Numbering our Days

Psalm 90:9-12

 For all our days pass away under your wrath;

    we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
    or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
    they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
    and your wrath according to the fear of you?

12 So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom.

What does it mean to number our days?

I've been pondering this verse over the course of the day.  The devotional I read with this basically said we need to be thoughtful about our days, reminiscing over the day spent and thinking through how you can make improvements.  Through doing that, you gain wisdom.  I can see the value in this viewpoint.  Learning from your mistakes is an excellent way to gain wisdom. 

But I think about the whole wisdom aspect from the book of Proverbs, about how wisdom is gained through a relationship with God and understanding his word.  

So then I'm thinking about how our lives are like a sigh.  A bit of a breath and then we are gone, and God himself wants us to make the most of them.

So shouldn't numbering our days mean more than just being reflective and trying to change based on our history?   Shouldn't numbering our days mean we should be intentional about what we do?  What we learn?  How we act?  Looking forward to a longer-term picture? Being intentional about spending actual time with God? 

It's so easy to just let things slide you know?  To forget to pray before a meal, to promise to pray for a friend and then forgetting, and to watch TV, or youtube, or whatever and not follow up with family and friends.  To think that volunteering somewhere covers for all the slights that you do in life.   So just perhaps we need to be deliberate about looking at what we do with our days.  Deliberate about not wasting our moment of breath. 

I'm listening to a book right now about a young man with a goal... he wants to save his brother.  To do so he'll have to meet a number of challenges... none of them easy, so he's taking time to think about what his next move should be.  Who should he get to know who can help him in his quest?  What books and course of study does he need to take?  

So when I read these words from Psalms I can see this young man clearly in my mind.  Carefully planning out his days even though he knows there will be blips in his journey.  Can he work hard enough to overcome those blips?

What about me?  Do I look to the future?  I know my end goal is glory with Christ in heaven.  I know that.  And sometimes I am too complacent about it...and at others a bit of a doubting Thomas... but really, I know that's my goal.  So maybe I should be more deliberate about working out my faith eh?   To spend more time with God and to read so more books like Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund. Perhaps I need to do something more... and that will require some thought... deliberate thought, a planning out of my days. 

Can't say I'm feeling up for the challenge today.  Tired and all that after a busy day.  But tomorrow.... that I can plan out.  Time for a verse or four in the morning.  A chance to ponder and write.   Time with my fellow and boy.   It's enough for a start eh?

Day by Day - Psalm 139

Using as a base for devotions, Day by Day by Charles Swindoll.

Psalm 139. You can find the whole psalm here.

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
^.......

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.

......

The lad and I talked a bit about this the other day. How God ALWAYS knows us. That God knew we would get upset even before we were born, He knew that I would like bunnies and that The lad would like angry birds and lego and telling stories. That he knew that RIGHT NOW we would be eating breakfast. God knows us full well.

When I think of this in the light of how God is impressing upon my heart that depth of what it means to trust him... I feel VERY secure. Perhaps for the first solid thinking as an adult time in my life I am starting to feel VERY secure in God's love. Knowing how bad I can be within myself. Knowing the God knows that and for some strange reason loves me none the less. It kinda blows my mind.

It's like my hubby loves me even when I'm a jerk at times.
It's like my son loves me even though I fail him at times.
God loves me MORE....but he uses my family to show that to me at times.

God is SO infinitely more. And he calls loudly...trust me, know that I have your long term best interests at heart. Even if you have hard days, even if you aren't perfect, even if you fail, even if you make me smile.... I will love you, I will watch over you, I am always, and forever THERE.

I don't have to impress God. I don't have to make myself someone different for him. God won't reach out and surprise me, telling what I've done wrong. HE KNOWS what I've done wrong, he tells when I've done it if I'm willing to listen. ALL I need to do is live for him. To do my best for him and that's ALL he wants. I think perhaps this knowledge is too simple, and yet too big for me. :) One of those conundrums that is God.

To trust him with my everything....he knows it anyways...

What does Chuck have to say about this passage?
Chuck talks about the importance of upholding Human Dignity. How in today's clime it is so easy to lose that personal touch.
And he calls us to trust him completely.

Day by Day - Psalm 119:1-16

Using as a base for devotions, Day by Day by Charles Swindoll.

Psalm 119:1-16(ESV)
Aleph

¹ Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD!
² Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
³ who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
⁴ You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
⁵ Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
⁶ Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.
⁸ I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me!

Beth

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
¹⁰ With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
¹¹ I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
¹² Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes!
¹³ With my lips I declare
all the rules of your mouth.
¹⁴ In the way of your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
¹⁵ I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
¹⁶ I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.

What jumps out at me in this bible reading section?

First the build up of what a person is if they obey the Lord: blessed, blameless, steadfast, not put to shame, one who is not forsaken, taught, and delighted.

And second - how does a person do this? By guarding what they do according to the Word of God.

I was talking with a fellow homeschooler the other day about TV commercials. She mentioned she doesn't allow her children to watch them since there is too much, I'm going to use the word, garbage (though I know that's not the exact word she used) out there. I mentioned that my approach is to let him watch them but to comment on them on occasion. And generally I am purposeful about that. I'm raising a boy child.. and boys/men are very visual generally speaking and we live in a day and age where we are bombarded with all sorts of images. Some of these images glorify God and others draw us away from him. I want him to start learning discernment about what he sees and what he dwells on. By commenting on things I am hopeful that he will start to think about what he is seeing, and thereby learn to guard his path.

I find that as my boy matures I am more often pointing out scriptural things to him. I want to help develop his love for God and his desire to walk in accordance to it.

I do so want my boy to be blameless, blessed, not put to shame, and so forth when the time comes for him to stand before God. I know how weak and frail I am...and how frequently I fail. I know that God loves me dearly...but I also know how frequently I fail him. So if I can better teach my boy child how to be discerning in what he does and what he dwells on, I think I'll have done well by him in his relationship with God. He needs to learn to guard his path.

Anyways, What does Chuck have to say about this passage?

In point form Charles Swindoll's main points.
the first eight verses point out three absolutes
1. the reality of God's blessing
2. the authority of God's word
3. the necessity of God's presence

And how can we keep our life pure?
1. Seek the Lord on a regular basis
2. Treasure the truth in your heart
3. Openly tell others of Him
4. Rejoice and delight in God's working
5. Spend more of your free moment meditating on his principles
6. Give God your full respect.

Psalm 108

Using as a base for devotions, Day by Day by Charles Swindoll.

I often don't like using devotionals as frequently what someone else gets out of a text I don't...and frequently the text has nothing to do with what the person is talking about except in a generic sense. That I just find annoying. So I'll see how this one goes. :)

Psalm 108 (CEV)
¹Our God, I am faithful to you

with all my heart,

and you can trust me.

I will sing

and play music for you

with all that I am.

²I will start playing my harps

before the sun rises.

³I will praise you, LORD,

for everyone to hear;

I will sing hymns to you

in every nation.

⁴Your love reaches higher

than the heavens,

and your loyalty extends

beyond the clouds.

⁵Our God, may you be honored

above the heavens;

may your glory be seen

everywhere on earth.

⁶Answer my prayers

and use your powerful arm

to give us victory.

Then the people you love

will be safe.

⁷Our God, from your holy place

you made this promise:

"I will gladly divide up

the city of Shechem

and give away Succoth Valley

piece by piece.

⁸The lands of Gilead

and Manasseh are mine.

Ephraim is my war helmet,

and Judah is my symbol

of royal power.

⁹Moab is merely my washbasin,

and Edom belongs to me.

I shout with victory

over the Philistines."

¹⁰Our God, who will bring me

to the fortress

or lead me to Edom?

¹¹Have you rejected us?

You don't lead our armies.

¹²Help us defeat our enemies!

No one else can rescue us.

¹³You are the one

who gives us victory

and crushes our enemies.

Wow....this is an interesting Psalm to read isn't it?

The promise that David gives to God.

The plea for help...for God to act in the best interests of his people.

I kind of feel like David right now, promising God that I will rise early and "start playing my harps". Granted, if I did that literally in my household it would engender a fair amount of annoyance! :) Even if my harp was the keyboard. But I do want to start having a regular, accountable devotion time. j

I do want to more deliberately have to take time to say God...this is who I am, and yes, I know that God already knows who I am but it different if you take the time to say it. To take that time to deliberately say to God that I KNOW WHO YOU ARE! Meaning to take that deliberate time to praise him and to thank him for what he does in my life. And with that to also deliberately take the time to say God, this is where I need your action in my life. To be able to say GOD.. I love you and I praise you and I want my boy child to grow up to love and praise you. I want my hubby to have a knee what works well for him. I need you to guide my days.

David promises much to God in this Psalm and he expects at lot from God as well. He wants to see God in action on behalf of his people.

I want to see God do much on behalf of my people as well. My church... To shake it up, to make it want to do more. My family... to see them all grow in the knowledge and Love of God, to see my hubby healed of his bum knee. I want my Dad to have a decrease in the pain he suffers daily. I want to see this community changed by the Love of God. I want much. But I have to admit....I'm a bit afeared by what the wanting much would me for me.

Charles Swindoll says "you will have to change...and that won't come easily". I don't always welcome change. Change can be alarming. Change can also be life-affirming. So I wonder what change God might have in store for me.

Praise God, He is our helper!

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is: Exodus 17.8-18.27 Psalm 41.

Exod 17.8-18.27
Every time I read this story I am amazed.

⁸ Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. ⁹So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." ¹⁰So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. ¹²But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. ¹³And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

Like seriously....who would think of this? To raise your hands with staff in hand to God and win a battle? That's not a normal idea, and yet that is what worked. And the Lord promised to blot out Amalek.

¹⁴Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." ¹⁵And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner, ¹⁶saying, "A hand upon the throne of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."

After this event, Jethro (Moses father-in-law) came for a visit and he praised God for how God had protected Moses and the people, rescuing them from Egypt and bringing them through the desert and everything. Then Moses went about his daily business and Jethro was stunned. Why do you sit around all day with these people coming to you? Learning the reason he came up with a simple solution for Moses. Choose some good people to help you with this task.

²³If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace."

The task was too much for Moses, he needed outside eyes to help him find resolution to it.

Isn't it neat how God orchestrated it all?

Ps 41
This is a song of David, to the choirmaster.
My reading of this Psalm nets me two basic thoughts: living a life of integrity and compassion is a very good thing, and second that praising God and asking him to forgive your sins is also a very good thing. :)

Living a life of integrity and compassion

¹ Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;
12But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
and set me in your presence forever.

Praising God and asking for forgiveness

⁴As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you!"
......
¹⁰But you, O LORD, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them!
11By this I know that you delight in me:
my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.

Praise the Lord, be humble before him, acknowledge your wrong doings, and live a life protected by the Lord God.

Be Happy!

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is: Exodus 3-4, Psalm 33.

Exodus 3-4
As I doing my devotions this morning my son came downstairs all bright-eyed and asking questions. He wakes up talking...just like I do. :) Anyways, he wanted to know what I was doing so we talked about this passage together.

We talked about God told Moses that he was going to use Moses to get his people out of Egypt. Moses gave God all kinds of excuses but God met everyone of those objections. And then God told Moses..the job will be hard. You will say "Pharoah, God says let my people go". and you know what Moses ... Pharoah will say "NO". So Moses took this assignment knowing that even though the job would be hard, that God would help him all the way.

When I asked Justin how he thinks that made Moses feel.. he said "happy".

And I have to say, I agree with him. If I know that something will be hard, but that I'll be helped through it all, it would make me happy as well.

Be happy all you who believe in the Lord...he will HELP you. :)

Ps 33
these verses sum up this Psalm for me.

⁸Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
⁹For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.

So when the psalmist says

22Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.

he has good reason to say it.

God made the world. He simply spoke and things came into being, not by chance, not by accident,it was deliberate design. Scarred by sin.. indeed, but that doesn't change who the original creator, designer, master is. For the people that God calls his own, he will help them and protect them as any true and real father would his children. This is a psalm of praise to our creator, the one who cares for his own. Let us all praise the Lord.

A trick played and A call to be vindicated

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is: Gn 43-44 and Ps 26.

Genesis 43-44
Joseph plays a trick on his brothers. Not a bad trick, but a scary one. Threatening to take away their youngest brother...and Joseph sees how the brothers leap to the defense of him and their father. That must have made his heart smile after how they had treated him. And even though I've read the story,... I want to just keep reading to see how the trick plays out. :)

Psalm 26
I read these first few lines of Psalm 26 and my immediate thought was .. I've never prayed to God like this.

¹ Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
² Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
test my heart and my mind.
³For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness.

I just don't know that I could. It's like David is giving God a list of his virtues and saying, see God, I do want you want me to, So bless me! Are we supposed to do things like this? I just don't know. It just somehow .... I don't know...

He is a man who loves God, and knows how much that God loves him. Perhaps that gives him to surety to say, God... Help me, bless me. You know how I live my life how I do this, and that. You know that I tell everyone I can about you, so help me, bless me. Hmmm... something to think on more I think....

God can use us regardless and God be Praised!

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is: Genesis 39-40 and Psalm 24.

Genesis 39-40
So here we have Joseph in Egypt. He's had the dishonour of being sold by his brothers. It would seem that trouble was just a brewing for Joseph. Yet we read this:

² The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.

So here he is, a slave, subject to the whims of another, and God is using him. It would seem that circumstances in our life doesn't dictate whether God can use us or not. But troubled plagued Joseph in the shape of his master's wife. She wanted to "lie with him" but Joseph's response was such

How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"

He wasn't concerned about disobeying his master so much as he was concerned about sinning against God. Yet he got into trouble none-the-less. She lied, he was sent to jail, where he languished... well...not really languished because

²¹But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. ²²And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. ²³The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.

So where-ever Joseph went, God made it abundantly clear that he was there. He would help Joseph and so people would find themselves appreciating him. He even helped two people (through the Lord God he helped them) to interpret their dreams. Both interpretations proved true, one died, one was restored, but one failed to remember his promise to Joseph, and so Joseph remains in jail.

Psalm 24.

This is such a nice Psalm. Such a song of praise to the Lord our God! Let's just read it. :)

A Psalm of David.

¹ The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
²for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.

³ Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
⁵He will receive blessing from the LORD
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
⁶Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Selah

⁷ Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
⁸Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle!
⁹Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
¹⁰Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory!
Selah

Esau's family and Psalm 22

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is: Gn 36.1-37.1 Ps 22

Gn 36.1-37.1
Genealogies.... this one of Esau. Esau was Jacob's (Israel's) brother. His family became the Edomites. I don't know if all the sons and daughters are listed, my guess is the "important" ones are. Esau moved to Seir because

He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. ⁷ For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. ⁸So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. ( Esau is Edom.)

Ps 22
I read this Psalm and I think to myself...this should be the attitude of a person suffering from depression or who is just going through a difficult time. David was ICK, down the the depths of nothingness...and yet he realized even in the midst of his despair that

³Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
⁴In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
⁵To you they cried and were rescued;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

⁶But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
⁷All who see me mock me;
they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
⁸ "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him;
let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"

⁹Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
¹⁰On you was I cast from my birth,
and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
¹¹Be not far from me,
for trouble is near,
and there is none to help.

He knows who God is despite his very own and real frailty. And that is the attitude that will bring us up and out. Remembering who God is and that we can trust him to help us in our weakness, remembering that HE is our very own help in trouble...even if it is difficult.

From God comes my help

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is: Gn 34-35 Ps 21.

Gn 34-35
You know... I never quite know what to think with passages like the one in Genesis 34. Hamor did wrong in raping Dinah, Jacob's sons did wrong in lying to Hamor about what they would do, Hamor's father and all the men were killed (persuaded as they were by the promise of gold and livestock) which well...isn't right either, and Jacob was concerned about the trouble they would get into now that all those men were killed. What do I do with a passage that has some much WRONG in it? Where do I find Christ in this passage?

in Genesis 35 we learn God's response.
He called Jacob out to come and worship him. Jacob did that, building an altar to God, and he called the place El-bethel. There God changed Jacob's name to Israel and there God reminded Israel of his plans for him.

"I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. ¹² The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you."

He eased the concern of retribution from the mind of Israel.

It did not mean that sadness didn't come to Israel because soon thereafter Rebecca went into labour, and in giving birth to Benjamin she died.

Ps 21
A Psalm of David to the choirmaster. David is King and he praising God for all that he has done for him. But primarily he is praising God for God's strength and the salvation that comes through him.

¹O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,
and in your salvation how greatly he exults!

But oh how he is delighted with all God has done for him. God has given him rich blessings, a crown of gold, life, long days, he is blessed, he is joyful to sit in God's presence and he is able to just trust God.

Wow...think about that for a minute here.

⁶For you make him most blessed forever;
you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
⁷For the king trusts in the LORD,
and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

It is GOD from whom our salvation comes. It is God who makes us glad to be with him. It is God who enables us to trust him by virtue of his steadfast love. Think about that for a minute. It's not all my doing...it's all GOD'S doing, God's enabling, God's strength, God's faithfulness, God's steadfastness. It's that a comfort? It is to me...it's like oh...it's not all up to me...all that is up to me is my living in response to what God gives me and he gives me all that I need, he really does. Neat. :)

With David I can say:

¹³Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!
We will sing and praise your power.

God is indeed our help

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is :Gn 32-33 Ps 20.

Gn 32-33
You know, sometimes I read this OT stories of God meeting with man and stuff happens and I wish sometimes that I could meet with God like that and have stuff happen...and then I think...oh foolish one... wanting to meet with God face to face like that ... yeah, stuff would happen but you would also be changed forever and nothing would be the same. Do you really want that? Moses face shone like the sun, Jacob limped, and life was different for them. They had this surety of faith in God, they KNEW that God was God, and still life changed for them when they met God. Who am I to want to meet with God face to face? I'd rather, when it comes right down to it, just talk with him in my head, or pray to out-loud. But wow...some of those OT stories are rather neat aren't?

in this passage Jacob is coming home, He's been away for years and has gotten married and has children and huge flocks/herds of animals, and now he's going to meet his brother. His brother who should be very angry with him. Jacob is scared. IN that fear he trusts God. He prays to God and figures out a plan. That same night that he prayed to God, he wrestled with him..in a literal sense. he literally wrestled with God and came away with a limp, a name change, and a blessing.

And when Jacob finally meet Esau it was a meeting of joy and all was as it should be. Family with family without lots of fighting between them. God answered Jacob's cry to him.

Ps 20
I find this Psalm intriguing I think would be the right word. Throughout the whole Psalm it seems like a declaration of how much God will help his people, yet the last line makes me query if that is the sole intent of the Psalm. The last lines read

⁹O LORD, save the king!
May he answer us when we call.

I have to wonder, why are is the Psalmist beseeching the Lord to save the king? It's a Psalm written by David as well. Would this be before he was made King or is he praying like many Pastors will pray... for himself to lead the people well? I suspect that it's more the later but I"m not sure as I don't know when it was written .... though I think all the Psalms that David wrote he wrote after he was king, but that's just a thought.

As King he is the leader of God's people, and as he goes, so go the people. So for him to pray that God help him is a fitting prayer. As God helps him (the king), so the people of God are helped. I have to admit, I really like this line

⁷Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Reminds me of who I should really trust in, and it seems like such a bold statement. You believe in thus and such, but WE believe in God! He helps us stand even you can no longer. A good psalm for me to read today. :)

God Protects his People

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is :Gn 18.16-19.38 Ps 12.

Genesis 18: 16-19:38
I have always found this passage interesting. It always strikes me as Abraham bargaining with the Lord. What if 50, what if 45, what if.... and then finally what if 10? and then the Lord stops him there. For 10 people he will not destroy the city of Sodom.

And to think...that 10 were not found. And Lot does as Abraham does...being told to go one place he says no oh, I can't go there...let me go here to Zoar instead...and once again, that bargaining is okay.

It still seems odd to me to be bargaining with God. It's God. You don't say to God, do this instead. Or I don't want to go where you are sending me...send me here instead as it suits who I am better. God says this thing will happen, or this place I am sending you to, and if you are an obedient child of God you simply accept and obey. Hmmm...

I can understand Abraham. He sees this big city of Sodom and knows Lot and his family lives there and doesn't want to see it destroyed...but at the same time he would have known what a wicked city it was and would know that God wouldn't take such a step lightly.

I don't really get it...to me this is always a difficult passage to really understand.

And Lot...didn't really want to leave, but the angels forced him to do so.

¹⁶But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.

And then his wife looked back and paid the ultimate price for doing so. Such a sad thing. But shows God's mercy right? Even though he didn't really want to leave and knew that leaving would be a good thing it was still difficult for him to leave his home where he had built his life. We as people cling to things sometimes that aren't so very good for us...and God in his mercy will often draw us away from it.

Psalm 12
wow...this psalm fits in well with today's reading doesn't it?

¹Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
²Everyone utters lies to his neighbor;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

³May the LORD cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,
⁴those who say, "With our tongue we will prevail,
our lips are with us; who is master over us?"

⁵"Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
I will now arise," says the LORD;
"I will place him in the safety for which he longs."
⁶ The words of the LORD are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.

⁷You, O LORD, will keep them;
you will guard us from this generation forever.
⁸On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

God protects his people doesn't he? Saving them from the wicked that prowl around.

God acts, God promises

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is : Gn 17 Ps 10

Genesis 17

I found it interesting when I was reading the first 14 verses of this chapter. God made a covenant with Abram (now Abraham) where he said... I will do this

"Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations."

and YOU will do this.

This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised.

He didn't negotiate. He just put the agreement into place and that was that. Not like the legal bickering that goes on nowadays. It was just, I will do this, you will do that. And it was done. That really appeals to part of me. Sometimes things are made SO complicated, everything has to be bickered out, people can't rely on the good intentions of others anymore and so on. It's like...come on folks. Can't we just trust each other?

I suppose not though. Even though God laid out very clearly the behaviours expected... circumcision for all and any that aren't are to be cast out. The people of God still rebelled against him. I suppose that's the way human nature has been affected by sin. We don't like being told what to do. We like being able to do our own thing. And hence the need to spell everything out very clearly and having penalties as part of contracts (covenants) between each other.

and then God promised Abraham a son. A son which would be born to his wife Sarah. And God listened to Abraham's request that Ishmael also be blessed. He did reiterate though, that the blessing of nations would come through Isaac. That Isaac's people would be the people of God.

I can understand Abraham being a bit "HUH? But we're old!!!! We can't have children any more and suddenly now we will?" Ah, that must have been hard for Abraham to believe and trust God in. I can just imagine how incredulous he felt when Sarah got pregnant. OH they must have danced for joy and rejoiced in God keeping his promise to them.

Psalm 10

I read this psalm and I know that it's a cry for God to act out against the wicked. To not let the wicked remain proud in their evilness. BUT when I read it, all I can think of is a young person that I know who doesn't believe that God exists and fights against the knowledge of such a thing. And oh it bugs me. How I wish I knew how to reach this person for God. All I can do is cry out to God like the psalmist did. God... turn him, change him, let him see that you are alive and well and acting in this world of ours (yours). 'Cause quite frankly I don't know what else to say or how to act to show that God is alive and real.

The Divisions of People

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is : Gn 10.1-11.9 Ps 5

Genesis 10:1-11:9

Two things in this passage, the genealogy of Noah and the story of the tower of Babel.

I find it interesting to read genealogies only if they add interesting details. And in this one that mention that Nimrod was the first of the mighty men of God. The details are also added of how each son seemed to found a different people. Like three of the grandsons founded the coastal peoples. AND others into Assyria, Canaan and so forth.

and from one man came all these different people groups.

Which to me makes it sad to realize that from one family will come such huge divisions. Because the Assyrians will cause the Israelites grief as will many of the other people groups. It just seemed rather poignant to me this morning.

And then we get the Tower of Babel where once again it is pointed out to me how one family can become so divided. This time it was God who divided them because this ONE section of the family had become so united in purpose that they would be able to do ANYTHING they wanted, and God didn't want that.

⁶And the LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. ⁷Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech."

I also noted the "let us" go down. A signal again that God is not one, but more than one in one being. Makes me wonder how people can say that God is just one when they read passages like this. How do they explain it? Do they think that God means he and the angels? But that wouldn't make sense because then the passage would say God and the angels instead of saying ⁸"So the LORD dispersed them". Just ponderings...

Next reading is Psalm 5

¹Give ear to my words, O LORD;
consider my groaning.
²Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
³O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

⁴For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
⁵The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
⁶You destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

⁷But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.
⁸ Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.

⁹For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue.
¹⁰ Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹But 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.
¹²For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.

and the lad is up talking so no time to talk further about this passage. Just see how he pleads of God to hear him and then knows that he can take refuge in God. :)

Bible Reading Plan

This plan takes you through the bible in two years, and repeats the Psalms and Proverbs four times if I recall correctly. Jim suggested it as something we read together over the next two years. I thought it a good idea. One reason we like it is that it gives catch up days. :) These are the readings for yesterday and today.

Jan 1 Gn 1.1-2.3 Ps 1
Jan 2 Gn 2.4-4.26 Ps 2

What my plan to do is, read each passage and give a brief thought on it. We'll see how that holds up over time, but that's the plan at least. :)

Genesis 1:1-2:3
In the beginning, God - not in the beginning there was some type of weird explosion, or some force that magically drew things together. In the beginning GOD did something. One of the lad's bible story books is very clear about this. God spoke...things happened. And he did it all in an orderly fashion, and when he was done. He rested. Seems like the logical way to do things doesn't it? A good way to pattern ourselves. Do your work in an orderly fashion, then rest. :)

Psalm 1

for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Those words jumped out at me this morning. God knows the ways of the righteous, the ways of the wicked "eah.. who cares...they just perish". At least that's the impression I get.


Genesis 2:4-4:26
Do you ever have it that you read the bible and think you know it all, and then you read it again and you go HOLD ON... I've never read that before? This popped out at me this morning from Ch. 2

"⁵When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, ⁶and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— ⁷then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature."

No rain on the ground, I had heard someone say once that the flood was so weird for folks because rain came down from the sky for the very first time. That before the flood the world was watered by mist coming up from the ground. And hear the bible says that the world was watered through mist before Adam and Eve were created. NOW... I CANNOT extrapolate from this that this was the state of affairs until the Flood occurred, but I just find it interesting reading. :)

I also find this interesting:

¹⁸Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." ¹⁹ Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. ²¹So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. ²²And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³Then the man said,

"This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man."

God had made a choice to make Adam a helper fit for him, and then Adam named all the animals.

So often children's bible stories read that Adam named the animals and then complained that all the animals had partners, but there was nothing for him and then God responded to his complaint and made him a partner. This passage doesn't read like that. God made the choice, it wasn't a complaint based decision, which wouldn't make sense in the first place because sin wasn't yet in the world so Adam wouldn't have been a complainer yet would he? It seems more fitting that GOD made the decision..it more fitting seeing that God made the universe don't you think?

Psalm 2
What comes out to me in this Psalm is very basic... plot against the Lord and you will incur his wrath. Serve the Lord, and you can take refuge in him. Very simple, very basic.

True Woman - the Beauty of Holiness

The Beauty of Holiness

Sometimes pressures come at you so fast it seems like you can’t think straight. Learn to develop a biblical, sound mind so that you can think clearly no matter what is happening around you.*

• You never get to the point where you don't need the grace of God to protect and safeguard your heart and keep you from sin.
• The real test of your purity is who you are when you get home and how you treat those around you.
• The goal of being pure of heart is not to make us look good. That's self-righteousness. The goal is to make God look good.

Listen to or read more from “The Beauty of Holiness”

Now I have to admit, the title of this day's devotional really appeals to me. :) The beauty of holiness. How many see holiness as a thing of beauty? Not too many I think....but mmmmm... to be seen as beautiful because of my holiness...isn't that something to aspire to?

wow....okay...it's hard to concentrate when Thomas the Train movie is playing in the background. But we'll keep trying.

In her devotion Nancy refers to some different scriptures:

Titus 2:3-5, 11-14

³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ¹²training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³ waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 1:15-16

¹⁵ To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. ¹⁶ They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

We are called to be pure, pious, submissive and keepers of our homes.

We are called to be more than what we were before we knew Christ.

To not to be slaves to sin, but to be a people earnestly desiring MORE than what the world offers to us. To love and serve in ways that please God not ourselves.

How does one live this out? For answers, Nancy turns to Psalm 101 which shows practical ways to living out what we believe.

A Psalm of David.

¹I will sing of steadfast love and justice;

to you, O LORD, I will make music.

actions: singing to God.

²I will ponder the way that is blameless.
Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
within my house;

Ponder: to meditate, to think about something more than yourself. To see what is blameless.
Choosing to walk with integrity.

³I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.

Watch what you watch. Do you engage the worthless? what type of books do you read, shows do you watch, people do you associate, activities that you are part of? do you watch these things carefully? Not saying you can't be involved with people who engage in worthless activities...if you don't, how might to draw them to Christ...but you don't need to engage in the worthless activities that they do.

⁴ A perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will know nothing of evil.

⁵Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly
I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
I will not endure.

Do you correct ungodly behaviour? do you call it for what it is? Do you do your best to stay away from evil actions?

⁶I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless
shall minister to me.

Do you encourage your brothers and sisters in their walk with Christ?

⁷No one who practices deceit
shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
shall continue before my eyes.

⁸ Morning by morning I will destroy
all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers
from the city of the LORD.

Do you do your best to cut off the wicked from within your midst?

I look at this and I see church discipline at work too.

I look at this and I see moms guarding their households, protecting their children from those who would lead them astray.

I see constant vigilance.

Anyways, there is oodles more here but Now I have a preschooler demanding my attention and I just can't concentrate here anymore. talk and think more later.

Just who is Melchizadek?

We've had references in the past to Jesus and Melchizedek. Today in Hebrews 7 we learn a bit more about this. We won't do the whole chapter today, but we will look at a big chunk of it.

1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

4See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 5And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

We learn the story of Melchizedek and Abraham in Genesis 14. Lot was captured and Abraham rescued him. Melchizedek who was king of Salem came out

18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19And he blessed him and said,

"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!"

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

So we learn the Melchizedek was king and priest. He was a king of righteous (by translating his name) and King of peace (translating his position). He is a forever priest. And from this verse sounds like he was created by God.

3He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

At least I have no other explanation for it. We know that he isn't God so it's not like he's been around forever...but that he has no genealogy suggests to me that he was created by God like Adam and Eve were.

The next we hear of Melchizedek is in the Psalms were I think we find a foreshadowing of Christ. Parts of Psalm 110 seem to fit David, but parts of it seem to be more applicable to Christ. Here is verse four we read

4 The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind,
"You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek."

Christ was made to be in the order of Melchizedek. He is our high priest forever.

Looking at this passage in Hebrews is a wee bit of a challenge. The author talks about how Abraham gave a tribute - he gave him a tenth of everything. Then the author goes on to say how all priests (since they descend from Levi who descended from Abraham) gave tribute to Melchizedek as well...since they were still in the loins of Abraham (and therefore part of him). Therefore Melchizedek is greater than all other priests. His order is special.

but I don't get this section, the section in bold just causes me to be lost.

6But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.

If anyone has any insight I would be most pleased to hear it. Thanks!

I do know that the rest of this chapter is devoted to teaching us how just as Melchizedek is a special priesthood and better than other priesthoods, Christ is better/greater still. Won't that be interesting to read about tomorrow?

Sunday Sermon

Today is the day of prayer for the persecuted church. The one day out of the year when we as believers (as part of the visible church) have a chance to concentrate our prayers on the needs of our fellow believers suffering for their faith in our Lord God. Today we really get to pray for them.

NOT saying we can't or even shouldn't pray other days. We should, but today as a whole church we can pray. The prayers of the faithful matter much to God.

So Jim's sermon today is called "How Should Christians Respond To Persecution" And his text is Psalm 83. It reads as follows:

A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

1O God, do not keep silence;
do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate you have raised their heads.
3They lay crafty plans against your people;
they consult together against your treasured ones.
4They say, "Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
let the name of Israel be remembered no more!"
5For they conspire with one accord;
against you they make a covenant—
6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Asshur also has joined them;
they are the strong arm of the children of Lot.
Selah

9Do to them as you did to Midian,
as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10who were destroyed at En-dor,
who became dung for the ground.
11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12who said, "Let us take possession for ourselves
of the pastures of God."

13O my God, make them like whirling dust,
like chaff before the wind.
14As fire consumes the forest,
as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15so may you pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your hurricane!
16 Fill their faces with shame,
that they may seek your name, O LORD.
17Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;
let them perish in disgrace,
18that they may know that you alone,
whose name is the LORD,
are the Most High over all the earth.

This is prayer to God. A cry that God remember his people. That God won't remain silent in the face of all that his people are going through. A cry that God will act against the people who are enemies of his children. WHY? So that "they may know that you alone ... are the Most High over all the earth." So not just for the benefit of God's children...but so that GOD might be truly seen by those who oppose him.

I have to admit, I hope Justin is quiet for church today. I would like to be able to actually hear the sermon today.

I am HIS own, I CAN call out to him

good morning

Wanted to do something for devotions this morning and can't put my hands on the book I'm reading, so.... I went to biblegateway and their verse of the day seemed good to me, so I took the whole Psalm as something I could read.

Psalm 143

1Hear my prayer, O LORD;
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.

3For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.

5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Selah

7 Answer me quickly, O LORD!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

9 Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD!
I have fled to you for refuge!
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!

11 For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life!
In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.

A cry from the heart of a man (David) to God.
David so wants God to hear him.

• his plea for mercy
• his request for what I see as comfort from the enemies that press in against him
  
• his desire not to be judged poorly though all around him seem to not be living for God.

David is heart-sore, tired and appalled at his life and those around him.
He remembers how things used to be - all that God has done, the works of his hands.
And he is SO thirsty for the voice, the hand of God in his life.
God please answer me, quickly please is his heart cry.

David states so eloquently how it is GOD that he trusts in.

8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

He cries out to God for deliverance from his enemies, how it is God to whom he flees.
Not to anyone else folks...it's to God. Not to neighbouring countries, not to the help of an army, it is simply to God that he calls out to. Help me God. And in the midst of his cry for help he also says....God teach me your will, YOU are my God, I want to do what you want me to do. Let me be led by your Spirit.

He ends the psalm asking for his life to be preserved, that his soul be brought out of trouble, that his enemies be cut off...why? Because he is God's servant.

I had to think about that for a moment you know. This realization that like David I am a servant of God. I can cry out to God with all my heart. I can expect God to answer me BECAUSE I am one of his very own. Even as I ask for help I can also say God...continue to teach me, continue to help me know your very own will for my life.

Cool eh?

God's weakness, his real strength

Took me a while this morning to find an advent devotion that I wanted to spend some time on this morning. Found one here at Bweinh.com. I have NO idea what these folks are all about, but I liked the fact that they didn't focus on the ordinary day before Christmas advent readings. Psalm 46 was the focus of their devotion.

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah.
According to Alamoth. A Song.

1God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.
2Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Selah

7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!"
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Mike writes:

Psalm 46 is a hymn to God’s strength. “We will not fear,” reads v. 2, “though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” At times, this language about God’s strength turns violent: “He breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire,” reads v. 10.

We don’t often associate Christmas Eve with God’s strength. It is a cozy holiday; in the eyes of the world, it is a time to celebrate the universal beauty of mother and child. In the eyes of the church, it is a time to celebrate God’s humility, not divine strength.

I read those words and I had to stop and think. You know...he's right. People think of Christmas, and they think of a baby in a manger. How cute. How totally non-threatening. It seems very far removed from Christ the Lord, Christ the Saviour, Christ the one who would live a life of teaching, miracles, death and resurrection. So far removed. So not like anything we really have to deal with. Most folks even have the wisemen coming to see a baby Jesus, not a toddler Jesus. It's all about the baby...and not really about God.

Mike continues:

Yet what if we were to recognize that Christmas Eve was in fact the greatest show of God’s strength the world has ever known? It was not earthquake, wind, and fire; it was not the raising up of one nation and the dashing of another; it was not the divine voice atop the mountain, frightening the people of Israel. Instead, ...... God was strong enough to come as a helpless Baby, ....... Of all the works of the Lord, none was more awesome than this.

What if we learned to define strength in this way? ....... But what if we started to believe that the strong don’t always look strong? What if we believe that the true strength of God lay not in His ability to overwhelm us, but to give Himself completely away for us?

........ It is the strong who are comfortable giving themselves away, knowing that in God they will always have enough.

The divine strength of God, the strong arm of Israel, lays in a manger tonight .......Can we find it in our hearts to give ourselves away like our strong God?

God tells us in his word that the weak are strong if they depend upon him (think that's in Philippians but not entirely sure). God showed his weakness to us in a baby, and those who know his word, know that in that baby holds his greatest strength. A Saviour, born to save us from our sins. A Saviour who can free us from all the wrongness that lies within us. That's what that safe, non-threatening baby represents you know...that power of God to save us from our sin. That power of God that demands an answer from us. Will we heed that call?