pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: rational


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Abundant and Generous

Reading: Isaiah 55:6-11

Isaiah 55:7 – “Let them return to the Lord so that he may have mercy on them… because he is generous with forgiveness.”

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Isaiah 55 is an invitation to the feast of the Lord. The rations of captivity will become an abundant divine banquet. The covenant of love between God and Israel will be renewed. Through the prophet, God is telling Israel that pardon and return is possible. There are times in our lives when a relationship is strained or broken and we wonder if things can ever be made right again. We wonder if pardon and renewal are even possible.

Verses 6 and 7 reveal the first steps for Israel. First, seek and call on the Lord “while he is yet near.” The time is now. Isaiah invites the wicked to turn from their sinful ways and schemes. For us, these might be first steps too. To begin healing what is broken, seeking God’s wisdom and guidance in prayer is step one. And if the hurt or harm is ongoing, we must certainly stop this at once.

In the last part of verse 7 we read, “Let them return to the Lord so that he may have mercy on them… because he is generous with forgiveness.” God desires to forgive and restore, to renew the covenant relationship. For Israel and sometimes for us, we do not understand God’s terms. Our rational and prideful ways can block mercy and forgiveness. This is why we’re reminded that God’s ways and plans are so much higher than ours. God pours out generous forgiveness. With God, these promises and invitations, they are like the rain and snow that renews the earth. If we turn to God, if we abandon our sinful ways, then we will experience generous and abundant forgiveness and renewal. Following this model we can also experience forgiveness and renewal in our own broken relationships. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your generous forgiveness and for your deep desire to walk with us, fallible as we are. Your grace and your love go far beyond our understanding yet we can grasp how we are to live and be in the world, how we are to treat one another. Forgiven and renewed ourselves, empower us to practice well your generous forgiveness and abundant love and grace. Amen.


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Walk in God’s Light

Reading: Psalm 27: 1-3 and 7-9

Verse 1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear”?

Fear is something all of us deal with. Fear can be very real and rational. Coming face to face with a bear in the wilderness, for example, raises up fear in us, as it should. Fear can also be imagined and irrational. There have been times when I had to do something that I had done before and had the gifts or skills to accomplish said thing and yet became fearful of what lay ahead. Fear can paralyze us and it also be what leads us to a place we would not go on our own.

David, the writer of the Psalm, has faced fear in his life. He had dealt with the power of fear. Over time he has come to the point where he can honestly write, “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear”? God has been David’s strength and shield over and over. When he had nowhere else to turn, David turned to God. David learned that God was always there so his trust and faith in God grew. As his faith grew, it became natural for David to turn to God, not only in times of fear, but in all times. He models a good faith for us to make our own.

God is faithful. When doubt or fear or worry arises in our heart or mind, may we too first turn to God. Like David, in all times and in all situations, may we always say, “Your face, Lord, I will seek”. God is faithful. He is our light and our salvation, our stronghold and our deliverer. May we walk in God’s light today and every day.

Prayer: Dear Lord, fear is a companion at times. That new thing can bring fear into my life. An unknown ahead brings fear too. Help me to trust more fully, to cling more tightly to your good plans for me. Turn me to you, O God. Be my strength and my shield, my peace and my comfort. Amen.