Sunday 23 February 2014

TFTD - 23 February 2014 - Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings

23 February 2014

Exodus 36
Psalms 94; 95
1 Corinthians 6

"THE PEOPLE OF HIS PASTURE"

Psalm 94 contains many consoling and stimulating thoughts for us, especially for those who have to cope with the world and its unspiritual values most days of the week. This Psalm shows that our only sure strength of mind when life is difficult - is to have a real ‘living’ relationship with our God.

We read, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul” [Psalm 94:19] and “When I thought, ‘My foot slips,’ your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.” [Psalm 94:18] What are God’s consolations? It has the sense of compassion and comfort. It reminds us of Paul’s words, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:6,7]

It starts, “O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth … O LORD …how long shall the wicked exult? They pour out their arrogant words …” [Psalm 94:1-4]

The Psalm concludes, “But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge. He will bring back on them their iniquity and will wipe them out for their wickedness …” [Psalm 94:22,23]

Psalm 95 is also our reading today. Let us meditate on Psalm 95:6-8, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts …” We hear his voice by reading his word, let us make sure we “hear” what we are reading and sense the reality of being “the people of his pasture.”
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- DC


Thought for the Day

23 February 2014

"... We see the supremacy of our Master in the conflicts of life, in the conventions of life, in the contradictions of life, and, above all, in the conclusion of life. In all spheres he was triumphant, and by his conquest we have the hope sure and steadfast that, though we may not achieve a success like his, yet our own small victories by his grace, will enable us to share in the full fruits of his work when he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. If we might sum up his glory in one sentence we should say, "This was the victory that overcame the world, even his faith." By putting all our faith in God and acting accordingly, we can attain with him to the resurrection of life.

Our final picture is that of a garden in which there was a weeping woman. In the same place was a man, but though she spoke to him, she did not take much notice of him, until he said, "Mary!" Then she said in glad amazement: "Rabboni!"

- F.E. Mitchell
Master (1942)

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