Advent Day 9, Waiting in Peace

December 9, 2024 nofearlinda1 Comment

How do you know that you can trust God in all situations? King David penned Psalm 27 as a song to God that is filled with reassurances, hope and faith for anyone in difficult circumstances. You might say, I’m Okay now, no worries. And yet, each day comes with its own troubles and life has its ups and downs. Christmas is often a time of the greatest joy and greatest depression. People are overwhelmed with the demands of the season at work, home and among friends and family. What can we take from Psalm 27 to bring us hope and peace in this busy season?

David begins by reminding himself that God is the source of all hope and rescue. He was David’s salvation just as Jesus is to each one of us. Is he your light? Do you see Him as greater than your enemies? If you do, then you can conclude with the same affirmation as David- I will remain confident!

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
    so why should I tremble?
²When evil people come to devour me,
    when my enemies and foes attack me,
    they will stumble and fall.
³Though a mighty army surrounds me,
    my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
    I will remain confident.

David then reveals to the Lord that being with Him, delighting in his Lord is his primary goal. He longs to be with God. He knows that God will protect and conceal him from his enemies and David will gladly worship Him. What delight do you receive from worship? Do you feel the Lord is with you?

The one thing I ask of the Lord—
    the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
    delighting in the Lord’s perfections
    and meditating in his Temple.
⁵For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
    he will hide me in his sanctuary.
    He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
⁶Then I will hold my head high
    above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
    singing and praising the Lord with music.

David then reassures himself of God’s character and the things he knows and loves about God. Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
⁸My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” God is accessible.

Do not turn your back on me.
    Do not reject your servant in anger.
    You have always been my helper.
Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me,
    O God of my salvation! God is his Savior and will not leave him or forsake him!
¹⁰Even if my father and mother abandon me,
    the Lord will hold me close. Unlike human friends and family, God is with us eternally!

¹¹Teach me how to live, O Lord.
    Lead me along the right path, God is his guide and teacher.
    for my enemies are waiting for me.
¹²Do not let me fall into their hands.
    For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
    with every breath they threaten me with violence. God is greater than his accusers
¹³Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
    while I am here in the land of the living. His goodness will triumph.

David’s response was affirmation and patience. He trusted God to provide all the courage and patience he needed as he waited upon the Lord for guidance and help. Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

How about you? Will you seek Jesus in this busy season? Looking to Him for joy and peace.

Linda

Holy Week, Wednesday, Jesus Rests

March 27, 2024 nofearlindaLeave a comment

It would seem that the gospel’s are silent on the whereabouts of Jesus on this day of Holy Week. Perhaps he remained in Bethany with Mary, Martha and Lazarus, taking a needed day of rest. Tomorrow will be a trying day with the Last Supper, Gethsemane, His arrest, beating and trials by night leading to crucifixion on Friday. Jesus knew what was coming and how his human body would need strength for tomorrow so He rested. Even though He was God, He felt all the pain and fatigue of a man when He was within His earthly body. So He needed rest today.

What do you need today? Here are a couple of scriptures for you to mediate on to encourage and strengthen you. David knew his need for the Lord and relied upon Him each day. Here are two examples:

Psalm 138:7-8a ⁷Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
    and your right hand delivers me.
⁸The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

Psalm 37:3-6 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
⁴Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.
⁶He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.

Jesus knew the Psalms of King David and perhaps He drew strength and comfort from these words too. He knew God had a purpose for him to complete and that He needed to trust His heavenly Father and rest in Him. Let David’s words bring you peace and rest today as you walk trusting in Jesus..

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can call upon Him for strength and rest in His ability to give me all that I need.

Linda

Christ Did It All for Me

March 21, 2024 nofearlindaLeave a comment

As I near the end of this Lenten season and my journey through the Psalms, it seems appropriate to conclude with one of my favorite psalms. Psalm 103 had always held a special place in my heart as the messages contained within are so encouraging to my faith.

Psalm 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
²Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
³who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
⁴who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can claim the benefits of knowing and trusting in God without any reservations.

God promises the benefits of faith: healing, forgiveness, redemption, love, mercy, goodness and renewal! That is why without reservation, I can praise His name and call Him blessed. He has healed my broken heart, forgiven my sins and restored me on more than one occasion. He has treated me with love and tender mercy and renewed my life when I thought all was lost. I think this is why this psalm resonates so with me. It seems a picture of my spiritual journey and shows the hope and redemption I have found in Christ. I pray the words of this psalm speak to you today and remind you of how blessed with are to know and live in Christ.

Linda

Be Honest with God, He Listens

March 18, 2024 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Psalm 90 shows the depravity of man and the power and might of God. It also shows God’s heart for mankind and His great generosity.

Psalm 90:1-2 “Lord, through all the generations
    you have been our home!
²Before the mountains were born,
    before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
    from beginning to end, you are God.” The psalmist is thinking about the eternality and the faithfulness of God towards man. He has always been there for us.

In verses 3-6, You turn people back to dust, saying,
    “Return to dust, you mortals!”
⁴For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,
    as brief as a few night hours.
⁵You sweep people away like dreams that disappear.
    They are like grass that springs up in the morning.
⁶In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
    but by evening it is dry and withered. The psalmist extols the fragility of man and the fleetingness of our lives. God is timeless but not man.

In verses 7-12, We wither beneath your anger;
    we are overwhelmed by your fury.
⁸You spread out our sins before you—
    our secret sins—and you see them all.
⁹We live our lives beneath your wrath,
    ending our years with a groan. ¹⁰Seventy years are given to us!
    Some even live to eighty.
But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
    soon they disappear, and we fly away.
¹¹Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
    Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. ¹²Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
    so that we may grow in wisdom. God is angry over sin, rightly so, God abhors sin. As we live with a sin nature fighting within us, we can experience pain and trouble. The psalmist asks for wisdom from God that he might grow in Him in his short lifetime. As we confront our own sin, our faith in Jesus helps us to grow in the time God has allotted us.

In verses 13-17, O Lord, come back to us!
    How long will you delay?
    Take pity on your servants!
¹⁴Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
    so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
¹⁵Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
    Replace the evil years with good.
¹⁶Let us, your servants, see you work again;
    let our children see your glory.
¹⁷And may the Lord our God show us his approval
    and make our efforts successful.
    Yes, make our efforts successful! The psalmist concludes with a plea to God for compassion and love, for gladness in proportion to his suffering, that good would replace evil years, to be able to see God at work and that his children would see God’s glory. Lastly, he asks God for His approval, that He could see that God was pleased.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we can lay our hearts before God in prayer and know He is listening and will respond. Hebrews 4:16, we can approach God, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Philippians 4:6-7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Psalm 4:3 “But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.”

Linda

Awesome God, Filled with Character!

March 14, 2024 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Psalm 62 gives us a glimpse into the character of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. As you read you will see the psalmist highlight what the character of God is like.

Truly my soul finds rest in God; Refuge
my salvation comes from him. Savior
²Truly he is my rock and my salvation; Steadfast
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Unshakeable

³How long will you assault me?
    Would all of you throw me down—
    this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
⁴Surely they intend to topple me
    from my lofty place;
    they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
    but in their hearts they curse. The psalmist is plagued by those that would seek to defeat him.

⁵Yes, my soul, find rest in God; Refuge, place of rest
    my hope comes from him. Giver of hope
⁶Truly he is my rock and my salvation; Savior and rock
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Unshakeable fortress
⁷My salvation and my honor depend on God; Savior, dependable
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Rock and Refuge
⁸Trust in him at all times, you people; Trustworthy
    pour out your hearts to him, Accessible, listens
    for God is our refuge. Refuge

⁹Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
    the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
    together they are only a breath. The psalmist find life fleeting.
¹⁰Do not trust in extortion
    or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
    do not set your heart on them. The psalmist finds worldly things unreliable.

¹¹One thing God has spoken,
    two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God, All Powerful
¹²    and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; Unfailing in Love
and, “You reward everyone Rewarder
    according to what they have done.” Looks at what we do, interested in me!

I pray that you find this list encouraging. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can know and trust the character of God and indwelling of His Holy Spirit. Jesus made that possible! Thank you Jesus. I love the words in Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Linda

Prayer to Accessible God

February 28, 2024 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Psalm 27 comes straight out of David’s heart. He is concerned about what is happening around and to him but David remains confident in the Lord. He knows God is in control and no matter what He will be with Him in heaven. David is taking the long view of life and down the tunnel of time he sees God and knows without a shadow of a doubt that God will be there for Him. May we all ‘catch’ his view.

He begin with verses 1-3 with his high view of God and ends the psalm with confidence!

David seeks heaven as He knows he will be safe and loved there. verses 4-6 The one thing I ask of the Lord—    the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
    delighting in the Lord’s perfections
    and meditating in his Temple.
⁵For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
    he will hide me in his sanctuary.
    He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
⁶Then I will hold my head high
    above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
    singing and praising the Lord with music.

In verses 7-10 David pleads with the Lord to hear him as he prays-Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
    Be merciful and answer me! In verses 11-13 David asks the Lord to teach, guide and protect him. Teach me how to live, O Lord.
    Lead me along the right path,
    for my enemies are waiting for me.
¹²Do not let me fall into their hands.
    For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
    with every breath they threaten me with violence.

David concludes with a return to full confidence in verses 13 and 14.
¹³Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
    while I am here in the land of the living. ¹⁴Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

How much our prayers resemble David’s psalm. We begin praising God, knowing He is real and will answer, then petition Him and as we pull up the happenings of the world we get mired down. By the time we have finished pouring our heart out to God, we realize that He is in control and we will be victorious in Him. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can pour out my heart knowing the Holy Spirit will intercede for me before the Father. Romans 8:26-27 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” We can truly pray with confidence and hope waiting patiently for His response.

Linda