Last night Pat and I met with some friends in a small discussion group to enjoy a meal together and discuss God’s Word. It was a wonderful night of discussion and a pretty diverse group in regards to age. The discussion began with the book of Acts and quickly moved to trust.
Well, that issue is one of those that I wrestle with on occasion; even with God. But God has shown me the foolishness of not trusting Him over and over. This morning He reminded me again as my prayers led me to a few passages in His Word. The first was in Psalms.
Psalms 28:6-9 (ESV)
The Psalm came from a K-love verse of the day. It started the rock rolling along the hillside. The title of the Psalm is “The LORD Is My Strength and My Shield,” and David writes it. I especially liked verses 6-9
Psalms 28:6-9 (ESV)
6 Blessed be the LORD!
For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
8 The LORD is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9 Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.
I read the Psalm, and these last few stanzas just reminded me of God’s power and His love for me. As I reflected on these words I remembered a fundamental truth of God – He keeps His promises, and He cannot lie. How do I know that? He tells me in His Word.
Reflection
I thought over all of this and was reminded that God has never let me down. There have been moments of uncertainty when things did not happen in “MY TIME, ” but they always happened in God’s time. There were times when I thought he was doing one thing, and it was simply preparation for a bigger thing, but always I was in His hand.
As I pondered these things, my focus shifted to God’s Word.
I noodled over the old testament and the new. As I considered all that it contained my heart filled with thanksgiving. I realized how lost I would be without it.
Sure, if we did not have it God could find other ways to communicate with us, and he already does, through the Holy Spirit, and the body of the Church and Godly Friends, but He gave us His Word. The source of absolute truth that speaks to every need. This morning after Psalms I went to Colossians.
Colossians
Now I read Colossians this morning and it is a short book, but in it, I saw nothing that we do not face here today in our world. Some may say the distraction is less relenting. Some may say the evil is more pervasive, but at its root, it is the same. Paul talks about the preeminence of Christ Jesus. He talks about as a Christian we are alive in Christ, and he reminds us of all that from which Jesus saved us. He also warns not to let anyone disqualify our salvation using false doctrine. In chapter 3 he reminds us to put on our new self.
Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV)
1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
In verses 5-11 He reminds us to put to death all the worldly things about us.
Colossians 3:5-11 (ESV)
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Reflections
As I thought about the trust discussion, we had last night and the prompting I got from the Holy Spirit to spend some time in Psalm 28 and the Book of Colossians I could not help but fall back to how important the Word of God is in all aspects of my life. It is our only source of truth. It is also not a word of man but The Word of God.
John 1:1-5 (ESV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
God has given us the Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us and the Holy Word to teach us about Him. It lead me to Hebrews 1:1
Hebrews 1:1-3 (ESV)
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
What a glorious gift we have in the Holy Spirit and God’s Holy Word. But they are only of value if they are used to grow personally, and in small groups as well in the body of the church. If not used they are like an old motorcycle left to sit. It may be all shiny, but after a while, it is nothing more than a lawn ornament because all the internals has gone to rust.
Closing Thoughts
I give thanks to the Lord for all His provision. It amazes me how much I grow every time I open the word. I look at the Epistles and think about that first-century church and am amazed at how familiar I am with their struggles and how much comfort I get from a letter written 2000 years ago is so current and helpful in my walk. I look at the old testament and read a book, and an even older lesson helps me in a time of trial. I am simply reminded of Isaiah 55.
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
And every time I read this passage I am thankful for my great and powerful God that loves me.
Prayer
Father, Thank you for your word. Thank you for the insight I gain every day as the Holy Spirit guides me through its passages. Lord God what a gift it is to help me draw closer toward you every day and to gain the strength to face the trials of this world. Lord, I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen!
