Surrender your thoughts to this thought:
God rescues us by breaking us
12 Saturday Dec 2015
Posted in Psalms
Where do I put my hope?
11 Friday Dec 2015
Posted in Friday's Focus, Psalms
Tags
Even before sunrise, I pray for your help, and I put my hope in what you have said (Psalm 119:147 CEV)
Grey Nuns Park, Ottawa, ON — Photo by David Kitz
Reflection
This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is hope.
Where do you put your hope? The psalmist put his hope in what God had said. Has God spoken to you? Have you heard His voice in prayer, in nature or through His written word? Have confidence in God’s word. Those who put their hope in His word will overcome.
Response: LORD God give me ears to hear what you say. Help me to pray with expectation. You are my hope and my help. Amen.
Your Turn: How has God spoken to you?
Finding Hope
10 Thursday Dec 2015
Posted in Psalms, Thursday's Thought
Tags
You are my hiding place and my shield. I find hope in your word (Psalm 119:114 NET)
Photo by David Kitz
Reflection
This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is hope.
Do you have a personal hideout? Is there a place where you can retreat from the world and its demands? The psalmist found his hiding place in God. He is our shield—a place of safety. As we hear and read his word we find hope.
Response: Word of God speak to me. Let me hear your words of love and assurance. Show me the way forward today. Amen.
Your Turn: Does God’s word bring you hope?
You Offer Hope
09 Wednesday Dec 2015
Posted in Mid-Week Medtiation, Psalms
You listen to the longings of those who suffer. You offer them hope, and you pay attention to their cries for help (Psalm 10:17 CEV).
Photo by David Kitz
Reflection
This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is hope.
There are two words that stand in sharp contrast in today’s passage from the Psalms. The words are suffer and hope. Without hope suffering becomes unbearable. But where there is hope there is endurance. We have hope in our suffering because we have a God who listens to our cries.
Response: LORD God, you understand our suffering because Jesus, your son, suffered greatly. Hear me when I call. Amen.
Your Turn: Has the Lord brought you hope in times of suffering?
Who Bears Your Burdens Daily?
08 Tuesday Dec 2015
Posted in Devotionals, Psalm 68
Reading: Psalm 68
Verses 15-23
Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign,
where the LORD himself will dwell forever?
The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.
When you ascended on high, you took many captives;
you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious—
that you, LORD God, might dwell there.
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.
Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,
that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,
while the tongues of your dogs have their share” (NIV).
Reflection
There is one thought from today’s psalm reading that jumps out at me and here it is: Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Weeping willow, Grey Nuns Park, Ottawa, ON — photo by David Kitz
Why would or should God our Savior bear our burdens? He sits enthroned in heaven above the fray. Why should He entangle Himself in the affairs of humanity? But apparently He does.
Jesus our Savior gives us this invitation, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Jesus is inviting us to step into the harness with him. Then he assures us that he will do the heavy lifting and pulling. I’m not sure that was a wise offer for Jesus to make. Did he really know the extent of my burden? Did he know all that burden bearing would lead him directly to the cross? He must have known, but he did it anyway. What a foolish man! What a foolish God!
Some Saviors will do anything for love.
Response: LORD God, thank you for being foolish enough to love me. Thank you, Jesus for bearing my burdens to the cross and beyond. My hope rests in you. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death. Amen.
Your Turn: Has the Lord lifted some of your burdens recently?
You Give Hope to People Everywhere
07 Monday Dec 2015
Posted in Monday Meditation, Psalms
Our God, you save us, and your fearsome deeds answer our prayers for justice! You give hope to people everywhere on earth, even those across the sea (Psalm 65:5 CEV).
Syrian Refugees – Alan Parker blogs.canoe.com
Our theme for this week is hope.
Does God give hope only to our kind of people, or is God more generous than that? Today’s psalms meditation makes it clear that God has a bigger view of humanity. He is the giver of hope to people everywhere.
Response: LORD God, we look to you for hope. Help us to be like you, heavenly Father, giving hope and help to those in need. Amen.
Your Turn: What can you do today to give hope to someone in need today?
Trust God’s Love
04 Friday Dec 2015
Posted in Friday's Focus, Psalms
Tags
faithfulness, God, love, trust
I will tell them, “God’s love can always be trusted, and his faithfulness lasts as long as the heavens” (Psalm 89:2 CEV)
Central Park, New York, NY — Photo by David Kitz
Reflection
In keeping with the Advent season, this week’s I Love the Psalms theme is faithfulness.
American currency bears the motto “In God we trust.” It’s a noble thought, but all too often we put our trust in money and the security it can bring. But real security, eternal security is found in God alone. His love and faithfulness can always be trusted.
Response: LORD God, love is everlasting. I bask in your faithful care. Amen.
Your Turn: In what are you placing your trust?
Angels Praise Your Faithfulness
03 Thursday Dec 2015
Posted in Psalms, Thursday's Thought
Tags
Our LORD, let the heavens now praise your miracles, and let all of your angels praise your faithfulness (Psalm 89:5 CEV).
Central Park, New York, NY — Photo by David Kitz
Reflection
In keeping with the Advent season, this week’s I Love the Psalms theme is faithfulness.
If sinless angels—the messengers of heaven—have reasons to praise the LORD for His faithfulness, then what about you and me? God sent His son to suffer and die in our place. Then on the third day, He raised Jesus from the dead. What a miracle! What a demonstration of God’s love!
Response: LORD God, I join with the angels to praise your faithful love to the children of men. Amen.
Your Turn: Has the Lord shown you his miracle working power?
Unfailing Faithfulness
02 Wednesday Dec 2015
Posted in Mid-Week Medtiation, Psalms
Tags
You, LORD, never fail to have pity on me; your love and faithfulness always keep me secure (Psalm 40:11 CEV).
Central Park, New York, NY — Photo by David Kitz
Reflection
In keeping with the Advent season, this week’s I Love the Psalms theme is faithfulness.
There are many things in life that fail. We have failing grades, failed businesses and careers, failed products and failed marriages. But through it, all the scriptures assure us there is One who is faithful. The LORD has pity on us. His love and faithfulness stand secure.
Response: LORD God, I am thankful that you have mercy on me when I fail. Your love and faithfulness holds me secure even now. Amen.
Your Turn: Has the Lord helped you through times of failure?
Who goes out before you?
01 Tuesday Dec 2015
Posted in Psalms
Tags
Reading: Psalm 68
Verses 7-14
When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.
The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:
“Kings and armies flee in haste;
the women at home divide the plunder.
Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold.”
When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon (NIV).
Reflection
Are you about to start some grand enterprise? Are you embarking on a great journey? Are you beginning a new endeavour? Maybe you are doing none of these things. Perhaps for you it’s just a regular day. There’s nothing special or grand about it at all.
Manhattan skyline as seen from Liberty Island — Photo by David Kitz
But just for a moment, let’s suppose you were setting out on a magnificent, but somewhat risky adventure. What are the conditions you would like to see in place before you step out of your comfort zone and take on the very real challenges and obstacles that lie ahead?
This portion of Psalm 68 gives us a biblical answer to that question. If you are taking on the world and all it can throw at you, it’s best to have God on your side. It’s best to have the LORD going before you. He is the One who prepares the way for victory and success.
In a dry and thirst place God is our faithful provider. You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.
When we step out in His will, God is at work. He has gone before us even as we sleep. He sets our enemies to flight. “Even while you sleep among the sheep pens, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.”
The dove so beautifully described here is the Holy Spirit. He circles over His people preparing the way.
Response: LORD God, as I go about my day, please go before me. Today help me to see you at work. I walk in confidence and faith because your Holy Spirit is at work even as I sleep. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Your Turn: Can you recall times when it was apparent that God had gone before you?
