We are going to our meeting with Wings of Freedom this morning, but I'm not leading worship today. I called the pastor last night from the ER in Bedford, because, frankly, we honestly didn't know where we would be this morning. But we are going, and Steph is going with us. I can think of no better place to be after a day like that than in the midst of God's people.
And I'm spending time in his word right now.
He begins with sadness that people don't observe God's commands. The next section describes how God's word is good for helping us live life to the fullest. He cries out to God for help from his enemies. Then he finishes like he started, loathing those he calls "quitters."
From Calvin: "How great in our day is the frenzy of the world in despising God and neglecting his doctrine? A few, no doubt, are to be found who with the mouth profess their willingness to receive it, but scarcely one in ten proves the sincerity of his profession by his life."
The amazing this is that the above words were written in the 16th century.
The Bible affirms itself as the word of God in 2 Timothy 3:16, as well as in 2 Peter 1:21.
We will never fully understand how the Holy Spirit inspired men to write God's word, but the Bible is clear that it did happen. Perhaps we need to pray for God to remove doubts about the inspiration of his word in our hearts. We need a "settled conviction that the Bible is indeed God's Word, that it is complete and authoritative, and that it is absolute truth."
Father, I pray for even more love for your words. Help me meditate more on them throughout my days and nights, just like the Psalmist. I want to be like that tree, planted by streams of water, whose leaf never withers. I want to be successful in YOUR eyes, not so much in man's eyes.
I thank you for your people. I pray that as we gather with other believers this morning that we will experience the love of your people and love in return. There is no better place to be in times of hurt than in the embrace of your people. We love each other in a way that the world cannot understand.
I pray for this coming week. I pray for some positive results from Springwood hospital. I pray for peace and hope, and I confess that I was losing hope yesterday. I confess that, at one point yesterday, I was feeling as though you had turned your back on us. I do not believe that to be true, though, as you have promised that you would never do that.
Your grace is sufficient for all things.
Thank you.
(The brain is a funny thing....the next thing that popped into my head was "We are Borg.")
Anyway...We love our family at Wings of Freedom very much and will be with them shortly.
Grace and peace, friends.
Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.