Nouns & Verbs

Consider the use of the word trust in the following verse, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD..."  Jeremiah 17:7.  The action of trusting is showered with words like reliability, ability, strength, confidence, commitment, hope, and faith.   With the identity of trust, you find words like acceptance, responsible, expectation, benefit, and management.  There's such power and security surrounding this word, whether used with the action of a verb or the identity of a noun.  And then, as though all that was not enough, the man is blessed, too.  What a sweet verse of peace and rest on which to meditate as I go to bed.

Sin's Desire

Cain knew what God required but did what he thought was best.  Then he became angry with God.  God asked him "why" and offered him this most merciful and loving advice: "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?  And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it."  (Genesis 4:7)

WOW!  Is that not the need of each of our days??  Is that not why we must start our day at God's throne asking for power, strength and right thinking?  Cain did not listen to God.  Sin won out and had its desire fulfilled as Cain gave in to jealousy and anger with the murder of his brother.  And he proceeded with lies, selfishness and lack of love for his Creator.  He answered God with sarcasm about the slaying of Abel and then whined about the consequence.  We shake our heads in disbelief as we read this loathsome account.  But I see myself here more than I like to admit.

Again, I contend that prayer is the only recourse for our life's path.  For the steps ahead, we may try to plan but we really do not know what lies ahead.  And we need to learn from this portion of God's word the sneakiness of sin.  It is "crouching" and it desires to render us useless in the service of our King!  Let us master it with the power we have been given in Christ our Lord!  AMEN!!

Kicking and Screaming

Michael Card is one of my favorite musicians.  He is truly a musical theologian!  His songs have ministered to me now for about 26 years when a good friend gave us the CD gift of "Present Reality".  A couple of days ago, I listened to yet another new song by Card (new to me; it's been out a while).  As I listened, I thought of many people I know who persist in unbelief.  However, as I listened to it again after several times, I realized that I, too, am at fault for behaving in the same way.  And I'm talking about in my Christian walk!  You know what I mean?  Those times we go through worrying, unfaithful, angry at God for unanswered prayer.  Well, the list goes on but you make the application however you want.  Here are the lyrics: (Oh, and if you want to listen, go to youtube: "I Will Not Walk Away From You")

I made the Man of Sorrows sorry by all my foolish lies.  I drove the nails, I raised the cross; I was the reason that He died.  Utterly unfaithful then, I added anger to my sin.  In a world already dark to me, I closed my eyes and would not see.  So I may kick and I may scream, say many things I do not mean.  Hold blindly to what is not true but I will not walk away from You.

 Just why I choose to disobey, I simply cannot tell.  Why I blame You when I rebel and weep for wounds I give myself.  Then screaming at an empty sky, I search for You and wonder why.  Though I cause you so much agony, You refuse to walk away from me.

 Don’t read me pointless poems, friend, don’t diagnose, don’t condescend.  Though you may be right to disagree, I need someone to weep with me.   

I made the Man of Sorrows sorry by all my foolish lies.  I drove the nails, I raised the cross; I was the reason that He died.  So, I may kick and I may scream, say many things I do not mean.  Hold blindly to what is not true but I will not walk away from You.