Like Caleb: A reminder of God’s Promises

This morning as I completed my morning devotional, I read a passage from Joshua 24 where we find specific references to the inheritance that God had given to each of the tribes of Israel and their descendants as they moved into the Promised Land. I was especially intrigued by the references to Caleb, a prominent individual from the Tribe of Judah. Caleb and Joshua were the only descendants of the original Children of Israel who survived the 40-year sojourn from Egypt into the Promised Land.

Having celebrated my eightieth birthday last year, I especially identify with Caleb who was 85 when claimed his inheritance, despite the fact the land promised to him was still inhabited by the Anakim, so-called “giants in the land.” As I completed the Bible reading with this Verse of the Day from Joshua 21:45, this original psalm came to mind.

Like Caleb

But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him,

and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land

whereinto he went, and his seed shall possess it.

Numbers 14:24

Caleb, son of Jephunneh, of the tribe of Judah:

The impact of this solitary life who can gauge?

May I be like Caleb, who grew in faith with the years

That passed, who with renewed courage transformed his fears

Into faith and lived to slay giants in his old age.

May I rise above any adverse circumstance.

As Caleb claimed for himself his inheritance,

May I too seize God’s promises at this new stage,

To remain fruitful in this season of my life.

And may I wholly follow the ways of the Lord,

Teaching by example the precepts of the Word.

As a servant, may I dispel envy and strife.

Like Caleb, may I look at life as one who sees

Not obstacles but endless possibilities.

The Verse of the Day from the Old Testament also reminded of me this exhortation from Romans 15:4

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Psalm 145:13 offers this reminder:

For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.

2 Peter 1:4

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

2 Corinthians 1:20

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

We conclude with this musical reminder from Maverick City Music:  “Promises”:

Reflections of meeting a civil rights activist with a powerful voice

Black Heritage Postage Stamp honoring the famed contralto

Yesterday, I commented in my blog post how touched I was by a video of celebrities singing a refrain from the Black spiritual, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” I was moved to tears when I also heard my young grandson singing refrains from the same song. This morning I continued to reflect upon that experience as I recalled hearing lyrics of spirituals flowing from soul Marian Anderson, a vocal artist of extraordinary talent who left a legacy as one of the admired and respected persons of the 20th Century. I have fondest recollections of meeting the famed contralto during my final year at Purdue University.

Alpha Phi Alpha, the fraternity that I was a part of at the time, had just acquired a fraternity house on campus. That accomplishment was certainly historic for the black frat but not altogether recognized and celebrated as such at the time. When I learned that Ms. Anderson was offering a recital at Purdue as part of her farewell concert tour before retiring from the concert stage, I wrote to her and asked if she would consent to on our having a reception in her honor at our house. She was staying at the Purdue Memorial Union where she had broken the color barrier with her being the first person of color to stay at the hotel facilities when she first sang on campus back in the 1950s. Our fraternity house was less than a block away, and she graciously accepted the invitation.

When I met the renowned contralto, I recall recognizing greatness in this woman of magnanimous spirit. In the presence of “greatness,” there is an aura of reverential respect; one desires to bow or genuflect or demonstrate some gesture of obeisance. I remember this almost automatic response to overwhelming greatness. Without question, meeting Marian Anderson was one of the highlights, not only of my college career but of my life.

Here is an excerpt from a blog post where I comment on my encounter with greatness and pay tribute to Ms. Anderson:

As I continue to reflect upon past events, I realized that we are presently in the period between Ash Wednesday and Resurrection Sunday. An event of profound significance occurred in 1939 during Holy Week when Marian Anderson was scheduled to perform at Constitution Hall, which was owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), but because she was African American, the DAR refused to allow her to use the facility. Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, resigned from the DAR in protest, and she supported the NAACP as it organized an Easter Sunday concert on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial, with more than 75,000 Americans attending that integrated outdoor event. Here is a news clip of that momentous event.

Most ironically, Marian Anderson passed away over Easter weekend in 1993, and I wrote this tribute which opens with part of a line from James Weldon Johnson’s famous poem “O Black and Unknown Bards”:

“My Lord, What A Morning”—

In memory of Marian Anderson
1902-1993

“You sang a race. . .”
—James Weldon Johnson

On this weekend celebrating
the Resurrection of the Savior,
when dogwood and rebud debut,
as jonquils and tulips spring forth
to remind us of new life,
we read the news of her passing.

Though her voice is hushed,
silenced by death’s icy finger,
a grace note sustains,
as memories remain
to strengthen her legacy.

The world is far richer because she lived
to weave her tapestry
of talent, grace, and humility.

I am grateful to have lived in this century,
to have heard that rare, rich contralto,
a voice that comes but once in a hundred years.

In this moment of silent reflection,
refrains from her life resonate
with the awesome beauty of Springtime:

“My Lord, What a Morning.”

Though the perilous uncertainty of our times
would menace and threaten as storm clouds,
above it all, her voice still shines,
to remind us, even now:

“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”

Easter Sunday Morning
April 11, 1993

In 2005, Ms. Anderson was honored with a commemorative Black Heritage stamp featuring her portrait. Earlier that year I had read a passage from Exodus where the Children of Israel had to cross the River Jordan at flood stage. As I was reading some comments regarding our present age which has many parallels to crossing the Jordan, one of Ms. Anderson’s famous renditions of the spiritual “Deep River” came to mind: As I thought deeply about the lyrics and examined other situations, I was inspired to write this poem:

To Cross Over

Deep river, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground.

Black Spiritual

To cross over the swelling Jordan is my goal.
Here I stand at the beginning of my harvest
When waters of the river overflow and crest
Above my tableland to overwhelm my soul.
Streams converge upon me as far as I can see
And flood my camp from shore to shore. The rising tide
Would hold me back and keep me from the other side,
But I prepare my heart and mind for victory.
As you sent forth the sacred ark of the covenant
Borne on the strong shoulders of the priests, reliant
Upon your command that the waters would recede,
So, shall those who trust you, never fail but succeed.
Though trials seem to hinder me on every hand,
I shall walk through this Jordan and stand on dry land.

My reflections proved to be a source of strength and encouragement, as I remembered Romans 15:4 in the Amplified Bible:

For whatever was thus written in former days was written for our instruction, that by [our steadfast and patient] endurance and the encouragement [drawn] from the Scriptures we might hold fast to and cherish hope.

Listen to a rendering of “Deep River” by the inimitable Marian Anderson:

New month: new beginning

The number 8 not only represents a new beginning, but it also symbolizes infinity.

On the first day of August, we awake to embrace the first day in a new month. August is the 8th month, with the number eight representing a new beginning. While considering deeply the concept of a new beginning or a fresh start, these lyrics came to mind:

Behold, I make all things new.
Behold, I make all things new.
Behold, I make all things new, brand new.
Things will never be the same.

Behold, I am making you new.
Behold, I am making you new.
Behold, I am making you new, brand new.
You will never be the same.

In reflecting upon the concept of “new beginnings,” I thought of the number 8, symbolic of such a “fresh start.” E.W. Bullinger, in his celebrated work, Numbers in Scripture, and in an Appendix to his Companion Bible, comments that eight denotes resurrection or new beginning or regeneration or commencement. The eighth is a new first. It is the number that has to do with the Lord, who rose on the eighth day or new first day. In Hebrew the number eight is derived from an expression that means “to make fat,” “cover with fat,” “to super-abound.” As a participle it means “one who abounds in strength,” etc. As a noun it is “superabundant fertility,” “oil,” etc. So that as a numeral it is the superabundant number. As seven was so called because the seventh day was the day of completion and rest, so eight, as the eighth day, was over and above this perfect completion, and was indeed the first of a new series, as well as being the eighth. Thus it already represents two numbers in one, the first and eighth.

In light of the significance of the beginning of the 8th month, here is a poetic reminder of who God is and what He does:

All Things New

Behold, I am the Lord God who makes all things new.
Trust me and you will see. You will never be the same.
As you look to me, it is no secret what I can do.

I am God–I do not lie, I am faithful and true.
Almighty, God of the impossible is my name.
Behold, I am the Lord God who makes all things new.

Some thought it was over, but I am by no means through.
I cover and restore to remove all guilt and shame.
As you look to me, it is no secret what I can do.

Never forget what I have already brought you through.
You have a divine purpose; your life is not a game.
Behold, I am the Lord God who makes all things new.

In me you overcome—I am Lord of the breakthrough
Who offers boundless promises that you can now claim.
As you look to me, it is no secret what I can do.

Trust me, obey and see what I have in store for you.
With your life you will make known my goodness and proclaim:
Behold, I am the Lord God who makes all things new.
As you look to me, it is no secret what I can do.

A familiar passage from Jeremiah 29:11-13 in the New Living Translation also came to mind:

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
12 In those days when you pray, I will listen.
13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

Although the words of Jeremiah were specifically addressed to Israel concerning their release from Babylonian captivity after seventy years, we recognize the truth expressed in Romans 15:4:

Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.

The prophetic word from Jeremiah can certainly have personal application, in that the plans that God has for each of His children are no less grand than those He has for the Children of Israel.

As we ask God for guidance and direction, He will lead us and teach us all along the path that unfolds as a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18). Jeremiah 29:11-13 also informs us of God’s concern for our future or “final outcome”, so that we need have no fear for our future.

Damaris Carbaugh shares “I Know the Plans” (Debby’s Song) a musical reminder of Jeremiah 29:11

We rejoice and celebrate the goodness of the Lord in anticipation of the great plans He has for us as the new month unfolds.

All things work together for good

The Verse of the Day for March 13, 2018, has become especially meaningful for me over the years, and I have designated this scripture as my “Life Verse.” According to the Middletown Christian Church, “Life Verses are those words from Scripture that anchor our faith and become touchstones that illuminate, assure, uplift and energize us to live out our faith.” Here are three of my favorite translations of my favorite verse:

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [KJV]

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. [Amplified Bible]

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [NIV]

Romans 8:28, my favorite verse in the Bible, offers this reminder that because God is good, “We know that all things work together for the good, to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose.” So no matter how bad any situation may appear to be, we know that it will work together for our good.

The Verse of the Day also brings to mind another passage of scripture that has become especially meaningful to me at this time in my life:

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV):

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

The Amplified Bible puts it this way:

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
12 Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.
13 Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Although the words of Jeremiah were specifically addressed to Israel concerning their release from Babylonian captivity after seventy years, we recognize the truth expressed in

Romans 15:4:

Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.

The prophetic word from Jeremiah can certainly have personal application, in that the plans that God has for each of His children are no less grand than those He has for the Children of Israel.

As we ask God for guidance and direction, He will lead us and teach us all along the path that unfolds as a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18). Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11-13 also intersect to inform us of God’s concern for our future or “final outcome”, so that we need have no fear for our future because God is good.

Romans 8:28, one of the most often quoted verses, at least for me, is the inspiration for this Don Moen’s classic song of praise: “All things Work Together”:

Thus says the Lord your Redeemer

The Verse of the Day for August 3, 2022, comes from Isaiah 48:17(AMP). Here is a revision of a previous blog post:

This is what the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit (benefit), who leads you in the way that you should go.

This verse refers to the concept of “redeemer,” one who exercises the right of redemption. The act of redeeming literally means  “to purchase out, buy up;  buy out of the hands of a person; to set free; to buy off, to secure for oneself or one’s own use; to buy up from the power or possession of anyone.” According to the Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, to be redeemed is to be forgiven, to be made holy, to be freed, adopted, and reconciled to God.

In Isaiah 43:1 (AMP) we also find another reference:

Israel Redeemed

But now, this is what the Lord, your Creator says, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you [from captivity]; I have called you by name; you are Mine!

In the Book of Psalms we find references to paying a ransom or redemption:

Psalm 111:9 (New Living Translation):

He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!

Psalm 130:7  (NLT)

O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows.

The Verse of the Day with its reference to “your redeemer” also brings to mind that as believers we have been redeemed or purchased back from the hand of the enemy by Christ Jesus, who performs the role of a Kinsman Redeemer. A previous blog entry introduced this prototype.

This heroic figure is foreshadowed in the Book of Ruth, where a male relative assumes the responsibility to act on behalf of a distant family member who is in danger or trouble or in need of vindication.

A scripture memory song describes this Old Testament example:

The Kinsman Redeemer, our wonderful savior.

The Kinsman Redeemer, we know that He is able

To restore and to bless, to turn sadness into joy.

When we read the Word of God and learn the truth,

We see that the Kinsman Redeemer was Boaz who married Ruth.

I recall a series of teachings based on the Book of Ruth and some of the lessons to be learned from that unforgettable love story that reveals the heroic figure of the Kinsman Redeemer. The teachings inspired this poem which the Verse of the Day brought to mind:

A Lesson from the Book of Ruth

For whatever was thus written in former days was written

for our instruction, that by [our steadfast and patient] endurance

and the encouragement [drawn] from the Scriptures we might 

hold fast to and cherish hope.

Romans 15:4

In times of crisis when famine engulfs the land,

Those willing to glean, to sacrifice will survive.

Like Ruth, they shall be satisfied and even thrive

To see blessings flow from the Father’s own right hand.

As a Kinsman Redeemer arose to rescue

Two brave women in despair, Naomi and Ruth,

So their example reveals an eternal truth:

What God did then, He does no less for me and you.

Dismissing failures, our Savior ignored each flaw

As he called us by name and set the captives free,

For our redemption canceled any penalty

When he redeemed our souls from the curse of the Law.

Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, still lives,

And through all eternity he endlessly gives.

The portrait of the family guardian or kinsman redeemer is vividly dramatized in this excerpt from this production by Kenneth Berg.

We conclude as Heidi French Lovett offers a moving, musical expression of “There is a Redeemer”:

Jesus: Our redeemer

The Verse of the Day for April 27, 2017 comes from Job 19:25 (NLT):

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.

This verse refers to the  “redeemer,” one who exercises the right of redemption. The act of redeeming literally means  “to purchase out, buy up;  buy out of the hands of a person; to set free; to buy off, to secure for oneself or one’s own use; to buy up from the power or possession of any one.” According to the Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, to be redeemed, then, is to be forgiven, to be made holy, to be freed, adopted, and reconciled to God.

Psalm 111:9 (NLT) refers to the redemption of Israel:

He has paid a full ransom for his people.
He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!

Likewise, Psalm 130:7 (NLT) makes known the same:

O Israel, hope in the Lord;
for with the Lord there is unfailing love.
His redemption overflows.

The Verse of the Day with its reference to “my redeemer” also brings to mind that as believers we have been redeemed or purchased back from hand of the enemy by Christ Jesus, as Matthew 20:28 proclaims:

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many

Jesus is designated as our savior and redeemer. In the Old Testament we find a particular reference to the Kinsman Redeemer. This heroic figure is foreshadowed in the Book of Ruth, where a male relative assumes the responsibility to act on behalf of a distant family member who is in danger or trouble or in need of vindication.

A scripture memory song describes this Old Testament prototype:

The Kinsman Redeemer, our wonderful savior.

The Kinsman Redeemer, we know that He is able

To restore and to bless, to turn sadness into joy.

When we read the Word of God and learn the truth,

We see that the Kinsman Redeemer was Boaz who married Ruth.

A series of teachings based on the Book of Ruth and some of the lessons to be learned from that amazing love story reveals the heroic figure of the Kinsman Redeemer. The teachings inspired this poem which the Verse of the Day brought to mind:

Another Lesson from the Book of Ruth

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us.

And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently

for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Romans 15:4 (NLT)

In times of crisis when famine engulfs the land,

Those willing to glean, to sacrifice will survive.

Like Ruth, they shall be satisfied and even thrive

To see blessings flow from the Father’s own right hand.

As a Kinsman Redeemer arose to rescue

Two brave women in despair, Naomi and Ruth,

So their example reveals an eternal truth:

What God did then, He does no less for me and you.

Dismissing failures, our Savior ignored each flaw

As he called us by name and set the captives free,

For our redemption canceled any penalty

When he redeemed our souls from the curse of the Law.

Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, still lives,

And through all eternity he endlessly gives.

Heidi French Lovett offers a musical expression of “Jesus our Redeemer”:

The verse from Job also brings to mind George Friedrich Handel’s Messiah, the renowned oratorio based on texts from the King James Version of the Bible. One of the most well-known selections from this frequently performed musical composition is based Job 19:25-26: “I Know that My Redeemer Liveth.”

Friendship with God

The Verse of the Day for April 8, 2017 comes from Romans 5:10 in the New Living Translation:

For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.

Here is the rendering in the Amplified Bible:

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more certain, having been reconciled, that we will be saved [from the consequences of sin] by His life [that is, we will be saved because Christ lives today].

In reflecting upon this verse we note that past, present, and future all merge in the accomplished work of Jesus Christ, our Savior:

Past

In the past when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by means of the death of His son. We note that “even our ‘justification,’ our ‘reconciliation’—has already been accomplished. We are no longer enemies, but friends. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, as 1 John reminds us.

Romans 8:7 reminds us that before we were reconciled to God we were enemies who were at odds with God:

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

Former enemies have now been reconciled as friends. Beyond the invitation to become friends on Facebook, God transformed our status from enemies to beloved friends. The lyrics to the song reinforce the message:

I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God.
He calls me friend.

Present

In the present, now that we have been reconciled, God has committed unto believers, the word of reconciliation and the ministry of reconciliation, whereby we are appointed as “ambassadors for Christ.” We thus reconcile others, as 2

Corinthians 5:17-21 clearly reveal.

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Future

Regarding our future—“The future is as bright as the promises of God” because “we will be saved from the wrath to come: that we will be saved [from the consequences of sin] by His life [that is, we will be saved because Christ lives today].”

Verses 24-25 from the Book of Jude remind us and reassure us of what awaits us as believers because of we have been reconciled to God:

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless] in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Recently one of the most popular verses that believers refer to when talking about the future comes from Jeremiah 29:11 in the NIV:

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Although these words of Jeremiah were specifically addressed to Israel concerning their release from Babylonian captivity after seventy years, we recognize the truth expressed in

Romans 15:4:

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

The prophetic word from Jeremiah can certainly have personal application, in that the plans God has for each of His children in 2017 and beyond are no less grand than those He has for the Children of Israel. Our future is secure, as God, our Heavenly Father, clearly expresses His plans for our future or “final outcome”, so that we need have no fear for our future.

The Verse of the Day also speaks of “our friendship with God,” as we close with Phillips, Craig & Dean offering “I am a friend of God”:

Comforted so we can comfort others

Verse of the Day for March 8, 2017 offers words to strengthen and encourage believers:

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NKJV):

[Comfort in Suffering] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

The passage opens by giving praise to “God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” who is described as the source of all mercies. Furthermore, He is the source of “all comfort” who imparts “the only true and perfect comfort in every instance,” according to Logos Bible software. The passage refers to comfort, used as both a noun, that which God provides and as a verb, whereby we, as believers, ease the grief or trouble of someone; we console those who are hurting.

Because we have been comforted and encouraged when we go through “any kind of trouble” or “all our tribulation,” we are able to comfort and encourage others who are going through similarly stressful situations.

2 Corinthians 1:6-7 (NKJV) reiterates this point:

Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. ⁷ And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

As we reflect upon the goodness of God and acknowledge that He has been and continues to be “the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort,” we note His magnanimous display of great comfort throughout the Old Testament, as the Psalmist assures us of God’s faithfulness:

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.

Psalm 71:21 goes on to say:

You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, makes reference to the Word of God in some form or another in every verse, also reveals the source of our comfort:

Psalm 119:50:

This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me and given me life.

Psalm 119:52:

I have remembered [carefully] Your ancient ordinances, O Lord, And I have taken comfort.

Psalm 119:76

O may Your lovingkindness and graciousness comfort me, According to Your word (promise) to Your servant.

Psalm 119:82

My eyes fail [with longing, watching] for [the fulfillment of] Your promise, Saying, “When will You comfort me?”

In the same way that God comforted Israel with words of consolation, so are we strengthened with these words from Isaiah 40 in the Message Bible:

Isaiah 40:1-2:

“Comfort, oh comfort my people,” says your God. “Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem, but also make it very clear That she has served her sentence, that her sin is taken care of—forgiven! She’s been punished enough and more than enough, and now it’s over and done with.”

We recognize God’s display of comfort in the Old Testament as an illustration of Romans 15:4:

⁴ For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

The God of all comfort, the Father of mercies provides comfort in very specific ways. Jesus Christ also assures us “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Because we, as believers, have been comforted, we are able to provide comfort and encouragement or to comfort one another. As 1 Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us

Therefore encourage and comfort one another and build up one another, just as you are doing.

In reflecting upon the Verse of the Day and related passages, we noted how believers go through trying circumstances, described as troubles or tribulation and receive comfort and encouragement, so that in turn we can comfort and encourage others who are facing similar circumstances that we have endured. In actuality, in the same way, the sufferings of Jesus Christ and all that he endured ultimately were designed to benefit others.  A song comes to mind that captures the essence of that message: “Medicine (For Someone Else).” So we close with another dose of “good medicine” from the shelves of Dr. J’s Apothecary Shoppe:

Hope and a future

From Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NKJV) comes the Verse of the Day for February 24, 2017:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:11, the first verse of this celebrated passage, was listed as second of the Top 10 most popular verses accessed through Biblegate.com in 2015. I recall hearing this verse for the first time in the New International Version of the Bible more than 20 years ago:

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

To more fully understand the magnitude of God’s declaration, take a look at the following video that graphically illustrates the context of the verse taken from Jeremiah 29:11-14

The New Living Testament renders Jeremiah 29:11-13 in this way:

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

¹² In those days when you pray, I will listen.

¹³ If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

In reflecting on this familiar passage from the Old Testament, I thought of the first time that I heard Jeremiah 29:11 which occurred as I was embarking upon a new assignment in my career as well as in my ministry. Two decades later I find myself in a similar position of transition, having returned to the same place where I was at that time. “Oh, the Providence of God!”

Although the words of Jeremiah were specifically addressed to Israel concerning their release from Babylonian captivity after seventy years, we recognize the truth expressed in Romans 15:4:

Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.

Hope has been defined as “the expectation of a future good.” In thinking about our eternal hope, I remember lines from one of Emily Dickinson’s poems that described hope in a particularly intriguing way, as the opening lines serve as the title and epigraph for this poem:

“Hope is the thing with feathers. . . “

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul

And sings the tune without words, and never stops at all.”

 

We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it.

But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

Romans 8:24-25 [New Living Translation]

 

As a rare exotic bird, arrayed in brilliant plumes,

Hope rises as a phoenix, a many-feathered thing:

As a lark ascending at sunrise sings on the wing

A melody that fades but then suddenly resumes,

So Hope conveys a message without a single word.

This glorious song of Hope will take us to the place where

Golden notes provide escape from any fowler’s snare:

The tune lingers to remind us that we, too, have heard

Heavenly harmonies in our innermost ear.

Perched in the depths of our soul, Hope has found a new home.

The songbird prepares our heart to receive what is to come.

While we wait in patience, God’s presence is ever near.

In these times of darkness and despair we will recall

And listen to hear Hope’s song that never stops at all.

Although the prophetic word from Jeremiah is specifically addressed to Israel, those words of comfort and hope can certainly have personal application, in that the plans that God has for each of His children are no less grand than those He has for the Children of Israel.

As we ask God for guidance and direction, He will lead us and teach us all along the path that unfolds as a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18).  Jeremiah 29:11-13 also informs us of God’s concern for our future or “final outcome”, so that we need have no fear for our future.

Damaris Carbaugh shares “I Know the Plans” (Debby’s Song) a musical reminder of Jeremiah 29:11

God’s restoration business

Rather than expounding upon the Verse of the Day, once again we examine the Quote of the Day for November 3, 2016 where we find this comforting reminder:

“God is in the restoration business. He delights in transforming lives through the healing touch of the Lord Jesus Christ, who redeemers and restores and makes whole every wounded soul who calls out for help.”

So often as believers we will find ourselves in what seems to be a horrible mess, generally one of our own making, and we cry out to our Heavenly Father to come to our rescue once more. In thinking about such recurring incidents, I recall a teaching that discussed “Moving from Rescue to Restoration” in an effort to encourage and strengthen believers as we undergo that process. The Quote of the Day also brings to mind God ultimate desire to rescue and restore.

The accompanying scripture reveals God’s plans and purpose for His people, as the New Living Testament renders Jeremiah 29:11-14 in this way:

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² In those days when you pray, I will listen. ¹³ If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

Although the words of Jeremiah were specifically addressed to Israel concerning their release from Babylonian captivity after seventy years, we recognize the truth expressed in Romans 15:4:

Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.

The prophetic word from Jeremiah can certainly have personal application, in that the plans that God has for each of His children are no less grand than those He has for the Children of Israel whom God will rescue from captivity and restore their fortunes.

When I think of the word “restoration,” I recall special retreat center where ministers could visit and be refreshed and restored in a healing atmosphere of love and compassion. While visiting this location nestled in the rolling hills of Virginia 10 years ago, I was inspired to write the following expression of what transpired during my visit:

Restoration Rivers

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

  He leads me beside the still waters.

 He restores my soul;

Psalm 23

 

By the still waters, God sat me down, and I wept,

Not in sorrow, but my soul overflowed with joy

When I recalled that He never slumbered nor slept

And what He designed for good nothing can destroy.

I released burdens, and without hesitation

Abba, Father assured me that He sees and cares.

As I wept by the rivers of restoration,

His heart of compassion was touched by fervent prayers.

In the hammock of love, the Spirit cradled me

And caressed my weary mind with a gentle breeze,

As I reflected on this phase of my journey,

While resting under a canopy of oak trees.

Our great Shepherd is faithful and still delivers;

Follow his leading to Restoration Rivers.

The Quote of the Day and its accompanying verses also bring to mind this powerful song restoration by Kevin Levar, “I Will Restore” the perfect way to cap off this blog entry: