Belief: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Belief

Although they did not

know themselves this

God of Israel they

believed completely

His word would succeed

chose to become slaves

in His house of worship

to live as servants

than attempt rebellion

so sure of victory they

entered into protection

by promised words.

Armor: Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

1Thessalonians 5:8, “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.”

Hope as our helmet covering us. Coming downward upon us from above. First part to shower down soaking into our being.

Salvation alone comes through Jesus. His poured out life flowing out of Him and into us.

Protected now by His faith and love—His breastplate.

He is both priest and warrior shielding us.

All the protection from Him.  All the attending from us.

How diligent are we to keep watch—keep listening—in sober attention to His whispers and shouts.

Lord, please open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our hearts to obey—You alone.

Keep us in Your daylight and barricade the darkness from entrance. Thank you for Your protective armor that cannot be removed once You gift it to us by grace.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 111: 4-6

“He has made His wonders to be remembered;

The Lord is gracious and compassionate.

He has given food to those who fear Him;

He will remember His covenant forever.

He has made known to His people the power of His works,

In giving them the heritage of the nations.”

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

2 Samuel 7:11, “from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.”

God made a covenant with David and David took Him at His word.

David didn’t understand why or how or when all the promises would be fulfilled but he gave his return pledge in trust. Regardless of his own abilities or lack of, regardless of immediate confirmation or not; he trusted in God’s word over his own inadequacy. He began to live into the promise as completed.

David waited in faith and action.

Why then with so many stories of God’s faithfulness do we continue to struggle with His promises to us: to give counsel and wisdom, strength and compassion, hope and a future.

We often wait in timidity.

Perhaps we’ve had so many promises broken to us in our lives, or broken our own to others, that we see them as feeble words lacking conviction until proven. Or we’ve broken our own commitments to God so dramatically we can’t even imagine we still have a trust relationship left.

When we put our-self at the center of expectations we are left with dry dust.  Somewhere along the way we reverse our words with God’s promises and are left empty-handed. Instead, like David, we can only obtain promises when we put God’s words at the center of our lives and live into them—with faith—in our own ‘houses’—ourselves where the Lord abides in us and we in Him.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 73: 23-24

“Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou hast taken hold of my right hand.

With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide me, And afterward receive me to glory.”

Kingdom Manna

Crisis

Mark 14:25, “Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

“A new covenant”, Jesus said, “I give to you.” A new beginning with an end that only God will determine. An end for which Jesus waits in anticipation to celebrate with His disciples; all His disciples joined together in God’s kingdom.

A meal over which His church has cherished, worshipped, abused and argued. Sometimes taken by rote, sometimes in awe, sometimes in confusion. But faithfully adhered to ‘until He comes’.

A proclamation of faith, a light for each succeeding generation. Given with simplicity as unto a child, with mystery beyond our solutions. A candle that cannot be extinguished.

A witness of grace. Offered repeatedly. As the years pass Lord, I realize how gracious a gift. Your visible reminder to come. To be healed, restored, forgiven as often as is necessary. You repair and restore us through Your covenant. Your deliverance displayed.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 71:18

So even to old age and gray hairs,

O God do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might

to all the generations to come.

Kingdom Manna

Cost

Romans 12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Sacrifice.

Set before a holy God to appease

Seeking counsel

Sacrament of gratitude

Sealed in covenant

Steeped in ritual

Sovereign boundaries.

Substitute.

Sanctified by Christ, Savior’s gift given

Sacred strength

Spirit purifies hearts

Sanctuary open

Submissive to God’s grace

Sabbath worship daily.

Set apart.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 4:5

Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

Tabernacle

Commandments

First chiseled in stone

witness covenant

God’s word gifts.

Fulfilled in Christ

righteousness available

blessed sight.

Finally carried in hearts

beating with forgiveness

love’s obedience.

John 14:14, “They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me.”

Leaving Egypt Behind

Scripture: Exodus 24:7, Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”

Covenant from God. Words of life streaming through generations. Choice to accept, obey, reject, rebel. Israel chose all His words, promised to comply in full.

Generations later people of Israel gathered before Ezra the scribe, returned exiles again, ready to hear God’s covenant. Ezra brought the law to “the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding,…from early morning until midday; they answered ‘Amen, Amen!’” and worshipped. Then the law was explained to them so that they could understand the reading.

Eager for fellowship, eager to obey I too say amen before I even understand. As expectations and realities of my commitment become clear I backpedal fast, reneging on my pledge, claiming mis-information. Like Israel I keep falling away, and graciously God speaks His words once more, explaining, encouraging, exhorting.

Speak Your words deep in my heart Lord that I perceive and obey with Your power to perform. Otherwise I am like the soil that accepts Your seed, springs immediately with no depth and withers away. Give me deeper roots I pray.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 105:8

He has remembered His covenant forever,

The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,