Author: Lynden McGriff

Today’s Reading: Proverbs 9 

One question:  Ask what shall I give you?

When you review the life and the beginning relationship of Solomon and God it is a beautiful relationship. At the beginning of his reign,  Solomon had to focus and a plan for serving God.  Some of the  first things that Solomon carried out was to clear up the bad blood that had been done to his father David and done because of his father David. Solomon did have a discerning power with some of them, but when the statute of his decree was not performed, he was just.

Some of the theologians believe  that the Proverbs were created at the beginning of Solomon‘s reign.  Solomon became king when he was young, he was approximately in his early 20s. At that time and in our current time, individuals who are in their early 20s have not had a lot of experience and are considered not wise. 

One of the most redeeming character traits of Solomon is … his understanding of what he did not know. 

In the beginning of this blog, this is the question that God asked Solomon “what I shall give you?” – I Kings 3:5-6  I had always believed that Solomon asked God for something, but  instead God is asking Solomon for something. This is mind blowing.   God asked what Solomon wanted.  Is God gently asking us what we desire or want? 

Solomon replied that he wanted God to give him understanding to govern his people. Wisdom was given to Solomon as a way of instructing that people to learn the skill of how to love and to serve God.  Wisdom is not a law or commandment , but it is a gentle guidance to show us how to live.

God has given Solomon this information and wisdom to share in loving manner.  God is gentle with Solomon and Solomon is gentle with how he gives this guidance to us.

In today’s passage of Proverbs 9, wisdom is personified as a majestic lady. She speaks softly as she opens up her house and her life to others who are in need of shelter and rest and refreshment. She is open to everyone and does not discriminate.

In this particular passage, she gives some amazing advice that we can use daily.

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.

8 

Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.

9 

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
    teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

12 

If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
    if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

Proverbs 9:8-9;12

Many times we want to help others, but sometimes those individuals do not want to help. 

We sometimes want to persuade someone to do something different and at the same time that person does not want to be changed. 

In this passage Wisdom is telling us to be cautious in our pursuits to help everyone.

As a pharmacist, I am trying to help my patients. I go beyond the call of duty to assist the patients. But sometimes the patients do not want the assistance or they will be upset that it’s not completed at the time or to their satisfaction.  

We can see this in our daily life with our family and friends. Sometimes we attempt to help our people, but the person that we are trying to help, does not want that help. 

We have to understand that it is hard for us to do it alone, and we have to seek the guidance of God to intercede and to help our people. 

Sometimes God does not want us to intercede to help our people. Other times, God is gently guiding us to help our people in the things that they need. 

But it takes our relationship with God to understand how to obtain this wisdom to help others or to be available when they want our help.

The understanding of wisdom is hard to grasp. Sometimes we do not feel that we have the ability to move in the direction that God wants us, but we have to be available for the insight and instructions. 

May we ask for grace to be able to assist and to wait until God allows us to use the wisdom he’s given us. 

Be blessed 

Today’s Reading: Proverbs 9 

One question:  Ask what shall I give you?

When you review the life and the beginning relationship of Solomon and God it is a beautiful relationship. At the beginning of his reign,  Solomon had to focus and a plan for serving God.  Some of the  first things that Solomon carried out was to clear up the bad blood that had been done to his father David and done because of his father David. Solomon did have a discerning power with some of them, but when the statute of his decree was not performed, he was just.

Some of the theologians believe  that the Proverbs were created at the beginning of Solomon‘s reign.  Solomon became king when he was young, he was approximately in his early 20s. At that time and in our current time, individuals who are in their early 20s have not had a lot of experience and are considered not wise. 

One of the most redeeming character traits of Solomon is … his understanding of what he did not know. 

In the beginning of this blog, this is the question that God asked Solomon “what I shall give you?” – I Kings 3:5-6  I had always believed that Solomon asked God for something, but  instead God is asking Solomon for something. This is mind blowing.   God asked what Solomon wanted.  Is God gently asking us what we desire or want? 

Solomon replied that he wanted God to give him understanding to govern his people. Wisdom was given to Solomon as a way of instructing that people to learn the skill of how to love and to serve God.  Wisdom is not a law or commandment , but it is a gentle guidance to show us how to live.

God has given Solomon this information and wisdom to share in loving manner.  God is gentle with Solomon and Solomon is gentle with how he gives this guidance to us.

In today’s passage of Proverbs 9, wisdom is personified as a majestic lady. She speaks softly as she opens up her house and her life to others who are in need of shelter and rest and refreshment. She is open to everyone and does not discriminate.

In this particular passage, she gives some amazing advice that we can use daily.

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.

8 

Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.

9 

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
    teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

12 

If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
    if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

Proverbs 9:8-9;12

Many times we want to help others, but sometimes those individuals do not want to help. 

We sometimes want to persuade someone to do something different and at the same time that person does not want to be changed. 

In this passage Wisdom is telling us to be cautious in our pursuits to help everyone.

As a pharmacist, I am trying to help my patients. I go beyond the call of duty to assist the patients. But sometimes the patients do not want the assistance or they will be upset that it’s not completed at the time or to their satisfaction.  

We can see this in our daily life with our family and friends. Sometimes we attempt to help our people, but the person that we are trying to help, does not want that help. 

We have to understand that it is hard for us to do it alone, and we have to seek the guidance of God to intercede and to help our people. 

Sometimes God does not want us to intercede to help our people. Other times, God is gently guiding us to help our people in the things that they need. 

But it takes our relationship with God to understand how to obtain this wisdom to help others or to be available when they want our help.

The understanding of wisdom is hard to grasp. Sometimes we do not feel that we have the ability to move in the direction that God wants us, but we have to be available for the insight and instructions. 

May we ask for grace to be able to assist and to wait until God allows us to use the wisdom he’s given us. 

Be blessed 

Today’s Reading : Zephaniah 3

“I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant. I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction. Then your dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’ But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt…

“Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed…

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.”

‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬-‭8‬, ‭16‬-‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Over the years, there’s been one  movie that has really captured the full aspect of emotion that has been a fan favorite of my kids, INSIDE OUT.

 

In this movie, it looks inside of the person’s emotional brain and  shows the core emotions: joy, fear, anger, disgust, and sadness.   There is a second movie where some of these emotions evolved to additional emotions: anxiety, envy, embarrassment, and boredom.  This parody of life really shows the complexity of emotions that we have and how to interact and how to manage emotions.

One of my professional friends gave me insight to the emotions that we all have.  We had a conversation about depression and the mechanism of depression. He gave me insight into depression theory.  Depression can be viewed as a societal suppression of our pure emotions that we are told not the express, but to suppress such as our grief, anger, fear.

 

On a daily basis we attempt to not feel certain emotions. We attempt to dismiss our fears. We attempt to dismiss our grief. We attempt to downgrade our joy. We’re not allowing our bodies to feel the extent of our emotions and become confused in ourselves.

In this passage, we can see that God actually has a complexity of emotions as well. In the first chapters, God is angry. He is giving the prophet his emotions and expressing his frustrations with the people. He is upset about the way that people have forgotten his generosity. God  is angry that he has given in a special place that they have reluctantly giving it away. But then in the last chapter, God shows his compassion. He shows how he loves despite the hurt,  He gives love.

We are reflections of God’s emotional self. We have similar complex emotions that God has given us and we also have the ability to show compassion through our pain and grief.  Throughout our lives, we will experience the highs and lows of different emotions. But we have to remember that examples God is given.

We all are capable of expressing our emotions, but we have to be able to do it in a matter that is gracious.  Let us ask ourselves if there is someone that is in need of our compassion that has caused us hurt in the past. 

Be Blessed 

 

Today’s Reading: Ephesians 3

1-3 This is why I, Paul, am in jail for Christ, having taken up the cause of you outsiders, so-called. I take it that you’re familiar with the part I was given in God’s plan for including everybody. I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief.

4-6 As you read over what I have written to you, you’ll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ. None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God’s Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I’ve been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board. – Ephesians 3:1-6

One of the biggest weapons that the enemy has against us is, isolation.

It is the use of isolation and loneliness and separation that the enemy allows us to forget that we are to be in community and to be strengthened by each other. Over the last several weeks and months, we have been inundated with the thought that we are separate and different from each other. The fear that we have been given has been exploited. But in today’s passage, we are shown that no matter how different we are, no matter what we go through, we all are in the same family.

In this letter to Ephesians, Paul shows us a much needed reminder, we are connected.  He shows that it’s not by accident or coincidence that God reveals to us our connections at the right time. 

We may look different, we may speak different, we may eat different, we may dance different, but at the end of the day we all are one family. 

We all have that same connection to each other. It is our differences that make us unique and make us exciting. It is our differences that make us stronger together. 

I may be a great cook, but I am not a great builder. My brother may be a great builder, but not a great cook. When we come together, we are able to lift each other up together with our differences and our unique traits allow us to grow together. We do not have to be envious of each other because of the other traits. We should be able to celebrate each other and to enjoy each other’s greatness and uniqueness to build us up together.

There’s a couple of examples that I was just given this week of how isolation can cripple us.

The first example is from a patient. While counseling her about medications and giving  her these reminders, she informed me that the past month she has had so many difficulties, and she doesn’t know how to make it. At that point, I gave her compassion and let her know that no matter what happens, “We are here to help you.”  

This is a critical point where another pharmacist could’ve browbeat her, but I gave her a soft hand of compassion and of love. And when she saw my compassion, tears started to flow. It only took 10 seconds of compassion and kindness to show this person that she mattered.

One of my friends  just shared a very moving testimony on his behalf. He is remembering the departure of his brother 10 years ago. He also shared the difficulties that he has experienced over the last month.   In his sharing, he opened himself up to connections with others. He was able to push past this isolation and by sharing the community is able to uplift him and give him strength.

It is hard to get out of isolation and out of our own mind. It is hard to become vulnerable to anyone. It’s hard to become vulnerable to your family, to your friends, to others. But when we have the love of Christ in us, we can become vulnerable. This vulnerability allows us to be strengthened. When we become vulnerable, we do not have to worry about the ramifications of someone using that to their own advantage. When we  become vulnerable, we allow Christ to strengthen us and protect us from others who would use it against us. 

That’s what isolation does is tries to keep you insulated from others’ love and compassion.

As we go through this week of love and compassion and joy, allow us to be more vulnerable and open to strength and for love and for mercy.

 

Be Blessed

 

Today’s Reading: Psalms 23 

When I was a kid, I remember going to my cousin’s house and spending the night. Sometimes they would watch scary movies. When they watch scary movies and I would watch them or hear the movie, I was afraid and I could not sleep. I would run away from the fear.

Many times when we are afraid and scared, we try to run away from it as fast as possible. When there is immediate danger to you, it is necessary to evade the danger as fast as possible. But when there is a fear of something that is not going to harm us, we do not need to run as fast as possible. We can try to access the situation and process the unknown.  I remember being a kid and being afraid of something and counting as fast as I could to 10.  I thought if I could get to ten, I could get away from the fear. But as I am an adult, I have understood that when I try to rush through the fear, I am not allowed a God to work in me. 

In today’s passage, the 23rd Psalms, this is a familiar passage to many individuals who are Christian and non-Christian. Sometimes we run through the psalms as we run through the our prayers or mantras : to say it to get through it and then move on. But when we actually break it down into its parts, there is more to this psalms.  

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭23‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

David gives us an example of how to walk with God in the midst of our fears. 

David walks. 

He is moving with intention, but not running.

I like to think that David wrote this psalm close to the end of his life. At this point in time, David is able to see how God works and He is intentional with His protection and His love.

Earlier in David’s life, he had to run away from things. But now it is later life, he realizes that God is there with him in all parts of his life and he does not have to rush through any parts of it: the highs or lows, the fears or joys, the stress or the rest.  With God and his relationship, David is able to be at ease and just move with assurance that he is protected and secure. 

Can this be an example for us. Can we rest assured and walk with ease in life despite the fears?

The Fears of failure or the Fear of success.  

The Fear of Loss or the Fear of Abundance.  

The Fear of Death or the Fear of Life.   

Fear is a natural emotion that we have. We cannot erase it. What we can do is overcome and conquer fear with courage and discipline. The fears that were typical are the fears of failure, the fears of loss and fears of death. The fears of success are if you become Successful you will lose other things. The fear of  Abundance can be fears of mismanagement.   The fears of Life can be that of the  uncertainty of everything. I remember becoming a parent and the joy and fear that encompasses that. The joy of something exciting and new, but then the fears of trying to protect new life from everything. 

As we see there can be many fears that encapsulate us on a daily basis. It is the rational fears of Fear of Failure, Fear of Loss, and Fear of Death and the non-logical fears of Success, Abundance, and Life that can cripple us and stop us from fulfilling the goodness that God has ready for us.  Let us walk with God in the midst of these and all fears that will hinder us from goodness.  He has so many things ready for us, if we walk with Him and trust in His process.

Be Blessed

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 31

The last chapters of Deuteronomy are a farewell letter from Moses to the children of Israel. They have gone through the exodus from Egypt, they have gone through the wilderness, and now they are at the break of coming into the promised land. This could be seen as a eulogy for Moses, but it actually is a word of encouragement to the people of Israel.

Whenever we lose someone close to us, we have a tendency to be saddened and then have a fear of what’s next. There is a fear of the unknown, there’s a fear of losing that person, and then a fear of failing God with the next chapter of your life. God understands that fear is a natural part of our emotional complex. God knows our innermost parts and he has these words of encouragement that come three times in this chapter of Deuteronomy.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” …..

Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. ….

And the Lord commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭6‬-‭7‬, ‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In this chapter, we see that fear is the weakness in which God‘s faithfulness is able to shine. God shows us that in order for him to shine and to grow us we have to be exposed to outside stresses. The only way that a muscle is able to get strong is through applied stress in a controlled situation. This is how you become stronger.

God is not allowing us to experience these stresses alone or in isolation.  He shows this with the people of Israel and with us in our experiences, he will not allow the stresses without a controlled environment. He sets us up for success.

God wants us to try to accomplish many things. He is an amazing father. He also has a foresight and insight to set up insurances for us to succeed. Many times we think that God is not there or if he’s forgotten about us, but he has already seen the things to come and have backup methods for us.  In the passage below,  it shows how God sees what is to come and how to instruct his people on how to return to his open arms.

“And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them….

“Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel…

So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭16‬, ‭19‬, ‭22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This scenario is similar to a dad with a new driver. The dad will have the insurance and the AAA card and the connections to help out the new driver in the event that they will have an incident. It’s not saying that they are being set up for failure, but they have insurance to help them in the event that they need assistance.

Throughout our life, God has the best intentions for us, but he also has insurance policies for us. Even when we think that we’ve fallen so far from God‘s design and his purpose, God still has love and a plan for us.

Let us not hide from fear.  Let us acknowledge the unknown and be confident in God’s plan for us and that he has insurance policies on us to protect us when we are aligned and in relationship with him.  May you be blessed this week and be courageous in all that you do.

Be Blessed

Today’s Reading : Psalms 122

Contrary to popular belief, peace is not the absence of chaos, but the relationship that you have for God in the midst of the chaos. 

Sanctuary can be a place or a time in our lives where we are at peace.  Sometimes we have to have a particular place or a time so that we are able to be grounded and have peace. David is using this passage to show us that we can have peace by where we are and what we are doing. 

“ I was glad when they said to me,

    “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Our feet have been standing

    within your gates, O Jerusalem!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

    “May they be secure who love you!

7 Peace be within your walls

    and security within your towers!”

8 For my brothers and companions’ sake

    I will say, “Peace be within you!”

9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

    I will seek your good.

Psalms 1-2;6-9

David is showing two things here:  The first thing that David is showing us he is standing. When you’re standing, you are still and you are not in motion. So many times in David’s life he was moving and he was continuously searching or escaping or evading. In this particular passage, he says that “ Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem” David is still. David is at rest. David is not running or moving. He has found peace in his body, and he has found peace in his person.

David is at a particular place, Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the epicenter of the Jewish faith. It is still the epicenter of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic faith. It is the city in which David ruled and the kings of Israel ruled. 

When you step into the gates, you are free from harm and danger. You are free from attacks. You are surrounded by protection. We are at a place where we can feel at peace. This is the sanctuary that many people searched for.

As we have completed our Advent season and are celebrating our Christmas season and beginning of a new year, many people will be in the state of flux and unrest.

Many people will have ideas of what they wanted and those ideas were not fulfilled. 

Many people will have memories of past hurts or past grief and are not at peace. 

But this passage shows us that when we have a relationship with God and we are able to be rested and be in a place of protection, we can find peace. Sometimes we don’t need these things to find peace, but it gives us a reassurance of peace in the midst of this chaos.

As we journey into this next year, let us ask God for his continuous relationship with us to grow and allow us to find peace within Him. In the Christmas story, the angels come upon the shepherds and say peace beyond to you.

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.  – Luke 2:13-14

In a mist of the storms, Jesus told the waves “peace be still”

39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. – Mark 4:39

Allow our next year to give us a fraction of these proclamations of peace.

Be blessed.

Today’s Reading: Titus 3 

“Be the most generous person that you know“.  – S. Doran 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Be Ready for Every Good Work

3 Remind them to be … to be ready for every good work,… 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, … 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people….14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. – Titus 3: 1;4-5;8;14

Longsuffering is the part of the fruit of the Spirit that puzzles me for quite some time.  When I was younger,  I always thought it had a negative connotation.  As I grow and mature, the word that I have seen take on the whole meaning.  In other bible versions, longsuffering is referred to as patience.  I wondered “Why would a loving Father would allow longsuffering?”  

But I’ve had a revelation this week. It’s not longsuffering that is the fruit but what does it produce?

It goes back to the relationship. Your relationship with God and the Spirit will create how you will see longsuffering.  What is a relationship that you have with God and Spirit?

There are two examples of how longsuffering can be used by God with you.   You can use the long suffering for the better or you can begrudge the suffering.  

As an example, you can use longsuffering and be miserable. For instance, if you had a divorce, a death of a loved one, or a breakdown in your entire life; you could see these as ways of God punishing you and allowing devastation to rule. You can become so absorbed in the actions and not allow the relationship that God has with you to grow and to allow you to see past that point of despair.

I have witnessed the most amazing testament that is the full example of  how long suffering produces a generous heart and abilities to do good in spite of everything.  

A close and great friend of mine experienced longsuffering that has created one of the most generous hearts that I know.  He has allowed it to produce good works for others.  This friend had one of the most amazing days of his life, juxtaposed with one of the most tragic days of his life. He had just proposed to his fiancé and they were excited about the new life that they were about to embark.  They got engaged and three days later they were celebrating their engagement with a trip. On this trip, his new fiancé had a tragic accident that almost left her completely paralyzed. She fell off his back and landed 15 feet below on the ground on her back and crushed part of her spine.  This changed the trajectory of their life.

She had to do extensive surgeries and excessive therapy to recoup. This created a piece of longsuffering for my friend. He felt despair… loneliness… heartache… and overall pain. He could allow this to consume him and be isolated and upset with the world. But he decided to see this as an opportunity to live life to the fullest and to cherish each and every moment with his family, friends, and those he cares about. He then transformed this longsuffering into becoming a generous person. He took this inner gut punch and was able to relate to others who were going through something similar.

Because of the longsuffering, he has created joy and peace and connection with so many individuals who are not able to see that silver lighting. He shared with me that “Whenever I  see somebody who is in the situation, I  actually internalize their hurt and if I can help to eliminate some of that, ‘punch in the stomach hurt’ he knows he’s done some good for that individual.”

It takes a strong person to be able to see how God can use them in other people’s lives. In Titus, we are shown to do good work and continue to do these good work all the time. When I see these good work, I attempt to be generous and be more generous than I can ever imagine. 

As my friend, S. Doran, at the beginning of the passage, states “be the most generous person that you can be.”

You are not trying to outdo anybody except for yourself.

Let’s see if we are able to get more than we can even expect ourselves to do.

Be blessed and be generous.

 

Today’s Reading: Psalms 106

One of the quotes that I  heard this past Thanksgiving was “ We give thanks for the things that we remember”.

Memories are not just for us, but for our past selves , our present selves, and our future selves. 

When we share the things of our past through stories and anecdotes we create a picture of the past. For me, some of the most profound memories that I have are from stories that were given to me by my family and ancestors.  I never met either one of my grandfathers, but I saw their lives through the stories.  The stories and the legacy that we give from our memories will shape our future memories in others. 

In this passage, Psalms 106,  we are called to give thanks for the memories of the past and then continue to share these memories to help the future.  God is asking us to REMEMBER all the things that he has done and cherish them. 

“Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance. 

Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. 

Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; 

they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 

But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. 

They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, 

Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity. 

Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. 

For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.”

‭‭

Psalm‬ ‭106‬:‭4‬-‭7‬, ‭13‬, ‭21‬, ‭43‬-‭45‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God is merciful and generous.  His time span is infinite to ours.  A millennium to us is a blink in time for Him. God allows us to remember Him through His Spirit and through his relationship with us. 

We remember him through our stories that have been given to us over the generations. 

We remember the love that He gives us.

 We remember through the miracles that have been performed. 

We remember because of His goodness to us.

 Let’s pray that we will not forget his goodness to us. Let us not forget to share his love with others.

 

Be Blessed

 

Today’s reading: Psalms 99

Each one of us has a purpose. Each one of us has been set aside for a particular work that God has for us. Many of us do not understand what the purpose God has for us in this life. Sometimes others have to see your purpose and give you insight and direction on how to live out God‘s purpose in you.

 

One of the best examples that I can think of for being set aside for a purpose is a birthday cake.

Many of us have experienced a birthday cake or have had a birthday cake for our celebrations. These cakes are special, but they are simple in their creation.  Many times the cakes are chosen by the flavor and then the icing. The one thing that makes them a birthday cake is the decoration. Once the decoration has been done, then it becomes special. It has become set apart from the other cakes.

One of the most special things about a birthday cake is not the decorations or the flavor, but it is how you use the cake. This is a celebration item that is shared with others. When we have a birthday cake, it is not for one person, but it is to be celebrated with others.  The more that you can celebrate and share,  the more enriched and fulfilling the lives of others will be.

Many times we believe that when we are set aside or set apart that we need to be isolated. We try to keep that “special-ness”within us. God’s true purpose in giving this gift to us is to share His gifts with others. When we share these gifts with others, then everybody begins to see His presence. Everyone begins to see His love. Everyone begins to see the awesomeness of Him.

 

In this week’s passage, we are seeing God is holy.

“Let them praise your great and awesome name!

Holy is he! ….

Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool!

Holy is he!….

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain;

for the Lord our God is holy!”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭99‬:‭3‬, ‭5‬, ‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

 

David is showing that God is Holy. He says it three times in this psalm.  When something is repeated three times in the Bible it has a big meaning.  David is setting God apart from everything that he knows.  He is creating the cadence of holiness. Kadosh is the Hebrew word for Holy, which translates into being set apart. 

This set apart for Holiness is echoed in Isaiah with the same cadence as well.

And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!””

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

 

God is Holy.  The earth and the people and the angels proclaim his Holiness.  This is evident in these and other scriptures. 

It is also true that God’s love and grace has created in us a reflection of his holiness.  God’s holiness is supreme, but he has called us to be holy or set apart as well. 

This responsibility on us is not to become isolated and arrogant in our relationship, but it pulls us to share it with others. 

God’s holiness has created something special in us and we have to continue to share it with others because that is the best part like the cake.

Be blessed

 

Today’s Reading : Psalms 95

Throughout our daily conversations, we use familiar phrases and words to relate our emotions and our situations. These phrases are part of our common speech.  These are commonplace when you’re speaking to people who have similar backgrounds. As an example, this past Halloween evening, while giving out candy I met my friend and their child.  When I saw them I stated  “you made out like a bandit“. The dad laughed and the child looked at me with confusion.  The dad and I are from the same generation. I was congratulating the child on a very productive trick-or-treating and  then I had to explain it that he got a lot of candy and it was a good thing.

Sometimes the words and phrases that we use can have a hidden meaning or a hidden message. It’s about the audience and the speaker. The speaker has to know the audience and has to direct the information and the language to them. When the message is not clear a disconnect happens and then there is a loss in translation or a point of confusion due to the hidden messages.

In today’s passage,  we see the author’s gratefulness and  appreciation for the deliverance and the joy that God has given the people. But as you read through the psalms, there are hidden messages that we might not see, but are  familiar to the people of Israel. That’s where we have to dive deeper and to see the true meaning of the scripture and the verses.

“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭95‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.” Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.””

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭95‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In these sections we can see the gratitude and the happiness that we have for God and for the salvation that is given to us.  

In the latter sections, we have the hidden messages. 

Meribah is the place where the newly freed people of Israel became mad at God and began to quarrel (the direct translation of Meribah) about God’s provision and promises. 

This is where they began to test, Massah, God’s ability to fulfill the promise.  They allowed their own understanding to override God’s promises.  They hardened their hearts and attempted to do things on their own.  This testing didn’t happen just once but continuously throughout their 40 year journey. Even Moses was susceptible to doing things his way, and this prevented him from going into the promised land.

God has many things ready for us and has many things promised to us. We all have questioned God’s provisions and God’s ability to fulfill his promises. When God has promised these things to us and we have a relationship with Him, we have to be able to wait until his promises are fulfilled.  

Let us pray that God allows us to see the hidden messages that He has in store for us. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to give us comfort in the times when we feel unsettled and anxious about the promises that He has in store for us. May we pray that God continues to give us refreshment and give us peace in the times of our anxiety and our struggles.

Be blessed