Laugh and Sing

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Our world seems full of mockers and liars, those who deceive for personal gain and seek to hurt those who disagree with them. No, I’m not writing about politics, though I hear echoes of empathy from both sides of our fractured nation.

Whether the lies and exaggerations we hear are personal or political and, regardless of any awareness they are being used as pawns, there is a liar of epic proportions who stands against truth—the Bible calls him the Father of Lies. He is diabolically opposed to the One who is True and speaks truth. Think about the trigger words we hear daily.

  • From current headlines: antitrust lawsuit, pro-abortion ballot, Hezbollah targets, rocket attacks, extreme liberals and crazy conservatives, threats of recession, Putin meets with Iran, advocates to enable children to change sexual preference without parental knowledge, WW3…
  • Add natural disasters to the list: earthquakes, flooding, cyclones, wildfires, hurricanes…
  • Consider your tension when these locations are mentioned: Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Israel, Iran, Russia, China, Haiti, the U.S. southern border…

Each of these lists is only partial and raises questions concerning what our part is in any of this and a bigger question—what is God’s part?

Our blood pressure may rise but God’s doesn’t. From the onset, He sees the conclusion of each event and the final stage of history.

Psalm 59 showed me two things about crises this week.

  1. The first I’ve written about before but it bears repeating. God sees the conflict of nations, the fighting and aggression. He sees the wars waged against truth and the undercurrent of doubt in His goodness or sovereignty. But He knows all and is confident in the end result. Truth will be honored, and He will be glorified, and every knee will bow before Him. When He sees the raging nations, He laughs (verse 8). He scoffs at the nations exhibiting their self-importance and greed.
  2. God’s response is to laugh. Verse 16 advises our response—sing. Sing not because we are naïve but because we are informed. We know God is reliable. We know He will be a refuge for us and is our fortress and strength, whatever battles come our way, nationally or personally.

I am convinced the only way we will survive and thrive in the times we are living through is to see the threats around us through the lens of faith. Our vision will only be clear when we embrace the truth found in the Bible. When it is our daily intake we will be nourished and strong.

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart

Behind Us. Before Us.

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Our Shepherd is good. He cares about our needs and supplies us with rest, food, and water. He guides us and protects us. He comforts us in our sorrows. He anoints us as His own and satisfies our souls with meaning. It is true—our cup overflows.

I look behind me and what do I see? There it is! God’s goodness and love.

I look in front of me and what do I see? More goodness and love in a forever home with no shadows, no fears, no disappointments.

I’m brought back to verse one: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”

A relationship with God carries us through the difficulties of our present life and holds the promise of rewards in our future that are beyond imagination.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6

Photo by Sally Teschon

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart

Enemies

~ Barbara ~ 3 Comments

“We live in a hostile environment.” I drafted that sentence a week ago, before the assassination attempt. I was thinking about hostilities toward Biblical thought and aggressions against Christians and Christianity. I was fed up with the negativity of politics, on all sides. And then bullets were shot on a beautiful Saturday afternoon that took the life of a husband and father. I could easily be detracted from Psalm 23 and go off on who really pulled the trigger—whose words provided the ammunition for that fatal shot? But I will not go there. It’s a big story now, but it will fade, whereas the presence of our spiritual enemies will remain a constant.

Our enemies are not weaponized with physical bullets. They deliver spiritual attacks on our person, our minds, our psyche. They besiege us with thoughts that sow fear and suggestions that incite anger. They aim at our faith and attempt to render us ineffective. In this setting Psalm 23:5 offers us assurance:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

He makes provision for us. He feeds us what is needed to prevail. He sets us apart. We are able to overcome because our supply overflows.

Do not wander from the Shepherd or His flock. We need His care and protection and we need the flock.

Photo by Sally Teschon

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart