Archive for the ‘Brevity of Life’ Category
Today’s Bible Reading: Lamentations 1; Lamentations 2; Obadiah 1; Revelation 14 (The Message)
June 29, 2010 Seek God And Live
Today’s Bible Reading: Amos 4; Amos 5; Amos 6; Psalm 86; Titus 1 (The Message)
Scripture Focus:
Amos 4: 6 You know, don’t you, that I’m the One
who emptied your pantries and cleaned out your cupboards,
Who left you hungry and standing in bread lines?
But you never got hungry for me. You continued to ignore me.”
vs 8 You never got thirsty for me.
vs 10 You didn’t notice me.
vs 12 Prepare to meet your God!
Amos 5:6 So seek God and live! You don’t want to end up
with nothing to show for your life
But a pile of ashes, a house burned to the ground.
For God will send just such a fire,
and the firefighters will show up too late.
Observation:
Trials and disaster appear to be God’s way of getting our attention. Blessing us doesn’t seem to do it. But even disaster doesn’t always correct our perspective. According to Amos, we don’t recognize that God caused the disaster to get our attention.
Amos 4:12 is probably the scariest verse in the Bible: Prepare to meet your God! I suppose the feeling it inspires would depend on where you stand spiritually, or how eager you are for the appearing of Jesus.
Application:
James tells us that trials test my faith and produce patience, but Amos indicates that trials can sometimes be God’s way of getting my attention when I’m living a life that ignores God, so when a trial appears, it’s time to take a good look at my life and ask myself some hard questions, such as how would I stand if I heard the words, “Prepare to meet your God!”
Prayer:
Father God, help me live my life in such a way today, that I am prepared to meet you at any moment. May I be hungry and thirsty for you and be aware of you today.
Scripture Focus:
who emptied your pantries and cleaned out your cupboards,
Who left you hungry and standing in bread lines?
But you never got hungry for me. You continued to ignore me.”
vs 10 You didn’t notice me.
vs 12 Prepare to meet your God!
with nothing to show for your life
But a pile of ashes, a house burned to the ground.
For God will send just such a fire,
and the firefighters will show up too late.
October 14, 2009 Tree Or Chaff
Today’s Bible Reading: Nehemiah 11, 12; Psalm 1; Acts 3
Scripture Focus:
Psalm 1:3–4 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Observation:
What a comparison—a mighty tree versus chaff! One is enduring, the other floats away on the wind. What makes the difference? Whether or not we meditate on and follow the law of the Lord.
Application:
It’s very easy to get my sight off this foundational principle. So many other things vie for my attention and time. Time in the Word, time in prayer must be a priority. Life itself is short. Doing what matters most for eternity is wise.
Prayer:
Father God, I have been lax lately in coming to your Word for my daily sustenance and guidance. It should be the very air I breathe. Open my eyes to the truth today—that life is short, that eternal things count more than I imagine right now.
Scripture Focus:
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
August 19, 2009 Glorify God
Today’s Bible Reading: Jeremiah 45, 46, 47; Psalm 105; John 21
Scripture Focus:
Jeremiah 45:5 And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the LORD. “But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.”
John 21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
Observation:
Many places in the Bible speak of God’s blessing on his people, but there are places, like we see in these two verses, where the people of God can expect to struggle, even die. In God’s view, it’s more important to glorify God than to live in comfort or to even live at all. Sometimes, as in Baruch’s case, God promised him only his life in the midst of great trouble.
God rightly sees the bigger perspective. What happens on this small planet is a blip compared to eternity, but it’s an important blip, because how we handle life here sets the stage for eternity.
Application:
Will my life, no matter what the circumstances, bring glory to God and eternal life with him someday? It helps to put my life into perspective. These are momentary struggles compared with eternity!
Prayer:
Father God, may I live today with eternity in mind. May I glorify you in the circumstances of life today.
August 9, 2009 Do You Believe This?
Today’s Bible Reading: Jeremiah 3, 4; John 11
Scripture Focus:
John 11:25–26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Observation:
The older I get the more I think about death and what it will be like to die. I can say I know where I’m going after death, but the fact it, I have to take it by faith. I’ve never been there or seen it. After telling Martha, “Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die,” Jesus asks her pointedly: “Do you believe this?”
Application:
Jesus asks me the same question today. “Do you believe this?” In faith I can say yes. Someday, the faith will be sight, and what a day that will be!
Prayer:
Father God, though this earthly body will perish, I believe you when you say I will live and never die. Thank you for providing an eternity with you for those who believe in you!
July 20, 2009 Life Is A Vapor
Today’s Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 29, 30, 31; James 4
Scripture Focus:
James 4:13–15 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
Observation:
James is speaking specifically to me—a business woman. He’s reminding me that life is a vapor, and yes, make plans, but keep God in the mix. Life is a vapor. God is eternal. Don’t forget it.
Application:
Don’t put business in a priority over the things that are of ultimate value in life—God, my family, my relationships. I’m in a danger zone right now with that. Pushing hard this month. In every plan for the future, I need to say, “If the Lord wills . . .”
Prayer:
Father God, will you please help me make it through this time of deadlines, and help me plan better for the future so I can keep my focus on the people that matter?
July 16, 2009 Fading Flowers
Today’s Bible Reading: Isaiah 25, 26, 27, 28; Hebrews 13
Scripture Focus:
Isaiah 28:4–5 And the glorious beauty is a fading flower
Which is at the head of the verdant valley,
Like the first fruit before the summer,
Which an observer sees;
He eats it up while it is still in his hand.
In that day the LORD of hosts will be
For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty
To the remnant of His people…
Observation:
This is such a picture of opposites. Isaiah speaks of men being like a fading flower. Sure, they have glorious beauty for a short season, but it soon fades.
On the other hand the glory and beauty of God is everlasting. To the remnant of his people, the ones called by his name, he is a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty—much more lasting figures of speech.
Application:
We focus so much of our attention on that which is fading away. These few, short years are all we have to prepare for an eternity with God. Will we be part of the remnant of his people to whon God is a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty?
Prayer:
Father God, as Psalm 90:12 so aptly says, “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” May this be true of me today.
