Pray for great and godly wisdom for President Obama as he works with the CDC, HHS and Homeland Security officials to manage and contain the H1N1 �swine flu� situation. Pray for its quick containment, for minimal or no loss of life, for the mitigation of the economic impact on travel, entertainment, transportation and many areas of our nation.
The final member of President Obama�s cabinet was confirmed April 28 by a 65-31 vote in the Senate; pray for Kathleen Sibelius as she now steps up to lead the nation�s efforts to combat the spread of the swine flu, asking for God�s wisdom for her as she steps up to led her team.
A Wedding Song of the Sons of Korah
1 My heart bursts its banks, spilling beauty and goodness.
I pour it out in a poem to the king,
shaping the river into words:
2-4 "You're the handsomest of men;
every word from your lips is sheer grace,
and God has blessed you, blessed you so much.
Strap your sword to your side, warrior!
Accept praise! Accept due honor!
Ride majestically! Ride triumphantly!
Ride on the side of truth!
Ride for the righteous meek!
4-5 "Your instructions are glow-in-the-dark;
you shoot sharp arrows
Into enemy hearts; the king's
foes lie down in the dust, beaten.
6-7 "Your throne is God's throne,
ever and always;
The scepter of your royal rule
measures right living.
You love the right
and hate the wrong.
And that is why God, your very own God,
poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king
from among your dear companions.
8-9 "Your ozone-drenched garments
are fragrant with mountain breeze.
Chamber music�from the throne room�
makes you want to dance.
Kings' daughters are maids in your court,
the Bride glittering with golden jewelry.
10-12 "Now listen, daughter, don't miss a word:
forget your country, put your home behind you.
Be here�the king is wild for you.
Since he's your lord, adore him.
Wedding gifts pour in from Tyre;
rich guests shower you with presents."
13-15 (Her wedding dress is dazzling,
lined with gold by the weavers;
All her dresses and robes
are woven with gold.
She is led to the king,
followed by her virgin companions.
A procession of joy and laughter!
a grand entrance to the king's palace!)
16-17 "Set your mind now on sons�
don't dote on father and grandfather.
You'll set your sons up as princes
all over the earth.
I'll make you famous for generations;
you'll be the talk of the town
for a long, long time."
"Christ, of his free grace, desires to enter into a holy alliance of marriage with the whole world, in the same way is if a Jew in ancient times had taken to himself a wife from a foreign and heathen land. But in order to conduct into Christ's presence his bride, chaste and undefiled, the prophet exhorts the Church gathered from the Gentiles, to forget her former manner of living, and to devote herself wholly to her husband."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)
"The Pastoral Epistles"
2 Timothy 1:14
By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
During the month of May, Tabletalk will be reading through the "Pastoral Epistles" of Paul, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. These epistles give us a glimpse into the activities of Paul just prior to his death.
The "deposit" mentioned in the above verse would, for us, be the "prophetic and apostolic word of salvation found in the Bible."
Week 2/Friday "Falling Into the Trap"
John 14:13
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
I realize it's Saturday, not Friday. But there is one weekend reading for both Saturday and Sunday, so I can do Friday's today without falling behind.
The author speaks, in this reading, of falling into a trap of legalizm, regarding our walk with Christ. The event that he cites is a time when he was slated to speak at a large church on the West Coast. When he arrived, he discovered that one of the pastoral staff had died suddenly the day before, and that the staff and congregation were in a state of shock and grief.
Realizing that the message he had prepared would be innapropriate, he began to pray for inspiration (he had about 15 minutes to prepare!) from the Lord. Then he began to add up his "merits and demerits" for the day. "Had I had a quiet time that morning? Had I entertained any lustful thoughts or told any half-truths?" He was beginning to fall into the "performance trap."
He immediately recognized what was happening and prayed, "Lord, I don't know the answer to those questions, but it doesn't matter. I come to You today in the name of Jesus and, by His merit alone, ask for Your help." He says that a verse quickly came to mind, along with a brief outline for the message. He literally prepared the message as he spoke.
Did God answer because he was all "performed up?" No. God answered because Jesus Christ purchased the answer to that question on the cross. "God answered on the basis of His grace alone, not because of my merits or demerits."
I really like how Jerry Bridge is pounding this truth into my head in this book. Ultimately, my blessings are not based on my performance. Sure, obedience does bring blessing. But we don't have to make a checklist and check off tasks on the list to make sure God can bless us today. It just doesn't work that way. It's all by God's grace.
I pray, as the Psalmist encourages us, that I might be able to devote myself more fully to you. As the Bride of Christ, the Church has allowed herself to become way too distracted. Let us focus more on you in our lifestyles.
I also pray for whatever I might learn from reading through the last of Paul's epistles during this month. There is a wealth of wisdom for me to learn. Let me be serious when I approach these readings during these devotional times. I pray for minimal distractions and a sense of focused purpose as I read.
Grace and peace, friends!