Has Something Wrecked Your Peace Today?

Has something wrecked your peace today?

In Psalm 73, Asaph's peace was wrecked. It happens to all of us. In Asaph's case, as we often do, he tried and tried on his own to make sense of the issue that was wrecking him...but he couldn't do it. His peace remained wrecked. However in verse 17 there's a turning point as he says,

"Then one day I went into your sanctuary God."

Or in other words, He stopped trying to figure it out on his own, and He turned to the Lord for help.

Spending time with the Lord, can bring a peace that surpasses all understanding. The devotional book "Come Away My Beloved" says it like this:

"Bring me all that puzzles you. Many questions need no answer, for when the heart is at one with the Father, there comes an illumination of Spirit which transcends thought. Understanding becomes a state of heart rather than an achievement of the mind."

Let's set some time aside to spend with the Lord, and we will recognize, as Asaph did in verse 28,

"as for me, it is good for me to be near God"

Are there scriptures that you've heard SO MUCH that they almost sound cliche-ish???

cliche:  a sentence, or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost orginality, ingenuity, and impact by long over use.

Recently I've had a lot of friends who are going through some crazy difficult stuff.

Typically, when a friend is in need, I pray for them, and find some word of encouragement to send them.  A scripture that speaks to their situation....to bring them hope.

However, here lately, due to the magnitude of what some of my friends are going through, every scripture I've wanted to send just sounds like a cliche to me.

For I know the plans I have for you... (Jer 29:11)

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.... (Phil 4:13)

In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him... (Romans 8:28)

blah. blah. blah.  I've heard them all before, so many times, to the point that they just. sound. like. a. cliche.  And, I feared my friends would think that too...until God said this to me,

"just because you think my word sounds like a cliche, doesn't mean it is a cliche.  It's lost it's meaning to you because you've stopped believing it as truth.  The truth is, it is the living, breathing, word of God....and you can stand on it's promises."

Thanks for reminding me, Lord, of the power and truth of your word.  That it's not an overused quote or saying, but instead...

 all scripture is God breathed...2 Timothy 3:16

You Know That Situation You're In...What's it really About??

I've decided to read through the Bible in a year.  (When those of you who know me are done chuckling please continue reading.)

I'm more of a "ponderer" than a "reader", so I'm not really expecting to finish the Bible in a year.  I'm thinking it will be more like five years.  Seriously.  Here's why...

I can't help having to stop and think about what I'm reading about.  My first day in and I about had a hallujah breakdown party for 30 minutes over this one passage of scripture:

Genesis 25:21-2 (ESV)

21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?”[a] So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you[b] shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other,  the older shall serve the younger.”

24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 

Now, there are many things we could ponder from this passage of scripture, but what hooked me in the moment was the reality of what was happening within Rebekah.

She's pregnant, and there is major activity happening in her womb.

Her first thought is, "what on God's green earth is going on in my belly?!"

Her second thought is to ask God about it.  Jeesh.  That's brilliant.

What's beautiful about it to me, is she asks....and He answers.

And guess what?!  Here's another thing that's beautiful.  We can still do that.  We can inquire of the Lord, and He will answer us.

If this was a modern day scenario, we all know what we would do, we would get an ultrasound.  The ultrasound would (if accurate) tell us truth...but not the whole truth.  We would know that there were twins, and that they were active, but we wouldn't know this...

“Two nations are in your womb,    and two peoples from within you[b] shall be divided;the one shall be stronger than the other,    the older shall serve the younger.”

How much insight might God give us into a situation, if we would only stop and ask?

I needed desperately to be reminded of this.  How He longs to lead us down this path of life if we will just , remember Him, Turn to Him, and Inquire of Him.

Give the ONE who created you an opportunity to speak into your situation.

Today.  All day.  Everyday.