Reading for
September 3 – Day 3
Phil. 2:1-11
Psalm 3:1-8
Prov. 1:10-19
September 3 – Day 3
Phil. 2:1-11
Psalm 3:1-8
Prov. 1:10-19
Some of the of the toughest things to deal with in life are “friendly fire”, the betrayal by a friend or family member. Psalm three was written as David fled after the rebellion led by his own son Absalom. Few things hurt and confuse us to the core of our being than this kind of thing. It can rock us spiritually, emotionally and even impact us physically. This kind of turmoil can easily consume our thoughts, make it hard to sleep and basically rob us of peace. We can come to think that only when everything goes back to “normal” or when our betrayers change their heart toward us, when our critics change their opinion about us can we be ok again.
David would carry the hurt of having his own son betray him to his grave. Because of the personal element of this rebellion there was no way out that seemed good. There was no happy ending to this story and things never went back to “normal”. David walks down this path of great turmoil and finds strength in his relationship with God. His attention turns away from his betrayers and also from his self and he focuses on God. God is faithful and loyal and trustworthy even when people are not. It was in the shadow of his faithful God that he rests. He even says, “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.” David finds his peace in God.
Seldom are we conflict or problem free. We can have a “peace that passes understanding” when we walk with God. That peace gives strength and clarity to deal with the challenges. I love walking with a God who is faithful and trustworthy. Romans boldly declares that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Reading for
Day 4 September 4
Phil. 2:12-30
Psalm 4:1-8
Prov. 1:20-23
Day 4 September 4
Phil. 2:12-30
Psalm 4:1-8
Prov. 1:20-23
A special thanks to all of you who take the time to add a comment. The shared thoughts and comments add so much to a personal devotion time. Please keep them coming.
11 comments:
Thanks for those reminders!
LauraD
Phil 2:1
There is the trait of consolation (paraklēsis). The word means many things throughout Scripture; but in the present context it means encouragement, comfort, solace, exhortation, and strengthen-ing. Note that this trait is a characteristic of Christ Himself. The very beat of His Spirit is to encourage, comfort, and strengthen believers to be one in spirit and busy about the ministry of His church. Christ wants no murmuring, no grumbling, disturbance, or weakening of the unity within the church. The Spirit of Christ is to take the disturbed or upset person and console him, comfort him, encourage him, strengthen him
Now glance at the charge of Phil. 2:2:
"Be likeminded"—be just like Christ: console, comfort, encourage, exhort, and strengthen each other.
Let absolutely nothing interfere with the spirit of unity in the church. But note, we are not only to help those who are disturbed, we are to let the comfort and encouragement of Christ flow in us when we are disturbed. When disturbed, we are to let Christ comfort us; and when others are disturbed, we are to comfort them. Just imagine the spirit of unity that would flow through a church if all the members would let the consolation of Christ flow through them. There would be no murmuring, grumbling, disturbance—no disunity whatsoever.
"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you" (John 14:18).
"Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do" (1 Thes. 5:11).
"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God" (Isaiah 40:1).
Bill Merritt
Thanks, Pastor!
Good reading. David
I am getting on the train late. Oops. It is now set as my home page so I will remember every time I get on the internet. - Libby
:)
This passage reminds me of a story that our previous preacher told about his children when they were young. When they would recite Psalms 23:1 they would state "the Lord is my Shepherd and I don't need anything else".
From the mouth of babes!
again, so glad to be doing this. more than ever.
Read dat 4;
should be on the way to being a habit now
miles
For some reason I kept going back to yesterday's reading in Psalms.
(3:5) I laid me down and slept; I awaked , for the Lord sustained me.
(4:8) I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for Thou Lord only, makest me dwell in safety.
All too often because of the day we have had or things pressing in our lives we (I) can't sleep. Perhaps the next we (I) can't sleep these would be two good passages to remember.
Oh yes and - Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.....
Mick
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