Troop deaths in Afghanistan. July has already become the deadliest month for American and international forces in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion of 2001. At least 37 U.S. Troops have died this month in fighting in Afghanistan.
Father, I pray for the safety of our troops, and comfort for families that have lost loved ones.
God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and
at the last turn�Zion! God in full view!
God-of-the-Angel-Armies, listen:
O God of Jacob, open your ears�I'm praying!
Look at our shields, glistening in the sun,
our faces, shining with your gracious anointing.
One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship,
beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches.
I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God
than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin. (The Message)
"[The Psalmist] set a higher value on one day which he could spend in the divine service, than upon a long time passed among the men of the world, from whose society true religion is banished. It being lawful for none but the priests to enter into the inner and innermost courts of the temple, [the Psalmist] expressly declares, that provided he were permitted to have a place at the porch, he would be contented with this humble station. The value which he set upon the sanctuary is presented in a very striking light by the comparison, that he would prefer having a place at the very doors of the temple, to his having full possession of the tents of wickedness, the plain import of which is, that he would rather be cast into a common and unhonoured place, provided he were among the people of God, than exalted to the highest rank of honour among unbelievers."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)
"Hope Set on God"
1 Timothy 5:5-7
5 She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. 7 Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. (ESV)
The widows that truly need the church's support would be characterized by loneliness and prayer. They are "left all alone," meaning that they truly have no other family around. Paul will, a few verses ahead, rebuke families of widows who do not support their family member. This true widow never stops her supplications in prayer. She is on the verge of being destitute. She is also a godly woman, who intercedes for others and puts her complete trust in the Lord.
Paul speaks of women who are "self-indulgent." These probably spend any relief that they received wastefully. According to John Calvin, Paul "censures those who abuse their widowhood for this purpose, that, being loosed from the marriage yoke, and freed from every annoyance, they may lead a life of pleasant idleness." The church is not required to help such people.
"This Is Love"
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV)
Jesus's work on the cross was initiated by God the Father because of his great love for us. 1 John 4:9-10 says, "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (ESV)
We must not fall into the trap of thinking that the work of Jesus was simply to placate the wrath of God, as if Jesus needed to convince God not to punish us. God sent Jesus on this mission of mercy and grace.
This great love of God is affirmed elsewhere in Scripture. Romans 5:8 says, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (ESV) Ephesians 2:1-5 says, ":1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience� 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ�by grace you have been saved�" (ESV)
"Herein lies the glory of the cross. Justice and mercy are reconciled; wrath and love are both given full expression--and all so that we might experience the unsearchable riches of Christ."
This truth should cause us to express both humility and gratitude. Humility because our need was the cause of our Savior's horrible suffering. Gratitude because God so loved us that he send Jesus to lovingly experience God's wrath on our behalf.
I pray that the Church would always be available to support widows and the fatherless that are within its reach. Let us never turn away those who are in need. But also give us wisdom to know who is truly in need, and who would abuse the help that is given them. That's the hard part, Father. But with your wisdom and the gift of discernment, we can be responsible stewards of what you have entrusted us with.
Father, I am so grateful for your love. It is good for us to continually re-read the gospels, so that we can be constantly reminded of your great love for us and what it cost our Savior. Thank you for the sacrifice that you made on our behalf! Thank you, Jesus, for being willing to make that sacrifice! Your love for us is unfathomable, and certainly unable to be matched by any other!
You are my King, Jesus!"--Billy Foote, Jr.
Grace and peace, friends.