To Protect Us
1 Samuel 26:1-27:12
"The Lord rewards us for the things we do right and for our loyalty to him. The Lord handed you over to me today, but I wouldn't harm the Lord's appointed king. As I respected your life today, may the Lord also respect my life and save me from all trouble." (1 Samuel 26:23-24)
Hmmm... seems like the Bible is on repeat. Haven't we heard this before? Saul chasing David? Saul being handed over to David by the Lord? David choosing to respect Saul's life and not kill him. Yep... not once but twice David compares himself to a flea or a bird that Saul is hunting and he not only escapes the peril, but he has the opportunity to avenge himself of Saul... an option he declines. Just imagine, the king and his army are after you... you have virtually no protection. What are you to do? God is our protection... and he will protect us from all trouble.
To Help Us
Psalm 60:6-12
"Human help is useless, but we can win with God's help." (Psalm 60:11-12)
We can't do it on our own... and I'm certain I couldn't have made it through grad school on my own either. The Fall seems so far away, not just in terms of time but also in terms of the way I felt. Everything was so different from the life I'd been leading for 2 years and I just didn't know how to feel comfortable in this country, in this new setting. But I'm convinced that lots of prayer and continuing my quiet time and especially the Bible Study group really helped me through the difficult transition. That is the kind of help that I go to... not guides or tips or suggestions but God-fearing counsel.
To Keep the Party Going
John 2:1-25
"When he tasted it, the water had become wine." (John 2:9)
A familiar story... the water turned to wine. The wine ran out at the wedding. In accord with the book "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff," this would appear to certainly fall under the category of 'small stuff.' But God cares enough to want to know even our 'small stuff.' He wants to know about our little struggles, our need for patience or persistence in fighting off a certain kind of temptation, about our disappointments and concerns. "Anyone who is having trouble should pray" (James 5:13). We should pray about everything from an empty wine bottle to a final presentation. Thank You, Lord, for caring enough about me to care even for my 'small stuff.'
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