As the rain and snow

“Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister,  Tamar. After a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. But Amnon had a friend Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very crafty man. He said to him, ‘O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?’ Amnon said to him, ‘I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.^‘ Jonadab said, ‘Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, “Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.^“‘ So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.’

“Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, ‘Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.'” 2 Samuel 13:1-7

This disturbing account of several of David’s children displays the grievous fallout from unchecked sin. Like his father, Amnon struggled with lust, and sin begat sin. His cousin Jonadab was ‘very crafty,’ and used this skill to connive for evil that led to irreversible hurt and destruction: entrapment, rape, hatred, abandonment, discord, murder, separation. Passion and creativity that could have been channeled for good, but were used for selfish means, did not end well. All but the innocent Tamar were culpable, and even she suffered lasting consequences. (2 Samuel 11:1-5,14; 13:8-29,34-38)

God plants in man many a desire and talent. Each has certain abilities and proclivities, unique ways our minds work, emotions get stirred, ambition is inspired, and plans are accomplished. We all make many choices every day how we implement impulses and employ our gifts.

Any action answers what, how, why, and for whom, whether consciously or unconsciously. If we allow unharnessed feelings to drive, accountability is evaded, consequences are ignored, and bad habits are formed. We act without thought only to satisfy an urge, with neither checks nor consideration of motive nor moral compass. We risk setting in motion senseless harm. But when we offer ourselves for God’s use, results build His church, fulfill our purpose, and honor Him. (1 Corinthians 14:12; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

Where has ambition plowed over wisdom or reason, lust ravaged energy to restrain, greed blinded to consequences? Would we check motives for decisions we make, and bring compulsions under God’s measured control? How does my personal management align with God’s character and will? When will I humbly bring my passions, my careless, thoughtless, impulsive acts, under divine control?

What special skills has the Lord entrusted to me, uniquely enabling me to contribute in work, community, and church? What use of resources, devices, and time need review? Am I impetuous, or intent on offering body and mind to please Him? (Psalm 19:13-14; 90:17; Romans 12:1–2)

Lord God, may I put to use Your good and perfect gifts to Your ends and glory.

“Do we need… letters of recommendation to you, or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.  You show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For…  the Spirit gives life…

 “We all… beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. This comes from the Lord who is the Spirit….

“What we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

“We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God, not to us.” 2 Corinthians 3:1b-6,18; 4:5-7

Paul adorns his beloved Corinthian church with a new identity- that of letters of recommendation. He had invested in their spiritual enlightenment and growth, and their very changed lives spoke as evidence of the Spirit’s indelible imprint through the gospel shared. His and every other missionary’s efforts were merely a conduit through which the Lord had worked. Each believer was a commendation of gospel power, transformed to proclaim His excellencies and convey His light to the world. (1 Corinthians 3:5-7; 1 Peter 2:9)

In any evangelistic effort, the good news we share defends itself. As we proclaim, there is no room for boasting, only clear presentation of God’s truth and dependence on His Spirit to illuminate it. The joy, peace, security, and purpose our lives convey recommend the gospel to all who would hear it. Honesty, sincerity, and love do much to promote acceptance of God’s words as they are driven by and laced with the gracious Spirit of God.

Who has written into our lives? Have we thanked them for taking the time, prayer, and care? How is the Spirit actively working now?

Does the love of Christ so compel us that we delight in living for Him and making Him known? Whom has the Lord placed in our path who needs the gospel? How are we communicating His ministry of reconciliation, and to what extent are we willing to go so His name is written on other hearts?

How regularly do we pray with a missionary mindset? We have not because we ask not. In our homes, workplaces, and circles of influence, who stands as a letter of recommendation of the gospel because of the Spirit’s applying our message? We never know how the Lord might use our faithfulness to effectuate new creations. (2 Corinthians 5:14-6:10)

“My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart.” ~Charitie Lees Smith (1863)

Lord, may my life recommend You in every way, and by Your Spirit, make a difference in leading others to embrace Your gospel, to Your glory.

“Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
    lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the Lord;
    exult before him!
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the solitary in a home;
    he leads out the prisoners to prosperity…

O God, when you went out before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness,
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
    before God, the One of Sinai,
    before God, the God of Israel.
Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
    you restored your inheritance as it languished;
your flock found a dwelling in it;
    in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy…

The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
    thousands upon thousands;
    the Lord is among them…
You ascended on high,
    leading a host of captives in your train
    and receiving gifts among men,
even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.

Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily bears us up;
    God is our salvation.
Our God is a God of salvation,
    and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death…

O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
    sing praises to the Lord, 
to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
    behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
Ascribe power to God,
    whose majesty is over Israel,
    and whose power is in the skies.
Awesome is God from his sanctuary;
    the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!” Psalm 68:4-10,17-20,32-35

Composed with the long view in mind, David’s psalm traces God’s hand through Israel’s history and trials and triumphs he’s experienced. What he knows and proclaims is that his Lord has been constant through time, steadily at work on His vast purposes through daily sustaining of His people. His unchanging character and motivations influence His every deed, and He has borne His children.

What to God is eternal and whole is often to man temporal and part. Frustrated by hours and pulled by demands, we are unable to see completely or manage with an eternal perspective, and are called to trust the One who can. The God of history has always carried and cared for His people, and will forevermore. Taking account of His steady and purposeful hand reminds us of our secure salvation and elicits praise. (Malachi 3:6; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12)

Do we find ourselves unsettled by present urgencies and whiplash news? What present pressures have knocked us off kilter, without anchor or plumb? How do we respond to troubling times and wildernesses, work challenges and strained relationships? Do we fret, or pray for the Lord to show Himself strong and sustain us? Do we doubt God’s goodness and sufficiency, or trust Him to fulfill His promises? As He has always been and done, He will daily be and do. (Psalm 68:28; Matthew 6:34)

“Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with thee.
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
As thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness,
Great is thy faithfulness,
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hast provided;
Great is thy faithfulness, 
Lord unto me.” ~Thomas O. Chisholm (1923)

Father, with grateful, trusting heart, may I daily bless You for Your daily bearing.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort...

“The Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you,.. was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. It is God who establishes us with you in Christ,.. and has put his seal on us and given us his Spirit… as a guarantee…

^“We work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-7,19-22,24b

Paul is passionate about the gospel, and weaves its powerful truths and supreme grace through every message. Addressing the Corinthian church about the glories of shared suffering because of experiencing the comfort of God, he tells them this comfort will become part of their story to others. Faith would enable them to count on the sure promises of God in every trial.

Many are the ups and downs of daily life, and the questions about now and the future. Practically, we endure pains, difficult individuals, fractured relationships, unanswered needs, concerns or fears about the unknown next. Yet in our fluctuations of incident and emotion, God is constant, and His word holds true. We can live triumphantly in the present because of the assurance that God will fulfill His word in His way and time.

God does indeed work all things for good for those who love Him. He is able to redeem and restore what has been broken and lost. The suffering He allows today makes way for His comfort, the tumultuous storms for His calming peace. (Joel 2:25; Mark 4:35-39; Romans 8:28-30)

What areas of our lives are in flux, and how are we handling them? Where are we asking ‘why’ and ‘how, where the Lord says ‘Yes!’?’ What scriptural promises will we count on in order to stand firm?

“Be still, my soul! the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In ev’ry change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul! your best, your heav’nly friend
Thru’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

“Be still, my soul! your God does undertake
To guide the future as he has the past;
Your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul! the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he lived below.” ~Kathrina Von Schlegel (1752)

Lord, help me trust and glory in Your yes.

.

“David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had [done so]. He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing… to put out my hand against him,.. the Lord’s anointed.’ So David… did not permit them to attack Saul…”

“[Nathan said], ‘There came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock.., but took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the [visitor].^‘ David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man.., ‘The man who has done this deserves to die… because he had no pity.’

“Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! Thus says the Lord,…. Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight?..’ David said, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die…'”

“But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done. O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly… I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great.’” 1 Samuel 24:4-7; 2 Samuel 12:4-7,9,13; 24:10,14

David, chosen by God as a king through whom He would establish His forever kingdom, was a regent under construction. The Scriptures lay bare many of his blatant sins, exposing both his wayward heart and the mercy of God. David’s want-to in his relationship with the Lord was often interrupted by fear, lust, and pride, and through the years, the Spirit developed in him deep sensitivity and aversion to sin. God’s conviction provoked confess and a willingness to repent, a true indication of a heart not yet whole, but being shaped after God’s. (1 Samuel 13:13-14; 2 Samuel 24:2-4,8-13)

Sanctification is a process the Lord patiently undertakes for His children. Once we’re saved, the indwelling Spirit works over time to make us like our heavenly Father. Not only our sin, but our response to it, reveals the condition of our heart. The more we kanoodle with bad company, befriend worldly entertainment and mindset, and succumb to the enemy’s wiles, the more numb our God-given conscience. (Zechariah 7:11; Mattthew 13:15; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Ephesians 4:18)

Where and why have we grown insensitive to sin, calloused to offenses against God’s holiness, real or virtual? Where do we excuse immorality, corruption, divisiveness, or greed? Do we even care? The Lord responds to desire, and can strike and warm the coldest of hearts. (Ezekiel 36:26)

“O for a heart to praise my God,
a heart from sin set free,
a heart that always feels Thy blood
so freely shed for me.

A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
my great Redeemer’s throne,
where only Christ is heard to speak,
where Jesus reigns alone.

A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
believing, true, and clean,
which neither life nor death can part
from Christ who dwells within.

A heart in ev’ry thought renewed
and full of love divine,
perfect and right and pure and good,
a copy, Lord, of Thine.

Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart;
come quickly from above;
write Thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new best name of Love.” – Charles Wesley (1742)

Ever strike my heart for Thee, O Lord!

“The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, ‘Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh..? Come down, O king,… and [we will] surrender him into [your] hand…’ Saul said,.. ‘If he is in the land, I will search him out…’

“Now David and his men were… in the Arabah… And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul… pursued David… Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side… David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them, a messenger came to Saul, saying, ‘Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.’ So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape.” 1 Samuel 23:19-20,23-28

“To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, ‘Is not David hiding among us?’

“O God, save me by your name,
    and vindicate me by your might.
O God, hear my prayer;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.

For strangers have risen against me;
    ruthless men seek my life;
    they do not set God before themselves.

Behold, God is my helper;
    the Lord is the upholder of my life.
He will return the evil to my enemies;
    in your faithfulness put an end to them.

With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
    I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
For he has delivered me from every trouble,
    and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.” Psalm 54

“For you, O God, have tested us;
    you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
    you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
you let men ride over our heads;
    we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

I will come into your house with burnt offerings.” Psalm 66:10-13

David was hunted by many an enemy, from jealous Saul to cruel Doeg the Edomite, to Philistine armies to turmoil and guilt within. While his tactical skill was great, his hope and trust in every pursuit was his Lord. Even as he battled, he sang. God’s deliverances, physical and mental, prompted sacrifices from this grateful servant. (1 Samuel 21:1-7,10-12; 22:21-22; 24:1-15; Psalm 56; 57)

Every triumph won and imparted by the Lord is an opportunity for offering in kind. While thankfulness might prompt verbal praise, or financial return of blessing, every sincere sacrifice pleases Him. Acknowledging that Jesus Christ surrendered His very will to set us free enables us to surrender fully, love selflessly, and give generously. (Luke 22:42)

What offering has the Lord’s name and goodness prompted today? What ingrained resentment, anger, worry, dishonoring rebellion, selfish sin, thirst for revenge, or need to control will we sacrifice? How willing are we to offer up lingering disappointments, the residue of stubborn unwillingness to surrender personal wants? How readily do we forgive, as we’ve been forgiven? Sincere gratitude begets costly sacrifice. (Ephesians 4:32; 5:2)

Lord, may I daily consider Your gracious deeds, and sacrifice accordingly.

“Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
    sing the glory of his name;
    give to him glorious praise!
Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
All the earth worships you
    and sings praises to you;
    they sing praises to your name.’

Come and see what God has done:
    he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
He turned the sea into dry land;
    they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
    who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations… 

Bless our God, O peoples;
    let the sound of his praise be heard,
who has kept our soul among the living
    and has not let our feet slip.
For you, O God, have tested us;
    you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
    you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
you let men ride over our heads;
    we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
    I will perform my vows to you,
that which my lips uttered
    and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
I will offer to you burnt offerings…
    with sacrifice;
I will make an offering...

Come and hear, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
I cried to him with my mouth,
    and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
    he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God,
    because he has not rejected my prayer
    or removed his steadfast love from me!” Psalm 66

To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm. The header note on this piece, tucked into Scripture’s poetry, draws the whole self upward. Festive, joyful singing rings out to the awesome God worthy of glorious praise. This melody flows naturally and robustly from considering what He has done, manifold eternal works that punctuate man’s present. ‘We rejoiced then, we shall rejoice now.’ Sea made dry, steadiness in turmoil, tested to refinement, burdened and carried- God’s steadfast love attends His own.

The beautiful rhythm of rejoicing issues forth from wonder and gratitude. Rather than focus on the impossible, the weight, the tension, the fire, a glad heart looks deeper and beyond to the divine orchestration of all things. While the setting and setup can be ominous, God’s presence, deliverance, and accomplishments in and through the midst are glorious.

What is my mental preponderance? Fretting over today or tomorrow, or recounting God’s faithfulness that has led thus far? How attuned am I to the wonders, deliverances, provisions I’ve enjoyed at God’s good hand?

How will we practically implement rejoicing? When reading Scripture, dated, noted comments remind us of the Lord’s inspiration and interventions of the past. Voicing psalms and other biblical praises and prayers in first person tunes our hearts to His perfect pitch. Mutually recounting with others how God has helped and revealed Himself stimulates gratitude. Will we today take part?

Lord, may past rejoicing continue forever, to Your glory.

“King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, ‘Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come!.. What more can David say to you? You know your servant! Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness… You are great, O Lord. For there is none like you, and no God besides you… And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things..? And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you became their God. And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. And your name will be magnified forever, saying, “The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,” and the house of your servant David will be established before you. For you, O Lord of hosts,.. have made this revelation… Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.’” 2 Samuel 7:18-29

The prophet Nathan had just announced God’s covenant with David to establish his throne forever. Overwhelmed, David voices his awe at the Lord’s generous affection and promise. He realizes the magnitude of God’s declaration is only a small part of His infinite ways and greatness, and is both humbled in gratitude and emboldened in faith. (2 Samuel 7:4-17)

There are unnumbered ways the Lord works in His children’s lives. Many go unnoticed because we are creatures of the world, caught up in urgencies and material. Unaccustomed to using spiritual senses, we choose inundation with input that is fickle and ever-changing.

By God’s grace He sends us Nathans, particular people or messages from His word or nudges to our spirit that remind us who He is and what He’s done. When we’re attentive enough to trace His hand through our years, mercies, interventions, and deliverances come alive, and we are overcome. What have we let grow so large that we can’t marvel at God’s remarkable ‘small’ deeds, or relish His promises? What will we do about it? For whom would I be a Nathan?

When do we take the time to bow as servants before the Almighty, proclaim His greatness, and thank Him for His many gifts? How high and broad is our view of God? How have His majesty and His unshakable promises humbled us, and fortified our confidence in His will to perform? Focusing on the Lord keeps us in our place.

Lord, may I marvel at Your lovingkindness and thank You all my days.

“I remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand…

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures… I am… unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me… 

“If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain… And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins… 

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead…

“What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body…

“For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“’Death is swallowed up in victory.’
‘O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?’

“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:1,3-4,9-10,14,17,20,42-44a,53-55,57

When Jesus foretold His death, he included being raised. The two together composed the gospel of grace He would enact. Paul understood this mystery, experienced it spiritually, and was compelled to make it known. Without death there was no resurrection, and without resurrection, no new life. The gift of God- faith- enables His children to receive and apply His grace unto salvation and purposeful, victorious living. (Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; Mark 9:31; Luke 24:7,25-27; Ephesians 2:8-10)

Christ’s resurrection is the crux of the gospel. Without it there is no victory over sin or death, no power to endure, no eternal hope. The empty cross and the empty tomb make way for fullness of life. The better we know Christ and share in His death to self, then partake in His resurrection life, the more real and effective the joys of His gift becomes. (Psalm 16:8-11)

“You’re my safe place, my hide away
You’re my anchor, my saving grace
You’re my constant, my steadiness
You’re my shelter, my oxygen.” ~Lauren Daigle (2023)

What graces of Christ’s costly death and powerful resurrection am I experiencing today? Is there deep peace in sharing the fellowship of His sufferings? Is there palpable hope in the bleakest of circumstances? Is there victory over besetting sins? Is there zealous vitality in the Spirit, the will to put to death what belonged to the old body? Christ’s being raised is whole-life- affirming. (Philippians 3:10; Colossians 3:1-17; 1 Peter 4:13)

“Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! 
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! 
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia! 
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!” ~Charles Wesley (1739)

Lord Jesus, may I ever marvel at the graces of Your resurrection!