For wisdom for President Obama and his team as they discern how our nation will remain vigilant in the war on terrorism
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
--Colossians 4:2 (NIV)
Lord, praise and thank You for the peace we have in knowing that You are sovereign and in control of all the affairs of mankind. In our concerns for the world around us we thank You for Your kind and watchful care over all things�even events and circumstances that trouble us. Lord, we thank You that when we commit these things to You in prayer, You will bring us peace and hope in the knowledge that You are aware of them and have all things in hand.
Mighty God, we ask You today to help President Obama and those serving under him to be ever watchful of the threat of terrorism against our nation. Give them insight as to how to respond to prevalent and ever-changing threats, O God, and help them to do all that is right and necessary to properly protect our citizens and best utilize the men and women of our military against terrorists. Help and strengthen the President and his team, Lord, and encourage them to seek You as they face this issue. In Christ�s name, amen.
22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried and were rescued;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
"...as he became our representative, and took upon him our sins, it was certainly necessary that he should appear before the judgment-seat of God as a sinner. From this proceeded the terror and dread which constrained him to pray for deliverance from death; not that it was so grievous to him merely to depart from this life; but because there was before his eyes the curse of God, to which all who are sinners are exposed."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)
I don't know if I have ever seriously considered the outright terror that Jesus must have been experiencing at that moment on the cross. That, alone, should be enough to cause me to lay down my sin and never pick it up again.
Christ have mercy...
2 Peter 1:3-9
Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you�your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.
So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.
Everything we need for life and Godliness has been provided for us. Every time I read this passage, I shake my head in wonder. Wonder that I have never seemed to be able to appropriate this "everything." But it's right there, and it has been provided for me. Everything!
Peter then goes on with a list of character traits that we need to be adding to our "basic faith." Before I list them, I have to wonder...how many of us (self included) never get beyond "basic faith?" Here's the list.
Good character
Spiritual understanding
Alert discipline
Passionate patience
Reverent wonder
Warm friendliness
Generous love
I also have to wonder, is this a progressive list (meaning is it necessary to begin with "good character" before progressing to "spiritual understanding")? I don't necessarily think so, but I guess it's possible. It seems to me that each trait feeds off of the other traits. For example, spiritual understanding and alert discipline could certainly lead to good character. I think it rather dubious to wait until I've achieved good character before I can have spiritual understanding.
Anyway...so how am I doing on these traits?
Good character---meh. I do ok most of the time on that. I think.
Spiritual understanding---I'm working to improve that every day. I like to think I have a sense of spiritual understanding, but have not even begun to "arrive." I believe it is something that must be cultivated daily, every time I read Scripture.
Alert discipline---I fail miserably on this trait. This is a serious prayer concern for me. I'm the most undisciplined person I know.
Passionate patience---Hah. I'm passionate about some things, but patience isn't one of them. Another thing I need to work on. "Lord, give me patience, and I want it NOW!" Heheheh...
Reverent wonder---I think I do pretty good on this one. I have a great, reverent wonder about God and his plan. Not that it can't be improved on. I'm not, nor will I ever be, perfect in any of these.
Warm friendliness---This one is hit and miss. It depends on my mood that day. I can be the warmest person you've ever met one day and cold as ice the next. I need God's help on this one, too.
Generous love---Over all, I'm a pretty generous person. But the love aspect of it needs much work, as well, as it ties in with the warm friendliness.
How did you do on the list? Or are you like me and afraid to even assess yourself?
May you be glorified by my life as these traits increase in it.
Grace and peace, friends!