for him and help him? The Lord Himself came to the psalmist's aid--otherwise the psalmist would have died.

It is a great and marvelous experience to be helped directly from the hand of the Lord Himself. Nothing can compare with it. But on a lesser scale, have you ever been helped by people? Has the Lord ever helped you by sending people who will fight for you and speak up for you and take a stand on your behalf? Have you ever been falsely accused, and perhaps a friend or coworker who knew the circumstances spoke up for you?

There are times when we are the potential friend, the coworker, the potential witness against false accusation and wrongdoing. There are times when the Lord wants to send us to give His help to the downtrodden!

Do I remain silent and shrink back, such as the unfaithful, unsaved Israelites in the wilderness whom God did not allow to enter His rest? Or do I fear God above my natural and reasonable fear of man? Whom do I obey when given an opportunity to speak on behalf of the innocent against the unrighteous oppressor? Do I obey God who has given me gifts and equips me for battle? Or do I obey my fear of those who perhaps speak better than I, think better than I, have more social graces than myself, stronger personalities and a greater following?

There are always so many opportunities for us as Christians to speak out God's truth to an unbelieving world. There is so much oppression and shedding of innocent blood (abortion), so much that is wrong in the world.

But sometimes the wrongdoing comes close to home, and the opportunity knocks on our very doorsteps--in the office, in the professional association, in the neighboring community right down the street.

God's word challenges me as a Christian to don my battle gear and fight the good fight for what I believe in His name to be right. If I remain silent when the battle trumpet sounds, Psalm 94 tells me that I am as one who is dead. But the rest of Psalm 94 tells me that God is on the side of the righteous. God defends the innocent. And He is the great judge and final arbiter of all that is wrong in the world. I just pray that I am standing with the righteous and not with the wicked on that final great day.

Psalm 94:22 But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. 23 He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them.

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Oh Father, So often I am so very weak and I tire and become weary so soon. Forgive me, Lord, for catering to my own comfort and "fun" when I should be more devoted to You and to Your causes. It is so easy, Lord, for me to remain in my nice, sheltered home and to hold at arm's length the cries of the oppressed. Or, Lord, when I do fight, and the war is not quickly won, my great enemy depression lurks always at the door, ready to enter and incapacitate me from all Your work.

Help, Oh gracious, merciful Father those who need Your help. Prove Yourself, Lord, to be the mighty warrior that You are, and may all the victories that You give bring glory to Your name. 

I ask these things in my Savior's name, He who is the greatest warrior the human race has ever known, whose final and accomplished victory brings joy, peace, and strength in even the most trying of difficult circumstances. I give You thanks, Father, for our great Savior Jesus Christ. All distresses seem small in the shadow of His one, great triumph over sin and death. Thank You, Father, for the joy that thinking of my Savior on His throne brings. In His name, Amen.

Glory in Tribulation

The whole Bible is filled throughout with the theme of the glory of God. God does everything for His own glory, and everything He does is glorious. Our lives as Christians are defined by the glory of God.


God reveals His glory to us in the person and work of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. He also reveals His glory in us as Christians, His dearly loved children, who are His co-heirs with Jesus Christ.


Glory comes in many forms. There is the glory of battle, in which the victors share the spoils. There is the glory of creation, the beauty of the natural world and of the human race, which was made in the likeness and image of God. There is the glory of God Himself, His brightness, His power, majesty, and splendor.


Then there is the glory to be found in suffering. Of all the glories, this one seems the hardest for us as humans to understand. One of my favorite verses has always been Hebrews: 2:10--


Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.


Jesus Christ is a being totally unique in all the universe. As an entirely homogenized person, He is both fully God and fully man. As man, He lived the life of men; everything that men do and suffer, He did, with the one exception of sin. Jesus never sinned, nor was there ever any sin in Him.


But He experienced hunger, thirst, tiredness, sadness, grief, joy, and all the other human emotions of which we are all familiar. When I hear the Psalmist crying out in the Old Testament, so very often in my heart I hear the voice of my Savior crying out as a man.


The above verse in Hebrews tells us that Jesus the man was made perfect, or complete, through the things He suffered. Jesus is the captain of our salvation. As captain, His goal is to bring many sons into the glory of the living God. That means that Jesus makes His followers both able to see and appreciate the glory of God and also to experience and be part of God's glory as well.


2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.


When we see loved ones suffering in any of a million different ways, our hearts go out to them, and we cry with them. The Lord Jesus while on earth also cried for the death of his good, good friend Lazarus. It is ok to grieve and mourn for the pain of those whom we love.


But the good news is that the crying over Lazarus' grave turned into cries of joy as Lazarus emerged, transformed, new and whole, healthy, and able to continue his life to the glory of God.


Not everyone who dies is returned to this life; in fact, such an event, though recorded in the Bible more than once, is extremely rare. But in the spirit, there is a resurrection of heart that does indeed change the mourning of sadness and sorrow into triumphant shouts of joy, even in the face of great tribulation. This is the perfection of spirit that Hebrews tells us Jesus learned in His sufferings here on earth. This is the work of grace in the heart which God promises to all those who believe in Jesus Christ. 


The good news is Psalm 37:28 For the LORD loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.


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Heavenly Father, I thank You that You have not left us as orphans, but that You have given us Your Spirit within us to comfort and strengthen us when the going gets rough. I thank You that You have given us a Great High Priest, Jesus, who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, having suffered in all things, except sin, as we do. I thank You for Your great and awesome power over men's hearts. Lord, I pray that You Yourself, by the living Spirit of Jesus Christ within us, will give our spirits the resurrection victory of Lazarus, even in the midst of our sufferings and sorrows. Thank You, O Lord, for Your promise to keep us. Keep us, O Lord, for Your glory, and bring us into Your eternal habitation with shouts of triumph and joy. Bring spiritual revival into our hearts, even this day, O Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.

auntpreble_blog@yahoo.com

God Delights in Relationship

Psalm 147:10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; 11 the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

What a creator God we have! He is so unlike ourselves.

When we create something--a machine, a work of art, a sport's team, an army, a corporation, a "10" body for fitness, any social group, a computer chip, a fast car, a powerful rocket, a new culinary dish--we mostly find our pleasure in the function performed--the specs, the accomplishments, the records broken, the utilitarian aspects.

Not so God. He who created the universe, the earth and all it contains--the planet itself in all its related physical systems, the super-fantastic, abundant diversity of animal and plant life--this God has every reason to take pleasure and delight in the physical performance, beauty, and functionality of all He has created. But He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse, nor does He delight in the legs of a man.

Where does God find His pleasure and delight? In relationships of humans with Himself--"the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love."

To "fear" God in this sense is to have a right knowledge of who God is and to put ourselves in the right context beside Him--we are very small and unworthy next to God. To fear God is to respect, love, and obey Him. God finds pleasure and delight in men who know and hope in His character, knowing that He is love itself.

God finds His pleasure and delight in relationship with man. No one who has read and understood this verse can ever say and believe, "Deos ex machina." No, God loves His creation and sent His Son to die on the cross to bring all men back into right relationship with Him. Not the strength of a horse, nor the legs of a man, but the souls of men who receive His Son--this is what God delights in.

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Father, thank You for the fantastically, gorgeously beautiful world around us! But more than this, thank You for loving us whom You created for Yourself, for Your pleasure! Help me, Lord, to bring You delight in my worship and obedience of You. In Jesus' name, Amen.


auntpreble_blog@yahoo.com

God Instructs Sinners in His Ways -- Psalm 25:8

Psalm 25:8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
 

Students of universities find out that a sure pathway to receiving a good grade is to find out what the professor wants and expects and then to do it.

Employees also do well to know what the boss wants and then to do it in a very exemplary way.
 

Runners plot out the course of their race, knowing what the goal is, how far away it is, and they plan their race accordingly, taking account of all the variables available to them.
 

Contestants in judged performance contests of all kinds study the rubric to discover what are the categories and qualities that will be judged, and what the standards of performance.
 

Life is more difficult. When a child is born, no one hands him or her a plan, saying, "This is exactly what your life is all about. This is what you must do to win."
 

But God does have a plan and purpose for all. The standards of His final judgment are clearly written in His word. He is good and upright, a kind, purposeful master, an excellent teacher. He gives each one of us a detailed description of His "syllabus", and He provides teachers and helpers along each of our paths.

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
 

Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:
 

Many men and women have lost their lives in the faithful transcribing, translating, publication, and ministry of God's word of wisdom, our Bible. Countless others who have not lost their lives physically, have given themselves completely and devotedly, so that God's wisdom might be available to all, in the public squares around the whole world.
 

God's word, His standards and expectations, are not hidden. To anyone and everyone with a hungry heart, God will provide and feed. Praise God for His goodness to sinners, such as we all are.
 

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Father, thank You for placing Your word in my life and in my heart. Thank You for Your salvation to me and for the gift of Your Spirit within me. By Your Spirit You opened Your word of life to my understanding. Before You interceded in my life, I did not understand Your word. But when You saved me from my sins, You gave me the ability to read and understand Your word, and now I esteem it very highly, as the great treasure and source of guiding light that it is. Thank You and praise You, oh God my Father. In Jesus, Amen.

auntpreble_blog@yahoo.com

Psalm 114 The Joy of Salvation

Psalm 114:1 When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,

2 Judah became God's sanctuary, Israel his dominion.

3 The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back;

4 the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. 

5 Why was it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back, 

6 you mountains, that you skipped like rams, you hills, like lambs? 

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 

8 who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.

This is a joyful psalm celebrating Israel's deliverance from its long slavery in the land of Egypt in Old Testament times, during the early days of Moses. 

It is also a type of any person's salvation in Jesus Christ, that is, their deliverance from slavery to sin and death. Just as Israel never returned to Egypt, a believer who has received a new nature in Jesus Christ never returns to his former bondage to corruption.

God, as creator, became Israel's Savior. All nature was His servant. The waters of the river divided, half continuing downstream, the other half turning back upstream. The Israelites crossed the once formidable river on dry ground.

The mountains and hills, here anthropomorphized, saw, reflected and participated in the joy of the former slaves' deliverance to freedom. 

Later in the people's history with God in the wilderness, He turned a hard rock into a pool of water, and on another occasion, the flinty rock into a flowing spring! Such power over nature!

If God can do such miracles with unyielding, natural rock, think what He can do with a human heart! He turns a dead heart of stone into living flesh. Such is the miracle of the new birth, being born again, salvation. What joy and gladness! All nature celebrates over the birth of one child of God.

How does anyone get this new birth? By humbly asking God for it--

Joel 2:32 And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved...

Acts 16:30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-- you and your household."

What a gracious God we have! His habitation is not limited. The size of His household knows no bounds. Any and all who desire to know Him, to find the path of His salvation, to be born again, need only ask in humble sincerity of heart. Whatever else is lacking in knowledge, the Lord Himself provides. 

Why wait? There is joy in the land!

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Father, I thank You for the day that You humbled my heart, bringing me to my knees to cry out to You. Not even knowing for sure if You existed, You lifted me from the dust, and journeyed with me into all truth. You stayed by my side for the whole year it took me to ask, "Why Jesus?". And You showed me in the most loving way that He indeed is Savior and Lord.

Father, I don't know if anyone will ever read this, but even if not, Lord, there is surely some heart somewhere who is now as dead and lost in sins as I once was. I pray, most gracious heavenly Father, that You would call this person by name, and reveal Yourself to her or him, just as You so kindly and benevolently did to me. May there be great joy in the land today over the salvation of one lost sinner's soul.

Thank-You, my Father. In Jesus' awesome name, Your daughter Christina, Amen.

auntpreble_blog@yahoo.com

Buy the Truth

Proverbs 23:23 Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding.

Truth is for a lifetime. Truth is precious beyond all else. This proverb teaches that truth is to be the focus of all one's endeavor. Truth is of such high quality that it should never be sold nor gotten rid of. No matter what poverty befalls a man, he must not give in to the temptation to sell the truth nor trade it for anything of lesser value.There is nothing of greater value, says the proverb.

Jesus spoke of truth the same high way--

Matthew 13:45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Pilot asked of Jesus, "What is truth?"

 

Anyone who had truth would not need to ask, since once obtained, it is immediately apparent what it is. Implicit in the parable of the merchant is his great joy!

And yet, our parable warns, there is danger that some people might let truth go. There is always danger of backsliding and idolatry. King Solomon himself, who penned many of the proverbs, is a great example of a man, who once owning the truth, sold it for lust.

Oh, that I would ask the Father always to protect me from myself!

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Father, What is truth? Jesus Christ! Him Whom Your grace revealed in my heart. Thank-You, always, Father. Though I have given up all I have for the truth of Christ, knowledge of Him came as a gift, Your gift of grace to my heart. I worship and praise and thank You eternally for this gift of truth, this pearl of great, great price. In Jesus, Amen.

auntpreble_blog@yahoo.com

Psalm 50:14

Psalm 50:14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High,

Although part of a larger context, this verse tells me to offer thank offerings to God and to fulfill my vows to Him. Other translations insert the word "and" before fulfill.

As I read this verse in the NIV, I get the meaning that I am under vow to God to thank Him. When did I place myself in a vow of thanksgiving to God? Not being one to offer "bargains" when I plead for blessing, I don't remember having made a vow of thanksgiving to God.

But God remembers! The very fact that I am in relationship with Him places me under vow to Him. When He offered me salvation and eternal life in Jesus Christ, entering into a promise of eternal relationship with me, I agreed by acknowledging this same Christ as Lord and Savior of my heart.

As my Savior, my Lord, my source of life, blessing, and all that is good, I have entered into a legally binding, covenant relationship with God the Father. By agreeing to such a binding relationship with my creator God, I have implicitly taken a vow of eternal thanksgiving to Him, He being who He is, and I being the mere recipient of all that is fine, lovely, wholesome, and good.

I am under vow to my Savior to thank Him at all times, whether hard-pressed or no, whether feeling fine, or feeling quite sick, whether all is going well, or nothing is going well. God does not require much of me; but His word says that I must thank Him.

The saddest thing of all is that I must be reminded to thank Him. But the happiest thing of all is that He does remind me, because thanksgiving and praise of the Most High is a good, bright, and inherently cheerful thing to be doing! Thanking God for who He is is good medicine for my soul!

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Thank-You, Father, for this verse of scripture which has stuck in my heart and refused to budge until I have given it its proper due. I love You, Lord. Please forgive me for being so ungrateful, as though You needed to twist my arm to tell You, "I love You." Thank-You, Lord, for all You are to me--everything!! Forgive me for having other gods before You. I look forward to being in heaven with You, when You will have my full, undiluted, unpolluted, joyful, thanksgiving and praise forever and ever. Thank-You my gracious, kind and loving Lord for loving me. In Thee, Amen.

Zealous for the Fear of the Lord

Proverbs 23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. 18 There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

John Wright Follette authored a piece titled, "Others May, But I May Not" [perhaps a slight paraphrase]. For many, that almost seems to be the theme of the Christian life.

But Proverbs teaches us to adjust our focus, shift our gaze, change our world view significantly. One who envies sinners is fixed upon the "I cannot," whereas the steadfast gaze of one who is zealous for the fear of the Lord is fixed on Him, the strong hope, and the bright, eternal future.

Often I find that I believe in God without really believing in Him, in the sense of utmost confidence and trust. For example, when I am on a trip with my husband, I know that he is there. I know that he is with me. I know that he is driving the car and guiding our trip. But if I have no confidence in his abilities, I will fret and worry the whole time, missing the wonderful things we came out to see and enjoy.

It is like that with our heavenly Father. We know we believe, but do we truly rest in our confidence in Him? When I look at the sinners and judge my life according to the standard of whether or not I measure up to them in terms of possessions, relations, or abilities, I am bound to fret and worry always. Of course I do not measure up! No one ever does. Eternal jealousy is the punishment of the damned.

But when I rest and trust in the Lord, I enjoy the future eternity in the now. I relish a quick and ready fellowship with Christ my Savior; I hear His voice often and feel His comfort in my heart.

And God never changes. The life of the world gives and the life of the world takes away. But blessed be the name of the Lord! What He gives, He never takes away.

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Father, it is so easy for me to be completely unaware of where my focus is at any given time. Help me to zealously guard and protect Your word in my heart, the promise of the hope that You have given me in Christ Jesus; and help me, Lord, always, to keep my judgments and interpretation of all that is around me centered in You and in Your law. I ask this by the grace of the beautiful name, Jesus. Thank-You, Father, for loving me, in spite of me. Amen.

Jesus Loves the Poor and Needy

Psalm 113:4 The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, 6 who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?

Psalm 113 opens with great praise to the awesome God, who sits enthroned in the highest places above and beyond all the universe. Yet this is a personal God, One who stoops down (such condescension!) to look upon the heavens and the earth which He created.

And upon what does He look when He so stoops? Verses 7-9 tell us that He looks upon the poor and needy. But He not only looks upon the poor and needy, He also acts on their behalf--

Psalm 113:7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; 8 he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. 9 He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD.

Everywhere in scripture we read that God loves the poor and needy. Jesus loves the poor and needy.

When Jesus cried out in Psalm 22:1, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?", He Himself was poor and needy.

Though Son of God, very God of very God, Jesus the man was always poor and needy. Born in a stable of very poor parents, working with His hands as a carpenter, abandoned by His disciples, spat upon, tortured, scorned, mocked, nailed and hanging naked upon a wooden cross, He represents everything from which we with our human natures recoil in shame.

What manner of God is this? The Bible teaches that God created the heavens and the earth. By His own Word He created them. He, Christ, the Word of God, born here on earth as one of us, tortured, despised, alone, rejected. Who in their right mind would ever in a million years have dreamed up such a story as this one?

No one but God could think of such a tale of anathema to all the natural pride that fills the human heart of man.

But there is another side to this story--

Philippians 2:5...Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Oh brothers and sisters, have you discovered for yourselves why Jesus bore the shame? It was so that everyone who calls upon His name might be saved. Saved from the enemy, saved from sin, saved from our own personal, detestable sins, saved from hell and damnation, a just judgment by God the Father against whom alone we all have sinned.

God who created us has also died for us to bring us back to Himself and give us eternal life in the Son of His love, Jesus Christ.

This Sunday, do not turn your face away, as did the crowd at the foot of the cross, but look into His face, and see if those eyes don't bore right into your heart. You only have one life to lose; why not lose it today, lose it in the vast ocean of eternal love which is our God.

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Father, none but a father of very great honor and esteem, would ever go through what you went through to save the very least of the least of the lost among the human race. But You did, in the life of Jesus Your only true, begotten Son. I pray, Lord, that by Your grace, and Your grace alone, You would turn someone's heart today away from the lie, the deception, and into the loving arms of Your grace. Thank-You for Your Word which teaches of Your great love and wonderful plan of redemption for all. Thank-You, Jesus, my Lord. In Your name I pray, Amen.

Going Out -- Coming In

Matthew 15:11 "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." -- Jesus

Proverbs 19:28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

Children love to put everything inside their mouths. It is the mother's job to constantly admonish her young children not to put such-and-such into their mouths. Thus, we all, as children, are taught from a very young age that certain items are "dirty", and we should not eat these, nor even put them into our mouths.

Some of the Jewish people in Jesus' day believed that certain foods would make a person spiritually defiled, or unclean. The Bible teaches differently, however. Jesus taught that the food one eats has no power at all over a man's spirit, or the cleanliness or uncleanliness that is in a person's heart. It is what a man speaks that defiles his spirit.

Proverbs also teaches this principle quite strongly -- what comes out of the mouth, i.e., words, speech, is really what a person ingests into his spirit, or heart.

How can this be? Isn't this putting the cart before the horse? Isn't our speech a product of what is in our heart? According to these two passages of scripture, the process works the other way around. The person who is speaking is also ingesting into his heart every word he speaks! To the extent that someone who is telling lies about another person is actually gulping down evil.

A person who speaks gossip, spreading deceitful information about another, a person who "bad-mouths" and speaks negatively for no purpose other than pleasure, is really ingesting poison, living in an atmosphere of constant toxicity, polluting his own spiritual stomach, so to speak, and digesting into every part of his personality and being lies and untruths.

Is this too harsh? Apparently not, because Jesus Himself, who will be the judge on that final day, says--

Matthew 12:36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment."

This is a powerful reason why I should guard my tongue with great care -- whatever I speak will all come back to me, both by polluting my mind and spirit, and in the final judgment.

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Heavenly Father, This is all so new to me. I have not in my past spent a great deal of time thinking about the effects to myself of my speech. Yet again and again in Your word, I find these verses warning me to guard my tongue with the greatest of care! Please help me, Lord, to become aware of all I am saying, and to put a tight clamp on my mouth before I even open it wrongly. Thank-You, loving Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Listen Always--Proverbs 19:27

Proverbs 19:27 Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Have you ever noticed that the mind is never still? When once the language of words has been learned, words never cease. The mind will be filled with thoughts; there is no way around this.

This proverb is as sure as night follows day--either the mind will be filled with instruction, or the mind will be filled with evil.

The Septuagint Bible brings out the meaning more strongly than other versions. It says--

A son who ceases to attend to the instruction of a father will cherish evil designs.

It's one or the other, good or evil, day or night. There is no middle ground, no period of probation. There will be growth or decay.

This proverb teaches that our faith is not static, but alive. Faith needs a daily feeding from the word of God, just as the Israelites in the desert needed their manna fresh daily.

As faith travels the oceans of our lives, it must constantly listen for the radar signal of God's word. Once those signals stop, drifting off-course will follow. Were a blind person to let go of the guide dog, his steps would soon wander. A flashlight in the dark is useful only as long as the beam is lit.

A trail through the forest must be marked frequently with signs, or the hikers will get lost. A ship must keep the lighthouse beam in constant view, or it may be drawn towards the rocks. A sports team must heed the coach throughout the game, not just once at the beginning. The orchestra must follow the conductor for the whole score, not just the opening bars.

A soldier must keep the metal detector always turned on, not for just the first few steps across a mined field. One bite of food does not nourish for a lifetime. One glass of water does not quench thirst for a year. Crops won't grow with just one day of sunshine.

It is nature's way to remind us that faith must be fed; God's instructions must be heard and obeyed--constantly, daily, or evil will certainly follow as our feet stray and wander off the righteous path into the unclaimed zones. Either we are on the boat, or in the water; on the bridge, or in the stream; in God's word, or listening to evil.

God's enemies are never silent. When we turn our ears from God's words, their words will very soon begin to fill the void.

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Heavenly Father, Thank-You for Your word which You haven so richly given to nourish, strengthen, guide, instruct, and protect us. Thank-You for Your signposts along the way. Thank-You for Your hand that pushes and leads us back when we get off-track. Thank-You for Your love which will bring us home. Thank-You for Your Son, our Lord Jesus. In His name, Amen.

Thanks to God versus Judgment

Psalm 50 is a psalm of judgment. God begins with His own house and judges His own people in the first 13 verses. Then verses 14 and 15 spell out the remedy--

Psalm 50:14-15 Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.

Then again, God judges the wicked from verses 16-22, but in verse 23 He again provides a remedy.

Psalm 50:23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him {23 Or and to him who considers his way I will show} the salvation of God.

In both cases, the remedy to change the course of God's condemnation is thanksgiving, which is honoring to God. To hear, believe, and obey the warning and remedy would be the wise choice to make. To believe and obey God is to regard Him, to take His word seriously, or, to "fear" Him.

Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever...

Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

Our God, even in judgment, desires that all should be saved. To this end, He clearly spells out what it is that would please Him enough for Him to show us His salvation. To "fear" the Lord is to take Him seriously enough to change our behavior. God wants us to turn from not regarding Him to thanking and praising Him for His blessings. We know that the fear of the Lord is a gift He gives, because of all the responses we might have to His word, this response alone is pure. This response leads to life.

God's commandment is to thank Him, which is really giving Him honor and praise. Those who fear Him will thank Him, and in return God will show them the path which leads to salvation and eternal life.

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Heavenly Father, even in our own lives, we find that none of us wants to give gifts to those who disrespect and dishonor us. We are like You in this, because we have been created in Your image. O Father, grant me by Your grace to fear You, to honor You with genuine thanksgiving, to please You, that You in turn would save me and show the way of Your salvation. If anyone who is not saved reads this, I pray, Lord, that You would grant the Spirit of thanksgiving to fall on them, that they would see and thank You for the blessings You have given them, and that You in turn would show them Your way of salvation in Jesus Christ. Thank-You, Father, in Jesus' name, Amen.

God's Conquered Souls

Psalm 108:7 God has spoken from his sanctuary: "In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Succoth. 8 Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter. 9 Moab is my washbasin, upon Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph."

The lands mentioned are part of the roll call of God's victories. Oh, the blessing to have the Lord call my name out loud, claiming me as His territory!

Before the Lord conquered my heart, I was God's enemy (Romans 5:10). All mankind since Adam have been born as enemies of God, "As it is written: 'There is none righteous, no, not one,'" (Romans 3:10).

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

By God's grace, He conquered me by the blood of His Love, shed on Calvary's cross, and I have been His vanquished territory ever since.

Dear Reader, do you know that "...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment," (Hebrews9:27)?

When God calls His final roll, will you be among those conquered souls destined to spend an eternity of love, life, and joy in the presence of God our creator and savior?

If the answer is no, or you are not sure, don't waste another moment, but bend your knee and ask God to include you among those who have been conquered by His saving love. It's by His grace He will grant you to receive and believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, whose death upon the cross and resurrection from the dead has bought the right for you to live, simply by believing in His name.

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Father, Yours is the power and the mercy even now to bring one lost sheep into Your fold. I pray by Your grace and mercy to instill a prayer of salvation into one lost sinner's heart. Thank-You, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God - Psalm 19

Psalm 19:1...The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

:4...In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, 5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

:7 The law of the LORD is perfect...

In this Psalm, God compares the sun in the sky with His law.

The sun is to creation what God's law is to the soul of men.

Psalm 138:2...For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

How is the sun in the sky similar to the law of God?

The sun revives the earth with its heat; God's law revives our soul (7). Just as nothing is hidden from the sun (6), nothing is hidden from God's law (Heb 4:12).

The sun is trustworthy in its course. From the perspective of the life of mankind, the sun is eternal, always the same, never changing. So is it with God's law--His Word is eternal, and His commandments do not change.

Plants grow in the light of the sun; the law grows man's understanding, making the simple wise.

The sun brings joy and light to all; the law of God is our light, our joy.

People fear the sun in its power to burn, and just so, the fear of the Lord is pure.

There will always be a sun; God's law will always be (9).

The sun cannot be purchased in any way; God's law is not for sale.

The sun is available to all; it is free. It shines upon all manner of men. God's law is not hidden--it is shouted from the rooftops, available to all.

As the sun blesses, so with God's law. The sun is God's gift to all; God's law is a gift to all men.

Perceiving the blessings of the sun, the rightful response is to worship God, not the creation. Perceiving the blessings of following God's law, the rightful response is to worship God and to obey what He has chosen for us.

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:12-14 [Father,] "Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." In the name of the living Word, Jesus Christ, Amen.


AuntPreble_blog@yahoo.com

Rest

Think about all the times you have been short on sleep, or otherwise just plain worn-out, tuckered-out, totally exhausted, emotionally strained and drained. Doesn't your heart cry out, "All I want to do is rest!"

God knows that we need rest. He created us that way, because He Himself "rested" on the seventh day--

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

His commandment to us is also to rest, no exceptions allowed--

Exodus 34:21 " Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.

God followed His own principle in all His dealings with His people, the Israelites--

1 Chronicles 22:9 'Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

God continued to follow His principle of rest right into the New Testament. One example is when Jesus had been tempted by the devil while alone in the wilderness for forty days (Luke 4:2)--

Matthew 4:11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

(That must have felt like blessed peace!)

Jesus continued His Father's principle in His training of His own disciples--

Mark 6:31 And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

Why does God want me to rest? My experience tells me that if I do not rest, I will forget all about my God. When I am hard-pressed, exhausted, and afraid, I feel alone and very agitated. After God rests me (simply by providing me the time and occasion to get a really good night's sleep!), I find that I am still. It is then that I feel God's presence in me. I "hear" Him speaking to me, His Spirit ministers to me, and I am recharged with new ideas and fresh energy. My response is thanksgiving, because rest is so good and so very needful. My response is thanksgiving, because fellowship with God tastes so good and is so very satisfying to my soul.

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Father, Spirit, Lord Jesus. I just want to thank You and praise You and worship You for Your goodness to me. Truly, I had thought that I was carrying my burden all by myself! It had not occurred to me that You would not ask me to do something beyond my abilities without also giving me Your help to do it. Last night You rested me, and this morning I woke up and found You with me, in my heart and mind. You are so good, Lord. I love You and thank You and worship You with all my heart and soul. All because of Jesus. Amen.


AuntPreble_blog@yahoo.com

Water from the Rock

When the Israelites were wandering through the desert, they became thirsty but had no water to drink. Moses prayed to the Lord, and the Lord granted Moses' request--when Moses struck a rock, water came gushing forth (Exodus 17:6).


The Israelites knew that this was a miracle; we know it, too. We know that it was a miracle because never, ever have we seen anyone strike a rock with a stick, and water came gushing out.


Psalm 78:15 He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas; 16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers.


Do you have a rocky crag in your life? I know I do. Often in the course of my wanderings through the years, I have been in desert places, spiritually speaking: places of dryness, barrenness, miserable heat, hard pressing, no relief in sight, a rocky crag, a rock.


And then the Lord would open the very rock that was causing me misery, and fountains of water would come gushing forth! Within the very situation that was causing me pain, the Lord would bring forth fountains of living water as refreshing as a mountain stream! At these times, I knew that it was the Lord doing a miracle, because I had no water in me, just hard rock!


As I read through Psalm 78 recently, my heart became convicted of the sin of doubt, the same sin with which the Israelites vexed God in the wilderness. I know the Lord has saved me again and again, but when faced with this situation, I cave in and murmur and complain, not expecting His miracle of water to come forth yet again. What a short spiritual memory I have!


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Praise You Father! Your goodness and faithfulness are well known among Your people. We have all received from Your hand countless salvations and blessings. Forgive me, Lord, when I behave towards You so much the same as the Israelites with whom You were angry in the wilderness. Lord, I need Your strength yet again! Please, Lord, bring forth Your waters from this rocky crag where I am camped! In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

The Suffering King

Psalm 72:12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.

The Psalms are so wonderful as they unfold the love of God. In the verse above we read about the needy and afflicted ones. Psalm 102 is an example of an extended prayer of a very needy person as he cries out.

Psalm 102:1 A Prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, And let my cry come to You.
2 Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline Your ear to me; In the day that I call, answer me speedily.
3 For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth.
4 My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of the sound of my groaning My bones cling to my skin.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert.
7 I lie awake, And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.

When I read these words, I cannot help but think of the Lord Jesus as He hung upon the cross. In Hebrews, we read of Him as our mediator, our high priest, who was tempted and suffered in every way as we do, yet without sin. In Philippians we find the Christ learning obedience through what He suffered.

In Psalm 72, it is the king who answers the cry of the needy, and in Psalm 102, it is the King of kings Himself who is the needy one. Oh the wisdom and compassion of God our creator, who stopped at nothing to bring us salvation, not even sparing His own Son!

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Father, thank You so much for not sparing Your Son, but sending Him to die in our place. Forgive me, Lord, when forgetting all Your past mercies and faithfulness, I complain about my lot. Help me never to forget that Jesus hung and died on the cross for me. In Him, Amen.

The King Saves the Poor and Needy

Psalm 72 finds its fulfillment in Christ the King. He is called the royal son (NIV) in verse one. But what manner of King is this One? In verse 2, He judges the "afflicted" ones with justice. Verse four sees Him saving the children of the "needy". This theme is repeated in verses 12 to 14:

Psalm 72:12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. 13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. 14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.

These verses spell out who it is the King will help. No mention is made of the successful and admired, but rather the poor, the abandon ed, the thought-least-of. Who but a king in heart would even dare look upon the poor, let alone respond to them with his help?

Poor and needy can refer to finances, circumstance, situations, health, personality, confidence, ability, the spiritual condition of our souls, and everything else that affects us. The King cares for and delivers all who cry out to Him, who have no one to help. He is willing to help, and He also has the power to help. He especially cares for those who suffer oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in His sight.

Praise, glory, blessings, thanksgivings, and honor to the King fill the rest of this psalm, to Him who is our Lord, the One who ransomed us, the poor and afflicted. Such humility and condescension are incomprehensible to me.

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Lord, I find myself without words as I consider the greatness of the King and the complete poverty of the afflicted, the poor, and the needy. What gain for Himself could the King have in helping such as these? None; the focus is on the giving. O Lord, I cry out to You, "I am afflicted; I am poor and needy," for in so doing, I am guaranteed a blessing from the King's gracious hand. Thank-You, Jesus, my Lord. Amen.

Gentle Rain

Psalm 72:6 He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.

Psalm 72 is about Jesus. Today in this verse, Jesus is with believers not in bodily form but in the Spirit. Verse 6 describes the presence of the Spirit with believers.

Just as earth has its various seasons of weather, so also our spirits. Proverbs 17:3 says, The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart. This speaks of trial and hardship, stress and a tight place.

But the Psalm before us speaks of gentle rain, showers of blessing. After the harvest, when the field has been mown, after a time of trial and testing, the Spirit rests us, then prepares us for more work ahead. A mown field speaks of a spent field, it has been harvested, it is lying unused in the hot sun. It is waiting to be plowed again. Travelers may be walking across it, since it is beaten down and presents no obstacles. The owner of the field has no worry about thieves, since all has already been gleaned.

Then comes the rain--not a driving, beating rain of judgment and destruction, but a shower--gentle, soft, refreshing. There is the smell of wetness chasing away the pounding heat. The mown stalks of straw are softened as they absorb the moisture. There is the wet smell of damp earth, and in the receptive ground where the seeds have already fallen, new growth springs up! And a light film of new green shoots appears.

So is our Lord in His coming. He is a friend to His people. He refreshes and renews their spent spirits within them.

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Thank-You, Lord, for the comfort You bring. May all those in my life who are aching and spent this morning feel Your gentle renewal as You shed Your great mercies in their hearts and in their lives. Rejuvenate us all with the soft rain of Your presence, and we thank You for the rests You give us between our sorrows and trials. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.