Thursday, 04 March 2010 14:59

Lent - Day 17

But for me it is good to be near God

 

MORNING READING - PSALM 73

 

1Truly God is good to the upright,*
to those who are pure in heart.
2But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
my steps had nearly slipped.
3For I was envious of the arrogant;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.


4For they have no pain;
their bodies are sound and sleek.
5They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not plagued like other people.
6Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them like a garment.
7Their eyes swell out with fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
8They scoff and speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
9They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues range over the earth.


10Therefore the people turn and praise them,*
and find no fault in them.*
11And they say, ‘How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?’
12Such are the wicked;
always at ease, they increase in riches.
13All in vain I have kept my heart clean
and washed my hands in innocence.
14For all day long I have been plagued,
and am punished every morning.


15If I had said, ‘I will talk on in this way’,
I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.
16But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I perceived their end.
18Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
19How they are destroyed in a moment,
swept away utterly by terrors!
20They are* like a dream when one awakes;
on awaking you despise their phantoms.


21When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
22I was stupid and ignorant;
I was like a brute beast towards you.
23Nevertheless I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
24You guide me with your counsel,
and afterwards you will receive me with honour.*
25Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
26My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength* of my heart and my portion for ever.


27Indeed, those who are far from you will perish;
you put an end to those who are false to you.
28But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
to tell of all your works.


 

MORNING REFLECTION

 

READY : As you prepare yourself this morning praise the name of Jesus and allow His Presence to come.

 

READ: Read through this passage twice. Allow yourself to honestly respond to what is being said.

 

REFLECT: Reflect on the words of the psalmist about the arrogant. Meditate on the change in the psalmist as God reveals His thoughts on the arrogant compared with those who follow Him. Think about the similar frustrations you have. Allow God to speak truth into those situations this morning.

 

REPENT: In the short run, it often seems easier to follow after your own desires than to follow the laws of God. Repent of times you followed the ways of the arrogant and not the ways of God.

 

REJOICE: Rejoice that God delivers those who follow His ways. Rejoice for the times He has rescued you from the hands of the arrogant.

 

EVENING READING Mark 4:35-41

 

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’

 

EVENING REFLECTION

 

READY : Mentally shed the cares of your day. Sit quietly and refocus your thoughts on Christ.

 

READ: Read through this text twice. Imagine what it would have been like to be in that boat with Jesus and the disciples.

 

REFLECT: Reflect on the reaction of the disciples during this storm. Despite all they had seen Jesus do, they still lacked faith and still stood in amazement at what He could do.

 

REPENT: Jesus’ words to his disciples were harsh, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” Has He been saying these words to you? Repent of your fears and lack of faith. Allow Him to calm your storms.

 

REJOICE: Rejoice that our Savior can calm even the wind and the sea. Rejoice that He can and will calm the storms in your life as well.

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