Rescued

2 Samuel is a prayer of thanksgiving from David to God, for rescuing him from his enemies.  In verses 21-29 David says God has rewarded him for the cleanness of his hands, for keeping the ways of the Lord, for being blameless and keeping himself from sin, and for being righteous. 

Say what?

David sinned in a huge way. So how could he say such a thing?

Did you know that God deals with us according to righteousness, cleanness, freedom from guilt, and lack of sin, as well?  But our own righteousness is like a filthy rag, just like David’s was. 

Jesus fulfilled all of those requirements listed above and is the one whom God sees, when we cry out to him.  God sees our brokenness and our cry for help; and when we acknowledge Christ as our Savior, God sees the blood his son shed to cleanse us from all that sin that separated us from God.

You see, it’s not about you.  It’s about Jesus.  And when Jesus dwells in your heart, his sacrifice is enough, it satisfies the holy God we serve, and God rewards us because of his son. We share in all that the father has for the son.

Isn’t that cool?

So when you pray today, lay aside guilt and unworthiness, and receive Jesus in all of his purity, as you pray to a holy God to come and rescue you.  

And He will!

He's Crazy about Us

And just why does the Lord respond to us, when we call on his name, in trust and confidence in him?  It’s because he delights in us.  We are his creation, made in his image, and he loves us.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

We were not created to rescue ourselves, to be strong in our own strength, or to defend ourselves with our own crafty weapons.  We were created to depend solely on the Creator, the one who fashioned us for a life full of love and serve to him.

Another verse says God’s hand is not short, and he never gets tired, and he’s never hard of hearing.  Even when we seem far away, we feel as though we’ve complained incessantly, and all we hear is deafening silence, he is there underneath us, supporting us, keeping us from falling.

And when he comes, he sets us in a “spacious” place – one where we can run around in freedom – exclaiming the goodness of the Lord! 

He does all of this because he’s crazy about us!  We are his sons and daughters, and it is his good pleasure to give us the kingdom.

The Most High

2 Samuel 22: This is God’s response to David’s cry for help when he was being pursued by his enemies.  What a great visual of the great love of the Lord who moves heaven and earth in response to those who love him and fear him.

The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens shook;
 they trembled because he was angry.
Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.

He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his canopy around him—the dark rain clouds of the sky.
Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth.
The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.

God rules over heaven and earth, and everything operates according to his commands.  If you’re in a dark place, under an ominous cloud, or feel far away from grace, ask him to come.  Then sit back and watch him run to you in full and living color, with surround sound, and special effects like no other.

6 Truths

2 Samuel 22:The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.

·         Rock – a firm foundation, immovable, secure

·         Fortress – protects me from harm and shoots those who try 

·         Deliverer – one who not only keeps me secure and protects me, but rescues me when I'm in danger

·         Rock – a place where I can hide from the storm

·         Shield – no weapons formed against me can hurt me

·         Horn of salvation – a triumphant savior

If you find yourself being pursued today by enemies of fear, despair, or hopelessness, say aloud these descriptions of the Lord and say them loud, until you hear them in your heart and believe them.  

He is true and trustworthy, when all else around you fails.

Turn Away

I Samuel 12: Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless…But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.

The people here asked for a king, although God said to serve him only.  So God gave them a king, but it displeased the Lord.

It seems like sometimes in the Bible, God gave things to people because they asked, but not because it was what he wanted.  And sometime we ask for things we don’t need, either. And they become idols (things we worship other than God.)  But here we are reminded that useless idols do us no good.  Houses, land, cars, and careers cannot rescue us when we need a rope thrown to us, when we find ourselves in a pit.

“But…” we are told to serve God faithfully with all of our hearts and to consider the great stuff he’s doing in our lives.

What has he done for you lately?  Recall it, recite it, and give thanks for it.  And be careful what you ask for…you just might get it.

Like Rain

Deuteronomy 32: Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.  Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.

We’ve been in a drought where I live, and our forecast changed – offering a hope of downpours of rain this weekend.  So I took advantage of that hope and planted my fall flowers and herbs.  Then I waited, and the rain fell.  And I smiled.  Nothing does a garden more good than fresh rain.

These verses tell us that his words are like rain, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. But the thought I had when I read these verses was, “What if we haven’t planted anything?”

If my flower beds were empty and had no seedlings or tender plants, the rain would only wash away the dirt and make for a messy, muddy yard!

When we pray and ask for rain, and when he promises to shower it upon us, it might be wise to plant a few things and watch them grow…namely, our faith.

It pleases God when we plant faith and trust in him.  And when the rains fall, that faith sprouts roots that take hold and produce blossoms and fruit when the sun shines again.

Today's Bread

Do you realize that the first few times that rain is mentioned in the Bible, they are rains of destruction?  

The rains came down and flooded the entire earth, killing off all of creation, except those in the ark.  God rained down sulfur to destroy Sodom & Gomorrah, two extremely wicked cities.  And in response to Moses, God rained hail on the land of Egypt!  (Genesis & Exodus).

After those three deluges, God then sent the children of Israel sustenance from the sky and told them to only gather what they could eat in one day.  And he even reiterated this command in the Lord’s prayer – which instructs us to ask for our daily bread – not our monthly or yearly bread.

I don’t want to live under a deluge of destruction because of disobedience and refusal to follow God’s commands.  And I don’t want to be guilty of disregarding what he feeds me today, in favor of assured blessings for tomorrow. 

God said he rained down daily sustenance and gave them the above command to test what was in their hearts.

I’m thinking God tests us today when he gives us what we need today – grace, mercy, peace – and he asks us to just trust him for tomorrow and not worry about it.

Hard to do.  But the bread is good and tasty if we enjoy it today.  

Prepared and Fruitful

2 Timothy 4: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Remember the story of the fig tree back in the book of Mark?  Jesus came to this fig tree and saw that it had no figs, even though the season for figs wasn’t even present yet.  He cursed the tree right then and there.  When I read that story, I wondered why the poor tree was cursed, when it wasn’t even time for figs to appear.

But here in this verse in Timothy, we see that we are supposed to be prepared in season AND out of season.  So I’m guessing, that even if we don’t sense that we are bearing much fruit at any given moment, we need to be “dressed” as though we are! 

So what does that mean? I’m not sure, but maybe we are to be reminded that the Spirit of the Lord lives in us, his word resides in our hearts and minds, and when a need arises to speak up, share, or encourage – we need to do so – whether we feel like it or not!

There are days and even weeks where I don’t feel like doing anything except tending my own business, playing my own tune, and sitting on my own stool.  But if God shows up and sends someone in my path, I better be prepared to listen and obey at the opportune moment – or it will be gone!

Lord, may we realize that we are fruitful at all times, because we are connected to the vine – YOU.

Seasoned

Colossians 4: Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

I know salt gets a bad rap, and too much of it in our diet is not good for us. 

However, a diet without salt is bland.  Imagine a bag of popcorn at the movies with no salt.  What about French fries?  Salt even has a very important role to play in baking, as it brings out the flavor or enhances the sweet.  

Seems odd, doesn’t it?

These verses instruct us to be wise when we’re around “outsiders,” those who don’t know the love of Jesus.  If their first taste of him and his goodness is a bland, lackluster, dull experience from talking or hanging with us, they won’t come back for more.  They will not reach in for another bite.

However, if we bring out the flavor and the sweetness of the Lord when we converse with our neighbors, not only will they reach out for more, the more salt we shake out – the more God will fill us up to keep on giving.

Lord, as we have opportunity, may we shake your goodness all over those you’ve created to love you, so they will want another taste of that which is flavorful and satisfying.

The Governor

Psalm 104: The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax. He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl.

God’s pretty much a genius, isn’t he?  He’s also an artist, an inventor, an orchestrator, and a governor.  And the cool thing about him is that all of the pictures he paints, the creations that come forth when he speaks, the way things move and work together in harmony, and his supreme rule over all things to bring about good, satisfies the thirst and hunger in every being.

In these verses, we’re reminded of the places he’s created for the animals, high atop mountains, where they can roam and feed.  We are called to look up at the moon that hangs in space and ushers in the changing of the seasons, as well as the sun that rises and sets like clockwork – in perfect timing.  And we’re also told to observe the attention God gives to the beasts that prowl at night for their food.

Why read about this?  Because it’s amazing.

We serve an amazing God, the creator of the earth, and the one who brings spring after winter passes by, the one who knows when the summer heat is too much and then sends the cool autumn rains. He knows all, and he’s in complete control.

Look to the mountains, the skies, and even to the darkness, and see it is HE who governs it all.

By the River

Psalm 1: .... but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

Another favorite verse, which is often memorized by many.

I’m not sure that I can say that I actually “delight” in God’s laws, and I know that I don’t “meditate” on them day and night.  And that is precisely why I fall into moments of depression and despair over what I see with my eyes and understand with my finite mind.

God’s ways are perfect, pure, and right.  And his word is life.  So when we rejoice and take delight in these facts, and rehearse his words in our hearts and minds, there is really no room for anything else to reside.

And when we choose to discipline ourselves to delight and meditate (sit and ponder, then get up and dance!), we will be like a tree by a river, full of good fruit, healthy leaves blowing in the wind, and what we do will prosper.

A beautiful piece of art, which depicts a serene scene of a river with healthy trees beside it, is so calming and peaceful isn’t it?

I want to be the tree in that picture, an art form of one of God’s creation that has found her place, is rooted and grounded, and is fruitful – offering shade and covering for all those who pass by – as I sway and bend towards the river of life.

Can You?

Job 38 - Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons
    or lead out the Bear with its cubs? Do you know the laws of the heavens?
    Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?

The last several chapters of Job are some of my favorite ones in the Bible.  Any time I feel like shaking a fist at God because of my own lack of understanding or frustration with his ways, the verses in these chapters jolt me back into the reality of the fact that He is God, and I am not.

The answer to the above questions posed in those verses is a clear and definite, “No.”  I cannot orchestrate one star in the sky, let alone a constellation.  I have no idea how the universe works and its vastness is beyond my comprehension.

God is the supreme ruler over all the earth, all of the heavens above it, all of the creatures that roam on it, and all of the dirt underneath.  And yet…he chooses to call me his daughter and share in all of his glory.

Next time you’re looking up at the sky in wonder about why in the world God doesn’t answer your prayer or come to your rescue in the timely manner in which you instructed him to do, try wondering at the marvelous handiwork stretched out before you and rest in the fact that He knows, He cares, and He will act…in his time.

Once we settle our minds to rest in the arms of an almighty God who rules over all, the frustration leaves, and the peace presents itself and settles in our hearts.

If You...

Leviticus 26 - ‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

There are a lot of “if…then” statements in the bible, but mostly we just want the “then” part without the “if.”

This is an Old Testament promise with applicable wisdom for today.  IF we follow the Lord’s commands, THEN we will receive rain in its season.  And on top of that, our ground will yield crops and fruit!  In fact, we will be full and satisfied and life in safety in our land.

Looking at just the United States lately, there have been massive, devastating floods in some parts, while others parts (like where I live) are experiencing drought conditions that are severe and serious.  I have cracks in the walls of my house that are unsightly and scary!  And yet, after a big rain or a small one, a rainbow appears in the sky to assure us that all is well “up there” and his promises are true.

If we are receiving rain out of season (floods) or our trees are dying at the root (drought), it’s a good practice to look inward and ask ourselves if we are obeying and following the Lord.  And if we find that we are okay in that area, then we can pray and rest that the storms and the drought are just a “season” that soon will pass, and we will come out unscathed and stronger.  

Why?  Because all things (floods and droughts) work together for the good of those who love the Lord.

Rest

Exodus 34:21  Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.

Rest.  That elusive state of being that women seem to have a hard time finding.  And it even seems that we often relish the fact that we’re so busy, because it somehow makes us feel important.

God created the world and all that is in it, and then he rested.  And in this verse, we are reminded again to rest one out of the seven days of a week.  

But notice it says to rest even during the “plowing season and harvest.”  That’s the time of year when farmers work hard, from sun up to sun down.

The seasons are about to change again to the wonderful autumn…the time of year that Thanksgiving and Christmas frenzy begins.  Perhaps this is the time of year that many moms see as their busiest time of the year, trying to handle relatives who visit, food preparation, gift buying, and family juggling, on top of their normal daily routines of to-do lists that grow longer and longer.

Ask the Lord to show you how to rest even during the busy season.  Find that shade tree under which to sit and read, the comfy pillow where you can lay down your head and close your eyes, or the cup of tea that soothes your sore throat and soul.

Rest.

Worry

^{Luke 12: 22} And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.²⁴ Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! 

Even though we’re told not to worry about our life, we still do.  And even though we’re reminded that we are more valuable than the birds (who don’t even work for their food), we forget.  And although we know God will feed us and clothes us, we worry that maybe he won’t.

Why do we do this?  See that phrase “for this reason…?”  Read the story Jesus tells right before these verses.  When we worry and fret over the things God has already promised us, we often focus on those temporal things, and forget about the eternal.

The eternal is what matters, and that is where our real treasure lies.

These verses need to be read in their entirety, including the story told beforehand, to really grasp what Jesus is telling us about the value of life.  Life with him, and what we do for the kingdom, is what counts.  All the other stuff will be given to us, if we get this truth in our hearts.  And when we fret over all the other "stuff" more than the kingdom, worry sets in...

Hair

Luke 12 is a great chapter on God’s knowledge about us and what concerns us, and how much he cares. 

Verses 4-7 reminds us that just as God is aware and cares for every sparrow, we are much more valuable and he cares for us even more.  And one of my favorite verses is verse 7:  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

I thought about that, and at least for my head, the number of hairs on any given day changes.  Hair falls out, I brush my hair and it becomes full of hair, and new hair grows in.  The attention to detail that is required to keep up with the number of hairs on our heads is incredible, as much more skill is required for that job than any job on any assembly line in any plant around the world.

Why would God mention this attention to detail?  I think it’s to put us at ease, to allow us to put to rest any worry we have that he’s missing something that concerns us.

He doesn’t miss a thing.  And that should make you sleep well tonight.  Because if you’re losing hair, or someone’s pulling it out, it’s okay – he’s at working growing new hair to cover you once again.

Shine

Psalm 31: 16, 17 Make Your face to shine upon Your servant; Save me in Your loving kindness. Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I call upon You; Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.

“Sheol” is a grave or a pit. 

That’s where we find ourselves at times, when we are full of self-pity, lifeless, and without strength to climb out to the light.

This psalm is a cry to the Lord for his face to shine into his darkness so that the one in the pit is saved.  The psalmist knows that God is loving and kind, and that if he can just see God's face, he will be saved.

I’ve never been lost in a cavern, in the dark, with no way out, but I can imagine it would be pretty scary.  However, if light began to shine above me, hope would rise as I look upward expecting a rescue was near.

God does not shame us, nor leave us in a pit, to die.  In fact, he silences those lies that send us to the pit in the first place.

Look up.  His light is shining above you.  Reach up and grab his hand.

Deliver Me

Psalm 31:14, 15 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord, I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

Complaints and praise, they both make up this entire chapter. 

It’s a good practice to talk to our own souls and minds, to tell ourselves that we trust in the Lord.  It’s good to hear it out loud.  And it’s a good thing to personalize trust in “our” God.

The truth of the matter is (for those who love the Lord) that our times are in his hands.  No one can take us out, and nothing can destroy us or take hold of us.  We belong to him.

Yes, we will have enemies that persecute us.  We live in a world of trouble. 

However, when our ears hear, our mouths confess, and our hearts believe in the goodness of our God, deliverance is ours.

An Object of Dread

Psalm 31: 11 Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach,
Especially to my neighbors, And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.

Enemies (adversaries) are those who are against us, against who we are, what we’ve done to them, how we’ve lived our life, etc.  And again, just like grief (as mentioned in yesterday’s devo) can occur because of our own wrongdoing, adversaries can hate us because of something evil we have done, as well. Or they might hate us because of the good we represent.

Whatever the reason, we often encounter those who are “against us.”  Squabbles with neighbors can cause once good friends to part ways and move on.  Arguments and misunderstandings with friends can turn them into enemies.  And when we are seen by them, they look the other way.

When we are seen as someone to be avoided, a reproach, or a dread – we can react two ways.  We can hate the person right back, we can mend fences by repenting if we’ve wronged them, or if we’ve done no wrong – we can pray for those who hate us. 

It’s really our choice.  And once we make a good choice, we’re free and those who hate us cannot hurt us…

Grace

Psalm 31: 9-10 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow And my years with sighing; My strength has failed because of my iniquity, And my body has wasted away.

Like I mentioned before, this chapter is full of complaints…and praise…much like the chapters of our own lives. 

Have you ever cried so hard and so long that your eyes feel “wasted away,” as well as your body?  Grief over loss can do that to us.  Even years go by of sorrow and sighing, and we feel extremely weak.

But in this passage it also indicates that some of the crying and sorrow is due to sin (iniquity) that has also caused weakness and wasting away…

It may seem and look impossible to rise out of grief due to either of the above scenarios.  Grief that is imposed on us through tragic circumstances is extremely heavy and long.  Grief that we bring into our own lives through sinning against our bodies or against others is perhaps even harder to bear, becomes with the grief comes guilt.

However, look back at the first few words of the verses that say “Be gracious to me…”

God’s grace is ever present even in our deepest pit, and his light is always there to lead us up and out to the land of the living once again…

Call on him in your distress, and He will answer.

Your Feet

Psalm 31:8 And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a large place.

When we place our spirit into the hands of our Father, in the time of greatest distress, we can be assured that the enemy will not win and will not destroy us.  That truth alone is knowledge that frees us.  Nothing can separate us from the love of the Father.

The last part of this verse says he sets our feet in a large place.  Isn’t that interesting?  I have no idea why the psalmist used this wording, but I envision that it's because he needs a large space to run and rejoice, to expand and grow, to be fruitful and multiply.

Why?  Because that’s what happens when we are in a dark place for a season and our God comes to save us.  We need space to respond.

Look down at your feet and get ready….

You Know

Psalm 31: 6, 7 I hate those who regard vain idols, But I trust in the Lord.
I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul…

Again we are reminded here that He knows our troubles. 

Isn’t it irritating when someone pats you on the shoulder and says, ”I’m so sorry for what you’re going through,” but in your heart you know they have no idea? However, if our house has just burned to the ground, or we’ve just lost a loved one, and a friend who’s experienced the same loss says those same words, somehow they mean so much more.

Jesus sees all affliction and pain on this earth.  He knows the troubles that surround us.  He experienced every hardship known to mankind, and yet…he did what the psalmist inclines his own heart to do.

He rejoiced in the loving kindness of his father.

If you’re experiencing great grief, listen for his whisper, “I’ve seen your affliction and I know your troubles…”  And receive his genuine embrace that not only comforts...but heals.

Your Hands

Psalm 31: 4, 5 You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O Lord, God of truth.

Jesus himself said these same words when he was being crucified on the cross (Luke 23:46) right before he died. He must have been in excruciating pain, and feeling intense betrayal as he placed his spirit into his father’s hands.

I’m thinking that nothing we experience on this earth can compare to what Jesus experienced on the cross.  What a great pattern he sets for us in speaking the placement of our spirit, in our most extreme sense of peril in which we find ourselves at any given time, into the hands of our Father.

When our souls are downcast, we need to speak to ourselves and command our souls to trust in the one who made us, and release our spirit into his trustworthy, ransoming hands, the hands that snatch us from all nets that entangle our feet.

What an awesome relationship between father and son!  

Into YOUR hand I commit my spirit, oh Lord – God of truth.