Thursday, July 19, 2012
Psalm 1 and Matt 16:33 "Do Yourself No Harm" (July 20)
Am I truly aware of how much my sin harms me? Paul and Silas did not miss the opportunity to pray and praise even at midnight. And then, God sends an earthquake to free them and save the jailer for all eternity. What strikes me about the passage is Paul crying aloud to make the jailer hear him and take heed: "Do yourself no harm!" Matthew Henry's Commenatry says this about Paul's scream: Paul's scream to the Phillipian jailer holds the cautions of the word of God against sin, and all appearances of sin, and approaches to sin. Sin's tendency is always to harm us. Think of Paul screaming at you to stop doing yourself harm. Man, woman, do not ruin yourself; hurt not yourself. It is sin that hurts you. Matthew 16:33 So, avoid harms's way, and don't walk in the counsel of the wicked today, nor stand in the way of sinners today, nor sit in today's seat of scoffers. they may appear to be enticing but they will hurt you.
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"Arise O Lord. Forget not the afflicted."
ReplyDelete"Forget not the fatherless and the oppressed."
There is so much injustice and horrid poverty, and I am way too comfortable with it. Shooter goes into movie theater to terrify and torture, murder...Syria's slaughter of the innocent, Russia and China looking the other way.
But then in my own life--people battle addiction and go hungry and stand nearby on my street corner, young girls are rescued from prostitution and given a home up the street and I sit here reading my Bible and not getting up from my chair.
Lord, break my heart for the things that break Yours, and give me wisdom to do the work You've given me. Things that matter for eternity trump the insanity and urgency of the temporal today traps.
I have an unusually crazy few days ahead of me, and would appreciate your prayers for perspective and peace but especially for my granddaughter Bella to serve the Lord all the days of her life. (In the middle of my busyness, Bella is being baptized on Sunday. Perspective.)
Today's reading reminded me of what Beth Moore shared with us to... Praise first and feel it later. Sometimes we don't "feel" like it, but we must keep Believing.
ReplyDeleteI'll be praying for Bella and her parents, Annette.
Praying for Peace for all of you precious Pearls.
Love you!
Great reminder Ang! We are blessed when we take refuge in Him (Ps. 2:12). Over and over these past few months, when fear, panic, anxiety, darkness threatened to overcome, I would begin to praise Him, sing snippets of whatever song was in my mind and just thank Him for His presence it lifted and I was at peace.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the weekend!