Day 4 in my struggle to keep the Living Lord as my constant companion

NOTE: I am playing around with a different approach to my daily blog and would love for your input concerning this approach. Thanks for visiting and taking the time to read what this old preacher might be thinking. Please email with your comments at jmartin450@tampabay.rr.com.

We haven’t learned the lesson. We still rely on our political alliances and military might. Israel sought to do things their way and ended up in exile. We are following their example and are presently in an emotional and psychological exile. Psalm 121 clearly states that “my help comes from the Lord” and we say that, but pick up our guns and drive our tanks all the while wondering why we do not have peace. Peace comes only from being in God’s presence as the one who “watches over us” and is “our shade at our right hand; the sun will not harm us by day nor the moon by night.” God is our constant companion if we will but follow his directions and his way.

Scripture: Philippians 4:1-9
Paul writes the church gently reminding them that they should stand firm in the Lord and seek unity and harmony among everyone. “Rejoice in the Lord always” is his instructions. Thus, we are not to be anxious about anything, but bring everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving. And, then trust God to bring an answer.

Reflection: We have a tendency, especially in America, to think that we have to accomplish it by our own power and authority – GIT-R-DONE, to quote Larry the Cable Guy. Also, what seems to be driving us is the might-makes-right philosophy. This all results in a non-sequitor faith. We start with a good statement, “Jesus is our Savior and Lord,” but everything that follows that appears a little disjointed. One thing doesn’t logically follow the others and we end up with a Civil-Religion that is more about us and our country than it is about God and his Kingdom. Oh, we ask God … constantly … but when we get up from our knees we pick back up the problems that we just layed on the altar. Paul instructs us to think only about pure, true, noble, right, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy things. That is to be our focus … and we are put it into practice … therein lies the rub … putting it into practice!

Prayer: Gracious God, I live in a country and among people who have lost their way. And, I am right there in the middle of all the madness, a major contributor to the foolishness. Please forgive me and bring me back to rejoicing, bring me back to being a Kingdom person, bring me back to putting into practice what I already know to be right. Amen.

Further reflection from Together in Solitude by Douglas Steere
“Yet, for all of this lukewarmness, we hunger. And we know well enough that there is a response. There is an answering back to the Grace of God on your part and on mine that is all-important. We know, too, that the redeeming of our time calls for nothing less than the blazing up out of our prostrate bodies of an authentic, original, passionate, interior life in answer to the Living Flame that confronts us.”

The Struggle: Don’t we all speak a better game than we play? At least I do. Do we/I rejoice in all things? Do we/I seek the welfare of everyone, especially the less fortunate? Do we/I desire to live in harmony with all people – regardless of who and what they are? Do we/I quickly forgive the wrongs done by others? Is harmony our/my first priority? Is the Kingdom of God the place of residence for my soul? Is God’s righteousness my constant goal? When I speak is it God’s words that come forth from my lips? Is it God’s emotions that emerge from my soul? Is it God’s purpose driving me? Oh, the questions! Oh, the struggle. And it isn’t something that I simply can get to another day.

O Come and Dwell in Me by Charles Wesley:
I ask no higher state;
Indulge me but in this,
And soon or later then translate
To thine eternal bliss.