Thought for August 24

 History:

  • 1349: 6,000 Jews blamed for the Plague are killed in Mainz
  • 1456: Printing of the Gutenberg Bible completed
  • 1662: Act of Uniformity requires use of Book of Common Prayer
  • 1847: Charlotte Bronte completes "Jane Eyre"
  • 1891: Edison patents motion picture camera
  • 1932: Amelia Earhart completes first transcontinental non-stop flight by a woman
  • 1949: NATO treaty goes into effect
  • 1989: Pete Rose suspended from baseball for life for gambling
  • 1992: Hurricane Andrew hits South Florida
  • 1995: Windows 95 debuts
  • 2006: Pluto demoted to "Dwarf Planet"
  • 2006: Jerry Rice retires from the 49er's
  • Born: William Wilberforce [abolitionist], Fred Rose [Acuff-Rose Publishing], Durward Kirby, Yasser Arafat, Kenny Baker [R2D2], Mason Williams [Classical Gas], Joe Manchin [Senator], Bob Corker, Mike Shanahan, Mike Huckabee, Cal Ripken Jr., Marlee Matlin, Reggie Miller, Dave Chappelle, 
  • Died: Henry Kaiser, Charles Revson [Revlon], E.G. Marshall, Richard Attenborough, Robin Leach,  William Stennett [On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand], Ernest Shurtleff [Lead On, O King Eternal]
I have written about William Stennett's hymn before because of the Tennessee connection. Stennett died in the 1700's but this hymn inspired Sam Davis, a Confederate spy, whose monument stands on the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol. Davis was captured but offered freedom if he would disclose the identity of other spies. He refused. the night before he was hung, he asked to sing "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand" knowing that he was "bound for the Promised Land." The monument is inscribed with, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." 

Today is also the anniversary of the death of Ernest Shurtleff. He wrote "Lead on O King Eternal" for his graduation from Andover Seminary in 1887. He thought the hymn presented his hopes for the rest of his life's journey. You might sing that this morning--the day of march has come; we have been prepared for today by His grace; Lead us Lord until the victory is won when holiness yields peace; but our victory is not by might and not by power but by deeds of love and mercy; despite the battle, we do not fear because Your cross is over us, Your light leads us, Your crown awaits us and Your might protects us. Amen

Thought:
Reading Genesis 15 this morning. Abram, Sarai and Lot had left Ur with Terah, Abram's father, and traveled as far as Haran. Sarai was barren [11:30]. God spoke to Abram and commanded him to go to a land that God would show him and God would make him a great nation and bless all the nations through Abram [12:1-3] Abram came to Shechem [a town near Jacob's well in Samaria] and there God promised him that this land of Canaan would be his. Abram went on to the Negev and ultimately to Egypt where he lied about Sarai. He then returned to Bethel near Ai [Joshua's second battle]. And Abram has been blessed by Melchizedek, King of Salem. God has made the promise of descendants and a nation to Abraham several times [12:1-3; 13:14-18], but Sarai is still barren and Abram has no son. So Abram talks to God about his descendants and God renews the promise of a child through Sarai [15:1-5]. Now the verse that I am focused on this morning--Genesis 15:6--"Abram believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." 

That is the good news! Can I just read that verse and do exactly what it says. Can I just believe in the Lord? God has promised the impossible to Abram--he is old and Sarai is certainly old. Children are not on the table. That day has surely passed. But God promises a child by Sarai and Abram believes in the Lord and not in his circumstances. What a lesson! Think about all the promises of God:
  • I will never leave you or forsake you. then circumstances get difficult. We seem to be alone. God surely has forgotten. Satan tells us we are unworthy or not important. BUT, we believe in the Lord and He reckons it as righteousness.
  • My grace is sufficient. But then trials and troubles seem to overwhelm us and we doubt and fear. The diagnosis is bad, the family is in turmoil, the job has gone away; BUT we believe in the Lord and He proves again that His grace is sufficient.
  • My peace I give to you. But then anxiety hits, questions arise, circumstances distress and confuse us; BUT we believe in the Lord and peace that passes understanding covers our hearts and souls.
And there are many more. In the New Testament we find that if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, He who knew no sin became sin that we might become the righteousness of God. So we believe in Him and it is reckoned to us as righteousness.  Same promise, same God, same requirement--trust in the Lord with all your heart, believe His promises, and the peace of God will guard your heart and soul forever. 

Blessings
Larry

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