29 August 2015

Scriptures:

• 2 Peter 3
• Habakkuk 1:12-2:20
• 1 Samuel 16
• Psalm 27

Observations:

In the 2 Peter passage, I see three things of note:

1. Do not be dismayed by scoffers and naysayers, who mock you for your faith.
2. The Lord fulfills his promises and the end times will come in fearful glory.
3. Thus, we should hold on to righteousness and wait with patience, doing the work we have been given to do.

In Habakkuk, we see the prophet asking God why the wicked triumph and the righteous suffer, to which we see God's answer that the righteous shall live, because of their faith, but the wicked shall receive their punishment. Instead, we must be patient and wait, for punishment may not come in this life, but punishment will come. In 1 Samuel, we see the departing of God from Saul and anointing of David. We can see what a difference the Lord's presence makes just by examining the difference in Saul before and after God departed from him. Saul was instead tormented; he received little to no peace.  In Psalm, we see the opposite. We have the psalmist praising God for his shelter and protection, before asking that he might remain under the Lord's protection.

Application:

How do we live in the face of those around us? When others are mocking us or oppressing us because of our beliefs, do we stand firm in our faith and continue in righteousness, or do we cower and bend to the world? We see that those who scorn and disobey the Lord shall receive their punishment, so why would we add ourselves to their number? Instead, shouldn't we be asking the Lord for his shelter and be relying on him for our providence and well-being through times of oppression?

The first three verses of Psalm 27 stand out to me in this:

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me, yet I will be confident."

Fear not. There is a reason that this is the most commonly repeated phrase in the Bible. Aside from the fact that coming face-to-face with God or his messengers is not frightening enough, God wants those of us who trust in him to rely on him and have fear, for, as John writes, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear." (1 John 4:18) If we are filled with the love of God, then we should not fear what may come against us, for the perfect love of God in us drives out all fear.

So, then, where do we stand with God? Are we confident in him or are we needing him to still fill us completely with his love? What is holding us back from that assurance that God as our backs? I know I'm not perfect; there are times when I find myself worrying over things that God has well in hand. I, myself, need to grow in the fullness and surety of his love just as much as the next person.

Prayer:

Lord, fill me with your love. Allow me to grow in my depth of understanding of you. Permit my reliance upon and surety of you to increase, that I might fear nothing of what the world can throw at me. Search my heart, Lord, and bring my fears before me, that I might rely on you more.

Forgive me my sins, that I might come to you openly, with nothing occluding my vision of you.

Thank you for your provision in finding a new place to live for us and for answering certain other prayer requests as well.

I thank you for my wife and ask that you would continue to grow her in you as you are working in me. I ask that you would increase her own faith and that, through this process of mutually growing towards you, that we would grow closer to each other.

Help me as I prepare for Monday's test.

Amen