TODAY IN THE WORD

[May]

Honorable Pastor Roger,

Today in the world is easy without the protection of God.
Only we have to do is to dwell in His present.
I have a request from you,
I want to welcome a sister (as Leader Of Women Meeting) who fear God & an example to other, in Mauritius to preach the words of God in the midst of sisters in June.
I will welcome her @ my place.
Can you find someone as the servant of Abraham did -(Rebecca)
Thank,
Sister May

[Soldier4Christ]

I'm not quite sure of what you are asking of me? Are you saying that you want me to find someone that will come there?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 John 3:1-2
To know this love that surpasses knowledge. - Ephesians 3:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
Basil Pennington, in his work True Self/False Self, suggests that the false self is an identity based on what you have, what you do, and what others think about you. In stark contrast to this is the true self in Christ, which is who we are before God and in God—Christ living in us, as Paul put it to the churches in Galatia (Gal. 2:20). Our passage today sheds light on the core of our identity before God and in God, which is anchored in His lavish love for us.

In Greek, the original language of the New Testament, the first word of verse 1 is an exhortation. Some translations reflect this word as “see” or “behold.” The author is trying to grab our attention in order to say: fix your eyes on this—the Father’s extravagant love.

The most powerful manifestation of God’s love is our adoption into the family of God. As John clarifies in his Gospel, children of God are “born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God,” that is, born of the Spirit (John 1:13). Paul also speaks about spiritual adoption in Romans 8:14-17 and Galatians 3:26-4:7.

Through God’s love in Christ, we are children of God. This new identity speaks not only to God’s personal and intimate nature, but also redefines our own disposition and future. Our relationship to the world reflects God’s relationship to the world (v. 1).

Also, “we shall be like him” (v. 2); we are being transformed into the likeness of God’s Son, Jesus (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18). Each day we are being changed by God’s Spirit. One day, though, we will be wholly renewed. Verse 2 describes the sequence of events resulting in the completion of this transformation: Christ will appear, referring to His second coming; we will see Him as He is; and then we will be like Him.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We think and speak, act and react, love and receive love, give and forgive out of our understanding of our identity. Although we know in our heads that we are God’s children, often this reality gets tangled up and distorted in our hearts. Today’s passage challenges us to know that we are deeply loved by God. To the extent we know this reality, we will truly love God, others, and ourselves. Join Paul in the prayer of Ephesians 3:14-17; ask the Holy Spirit to impress on your heart an understanding of God’s lavish love for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 12:1-13; Proverbs 3:11
But God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. - Hebrews 12:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Dave Dravecky is a retired major league baseball pitcher and a Christian, best known for his courageous battle with cancer and his subsequent comeback to professional baseball. But later, the cancer in his pitching arm returned, resulting in amputation. Dravecky knows the joy that comes after physical training, and he is intimately aware of God’s training of his inner person.

The word repeated most in today’s passage is discipline. When we hear the word discipline, we most often think of punishment. To the original readers of Hebrews, though, this word evoked a different significance. The Greek word that translated here as “discipline” includes, but is not limited to, forms of reproof. “Instruction,” “training,” or “education” are other words that help us better understand the concept of discipline. Since the imagery of athletic games is woven throughout Hebrews 12:1-13, discipline is likened to the strict and painful training athletes must endure in order to reach Olympic qualifications. Understanding this key term is crucial to interpreting today’s passage and grasping God’s fatherly love.

If a marathon is the driving metaphor of our text (v. 1), then Jesus is the supreme gold medalist and our perfect example (vv. 2-3). Jesus endured shame and opposition from those opposed to God’s will; He did this for the future joy of God’s glory (cf. Heb. 5:7-9). The author reminds his readers of their status as God’s children (v. 5). Just as God’s Son faced suffering, God’s children will also face insult, persecution, and affliction as a result of faithfulness to Christ. The “word of encouragement” is this: God the Father disciplines or trains those He loves and calls legitimate children, just as He did His beloved Son, and this is always for our benefit. What is the purpose of this discipline? Verses 10 and 11 say, “that we may share in his holiness” and for the fruit of “righteousness and peace.” The training and discipline of the Father are painful and extensive, but the harvest is worth it.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
For many, our relationship with our earthly father inhibits relating to God as our loving heavenly Father. Perhaps your earthly father was abusive, angry, distant, authoritarian, or absent. We all “fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), and fathers, too, have distorted the image of God the Father. Instead of viewing God and relating to Him as if He were similar to your earthly father, pray that you would know God as He actually is and allow Him to redeem your experiences of your imperfect earthly father.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 John 4:8-10
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. - Psalm 48:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
We need not look far to find portraits of love in movies, television shows, books, music, and visual art. The prospect of instruction on true love, however, is far more scarce. The media have distorted and disfigured our expectations of being loved and the ways we attempt to love others. The message of our reading today offers a radical alternative and reveals something extraordinary that goes beyond what we have learned about God’s love thus far.

“God is love” (v. 8). We have seen that God loves, but this phrase is saying more than that. One New Testament professor asserts that claiming “God is love” is to insist that love is not simply one of God’s attributes, but that all of God’s activity is loving.

Verses 9 and 10 point toward Christ as God’s ultimate self-disclosure of love. This demonstration of God’s love teaches us what true love is. First, it is sacrificial: God sent His only Son into the world that was hostile toward Him. Second, love is life-giving: verse 9 says “that we might live through him.” Third, love originates in God. He loved us first, we love as a response to His love (v. 10). Fourth, God’s love is redemptive: Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for our sins makes possible our reconciled relationship with God. Lastly, today’s passage confirms that love is not simply an attitude or warm, fuzzy feeling. Love is active and practical, and it is defined in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Take a look at the verses before and after today’s text. God is the source of all love, and as we enter into a loving relationship with Him through Jesus, His love transforms us to embody His love toward one another. Notice the phrase, “everyone who loves has been born of God” (v. 7). That is, children of God ought to bear the image of their heavenly Father in love. In summary, God is love, and therefore He defines love. He loves us in Christ, and in turn, we are empowered to love like He does.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In our own strength we are incapable of loving like God. In fact, we tend toward the opposite: “love” that is selfish, life-thwarting, and destructive. As we absorb God’s love, it flows out of us. We soak up God’s love as we cultivate our relationship with Him through prayer, study of His Word, fellowship, and outreach. If one of these areas of spiritual sustenance is depleted, prayerfully consider ways it may be enhanced. One suggestion is to work through The Good and Beautiful Life by James Bryan Smith.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 15:11-32
[He] was filled with compassion for him. - Luke 15:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
Today’s passage is the third parable Jesus told to His audience in response to the disapproving mutterings of the religious leaders, another story illustrating God’s tenacious regard for the lost (see Luke 15:1-2). We’ll focus on the way that the parable of the lost son draws our attention to family relationships and the characteristics of the father.

The man of the parable is referred to as “father” twelve times. His younger son displayed audacity and impudence. He acted outside the cultural bounds of his identity as a son and a Jew. He demanded his inheritance, which was to be given upon death of the benefactor. Then he recklessly spent everything and began living like a Gentile. Disillusioned, he offered to redefine his relationship with his father in terms of master and slave (vv. 17-19).

The older son appeared to be dutiful and mature, but a second glance reveals alienation from his father and jealousy in his heart. The celebration of his brother’s return angered him and highlighted his distorted view of his relationship with his father. Like his brother, he framed this relationship in terms of master and slave. Thus, he “worked” for his dad and followed rules with military precision. It also warped his relationship with his brother, who became competition and a threat to his perception of justice in the workplace.

The father illustrates God’s love. Compassion and tenderness define the father’s love toward his two sons. He ran to meet his younger son, and he left the party—of which he was the host—in order to reconcile with his older son (v. 28). His love was not bound by cultural expectations of a stately Jewish man in the ancient world. He restored both sons to proper relation with himself. He welcomed his younger son with celebration rather than punishment, and he reminded his older son that he was not a slave, but his son and heir who had access to his abundant resources (v. 31). He also reconciled his eldest son to his brother, inviting him to join the celebration of his homecoming (v. 32).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
How do you relate with God your Father? Do you identify with the sons who distorted their relationship with their father, considering themselves his slaves and him their master? Do you more resemble the younger son or the older son? Reflect on your relationship with the Father. Ask the Holy Spirit to clear your heart and mind of misconceptions and allow you to know God’s love as it actually is: compassionate, hospitable, bountiful, and merciful. Pray to be free from relating to God as a slave does to a master.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 13:1-17
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. - 1 John 3:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
After graduating from seminary, Janine encountered difficulty getting a job in full-time ministry. She shared with a friend that the daily grind of her current job was “seemingly meaningless,” but that she was “being very humbled in learning to serve others through what appears insignificant and menial.” This view sees all work—not just so-called professional ministry—as an opportunity to respond to Jesus’ call to His disciples in today’s passage.

The opening of chapter 13 sets the context and portrays the foot washing as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ sacrificial death as the Passover Lamb of God (v. 1; cf. John 1:29). Verse 1 also describes Jesus’ action as a symbolic demonstration of “the full extent of his love.” The word “so” at the beginning of verse 4 illuminates the foundation of Jesus’ action. Jesus was secure in His identity and confident in His relationship with God the Father. He, then, was willing to humble Himself and perform a task normally reserved for household servants (cf. Phil. 2:6-7). Jesus displays His love not by exploiting His power and status, but rather through an act of complete self-abasement. This anticipates the cross on which Jesus laid down His life. God’s love symbolized in the foot washing is sacrificial and humble; it serves to give others life.

Even after following Jesus for three years, Peter could not fathom Him performing this kind of action. He was so aghast that he refused Jesus. The Lord quickly clarified that anyone who wants a relationship with Him must be cleansed by Him. Jesus’ statement indicates the cleansing nature of the Cross (cf. 1 John 1:7). Unless the Lamb of God takes away your sin, you are still marred by sin and alienated from God.

Jesus calls His disciples to join Him in His mission by following His example: “You also should wash one another’s feet” (vv. 14-15). Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus’ message is this: Do not simply believe something about Me, but follow Me, do what I do, be as I am, and know God as your Father (cf. Luke 9:23; John 17:18).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jesus’ disciples are invited to embody God’s self-sacrificial, humble love in everyday relationships and everyday tasks. Just as Jesus’ act of washing feet pointed to His death, so our symbolic acts of foot-washing point to God’s love poured out on the cross. What are opportunities in your day-to-day life and relationships that resemble the foot washing of the first century? Ask God to give you eyes to see and a heart like Jesus to surrender yourself to these opportunities so that you may witness to God’s love in Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 5:1-11
May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. - 2 Thessalonians 3:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Christian hope is not a form of escapism or wishful thinking. In Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis calls hope a theological virtue: “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.” Christ’s resurrection is the foundation of our hope, grounded upon God’s love as demonstrated by the Cross.

Verse 1 begins with “therefore,” which requires that we look back to Romans 4:23-25. There we learn that we have been “justified” or made right with God through Christ’s death and resurrection (4:25; 5:9-10). Once we were God’s enemies, but through Christ, our relationship with God is restored, and now there is peace between us.

Then Paul distinguishes God’s love from human love (vv. 6-8). He suggests that for humans, only very rarely would someone die for another virtuous human. This reality highlights the “outrageous generosity of God,” as one New Testament professor describes it. Christ did not die for the righteous, but rather for us when we were “powerless” and “sinners.”

As another theologian explains, today’s passage insists that “if God loves sinners enough for the Son to die for them, God will surely complete what was begun at such a cost.” Note the “how much more” language (vv. 9-10). Assurance results in our hope and rejoicing, even in the midst of trials and sufferings. First, we “hope in the glory of God” (v. 2). What was lost with Adam and Eve is restored in Christ: God’s image in us and His uninhibited presence with us.

Second, the Holy Spirit is a sign and guarantee of the new creation to come, beginning with God giving us new hearts filled with His love (v. 5). Third, suffering that produces perseverance, then character, and then hope reflects the experience of Israel in the wilderness and in exile, as well as Christ and the Cross. Hope in a final resurrection and new creation does not let us down because it has been initiated in Christ’s resurrection and confirmed in the Holy Spirit (v. 5).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you notice how deeply personal the description of our relationship with God is in today’s passage? Following Jesus is distinct from other religions because it is more than believing certain things about God. It is about being in a reconciled relationship with Him, initiated by God and made possible only through God’s gift of His Son, Jesus. Praise God for this indescribable gift (2 Cor. 9:15), and reflect on the kind of hope in the midst of suffering that does not disappoint us.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 2:1-10
Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. - Romans 6:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
In C. S. Lewis’s book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Aslan’s resurrection transforms all things: Edmund is released from bondage to temptation and debt to the White Witch; Aslan revives all the Narnians petrified by the Witch; and the four Pevensie children are made kings and queens of Narnia. Perhaps Lewis was inspired by the realities described in Ephesians 2.

The structure of today’s passage draws attention to God’s love. Verses 1 through 3 develop our identity as dead in our transgressions, verses 5 through 10 elaborate on our status as alive in Christ. In the middle, verse 4 explodes with the powerful theme: God’s great love for us.

Notice the words that describe our condition apart from Christ (vv. 1-3). From birth we are alienated from God and bear responsibility for sinfulness that began with Adam and Eve. Radical change in our status is initiated by God and effected only by His grace through Christ’s resurrection (vv. 4-6).

Paul highlights three significant reversals as a result of our salvation, all indicated by the word “with” (vv. 5-6). First, we move from death to life, becoming “alive with Christ.” Second, God “raised us up with Christ,” so that we are no longer enslaved to the cravings of our sinful nature. Third, God “seated us with him in the heavenly realms” where Christ rules. We are no longer subject to the “ruler of the kingdom of the air” (v. 2). All of this demonstrates the richness of God’s love, grace, and mercy.

Verses 8 and 9 reemphasize verse 5: “it is by grace you have been saved.” We receive God’s gift of life not through obedience to the law or “works,” but only through faith, so that no one can take pride in their efforts, but rather recognize complete dependence on God’s grace. The power of God is necessary to destroy our deadly sin nature; God’s power is also imperative to sustain new life in Him. Verse 10 reminds us that God created us to glorify Him, not gratify the desires of our sinful nature.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Verse 2 mentions the influence of “the ruler of the kingdom of the air.” The author of Ephesians is well aware of the spiritual battles waged for our devotion. Ephesians 6:10-18 reveals our adversaries: the authorities of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Let us not be naive: spiritual warfare is real. As we seek to live out our new life in Christ, we must put on the full armor of God daily to win these battles (6:13).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 103:1-22
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. - Psalm 63:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
When the Reverend Richard Crocker, chaplain of Dartmouth College, was diagnosed with cancer, he also “resolved to read and think about one Psalm each day as a way of keeping track of the days . . . in the hope of deriving strength in a time of need.” Psalm 103 strengthened him to remember God’s love and challenged him to praise God throughout a very difficult season. As we near the middle of our month’s study, let us take time to join the psalmist in praise of God’s love—no matter what our life’s situation.

Praise frames Psalm 103 (vv. 1-2, 20-22). There are four sections of the song; the first three all spotlight God’s love and compassion (vv. 4, 8, 11, 17). The first section opens with attention on the individual, his innermost person glorifying God, rehearsing God’s acts of forgiveness, healing, redemption, crowning, provision, and renewal (vv. 1-5). The repetition of “all” emphasizes completeness. Do you hear the echo of Exodus 34 in the second section (vv. 6-10)? The psalmist praises the Lord that from Moses to the time of David, He is always loving and always compassionate.

The word “for” introduces the third section, spelling out why the Lord “does not treat us as our sins deserve” (vv. 11-13). The poet employs two images to illustrate God’s love “for those who fear him”: the immeasurable and infinite distance between east and west helps us grasp how far God has removed our sins from us; a father’s compassion toward his son corresponds to God’s love for His children. Section four crescendos with a contrast between the short-lived human life and God’s eternal love, between brief human existence and God’s permanent throne (vv. 14-19).

After rehearsing these great truths of God’s love, the psalmist exhorts the whole universe to join him: angels, heavenly hosts, every creature everywhere “Praise the LORD” (vv. 20-22). Today’s psalm ends just how it began. The psalmist effectively declares that praise will not simply be external, but something deeply personal rising up from the inmost being.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
To praise the Lord is to remember and celebrate: “forget not” (v. 2). It is easy in the midst of our circumstances to forget the Lord’s goodness, to find ourselves complaining or impatient with Him. Scripture memory is a powerful way to combat these thoughts and attitudes. One effective method for memorization is to write the first letter of every word on a notecard to jog your memory. Endeavor to memorize Psalm 103:1-5 and repeat it throughout the day, particularly when you need a reminder to praise the Lord no matter your circumstance.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 27:1-14
With you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. - Psalm 36:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
In his book, Just Courage, International Justice Mission president Gary Haugen describes his family’s ritual, “Charge the Darkness.” When his children were young and afraid of the dark, he would invite them into the hallway to watch him run into the darkness of their bedrooms and return unscathed. In their dad’s presence, the children’s fears melted away. Similarly, the Lord is our light and salvation; in His love, our fears dissipate.

Psalm 27 begins and ends with unshakable confidence in God’s love even among the threat of opposition (vv. 1-3, 11-13). The contrasts are stark. Light and salvation are compared with the darkness and destruction of fear and enemy attacks; the enemies will stumble and fall, yet the one who loves God will stand confident.

In the middle of this song we discover the poet’s intimacy with God. In the context of a loving relationship with God, His love calms our fears. The psalmist encourages

an active, concentrated pursuit of God’s presence in the midst of fears (vv. 4, 7-8). Verse 4 communicates the desire to be in God’s presence. God’s house and His temple are one in the same, namely His presence among His people prior to Jesus. Now God’s presence dwells in us by His Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5; 1 Cor. 3:16-17). God’s presence, referred to as “tabernacle,” is likened to a high rock (vv. 5-6). It is a place of safety, shelter, and refuge.

Verses 7 through 12 include ten requests the psalmist makes of the Lord. The first is “hear me” (v. 7); the last is “do not turn me over” (v. 12). The poet assertively beseeches the Lord precisely because he is near to God and confident of His redeeming love. The psalmist reasserts his deep conviction that in the end, there will be victory over enemies, and he will forever rest with God (v. 13). In the interim, the author invites everyone to exhort ourselves and one another to wait with courage of heart for the LORD (v. 14). To wait is to renew and persevere in unwavering trust.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Our trust in God and courage in the midst of fear and opposition is directly correlated with the extent to which we live close to God, constantly dwelling in His presence. Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century lay brother, penned a tiny treasure known as The Practice of the Presence of God in which he explains how to continually walk with God as a way of life—even when washing dishes!—available to anyone following Christ. As you go through the details of your day, you can grow in continuously living in God’s presence.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 34:1-22
Let all those who fear the Lord say: "His love endures forever." - Psalm 118:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
James Tissot was a French artist of the late 19th century known for a series of 700 watercolor paintings illustrating the life of Christ and the Old Testament. One piece from this series is titled “God Is Near the Afflicted,” a promise embedded in Psalm 34. Tissot depicts a despairing soul in a haggard man, doubled over on the end of a disheveled bed, his face permanently furrowed by life’s sorrows. His blank stare and bare feet accentuate despondency. Then there is God in the form of a man comforting the man in despair, like a warm blanket. With one hand on the man’s head and another on his shoulder, God draws near, His face resting against the man’s head. God’s eyes are closed, and there is a translucent shawl draped over both men signifying God’s nearness and consolation. Tissot illustrates what Psalm 34 promises: in love, “the LORD is close to the brokenhearted” (v. 18).

Psalm 34 is a song of praise (v. 1) and a testimony for the afflicted (v. 2). The psalm is divided into two parts: praise and thanksgiving (vv. 1-11), wisdom and reflection (vv. 12-22). The psalmist worships God for his salvation and deliverance throughout the song (vv. 4-7, 17-19). Another prominent theme is fear of the Lord (vv. 7, 9, 11). The Lord protects and provides for those who fear Him.

The writer beckons his readers to learn about the fear of the Lord, which is manifested in righteous speech, actions, and pursuit of peace (vv. 13-14). Elsewhere in the Psalms, the fear of the Lord is pictured as supreme reverence (96:4; 102:15) and obedience to His commands (111:10; 112:1).

Let’s return to the promise of verses 17 through 22. The poet recognizes that those who fear God are not exempt from troubles (v. 19), but he also affirms that God saves those who cry out to Him for deliverance from affliction. To “taste and see that the Lord is good” (v. 8) is to fear God, seek Him, and find refuge in Him.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Are you (or someone close to you) brokenhearted or crushed in spirit? “Let the afflicted hear and rejoice” (v. 2). The Lord wants you to discover afresh His promise to you today from Psalm 34. He is very near to you to give refuge, comfort, and deliverance. Rest in Him. Perhaps you have a testimony of God’s deliverance that you could share as a word of encouragement to someone in despair and hopelessness. Witness to God’s love and share the good news of Psalm 34.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 40:1-17
He rescued me because he delighted in me. - Psalm 18:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
For the last few days, we have read the Psalms to expand our understanding of God’s love. Psalm 27 teaches that in love, God calms our fears; Psalm 34 reminds us that in love, God is close to the brokenhearted. Today’s passage, Psalm 40, also fortifies our hearts to face challenging times. We learn that in love, God hears our cries and lifts us out of the pit.

Psalm 40 opens with the closing theme of Psalm 27: waiting patiently for the Lord. After a period of anticipation, the psalmist declares that God did hear and answer his cries. The poet employs two images to describe how the Lord responded. First, the Lord rescued him from a swampy pit and restored him to solid ground (v. 2). Second, the Lord replaced his cries with a song of praise (v. 3). The result of redemption is not exclusively individualistic. The psalmist’s salvation is a witness that leads others to trust in the Lord, and those who trust the Lord are blessed.

Verses 6 through 8 confirm that hunger to do God’s will trumps mere sacrifice and ritual. Old Testament scholar Konrad Schaefer clarifies that “ritual is worthwhile only insofar as it expresses the inner disposition,” that is, desire to do God’s will and keep His law within one’s heart (v. 8).

Psalm 40 then returns to the theme of testimony. God in His love hears our cries and redeems us from the pit. This must be proclaimed, celebrated, and shared with others (vv. 9-10). Just as the psalmist refuses to keep his mouth closed about God’s salvation, he also asks God not to withhold His mercy. The author knows he is desperately dependent on God; without God’s deliverance, he will be overcome. His troubles are not all external, however. He confesses to God that he is drowning in his own sin, which blinds him. “Come quickly,” Lord; “do not delay,” he cries, for he trusts in God’s love and mercy for help and deliverance (vv. 13, 17).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire” (v. 6) is a theme woven throughout the Scriptures. God rejected Saul as king because he sacrificed but disobeyed (1 Sam. 15:22); David recognized God’s preference for a penitent heart over ritual (Ps. 51:16-17); and God accused the people for similar offenses (Hosea 6:6). Contemplate this message in Isaiah 1:11-20. Invite the Holy Spirit to expose areas in your life where you are simply going through the motions, or where your worship does not align with your lifestyle.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 145:1-21
For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. - Psalm 47:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
We need not look far to find presidents, kings, prime ministers, and other rulers abusing power, exploiting the poor, and reinforcing injustice. One such leader was Idi Amin, military dictator and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin was infamous for his human rights violations, ethnic persecution, political oppression, and economic delinquency. The estimated number of people killed, tortured, or imprisoned during his reign is between 100,000 and 500,000. As day is to night, the description of God the King in today’s passage is the complete antithesis of human rulers such as Idi Amin. The LORD, “rich in love,” reigns with abundant goodness, righteousness, and compassion. Psalm 145 celebrates the way God’s love shapes His sovereignty.

Abundant praise and worship rush out of the opening lines of Psalm 145. “Every day” and “forever” God the King is to be exalted (vv. 1-3). This King is so admired that His people testify about Him from generation to generation. The psalmist’s description goes on and on characterizing the ways of God the King: unfathomable greatness (v. 3), majestic (v. 5), powerful works (vv. 4-6), good and righteous (v. 7). Again we discover a reference to Exodus 34:4-7 (v. 8). God is loving and compassionate toward His whole creation (vv. 9, 13, 17), He follows through with His promises (v. 13), He restores the defenseless and lowly (v. 14). More specifically, for those who call on God, fear Him, and love Him, He grants His presence, provision, protection, and salvation (vv. 18-20). In a single breath, the wicked are destroyed (v. 20).

There is an emphasis on testifying to the King’s love and goodness (vv. 4-7, 11-12). Why? Verse 12 explains, “so that all may know” about the King’s actions and His kingdom. Psalm 145 ends how it begins: praise to God “forever and ever” (vv. 1-2, 21). The subject of verses 1 and 2 is singular “I.” The subject of verse 21 is all-inclusive: “every creature.” The loving God is the King of the whole world and worthy of all praise.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God is a missionary God. His ultimate act was sending His only Son for our salvation. God calls us into mission, too. Paul and Barnabas preach: “For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth’” (Acts 13:47). Psalm 145 encourages us to join the psalmist in witnessing to God’s greatness and love. Consider with whom you can share this news! What other ways are there for you to be involved in God’s mission?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Lamentations 3:19-32
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed. - Lamentations 3:22
TODAY IN THE WORD
Joanne sat listless. As she reflected on the last year, her heart felt like it would implode. She rehearsed Jeremiah’s words in a faint whisper: “I have cried until the tears no longer come; my heart is broken” (Lam. 2:11, NLT). Joanne had just heard that her sister, Brenda, had filed for divorce. After decades of emotional abuse and her husband’s refusal to participate in counseling, Brenda was half the woman she was when she married and was now too tired to keep trying to salvage her painful marriage. What a devastating severance. Joanne’s mind wandered. It had only been one month since her best friend, Elaine, lost her short battle with brain cancer, and only ten months since another close friend passed away from ALS. The pain felt unbearable.

The prophet Jeremiah endured a season of lament after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Jeremiah mourned the destruction of the city and the exile of God’s people. The tragedy was deeply personal and spiritual for him and all God’s people. The book of Lamentations describes this great sorrow, and today’s passage is like a lighthouse of hope.

Just as Joanne sat reflecting, so also Jeremiah remembers his suffering (vv. 19-20). “Yet” bursts off the page (v. 21); even in the midst of anguish, Jeremiah says, “I have hope.” His is not a false hope. It is grounded in the Lord’s great love.

Listen to echoes of Exodus 34:4-7. The LORD is always compassionate, ever faithful, and committed to His people. We are not consumed, destroyed, or overcome by our pain precisely because of God’s love. Our Father’s mercies are new for us every morning. Two words weave through verses 21 through 29: “hope” and “wait.” Jeremiah knows that joy does not come instantly; to hope is to wait. At least 40 years passed before God began to redeem His people from exile and restore Jerusalem and the temple. Only a robust confidence in the Lord could sustain such a long season of lament and waiting.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Many of us can easily relate to Joanne and connect with Jeremiah’s feelings: “my soul is downcast within me” (v. 20). Remember, “the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18). Jesus Himself faced death, pain, and agonizing abandonment from God the Father. He surrendered Himself to God (Matt. 26:42; Luke 23:46), and God raised Him from the dead (Acts 2:24). Today, trust in God’s compassion and faithfulness to minister to your tender heart and bring you hope.