Author: astherainandsnow

“Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am godly;
    save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
    for to you do I cry all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
    for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
    abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
    listen to my plea for grace.
In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
    for you answer me.

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
    nor are there any works like yours…
For you are great and do wondrous things;
    you alone are God…
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
    you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol…
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and be gracious to me;
    give your strength to your servant,
    and save the son of your maidservant.
Show me a sign of your favor,
    that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
    because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” Psalm 86:1-8,10,13,15-17

David’s desperation is ingrained in dependence, his cry borne out of personal communion with His Savior. The infinite God of life and of the soul is the only One who knows and can remedy his trouble. He is not alone in his struggle, but wrestles with the very God who hears and answers prayer. Every need is tethered to an attribute, every outpouring an opening to be filled.

Nurturing a relationship with the Lord maintains ongoing communion, trust, dependence, and an indelible sense that He is our God. We grow in knowledge of Him, and of ourselves, and remain intricately connected in mind and emotion. We know He has delivered us from the depths, we know by experience His ongoing love and mercy, strength and comfort. Therefore we can plead boldly for needs we know He supplies and hurts He assuages.

Do I see how my abundant need is matched by God’s abounding faithfulness? Do I confess my sin based on His mercy and grace, and plead based on His long-suffering? Is my trust based on the fidelity of His word, my confidence in His goodness? All these are true, and are ours for the practicing. (Philippians 4:19)

How committed are we to constant prayer? To the consistent exercise of abiding? A regular, specific time in private quiet is vital, but so is the ongoing conversation of the heart. What are we learning that affects our introspection, meditation, and pleading? What are the results: greater peace, growing patience, increasing boldness, deeper worship, multiplied thanks? (John 15:5; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)

God of all bounty, keep me abiding in prayer always, maintaining both vigorous communion and a quiet trusting heart. And for all Your answers, I give You glory, thanks, and praise.

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition [or] the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.  For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,  and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.  In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.  And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:6-14

The whole fullness of deity dwells in Jesus. His condescension to become our Savior brings His life to us in a personal, intimate, and supernatural way. If we are by grace sealed in His Spirit, we have been filled with Him, the ruler of all authority. Our heart has been circumcised in Him, our old life buried with Him, and we have been raised with Him in resurrection power. We are alive with Him, forgiven and free to say no to worldliness and wayward affections and to walk in His ways. (Romans 2:28-29; Philippians 2:2-8)

The more we understand who He is, and all that dwells in us in Him, the more we’re motivated and empowered to walk as He walks. With every spiritual blessing ours, we have every reason and resource to conduct our lives in His life here below. Rooted and built up in Him, we have His mind to recognize the wrong thinking and distorted reason of the world, and to think rightly. We have abiding peace that enables us to make peace with others. We have grace and power to say no to ungodliness and to bear the fruit of the Spirit. (Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 4:7; Titus 2:11-12)

How distinctly am I living out what He is in and with me?

“May the mind of Christ, my Savior, 
Live in me from day to day,
By his love and pow’r controlling 
All I do and say.

May the word of God dwell richly 
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph 
Only through his pow’r.

May the peace of God, my Father, 
Rule my life in ev’rything,
That I may be calm to comfort 
Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me 
As the waters fill the sea.
Him exalting, self abasing:
This is victory.

May I run the race before me, 
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus 
As we onward go.” ~Kate B. Wilkinson (1925)

Lord, so establish me in You that I live out Jesus in every way, to the thanksgiving and praise of Your grace and glory.

“The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places.  And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it.'” Numbers 33:50-53

“The Lord said to Joshua,.. ‘Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them… Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.'” Joshua 1:1-3

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

“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.” 2 Corinthians 1:19-20

When the LORD speaks, His word counts. It is clear. It carries power. It is true, real, and accomplished in the heavens where there is only eternal time. The future and present are equal in God’s divine economy, as are promises uttered and fulfilled. He is the beginning and the end, the first and last. Throughout the Bible and history we see heroes of faith stepping out, moving on, conquering people and lands and sin habits, believing that God’s I will is the same as have done. (Romans 4:19-25; Hebrews 11:7-21,24-27; Revelation 21:6a)

This grand and hope-filled truth should drive expectancy, obedience, and zeal in our day to day. The temptations and irritations that eat away at devotion have been borne on the cross! The bitterness, sloth, and disdain we coddle and carry have been crucified! Jesus conquered all these so we can live in the yes and amen, free to be and love and serve as He intends! If God has pledged fruitfulness and victory, why do we live in spiritual barrenness and defeat?(Romans 6:1-8,12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:55-58)

What do my attitudes and actions reveal about my belief- or doubt- in God’s ability to fulfill His word? If all His plans are formed of old, and faithful and sure, how intently am I doing my part to bring them to fruition and completion? In what good works, intended for me from the beginning, am I currently invested? How wholeheartedly do I invest my attention, time, and resources? Are there distractions I need put away in order to focus more on God’s specific commands to me? What adjustments are needed in personal confession, priorities, or transparency, for me to take new territories in faith? (Ephesians 2:10)

Lord, help me live in the confident amen of Your promises and purposes for me, to the blessing of many and exaltation of Your glory.

“My soul clings to the dust;
    give me life according to your word!
When I told of my ways, you answered me;
    teach me your statutes!
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
My soul melts away for sorrow;
    strengthen me according to your word!
Put false ways far from me
    and graciously teach me your law!
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
    I set your rules before me.
I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
    let me not be put to shame!
I will run in the way of your commandments
    when you enlarge my heart!

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;
    and I will keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
    and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
    for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to your testimonies,
    and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
    and give me life in your ways.” Psalm 119:25-37

The psalmist’s cry is born of wrangling with God’s word. The more he saw of its truth, the more clearly he saw the truth about himself. The brighter its light on its perfect Author, the more personal dark spots it revealed. The more closely it was held in forward focus, the greater his desire to put old ways distantly behind and away. For the earnest believer, God’s ways revealed in His word are a delight to behold and a magnet toward Him. They attract and compel, convict and cleanse.

With His word readily accessible, and God’s Spirit active to enlighten and inspire, how would we define our wrangle? How measures our passion to know and follow? What are we investing to comprehend God’s marvelous and mysterious ways, and then to apply them personally so we’re on their path and in their flow? (John 16:8,13)

The imploring to understand is matched by commitment to meditate. A choice for faithfulness is a choice to keep God’s precepts before us and in charge. We must fling off the dust we once clung to in order to cling to His truth. A divided heart must be re-inclined to be whole for the Lord. Eyes can be directed only one place, and must divert from worthless distractions to focus on His way.

What will it take for me to get off my way and get on His high best way?

“Have thine own way, Lord! 
Have thine own way! 
Thou art the potter, 
I am the clay. 
Mold me and make me 
after thy will, 
while I am waiting, 
yielded and still. 

Have thine own way, Lord! 
Have thine own way! 
Search me and try me, 
Savior today! 
Wash me just now, Lord, 
wash me just now, 
as in thy presence 
humbly I bow. 

Have thine own way, Lord! 
Have thine own way! 
Hold o’er my being 
absolute sway. 
Fill with thy Spirit 
till all shall see 
Christ only, always, 
living in me!” ~Adelaide Pollard (1906)

Lord, overtake my every inclination and effort so my delight is Your word and my ways become Yours. May I hasten and not delay to build Your kingdom and honor Your name. (Psalm 119:59-60)

“Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. The Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife.  She said to her mistress, ‘Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy…’ 

“[Namaan’s] servants said to him, ‘My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said, “Wash, and be clean”?’ So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored, and he was clean.

“Then [Namaan] returned to the man of God… and said, ‘Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.’ But [Elisha] said, ‘As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.’ And he urged him to take it, but he refused…  

“When Naaman had gone.., Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, said, ‘I will run after him and get something from him.’ So Gehazi followed Naaman… and said, ‘My master has sent me to say,.. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’ And Naaman said, ‘Be pleased to accept two talents.’ And he put them in [his] house… Elisha said to him,.. ‘Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants?'” 2 Kings 5:1-3,13-16,19b-21,22b-24,26

Servanthood reveals true colors. Taken from her family and homeland, the little girl sought only the good of her Syrian mistress and her important husband. She eagerly convinced her of Elisha’s power to cure. Namaan’s personal servants, likely influenced by this young girl’s faith, boldly persuaded him to set aside his arrogant stubbornness and heed the prophet’s instructions to be cured. The bold confidence and other-centeredness of these unnamed servants turned the course of their master’s life and future.

No so with Gehazi, the named and privileged servant to Elisha. He’d had every advantage of serving in the shadow of this great prophet and witnessed God’s power through him in manifold ways. Yet, stroking self-importance and covetousness, which in turn stoked the embers of greed, he wanted more. Serving his own interests, he was undeterred by Elisha’s utter dependence on the Lord. After Elisha turned down the lucrative reward offered by the newly-healed Namaan, Gehazi sought it for himself. It was deserved, wasn’t it? If his master turned it down, didn’t he have the right to take it? (2 Kings 2:9; 3:14-18; 4:8-17,25-36,42-44)

Wherever we’re placed by God, we’re called to serve Him first, and to work for others as unto Him. How willing are we to stay in the background, open our hands, and serve and use our words for others’ benefit alone? Where has self snuck to the forefront and tickled our greed? After confessing, would we deliberately ask how we might serve for other’s gain and good? (Mark 10:45; Colossians 3:23)

Father, help me embrace every opportunity to serve others in Your name, for their good, and to Your glory. (John 3:30)

“But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and livestock with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided.  The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters receded from the earth. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, and… the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.” Genesis 8:1-4

“He spread a cloud for a covering,
    and fire to give light by night.
They asked, and he brought quail,
    and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.
He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
    it flowed through the desert like a river.
For he remembered his holy promise,
    and Abraham, his servant.

So he brought his people out with joy,
    his chosen ones with singing.
He gave them the lands of the nations,
    and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil,
that they might keep his statutes
    and observe his laws.
Praise the Lord!” Psalm 105:39-45

Through years of obedient ark construction and days and weeks of rain, reeling in floodwaters, God watched over Noah and his family vigilantly. Through early traveling, settling, and building a family, and years of desert wandering and murmuring, then conquest of the promised land, God watched over the Israelites, from Abraham to multiplied millions. He remembered His love, His plan, His promises to His children. (Genesis 1:26-28; 12:1-3; Joshua 21:43-44)

When God remembers, we must not infer that He forgot. His remembering is an active, intricate fulfillment of all He is, has promised, and delights to do. He is never confused or unable to recall, but is infinitely perfect in omniscience and the ability to execute with precision every plan and purpose. (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 14:24; 2 Corinthians 1:20)

Though life confronts us with times of destitution, when we wonder if He sees our helpless estate, understands our trouble, or has forgotten us altogether, God remembers. Calling this to mind brings hope, because His very nature to remember affirms we’re in His sight and heart constantly. When we are exhausted, spent from spending ourselves on others, giving to the last drop of energy, means, will, and mercy, He remembers. He neither overlooks nor forgets our love and work for the saints. (Psalm 42:6-11; 139:7-12; Galatians 6:9-10; Hebrews 6:10; 1 John 3:2)

What difference does God’s remembrance make in my fatigue, my morning and nightly outlook, my willingness to get up and obey, again? Whom can I encourage that he or she is deeply loved, known, and remembered by Jesus, and that all His good plans come to fruition? When God remembers, we hope, and keep on.

“Loved with everlasting love,
drawn by grace that love to know,
Spirit sent from Christ above,
thou dost witness it is so.
O this full and precious peace
from his presence all divine;
in a love that cannot cease,
I am his and he is mine.

His forever, only his–
who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
Christ can fill the loving heart.
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee,
firstborn light in gloom decline,
but while God and I shall be,
I am his and he is mine.” ~Wade Robinson (1890)

Lord, help me remember that You remember, and live out my gratitude with unending joy.

“Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
    who greatly delights in his commandments!..
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
    he is gracious, merciful, and righteous…
For the righteous will never be moved;
    he will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news;
    his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
    until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever;
    his horn is exalted in honor.” Psalm 112:1,4,6-9

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 9:10

Proper fear of God wards off improper, inordinate fear of man, events, and unknowns. Proper fear of God rises like light from a right understanding of who He is and the power He holds, and dispels the darkness of anxiety and dread. The God who rules over storms also rules over their aftermath. Fearing Him then guards our minds and emotions going forward, establishing them in spiritual wisdom and fixing them in certainty on what is above, not on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2)

“The Lord is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens!
Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?” Psalm 113:4-6

“Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
    at the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turns the rock into a pool of water,
    the flint into a spring of water.” Psalm 114:7-8

The drone of bad news in media and culture can mesmerize us by angst and despair. Fears of this, and that, and what-if make every sinister attempt to hold us in their grip. When we deliberately change our focus to fear God instead, and the music in our head from a drumbeat dirge of doom to delight in His attributes and promises, our outlook will change. When we look at adversaries of temptation, hardship, health, or a tenuous future through the lens of His triumph, we will grow in trust and make it contagious. (2 Timothy 4:18)

What unsteadies us and causes fear in our day to day? An exorbitant expense or unexpected diagnosis? The threat of natural, national, or international disaster? Do we recognize how the input we absorb is both smart and successful at dictating thought-links and fomenting irrational responses of fear and anger? What would change within me if I changed my input, and for a day, or days, ingested only God’s true word, allowing it a long soak into my heart? How could emotional frenzy be calmed if I put to memory for ready recall some verses or passages on hope? Would I humbly revere the omnipotent God who transcends every care, and turn each anxious impulse to thankful, expectant prayer and meditation on what is true and lofty? (Philippians 4:6-8)

Fearing God and nothing else is obeying God. He enables us to do all He commands by providing His presence and Spirit. To fear and trust Him only is to honor His power and name. (Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 41:10; 2 Timothy 1:7)

Lord, may I ever fear You and steadily trust Your supremacy over all, and so bring You the glory You deserve.

“To Timothy, my beloved child:

“Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

“I thank God whom I serve,.. as I remember you constantly in my prayers. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother and mother and now dwells in you… Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

“Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling… because of his own purpose and grace… Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

“My child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me… entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also… Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker… rightly handling the word of truth… Be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

“You have followed my teaching, conduct, aim in life, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, persecutions and sufferings… Continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it  and… the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:2-9,13-14; 2:1-2,15,21; 3:10-11a,14-15

As he awaited execution in a Roman jail, Paul penned his final letter with a vision of holy calling and the ink of affection. Having been abandoned by several for their fear of persecution, he commended his spiritual son Timothy to continue in and pass on the same holy calling he’d received and exercised so faithfully. There is nothing quite like the endorsement, encouragement, and benediction of one you respect and love. (2 Timothy 1:15)

How carefully am I carrying out my holy calling from God? Assigned my specific location, personality, talents, and resources, my calling is distinct from anyone else’s. Do I spend useless time comparing, criticizing, or procrastinating? Or will I eagerly set about to do the works my Lord has specifically prepared for me to do? How willingly and energetically do I fight the good fight, regardless of opposition? (Acts 17:26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Timothy 4:7)

And as I go about my calling, whom am I encouraging in theirs? Am I so focused on my task that I fail to see the bigger picture, the wide scope of kingdom work beyond mine and workers who will outlive me? Am I so bent on accomplishing my goals that I neglect the training and building up that multiplies God’s work? Who can I take under my wing and commend unto every good deed for Christ today?

Father, keep me faithful to the end, grateful for those who have gone before me, and generously urging others beside and behind. May I execute every aspect of Your holy call with faith, excellence, and faithfulness, to Your glory and praise.

“In the third year of [Jehoiakim‘s] reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it… The king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some people of Israel, of the royal family and the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. [He] assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time to stand before the king. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah… 

“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. He asked the chief to allow him not to defile himself… As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom… The king spoke with them, and among them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah… In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.”

“Certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews… Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought… and said, ‘Is it true that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? If you are ready when you hear the… music to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace…’

“[They] answered, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar,.. if this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand. But if not, be it known, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.’” Daniel 1:1,3-6,8-9,17,19-20; 3:8,13-18

Daniel and his friends were disrupted in life, but never in faith. In fact, the more changes and challenges of location, authority, and culture they encountered, the more steadfast their resolve to honor their Lord. To every command or question, they replied with respect, prudence, discretion, and courage. They excelled in education but not corruption, resisting temptation to serve any false god. They were attentive, measured, and calm against the frenzied caprice of the king. Their secret? Staying spiritually above the fray of Babylon through consistent prayer, engagement with fellow believers, and earnest commitment to praise God. Their dependence on His might and sovereignty armed them with holy boldness and peace in tumult. (Daniel 2:5,14-28, 36-38,45-48; 4:19-27)

When we face threats, disturbances, and temptations, we can be easily shaken or stand high on solid ground. Have we lost our footing, or fellowship? What practical adjustments in focus and time expenditure would remind us who God is, and return our confidence, identity, and security to Him?

While Nebuchadnezzar finally acknowledged God as supreme, there’s no guarantee our faithfulness will yield such results in others. We can be sure we will know Him as supreme. He will honor our obedience and deliver us from fear. (Psalm 34:4; Daniel 4:34-37)

Lord, no matter what Babylon offers, keep me steadfast and immovable in You, and for Your praise. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

“They made a calf in Horeb
    and worshiped a metal image.
They exchanged the glory of God
    for the image of an ox that eats grass.
They forgot God, their Savior,
    who had done great things in Egypt,
wondrous works in the land of Ham,
    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
Therefore he said he would destroy them—
    had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
    to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

Then they despised the pleasant land...
They murmured in their tents,
    and did not obey the voice of the Lord.
Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them
    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,
and would make their offspring fall among the nations,
    scattering them among the lands.

Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,
    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds,
    and a plague broke out among them.
Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
    and the plague was stayed.
And that was counted to him as righteousness
    from generation to generation forever…

Many times he delivered them,
    but they were rebellious in their purposes
    and were brought low through their iniquity.

Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
    when he heard their cry.
For their sake he remembered his covenant,
    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
He caused them to be pitied
    by all those who held them captive.

Save us, O Lord our God,
    and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.” Psalm 106:19-31,43-47

Moses, then Phineas, boldly interceded for their (and God’s) rebellious people. Armed with righteous anger layered with compassionate love layered with zeal for God’s honor and Name, they stood in the gap between the fickle rebels they served and the gracious God who alone could save. (Exodus 32:4-10; Numbers 25:1-13; Deuteronomy 9:13-21)

In choosing independent lives, a number of excuses keep us from getting involved with those on a precipice of need or futility. Annoyance at repeated failure or interruption callouses our hearts. Fear for security driven by uncertain income bends our bent of wanting to share toward self protection. Impatience at ingratitude and disdain for ongoing foolishness convince us it is not worth making the effort. We justify weak wills, borne of self-interest and soft living, with too much ease.

But Jesus Christ, as perfect Intermediary, stood in the breach for us. Absent frustration or arrogance, revenge or malice or greed, He emptied Himself of all but love to make the way for us to escape certain judgment. By His death we can have life, by His wounds we can be healed. Therefore, how can we not seek and seize every opportunity to intervene on behalf of others? (Isaiah 53:4-6; John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:3-8)

Do we dismiss with disdain the idol-worshipers and murmurers among us? Have we forgotten the majesty of Christ’s generosity toward us? With whom would we today plant ourselves between despair and hope, death and life, to intercede in earnest, passionate prayer and ministry?

Lord, help me stand and intervene for others with the love and mercy with which You have done so for me.