Thought for May 20, 2024

  •  325: First Council of Nicaea
  • 1310: First shoes made for left and right feet
  • 1609: Shakespeare's sonnets first published
  • 1873: Levi Strauss patents first jeans with copper rivets
  • 1916: Codell Kansas hit by a tornado. Happens again on the same day in 1917 and 1918
  • 1927: Lindbergh begins his flight across the Atlantic
  • 1961: Mob attacks Freedom Riders in Montgomery
  • 1978: Affirmed wins the Preakness on the way to the Triple Crown
  • 1980: 710 families evacuated from the Love Canal Area
  • 1990: First Hubble telescope pictures
  • 2013: Church of Scotland allows openly gay men and women to be ministers
  • Born: John Stuart Mill, Emile Berliner [invented phonograph record], Jimmy Stewart, Bill Hewlett, Moshe Dayan, Joe Cocker, Bietrich Mateschitz [created Red Bull], Cher, Tony Stewart
  • Died: Christopher Columbus, Marquis de Lafayette, Walter Winchell, Gilda Radner, Robin Gibb, Billy Cannon
Thought:
Reading a few verses from Psalm 30 today. Verse 5 speaks to me this morning: "His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning." What thoughts come to you when you read this verse? Maybe I think about my parents--my disobedience caused them to be angry with me and perhaps discipline me, but their love lasted for a lifetime. Maybe I think about an argument with Jan--we made each other angry, but her favor is for a lifetime. 

David certainly experienced the anger of God--think about when Nathan appears and says to David--"you are the man." David lost a son, but prayed for God to restore the joy of his salvation and cleanse him of all sin--a cause for rejoicing. 

Perhaps this verse is intended to remind me that through the darkest night, like the sun, God is still there. And in the morning when the Son rises in my heart, I can rejoice. This verse cause me to think about someone lost in the forest at night--fear, despair, dread fill their mind and heart. But then the first rays of sunlight filter through the trees and their spirits are lifted. Some of my best times have been sitting on the porch in Jackson Hole in the absolute dark. I can hear the geese in the river and occasionally the elk walking by. Every sound is  magnified. My view is to the east, but I know that the first rays of sun will hit the top of Grand Teton to my north. So I watch and then the top of the mountain glows, then shines. Another day. And as the light grows, my soul rejoices in the beauty and glory of His creation. 

There are days when our souls feel the darkness. The world around us seems to be evil and growing more evil. But then you read His word, hear His voice in prayer, see His creation, and joy springs from your heart. And one day, there will be a great light in the eastern sky. The trumpet will sound, the Lord will appear in glory and great power. And all the darkness will be over. How blessed we are that in heaven there is no night--for He is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 

Lord, remind me again this morning, that the darkness is for a moment, the Light is coming--what a day of rejoicing that will be. 

Blessings
Larry

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