Manna for Today: Psalm 44

I am so sorry. I have been remiss in posting these. I do not know why but I have been really struggling with doing these each day. I hope my negligence is behind me and I will be more consistent once again.

Psalm 44:1-27

Key Verses: 44:23-26

“Wake up! Do something, Lord! Why are you sleeping? Don’t desert us forever. Why do you keep looking away? Don’t forget our sufferings and all of our troubles. We are flat on the ground, holding on to the dust. Do something! Help us! Show how kind you are and come to our rescue.” CEV

 

We have not forgotten God. We have sought God in all things. Yet, today it feels as if God has abandoned us. Right now, the midst of the hurt, the pain, the struggle, the brokenness that is our life, it seems as if God has abandoned us. We know God never sleeps, but it feels as if God must be asleep right now. How could all this be happening right now in our lives, in our country, in our world? How could people we care about be so thoughtless?  How can fellow Christians be doing and saying the things they are doing? If God was paying attention, if God was awake, if God has not turned away, then how could this be happening?

Sometimes it really does feel as if God is looking away, that God’s attention must be averted elsewhere, because if God is a good God, if God is for justice and righteousness and was actually working to make things right. Even when  we are unable to see God at work, we like the Psalmist are to be willing to continue to give God thanks and praise, remembering all the ways God has worked to bring about goodness, righteousness and justice in the past, knowing God is continuing to do so and will continue to do so in the future. God is always at work, even when we can not see the ways God is working.  

 

Thing to Think on

Have you ever felt like God was “asleep on the job”?

When have you felt abandoned by God?

What were/are your complaints against God when you are hurting?

How have you seen God at work in the past? Can you trust God to continue to do so in the future?

 

A Prayer for Today

Lord God, sometimes I feel abandoned. Sometimes the hardships and hurdles I am facing seem too much for me to handle. I am overwhelmed and I do not see any relief in sight. Do you see? Do you know? Are you looking the other way? I know you have worked in the past. I have seen your hand at work, but not right now. Where are you? Come to me. Be my relief. Be my shelter. Be my relief. I need you to see and to work.   – Amen

 

Manna for Today: Psalm 43

Psalm 43:1-8

Key Verses: 3

“Send your light and truth—those will guide me! Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling place.” CEB

 

Guidance is something we all need at different times in our lives. Throughout our life it is vital to have others who are willing to help us along, show us the ropes, and instruct us on the right way to do things, or give us wisdom as we make decisions. As Christians this is also vital. We need Godly guidance and Godly advice. Part of our relationship with God is to be seeking God’s guidance as we make our way through each day, to allow God to show us the ways we can work to be become more Christ-like in our thoughts, our words,  our deeds and in all our interactions with other people. As we seek God’s guidance through scripture reading, and through listening to God in prayer, we should not forget to listen to and follow the example of other Christians God has placed in our lives to do just this. God often sends pastors, mentor, and Godly friends into our lives to help us along, to guide us, give us advice and to encourage to be the people we are called to be. None of us is so mature of a Christians that we can not take guidance from our fellow Christians. Part of being the people God is calling us to be is continually growing, continually changing, continually working to better reflect the love of Christ and the character of God, to always be becoming better image bearers.

 

Thing to Think on

How might you seek God’s guidance today?

Who in your life might God be using to be a light and to show you God’s truth?

How is God guiding you today? In what ways can you work to better reflect Christ in all you do, in your attitudes, relationships, and actions today?

 

 

A Prayer for Today

Lord, I come to you seeking guidance. Help me to be humble enough to accept it. To hear your voice when you speak to me. Help me to recognize you voice in the voice of others. Help me to know you are finished with me yet. There is always a way I can become a better reflection of you. Show me, teach me. Help me to be humble enough to hear and to listen. – Amen

Manna for Today: Psalm 42

Psalm 42:1-11

Key Verses: 42:3, 5

“Day and night my tears are my only food, as everyone keeps asking, ‘Where is your God?’ Why am I discouraged? Why am I restless? I trust you! And I will praise you again because you help me, and you are my God.” CEV

 

“Where is your God?” When bad things happen to undeserving people this is the question on the lips of so many? Where is God now? Where is God in this? Where is your God when children are harmed behind closed doors? Where is God when people are gunned down in the streets by the very people who have sworn to protect and serve? Where is God when thousands die in a natural disaster or in this pandemic? Where is God right now, when I am in pain, when I am hurting? Where is God.

And even the most faithful, even those of us who trust God easily and freely find ourselves in a place where we too begin to wonder, “Where is God right now? “Why can I not seem to find God?” When we find this to be the way of it in our lives, we can know we are not alone. The Psalmist is sure, is positive that God is there. God is our strength, our shield our protector in the midst of it all. But, even still the Psalmist is discouraged, the Psalmist also wonders where is God in the midst of hardship and pain. The Psalmist can’t seem to find God in the middle of it all.

As you read through the Psalmist first tries to remember when leading other to worship God. Going into God’s house, listening to the songs of praise, participating in worship fully and completely. But right now discouragement surrounds and finding God in the middle of it all is hard. The Psalmist asks, “Why am I discouraged? Why am I restless? I trust you!” Sometime in the middle of it all we know we trust God, we know God is good, we remember what it was like to fully participate, with all that we are in worship, in song, in praise. But right now, it is seems far away. Trust is just beyond our finger tips. It is right there, we can almost touch it, we can almost grasp it, we can almost get it back. But right now all we can do is remember, assure ourselves in that God has always been there, and God will continue to be there. Even now, even in the middle of whatever you are going through; even when you cannot see God, or feel God. God is there, even when you are restless and discouraged. Even when you find it hard to trust or have faith. God is still there in the middle of your distrust, in the middle of your lack of faith, your discouragement, your restlessness. God is there. Hang on. Read this Psalm over again and Hang on.

 

Thing to Think on

What does it mean to you, for you to thirst for God?

Another version says, “my whole being craves you, God” What does it mean for your whole being to crave God?

Have you ever wanted God that much? Have you ever felt so far from God, or felt God was so far from you that longed for God’s presence?

Are there times when it is hard for you to trust God?

Does it give you some comfort; peace of mind to know that you are not alone in this? That Psalmist also felt far from God, felt discouraged, felt that God was far away and could not be found?

 

 

A Prayer for Today

Oh God! I feel so far from you. I look everywhere. I read my Bible. I pray. But all I see are words on a page. All my prayers hit the ceiling and fall down, gathering at my feet, unheard, unanswered. I am desperate. I am alone. Where are you? How can I find you? Do you even hear me? I know you are there. You are always there. I am not alone. I am sure of this. Help me to find my way. Give me your strength. Help me to see you. – Amen

Manna for Today: Psalm 32

Psalm 32:1-11

Key Verses: 32:5-6

“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.” ESV

 

As a member of a Wesleyan Holiness tradition we do not talk much about “godly” people confessing our sins or transgressions. A “godly” person, one whom God has cleansed of our sin nature, whose carnal nature has been washed away, and is bent on Holy living and seeking  a life of Christian perfection, no longer has a bent toward sinning. Yet the psalmist here calls for the godly to pray, to acknowledge sin, to confess transgression. The fact of the matter is as mature Christians our knee jerk reaction is no long toward sin, but God is continually working with us, help us grow, so that we are continually becoming the holy people God is calling us to be. Walking in the path of Christian perfection is a journey an not a static place. As we grow into Christlikeness, God is always revealing to us how we need to grow, what we need to do to be better reflections of God’s character. As we do this God will make us aware of past and current sinful actions and attitudes which if not corrected will lead us away from Christlikeness and the way of godly holiness. So even the most mature among us, as we are seeking to be the holy people God is calling us to be, will find God revealing to us sins and transgressions which will need to be confessed. And since there is really no forgiveness, without confession, confession is a part of every Christians’ prayer life, no matter how holy. Continued maturity and holiness is dependent up on the continual humility to confess and allow God to transform our transgressions into continued holiness.

 

Thing to Think on

As you pray today ask God to show you in what ways your thoughts and attitudes are sinful.

Confess to God your transgressions. Allow God to cover you with forgiveness and to transform your life so that today, you look a little more like Christ than you did yesterday

As you go through your day, allow God to recreate even your failings, into holiness.

 

A Prayer for Today

Lord God, humble me. Show me today how I need to change, need to be cleansed and made holy once again today. Help me to be kind, to speak kind words. Help, me to extend the kind of grace and gentleness you extend to me, to those around me. Examine my attitudes and my unconscious biases. Reveal to me the ways my attitudes and biases do not reflect the loving kindness of Jesus. Lord, I confess to you these failings, these sins, these transgressions. I lay them at your feet. Wash me. Cleanse me. Renew me in mind and spirit again. Transform me into your image. Let me be the holy person you are calling me to be today. – Amen