But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.--Psalm 13:5-6
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.--Psalm 73:27-28
It's review day, so I'll take a look at what I've gotten from God over the past six days.
Day 106--Humility
Proverbs 18:20-15
I have been both humble and prideful in my life, as well as "rude and stupid." If we lived as though God was truly our protection, we need not have an fear of the repercussions of being humble. I need to keep learning until I draw my final breath.
Day 107--Wait For God
Proverbs 20:22-30
"The very steps we take come from God; otherwise how would we know where we're going?"
God is in control. If we are following his lead, everything will work out for the best. He even tells our feet where to walk (even though our brains may not know it). I take great comfort in knowing that God is in control of all things. It makes some sense out of the apparent chaos.
Day 108--Dollars and Cents
Proverbs 22:22-23,26-27;23:4-8
In this passage that primarily speaks of how we treat the poor, the point is where our hearts are. We need to make sure that our hearts are not deceived by riches or even the chance of riches. We have all the riches we need in our Father. After all, he owns it all.
We need to be wise with the resources he has given us. Part of this wisdom is caring for the poor.
Day 109--Wisdom With Feet On It
Proverbs 24:3-4, 15-21, 28-29
The passage begins with extolling the virtues of wisdom in the home, then proceeds to give examples of wisdom. I was especially drawn to the verse that spoke of not laughing when my enemy falls. This is a serious temptation, probably for most people. Again, I reference the fall of Governor Elliot Spitzer of New York. Lots of people are cheering over this, not the least of which is talk show host Lars Larson. This makes me sad. I never heard of Spitzer before this week, so I have no feelings about him. He messed up. Now he's paying for it. (Heh...guess he already paid for it. HAH!) *ahem* But I don't celebrate his fall. We should, instead, pray for his redemption. We are to be dispensers of grace.
Day 110--Word To the Wise
Proverbs 28:4-12
"God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to him." If we expect him to hear our prayers, we should be paying attention to his Word. How much time do we spend doing that?
Day 111--Noticing the Needy
Proverbs 29:7,13-14,23,27
This passage focuses more on the poor than the earlier one. God expects us to take care of the "voiceless poor;" the widows and orphans. Those whose voices are considered unimportant by the PTBs ("Powers that be...if you watched "Angel" you understand...). Voices that are ignored, for the most part. Our God fully expects us to take care of them. Remember the words in James..."Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." Ouch. Double whammy.
Grace and peace, friends.