In His Temple All Cry, "Glory!"

Readings:
Psalm 29
Ephesians 3:1-13

Focus:
Psalm 29:3,9b: "The voice of the Lord echoes over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord thunders over the mighty waters...and in his temple all cry, 'Glory!'"

Sometimes it is good to remember the greatness of God. He is not only our tender companion. He is not merely our comforter. His role is not only to sustain us.

God is also the one who created the universe. His power is beyond our comprehension. In fact, it is amazing that he wants us to talk with him in prayer. He is the one who created volcanoes to erupt, who created storms that form into blizzards. He is the one who created stars that flare into supernovas. He is the one who created comets and black holes. If we were to see one of the angels crying "Glory!" around him, we would fall down in utter fear.

We must not disobey such a God! But this is a God whose ability to deliver us we can trust. He is utterly able to do what he promises. We too can cry, "Glory!"

The Lord Is Our Light; Whom Should We Fear?

Readings:
Psalm 27
Ephesians 2:1-10

Focus:
Psalm 27:1: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom then should I go in dread?"
Psalm 27:13: "Well I know that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

It is incredibly freeing to know God. We do not have to be afraid of anything! God is greater than anyone or anything imaginable, and when he is on our side, there is nothing that can ultimately overcome us.

I have been through cancer and open heart surgery. I am currently unemployed, having been laid off a few months ago. Yet I do not despair or feel abandoned, nor did I feel that way in the midst of my illnesses. For both now and then, God has been with me, and I know that he has a purpose for my life. I know he can guide me through troubled waters. And I know that whatever the outcome, he is there at the end.

How can I be afraid of troubles in this life when God is my light and my salvation?

How Vast Are the Resources of God's Power!

Readings:
Psalm 26
Ephesians 1:11-23

Focus:
Ephesians 1:19-20a: "How vast are the resources of his power open to us who have faith. His mighty strength was seen at work when he raised Christ from the dead...."

There is nothing too hard for God. We may think that our problems are so difficult that there is no way that we can get through them. But if we turn them over to God, we will indeed get through them.

Perhaps the problems won't be solved in the way that we envision. But God will give us the ability to get through them with inner joy. And he will work things out for ultimate good, even if we can't see it at the time. I have been in situations where I thought things were all wrong, only to find later that God had actually made things happen that led to good.

The resources of God's power are so vast, we can't even imagine it. We can rely on his mighty strength with utmost confidence.

Nothing Can Separate Us from the Love Of Christ

Readings:
Nehemiah 8
Romans 8:35-39

Focus:
Romans 8:38-39: "For I am convinced that there is nothing in death or life, in the realm of spirits or superhuman powers, in the world as it is or the world as it shall be, in the forces of the universe, in heights or depths--nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

My very favorite passage in the Bible is Romans 8:31-39, and these last verses of the chapter, 35-39, are my favorite of all. It is the most wonderful thing to remember! What can separate us from the love of Christ? Not a thing! There is no persecution, no hardship, no danger, no superhuman power, no force of the universe, no affliction, nothing at all that can separate us from God's love.

God loves us through all of this, and he is strong and able to overcome it all. With God on our side, no one can effectively be against us, and his love can never be separated from us. This is the best news ever.

Why Be Surprised?

Readings:
I Chronicles 2
Acts 3:1-16

Focus:
Acts 3:12a:"Peter saw them coming, and met them with these words: 'Men of Israel, why be surprised at this?'"

A man who has been crippled from birth has been begging next to a well-known gate for years. He himself is well known because of this prominent position by the gate. When Peter and John come by and he draws their attention, instead of giving him a gift of money, they heal him so that he can walk.

Naturally the crowd becomes aware of this healing and comes running up astounded, but Peter greets them with the words that they are not to be surprised. It is nothing less than what God can do.

We are so often like that crowd. We expect too little of God. Miraculous healings are not commonly seen now, and possibly were used more by God at the time that Jesus is on earth. But God is capable of doing anything that he wants to do. He is, after all, God. We should not be surprised when God does something unexpected, answers a prayer in a seemingly impossible way, or changes circumstances in a way that we might have thought impossible. God can do whatever he wants. Why be surprised?