"When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul." (Psalm 94:19, ESV)
It was October, 1987, 25 years ago, and I was approaching the East German/ Polish Border. As my Grandfather before me, I most often have at least a copy of the New Testament/Psalms with me; I read our text. Some translations add the word, "anxious," but from what I can gather, it means just the multitude of thoughts, those thoughts which can bring anxiety, fear, sadness, aloneness. It was a dark, cloudy day; I was alone, far from home, no cell phone, missing my family, no one could know exactly where I was. My thoughts were multitudinous. In that very moment, however, Jesus "breathed" upon me His, "God-Breathed," Words, "[His] consolations delight[ed] my soul." In the midst of feeling alone, in the midst of a culture of no color, drab, gray buildings, people with sad faces, Jesus put a, "new song in my heart."
What are, " the cares of [your] heart," today? There are, "many...consolations," in Jesus Christ and His, "God-Breathed," Words. Do not, my friend, be a stranger to these comforting/ "consolations." In the weeks and months after the passing of our oldest child, yes, right to this day 42+ years later, "Your consolations cheer my soul." Thoughts still come of that horrendous season from late December 1969 to June 1970, sad thoughts, desperate thoughts, regret thoughts, what-more-could-I-have-done thoughts. But when they do, when they come, it is as one translation of our text says, "When my anxious thoughts are many, Your consolations delight my soul." If I sound like a fanatic about the Bible, and what my fellow seminarians and professors used to say about me, that I am a "mystic," I plead guilty. That summer of '70 could have been the end of me. Instead, in a very real sense, it was the "beginning" of me, a beginning of absolute hunger, dependency and reliance upon, "The Word/s of God."
In life's darkest hours, I have discovered that only, "Your consolations (can) delight my soul." Father, Son Jesus, Holy Spirit come to me in so many ways, ways of which I am not aware, but mostly in the Grace of His Words. To those who do not know the Living Triune God in Jesus Christ, this seems like a person out of touch with "reality." Instead, it is a person who is in touch with Absolute Reality, Jesus. I have never grown weary with the Lord continually repeating Himself in His Words. His Words are so powerful, so healing, so comforting that I could repeat one verse throughout the day and in that repetition, that "revelation," that Breath of God find, "many consolations (which) delight my soul."
Father, in Jesus' Name, what, "Consolations," You are. Amen.
*************
* PM Netanyahu quotes much from the Bible: www.jerusalemberlinwashington.blogspot.com
* Men, please confirm your going with us to "David's Tent" in DC, November 3.
* Be sure to visit us on Facebook
It was October, 1987, 25 years ago, and I was approaching the East German/ Polish Border. As my Grandfather before me, I most often have at least a copy of the New Testament/Psalms with me; I read our text. Some translations add the word, "anxious," but from what I can gather, it means just the multitude of thoughts, those thoughts which can bring anxiety, fear, sadness, aloneness. It was a dark, cloudy day; I was alone, far from home, no cell phone, missing my family, no one could know exactly where I was. My thoughts were multitudinous. In that very moment, however, Jesus "breathed" upon me His, "God-Breathed," Words, "[His] consolations delight[ed] my soul." In the midst of feeling alone, in the midst of a culture of no color, drab, gray buildings, people with sad faces, Jesus put a, "new song in my heart."
What are, " the cares of [your] heart," today? There are, "many...consolations," in Jesus Christ and His, "God-Breathed," Words. Do not, my friend, be a stranger to these comforting/ "consolations." In the weeks and months after the passing of our oldest child, yes, right to this day 42+ years later, "Your consolations cheer my soul." Thoughts still come of that horrendous season from late December 1969 to June 1970, sad thoughts, desperate thoughts, regret thoughts, what-more-could-I-have-done thoughts. But when they do, when they come, it is as one translation of our text says, "When my anxious thoughts are many, Your consolations delight my soul." If I sound like a fanatic about the Bible, and what my fellow seminarians and professors used to say about me, that I am a "mystic," I plead guilty. That summer of '70 could have been the end of me. Instead, in a very real sense, it was the "beginning" of me, a beginning of absolute hunger, dependency and reliance upon, "The Word/s of God."
In life's darkest hours, I have discovered that only, "Your consolations (can) delight my soul." Father, Son Jesus, Holy Spirit come to me in so many ways, ways of which I am not aware, but mostly in the Grace of His Words. To those who do not know the Living Triune God in Jesus Christ, this seems like a person out of touch with "reality." Instead, it is a person who is in touch with Absolute Reality, Jesus. I have never grown weary with the Lord continually repeating Himself in His Words. His Words are so powerful, so healing, so comforting that I could repeat one verse throughout the day and in that repetition, that "revelation," that Breath of God find, "many consolations (which) delight my soul."
Father, in Jesus' Name, what, "Consolations," You are. Amen.
*************
* PM Netanyahu quotes much from the Bible: www.jerusalemberlinwashington.blogspot.com
* Men, please confirm your going with us to "David's Tent" in DC, November 3.
* Be sure to visit us on Facebook
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
