Manna in the Morning

There is an old church camp chorus that asked, “Are you downhearted?” The reply was to be sung with emphasis, “NO! NO! NO!” When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Galatia he was encouraging them in their walk with Christ. One of the things he wrote was, “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” (Galatians 6:9) There are a great many things that tend to drag our spirits down. This world in which we live is not really conducive to victorious living. Problems and adverse circumstances sometimes overwhelm us. But, when our faith is in the One who is coming, “conquering and to conquer,” we are able to soar as eagles by trusting in God’s power. One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 43 which ends with this question and its answer: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 43:5). Trusting in our Lord can defeat discouragement. Jesus said, “Take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

I recently received this and thought it good to share with you. “When I woke up this morning, I asked myself, ‘What is life about?’ I found the answers in my room. The fan said, 'Be cool.’ The ceiling said, ‘Aim high.’ The clock said, ‘Every minute is precious.’ The mirror said, ‘Reflect before you act.’ The calendar said, ‘Be up to date.’ The door said, ‘Push hard for your goals.’ Lastly, the floor said, ‘Kneel down & pray.’”

This started me thinking about other little but important messages that are all around us everyday. For instance, the sunshine on my face reminds me that God’s love is warm and that the light of His word is a guide to my journey. As I hear the morning song of the birds, I’m reminded that God’s creation is a beautiful gift that I should not take for granted. When I read the headlines of the morning paper I’m reminded that this fallen world needs God desperately. When I say ‘Good Morning’ to my wife I’m reminded how important family is. As I walk from the house to the truck I’m reminded that my steps needs to stay on the straight path that leads to life. When I drive up to the church I see the cross on the steeple and I think to myself “people need the Lord.” “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your Name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:1

Psalm 27:1-3 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord protects me from danger—so why should I tremble? When evil people come to destroy me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will know no fear.” Contrast that confidence with the conclusion of well-know American internist who expressed that “In spite of what they say, 90% of the chronic patients who see today’s physicians have one common symptom. Their trouble did not start with cough or chest pain or hyperactivity. In 90% of the cases, the first symptom was fear. Fear of losing a job, of old age, of being exposed—sooner or later this fear manifests itself as a ‘clinical symptom.” Trust in God will allow you to face this day and all of its challenges... not with fear but with confidence in God’s presence and power! There is no greater peace than that which calms the heart by the firm trust that God is on His throne and we need not fear. That is the blessing of experiencing the “peace that passes all understanding.”

There is a great verse in the Psalms that should encourage each of us in our daily walk. It’s Psalm 37:23—“The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Now, I think all of us would agree that life can get very confusing at times. We face decisions that challenge our commitment to Christ. Sometimes we are not sure which way to go. The Psalmist is reminding us that when our lives are lived in a godly fashion that God will give us guidance through His Word and His Spirit. With the Word of God as “a lamp for my feet and a light for my path,” we need not fear what’s around the next corner. God is ever ready to offer us His wise leading and counsel. With His help readily available we don’t need to be anxious about our journey. So, today let’s let God guide our steps... we will not be disappointed!

Psalm 90 is titled a “Prayer of Moses, the Man of God.” Wow! What a way to be remembered. There are some great verses in that Psalm that Moses wrote. For instance, “Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.” Contrast that affirmation of God eternal nature with another verse which describes human life: “In the morning they are like grass which sprouts anew... toward evening it fades, and withers away.” (vv. 5-6) Then there is this great verse, “Teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom.” (vs. 12) I don’t think the idea here is that we try to figure up exactly how many days we have to live... none of us knows that anyway. The idea has more to do with making each one of those days really count... not wasted. Time is truly one of our most valuable gifts from God. Let’s make sure that we live today in such a way that our Eternal God is honored by the way we use the time He grants. God has done His part... it’s up to us to make today really count!

Today I received an e-mail from Chuck Colson, the heading of which simply asked the question, "Do you need hope?" Being fairly sure that he was not referring to Bob Hope I opened the e-mail to read more. Also today, I have received an e-mail from the wife of a dear friend who is battling cancer and survives on "hope in God!" I also heard from one of our missionary families who are wrestling with a monumental decision about going back to the mission field oversees that would separate them from their families by great distances... they are hoping for clear direction from God. All of these notices drove me to the Scripture to be reminded about the hope that we have that is fully anchored in Jesus Christ, "who is our hope!" Job of old asked, "Where now is my hope? Will it go down with me to Sheol? Shall we together go down into the dust?" (Job 17:15-16) Sometime later Job got his answer directly from God. David also made this declaration in Psalm 39, "And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in Thee!" (Verse 4) Some years ago I developed an acrostic with the word "H.O.P.E." It helps me quite often when I need to be reminded of just how much I can depend on God. Hope is a Heavenly Optimistic Powerful Expectation! One last word from the Word: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!" (Romans 15:13).

The nineteenth Psalm describes how David loved God’s Word. Do you love God’s Word like this? “The law of the LORD is perfect reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear giving insight to life. Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to those who hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them.” (Psalm 19:7-11)

S.J. Hill asks a penetrating question: “Why do you read the Bible? Is it something you feel you’re obligated to do before you can begin your day or turn off the lights at night? Meditating on the Word isn’t about reading a certain number of verses or chapters in the Bible every day. Neither is it merely educational.” There must be more than just gaining information in our Bible reading. If we want our time spent reading God’s Word to really mean something then we must approach that time differently than the way we read a textbook or the latest novel. We can’t race through the Bible and expect nuggets of truth to jump out at us. Meditating of God’s Word is not to be perceived as an achievement but rather as an experience...as an encounter. David expressed this desire in Psalm 119:18 when he wrote, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” There are times when we just need to “be still and know” that He is God. It is God’s Word that we read. It is a personal Word from our Creator. So, I urge you today to carve out some time and space to just read and meditate on His Word...it can transform your day from a mundane, regimen to an exciting adventure with God our Father leading the way.