tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176231645022543980.post1164887997227063511..comments2024-03-28T16:38:25.884-07:00Comments on Celebrate the Psalms: Psalm for Sunday, April 21, 2013Editor @ Parishworld.nethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11351018547370080019noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176231645022543980.post-48630333416944821622013-04-18T22:36:22.356-07:002013-04-18T22:36:22.356-07:00I am having a hard time being joyful about anythin...I am having a hard time being joyful about anything this week, with horrific news events at every turn. Boston. Texas. A local liquor store shooting. And elsewhere in the world, who knows what's going on in North Korea? In conversations with others, I have been rattling off phrases such as "God is sovereign" and "His grace is sufficient." I feel that if I utter these words out loud, my own heart will be touched and I will believe these Biblical promises for myself, not just for others.<br /><br />The Lord is helping me with this plight. Just to comfort me, He has been sending me messages about manna. Manna! In Exodus 16, we can read the account of the Lord providing food from heaven -- literal bread dropping from the skies. Verse 14: "When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor." Verse 31: The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey." (Manna is also a symbol of our spiritual "daily bread," as we recite in the Lord's prayer.) The people were told to gather enough "as they needed." In verse 19-20, Moses says to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning." However some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell..." The Lord was showing His people how to trust Him day by day; He wants to be part of our lives at all times. <br /><br />It is the same with grace. We can't garner enough grace when we're feeling strong and save it for the trials to come. We need to ask for it everyday and in all situations, as Paul did in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9. "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"... Whether He removes our affliction or not, He fills us, the weak, with His power. We learn to rely on God for strength rather than our own energy, talent, or understanding.<br /><br />Once again, God's perfect design of drawing us back to Him is evident. Coming full circle to the Psalm, this gives me reason, after all, to "serve the Lord with gladness" and also to feel very calm and protected to be part of his "well-tended flock."<br />j. kimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176231645022543980.post-70152131112839874002013-04-18T22:23:52.577-07:002013-04-18T22:23:52.577-07:00Seeing Jesus as a Good Shepherd is a better way to...Seeing Jesus as a Good Shepherd is a better way to better understand Him. Due to human tendencies, we will make mistakes in our lives. Shepherds were those who had hard jobs during Jesus' time, and I can't imagine trying to take care of everyone in the world. Since Jesus is the Good Shepherd who forgives us, we need to accept His forgiveness and try again to serve Him.<br /><br />Alexnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176231645022543980.post-13789481086606233862013-04-18T22:19:45.888-07:002013-04-18T22:19:45.888-07:00How do I feel about being one of His sheep? I...How do I feel about being one of His sheep? I'll tell you. I feel like I'm one of "The select".....one of the chosen ones. I feel that much has been given me, and I'm sure, much is expected. And, God doesn't want any of us to be an ungrateful, unhappy, sourpuss. Like everyone else, God wants us to be happy and appreciative of all that He has given us. Timnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5176231645022543980.post-20422006732669778772013-04-18T09:52:19.521-07:002013-04-18T09:52:19.521-07:00I am having a hard time being joyful about anythin...I am having a hard time being joyful about anything this week, with horrific news events at every turn. Boston. Texas. A local liquor store shooting. And elsewhere in the world, who knows what's going on in North Korea? In conversations with others, I have been rattling off phrases such as "God is sovereign" and "His grace is sufficient.". I feel that if I utter these words out loud, my own heart will be touched and I will believe these Biblical promises for myself, not just for others. <br /><br />The Lord is helping me with this plight. Just to comfort me, He has been sending me messages about manna. Manna! In Exodus 16, we can read the account of the Lord providing food from heaven -- literal bread dropping from the skies. Verse 14: "When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor." Verse 31: The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey." (Manna is also a symbol of our spiritual "daily bread", as we recite in the Lord's prayer.) The people were told to gather enough "as they needed". In verse 19-20, Moses says to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning." However some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell..." The Lord was showing His people how to trust Him day by day; He wants to be part of our lives at all times. It is the same with grace. We can't garner enough grace when we're feeling strong and save it for the trials to come. We need to ask for it everyday and in all situations, as Paul did in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9. "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"... Whether He removes our affliction or not, He fills us, the weak, with His power. We learn to rely on God for strength rather than our own energy , talent, or understanding. <br /><br />Once again, God's perfect design of drawing us back to Him is evident. Coming full circle to the Psalm, this gives me reason, after all, to "serve the Lord with gladness" and also to feel very calm and protected to be part of his "well-tended flock". j. kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12355827870148219356noreply@blogger.com