Thought for June 13, 2024

    •  1525: Martin Luther marries Katherine von Bora in violation of rules requiring celibacy of priests
    • 1805: Meriwether Lewis reaches Great Falls of the Missouri River
    • 1922: Longest recorded hiccups attack begins--lasts 68 years
    • 1920: Post Office says children may not be sent by parcel post
    • 1966: Miranda v. Arizona establishes Miranda Rights
    • 1967: Thurgood Marshall appointed to the Supreme Court
    • 1971: NY Times publishes the Pentagon Papers
    • Born: Red Grange, William Butler Yeats, Martha Washington, Tim Allen
    • Died: Alexander the Great, Benny Goodman, Tim Russert, Chuck Noll, Cormac McCarthy
On this date, I posted the first thought to this blog. Over 600 have been posted so far.  

Thought:
How rich is Psalm 118? It starts with that bold proclamation--"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good." What a way to start the day! Just stop, clear my mind and give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness is everlasting. If we do nothing else today, pray nothing else, read nothing else, speak nothing else---give thanks to the Lord for He is good. He is good no matter my circumstances, my feelings. He is good. I may not understand all that is going on--but He is good. I may question what I see--but He is good. Simple prayers from childhood remind us--God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food. Knowing and affirming that God is always good helps me set my attitude for today. 

Now I am reading 118:6-7. If I start the day affirming that God is good, think about what it means that the Lord is for me. I start my day knowing that God is good and that He is for me--surely what should I fear? Paul must have read this passage because look at what he says in Romans 8:31-If God is for us, who is against us? I shudder as I think about those words. If God is for us, does it matter who is against us? Turn over and read Romans 8:31-39. God is for us:
  • He will freely give us all things necessary for this life and the next. [8:32] God freely gave us His son to die an atoning death in our place--would He withhold anything we need. He gave us the most valuable thing He had. So if God is for us, He supplies every need from Christ's riches in glory.
  • Who will bring a charge against us? God Himself is the judge and He is for us and He is good. And not only is He judge, His son is our lawyer, advocate, intercessor. What charges are you worried about when God who loves you is judge and His only Son is our advocate. 
  • Who can separate us from the love of God in Christ? When things are going badly, sickness or disease attacks us, trials and tribulation surrounds us, Satan whispers--God does not care, God cannot help, God has forgotten you, God can't help you. And we respond, at calvary Jesus paid the price and on resurrection morning He declared victory over Satan and all his demons--so in Christ we are more than conquerors. 
Now back to Psalm 118. Read verse 7--God uses others to help me in my afflictions and trials. God sends people in my life to remind me of His power, love and grace; to tell me of the ways He has given them victory; to encourage me and comfort me. God is good and He is with me, so I can look at those who hate me as victor, conqueror in Christ. I do not fear them. 

As we start today, remember--God is good. God is for you and for your good. Who do you fear, what do you get anxious about. If God is for you, who can be against you? 

Blessings
Larry


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