Psalm 33:19 “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him…to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.”

[Here is the true picture. You, Lord Jesus, are the only One who can deliver us from death. In the greatest way you have delivered us from eternal separation from you, by your own death and resurrection. We are saved and safe now for eternity!

And you save us every day. How many times have you saved me from near accidents, including potential head-on crashes–and how you protected us in the one head-on crash we did have. You are at work in seen and unseen ways, delivering us from death daily.

On another level, you are the One who keeps us alive by supplying our daily bread, often in great abundance. You see our need and provide it. You are the Source of all, you are the Provider of all that is necessary and far more.

Help us to remember you perfect provision, your proposed plans and your positive protection, especially now as we face challenges with Barbara’s illness. We thank you for what are doing and will do, for you are good.

Psalm 33:17 “A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.”

[In David’s days a horse was the strongest weapon available in battle, the most powerful military means, but it was not enough to deliver. The rider needed help from God, or he was doomed.

So it is with us: technology, machines and weapons are available, but they are just tools, useless without you, Lord. You are the Victor, as stated in Zechariah 4:6, “Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty.”

You alone, Lord, are the Ruler, the Decider, the Helper of all who turn to you. “My salvation and my honor depend on God. He is my mighty rock and my refuge” (Ps. 62:7). “Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.” (Ps. 34:8). In every circumstance we must turn first to you: “This poor man called, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles” (Ps. 34:6).] And we have experienced this many times over many years.

Lord, forgive me for first looking for help in the wrong places: my own efforts, people, professionals, possessions, money and machines. Help me instead to call out first of all to you. Then use any means you desire to deliver me in such a way that you get the glory and that all around me will see that it is your work, not that of mere men. Thank you now for how you will answer this prayer for us weak ones, in all that is to come.

[You, Lord, as our Maker have empowered your children to live according to what is right. “By his divine power he has given us all we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him…” (2 Pet. 1:3)]. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want….” Psalm 23:1

However, for those who are not your children–they who reject your offer of mercy, forgiveness and adoption, who rely on their “good works” to save them–for them the outcome is very different. As it says in Rev 20:13,15 “each person was judged according to what he had done…If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Our own works bring not salvation, but condemnation. However, there is that wonderful “IF” in this sentence “if our names are…written in the book of life.” And praise God that, for all people this is a possibility, and for believers in Christ, this is a reality: our names ARE written in that book of life by the Lamb of God Himself!

Glory be to you, O mighty and loving Lord, the all-seeing God, for you are worthy to be honored, obeyed, lifted up and praised throughout this day. May I do so wholeheartedly, continually, persistently, for this is the purpose of my life, to glorify you in whatever comes. Even in the cold you make all beautiful.

“…the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” Romans 8:26

It is so good to be weak, to realize that our strength is insufficient so we can say, “O Lord our God…we do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you” (2 Chron. 20:12b). It is in this weakness that we begin to really see that His ways are far above our ways, and His thoughts much better than ours.

When I see a need, my first inclination is to jump in and meet that need with my own ideas, strength and resources. However, as I am slowly learning, that is not always the best thing, for I can inadvertently remove a pressure the Lord wanted to use in that person’s life.

Fortunately, most of the time the problems we had in the country we served in were so big and complex that there is no way my feeble efforts could begin to solve them. The only recourse open to me is prayer, and asking others so pray with us. And now we are seeing some significant answers to big problems through persistent prayers.

Just this week Barbara was having some alarming health issues, but when I called to get an appointment, the earliest they had was 6 weeks out! We prayed about it, then I called again and this time the clerk told me that if I called on Monday at 8:00 am they has some “same day” appointments. So I called at precisely 8, and got the only appointment open! Now our GP will give us referrals for further evaluation of Barbara’s condition.

God uses our weaknesses to draw us to Himself and into His way, getting our eyes off ourselves. Our weaknesses are blessings as they teach us not to trust in ourselves but in the One who made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in it. Are we listening to the message of weakness and responding well?

Prayer: “Lord, help me to see my weakness and inabilities as opportunities to pray more and thereby join you in the great things you are doing, rather than complaining and feeling sorry for myself. Amen.”

Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.”

[Blessed is really too weak a word for the wonder of being the people of God, being chosen for His inheritance, being part of the universal Church, being included in His Kingdom and in the future being the Bride of Christ.

These great privileges are magnified when I consider what I actually deserved as an enemy of God, being selfish, proud, rebellious and incapable in myself of obeying Him. You, Lord, would have been right and righteous to strike me down upon birth, sending me directly to hell and separating yourself from me for eternity.

Yet you called me to be one of your children, a princeling in your family, a brother to Jesus and an ambassador for your Kingdom. You cleansed and transformed me, you chose and cherished me, and I stand before you dearly loved, deeply cared for, doted on and delighted in. Not because of what I am, but because of who you are: Love itself, Light itself, Life itself, breathing new creation into a life born a ruin, giving worth to what was destructive, making useful what was dangerous.

You, Lord Jesus, are marvelous in your love, awesome in your forgiveness and rich in your grace. Thank you for redeeming me, adopting me, loving me. Help me to love you back well!