Thought for November 29

 History:

• 1877: Thomas Edison demonstrates his hand-cranked phonograph for the first time
• 1935: Erwin Scrodinger publishes "Scrodinger's Cat." A thought experiment used to demonstrate concepts in quantum physics.
• 1945: "Lost Weekend" premiers--1946 Best Picture
• 1951: First underground atomic explosion in Nevada
• 1972: First commercially successful video game--"Pong"---released at Andy Capp's Tavern in Sunnyvale California. Of course, Sunnyvale is the location of Protovision, the game company David is trying to access in War Games
• Born: Christian Doppler, Louisa May Alcott, C.S. Lewis, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr
• Died: Puccini, Graham Hill [racing], Cary Grant, George Harrison

Thought:

Reading Psalm 30 this morning where I have placed brackets around 30:5. Here is a verse that all of us have experienced. "Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning." 

Some of you are feeling like it is dark this morning, Your body is hurting and it's hard to move. Some of you are feeling the dark this morning, you feel alone and think no one really cares. Some of you feel the darkness because of losses you have experienced--friends, spouses, children. Some of you feel darkness because you can't do the things you used to do. You may feel like David in verse 7--the Lord has hidden His face from you. But notice what David says:

• David cried out to the Lord. [30:2]. I know we think, "I have been crying out." And others have been crying out for you. But do not give up--Jesus hears, Jesus knows, Jesus cares, Jesus will answer. Look at what David says.
• The Lord healed [30:2]. I want to read that and say that when we cry out to the Lord He heals our illness or disease---and He may. But often the healing is from our fear and doubt. Or healing of my broken heart or broken spirit. Or healing of my depressed attitude or emptiness. Jesus comes with healing in His wings--we know people who enter a room and joy floods the place. When Jesus comes in the joy and peace cover me like a blanket. 
• The Lord kept me alive [30:3]. Think about that. The Lord kept me alive for a purpose, not by accident. He has given me another day to bear witness to His faithfulness and to praise Him. 
• The Lord helped. [30:10] My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. He gives me strength to endure, patience to wait, hope to encourage. 
• The Lord turned mourning into dancing. [30:11] Have you been there---to the end of your ability, to the end of your strength, to the end of your wits, to the very bottom. And then, Jesus appears in His word, in the call of a friend, in the visit of a brother or sister, in the relief for a few minutes. 
• Now the blessed hope and guarantee for believers is that one day our bodies will be healed--replaced with a new body made for eternity, lives will be transformed from flesh to spirit and we will truly live, our mourning will truly be turned to dancing, and we will do what David did--give thanks forever [30:12]
• Until that day, we sing His praises [30:4].  Reminds me to hold on through the night for joy comes in the morning. 

Blessings

Larry