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?

Of Few Days

Readings:
Job 14
I Corinthians 9:19-27

Focus:
Job 14:1-2a: "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He blossoms like a flower and withers away."

Johannes Brahms used these poignant words as part of his gorgeous German Requiem. Set to his lovely harmonies, these words always make me think.

It is true that, as the saying goes, "life is hard, and then you die." Sometimes it seems like there is no point. We just struggle through our short lives and find no reason for all our troubles.

Thanks to God that he does provide us a reason! He has a purpose for us that we may not understand. But since God is the epitome of goodness and justice, we can know that in the end, all will be good and right. Things may feel hard now, but we are heading towards a glorious ending when our life is over. And when we turn to him, God is there to comfort and sustain us as we go on our way.

Brahms also used these words, from Psalm 126: those who go forth weeping will return rejoicing.

For a Time Like This

Readings:
Esther 4
Romans 13:1-6

Focus:
Esther 14:b: "And who knows whether it is not for a time like this that you have become queen?"

In ancient days, the Jewish people had been conquered and taken into exile by the Babylonians. The Babylonians had in turn been conquered by the Persians. Then, in this Persian kingdom, through a complicated chain of circumstances, Esther, one of the exiled Jewish people, had chanced to become queen, though the king does not know that she is Jewish.

Now because of some devious machinations, a plot has been laid and all Jewish people are scheduled to be slaughtered. Esther's uncle Mordecai asks her to intercede with the king, but she replies that no one has the right to go unbidden into the king's presence; anyone who does so risks death.

But Mordecai tells her that she has a duty to help save her people, and then he tells her that it is perhaps for this very reason--for such a time as this--that she has become queen. And Esther agrees to speak to the king.

This is a significant way to look at occasional circumstances in our own lives. We may find ourselves, at intervals, at crossroads where we may be able to take some action that will make a difference. We should think carefully at such times. Could it be that it is for this very reason, for such a time as this, that we find ourselves at a particular time and place? Could God have brought us to this time and place because he has something that he wants us to do? We must always look for God's purpose for us; this always comes first before our own purposes.