Do we really need that in a book?

I’ve been looking at some children’s poetry books online for the last few days. I’ve seen a few things that seem like deals, but I’ve been reading reviews and stopping at all my favorite book haunts just to make sure.

Earlier today, I noticed a book of children’s poetry that touted Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star in its content. Do they really need to put that in a book now a days? I’ll tell you, it’s got to be one of the top kids songs for CDs, videos, toys. I can’t count the number of places where we have that song – not to mention it’s one of the few songs that mommy can play on the guitar. So, to me, having Twinkle, Twinkle is no great selling point.

I’d be happier if they had this little bit of poetry:

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings[b]
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 8:3-9 ESV

 

Today’s Scripture

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you… Matthew 5:44 ESV

Isn’t it hard to reach down into our heart and lift a prayer for someone who has wronged us, perhaps even created problems for us? Doesn’t it just seem like when we think of that person, there is a coldness around our hearts and we need God’s help to break through?

But I am commanded to love them (with a capital “L”) and pray for them. This is the thing that distinguishes us from the world. Have you ever had someone just totally be rude and obnoxious towards you and the next time you see them, you act as if nothing has happened? It’s impacting, a true witness. It glorifies God and stops to make people think. Sometimes the very act of doing it is the thing that heals us from the affliction and warms that coldness around our hearts.

Take some time today to pray for someone whose persecuted you and remember them in love.

 

A Little Scripture

He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him. Daniel 2:22

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day
Darkness and light are alike to You.
Psalm 139:12-13

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7

I have been in the dark at times for I have refused to look up to the Light. I have looked at myself and my wounds and wondered, “Why me?” Instead I should I have looked up to the Light, where there is no darkness and said, “Thank you, Lord for being with me.”

The scriptures offer us comfort so clearly. We read about the darkness in many more places than the ones mentioned above. But the Light always overcomes the darkness. Always.

 

A Little Scripture

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

The Lord gives these words to the Isrealites as they enter the promised land. It’s a new adventure to them in so many ways. This generation has spent it’s days wandering in the wilderness waiting for this moment. They did not see the power of the Lord that day when He brought the people across the Red Sea and out of Egypt. Certainly they had seen the cloud and the power of the Lord. Would this be enough?

It’s sad that we so often lack faith in our Lord. We depend on our own strength and plans. Our vision is clouded by temptations of this world. We fear things we shouldn’t. We fear men.

My prayer today is that I would lean on the Lord in all the areas of my life where I have misgivings and my vision is not so clear. I pray that I would know that He is with me wherever and in the midst of circumstance.

 

Today’s Scripture

I read this story from Matthew 18:21-35 (NIV) earlier in the week. It struck a cord with me that night, and yet today.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

“The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’

“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.“ (Bold emphasis mine.)

I underlined that last verse in my Bible and even stared at it momentarily when I originally read it. My ESV reads, “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Forgiveness is the hardest lesson to learn sometimes. I remember as a child having to apologize to my sister for things, and then later telling her I wasn’t really sorry. They were words I had spoken to appease my mother. Do I still do that today to appease my Heavenly Father? He’s telling me that’s not good enough.

We ask God for forgiveness for our transgressions, but we must also forgive others. Earlier in Matthew, Jesus advises that we should leave the alter to ask for forgiveness before leaving our gift there.

I believe God expects us to forgive, no matter what. It’s a hard proposition. The hurt that we inflict upon one another (not always intentional), runs deep at time, tearing us apart, affecting our actions, judgement and our treatment of one another. Sometimes it’s hard to truly forgive from our hearts and move past that pain. But God doesn’t tell us that we have options. He’s clear about where our forgiveness should lie.

Today, in several places I was reminded of this story so fresh in my mind. While I have read it many times, and understood it, that last line kept shouting to me from my soul. What will my eternal consequences be from not being able to forgive from my heart? Only God knows, but I personally don’t want to find out.

I know I still carry deep thorns of unforgiveness in my own heart. The Lord is helping me pluck them out of my one at a time.

 

The Word of the Lord

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.

Dueteronomy 7:9 ESV

Even in the OT, God called it his covenant of love. In the midst of all the rules, and blood, it was still about love. How much greater when his son came into this world.

 

Today’s Scripture

I haven’t done one of these in a while. I have a little “Scripture a day” calendar next to my computer that belonged to my late grandmother. Most often when I pull a scripture out, I usually pull it from this for whatever date it is. I also got my blog name from glancing through this calendar.

Today’s entry:

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

I’ve been believing that all week with what’s been going on in this house. I feel like my prayers have been heard.

 

Today’s Scripture

The kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Romans 14:17

 

Today’s Scripture

He was despised and rejected by men,a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isaiah 53:3 (NIV)

And I whine about the fellowship at my church. Lord you were despised and rejected. You knew ahead of time what the results of your actions would be, yet that never stopped you from doing what was right in the sight of the God. The rejection of men never moved you from your path.

May I remember this as I face my struggles with moving forward in fellowship Lord. May I hold my tongue when it would be easier not to. May I jump on board when it’s easier to stay home. Help me to see those open doors that you are placing and not close them myself.

 

Today’s Scripture and Commentary

Psalm 29
A psalm of David.

Give honor to the LORD, you angels;
give honor to the LORD for his glory and strength.

Give honor to the LORD for the glory of his name.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the LORD echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.
The LORD thunders over the mighty sea.

The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

The voice of the LORD splits the mighty cedars;
the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf
and Mount Hermon to leap like a young bull.

The voice of the LORD strikes with lightning bolts.

The voice of the LORD makes the desert quake;
the LORD shakes the desert of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD twists mighty oaks
and strips the forests bare.
In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”

The LORD rules over the floodwaters.
The LORD reigns as king forever.

The LORD gives his people strength.
The LORD blesses them with peace.