Scripture: "For the Lord will not reject forever, For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion According to His abundant lovingkindness." Lamentations 3:31-32 NASB Application: We want to have hope that the future holds peace and, for Christians especially, "rightness" (righteousness) with the Lord. Scripture is a guidepost not just for what goes wrong and causes misery, but also how to get back to righteousness. What's more, it tells us what is going on behind the scenes. Just before the famous "Great is Thy faithfulness" refrain we all love to sing (Lamentations 3:18,22-23), we read how the lamenter believed God never heard his/her prayer. And just after that refrain, we see the lamenter declare, "let us examine our ways and return to the Lord. (Lamentations 3:40). And then, magnificently, we read that the Lord drew near and says, “Do not fear!” (Lamentations 3:57) Deep, deep sadness with light bursting through. Always stay in contact with the Lord, in bad times as well as good. Prayer: Guide us back to You, Father. Amen. Scripture: "Engage the earth in conversation; it’s happy to share what it knows. Even the fish of the sea are wise enough to explain it to you." Job 12:8 (Voice) "...since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." Romans 1:20 (NIV) Application: Our ways are often misguided, and we don't even know it, because of the influx of partisan news, acquaintances with ulterior motives, and prejudices we don't even know we've developed over the years. There's a way to cleanse our minds. Get out. Watch nature. Consider the stars and the work of mighty winds. Work our way down to the tiniest of seedlings and insects. We will see patterns of revelation. They come to us. We can learn from God's creation, untouched by human failure. Prayer: Open our eyes to You through the work of Your hands, Father, and we permit Your marvelous Hands to reshape us. Amen. Scripture: "He says, “You are My war-club, My weapon of war; And with you I shatter nations, And with you I destroy kingdoms. ... “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me and crushed me, He has set me down like an empty vessel; He has swallowed me like a monster, He has filled his stomach with my delicacies; He has washed me away." Jeremiah 51:20, 34 NASB Application: Our Father uses mankind to bring His verdict against wrongdoers, and He personally feels the pain of His wronged people. Prayer: We pray to always be mindful of Your participation, and Your pain, in the events of the world, Father. Amen. |
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