November 11 – From Whom Comes Victory

“For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them.”  Psalm 44:3 (NASB)

It’s Veterans Day in the United States. On this day we honor those who have served in our armed forces. One of the ways that the Children of Israel preserved their history and it’s stories was in songs.  Psalm 44 is a song written for the purpose of remembering what God had done for them in securing the Promised Land and to offer up prayer and thanksgiving to God.  It was good for them to remember that God was the one giving them the victory.  Although God is Spirit this song says uses terms we can visualize. His right hand, His arm, and the light of His face, protects and providentially cares for us out of His love for us.  We can rejoice that God is the same today and Christians around the globe are God's children and members of His family wherever we are.  He cares for us and watches over us just as He did for the people of Israel.  As we reflect we can remember the ways God has intervened in our lives and it is by His grace and power and wisdom that we make it through day by day.

 

194

 

March 15 – Doing God’s Will Anyway

“Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” – Jeremiah 32:17  (ESV)

Our verse comes from the story in the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah. The prophet purchased a plot of land from his cousin even though the Babylonians were nearly at the gate of the city. The anticipation was that soon Jerusalem and all in the Kingdom of Judah would be conquered and taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. This truly did come to pass so Jeremiah’s real estate purchase seemed fool's errand. But it wasn’t foolish, because God had directed him to purchase this piece of land. Thinking through the wisdom of his legal transaction bewildered Jeremiah and he goes to God in prayer. Notice how he first extols the sovereignty of God. “Nothing is too hard for you,” is what Jeremiah says. He acknowledges God’s directions in buying the field even “though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.” The promise that nothing is too hard for God is a promise we take to heart today. Whatever God leads us to do, if we know God is indeed giving us that direction, we can know its outcome will be what God intends it to be. Let’s trust God no matter what He has given us to do.

197

March 7 – Whatever Comes

“Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,”  - Jeremiah 32:17 (NASB)
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”  - Jeremiah 32:27 (NASB)

We find the context of our verses today to be the time God has pronounced the ruin of Judah and Jerusalem through Jeremiah.  His prophet Jeremiah was called to proclaim God’s judgment on His people.  This is a stark example of the sovereignty of God.  If God chooses and for His purpose in our lives, He may allow wicked and evil forces (this time Nebuchadnezzar) to come against us.  As His children we are not spared discipline from His hand.  Our promise is in both verses.  Nothing is too difficult for God.  Whatever needs to be done, whatever God has called us to endure and whatever instructions and commands He has given to us, can be carried out.  We may see it as an impossible task to bear up under but God is always with us even in the times He is disciplining us.  God also promises, “They shall be My people, and I will be their God;” (Jeremiah 32:38).  “Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them.” ;” (Jeremiah 32:42)

# # #

May 4 – Fully Able

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.”  Isaiah 59:1 (NIV)

Don't we all fail in our trust from time to time when it seems that God has not heard our pleas for help either for ourselves or for others?  The people to whom these words were written were having a problem getting God to help them when they needed help.  The prophet of God, Isaiah wrote these words to remind the  people that it wasn't God's fault.  We too can be helped and reminded when we are anxious for God to respond in a way we want Him to.  We can always be sure that God will hear us when we call on Him to help us in our lives. If we call on Him in true faith He will hear and He will respond in His way and time.  And, when God hears our prayers we can be assured that He is able to help us.  His arm is not too short and He hears us perfectly.  He will reach down to us and He will get involved, no matter where we are and no matter what the situation is like.  Be assured by these words today, God can and will save us and He hears all our prayers. 

# # #

November 11 – From Whom Comes Victory

“It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.”  Psalm 44:3 (NIV)

One of the ways that the Children of Israel would preserve their stories and their history was in songs.  This psalm was written to be sung for the purpose of remembering what God had done for them in securing the Promised Land and to offer up prayer and thanksgiving to God.  It was good for them to remember that God was the one giving them the victory.  He did so by His right hand, His arm, and the light of His face, all out of His love for them.  We can rejoice that God is the same today and while Christians are not a nation of people possessing real estate and land, they are God's children and members of His family wherever we are in the world.  He cares for us and watches over us just as He did for the people of Israel.  As we reflect we can remember the ways God has intervened in our lives and it is by His grace and power and wisdom that we make it through day by day. 

# # #

May 3 – Hears Our Prayers Everyday

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.” Isaiah 59:1 (NIV)

Today is a special day in the United States. It is the first Thursday of May and designated by United States Congress as the National Day of Prayer.* 

For that reason we have selected a verse from our Bible about our prayer answering God. This was recorded by the prophet Isaiah who was trying to emphasize what a great God we have by using human terminology and illustration. We realize that our God does not perform His great acts by using arms and hands such as we have. He can act is so many ways and using a great variety of means. We do not need to pray only on a special designated day, and when we pray to God, He does not need to listen to our words to get the meaning that we want to express. We can pray in our hearts silently and He knows why we are looking to Him. He responds to the faith that He can detect in our thinking. So wherever you are in this world, for today, and every day let's remember how great a God we have and how faithful He is to take care of us as he hears and responds to our prayers. 
    
* The National Day of Prayer was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. In 1988, the law was unanimously amended by both the House and the Senate and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on Thursday, May 5, 1988, designating the first Thursday of May as a day of national prayer. Every president since 1952 has signed a National Day of Prayer proclamation.
More about the National Day of Prayer for 2018.