Psalm 70-72

71:15 
My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.

This past week I was deep in work then a day of vacation on Friday.  I missed the news that the Supreme Court has made same-sex marriage the way of our land.  I then get on Facebook and see all the people celebrating this decision, including many who I would think are grounded in faith in God.  

My response is more of disbelief of where this country is headed than anything else.  But I guess my job is not to get angry but to try to share with more people what I know is true.  Not to battle in a political arena but just to make sure that the people in my sphere of influence know of God's saving Grace.

I also spent part of my day off watching pieces of the Bartlett funereal.  It was beautifully done and absolutely heart breaking.  That family continues to be amazing to me.  Dave in particular has impacted so many lives and helped so many people including myself get on a path to know Jesus.  I'm sure he has counselled others who have lost children and grandchildren in the past.  Now his family is the one that needs support.  But they are determined to use this life event to help Jesus shine, and even in the midst of their own suffering they are praising God and telling of his saving acts.   

As believers, you and I need to be God's hands and feet to do his work.

Knut

Psalm 68-69

69:29 
But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
    may your salvation, God, protect me.

I didn't have a lot of takeaways reading through.  But as noticed in other recent readings I see someone who is being persecuted because of their beliefs and because they are sharing those beliefs.  

I don't have the same feeling, maybe partly because in the US you are less likely too be persecuted for sharing your belief in God.  But maybe partly because I only share my beliefs in relatively safe settings.  I think I am feeling a tugging to be more bold, to have more Kingdom impact.  If I can muster the courage to be more bold I may need a prayer like the one in this Psalm for protection from the attacks I may receive.

I don't think this will be like a light switch for me but I pray that as I grow in my faith that I also do more to help others come to know Jesus.

knut

Psalms 66-67

Chapter 67
¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—^[c]
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

These 2 verses sum up everything we've been reading and talking about for the past 2+ years on this journey.  This sounds like the benediction at the end of a church service.  I like it.  To me, it says, "God, please bless us....so, we can bring your glory and your message to this earth."

Psalm 63-65

65:6 who formed the mountains by your power,
    having armed yourself with strength,

As I drive across country to my church or out on the interstate sometimes I am amazed at the sights of the large rolling hills.  I love a crisp morning with blue skies and driving over these rolling hills that go on and on.  Sometimes I think about God's power and ability to create what I am seeing.  This verse brought those days to mind.

When I'm thinking about that sometimes I admit my thoughts are not right for just a moment.  I might think is it really possible that what I believe in is true?   God created all this and the vastness of the universe.  Any doubts quickly go away when I think of the alternatives presented in society today of a rock exploding randomly into the universe and life.  

Its kind of funny to me that some people so easily dismiss the idea of God but are willing to latch onto the big bang theory.  I mean really why is that believable at all to them if they can't believe in God.  What makes them think something that is in animate could suddenly become life without an outside force?  Why don't they challenge the scientists ideas more fervently?  This is brought to by the same discipline of people who have been waffling on whether or not eggs or good or bad for our entire life time.  They can't get that right but they have nailed the explanation for the creation of the universe?...please.

enough rambling.  God I praise you for your strength and for revealing yourself to me.

knut

Psalm 61-62

62:1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.e 

Today is the visitation for the Bartletts.  I think both of these verses are ones for them to hold onto.  If there was ever a time they would be shaken, it would be now.  From all I read they are truly seeking God's comfort during this time of deep anguish that I cannot even begin to understand.

I pray their souls all find rest in God.

I intended to call or e-mail you yesterday and the day totally got away from me.  I had thought about going up, but to your point this funereal and visitation will be absolutely huge.  

As an alternative I wondered if maybe we could find a completely separate time to go and somehow serve the Bartlett family or show our love for them.  When I lost my Dad seeing everyone at the funereal was great, but that was really the easy part there was so much energy it was hard to be too down in the dumps.  

It was the days and months later when people had moved on to their daily lives that it was hardest for our family.  That's when I felt alone, mad, sad and sometimes without direction.  That is when someone would shoot me a note about a memory of my Dad or take time to talk with me about him that was most important too me.  So with that I'm wondering if there is a way we can try to bless Dave and Linda that way too?

knut

Psalm 57-60

60:11-12 
Give us help for the hard task;
    human help is worthless.
In God we’ll do our very best;
    he’ll flatten the opposition for good.

I didn't pick up any specific thoughts in today's reading.  But as I scanned back over these chapters the theme I picked up is God's absolute power over the earth and that he is our ultimate protector.  We should be going to him to help us with our biggest problems, he is our protector.  We have access to the one who made the universe, he is the one we should be going to for all our life's challenges.

knut

Psalm 55-56

55:1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
    do not ignore my plea;

55:16  As for me, I call to God,
    and the Lord saves me.

 17  Evening, morning and noon
    I cry out in distress,
    and he hears my voice.

55:22  Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken.


Whatever is on our hearts, we should take to God.  He already knows our struggles.

But as I read this, I think I am living too easy of a life.  The troubles written about in this are far more serious than my daily concerns. Maybe this is because of the times they were in or maybe its because he was standing up for God.  My question to myself is what am I doing to grow God's Kingdom?  Am I flying under the radar? Playing it safe to avoid any attacks?  I have to be honest, I'm not looking for a fight and a little afraid to ask for trouble but I also think I need to make sure I am not just taking the easy road but actually fighting to save souls--beyond my own and my families.

knut