Monthly Archives: February 2016

Always Patient

17 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by in Mid-Week Medtiation, Psalms

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Please, LORD, remember, you have always been patient and kind (Psalm 25:6, CEV).

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Red Sunrise – photo courtesy of Donald Adam

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is patience.

Let’s be honest. While I may not always be patient with others, I certainly want them to be patient with me. That’s why I find today’s verse from the Psalms so interesting. It’s really David’s prayer. Please, LORD, remember, you have always been patient and kind (Psalm 25:6, CEV).

The unspoken side of David’s prayer might go something like this, “Though I have been impatient with you, Lord, and I’ve blown my cool, please don’t be impatient with me.” 

We really need God to be patient with us. If God responded to me in the same way, I have reacted to others, I might be reduced to a cinder in the blink of an eye. My need for God’s patience is extreme. 

I am so thankful the LORD is a patient God.

Response: LORD God, you have been so good to me. You have shown me undeserved kindness. Please continue to be patient with me and help me to become more like Jesus every day. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you impatient with God sometimes?

The Senior’s Prayer

16 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by in Psalm 71, Psalms

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Reading:                                       Psalm 71

Verses 9-18

Do not cast me away when I am old;
do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
For my enemies speak against me;
those who wait to kill me conspire together.
They say, “God has forsaken him;
pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him.”
Do not be far from me, my God;

come quickly, God, to help me.
May my accusers perish in shame;
may those who want to harm me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.

As for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more

My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
of your saving acts all day long—
though I know not how to relate them all.
I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD;
I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come (NIV).

Reflection

I am not officially a senior, but I am inching my way toward that prize, if you can call it that. With each passing year I can more fully identify with the psalmist’s prayer. For those of us in our sixth decade and beyond, great wisdom can be found in this psalm. As physical vitality declines, more and more we come to rely on the strength of God.

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This Old House— photo courtesy of Donald Adam

The psalmist laments, “For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together.”

Our enemies don’t all strut about on two legs. Some of them creep into our lives in more subtle forms like discouragement, depression, dementia and disease. These are the more common enemies that conspire against us. When they gain the upper hand, our golden years lose their lustre. Against this backdrop the psalmist is defiant. He takes his stand. As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more…

Having come this far by the grace of God, this is not the time to retreat… till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.

Response: LORD God, thank you for your presence with me since my youth. Continue to fill my life with joy, meaning and purpose. Day by day, be my help and strength until I see you face to face. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you look forward to your golden years?

Patient Love

15 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by in Monday Meditation, Psalms

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The LORD is merciful! He is kind and patient, and his love never fails (Psalm 103:8, CEV).

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Wild Flower – photo courtesy of Donald Adam

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is patience.

Can love be impatient? I certainly can be. But true love is not about me. It’s always about the other person. Impatience is all about me. The other person has not moved according to my schedule, so I am irritated or displeased.

Today’s verse from the Psalms reminds us that God is loving and patient with us. The LORD is merciful! He is kind and patient, and his love never fails (Psalm 103:8, CEV).

I wonder if the apostle Paul had the words from this Psalm in mind when he penned those famous lines: Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or  rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, CEV).

My impatience reveals my need for a greater level of God’s love, and mercy in my life. The love, mercy and patience that I have received from the LORD needs to be extended to others.

Response: LORD God, fill me with unselfish love so that I can be patient with those that don’t quickly conform to my wishes. Give me patient love. Amen.

Your Turn: How do we break our habits of self-focus?

The Greatest Discovery

12 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by in Friday's Focus, Psalms

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Discover for yourself that the LORD is kind. Come to him for protection, and you will be glad (Psalm 34:8, CEV).

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Gatineau Park trail – photo by David Kitz

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is kindness.

I don’t know about you, but I love heading off the beaten path and doing some exploring. I like trying new foods, enjoy meeting new people, and seeing new sites. I suppose it’s because I’m incurably curious. There are things to discover.

Today’s verse from the Psalms invites us to do some exploring and make a discovery. Discover for yourself that the LORD is kind. Come to him for protection, and you will be  glad (Psalm 34:8, CEV). 

We can read about the kindness of God. We can hear about it from others, but there is nothing quite like experiencing God’s kindness firsthand.

Exploration and discovery always require a step of faith. God invites us to give Him a try—to take that step.

Response: LORD God, give me the courage to take steps of faith that bring me closer to you. I want to discover and experience your love and kindness for myself. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you discovered God’s kindness firsthand?

Kind Blows

11 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by in Psalms, Thursday's Thought

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Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it, for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers (Psalm 141:5, NIV).

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Sunset Glow – Photo courtesy of Eric E. Wright

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is kindness.

How well do you handle criticism? I confess my first reflex is defensive. How dare so-and-so rebuke me?! But if the truth be told, I have learned far more from my critics than from those who praise me.

Good criticism is corrective. Its intent is not to harm or put someone down. It results in self-examination and improvement. In reality I am a poor judge of my own performance because I have a built-in bias. I can’t see myself. I need to hear from others to improve my game.

Today’s verse from the Psalms reminds us to welcome rebukes as an act of kindness. I am changed for the better when I heed the words of those who call me to a higher level of righteousness, love and service.

Response: LORD God, give me ears to heed the rebukes of others, whether they are offered in love or not. I need the broom of your Spirit to clean the home of my heart. Amen.

Your Turn: How do you respond to criticism? What helps you respond correctly?

Remembering

10 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by in Mid-Week Medtiation, Psalms

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When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea (Psalm 106:7, NIV).

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Distant Lighthouse – Photo courtesy of Eric E. Wright

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is kindness.

A kindness remembered is like fresh water to a thirsty soul. It brings a smile to the heart and the face. Pause for a moment to recall when someone was especially kind to you. Are you smiling as you think those thoughts?

Now let’s take a moment to fix our thoughts on God. Are there moments when God showed great kindness to you? God did miracles for the sake of His people when they were enslaved in Egypt. Has God done any miracles for you?

If we reflect on instances when God has been kind to us, I believe something begins to change inside us. Our rebellious, quarrelsome nature retreats to the back corner and in its place thanksgiving comes to the fore.

Kindness begets kindness. Here’s hoping you set in motion an outbreak of kindness today.

Response: LORD God, you have shown me kindness in the face of Jesus Christ. He loves, forgives and works miracles on my behalf. I remember your kindness today. Amen.

Your Turn: What can you do to demonstrate kindness today?

My Rock of Refuge

09 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by in Psalm 71, Psalms

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Reading:                                                        Psalm 71

Verses 1-8

In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.
Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.

For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD,
my confidence since my youth.
From birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
I will ever praise you.
I have become a sign to many;
you are my strong refuge.
My mouth is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor all day long (NIV).

Reflection

I must confess that I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with rocks. I grew up on a farm on the Canadian prairies and annually the rich soil produced two crops—a crop of grain and a crop of rocks. Grain crops such as wheat, barley and oats were welcomed—the rocks not so much.

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Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick – Photo by Karen Kitz

Simply working the soil in spring would bring the rocks to the surface. It was our job as children to help our dad to pick those rocks and haul them off the fields. For the most part it was tedious work. That’s the unpleasant part of my relationship with rocks. But as for the rocks themselves, for the most part I liked them. They came in a huge variety of shapes, colors, sizes and textures. I found them fascinating.

For the psalmist, the LORD was his solid foundation—his rock of refuge in a changing world. Hear his prayer: Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

In the shifting circumstances of life, it is essential that we have those things that remain solid and unwavering. From our childhood onward we need a rock of refuge from the storms of life—a rock to which we can always go in good times and bad.

It’s wonderful when we can say with the psalmist, “From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you.”  

Response: LORD God, thank you for being my solid rock. Your faithfulness has steadied me in stormy times. You have been my help and strength, my shelter and fortress. Amen.

Your Turn: How has the Lord been a solid rock for you?

Kindness for the Lowly

08 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by in Monday Meditation, Psalms

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Though the LORD is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar (Psalm 138:6, NIV).

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Gatineau Park – photo by David Kitz

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is kindness.

Have you ever been around people who make you feel invisible, as though you don’t exist? Recently, I was in a line up when someone stepped ahead of me without so much as a nod or an excuse me. I was left wondering, “Did he even see me?”

Today’s verse from the Psalms reminds us that God doesn’t overlook us. Though the LORD is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar (Psalm 138:6, NIV).

We are always visible to God. It’s through the kindness of the LORD that He stoops down to listen to our prayers. He forgives our sins – overlooks our sins and meets our needs. What a kind and loving God!

Response: LORD God, your kindness is too wonderful for me. Thank you for looking past my shortcomings and receiving me as your child. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you want to be visible or invisible to God?

Speak for Justice

05 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by in Friday's Focus, Psalms

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Words of wisdom come when good people speak for justice (Psalm 37:30, CEV).

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Sunset photo courtesy of Eric E. Wright

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is goodness.

Bad things happen when good people remain silent. It’s always right and good to speak up for justice. Why then do we remain silent?

In many cases the answer is fear. We are afraid of being ridiculed or attacked. Criminals get away with murder because good people are afraid to speak out. But it’s not just criminals, who are allowed to strut their stuff. The devil gets his way whenever God’s people remain silent and don’t take a stand.

Today’s verse from the Psalms puts a more positive spin on this topic. Words of wisdom come when good people speak for justice (Psalm 37:30, CEV).

Wisdom is often in short supply. You can be absolutely right about a matter, but absolutely wrong about how you address it. Both wisdom and goodness need to come from our lips.

Response: LORD God, help me stand for what is fair and just. Give me wisdom to speak into the situations around me. Help me overcome the fear that allows evil to triumph. Amen.

Your Turn: Is there a situation that you need to speak into?

Young Lions

04 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by in Psalms, Thursday's Thought

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Young lions may go hungry or even starve, but if you trust the LORD, you will never miss out on anything good (Psalm 34:10, CEV).

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Image courtesy of tratong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is goodness.

I don’t like being late for supper. I don’t like being the last one in the line up for the self-serve banquet. I might miss out on something good.

I’m hungry for something good. Aren’t you? Of course, something good can be more than just food. Sometimes it’s good-natured fun with friends. Sometimes it’s a game, or a round of physical or mental exercise, and at other times it’s rest and relaxation.

Something good comes in a variety of packages.

I like the promise in today’s verse from the Psalms: Young lions may go hungry or even starve, but if you trust the Lord, you will never miss out on anything good (Psalm 34:10, CEV).

The key factor is trusting in the LORD. Are you someone who trusts in the LORD even in hard times?

Response: LORD God, increase my faith. I want to experience the good things you have set aside for me. Help me daily to put my trust in you. Amen.

Your Turn: What does trusting in God mean for you today?