Thought for December 13

 History:

  • 1577: Sir Francis Drake sails from England to circumnavigate the globe
  • 1920: International Court of Justice established at The Hague
  • 1989: "Driving Miss Daisy" released
  • 2003: Saddam Hussein captured near Tikrit
  • 2007: The Mitchell Report is released listing players using performance enhancing drugs
  • Born: Archie Moore, Christopher Plummer, Jamie Foxx, Taylor Swift
  • Died: Donatello, Samuel Johnson, Samuel Gompers, Grandma Moses, Alice Marble
Thought:
I have underlined a lot of Psalm 123 and I think it flows from yesterday's thought that all I need to do is look up. This psalm speaks to why I may be looking up to my keeper for help and how I should look--what is my attitude as I lift my eyes to the One enthroned in heaven.
  • Why or when do I look up? People hold us in contempt and scoff at our faith. We proclaim that our keeper is our shade, our help, our protection, our security--and the world scoffs, jeers, makes fun of us. The prideful, those that call our faith stupid, ignorant, outdated--they sneer, laugh, attack us. When I think of Bible stories about this I think of David and Noah. When David volunteered to face Goliath, his brothers laughed. When he put on Saul's armor and it swallowed him, the other soldiers giggled. When he chose a rock and a slingshot, the rest of the army started getting ready to be slaves to the Philistines. David looked up--he was defending the honor of the Lord God Almighty--he was not afraid. When the rock did its work, laughing turned to cheers. And poor Noah, can you imagine 100 years of building a boat in the middle of the desert where it had never rained. I am sure he prayed asking the Lord why he was the butt of jokes and jeers. But then that first drop of rain fell and attitudes changed. 
  • How do we look up to the Lord?
    • We recognize who He is--enthroned in heaven. That reminder that the God we serve is the God of the universe, the creator of everything--that acknowledgement gives us hope, encouragement, patience, endurance. 
    • We understand who we are--servants. We are His creation. We live to serve and glorify Him. So then we may ask, Lord how are You getting glory out of this situation, circumstance, trial, persecution? And like Jesus we say, we want to give You glory so do as You will. Help us to use every event to give You the glory that only You deserve.
    • We wait patiently for Him to move--we keep praying and trusting until we see His grace. We recall the statement of Jim Eliot," it's no fool who gives up everything he cannot keep for something he cannot lose." Or we remember that God does not give dying grace for a non-dying day--He gives sufficient grace for our need. We trust that affliction leads to endurance, that endurance builds character, and that God uses it for our perfection. 
Whatever your burden today--look up. God is on His throne. He is full of grace for today. And His grace is sufficient.

Blessings
Larry


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