I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, My great army, which I sent among you. Joel 2:25.
My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Proverbs 3:21-22.
The Spirit Himself bears witness with your spirit. Romans 8:16.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7.
And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 177: Declared to be the Son of God with power. Isaiah 9:6: For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. And, Romans 1:3-4: Concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our LORD.
Two of my devotionals this morning, which I will paraphrase, spoke to me personally. The first one was about a short story about a carpenter who did beautiful quality work for others but lived in a hovel with his large family. The rich man who owned the land told him to build the finest house using the finest craftsmen on a beautiful hill and went away. Thinking to save money for himself, he cut corners and the work was inferior and shabby. He didn’t know the house was intended for him. I thought about my own inner house, of my thoughts that keep recurring that are not good. Inferior and shabby and harmful to me. A second devotional spoke about shadow boxing where a boxer is alone in the ring punching air with a purpose. But given the first devotional and the message I internalized, I realized my own negative thoughts hit me and my own head snaps backward.
And since I long to share my love for God in a blog, it’s only fair to share where He corrects me. The above was needed correction from Him. So too is His helping me see that my rage at the very real wrongness in our world today, wrongness that is not new but very old in our fallen world, I need to pour out in lamentation to Him. He knows. Hate and anger and judging, so prominent in our world right now, is unrighteousness; and putting them out into the world and harboring them in my own thoughts, just adds to more unrighteousness. We live in a world that is broken and fear and anger and worry are real. He knows. Give everything to Him and trust that though we cannot understand yet, His Will for us is good and will always be for our good. Trusting Him is trusting Him for everything we cannot see because we know that He does see perfectly, He is not fooled and He is not blind as we are. The very needed real work He does in me is proof of that. And I give thanks to Him!
***AWAKE AND ALERT – Almighty LORD, God of the powers and of all flesh, who lives in the highest and cares for the humble, who searches our hearts and affections, and who clearly foreknows the secrets of men; eternal and ever-living light, in whom is no change nor shadow of variation; O immortal King, receive our prayers which we offer to You from unclean lips, trusting in the multitude of Your mercies. Forgive all sins that we commit in thought, word, or deed, consciously or unconsciously, and cleanse us from all defilement of flesh and spirit. grant us to pass the night of the whole present life with wakeful heart and sober thought, ever expecting the coming of the radiant day of the appearing of Your Son, our LORD and God and Savior, Jesus Christ, when the Judge of all will come with glory to render to each according to their deeds. May we not be found fallen and idle but awake and alert for action, ready to accompany Him into the joy and divine palace of His glory, where there is the ceaseless sound of those keeping festival and the unspeakable delight of those who behold the ineffable beauty of Your face. For You are the true light that enlightens and sanctifies all, and all creation sings to You throughout the ages. Amen. Basil of Caesarea (AD 330-379).***
