Author: astherainandsnow

“The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, ‘Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.’ So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak… Balaam said to Balak, ‘Behold,.. have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak…’

“Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you…’ God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, ‘I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.’ And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, ‘Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak…’

“‘How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
    How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?..’

“Balak said to Balaam, ‘What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.’ And he answered and said, ‘Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?..’

“And the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, ‘Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak…’

“‘God is not man, that he should lie,
    or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
    Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?’

“Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord says, that I must do’?.. 

“Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, and he took up his discourse and said,

“’The oracle of Balaam,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
    who sees the vision of the Almighty.'” Numbers 22:35,38; 23:3-5,8,11-12,16,19,26; 24:2-4

Balaam had a loyalty problem. Though he was God’s spokesman, his heart flirted with other affections. He was easily swayed by the possibilities of fame and fortune, and could not stand firm on God’s firm word. He spoke absolute refusal with absolute ambivalence, always entertaining the next enticement from Balak. Ultimately, against the backdrop of his weak and ineffectual deal-making, sovereign God’s pronouncements went forth. His word always stands, and we would do well to stand with them. (Numbers 22:1-32)

The guarding of the tongue is no small matter. God takes our words seriously- they flow from our hearts, and He cares about our hearts. He expects us to take care of what we say. Words are His tools for consolation, blessing, and eternal life, but they can also be restless and full of deadly poison. (Luke 6:45; John 6:68; 1 Corinthians 14:3; James 3:8)

What constrains our tongues, and who restrains them? If the Lord Jesus constrains us to speak His life-giving words and we comply, His Spirit will restrain us from words that divide, deceive, and destroy. What malice, deceit, slander, and breaking of confidences need we put off? Will we rely on His Spirit to replace ugly words with those that upbuild and accord with grace and peace? (Colossians 3:8; 4:6; 1 Peter 2:1)

Put a guard over my lips, O Lord, and guard my heart. May I speak only Your words, in Your gracious and strong voice, to the end that Your truth is made clear and Your excellencies are magnified. (Psalm 141:3; Proverbs 4:23; 1 Peter 2:9)

“Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
    protect me from those who rise up against me;
deliver me from those who work evil,
    and save me from bloodthirsty men.

For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
    fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
    for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Awake, come to meet me, and see!
   You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel…

O my Strength, I will watch for you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress.
My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
    God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

Kill them not, lest my people forget;
    make them totter by your power and bring them down,
    O Lord, our shield!
For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
    let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter…

Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
They wander about for food
    and growl if they do not get their fill.

But I will sing of your strength;
    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
    and a refuge in the day of my distress.
O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress,
    the God who shows me steadfast love.” Psalm 59:1-5a,9-12,14-17

David had been nothing but loyal to King Saul, but Saul’s jealousy and instability boiled unpredictably. Provoked only by irrational emotion, Saul lashed out, plotting to kill his servant, and steady David fled his attacks. This psalm portrays the gravity of his situation against the depth of his trust and knowledge of his God. Compared to the volatile Saul and his fierce, bloodthirsty men, David’s God was steadfast in love and steady in strength. Evil and vile they prowled, waiting to pounce, but David would sing of the Lord of hosts, who met him offering refuge. (1 Samuel 19:8-12,18)

So much of how we handle life has to do with our perspective, which drives our determination. We can act out from inner strife, hurt, insecurity, or pride, possibly formed from years of listening to false mantras that darken or diminish our perceived worth. But, having been washed by Christ’s blood, we can also see with redeemed eyes that He shines and reigns over our troubles and attacks. When we choose to trust God’s triumph over all things, we carry music into every mess. (Psalm 51:1-2; 1 John 1:7)

Our great and loving God can turn each challenge- fears, impossibilities, profoundest griefs and wounds- into a song. He can change meandering affections into melodies, realigning them to God’s pitch. He can bring dissonance into harmony, correcting and cleansing the most difficult of relationships, war-torn by years of selfishness and hurt. He can adjust the syncopated noise of unhealthy counsel and worldly opinions into the clear rhythms of His truth. It is true that even with deep sorrow or angst in our hearts, He can instill song in our souls.

Would we acknowledge our inner and outer struggles, yet focus on our Strength and Savior? Amidst the heaviness of battle and sad events, would we sing of His steadfast love?

Lord, may I lift You high above all the trouble, all the day.

“Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
    and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
    and strips the forests bare,
    and in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!'” Psalm 29:1-9

God’s voice is loud and universally projected, but it takes intention and a trained ear to recognize. We can grow numb or ambivalent to its tenor, or dismiss it as background noise- soothing and consistent but not intended for us personally. Often, even subconsciously, we let the world distort or drown it out altogether. Just as in this Psalm it is sandwiched between the call to ascribe His worth and glory, so keeping it central by hearing and beholding its effects will ground our worship, perspective, and attitude. (Psalm 19:1-3)

Ascribe: To regard as arising from a specified cause or source; attribute; to regard as belonging to or produced by a specified agent

Regarding, acknowledging, and praising God’s glory and strength, His splendor and holiness, is a beckon of the heart. In doing so, we attribute His perfections as arising from Him, belonging to and identifying Him, and produced by Him. When we behold creation and watch His activity in history, we hear with new sense and in added dimension the attributes we exalt.

There are a number of choices for our listening pleasure: in our homes, our vehicles, plugged directly into our ears. We determine what we hear by making choices what to turn on, play, and watch. What if we were to begin each day ascribing to God His due glory, then asking for ears attuned to His voice? What if we inquired of Him in earnest prayer, and waited, listening for His conviction, His answers, by His Spirit, through His living word? (Hebrews 4:12)

What can we turn down in order to increase the volume of God’s voice? Our stubborn opinions? Prejudices? Tightly held plans? Our way of doing things? Resentment or unwillingness to forgive? Whether it be a sinful mindset or a good-thing-become-idol, we can consciously or unconsciously block our ears to the life-changing, instructive, inspiring voice of the Lord. (2 Timothy 3:16)

If we turned up the volume, would we hear His voice loud enough to thunder over the lesser voices that tease and pester with doubt and dismay? Would we hear His promises as powerful enough to overcome our weaknesses, dispel our fears, and uproot our bitterness? Would we hear His truth as majestic and supreme, and strong enough to break our bondage to sin habits and self-pampering and hopelessness? Would His voice light our way in confusion, shake us from the wilderness of spiritual lethargy and complacency, and bring new vitality in our relationships and work? (Psalm 119:105)

Father, may Your voice resound above all others. May it have its majestic way, in power and glory, so my every thought and movement is at its holy bidding.

“Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
    that is higher than I,
for you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the enemy.

Let me dwell in your tent forever!
    Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!” Psalm 61:1-4

“For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken…

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.” Psalm 62:1-2,5-7

Whether the psalmist pleads with God, reaffirms his stance, or begs his soul, his hope and trust are in his only and mighty rock. When distanced from the Lord’s peace, when faint of heart and needy, when tempted to quake in fear and doubt, he turns to God and runs for His refuge. God alone. He alone. God alone. He only. He knows for certain where his soul can rest, and he wants to rest there forever.

Whatever our station in life, we see as we see, both enabled and limited by our specific perspective. We live in a particular locale, have been raised among particular people and atmosphere and mores. We are who we are because we’ve been where we’ve been, in place and experience. Some see life from a posture of defensiveness, anger, suspicion, and competition. Others see through a lens of love, hope, flourishing, and redemption. In Christ, what we’ve always known is brought to a spiritual height that equips us with new abilities to see, understand, and rest from a foundation like no other. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

On squishy sand, we trudge toward a solid surface. On scrabble, we look and feel for sure footing. From low places with limited vision, we clamor for a higher and secure vantage point. There is nothing quite like the Lord our Rock in any precarious or uncertain situation. He is immovable and unchanging. His word is a firm foundation, firmly and eternally fixed in the heavens. (Psalm 119:89)

Has hope floundered, or we cannot see a way forward? Look to the rock that is higher than I. Does confusion confound, or trouble swirl in mind and matter? Think on the rock that is higher than I. Does pain snarl, or do cares weigh heavy? Cling to the rock that is higher than I.

“My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

In ev’ry rough and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the vale.
When all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay.

Not earth, nor hell, my soul can move;
I rest upon unchanging love.
I trust his righteous character,
his counsel, promise, and his pow’r.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.” ~Edwards Mote (1834)

Lord, keep me standing, believing, growing, rejoicing on You my Rock.

“The people of Israel came into the wilderness of Zin… And Miriam died there and was buried there.

“Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron… ‘Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! Why have you brought [us] into this wilderness, that we should die here..? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.’ Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink…’ Moses took the staff, as he commanded.

“Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and said, ‘Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?’ And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.’” Numbers 20:1-12

God loved Moses too much to allow his emotions to run unchecked and cause a ripple effect of destruction in Israel. Following Miriam’s death, and the startling consequence for his outburst at the whining congregation, Moses was denied his polite request for passage through Edom. Then Aaron, his only remaining sibling, died. More reason for anger, self-pity, sorrow. The Lord would persevere to test and train him in self-control and God-dependence. (Numbers 20:13-29)

Irritation, anger, bitterness, self-loathing, when unchecked, can all lead to dangerous places of mind and habit. The passions fueled by idolatry, pride, and even exhaustion are equally as destructive. Sarcasm, rage, fear, and numb inaction can grow and poison any attempt at fruit-filled living. Emotions-gone-wild insidiously reverberate in words and actions we cannot retrieve, and spread their circles of dark influence over hearts, relationships, and lives. Only the Lord can expose the root of our emotions and redeem the mess they make. (Proverbs 15:18; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:31)

What triggers cause us the most trouble? A sudden loss of control over a person or situation? Antagonism, criticism, or sarcasm that stung me? Fatigue that makes it hard to tighten the spigot on critical or caustic words? Fear that freezes me from being healthfully vulnerable? Have I kept my pain hidden, become smug in controlling my temper, but unwittingly allowed hatred to fester? When tempers flare, depression looms, or quarrels arise, what passions have we let run amok to wreak havoc in our minds? What will I do to avoid these impetuses and correct my proclivities before God? With whom need I make things right? (James 4:1-2)

Father, purify every emotion, and control them for good. Please help me do what I can to stem the ripple effects of hurtful actions through genuine repentance, and returning kindness, mercy, grace, and love.

“The people complained in the hearing of the Lord, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them… Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down…

“Now the rabble among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, ‘Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at…’

“Moses heard the people weeping, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. Moses said to the Lord, ‘Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, “Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,” to the land that you swore to give their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all this people?.. I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me.’

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel.., and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. I will come down and talk with you there.I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone…’ Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.'” Numbers 11:1-2,4-6,10-14,16-17,25

Moses had no easy job. He followed everything the Lord told him to do, but his 600,000 charges were incessant whiners, and he could not bear it any more. The drone of complaint wore away at his holy resolve and optimism; leading Israel was displeasing to the core, and very disheartening. So he went to the Source of wisdom and help, his LORD.

When the rabble among us cries with complaining, and the rabble within us rises with strong craving, we have an Advocate, a present help. External trouble is exhausting, sometimes more than we can bear. When we identify it, God undertakes to help us deal with it, often through His Spirit-filled people. Hidden inward rabble can be detrimental in many areas as it erodes our peace, contentment, confidence, strength, and vision. (Psalm 46:1-3)

We, like Moses, can approach God with confidence to find help in every instance. He stands as our Defender, guards our hearts and minds, prays continually for us, and provides all and everyone we need. We are inextricably bound to our stronghold by His grace. (Psalm 18:1-2; Romans 8:31-39; Philippians 4:6-7,19; Hebrews 4:14-16)

What rabble is rising, pestering, unnerving, or weighing heavy today? Would we take our every concern to the Lord, and receive His aid?

Father, help me accept the rabble You ordain as impetus to press close to You and act as You lead. May I trust Your Spirit in every trouble.

“Let me sing for my beloved
    my love song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
    on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
    and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
    and hewed out a wine vat in it;
and he looked for it to yield grapes,
    but it yielded wild grapes…

What more was there to do for my vineyard,
    that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield grapes,
    why did it yield wild grapes?

And now I will tell you
    what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
    and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
    and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a waste;
    it shall not be pruned or hoed,
    and briers and thorns shall grow up;
I will also command the clouds
    that they rain no rain upon it.

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
    is the house of Israel,..
his pleasant planting;
and he looked for justice,
    but behold, bloodshed;
for righteousness,
    but behold, an outcry!..

Man is humbled, and each one is brought low,
    and the eyes of the haughty are brought low.
But the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice,
    and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness...
Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter!..
Therefore,.. their root will be as rottenness,
    and their blossom go up like dust;
for they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts,
    and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 5:1-2,4-7,15-16,20,24

Our upright God is no pushover. He is holy and just, and acts perfectly for the good of His people. He bountifully supplies, expects good stewardship and fruitfulness, and will not stand for sloth, flippancy, pride, or unrighteousness. God rightly orders consequences to discipline His children and train in holiness. His design is to steer us to genuine repentance, freedom, and maturity, all resulting in His praise. (Hebrews 12:10-11)

We may be suffering because of a lack of consequences or discipline in our own lives. Herein, the Lord beckons us to come clean, repent, and turn wild into lush, wasted grapes into sweet wine. We may be in a hard place because of our failure to mete out consequences, or another’s unchecked and wayward behavior beyond our control. Our ever-present, merciful Lord is ready and able to teach us the way to go in these situations too, so His holy word and name will be honored. We also may be grateful recipients of good consequences, flowing from wisdom applied. Will we trust the Redeemer to work blessed consequence from our consequences and right actions? (Psalm 32:1-8; 51:1-12)

We would always have the Lord use a feather instead of a 2×4 to bring necessary correction. When His Spirit checks ours, how willing are we to respond, so harsher consequences are not needed? God loves His people too much to let us continue in error unabated and uncorrected. Would we yield to His gracious conviction, with consequent fruitfulness?

Lord, give me courage both to implement and be trained by consequences according to Your redemptive purpose. May I bear fruit that honors Your goodness and love to me.

“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”

“Let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” “Let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.” Hebrews 11:24-26; 12:1-3; 13:13

“Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings.” Philippians 3:7-8,10

“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” 1 Peter 4:14-16

The more hostility we face and the more we endure reproach as Christians, the better we understand what Christ suffered for us, and how deeply He loves. For the joy set before Him- the full accomplishment of our salvation and return to glory- He endured caustic hostility and the agony of the cross, bearing and despising its shame, but carrying it through to its glorious end. Always His eyes were fixed, always His heart set on the goal, of winning our reconciliation and peace. (Isaiah 53:3-5)

How are we to bear the insults or vitriol of enemies, how to bear up under the weight of unjust accusation or distress? Our Lord knows every pelt and pang. He bore it and all its fallout on the cross, and we must entrust Him with ultimate justice. We accept that we are sharing in His sufferings as a privilege, because they reveal just a taste of what He suffered for us and therefore humble us, convict how we are complicit, and make us grateful for His mercies. We never return in kind. There are times to turn the cheek, and times to act with tough love, and God will direct with His wisdom as we cry to Him and seek His glory over saving face. (Psalm 89:50-51; Matthew 5:38-39; Romans 12:19-21; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 11:19-20; Ephesians 4:29-31; Titus 3:10-11)

Do we see in suffering Christ’s reproach a chance to die to self, to praise Him for His fathomless love, to trust Him for the way forward? What is the best way to bring glory to the name and reputation of Christ?

Lord, I want to gain You, to know You and Your resurrection power in every attack. May I bear gracefully and wisely Your reproach, so You can accomplish Your desired and glorious end.

“The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

 The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

‘So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.’” Numbers 6:22-27

“Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the Lord, and by their word every dispute and every assault shall be settled.” Deuteronomy 21:5

“The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to dedicate the most holy things, that he and his sons forever should make offerings before the Lord and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name forever.” 1 Chronicles 23:13

Imagine being tasked by God Almighty specifically to bless His people. What a life-giving role! And what a difference it would make today if we took this as our charge, if we became a conduit of divine blessing to those we encounter!

How exactly were the Levitical priests to bless the people of Israel? The LORD bless you. Bless: to confer or invoke divine favor upon; ask God to look favorably on. They were to pronounce holy favor upon, bathing the people in this glad approval and kindness and expectant joy at the covenant-keeping God’s abiding presence. The LORD keep you, hold and preserve your life, keep you from evil, guard you and see you through to His desired and redemptive end. The LORD make His face to shine upon you, smile upon you, light your way with the light of His face. The LORD be gracious to you, showering you with new mercies every morning, convicting and teaching and leading with His fullness of grace upon grace. The LORD lift His countenance upon you, adorning you with the glorious image of one loved, treasured, made holy. May He give you His eyes to see, His ears to hear, His expressions to respond, His words to speak. May you reflect His righteousness, beauty, and splendor. The LORD give you peace, peace that is perfect, that is not as the world gives, but is beyond human comprehension as it guards your heart and mind. (Psalm 121:3-8; Isaiah 26:3; Lamentations 3:22-23; John 1:14,16; 14:27; Philippians 4:7)

They were to put God’s holy, wondrous, powerful name upon them, and bless in His name that is above all names. His name would give authority and authenticity to the priestly pronouncements, ensuring both their source and fulfillment. (Philippians 2:9-11)

We who know Jesus are a holy priesthood, and thus we are charged to be blessers too. Are we taking notice of opportunities? Where are those insecure who need to be reminded of God’s commitment to keep them? Those ashamed, or despondent, who need a mantle of grace and the light of God’s loving smile? How are we spreading God’s peace in tangible, practical, meaningful ways? Where are we sharing the life-giving power of His name? (Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18; 1 Peter 2:9)

LORD, You have blessed me beyond measure. May I honor and bless You by blessing others you put in my path and life.

“The Mighty One, God the Lord,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
    God shines forth.

Our God comes; he does not keep silence;
    before him is a devouring fire,
    around him a mighty tempest.
He calls to the heavens above
    and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
‘Gather to me my faithful ones,
    who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!’
The heavens declare his righteousness,
    for God himself is judge!.. 

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
    and perform your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble;
    I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.’

But to the wicked God says:
    ‘What right have you to recite my statutes
    or take my covenant on your lips?
For you hate discipline,
    and you cast my words behind you.
If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
    and you keep company with adulterers.

‘You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    and your tongue frames deceit.
You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother’s son.
These things you have done,.. now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.’

The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
    to one who orders his way rightly
    I will show the salvation of God!” Psalm 50:1-6,14-21,23

The psalmist has obviously had difficult dealings with the wicked who hate discipline, cavort with and condone rebels against God’s word, deceive and slander, yet they and their repercussions are not his focus in life. He is absorbed with God. From beginning to end, God is the Mighty One, perfect Judge, and worthy of praise. From the rising of the sun to its setting on every day of trouble, his God shines forth.

How easy it is to be absorbed in our trouble. We suffer consequences of another’s unruly actions, we are stolen from, or betrayed, deceived, or slandered, and all thought and emotion turns inward. I am wounded, I am the victim, I hurt, I have a right. While these are true, and our troubles with attending pain and suffering are deep and real, the hope of the Christian is that right in the middle, God shines forth. Our deliverance, and God’s promised glory, come as we turn from concentrating on what ails to offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, continue in obedience, and call on Him.

Our God comes, and is near, in our every trouble. We own Him as our anchor and stronghold, and can trust Him as upright Judge who will one day make all things well and right. He is neither silent nor inactive, and will never forsake His own. (Psalm 9:9-10; 18:1-2; 94:14; Revelation 21:4)

Would we resolve to look for God’s beauty in our trouble? Can we trace His hand of glory? Would we turn days of hardship into days of intentional thanks, and doing the next right thing, and calling upon Him through the hours? There is nothing we suffer that He has not carried and from which He will not deliver. (Isaiah 53:4)

God, my God, in my days of trouble, keep me trusting and thanking You, and making clear the way for Your glory to shine. (Job 1:20-22)