Mar 15 2022

And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Psalm 37 is a sermon that teaches us how to respond when it seems like the wicked are prospering while people who are striving to be righteous are suffering. It reminds us that we can trust in the Lord even through difficult times, and that the Lord will always bring judgment.

Have you ever felt as though you were striving in vain? I know that I have. Sometimes it seems as if non-Christians have it so much easier. They don't have to worry about integrity, or being honest on every tax form, or not gossiping, or attending church on Sunday. Although it's wrong and we know it's wrong, we may find ourselves feeling resentful.

Today's verse reminds us that when we're experiencing feelings like that, we can trust in the Lord, who knows everything about our lives. He sees us when we're struggling to be holy in a world that mocks our efforts. He sees when we let our thoughts get out of control instead of remembering that He loves us and will make all things right. The Lord will honor those who try to do the right thing for the right reasons—but this doesn't necessarily happen according to our time frame. I like to remember the saying, The Lord settles accounts, but not every Monday. We will reap what we sow, but it will not always come when we hope.

In the meantime, we can rest in the Lord. We don't have to worry about being vindicated because we will be. We don't have to scramble to prove our righteousness to other people because the Lord sees it. We can take comfort in knowing that the Lord loves us beyond measure, more deeply than we will ever understand. As we wait, we can enjoy our relationship with Him, walking in deep contentment because we have seen and tasted His faithfulness. Because we know Him and know His love for us, we do not have to worry about our own vindication. It will come according to His perfect timing.

Dear Lord, I thank you for being so faithful, for seeing my heart and all of my motives for everything I have ever done. Help me to rest knowing that you are good, and help my heart to find peace in you. I don't want to hold out on knowing you more, waiting until I'm vindicated. I trust you now, in the middle of the storm. In Jesus' name, amen.

Mar 14 2022

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. :

In this verse, Jesus is assuring His disciples that they do not have to be afraid. Today, we'll look at this verse carefully to understand it even better.

Jesus calls them a "little flock." This means He recognizes that they are small in number. While many people rejected Jesus, the disciples are among the few who know He is God. Even though they are small, they are in God's hands and protection—they may be a little flock, but they have a mighty leader.

Jesus tells the little flock not to fear, and that is also a message for us today. It is easy to become afraid in this world. A quick glance at any news feed is enough to make us want to stay inside forever. However, this is not God's wish for us. He does not want us to live in fear, but instead, to live fully and completely in His arms. We can rest assured that we are secure in His kingdom, under His wings, and therefore, have no reason to feel afraid.

Indeed, it is God's "good pleasure" to give those who follow Him the kingdom. The Lord gives us the kingdom willingly—it brings Him pleasure to see it in our hands. God gives it as an expression of His grace, love, and kindness to each of us. He is delighted to welcome us into Heaven. We are welcomed by Jesus Himself because we are there through His grace.

As Christians, our eternal destiny is to dwell with the Lord forever in His kingdom. Nothing can prevent this from happening. No amount of suffering, pain, or hardship, or any kind of death will stop us from dwelling in His kingdom. We know our destination from the moment we become Christians. After that, our lives are simply a journey to it. This relieves us of fear because we know that all suffering is temporary and ultimately will have no bearing on our final place in God's kingdom. The most important thing in our lives—our relationship with Jesus, and our ultimate destination—heaven, are untouchable.

Dear Lord, I thank you for your grace, love, and kindness. I thank you that I have no reason to fear because I am safe in your arms. I thank you for giving me Heaven to look forward to and for being so good to me. In Jesus' name, amen.


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