Tag: Bifrost Arts

I Have Seen Him

Jeff

Today is Thursday, the ninth day of April, 2026, in the first week of Easter.

May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in all ways!

It is the 99th day of 2026, with 266 days left in the year.

31 days until Mother’s Day

Day 24,864 of my life

Today is National Unicorn Day. It is also National Chicken Little Awareness Day. Perhaps this should be a “national holiday.” As a society, we have gotten very good at jumping to conclusions with little to no evidence. But I’m a fantasy lover, so I will be thinking about unicorns today. And singing this song!

Daily writing prompt
What’s the most fun way to exercise?
View all responses

Hahahaha! Hahahaha! I’m sorry. I don’t understand the word “fun” and the word “exercise” in the same sentence. The most “fun” way to “exercise” is running through the terrain of the Commonwealth in Fallout 4, as my video game character. Unless I’m running from a radscorpion, which is never fun.

Today is a very laid-back Thursday. S has some kind of bronchial infection going on (again), so I likely won’t be taking her to get her weekly injection. Which reminds me, I need to send a message to her doctor through their portal, about something else. Be right back.

I have a couple loads of laundry to fold, today, and dinner to make, and will, of course, venture out to get Sonic drinks. Someone asked me, the other day, what my drink of choice is, there. I know this is weird, but it is Diet Dr. Pepper with peach flavor. I tried that, one day, on a whim. I mean, worst case, I hate it and have wasted a couple of bucks, right? But I loved it! So that’s what I get every time. Every now and then, I will get cherry instead, but it’s peach 99% of the time.

My first cup of coffee, this morning was Hazelnut Spread, by Angelino’s. “Chocolaty fudge and roasted hazelnut flavored coffee.” Quite delicious! My second cup (and yes, I always have two) is Cafe Ole Taste of DFW, from HEB. “Offering the delicious flavor of caramel, chocolate and pecans, CAFE Olé by H-E-B Taste of DFW coffee is a medium roast variety.” This is one is my favoritest coffee ever. The Jamaican Me Crazy from Angelino’s is my favorite of their varieties.

Tonight’s dinner is a crockpot dish I got from a Facebook friend. The originator calls it “Crockpot 3-Pack Beef and Noodles.” Two pounds of cubed beef (he used “stew meat,” I use HEB’s “Beef for caldillo,” which is perfect for this recipe, as well as beef tips), a pack of onion soup mix, a pack of ranch dressing mix, a pack of brown gravy mix, a can of cream of mushroom soup, a cup of beef broth, and a block of cream cheese. All of that cooks for about four hours on high, and then you add in 12 oz of cooked egg noodles. Delicious!! I noticed that someone had suggested adding sour cream, so I might try that today.

Here is this week’s devotional from my church.

JESUS TIME

Our Father who art in heaven, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. O dear Lord, God and Father, do not enter into judgment against us, for in Your sight no one who lives is justified before You. Do not count it against us as sin that we are so unthankful for all your indescribable spiritual and physical blessings. Do not judge us on account of our daily sin. We stumble and sin many more times than we even know or recognize. ‘For He who avenges blood is mindful of them; He does not forget the cry of the afflicted’ (Psalm 9:12).

Look away from our accomplishments as well as our wickedness; in Your boundless compassion look instead upon Your dear Son, Jesus Christ. Forgive also those who are our enemies or who have wronged us, just as we forgive them from our heart. By their actions against us, they around Your anger and hurt themselves, yet we are not helped by their ruin and would much rather that they be saved with us. Amen.
(Lutheran Book of Prayer, Prayer 54, Thursday Morning)

Omnipotent, heavenly Father, as I awake to a new dawn, I entrust my life to Your care and favor. I thank You for another day to serve You. The apostle Paul exhorts, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5); may my thoughts be fixed on You. As my body is Your temple, enable me to remember that my physical life is not my own, but is Yours. As my soul can find satisfaction only with faith in Christ, help me to bring honor and glory to Him in both word and deed. In the name of Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, I pray. Amen.
(Portals of Prayer, Prayer for Thursday Morning)

“Father, you gather the nations to praise your name. May all who are reborn in baptism be one in faith and love. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
(For All the Saints, Thursday of the Week of Easter 1, Opening Prayer)

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
(Hebrews 1:3-4 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

  1. for Jesus Christ, the radiance of the glory of God, and that He upholds the universe by the word of His power
  2. for the pardoning love of Christ, “so free, so sweet” (Indelible Grace Music)
  3. that the peace of God gets the final say in my life; but I cannot manufacture that peace; God, in Christ, has already given it
  4. that there is “no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved;” the name of Jesus Christ
  5. that I have seen Jesus, and He continues to transform me
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace. 

If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
(Colossians 1:15 ESV)

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
(Colossians 3:1-2 ESV)

I can already see where today’s devotionals are heading. Jesus Christ . . . He is the “radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” And “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” The motto of my life: Christ is everything! Everything is about Christ!

And then two different sources gave me this verse:

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
(Acts 4:12 ESV)

Psalm of the Day – Psalm 44:17-26

All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten you,
and we have not been false to your covenant.
Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our steps departed from your way;
yet you have broken us in the place of jackals
and covered us with the shadow of death.
If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
would not God discover this?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.
Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
Why do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
our belly clings to the ground.
Rise up; come to our help!
Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
(Psalms 44:17-26 ESV)

Untamed Prayers, “Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?” by Chad Bird

“Bad things” happen to “good” people all the time. Of course, the real answer to the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” is that “there are no ‘good’ people.” Jesus, Himself, stated that “No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18). Nevertheless, we do think of some people as being “good.” As Bird writes, “There are no perfect congregations with perfect pastors, but there are very good congregations with excellent pastors who do a bang-up job of preaching the Gospel and caring for their communities.” But there are times when these congregations keep shrinking and the church closes its doors. I was a part of just such a church.

But of course, that church closing its doors and its pastor resigning is part of the set of circumstances that led me to where I am today. And this is why I usually put “bad things” in quotations marks. Because sometimes, those things that humans see as “bad” eventually have “good” consequences. And why is that? Say it with me:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
(Romans 8:28 ESV)

But I digress. When things like this happen, we all ask “Job-like questions.” Why did this happen? What did we do wrong? In the case of the man in Scripture who was born blind, Jesus’s disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” We haven’t changed much, have we? There are certain circles of Christianity in which all “bad things” are seen as consequences of sin, or even punishment for sin, which is absurd, because why? Because Jesus already took all of the punishment for our sins! That’s why!

The writers of this psalm, in their questioning, are not claiming to have been sinless. However, they point out that they aren’t, say, burning incense to Baal or any of the other foreign gods that the cultures around them worshiped. Verse 18, “Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way.” Yet these things happen.

“Confused and hurt, to whom do they turn? To God! He is our only hope. ‘Awake!’ they cry, ‘Why are you sleeping, O Lord?’ anticipating the question of the storm-tossed disciples when they rouse a snoozing Jesus (Mark 4:38). Anticipating our question, too, when storms rage and heaven seems to snore. ‘Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and our oppression?’ (Ps 44:24). In such times, when storms roar, so does our Lord, that untamed lion, as C.S. Lewis so memorably depicted him. He will rise and roar. Indeed, he already has when Jesus leapt from the tomb. Awake. Alive. And redeeming ‘us for the sake of [his] steadfast love’ (44:26). He will pull us close and shield us with love till the storms pass and peace returns.”

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.
(Mark 16:12 ESV)

Chambers asks the question, today, “Have I Seen Him?” Now, of course, we are not speaking of actual, physical sighting of Jesus, even though the verse referred to does speak of Christ appearing to two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

We are able to, in a spiritual sense, “see Jesus.” I certainly do not doubt that there have been people who have truly had a vision of Christ, and seen Him. Glory to God for occurrences such as this! Would that I could have one! Oh, how I long to see His face!

Says Chambers, “Many are partakers of God’s grace who have never seen Jesus. When once you have seen Jesus, you can never be the same, other things do not appeal as they used to do.”

There is a difference between “seeing Jesus” and knowing what He has done for you. “If you only know what He has done for you, you have not a big enough God; but if you have had a vision of Jesus as He is, experiences can come and go, you will endure ‘as seeing Him Who is invisible.'” We cannot know when this will happen, it may come at any turn.

We must also acknowledge that our friends, family, and acquaintances must also see Him. And, to a degree, “Severance takes place where one and not the other has seen Jesus. You cannot bring your friend unless God brings him.” But we should desire that others see Him, as well, and we should tell others about our vision, even though they do not believe or understand.

Brothers and sisters, I have seen Jesus! Back to February 17, 2025. He revealed Himself to me in such a way that I had never seen before! He began tearing down walls and rebuilding Himself within me, and is still working. But I have no doubt that, even though I have not seen His face, I have, nevertheless, “seen” Him. As evidence I have the truth that there are things that simply no longer appeal to me. There are attitudes and sins that are gone from my life (there are still a few that I am struggling with, but they are getting weaker and weaker as Christ gets more and more present in my life). The amount of love that my heart feels for others has grown exponentially.

I have seen Jesus! And I want you to see Him, too. But He must bring you along. I cannot do it. I can show Him to people, as much as my limited nature can do. But Christ must do the revealing. I pray that He will.

Walking in Grace 2026, Thursday April 9, Marci Alborghetti

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
(John 15:12-17 ESV)

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.
(Romans 14:13 ESV)

Remember what I just wrote up there? About attitudes that are still being worked on? Romans 14:13. And Marci, one of my favorite Guideposts writers, in today’s reading, talks about how much stronger prayer can be when we join with the “commitment and faith of others.” Prayer is good; faith is good; worship is good. But all are so much more effective when we are in a community of saints, doing all of these things together. My life has been so much richer since I have been in my current church!

We need each other so very much! And we need to be united under the banner of Jesus Christ. I pray daily, that He would eliminate any threat of idolatry from our midst, that we might only care about and know Christ and Him crucified, as Paul says.

“Because for our sake you tasted gall, may the Enemy’s bitterness be killed in us.
Because for our sake you drank sour win, may what is weak in us be strengthened.
Because for our sake you were spat upon, may we be bathed in the dew of immortality.
Because for our sake you were struck with a rod, may we receive shelter in the last.
Because for our sake you accepted a crown of thorns, may we that love you be crowned with garlands that never can fade.
Because for our sake you were wrapped in a shroud, may we be clothed in your all-enfolding strength.
Because you were laid in the new grave and the tomb, may we receive renewal of soul and body.
Because you rose and returned to life, may we be brought to life again.
Amen.”
(For All the Saints, Thursday of the Week of Easter 1, Closing Prayer, Communion Hymn)

Thank You, my Jesus, for revealing Yourself to me last year, in the way that You did. While I still long to see Your beautiful face, I can rest in the knowledge and assurance that I have, indeed, “seen” You, my Lord! I thank You that certain things appeal to me no longer. I praise You that You have delivered me from many things along the way, especially lust! Praise Your name, Lord! And I pray that You keep working in me, that I will never be the same again, Lord, because You are continuously making all things new. I long for the day when I will stand in Your presence, on the other side of glory. But until then, I pray that You keep giving me transformation, growth, maturity, and You keep molding me by Your beautiful Word!

I thank You for the community of saints that You have placed me in. I thank You for my pastors who faithfully teach me. I thank You for my sister, whom I believe has also seen You, Jesus! And I thank You for the other good friendships that are developing in my life.

All glory to You, Lord, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. You are everything!

Grace and peace, my brothers and sisters! May You see Jesus!

CHRIST IS EVERYTHING!!!

Rise Up!

Jeff

Today is Sunday, the tenth day of August, 2025, in the Season of the Church. It is the ninth Sunday after Pentecost.

May the peace of God embrace you today and may You feel His love for you.

It is day 222 of 2025, with 143 days remaining.

Day 24,622 of my life.

Only nine more days until S’s birthday, and the gifts have begun to arrive.

43 days of summer left. We hit 99 again, yesterday. The overnight low only got to 80, the highest low so far of the year. The good news is that there has been a drastic change in the forecast between yesterday and this morning. That string of triple-digit days is gone, and the average high over the next ten days is now 97.8! The highest is 100 on August 18, the day before S’s birthday. And that is the only 100+ day in the ten-day forecast. But who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Daily writing prompt
If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?
View all responses

That’s easy. Books, coffee, and records. Used and new. Except for the coffee. I would not sell used coffee.

It’s Sunday, so I’m looking forward to gathering with God’s people, this morning. I’m looking forward to being fed by Word and Sacrament, and singing His praises. I don’t have much else on my agenda today. I do need to change the batteries in our front door Blink camera, which has been offline for a couple days, now. I meant to do it yesterday, but didn’t get to it.

Speaking of yesterday, it didn’t quite go as planned. We got S delivered to the church, and then C and I headed to the Grapevine Mills mall, where we would see the movie. We walked around for about thirty minutes, amidst a veritable plethora of people. Turns out it was “Tax-free Weekend” in Texas. It’s a good thing we weren’t shopping for anything. So the crowds didn’t really bother us, but it was, at times, difficult to navigate. And watching people is always interesting.

We got into the movie and discovered that the seats in this particular theater, while comfortable, do not recline. Yes, that’s definitely a “first-world problem,” but when pretty much every other theater in DFW has reclining seats, it was quite disappointing. The movie was good, at least what we saw of it. Because about halfway in, I got a text from S (from the Rangers game, remember) that she had gotten over-heated and had heat-exhaustion, walking from the church van to the ballpark. She was in one of the first-aid places at the ballpark.

So we jumped in the car to go get her. She seems okay, now, and didn’t have any trouble getting around when we got home. Everyone that we encountered at the ballpark was totally kind and helpful. The parking lot attendants that we talked to never questioned our motive for trying to get into the lot, and the security people at the door gave us no trouble at all. The first-aid people brought S out in a wheelchair and wheeled her to the car for us. It was the best experience that it could have been, in the circumstances.

She may have been very close to having a heat stroke, but thankfully, it didn’t get that far. So she will not be going to church with me, this morning, but staying home and resting.

JESUS TIME

Heavenly Father, I praise You for creating this day with all its people, gifts, and experiences. I thank You especially for the opportunity to join Your church this morning to glorify You and receive the incredible gifts You provide in Word and Sacrament. Forgive me for anything in my heart or mind that would keep me from worshiping as I should. Bless all pastors, worship leaders, and teachers who strive to proclaim Your Gospel today. Holy Spirit, lead Your people this morning to be a community that disciples one another, being rooted in the Gospel together and walking in the one true faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.  
(Portals of Prayer – Prayer for Sunday Morning) 

“Jesus You’re beautiful 
Humble yet powerful 
I lay my crowns at Your feet 
Worthy of everything 
Yet You still know my name 
Jesus You’re beautiful” 

God is our refuge and strength,  
a very present help in trouble.  
Therefore we will not fear  
though the earth gives way,  
though the mountains be moved  
into the heart of the sea,  
though its waters roar and foam,  
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.  
Selah.  
(Psalms 46:1-3 ESV) 

Today I am grateful:

  • For another opportunity to gather with the community of saints, worship the Lord, and be fed by Word and Sacrament; I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!” (Psalm 122:1) 
  • That You, Lord, are my refuge and my strength, and I shall not fear, nor shall I want for anything 
  • That God sees all things, and that the injustice in this world will not have the last word 
  • For the biblical record of the friendship of David and Jonathan 
  • That I have been stirred up to have the desire to praise You, O Lord;  
Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace. 

If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?

Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;  
forget not the afflicted.  
Why does the wicked renounce God  
and say in his heart,  
“You will not call to account”?  
But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,  
that you may take it into your hands;  
to you the helpless commits himself;  
you have been the helper of the fatherless.  
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;  
call his wickedness to account till you find none.  
 
The LORD is king forever and ever;  
the nations perish from his land.  
O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;  
you will strengthen their heart;  
you will incline your ear to do justice  
to the fatherless and the oppressed,  
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.  
(Psalms 10:12-18 ESV) 

“When is enough enough, Lord?  
How much misery can this world take  
before You decide to act?  
Hear, Father –  
hear the cries of the oppressed!  
Their captors call You  
Silent.  
Aloof.  
Dead. 
 
But You see all things.  
This blight upon the earth  
will not have the last word.  
Is Your heart not with the humble and the weak?  
Were You not made one with them in Your death –  
splayed on a cross like a common criminal?  
From the beginning,  
You have taken the side of the oppressed.  
In You the orphan finds a father;  
the weary finds rest. 
 
In time, You will execute judgment in the earth –  
eradicating sin,  
drawing its poison from every vein of creation  
until all is made new.  
You will reign,  
King of New Beginnings,  
and Your government will have no end. 
 
But how long, Lord?  
How long must we wait  
until that slow kingdom comes? 
 
See.  
Hear.  
Intercede for the broken in spirit.  
Be Immanuel to all who suffer,  
present in their pain.  
Break their chains!  
Lead them out with great rejoicing! 
 
In Your mercy,  
let this evil end at last.” 
(Excerpt from Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms – Psalm 10: Until Evil Ends) 

“For the lonely and forgotten, 
For the weary and distressed, 
For the refugee and orphan, 
and for all who are oppressed, 
For the stranger who is pleading 
while insulted and despised, 
Will You rise? Will You rise? 
 
Rise up! Rise up! 
The earth will fear the Lord 
when You avenge the poor. 
May Your kingdom come . . .  
O rise up!” 

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.  
(Proverbs 10:12 ESV) 

When words are many, transgression is not lacking,  
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.  
(Proverbs 10:19 ESV) 

The following is from For All the Saints – Sunday of the Week of Pentecost 9.

“God our Father and protector, without you nothing is holy, nothing has value. Guide us to everlasting life by helping us to use wisely the blessings you have given to the world. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” 
(Opening Prayer) 

As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.  
(1 Samuel 18:1-4 ESV) 

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.  
 
For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?'” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?'” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  
 
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  
(Romans 10:4-17 ESV) 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.  
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'”  
(Matthew 23:29-39 ESV) 

“‘Thou Art Great, O Lord, and greatly to be praised.’ ‘Thy power is great and of Thy wisdom there is no number.’ To praise Thee is the wish of man who is but a part of Thy creation, man who carries about with him his own mortality, who carries about the evidence of his sin and the evidence ‘that Thou resisteth the proud.’ And yet, to praise Thee is the wish of man who is but a part of Thy creation. Thou dost bestir him so that he takes delight in praising Thee: for Thou has made us for Thee and our heart is unquiet till it finds rest in Thee. 
 
“Grant unto me, O Lord, to know and to understand whether first to invoke Thee or to praise Thee; whether first to know Thee or to invoke Thee. But, who invokes Thee without knowing Thee? For, he who knows Thee not might invoke another being in Thy stead. Or, art Thou rather invoked in order that Thou mayest be known? Indeed, ‘how are they to invoke Him in whom they have not believed? Or how are they to believe, if no one preaches?’ ‘And they shall praise the Lord that seek Him.’ For, they who seek shall find Him and they who find Him shall praise Him. 
 
“May I seek Thee, O Lord, by invoking Thee, and may I invoke Thee by believing in Thee: for Thou has been preached to us. My faith invokes Thee, O Lord, that faith which Thou hast given me, which Thou hast breathed into me through the humanity of Thy Son, through the ministry of Thy preacher.” 
(Reading IV: Augustin, Bishop of Hippo, Confessions) 

“O God of all power, who has called from death the great pastor of the sheep, our Lord Jesus: comfort and defend the flock which he hath redeemed by the blood of the eternal testament. Increase the number of true preachers; lighten the hearts of the ignorant; suffer for the testimony of the truth; by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.” 
(Closing Prayer: John Knox) 

The following is from New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp.

“God knows everything from beyond origin to beyond destiny. You have _____ years of sin-tainted human experience. Why debate him? God’s smarter!” 

Paul Tripp makes a list of things he doesn’t know. 

  • How children from the same gene pool can be so different 
  • How bees can fly 
  • Why I do all the things I do 
  • What tomorrow will bring 
  • How long my life will be 
  • The motivations of my own heart, much less those of other people 
  • Many things about art, science, and politics 
  • Why I wake up happy one day and unhappy the next 
  • Many things about origin and destiny 
  • About the operations of my own body 
  • The plans and purposes of God 
  • Why God brings certain things into my life 

I could add my own set of things. I could fill many pages with what I don’t know and the list would still be incomplete because there are many things that I don’t know that I don’t know. 

Contrast with God, who knows everything. “His knowledge is unsearchable. His grasp on what is has no beginning and no end. He is never confused. He never has to live with misunderstanding. There is nothing that ever surprises him or leaves him perplexed.” He is not even surprised at the stupid things that I do and say. And He is never wrong about anything, either.  

Whom did he consult, and who made him understand?  
Who taught him the path of justice,  
and taught him knowledge,  
and showed him the way of understanding?  
(Isaiah 40:14 ESV) 

I don’t have much to add today. Mostly, I was occupied with the psalm reading and the Sheltering Mercy prayer that was inspired by it. It is sobering, but lately, I have felt like crying out to God in much the same way. Having recently read a great book on the Psalms, that encouraged praying psalms back to God, psalms of every type, even the imprecatory ones, I feel more free to do so. But I also need to make sure that I pray such prayers in the deepest sense of humility, because God is smarter and wiser than I, and He knows what He is doing, and I do not. And that could be read to say either that I don’t know what God is doing or I don’t know what I am doing. In many cases, either one of those could be true.

That goes right along with the list of things that Paul Tripp doesn’t know (and I don’t know them, either).

One thing I do know, though. And that is that God has poured outrageously incredible love into me. I don’t have the words to describe it (yet I keep trying). And because God has poured this incredible love into me, I am able to love in return. I am more in love with Jesus than ever. “The more I praise You, the more I want to . . . I’m falling love with You,” the song says, and it is true for me.

And because I have fallen deeper and deeper into the depths of His amazing love, I have become more able to love others. In Every Moment Holy, the Liturgy of The Hours: Daybreak, it lists one of the ways that we can show our love to God, that love that we are supposed to love Him with, you know, from Deuteronomy 6. “By loving all whose lives intersect our own.” (Emphasis added)

So even when I’m praying for God to rise up and get rid of the evil that is causing the oppression and affliction in the world, to protect the orphans and widows that some would take advantage of . . . I have to find a way to pray those things in love! Because what does John say in his epistle?

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
(1 John 4:20 ESV)

If it is true that Christ is enough, and it is true, then it should be no difficult task to love my brother, my neighbor. Because what else do I need, when I have Christ? And in Christ, I have all the love that I need. In Christ, I have everything that I need, because Christ IS everything!

Lord, as I ponder these psalms, and that prayer from Augustine, I rejoice that I am moved to praise You. I thank You that Your spirit resides within me and inspires me daily to praise You. I thank You that Your Spirit has inspired me to write more songs, new songs, and I pray that this motivation would not only continue, but increase. Help me to do this, Lord, and give me appropriate melodies to go with the words of praise that You give me.

Rise up, O Lord! Rise up! How long will You wait to show Yourself mighty in our world? I know that You desire all people to be saved, and that You are sending us out with Your Word to preach Your Gospel. Let us do it in love, Lord, with compassion and empathy for the souls around us. Let us never engage in mockery of those we disagree with, but love them, as well, showing them the love of Christ that has been poured into us.

I thank You that You have poured all of this love into me, God! I pray that it never stops, for several reasons. One is that it feels really good. I won’t deny that, Lord! The love of Christ being poured into my heart like a raging waterfall feels GOOD!! I’ve never felt anything like it. The other reason that I never want it to stop is because it also feels good to love others with the love that You have given me.

But at the same time, it also hurts. My heart hurts, sometimes, with the love that You have given me, hurting because some of the people that I love are not responding to You. So I pray for them, Lord, that they would. Keep pouring Yourself out, Father, and help me to pour myself out, as well, for the sake of all around me. Let me pour myself out, emptying myself, just as Christ, Your Son, the second person of the Trinity, emptied Himself for the sake of the world, let me empty myself.

Thank You for creating me to be part of this amazing journey, Lord. I love You. Jesus Christ, You are everything.

Grace and peace, my brothers and sisters!

A Vision Problem

Jeff1 Comment

Today is Monday, the seventh day of July, 2025, in the Season of the Church.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Today is day 188 of 2025, with 177 days remaining.

Day 25,588 of my life

43 days until S’s birthday!

Daily writing prompt
What could you let go of, for the sake of harmony?
View all responses

This is a tricky question. In fact, I might go so far as to say that it’s a bad question. It would be easier to answer what I would not let go of, and I’m willing to bet that would be the case for most people. And who gets to define what “harmony” means? One definition is “agreement, accord.” But another definition is “internal calm.” If this question is implying the definition that is “agreement, accord,” at this point in our society, my answer would be “not much,” because I don’t think it is even possible right now. We have two political sides that are in the harshest state of division that I have ever seen in my life.

I think a better question is “What would you be willing to DO for the sake of harmony?” And that, I can answer. I am willing to refrain from posting my political opinions in this blog or on social media and doing the best I can to promote and declare the love of Christ, because this country is in desperate need of a Love Revolution. And trust me, I do have political opinions. But they don’t figure at all into my “job description,” which is to love God and love people.

So, maybe, in a way, that is also what I am willing to “let go of.” I’m not letting go of my opinions, but I am letting go of any perceived “right” to express them. And that actually has led me to a legitimate answer to the question! I am willing to let go of some of my supposed “rights” for the sake of harmony. Yes. Because, when I became a follower of Christ (which happened on March 19, 1969, when I went through the waters of baptism), I surrendered those rights to Him, anyway. I see way too many people insisting on their “right” to this and their “right” to that. It’s all quite selfish, really. Yes, the Constitution does guarantee all of us some rights. But, as I have heard it said, my right to swing my fist ends where your face begins. Any alleged “right” that I have must be sacrificed if practicing that right impinges on someone else’s “right” or freedom. And here is the verse that I go to, to support that belief.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
(Philippians 2:3 ESV)

Today is a normal Monday, around here. C is working from home (although still not feeling great, but here temperature was down to normal or below, this morning), and I am off work today. I have a few things I want to get done, but not a lot, so it should be a relatively chill day for me. I’ll be making our traditional chili for dinner tonight. Which reminds me, I need to go set the meat out to thaw. Be right back.

Thanks for waiting. I also got my second cup of coffee. And started a load of laundry. Let’s get on to the important stuff.

JESUS TIME

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,  
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.  
(Proverbs 9:10 ESV) 

This God—his way is perfect;  
the word of the LORD proves true;  
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.  
(Psalms 18:30 ESV) 

Today I am grateful:

  • That Your Word, O Lord, proves true, and that You are a shield for all who take refuge in You 
  • That You have placed in my heart this reverence and love for You, and You are giving me more knowledge of You daily 
  • That there is room in our worship for both complex, theological hymns, and simple, meditative songs that lead me to sit and soak in the amazing, beautiful presence of Jesus 
  • That You, Jesus, are all that I need; You are everything! 
  • For the enlightening of the eyes of my heart, that I may see the hope to which He has called me, the riches of my glorious inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of His power 

O Dayspring, O Morning Light, arise in my heart at the resurrection of all flesh on the Last Day! Keep me until that day. Continually remind me with each morning’s awakening that I shall arise to live before You in righteous perfection forever. Use my labor this day to provide for those whom You have given into my care. Permit my actions to confess the one, holy faith. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14); for You live and reign with the Father and the Spirit, one God forever. Amen. 
(Portals of Prayer – Prayer for Monday Morning) 

Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace. 

If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.”  
(Deuteronomy 6:4-6 ESV) 

“Jesus be all that I want 
Jesus you’re all that I need 
Jesus be Lord of my life 
Jesus be everything” 

Sometimes, all I want to do is simply sit here and soak in the beautiful presence of Jesus! Songs like this, while very repetitive, are conducive to that kind of meditation. I praise God that there is room for both complex, theological hymns, and simple, meditative songs such as this. 

Trust in the LORD, and do good;  
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.  
Delight yourself in the LORD,  
and he will give you the desires of your heart.  
 
Commit your way to the LORD;  
trust in him, and he will act.  
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,  
and your justice as the noonday.  
 
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;  
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,  
over the man who carries out evil devices!  
(Psalms 37:3-7 ESV) 

May God be gracious to us and bless us  
and make his face to shine upon us,  
Selah.  
that your way may be known on earth,  
your saving power among all nations.  
Let the peoples praise you, O God;  
let all the peoples praise you!  
 
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,  
for you judge the peoples with equity  
and guide the nations upon earth.  
Selah.  
Let the peoples praise you, O God;  
let all the peoples praise you!  
(Psalms 67:1-5 ESV) 

Unless the LORD builds the house,  
those who build it labor in vain.  
Unless the LORD watches over the city,  
the watchman stays awake in vain.  
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest,  
eating the bread of anxious toil;  
for he gives to his beloved sleep.  
(Psalms 127:1-2 ESV) 

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.  
(2 Corinthians 10:3-6 ESV) 

And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.  
 
As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.  
(Luke 18:31-43 ESV) 

“O Lord, let nothing divert my advance towards you, 
But in this dangerous labyrinth of the world 
and the whole course of my pilgrimage here, 
May your heavenly dictates be my map and 
your holy life be my guide. Amen.” 
(For All the Saints – Monday of the Week of Pentecost 4, Closing Prayer: John Wesley) 

The following is from New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp.

“As God’s child, you don’t sit and wait for hope. No, grace makes it possible for you to get up and life in hope.” 

“Perhaps one of the dirty secrets of the church is how much we do out of fear and not faith.”  

Tripp says we don’t have a hope problem, but rather a sight problem. “Hope isn’t a thing. Hope isn’t a set of circumstances. Hope isn’t first a set of ideas. Hope is a person, and his name is Jesus.” We have been given hope, and it is real and constant. “The issue is whether you see it.”  

. . . having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  
(Ephesians 1:18-21 ESV) 

Paul prays for us, that the eyes of our hearts will be enlightened, so we can know this hope, and the riches of our glorious inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of God’s power toward us who believe. So, you see, we don’t really have a hope problem. We have a vision problem, and we need to have our eyes enlightened by His grace. 

Jesus, our Savior, looks at us and says, “What do you want me to do for you?” And just like Bartimaeus, my answer is, “I want to see!” And, bless His holy name, He is doing that for me!  

Father, I praise You for the enlightenment of the eyes of my heart, or at least the beginning of said enlightenment, as there is still far to go in me in this area. Thank You for allowing me to see the hope that is mine in Christ, and that He truly is everything that I need in this life. I thank You for the outpouring of love into my life, that You have been doing pretty much nonstop this year. I only wish that I could come up with adequate words to describe what I am feeling in Christ. But I do the best that I can.

I pray that Your power would keep becoming more and more evident to me, in my life. I don’t want power, myself. I have no power, just as I have no righteousness of my own. I seek Your power, and that not for myself, that I should boast about anything. Heaven forbid . . . “forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God!” And that leads right into my gratitude for the heart that You have given me concerning any perceived “rights,” as discussed up there in the writing prompt response. “All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them through His blood.”

What do I want You to do for me? I want You to keep doing what You have been doing in my life, until the day that I meet You face to face, on the other side of this life. I want to know You more, I want to know Christ more, and I want that knowledge to be the thing that drives my every word, though, and action in this world, that others might know this same love that You have for them!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Grace and peace, my brothers and sisters!

Pour Me Out

Jeff

Today is Monday, the nineteenth day of May, 2025, in the fifth week of Easter.

May the peace of the Lord be with you always!

It is day 139 of 2025, with 226 remaining

Day 24,539 of my life

It’s a work Monday for me, today, so I will be in the circulation department of the Hurst Public Library from 9:15-6:15. Come see me if you’re in the area! Get a library card if you live in Texas. Sign up for Summer Reading Club and win cool prizes!

C is working from home today. And that’s really all I’ve got, this morning, so on to Jesus Time.

JESUS TIME

I love you, O LORD, my strength.  
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,  
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,  
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  
(Psalms 18:1-2 ESV) 

Today I am grateful:

  • That I am truly filled with His goodness and lost in His love (“Blessed Assurance”) 
  • For Your precious and very great promises, Lord, through which I become a partaker in the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world (1 Peter 1:4) 
  • That if I delight myself in the Lord, He will give me the desires of my heart  
  • That the Lord is near to all who call on Him in truth 
  • That God has changed the desires of my heart as I humble myself before Him; may my life be poured out at the feet of Jesus, consumed in His love 

O Lord, Your Word is flawless, so I begin this day worshiping You in the splendor of Your holiness. O God, help me understand the promises You’ve made to be gracious to me, and that You rise to show me compassion. I don’t deserve any of Your promises, but because You are rich in mercy, I am delighted to do Your will! Guiding Holy Spirit, You remind me that I am dead to sin but alive to God. Stir up that calm brook of Your wisdom in me this morning into a flourishing fountain of faith so I speak to others readily about Your saving grace. Instill in me the courage to pray boldly, like Daniel. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 
(Portals of Prayer – Prayer for Monday Morning) 

Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace. 

If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?

O Lord, open my lips,  
and my mouth will declare your praise.  
(Psalms 51:15 ESV) 

“As Your will is done in heaven 
Let it now be done below 
Let Your daily bread be given 
Let Your kingdom come and grow 
Lead us not into temptation 
But deliver us, we cry 
Will You rise? Will You rise?” 

The following is from For All the Saints – Monday of the Week of Easter 5

“For who can learn the counsel of God?  
Or who can discern what the Lord wills?  
For the reasoning of mortals is worthless, 
 and our designs are likely to fail; 
 for a perishable body weighs down the soul,  
and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful mind.  
We can hardly guess at what is on earth,  
and what is at hand we find with labor; 
 but who has traced out what is in the heavens?  
Who has learned your counsel,  
unless you have given wisdom 
 and sent your holy spirit from on high? 
 And thus the paths of those on earth were set right, 
 and people were taught what pleases you,  
and were saved by wisdom.”  
(Wisdom 9:13-18 NRSVA) 

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.  
(Colossians 3:23-25 ESV) 

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.  
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.  
(Colossians 4:2-6 ESV) 

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”  
 
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”  
(Luke 7:36-50 ESV) 

Our sin lies in nothing else 
but in loving what you hate 
and hating what you love. 
I confess, eternal God, 
that I have constantly loved what you hate 
and hated what you love. 
But today I cry out in the presence of your mercy: 
grant that I may follow your truth 
with a simple heart; 
give me the deep well and fire of charity; 
give me a continual hunger 
to endure pains and torments for you. 
Eternal Father, 
give my eyes a fountain of tears 
with which to draw your mercy down 
over all the world, 
and especially over your bride. Amen. 
(Closing Prayer, Catherine of Sienna) 

The LORD is gracious and merciful,  
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  
The LORD is good to all,  
and his mercy is over all that he has made.  
All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,  
and all your saints shall bless you! 
 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom  
and tell of your power,  
to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, 
 and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 
 
 The LORD is near to all who call on him,  
to all who call on him in truth. 
 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;  
he also hears their cry and saves them. 
(Psalms 145:8-12, 18-19 ESV) 

The following is from New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp

“If your heart isn’t ruled by God’s honor and your life by God’s plan, you may seem religious, but what you’re living isn’t biblical faith.” 

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.  
(James 4:1-10 ESV) 

The reason we have tensions and quarrels in our human relationships is not because we have difficult people in our lives to deal with. It is because of the passions that wage war within our hearts. We have a lust for power, to be able to rule over not only our own lives, but the lives of others, as well. “I fight with you because I have a heart problem. Rather than my heart being ruled by God and motivated by God’s honor, my heart is ruled by my wants, my needs, and my feelings. James also points out that we are committing “spiritual adultery. When we put ourselves where God alone belongs, conflict always results.”  

(The rest of this is my words, not Tripp’s.) The thing is, though, even that last sentence in verse 10 is tricky. Motivation is everything, here. If I try to “humble” myself so that God will exalt me, with my motivation being that I get exalted, I am not really humbling myself at all, am I? I’m just trying to get more exalted.  

And this, I firmly believe, ties in with verses 18-19 of Psalm 145, up there. Truly, the Lord to all who call on Him “in truth,” and He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him. The thing is, if I humble myself before God, and allow Him to do that which He purposes to do within me, my desires are changed. So God is not fulfilling my desire to have power over my life and the relationships in it. He is fulfilling my NEW desire, which He has given me in place of the old, selfish ones, and that desire is He would be glorified in me, that my life would be poured out over the feet of Jesus, just like that vial of precious perfume that the woman poured out on His feet, that my life would be consumed for His glory. 

Father, I pray that You continue to humble me in this adventure You have me on, that I would never seek to be exalted, because You and You alone are to be exalted and worshiped. Father, I pray that my desires, the desires of my heart would always be pointed outward and upward and never inward, except for the inward desire to glorify and magnify Your holy name in my life. I want nothing for myself, Father, and everything for Christ, because Christ is everything.

Pour me out, Lord, at the feet of my Savior. Consume me in Your all-consuming love, Lord Jesus!!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen!

I love the LORD,
because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
(Psalms 116:1-2 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.

For Your Glory

Jeff

Today is Monday the fifth day of May, 2025, in the third week of Easter.

May the peace and love of Christ flood your soul, today!

It is day 125 of 2025, with 240 days remaining

Day 24,525 of my life

Yesterday was a pretty great day. We had a great worship time, yesterday morning, and a nice afternoon. Then S and I went back up to church for youth night, where S volunteers, helping out with the Confirmation class. I got a lot of reading done.

Today is a work Monday for me, the second one, so I’m still getting used to having to get up on Monday morning to get ready for work. I’ll be working 9:15-6:15 today, and then my usual 4:15-8:15 tomorrow. Then I’ll be off Wednesday and Thursday, and work Friday and Saturday.

JESUS TIME

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
(Psalms 51:15 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

  • for Your Word, Lord; Your Word is truth
  • for the glorious splendor of Your majesty, O Lord, and Your glorious works, on which I meditate daily (Psalm 145)
  • that I know that You abide in me, by the Spirit You have given me (1 John 3:24)
  • for the Cross, Father, and the forgiveness that it purchased for me; that all of my sins are eternally forgiven, and will never be held against me! Hallelujah!
  • for the desire in my heart to see Your name hallowed, and for every creature on earth to live for Your glory

O Lord, Your Word is flawless, so I begin this day worshiping You in the splendor of Your holiness. O God, help me understand the promises You’ve made to be gracious to me, and that You rise to show me compassion. I don’t deserve any of Your promises, but because You are rich in mercy, I am delighted to do Your will! Guiding Holy Spirit, You remind me that I am dead to sin but alive to God. Stir up that calm brook of Your wisdom in me this morning into a flourishing fountain of faith so I speak to others readily about Your saving grace. Instill in me the courage to pray boldly, like Daniel. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Portals of Prayer – Prayer for Monday Morning)

“When my flesh, it shall fail, and my work here is done,
And the heavens and earth are remade,
Though I sowed here in sorrow
It will be glorious tomorrow
He’ll remake it by the power of His grace!”

Monday of the Week of Easter 3

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
(1 John 3:19-4:6 ESV)

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
(Luke 4:16-21 ESV)

“Almighty God, Who through the Death of Thy Son hast brought to naught sin and death, and through His Resurrection hast brought again innocence and eternal life, so that, delivered from the devil’s power, we may live in Thy Kingdom: Grant us that we may believe this with our whole heart and steadfast in this faith, always praise and thank Thee; through the same Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
(For All the Saints – Monday of the Week of Easter 3, Closing Prayer, Martin Luther)

Lord, in Your mercy, hear, now, the prayers lifted up to you for all who need strength, healing, comfort, and peace. 

If you are reading this, I encourage you to stop and pray for someone, at this time. Or, if there is something on your heart, please leave a comment. What can I pray for you?
Our Father, who art in heaven, 
hallowed be thy name, 
thy kingdom come, 
thy will be done, 
on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us; 
and lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil. 
For thine is the kingdom,
 and the power, and the glory,
 forever and ever. Amen.

The following is from New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp.

Starting with yesterday’s reading, Tripp is working through the phrases of the Lord’s Prayer. Yesterday, he covered “Our Father in heaven,” with the encouragement that, because we are His children, we have a Father in heaven, and we are never alone, no matter what our circumstances.

Today it is “Hallowed be your name,” which tells us that, “in the little moments of daily life, I must live for a greater honor and glory for my own.”

What it does not tell us is that the burden of God’s reputation is on our human shoulders. “No fallen human being on his most brilliantly godly day could successfully carry such a burden.” Instead, he says, this “this statement frames everything that prayer is about, and in so doing it reveals how precious the grace of Jesus is. Prayer is about something vastly bigger and more beautiful than laying before God your personal wish list for the day, because your life is meant to be about something bigger than that as well.”

This is not something about which we often think. When I pray, I acknowledge that there is something in the world that is greater and more glorious than me. It reminds me that my own little world, filled with my little plans, is not the ultimate. There is a greater glory than any that I could ever want for myself. Prayer reminds me and helps me remember that “the deepest, most important motivation for every person who has ever taken a breath is the awe of God.”

That’s worth reading again. Prayer helps me remember that “the deepest, most important motivation for every person who has ever taken a breath is the awe of God.”

This is what should shape and direct everything in my life! Everything that exists, including me, was made for His glory! “This reality rips a hole in my heart and exposes what is there.” This is part of what has happened in me over the last couple of months, because I can truly say that I do, now, want to live for a greater glory. I don’t want to live for myself, anymore. That hole was ripped in my heart back on February 17, and then that hole was healed and filled with His love, as He rebuilt me from my foundations up (I should say, “is rebuilding,” rather than “rebuilt,” because it is still happening, still in process).

So I eagerly pray, every morning, “Hallowed be your name,” because my desire is to see every person, every creature on this planet, live for His glory.

Father, I thank You, continuously, for what You have done in me. Thank You for ripping that hole in my heart and shaking me to my foundations, and continuing to rebuild me (though I still stumble daily). Thank You for creating in me the desire to not only live for Your glory, myself, but to see all other people, every creature on the planet, live for Your glory and purpose, as well. The purpose of my every breath, Father, is to be awestruck by You, and I am, Lord.

I pray that this awe would increase, that it would be a part of my being every moment of every day. For, You see, there are still moments where I slip back into wanting to glorify myself, and I don’t want that, really. My life is Yours, Lord, and has not been mine for a long time. In fact, it has never been mine, has it? Because I was created for Your glory. I was taken out of my mother’s womb so that I might glorify You, and that is the only way that I can fulfill my purpose in this life. So let that be so, Lord. Let me live for Your glory and nothing else. Break me, by the power of Your grace.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

“I commend unto Thee, O Lord, 
my soul and my body, 
my mind and my thoughts, 
my prayers and all my vows, 
my senses and my members, 
my life and my death; 
my brothers, sisters, and their children, 
friends and benefactors, 
household, neighbors, 
country, and all Christian folk. 
 
Amen. 
(For All the Saints – Sunday of the Week of Lent 3, Closing Prayer, Lancelot Andrewes) 

Grace and peace, friends.

Community/Friendship

Jeff10 Comments

Gracious Father, thank You for being with me this day. Thank You for answering me every time I called and for giving me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayers! I confess to You my sins of this day—the times I did not love You with my whole heart or love my neighbor as myself. Enable me to offer right sacrifices as I emulate Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. Thank You for Your assurance of forgiveness. “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). Help me to put my trust in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 
(Portals of Prayer – Prayer for Wednesday Evening) 

“Oh, the wonderful cross, 
oh, the wonderful cross, 
Bids me come and die 
and find that I may truly live 
 
Oh, the wonderful cross, 
oh, the wonderful cross, 
All who gather here 
by grace draw near 
and bless your name 
 
Love so amazing, so divine, 
Demands my soul, 
My life, 
My all.” 

Forgive me, Father, for the constant condition of my heart, for the self-serving impulses, inclinations, and desires which stand me every moment in need of a savior. 
(Adapted from Every Moment Holy – A Liturgy of The Hours: Nightfall) 

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.  
 
Trust in him at all times, O people;  
pour out your heart before him;  
God is a refuge for us.  
Selah.  
(Psalms 62:5-8 ESV) 

Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this:  
that power belongs to God,  
and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. 
 For you will render to a man according to his work.  
(Psalms 62:11-12 ESV) 

This is the day that the LORD has made;  
let us rejoice and be glad in it.  
Save us, we pray, O LORD! 
 O LORD, we pray, give us success! 
 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!  
We bless you from the house of the LORD.  
(Psalms 118:24-26 ESV) 

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.  
 
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  
(Hebrews 4:12-16 ESV) 

“When my flesh, it shall fail, and my work here is done, 
And the heavens and earth are remade, 
Though I sowed here in sorrow 
It will be glorious tomorrow 
He’ll remake it by the power of His grace! 
 
Break us by the power of Your grace, O Lord, 
Won’t You break us by the power of Your grace. 
Break us, remake us, don’t let the sorrow take us; 
O break us by the power of Your grace.” 

You have said, “Seek my face.”  
My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”  
Hide not your face from me.  
Turn not your servant away in anger,  
O you who have been my help.  
Cast me not off; forsake me not,  
O God of my salvation!  
(Psalms 27:8-9 ESV) 

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,  
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.  
 
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;  
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 
 Let me hear joy and gladness;  
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.  
Hide your face from my sins,  
and blot out all my iniquities.  
Create in me a clean heart, O God,  
and renew a right spirit within me.  
(Psalms 51:6-10 ESV) 

but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
(John 19:25-27 ESV)

I’ve got something a little different tonight. Instead of sharing something from one of my devotional books, I want to share something that I read in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, Life Together, one of the books in my Lenten reading pile.

In the chapter called “Community,” he writes this: “I am a brother or sister to another person through what Jesus Christ has done for me and to me; others have become brothers and sisters to me through what Jesus Christ has done for them and to them. The fact that we are brothers and sisters only through Jesus Christ is of immeasurable significance. . . .

“Our community consists solely in what Christ has done to both of us. That not only is true at the beginning, as if in the course of time something else were to be added to our community, but also remains so for all the future and into all eternity. I have community with others and will continue to have it only through Jesus Christ. The more genuine and the deeper our community becomes, the more everything else between us will recede, and the more clearly and purely will Jesus Christ and his work become the one and only thing that is alive between us. We have one another only through Christ, but through Christ we really do have one another. We have one another completely and for all eternity.”(p. 34)

This, my brothers and sisters, is the beauty of “community.” Granted, in this day and age, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to experience the kind of community that Bonhoeffer developed, followers of Christ who truly live together and worship together every single day, morning and evening. But we have brothers and sisters in our church fellowships, and I believe it is possible to have friendships that are like what he describes, here. In fact, I know it is possible, because I have one.

Now, go back up there and read the passage from John, where Jesus gives John and Mary to one another. Here is what Kari Vo says, in today’s reading from Lutheran Hour Ministries: “It comforts me to see the care Jesus takes, to make sure both of them have a fellow believer to be with them. Jesus could have left John to find his own way—could have left Mary to the tender mercies of His unbelieving brothers. He does neither. Instead, He creates a new family of love out of the two of them.”

Did Jesus create the first true “Christian community” that day? I don’t know. But what I do know is that, in the Church, He has given us the love and support of one another, and of us, He has said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

Father, I am thankful for the brothers and sisters and friends that I have in Christ. I am especially thankful for friendships that are based in Christ and not in this world, and in which Christ is truly alive. I pray that these friendships continue to thrive and grow, Lord, and that anything worldly will, as Bonhoeffer said, decrease as You increase in us.

May all our relationships find their bearings in Jesus Christ, Father, for truly Christ is everything!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness
and the power and the glory
and the victory and the majesty,
for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.
Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
and you are exalted as head above all.
(1 Chronicles 29:11 ESV)

Grace and peace, friends.

Friday Night Worship

Jeff3 Comments

Lord Jesus, as You hung on the cross, Your work for our salvation complete, You cried out, “It is finished.” But next, of course, You rose from the grave to proclaim Easter’s joy and freedom from death’s grip to all who believe in You. Whether or not my work for this day is done, I pause, Lord, to thank You for giving me a life on this earth, surrounded by people who need You. Thank You for granting me tasks to busy my hands and rest to renew my body and soul. As I finish each day, grow my gratitude for Your blessings and Your care. May I always see the joy that awaits me because of Your love for me. In Your name. Amen. 
(Portals of Prayer – Prayer for Friday Evening) 

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! 
 I will sing and make melody!  
Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre!  
I will awake the dawn!  
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; 
 I will sing praises to you among the nations. 
 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,  
your faithfulness to the clouds. 
 
 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! 
 Let your glory be over all the earth!  
(Psalms 57:7-11 ESV) 

“Lord, send your mercy and your truth to rescue us from the snares of the devil, and we will praise you among the peoples and proclaim you to the nations, happy to be known as companions of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  
(For All the Saints – Prayer Following Psalm 57)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith.  
(1 Peter 5:6-9a ESV) 

“Eternal God, the hours both of day and night are yours, and to you the darkness is no threat. Be present, we pray, with those who labor in these hours of night, especially those who watch and work on behalf of others. Grant them diligence in their watching, faithfulness in their service, courage in danger, and competence in emergencies. Help them to meet the needs of others with confidence and compassion; through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 
(For All the Saints – Compline)

“Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
(Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV)

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 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 3:8-14 ESV)

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted  
and saves the crushed in spirit.  
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,  
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.  
He keeps all his bones;  
not one of them is broken.  
(Psalms 34:18-20 ESV) 

Father, I praise You for a good day, today. I thank You that C is feeling better, tonight, and is resting well. I pray for a good night of rest for all of my loved ones, both family and friends, Father. I thank You that You are near to the brokenhearted and that You save the crushed in spirit. I thank You for Your most precious deliverance, Lord, which I have experienced first-hand.

My heart’s desire, O Lord, is to know Jesus Christ more and more. Nothing else is worth knowing, Lord. Christ is everything! All that I have in Him is enough. I need nothing from this world, Father. Indeed, You have done a “new thing” in me, and I look not back to the former things. Help me keep my eyes forward, fixed on Your Son as Christ and Christ alone is my salvation and my hope. And now, Lord,

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake.  Amen.
(Book of Common Prayer – Compline)

Over and Over and Over Again

Jeff

Today is Thursday, the twentieth of January, 2022, in the second week of Ordinary Time.

May the peace of Christ be with you, today.

Day 23,324

Only three more days until Hamilton!

There’s not a lot going on around here, today. It’s one of my days that I’m always off (Monday and Thursday), so I’m home all day, and C continues to work from home, probably through next week, as well. She has an appointment with her foot doctor, later this morning. I ordered some groceries, but they’re coming from Amazon Fresh, because Albertson’s was booked up until tomorrow afternoon. I needed some things for this evening’s dinner, which will hopefully be chicken stir-fry.

I could have ventured out to the store, in person, but it’s really cold out there, today. Currently 24 and only supposed to get up to 34 today. Now, the low for tomorrow morning is predicted to be 18. In DFW, Texas, that’s stay-in-the-house cold. Fortunately, the precipitation possibility remains very low until Monday, when it is supposed to be above freezing all day. And, also, it has been in the sixties and seventies for the past week, for the most part, so the ground is probably still fairly warm, in comparison.

So I’ll move on to the devotional. I’ve already said some prayers for people, this morning. There are troubles all around, and people are losing loved ones all around us, as well. Some Covid-related, some not. These are simply tough times. I received word this morning that a young woman we have been praying for for the past two weeks, who had leukemia, but also came down with Covid, passed away, yesterday. She has seven kids, all home-schooled. It’s tragic, and it breaks my heart. And we wonder, when things like this happen, why God doesn’t act. Or maybe He did. His ways are so much higher than ours, and His understanding is infinitely beyond ours. But I guarantee that the “world,” the skeptics, mock statements like that.

JESUS TIME

Your Window, by Daryl Madden

Through Your window of presence
In prayer to reside
Of the Spiritual world
We’ll dwell on that side

Through Your window of grace
An insight is shown
Through the vision of soul
The unknown is known

Through Your window of sight
The world disappears
A glimpse of heaven
Of being appears

Through Your window of love
Of heavenly grace
Our home found in You
We can always embrace

Right about now, I’m longing for that third stanza, for the world to disappear. Please check out Daryl’s inspiration poetry at the link provided.

“All those who sow, weeping, go out with songs of joy.”

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 
and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 
And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 
for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 
And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." 
And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. 
(Mark 3:7-12 ESV)

People always flocked to Jesus because of what He was doing, not because of who He was. This is typical of human nature. We tend to read a passage like this and think that, because there were great crowds following Him, He was “successful.” This has translated into today’s mega-church. There are certain pastors around the country and the world who have managed to draw great crowds. But are they really “successful?”

I believe the measure of “success” is in the results. “The proof is in the pudding,” I’ve heard. For Jesus, I believe that, in the passage above, the evidence of success is in verse 11. The demons fell down before Him and declared His identity.

Just because a “church” is large does not mean that it is “successful.”

 Glory to the Father,  
and to the Son,  
and to the Holy Spirit;  
as it was in the beginning,  
is now, and will be forever.  
Amen.

There is a quote from Thomas Merton, in Spiritual Classics, which has grabbed my attention. “There are so many Christians who have practically no idea of the immense love of God for them, and of the power of that Love to do them good, to bring them happiness.” This quote is in a larger piece that speaks of the gift of contemplation to the Christian life.

Contemplation, as defined by Merton and others in the book I am reading, is nothing more than a way of paying intimate, close attention to God and His love for us, as well as our love for Him. In fact, Merton says that contemplation increases our love for Him. “It is the work of love and nothing is more effective in increasing our love for God.”

The condition, though, is closeness to God. We cannot remain at a distance, we cannot confine our lives “to a few routine exercises of piety and a few external acts of worship and service performed as a matter of duty.” Oddly enough, such people do, in fact, avoid sin and “respect God as a Master.” But, says Merton, “their heart does not belong to Him. They are not really interested in Him, except in order to insure themselves against losing heaven and going to hell.”

Do we only invite God when we need to “smooth our difficulties and to dispense rewards?” 

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 
but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 
The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 
for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
(Psalms 1:1-6 ESV)

What obstacles stand in our way, in regard to this kind of interaction with God? What stereotypes do we need to work on, either about God, ourselves, or prayer?

One way of entering into contemplative prayer is to choose a passage of Scripture with rich meaning, such as Psalm 23, and read it, reflectively. When a particular phrase or word grabs the attention, focus on it. Contemplation is not, as some mistakenly think, “emptying the mind.” Far from it. However, it is largely intended to be wordless. This is harder for some of us who are inundated with words every day.

It is also suggested that visiting a quiet chapel, garden, or park would be helpful, if one is able to do that. I would go sit in the back yard, but, as mentioned earlier, it is prohibitively cold for that kind of activity, today.

Going back to that idea about us not having any idea of the immense love of God for us, Richard Foster comments that Merton seems to be teaching that “at its core contemplation is simply and profoundly falling in love with God over and over and over again.”

I am a little surprised that, after devoting four chapters to Job, Eugene H. Peterson, in Symphony of Salvation, only devotes one to the Psalms. However, in that one, I believe he does them justice.

The Psalms are a prayer book/song book. Dietrich Bonhoeffer called the Psalms the prayer book of the Bible. If I’m not mistaken, the Psalms are where Peterson began when he began paraphrasing The Message. His reasoning was to get prayers in the hands of the people.

You see, we have misconceptions about prayer. We tend to think we aren’t “good enough,” and need to wait until we “clean up our act.” Or, we believe our vocabulary to be inadequate. Peterson’s response to these ways of thinking was to put the Psalms in peoples’ hands and tell them, “Go home and pray these. You’ve got wrong ideas about prayer; the praying you find in these psalms will dispel the wrong ideas and introduce you to the real thing.”

People are generally shocked when they do what he asked. 

Please, GOD, no more yelling, no more trips to the woodshed. 
Treat me nice for a change; I'm so starved for affection. 
Can't you see I'm black and blue, beat up badly in bones and soul? 
GOD, how long will it take for you to let up?
(Psalms 6:1-3 MSG)
God, don't just watch from the sidelines. 
Come on! Run to my side! 
My accusers—make them lose face. 
Those out to get me—make them look Like idiots, 
while I stretch out, reaching for you, 
and daily add praise to praise. 
(Psalms 71:12-14 MSG)

“Untutored, we tend to think that prayer is what good people do when they are doing their best. It is not. Inexperienced, we suppose that there must be an ‘insider’ language that must be acquired before God takes us seriously in our prayer. There is not.”

GOD, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. 
Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; 
Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; 
See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong—
 then guide me on the road to eternal life. 
(Psalms 139:1, 23-24 MSG)

These are not the prayers of “nice people. And, if there is any doubt about that (I’m adding this part myself), one need only look as far as Psalm 137.

Alongside Babylon's rivers we sat on the banks; 
we cried and cried, remembering the good old days in Zion. 
Alongside the quaking aspens we stacked our unplayed harps; 
That's where our captors demanded songs, sarcastic and mocking: 
"Sing us a happy Zion song!" 
Oh, how could we ever sing GOD's song in this wasteland? 
If I ever forget you, Jerusalem, 
let my fingers wither and fall off like leaves. 
Let my tongue swell and turn black if I fail to remember you, 
If I fail, O dear Jerusalem, to honor you as my greatest. 
GOD, remember those Edomites, 
and remember the ruin of Jerusalem, 
That day they yelled out, "Wreck it, smash it to bits!" 
And you, Babylonians—ravagers! 
A reward to whoever gets back at you for all you've done to us; 
Yes, a reward to the one who grabs your babies and smashes their heads on the rocks!
(Psalms 137:1-9 MSG)

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
(1 Peter 4:8 ESV)

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
(Jeremiah 31:3 ESV)

We love because he first loved us.
(1 John 4:19 ESV)

These are a couple of good verses to spark some contemplation, by the way.

Father, there have been a couple of good topics today. I pray for us, Your people, that we would dispense with any misplaced notions of what constitutes “success.” May we always see success through Your eyes, and the eyes of Jesus, taking note that the result is what marks whether something is successful. Regardless of how many people flock to our ministries or church services . . . are we reaching the “least of these?” Are we clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, providing healing help to the sick, comforting the dying, freeing the oppressed?

Help me to do better at understanding Your immense love for us/me. Help me to be better at contemplating these things, trying to simply sit and love You, looking at You without adding my own words (which is really hard). Draw me into depths of intimacy with You that defy explanation and description. Give me “experience” with You that cannot be described. Help me to fall in love with You over and over and over again.

And, as for prayer, I have long been aware that prayer is not just for “nice” or “good” people. If it were, I would not bother, because, most of the time, I am neither one. But also, give me patience and tenacity, especially when, after we have been praying, a mother of seven home-schooled children dies anyway. This kind of thing affects me greatly. But let it affect me in the right direction, driving me further into You, rather than away from You. You have blessed us with the Psalms, and I have been diving into them a lot for the past decade or so. Remind me that I need to stay in them more. Help me to embrace the language of prayer that we get from the prayer book of our Bible. And help me to be as honest as possible when I pray.

Thank You for Your everlasting love.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. 
I'm back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life.
(Psalms 23:6 MSG)

Today I am grateful:

1. for the Psalms and how they help me pray
2. for the everlasting love of God and how contemplation helps me enter into that love and fall in love with Him all over again'
3. that "success" isn't measured by how many people we attract
4. that those who sow weeping will go out with songs of joy (Psalm 126)
5. for the sweet mercies of God, falling from heaven, fresh every morning
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, 
have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O, Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
grant us Your peace.
(Agnus Dei)

Grace and peace, friends.

Messy Community

Jeff

Good morning. Today is Tuesday, the fourth of January, 2022, in the second week of Christmas. It’s the eleventh day of Christmas.

May the peace of Christ fill you today.

Day 23,308

Nineteen days until Hamilton!

It’s chilly, this morning, some would say cold, but not as cold as the last two mornings. I do not think C had to scrape ice off her windshield, this morning. As I begin, this morning, it is 34 degrees, with a projected high of 65. A nice day.

I don’t believe I have mentioned our neighborhood cat. He lives across the street, and is named Dommy (or Dommie, not sure how they spell it). Several times a day, he activates the motion sensors on our cameras in front of the house as he makes his rounds. We actually enjoy watching this. Twice, yesterday, he followed exactly the same path, across the sidewalk in front of our porch, and then down the driveway on the driver’s sided of my car. I’m thinking about finding something to give to the folks across the street for him. I need to find out if he is also an indoor cat, or strictly outside.

I have a little bit of laundry to do today, as well as a side trip to a different grocery store. There is at least one thing we need more of that we can only get at Walmart Neighborhood Market. Maybe I should sign up for their delivery service, as well.

I work my four hour shelving shift this evening, from 4:15 – 8:15. So, at some point, I will go out and pick up Subway for lunch for S and me, and get a salad for C for her dinner. I also just remembered that I need to swing by CVS to get some scripts for S. Hopefully there won’t be four people in line getting Covid tests.

I finished my first book of the year, yesterday, so that’s good. It is called The Last Wish, by Andrzej Sapkowski (Polish). It introduces a beloved character known as The Witcher. I plan to read more of his books, and believe we have most of them in the library. Next up is A Slow Fire Burning, by Paula Hawkins, author the best-seller, The Girl on the Train. Believe it or not, I am also still working through The Divine Embrace, by Robert E. Webber. Hopefully, I will finish that soon. It is actually a good book, but not an easy read. Lots of footnotes and historical information.

JESUS TIME

Spirit Blessed, by Daryl Madden

Come, oh come, oh Spirit blessed
As colors rising to express
To start this day with our request
In the light of dawning

Come, oh come, oh Spirit blessed
With humble will let us confess
To Your power we attest
Unto our knees of falling

Come, oh come, oh Spirit blessed
When we are put to the test
Through Your grace let us profess
Your Word of wisdom spawning

Come, oh come, oh Spirit blessed
Let this weary soul find rest
And turn to you when we are stressed
When we feel darkness calling

Come, oh come, oh Spirit blessed
With our praise, our joy express
In sharing prayer, let us invest
Our daily path of walking

I like the rhythm of this poem, as well as the prayer expressed. Yes, Spirit, come!

For great is the LORD, 
and greatly to be praised, 
and he is to be feared above all gods.
 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, 
but the LORD made the heavens. 
Splendor and majesty are before him; 
strength and joy are in his place. 
(1 Chronicles 16:25-27 ESV)

Today I am grateful:

1. for the splendor and majesty of the Lord, and the strength and joy we receive from Him
2. for the opportunity to spend more time with Jesus, as He asks me, "What are you looking for?" (John 1:35-42)
3. that Jesus revealed the way to God; it is not hidden
4. for the enlarged capacity to love each other and be more generous with our resources
5. for the communities that God has placed us in, messy as they are
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, 
"Behold, the Lamb of God!" 
The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 
Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, 
"What are you seeking?" 
And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), 
"where are you staying?" 
He said to them, "Come and you will see." 
So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 
One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him,
 "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). 
He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, 
"You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter). 
(John 1:35-42 ESV)

Jesus asks the question, here, “What are you seeking?” This could be stated as “What are you looking for?” I believe that we could hear Jesus asking us that same question today. What is my answer? What am I looking for?

The answer to this question varies, depending on the day, depending on my spiritual state of being. Today, my answer is going to be more spiritually-leaning than materially-leaning. I am looking for Him. That’s not just a “Sunday School” answer, either. I really am looking for Jesus; I’m looking for God. Not that I have not found Him, mind you. But that I am looking for more depth of relationship. I am looking to be more like Jesus so that I can be more in tune with what God wants for my life.

Apparently, the two disciples that were following Him weren’t quite ready for the question. The best they could come up with was, “Where are you staying?” To which He simply replied, “Come and you will see.” So Jesus invites me to come and see where He is staying. What do I find there? What does He say to me? How do I respond?

Obviously, these are questions that require the use of imagination, and there is nothing wrong with that. I believe I would find a simple abode, simply furnished with basic necessities, no frills or extras. Jesus would only have what He needed to live. And I believe that, as I spend time with Him, He would ask me again, “What are you looking for?” Or maybe, “What do you want?” I don’t believe He is satisfied with the first answer to His question. And my response would be what I typed earlier. “I want to know You. I want to know as I am known.”

Reading/listening to this passage again, I use my imagination and consider spending an afternoon with Jesus. What would this feel like? My heart’s desire is to spend more time with Him during 2022.

(Questions taken from Pray As You Go)

 Glory to the Father,  
and to the Son,  
and to the Holy Spirit;  
as it was in the beginning,  
is now, and will be forever.  
Amen.

As I continue to look at Thomas More’s “A Godly Meditation” in Spiritual Classics, the question is asked, “What lessons can I learn from Thomas More’s attitude and his meditation?” I posted the parts that spoke most to me a couple days ago, but if you want to read the entire thing, it can be found here.

What I learn or see in this meditation is an attitude of contentment and humility, or at least the desire to have more of both. There is value in setting our minds on the Lord and, for the most part, ignoring “the blast of men’s mouths” (I can’t get over how much I love that phrase). More expresses a deep desire to know the Lord and His ways, as opposed to the world and its ways. He desires no worldly company. He desires to “lean unto the comfort of God.” In our current culture, it is popular to use the phrase “press into God.” I, personally, prefer the concept of leaning. I’m not trying to force my way in; rather, I am depending on Him, leaning on Him.

More desires to know his own wretchedness and to have a deep humility and meekness about him. Death is not something to be ignored, but should be something of which we are very aware. It is reality. It does not go away if we ignore it. He uses the phrase “to abstain from vain confabulations.” I had to look that up. It basically means conversation. So there is a deep desire to have all conversations be meaningful.

But I think the most powerful piece of this comes toward the end. ” To think my most enemies my best friends; for the brethren of Joseph could never have done him so much good with their love and favour as they did him with their malice and hatred.” As Jesus told us, we should love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. Thomas More bears this out in this meditation. And, as he ends it, he stresses that all of these attitudes are worth more than “all the treasures of all the princes and kings.” This seems to line up with the sentiment concerning wisdom, that we get from the book of Proverbs.

Father, I pray that You would help me develop the kind of mindset found in Thomas More’s meditation. And, as I hear Jesus asking me what I am looking for, I continue to answer that I am looking for You, and a deeper relationship with You, that I might be more like Jesus in every way.

In Symphony of Salvation, Eugene Peterson briefly examines the book of Numbers from a perspective of “growing up” in community.

When the Cloud lifted above the Tent, the People of Israel marched out; and when the Cloud descended the people camped. The People of Israel marched at GOD’s command and they camped at his command. As long as the Cloud was over The Dwelling, they camped. Even when the Cloud hovered over The Dwelling for many days, they honored GOD’s command and wouldn’t march. They stayed in camp, obedient to GOD’s command, as long as the Cloud was over The Dwelling, but the moment GOD issued orders they marched. If the Cloud stayed only from sunset to daybreak and then lifted at daybreak, they marched. Night or day, it made no difference—when the Cloud lifted, they marched. It made no difference whether the Cloud hovered over The Dwelling for two days or a month or a year, as long as the Cloud was there, they were there. And when the Cloud went up, they got up and marched. They camped at GOD’s command and they marched at GOD’s command. They lived obediently by GOD’s orders as delivered by Moses.
(Numbers 9:17-23 MSG)

“Many of us fondle a romanticized spirituality in our imaginations. The ‘God’s in his heaven/all’s right with the world’ sort of thing.” I love this, because it is, to a degree, true of many people. This tends to express itself in a longing for a simpler time, “nostalgia,” as it were. Or perhaps even wishing to be born back in “Bible times.” That’s kind of amusing, because, if you read the Bible accurately and carefully, there is no indication at all that life was easy, or that serving/worshiping God was a piece of proverbial cake. The books of Numbers through at least Judges show us what a mess these people were.

As communities, we need organizational help. We need relational help. “The people who find themselves called and led and commanded by God find themselves in the company of men and women who sin a lot – quarrel, bicker, grumble, rebel, fornicate, steal – you name it, we do it. We need help in getting along with each other.” I can think of no time when that has been more obvious than the present day.

Perhaps we need the prayer of Moses.

“Please forgive the wrongdoing of this people out of the extravagance of your loyal love just as all along, from the time they left Egypt, you have been forgiving this people.”
(Numbers 14:19 MSG)

“All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
(Luke 10:22 ESV)

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
(John 17:3 ESV)

“I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
(John 17:26 ESV)

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
(Ephesians 1:17 ESV)

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
(Ephesians 3:19 ESV)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
(Colossians 1:15 ESV)

The word for today, in Pray a Word a Day, is “enlarge.”

Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.
(1 Chronicles 4:10 ESV)

Today’s writer, identified only as “Bob” (didn’t we already have a “Bob?”), writes this:

“It’s a great word to pray, and it can apply to so many areas of concern and desire. For God’s kingdom to rule in my life: Enlarge. For my capacity to love others: Enlarge. For my ability to give generously: Enlarge. For the church’s influence in my community: Enlarge. For the ability to see clearly, speak constructively, and work creatively: Enlarge.”

I’m not really a big fan of the “prayer of Jabez” fad from a decade or so back. However, taken in the context of the above paragraph, it is worthy of consideration. I don’t pray so much for God to “enlarge my border.” I don’t need more territory. However, along with “Bob,” I could use more of God’s kingdom rule in my life, more capacity to love others (and how!), more of a mind to give generously, more of a positive influence from the Church, and more ability to see, speak, and work clearly, constructively, and creatively.

Father, as I walk through this day, I do pray that You would enlarge these capabilities within me, especially that one about loving others. This is a topic that You have me stuck on, now, for a number of years, and it’s not going to stop. I don’t want it to stop. I don’t want to rest until I see at least Your people following this command to love You and love people as we love ourselves. I can’t get over how difficult this seems to wrap our heads around. Help us, oh, God! Enlarge our hearts and fill them with Your love for each other.

Jesus, thank You for showing us the Father. You are the only way to get to Him, and I praise You that You have shown us this. I also praise You for giving me the capacity to believe this and live in it. Thank You for the communities in which You have placed us. They are messy, Lord. Really, really messy, even the small ones. Or perhaps it just shows up more in the small ones, because it’s not so easy to get lost in the crowd. Whatever. I still thank You and pray for Your guidance and leadership in these communities. Make Your pillars of fire and cloud more obvious to us.

Lord, the Covid virus continues to rampage through our society (and our world). Please relieve us from this plague. We implore You to eradicate this virus. I also pray for unity within both our nation and Your Church (I’m always much more concerned with the Church), that we may succeed together.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, 
have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O, Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
grant us Your peace.
(Agnus Dei)

Grace and peace, friends.