Scripture I will give you peace in the land…. Leviticus 26:6
Observation
Of all of the gifts God can give to us, peace must surely be the most precious. What good is it to receive things in life without the peace to enjoy them?
Peace is, as the saying goes, not the absence of conflict but the presence of Christ. Everything in life glistens and glows with special joy when Jesus is present. When peace is present, the gifts we receive are a conductor through which we enjoy the Giver.
The Lord promises to give us peace in the land, if we make his way our way in life. There are many bumpy rides recorded in scripture, but it is interesting to see how most of them make a landing in a place of peace. Isaac was harassed from well to well until he came to peace. Joseph was harried in slavery and prison until he came to a place of peace. We could talk of Jonah, David, Paul and more. The Lord has a way of navigating the faithful into a place of his peaceful presence where the Lord’s good gifts can be enjoyed.
Application
Of all the things I want in the next season of life, peace is at the top of the list. Peace is not something I must strive for; peace is a gift.
Prayer Father, give me the land but most of all give me peace. Amen.
Scripture Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. Psalm 16:1
Observation
Why is it that the Lord chooses to take care of us in troubled times? For one reason only: simply because we have asked for help. The psalm singer is straightforward: he expects God to rescue him simply because he is ringing the bell at God’s house. That is reason enough.
It is a tradition amongst desert nomads of the Middle East to honor hospitality as the most treasured of gifts. The thirsty desert has forced them to show kindness to any wanderer in need. If a traveler says to a sheik, “I desire the rights of a guest in your tent” that Bedouin must take him in even if he has murdered his own brother. The Lord is our sultan and if we ask for help he has bound himself to grant it to us.
We make these requests of God in times of prayer. That is obvious enough. But there are other prayers we do not know we are even praying that the Lord listens to as well. When we have an idle conversation with a friend and we grumble against the Lord and question his ability to care for us, the Lord hears that. On the other hand, when we are talking with a friend who is skeptical or nervous of God’s ability to provide and we state our confidence in the Lord to care for us even when nothing is evident, the Lord hears that as if it were a prayer.
If we need proof that the Lord listens to our idle conversations, then turn to Malachai 3:14-18
“You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’â€
Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.
“They will be my people,†says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.â€
Our private comments are public prayers to the Lord.
Application
So why do I doubt God’s ability to keep me safe and to bring me through to the other side? Because somehow I question if God is really enough, as if he were a blanket too short to cover the bed. We need to get lost in the enormity of the nature and character of God. In my Bible readings today is a passage where God tells Moses what his name is. God doesn’t give a word but a paragraph to state his name:
“Yahweh! The Lord!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
But I do not excuse the guilty.
I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren;
the entire family is affected—
even children in the third and fourth generations.†Exodus 34:6-7
We should not read this paragraph as individual words but as one complete word. This is the name and nature of God. When we come to the Lord for refuge we find a cavernous expanse large enough for us all all of our concerns. He is enough for us.
Prayer Father, in you I take refuge. Hear my prayers in private and in public and demonstrate your ability to save to reveal something of the enormity of your name. Amen.
Scripture The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. Exodus 2:23-25
Observation
I wonder if a baby thinks that parents disappear when they leave a room, for their cries sound so frantic. It’s been years since I’ve lived with crying babies, but the memories are still fresh. We would hear the cries from our bedroom in the middle of the night. Sometimes we would spring to action because we discerned the sound of the cry. But other times in kindness we let our children cry because we knew that the process of waiting would be good for maturity.
Crying does not sound dignified, but it is incredibly significant to God. If we want something to change he calls us to cry out to him. But he won’t answer as quickly as we think he should. Our Father is a good parent, so his delays have a purpose. He knows when to intervene.
Even if nothing seems to be happening, God is listening. The Jews cried out to God in their slavery but nothing changed. In heaven, however, God was listening like a parent laying in bed at night. Oftentimes we give up praying just when God is preparing to answer. There are times our relationship with the Lord is one way: he can hear us but we cannot hear him. It is in those times when we think our prayers are making the least difference that they seem to make the very most impression on him. Our persistence to ask even without answers brings out of us a faith that matters very much to the Lord.
When we cry out to the Lord we should not always expect his immediate action, instead we should be aware that we do have his attention. God heard the Israelites groan and so he looked on them. Often when we cry out to the Lord and nothing changes we can begin to doubt him and grumble to others. We should remember at those times hat the Lord is watching. It is as if he is the Invisible Man in the room. Our words and actions in difficult times matter much to him. We should watch our actions for the outcome may depend on our faithfulness.
When God meets human problems he usually works through people. There is often the reason for the slow down. The lack of response from God may have nothing to do with the willingness of God but rather the slowness of humans to say “yes” to him. Moses was the answer, but it would take a process to bring him to the rescue. God is at work bringing the answer to our cries, but we may have to wait on someone to say ‘yes’ to him. What should we do? Continue to cry out to him.
Application
May the Lord find me crying out to him when he brings the answer from heaven. This continued desperation is the greatest sign that I trust him. May I continually remind him of his promises because it is the promises that he has made that move him even more than my problems.
Prayer Father, I continue to ask because I know you are listening. But do remember that while you are invisible, I am not. There are real problems I face that stare me in the eye. Show up and work on my behalf to rescue me. Amen.
Scripture The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground. Genesis 18:1-2
Observation
Abraham ran to meet God. That doesn’t seem all that significant unless a few facts are brought to light.
First, Abraham was 100 years old at the time. I had a friend who died at 102 years of age. When I first met Norm de Vaus at the age of 96 he ran across the road in front of my car with eggs he had collected from the chickens. The sight of a scrawny 100 year old jogger is not one quickly dismissed from the memory. Think of it: arthritic Abraham is sprinting down the driveway without a walker.
Second, Abraham was the boss of what we would call today a decent sized company. He had 318 male servants who were able to fight. Those men of course each had wives and with them children. Abraham’s entourage was well over a thousand or more people. They made quite a foot print in the desert with all of their tents. Abraham was Chairman of the Board with the confidence and aura of a great leader. It was customary at that time for servants to scamper about to serve the master. The head of a great estate did not run, others ran for him. But Abraham ran and everyone else sprang to action as a result.
Abraham was ancient and secure, nevertheless, Abraham sprinted to meet God. This example challenges our familiarity with the Almighty. We so take the Lord for granted. Just as Michelangelo painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, God reaches a decisive arm out to us while Adam lifts a groggy finger toward the Lord. If Abraham ran then we should be running to God as well.
Abraham ran because he was living in expectation. Just the chapter before he had taken the last in a series of increasing commitments to the Lord. He had all of the 318 servants, plus himself and his son Ishmael circumcised. Abraham had taken a significant step and so he expected God to do something soon. Abe had his sneakers on.
Application
The determined steps of our obedience bring God to us and when we obey we should put our running shoes on. God is coming and we must run to him soon. I’m expecting the Lord to show up just about anytime now and when he comes may he find me ready to sprint.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Genesis 1:1
Observation
It is comforting to know that God was at the beginning. I’ve just finished reading Revelation and it’s clear that he is there to the end as well. But it is what is in between that is so interesting. From Genesis chapter 1 God is bursting with creative infusion into human life. On almost every page God is up to something. He is either creating or salvaging human life and doing something long lasting with it.
Application
Today is a new beginning for it is the first day of a new year. God is at work today in this first page of my journal in a new year. God will be active until the end of the year. What lies in between is the remarkable part. God is on the loose and is bounding with activity. I should expect the unexpected because the Lord is at the beginning and the end. He is the author and the finisher of my faith. What it requires of me is to let the finger of God touch the beginning of my works and from that touch send ripples out into every day of my year.
Prayer
I step out into today Lord with anticipation. You are here to take my hand and you will lead me safely until the end. I look forward to what lies in the middle. I implore you to be in my beginning. Amen.
Scripture Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11
Observation
There are some homes that the front door opens into idyllic peace. There are other houses where it seems lightning is about to strike. My wife, who is the veteran of four church nurseries over the past 25 years, can detect the homes with unhappy marriages by the way children play. Every house has an atmosphere that is generated by the people living in it.
How can we create a good climate in our homes? Paul gives three operative words: encouragement, harmony and peace. If we need any evidence of how well these words work, just think of homes filled with the opposite: sarcasm, discord and strife. It’s obvious these words work.
Encouragement: that starts with a deliberate choice to say “good morning” with a smile and hug and tailgates through the day to back family up with constructive words. Yesterday my wife said one uplifting sentence about my work well that gave me 10 hours of enthusiasm. Every man needs a cheerleader, but he won’t have one unless he regularly dates the woman on the sidelines.
Harmony: that is the choice to fit into the relationships around me. If I’m angry I may want to play off key or sing another song all together. We call disharmony argument, strife, independence, etc. Harmony is my choice to blend into my family and bring the most out of the people around me. It starts by listening when I want to talk or get to work. It extends by helping those around me achieve their hopes for the day while on the way to my own. It is built on respect and service.
Peace: this word suggests an end of conflict but there is a positive side that is often overlooked. Peace is not just the absence of war but the presence of good relationships. The first is obviously with Christ. When he is in the home there is a deep contentment. But peace is the choice to be together in love. Peace starts with the simple act of eating at least one meal together each day. The microwave is endangering the home not with radiation but with a convenience that allows everyone to eat on their own schedule. Where is the family dinner table in contemporary homes? Peace comes when I chose to stop what I’m doing, adjust my schedule, sit down with those I love, show interest in their world and do what we all love best…eating and laughing. Peace is the result of presence.
The reward for doing these three things is that our heavenly Father shows up at the door with love and peace. Prayer Father, I want today more than every to have a home filled with encouragement, harmony and peace. My home is great but I want it even better. Show me how to be secretively deliberate about this today. Amen.
Scripture But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. 1 Corinthians 12:31
Observation
There are two ways to pray about the days that we live.
First is to pray, “Lord, use me greatly.”
It accents the word “greatly”.
It’s a showroom prayer from the staring line.
The other is to ask, “Lord, greatly use me.”
The spotlight is on the word “use”.
It’s a workshop prayer that will get us past the finish line.
We have a choice in life to be remembered for our gifts or to be recalled for our love.
It is clear which way of living is most excellent. Humans define excellence in terms of performance while God only grades the quality of our love. While we polish the finish, God checks the dipstick to see what’s on the inside.
Application
If I want an A in God’s course of life I need not so much to perform well but as to love well.
Prayer Father, this sentence is a teaser to look past the skills of life and to find the heart of living. If I am remembered for how well I performed I have failed. If you are remembered because of how I loved, then I have succeeded. Lord, love through me today. Amen.
I'm Phil McCallum, a husband, father and most of all one of the people Jesus loves. I'm privileged to serve Evergreen Community Church in Bothell, Washington as Senior Pastor where people love enough to believe "it's all about relationships." In 1982 I made a vow to read God's word daily and apply it to life. Each day I write out my reflections. Some days I post those on my blog. It's a little personal but it's my hope it will stir you to go deeper still. Learn how I do my devotions. These are my thoughts and not necessarily those of the ministry I serve. By the way check out the computer study Bible Glo. I highly recommend it.
