God's Presence Comforts and Assures

The Inescapable God
God Sustains
Psalm 63 (The Message)

A David Psalm, When He Was out in the Judean Wilderness

 ¹ God—you're my God! I can't get enough of you!
   I've worked up such hunger and thirst for God,
      traveling across dry and weary deserts.

 ^2-4 So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,
      drinking in your strength and glory.
   In your generous love I am really living at last!
      My lips brim praises like fountains.
   I bless you every time I take a breath;
      My arms wave like banners of praise to you.

 ^5-8 I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy;
      I smack my lips. It's time to shout praises!
   If I'm sleepless at midnight,
      I spend the hours in grateful reflection.
   Because you've always stood up for me,
      I'm free to run and play.
   I hold on to you for dear life,
      and you hold me steady as a post.

 ^9-11 Those who are out to get me are marked for doom,
      marked for death, bound for hell.
   They'll die violent deaths;
      jackals will tear them limb from limb.
   But the king is glad in God;
      his true friends spread the joy,
   While small-minded gossips
      are gagged for good.


For Reflection
How do you live in the midst of trouble? How do you frame your circumstances? To what extent is your suffering a result of your fear?  Do you sometimes wish for quiet moments in which you snuggle your head into the neck of our Lord as He strokes your hair and says, "There, There, I am with you.  It's going to be just fine."  Cry out to God. He will comfort you.  He will provide sanctuary.

Pray
offer up to God a situation which is troubling you.  Listen for God's answer.  Watch for signs of His promise to comfort you and assure you that the circumstances will be resolved. Pray for patience and a mind open to see and accept God's resolution.  Offer prayers that others will experience God' comfort and assurance.

Praising in God's Presence

The Inescapable God
God Sustains
2 Samuel 22:2-7 (The Message)
 ^2-3 God is bedrock under my feet,
      the castle in which I live,
      my rescuing knight.
   My God—the high crag
      where I run for dear life,
      hiding behind the boulders,
      safe in the granite hideout;
   My mountaintop refuge,
      he saves me from ruthless men.
 ⁴ I sing to God the Praise-Lofty,
      and find myself safe and saved.
 ^5-6 The waves of death crashed over me,
      devil waters rushed over me.
   Hell's ropes cinched me tight;
      death traps barred every exit.
 ⁷ A hostile world! I called to God,
      to my God I cried out.
   From his palace he heard me call;
      my cry brought me right into his presence—
      a private audience!
 
For Reflection
 Samuel recognizes the refuge God provides. He rejoices in it.  He is amazed by God's willingness to protect him. Realizing that he is engulfed by treacherous forces, he cries to God for help and God delivers -- one-on-one.

Pray
prayers of praise and thanksgiving for the divine protection God offers each of his people.  Pray that you have courage to act in God's name in the face of these God crushing times.

Refreshing at God's Presence

The Inescapable God
God Sustains
Acts 3:17-26 (The Message)
 ^17-18"And now, friends, I know you had no idea what you were doing when you killed Jesus, and neither did your leaders. But God, who through the preaching of all the prophets had said all along that his Messiah would be killed, knew exactly what you were doing and used it to fulfill his plans.
 ^19-23"Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus. For the time being he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be. Moses, for instance, said, 'Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you. Every last living soul who refuses to listen to that prophet will be wiped out from the people.'
 ^24-26"All the prophets from Samuel on down said the same thing, said most emphatically that these days would come. These prophets, along with the covenant God made with your ancestors, are your family tree. God's covenant-word to Abraham provides the text: 'By your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.' But you are first in line: God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless you as you turn, one by one, from your evil ways.


For Reflection
 What did they do when they killed Jesus?  They set in motion the most dramatic, earth shaking overture for reconciliation.  They set in motion a most powerful invitation to participate in the Kingdom of God.  They set in motion a way for all people to be received in the grace of God.  They set in motion an opportunity for you and I to become the peace makers, those who foster justice, and the vessels through which God works to restore the promise in the Kingdom of God.  Are we up to the task?

Pray
for the peacemakers.  Pray for those who accept nothing short of a just community.  Pray for those who work tirelessly for the Kingdom of God.  Pray for we who struggle daily with our obedience to God's call.

Fleeing from God's Presence

The Inescapable God
God Sustains
Jonah 1:1-10 (The Message)

Running Away from God

 ^1-2 One day long ago, God's Word came to Jonah, Amittai's son: "Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They're in a bad way and I can't ignore it any longer." ³ But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from God as he could get.  ^4-6 But God sent a huge storm at sea, the waves towering.
    The ship was about to break into pieces. The sailors were terrified. They called out in desperation to their gods. They threw everything they were carrying overboard to lighten the ship. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship to take a nap. He was sound asleep. The captain came to him and said, "What's this? Sleeping! Get up! Pray to your god! Maybe your god will see we're in trouble and rescue us."
 ⁷ Then the sailors said to one another, "Let's get to the bottom of this. Let's draw straws to identify the culprit on this ship who's responsible for this disaster."
    So they drew straws. Jonah got the short straw.
 ⁸ Then they grilled him: "Confess. Why this disaster? What is your work? Where do you come from? What country? What family?"
 ⁹ He told them, "I'm a Hebrew. I worship God, the God of heaven who made sea and land."
 ¹⁰ At that, the men were frightened, really frightened, and said, "What on earth have you done!" As Jonah talked, the sailors realized that he was running away from God.
 
For Reflection
 
You can run, but, you can't hide.  God is always by your side. He will find a way until you say, "I give up! I will drink from Your cup. I hear your call. I no longer stall. I enter the sun. Your will be done!"

Pray
for courage to face our living God and accept His call for action.  Pray that those whom you touch will respond to the call and participate in the Kingdom of God.

Hiding from God's Presence

The Inescapable God
God Sustains
Genesis 3:2-8 (The Message)
 ^2-3 The Woman said to the serpent, "Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It's only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'Don't eat from it; don't even touch it or you'll die.'"
 ^4-5 The serpent told the Woman, "You won't die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you'll see what's really going on. You'll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil."
 ⁶ When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she'd know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate.
 ⁷ Immediately the two of them did "see what's really going on"—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves.
 ⁸ When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God
 

For Reflection

But they did die to the life and relationship which God intended and now must be born again in reconciliation with God.  This passage reveals the essence of our status in God's kingdom.  We, because of our own action separate ourselves from God.  But God invites us to reunite with him.  All is forgiven. All we must do is confess our sins and repent.  God knows everything.  We cannot hide from Him. He will persist in seeking reconciliation.

Pray
in praise of our loving God.  Pray that all those who hide from God realize the value of god's great promise and come to live in the hollow of God's hand.

God's Rule over the Nations

The Inescapable God
God Reveals
Psalm 47 (The Message)

A Psalm of the Sons of Korah

 ^1-9 Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo! Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
   God Most High is stunning,
      astride land and ocean.
   He crushes hostile people,
      puts nations at our feet.
   He set us at the head of the line,
      prize-winning Jacob, his favorite.
   Loud cheers as God climbs the mountain,
      a ram's horn blast at the summit.
   Sing songs to God, sing out!
      Sing to our King, sing praise!
   He's Lord over earth,
      so sing your best songs to God.
   God is Lord of godless nations—
      sovereign, he's King of the mountain.
   Princes from all over are gathered,
      people of Abraham's God.
   The powers of earth are God's—
      he soars over all


  For Reflection
Since the Christ event, we are no longer bound to interpret these lines as referring only to Israel. To do so would be to limit our conception of God. We would also be wrong headed if we thought that we, Americans, or Christians were the only ones that were protected by God.  As God looks at the Earth He sees no political boundaries; no divisions of faith practices.  He sees all of his people who are in the process of becoming reconciled to Him.  Think about what it means to ally one's self with a God of all the Earth, indeed, all the universe.  How does that concept change your view of yourself and your role in the Kingdom?

Pray
for the wisdom and courage to put God first when faced with hard choices.  Pray for an understanding what it means to live under the reign of God.

The Lord Loves Justice

The Inescapable God
God Reveals
Psalm 3 (The Message)

^1-2 God! Look! Enemies past counting! Enemies sprouting like mushrooms,
   Mobs of them all around me, roaring their mockery:
   "Hah! No help for him from God!"

 ^3-4 But you, God, shield me on all sides;
   You ground my feet, you lift my head high;
   With all my might I shout up to God,
   His answers thunder from the holy mountain.

 ^5-6 I stretch myself out. I sleep.
   Then I'm up again—rested, tall and steady,
   Fearless before the enemy mobs
   Coming at me from all sides.

 ⁷ Up, God! My God, help me!
   Slap their faces,
   First this cheek, then the other,
   Your fist hard in their teeth!

 ⁸ Real help comes from God.
   Your blessing clothes your people!

For Reflection
 To what extent are you fearless before the mobs coming at you?  Are you trusting enough in God's will to sleep in the presence of your enemies?

Pray
for God to ground your feet, to lift your head high.   With all your might shout up to God.  Listen to His answers as they thunder from the holy mountain.