Where do we look, when hard pressed? The distractions of the world are a great temptation. We look to the things of world to remove the feelings of distress. Movies are a place I turn when I want to escape, hunting and fishing when I need to get away. Where does our help come from? It comes from God and Him alone, the maker of the heavens and the earth. Let us not bury ourselves in the distractions of life, but like the psalmist ask our souls, "why are you down cast, O my soul?" When we serve the creator, all Sovereign God of the universe, why would we look to anything else for solace and comfort? I'm not sure, I ask myself such a question. We must ask our soul the question like the psalmist, why are you down cast?
Being down cast makes sense when the world assails us, and according to the world we look to its prescribed locations for respite and comfort. But it makes little sense when we are children of God, who is our Lord, a shield about us, the lifter of our heads. In the same Psalm only a few verses later David writes that he will not be afraid of many thousands of people who set themselves all around him. We must ask ourselves why are we down cast, when we are known by God. David's trust and dependence upon God, his faith, are an example for us. Despite the odds and the apparent opposition, he would not fear even in dire circumstances, for God is his strength.
Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will act. Fretting because of evil doers only leads to sin. Trust in God for all things is the only measure that can be taken for a child of God in all circumstance. This is not an exercise in abstract, self help, Christian living, and fluff.
In thinking about last week; God gives us various means of grace to experience his goodness. The grace of God is varied and not only salvific. God strengthens us in grace, gives us the ability to speak grace, grows us in grace, and saves us by His grace. God's grace is irresistible. Growth in grace is a decrease of ourselves and the increase of dependence upon God. It is God getting more of us.
(Psalms referenced 3, 37, 42. Also referenced, Paul Martin)
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1 comment:
"Amen n Amen"
Reading your blog was encourageing for me today. I spend the morning today studying German and then a little time finishing a book by Tim Keller, "The Reason for God".You asked, "why are we downcast when we are known by God?" How true that is, but the opposite of downcast is a haughty spirit. man-centered religion will fail us and leads to a downcast attitue or a prideful attitude and both are equally sinful. That is what is so unique about the doctrine of Grace. Tim Keller wrote,
"The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to humility and deep confidence at the same time." When we remember what Christ has done for us, we remember that he is "the lifter of my head" and yet we remain humble because we know that it is only by his grace through faith that we are saved. Thanks Brian. Very good and thought provoking.
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