Tag Archives: return of Christ

A Funeral Is Not the End

29 Tuesday Sep 2026

Posted by in Psalm 104, Psalms

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading:

Reading:Psalm 104:27-35 (NIV)*

All creatures look to you 
    to give them their food at the proper time. 
When you give it to them, they gather it up; 
when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. 
When you hide your face, they are terrified; 
when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. 
When you send your Spirit, they are created, 
    and you renew the face of the ground. 
May the glory of the LORD endure forever; 
    may the LORD rejoice in his works— 
he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, 
    who touches the mountains, and they smoke. 
I will sing to the LORD all my life; 
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. 
May my meditation be pleasing to him, 
    as I rejoice in the LORD. 
But may sinners vanish from the earth 
    and the wicked be no more. 
Praise the LORD, my soul. Praise the LORD.

Reflection

Recently, my wife and I attended the funeral of my brother-in-law, Victor. He was a man of deep faith, who was always active in the church. At no point was he ashamed to call himself a follower of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Victor loved his Savior, and I am sure his spirit rejoiced to see Jesus face to face.   

There is a line from today’s reading from Psalm 104 which is particularly relevant as we think about life and death: when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 

In context of this psalm, the author was speaking of all creatures, in other words the animal kingdom, but these words apply to all that breathe the breath of life, including humans. For Victor, who struggled for every breath during the last years of his life, the words of this psalm had true meaning. But the second part of this psalm reading is also pertinent in the context of a funeral: When you send your Spirit, they are created. 

I believe in the resurrection of the dead. The grave is not the end for those who have placed their faith in Christ. A great re-creation will happen. The grave could not hold Jesus, and a day is coming when it will not hold Victor, or any who have died in the faith. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Response

Father God, send your reviving Spirit. Renew our faith in your risen Son. Come, Lord Jesus. I long for your return. Amen.

Your Turn

Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead? Who do you long to greet on the other side?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

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* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look, click here.

The Return of Jesus

08 Thursday Dec 2022

Posted by in Psalm 144

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Psalm 144b -365
Reading: Psalm 144:5-10

LORD God,
I look forward to the return of Jesus.
He alone can fix this mess.
Lord, help me to do what I can
to speed your return.
Let your gospel be preached
in the entire world as a witness. 
Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild, and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.
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Waiting for the Song

21 Saturday Aug 2021

Posted by in poetry

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Waiting for the Song

By David Kitz

The robin sits high in the old weeping willow—
Waiting for the song to come.
The old man sits on the old park bench—
Waiting for the song to come.
The sun sinks slowly in the western sky.
It’s waiting for the song to come.
We’re all waiting for the song to come.

american robin with orange belly on beige background

Photo by Skyler Ewing on Pexels.com

The young mom cries in the backseat.
She’s waiting for the song to come.
The broken man kneels at the altar.
He’s waiting for the song to come.
Children are crying for their Mommy.
They’re waiting for the song to come.
We’re all waiting for the song to come.

Jesus come and set the prisoners free.
Heal our hurts and wipe away our tears.
Break the chains that are holding me.
Jesus come and set your people free.
We’re waiting for the song,
Waiting for the song,
We’re waiting for the song to come.

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The arching bough of an old willow tree — photo by David Kitz

Let the drumbeat roll and the trumpet sound.
We’re waiting for the song to come.
Jesus come and set this world aright.
We’re waiting for the song to come.
Your bride is yearning for her wedding night.
We’re waiting for the song,
Waiting for the song,
We’re waiting for the song to come.

Trumpet sound and drumbeat roll—
I’m waiting for the song to come.
Come Lord Jesus. Your bride is ready.
We’re waiting for the song to come.
We’re waiting for the song,
Waiting for the song,
We’re waiting for the song to come.

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As darkness falls — photo by David Kitz

The robin sits high in the old weeping willow—
Let’s wait for the song to come.

The World He Created

12 Monday Jul 2021

Posted by in Psalm 144, Psalms

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.365 fix this mess Psalm 144b

Reading: Psalm 144:5-10

LORD God,
I look forward to the return of Jesus.
He alone can fix this mess.
Lord, help me to do what I can to speed your return.
Let your gospel be preached
in the entire world as a witness.
Amen.

Volume II of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is available now. For a closer look at this #1 new release click here. For a look back at Volume I click here.

Lord, Come on Down

12 Monday Jul 2021

Posted by in Psalm 144, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 144:5-10
Part your heavens, LORD, and come down;
touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy;
shoot your arrows and rout them.
Reach down your hand from on high;
deliver me and rescue me
from the mighty waters,
from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.
I will sing a new song to you, my God;
on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,
to the One who gives victory to kings,
who delivers his servant David (NIV).*

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Tranquility in a turbulent world — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
“Lord, why don’t you come and fix this mess?” Have you ever had that thought, or voiced that prayer?

When we look at the world around us, there are a great many things that appear to be coming off the rails. This past week the abandoned body of a toddler was found in a church parking lot in Edmonton. Where are the parents? They haven’t come forward. Who would harm a child like that? Sadly, you can check the news services and see that cases like this occur all too frequently all over the globe. It appears the love of many has grown cold. See 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

Here’s a chilling statistic. In America on average every month fifty women are shot to death by their male partners. Meanwhile gun advocates keep insisting more guns will keep America safe—safe from whom? It seems the killers are the well-armed and often well-intentioned men in our midst.

On the international scene, wars, violence, and mass migration are creating havoc and instability on America’s southern border, in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Terrorists and dictators continually amp up their threats. Has the world gone mad?

In this context, David’s prayer in this portion of Psalm 144 makes a lot of sense. Part your heavens, LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke. Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot your arrows and rout them.

David is asking for the LORD to come down and fix this mess. Down through the ages believers have prayed similar prayers. Jesus did come down to fix this mess, and the world he created turned on him and had him crucified. But we can be sure a final day is coming when he returns again triumphant.

Response: LORD, I look forward to the return of Jesus. He alone can fix this mess. Lord, help me to do what I can to speed your return. Let your gospel be preached in the entire world as a witness. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you believe the Lord will fix this mess? Do we have a role to play in Christ’s return? See Christ’s words in Matthew 24:12-14.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Volume II of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is available now. For a closer look at Volumes I and II click here.