“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” ( Psalm 62:5-8).
King’s David’s life was full of turmoil. Pursued by King Saul, who felt threatened by his early battle success he started out by being on the run. Pushed into exile, once David, for a cover, pretended to be insane; “and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard” ( 1 Samuel 21:13). When his trials appeared over, just as he was settling down, he was overthrown by his son in a palace coup.
David faced trials over and over again. Yet from all the headaches he faced, he would write, “May the name of the Lord answer you when you are in distress, may the name of the God of Jacob protect you” (Psalm 20:1). His faith was steadfast.
Psalm 23 is a testament of where David knew to find rest in the midst of turmoil. As he wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me besides quiet waters, he restores my soul” ( vv 1-3).
Just as with David any of us may chance upon troubling waters that leave us restless. The life we live is not without challenges, which is the reality of living here on earth! The Lord clearly warned the disciples of the days ahead, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Through the life of David we see where to find rest in the midst of upheavals. “But I trust in you Lord, I say, You are my God…How great is your goodness which you have stored for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men of those what take refuge in you” ( Psalm 31: 14-19).
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, throughout all life’s trials and turmoil, my heart is steadfast, because I trust and find rest in you, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
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06/05/2024 - 07/05/2024 All day“Do not confirm to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)
Almost all cultivators are aware that if soils are used perpetually without rains but constantly under work they are deprived of all nutrients. So, though once productive, they lose all power to yield fresh crops as before. But so is our Christian life when we do not regularly feed our spirit life with the Word!
In our leading verse, the Apostle Paul is urging believers to “renew” their minds rather than make them stale, lest they end up losing all power to yield fruit. But how is this done? We renew our minds by constantly reading the Word of God, for there are always insights with God speaking to us afresh. Psalm 119:104-5 says, “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” The Apostle Peter reminds us, “Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow and be saved.” It is a beautiful illustration for any who have seen a hungry baby sucking the teats of a mother.
Renewing our minds is also by reading about the lives of people of faith who have walked before us and their created works. The Christian faith started in the first century after Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Now over two millenniums it has produced giants of faith who have shared their walk with God through inspired teachings that are a treasure to dig into. By scouring the writings of the great saints before us, listening to their recorded sermons, songs and preaching, which these days can be found on virtual medial channels like Yu tube, reading their biographies, our faith is renewed.
And then we also renew our faith through fellowship. When the Apostle Paul urges us, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” ( Hebrews 10:25), he is reminding us that our faith cannot grow in isolation. During the Covid pandemic lockdown one bitter issue was denying Believers opportunity to meet fellow followers of Christ to share testimonies showing the work of God in their lives.
So today, if your faith is on a low keel, or you want it to flower, one thing you can’t help doing without is “renewing” your mind. The blessings to unfold are endless.
Prayer for today:Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a treasure we have of your rich Word to dig into always; books around us of faith to inspire us; and believers to share our faith- may we make use of these, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
