"Footmen...And...Horses"

"If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses?  And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?"  (Jeremiah 12:5)

"Footman," and, "horses," are no threat to those in whom Jesus Christ lives and rules.  Yet there are great dangers for those who think they are quite capable of running with either or both.  Maybe they have and can, but history has proven that there are threats and dangers even beyond, "footmen," and, "horses."

Much of life for us in the United States of America, for the most part, has been a, "run with the footmen....in the land of peace."  Okay, so we have had wars and we had an attack on our soil on September 11, 2001, but we have had no foreign army in our nation since 1815.  Then there was the "great depression," and some other "bumps," yes, in the light of human history and the unimaginable horrors experienced by some people groups, bumps along the way, but by far, for the most part, we have had a, "footmen," life. 

The ancients had no idea what scientific/technological advances would be ours today.  Since 1945, we have had the potential to lay waste to Planet Earth.  There is absolutely no doubt that today there is no one who can, "run with," what is now before the human race.  Only absolute faith in Jesus Christ, faith defined as, "trust in, rely on, cling to," and, "Abide in Me," will see anyone through the days ahead.  Jesus commanded us to, "Abide in Me...for without Me you can do nothing..," or, "Without Me you can," run with nothing.  Life has affirmed this to me.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess that it has taken me far too long to realize that I can, "run with," nothing.  I pray to, "run with," YOU!  Amen.

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"Why...In Despair? Hope In God"

"Why are you bowed down ('in despair'), O my soul?  And why are you disquieted within me?  Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance, my God."  (Psalm 42:5)

Some may remember the song which was written for Frank Sinatra by Paul Anka, "My Way."  It could be the American "national anthem," perhaps the "anthem" of all humanists.  "My way" was never a good way.  It was self-made, self-perpetuating, self-aggrandizing.  Results, not good.  I'm sure you can identify with this. 

The psalmist asked himself as to why he was, "bowed down, in despair."  He could not understand why his soul was, "disquieted within [him]."  The Word for, "disquieted," can mean to, "murmur, to growl."  It is akin to an undercurrent of complaining and frustration.  Webster's says that the English word means, "a lack of peace."  This is what the life style of "My Way" produces.

Apparently the psalmist was able to "come to his senses" when he said, "Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him."  There are some variances in the translation of the next statement, but I believe this to be the best one, "....For the help of His countenance, my God."  The Word, "countenance," means, "Face," and is sometimes translated, "Presence."  The New Covenant "version" of this is in 2 Corinthians 4:6, "For it is the God Who commanded light to shine out of darkness, Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ."  What Glorious, "Countenance"!

So there you have it, my friend.  "My Way" vs, "....the help of His Face."  The choice is continually ours.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I am so very grateful, "for the help of His Face...."  Amen.

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"Obscures...Plans...Without Knowledge"

"Who is this that obscures My plans without knowledge?...Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?...Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades?  Can you loosen Orian's belt?" (Job 28, NIV)

If Job, "obscures...plans...without knowledge," what were the others doing?

Regular readers are probably hoping I "get over" the Book of Job.  But Job is one of the, if not the earliest Writings of the Covenant People.  Maybe we can say that Job has certain precedential authority in Divine Revelation.  Our text is "The Eternal One," Father, Son and Holy Spirit, challenging Job to consider just what he had been attempting to accomplish in his theological discourse.  

The events of the Book of Job could have transpired over a period of a month, or more, while all this time God was silent; then, His first Words, "Where were you?"  This is a fundamental "wake-up-to-reality" of Jesus, "The Word of God," to Job.  It is quite clear: "Job, I was here before all of it; you weren't.  How could you ever hope to understand?"  The opening discourse of, "The Word of God," is full of irony, even a sort of Divine sarcasm, "Tell Me if you understand....Surely you know!...For you were already born!  You have lived so many years!"

You and I need the same "challenge" and reminder from time to time.  Perhaps it would lessen anxiety, frustration, and any attempts to "make sense of it all."  And there is something which I am seeing more and more as the years go by:  For some of life, there just are no answers, no "explanation," nothing to satisfy our humanistic bewilderment.  "Come to Me...and learn from Me," saith the Lord Jesus Christ.  In Jesus and His Words alone is the "relief" from life's bewilderment.

Father, in Jesus' Name, "Out of life's storm and into Thy calm,

                                            Out of distress to jubilant psalm,

                                            Jesus, I come to Thee!"  Amen.

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Read:  "Latin America Is Collapsing and Taking America With It" at: jhs58.blogspot.com

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"The Waves May Roll, But They Cannot Cross...."

"'Should you not fear Me?' declares the Lord.  'Should you not tremble in My presence?  I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot cross it.'"  (Jeremiah 5:22, NIV)

So much "happens" in life which no one can understand, though the proud among us w0uld not agree.  Nevertheless, humanity can observe human existence, the Universe, and come to whatever conclusion it chooses, but Jesus comforts us with the Truth of, "I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross."  This is "basic" Biblical Theology.  It is sort of a conformation of, "banks on the creek." 

Though you and I cannot understand, grasp, even, dare we say, make any "conclusive sense" out of the Universe, we are nonetheless inside His, "boundary."  You may have, or are now experiencing what the old hymn describes as, "troubles assail, and dangers affright."  But our text is "shouting out" to us today, "I made the...boundary....They cannot cross it."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for Your protecting, "boundary."  Amen.

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.'"

Hebrews 12:2