Meditation

08/17/2022

“For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. How great are your woks, O Lord, how profound your thoughts! The senseless man, does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring u like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.” (Psalm 92:4-7 – God Takes the Initiative in Specific Events)

The redemptive actions of God brought the worshiper gladness. He celebrated the faithfulness of God in the constant revelation of His love for His people through deeds of mercy and salvation. God is at work because of His nature of love to make good out of every event. The joy the believer experiences is based upon God’s unfailing presence and work in all that happens.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

Precious Abba, Your love for us knows no bounds and though You have and can still bring forth your wrath upon us, You desire is to shower us with love, that we might follow the direction You put us on in obedience and with a positive attitude. Today we continue to pray troops serving in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, that a peaceful solution might be found and let the fighting be silenced. We also pray for those who are suffering in body, mind, and/or spirit, with friends, family, and for those we don’t know. Amen

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“To keep from getting burned stay in the shadow of the Son.”

KNOWING GOD:

“There by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, ‘The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.’ So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.” (Ezra 8:21-23 – God Takes the Initiative in Specific Events)

The saving acts of God were not limited to Moses, Joshua, and David, Israel’s conquering heroes. The dangerous return to Jerusalem was also part of salvation history. Ezra candidly shared his embarrassment to ask the foreign king for human protection after he had assured Cyrus of his God’s power to protect. Robbers and warring tribes separated him from his native land (Verse 22), and enemies of the plan were within the king’s domain also. God provided safety all the way on their journey.

I AM:

“‘Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?’ Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.’ This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. God up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored.’ Says the Lord. ‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.” (Haggai 1:3-9 – God Takes the Initiative in Specific Events)

2ND THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. It is not as through God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.” (Romans 9:3-6 – God Takes the Initiative in Specific Events)

Verse 3 reveals Paul was burdened for the conversion of the Jewish people that he was willing to be separated from Christ if that would in some way effect their salvation. That is true love my friends, for it is a love so deep it brings sorrow and anguish, that Paul would separate himself from Christ, if it was necessary for their conversions.

God’s choice of Israel, His revelation in personal manifestation (glory), giving of laws, covenants, promises, and the Temple worship set Israel apart as recipients of God’s revelation. Jesus Christ is God’s greatest and most significant revelation. He also was designed to communicate the truth to Israel. Noe of God’s attempts to reveal Himself failed. They will be used in history not only for the Jew, but also the the Gentiles.