1 Kings 8:54-61
When Solomon finished his prayer at the altar, he was kneeling with his arms lifted toward heaven. He stood up, turned toward the people, blessed them, and said loudly:
Praise the LORD! He has kept his promise and given us peace. Every good thing he promised to his servant Moses has happened.
The LORD our God was with our ancestors to help them, and I pray that he will be with us and never abandon us. May the LORD help us obey him and follow all the laws and teachings he gave our ancestors.
I pray that the LORD our God will remember my prayer day and night. May he help everyone in Israel each day, in whatever way we need it. Then every nation will know that the LORD is the only true God.
Obey the LORD our God and follow his commands with all your heart, just as you are doing today.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
At the risk of sounding like a certain politician, I can see Greers Ferry Dam from my house! As I looked at the dam this morning… formidable, sturdy and powerful… able to restrain the 40,000-acres of water known as Greers Ferry Lake, I was impressed. The thought of how important this structure is to our area astounds me. I remember the floods of my childhood… when the area known as “Swinging Bridge” and other spots up and down the Little Red River were covered in water and impassable.
I recall the floods of a year or two ago, when water was slowly released from some of the floodgates every day for a month to prevent the lake from spilling over the top and wreaking havoc downstream. I know it didn’t seem like a slow release to those along the river, but in the scheme of things, it was a trickle. I’ve seen the choppy raging waters on the lake side of the dam… and today, I observed a serene calm… water as “slick as glass.”
In all of this, I was reminded of the power of God… and His promises. Just as we depend on the dam to hold back our lake and prevent a catastrophic flood downstream, we depend on God to make good on what He has promised us… and He does! Just as water may flow from a floodgate and temporarily disrupt life downstream from time to time, God allows us to sometimes wallow in our sins and mistakes, so that we better appreciate His wonderful work in our lives. Just like the massive concrete structure is powerful and sturdy enough to hold back the waters of our lake - releasing only when necessary - God is in control of our lives and the daily situations and challenges we face. He monitors all of it and controls things according to our best interest.
I look at that dam every day of my life, and I try not to take it for granted. But I also don’t dwell on what would happen if it were compromised, because I am trusting that this will never happen. But unlike God’s promises, I can’t be totally sure of this. Isn’t it good to know that what God has said He will do for us really will happen? Aren’t you comforted to know that you can always depend on God… to bless you, protect you, and meet all of your needs?
Isn’t our God worthy of our praise… our obedience… and our whole heart? Have you committed to Him for this? Have you spoken with Him lately and thanked Him for His promises… His peace… and every good thing He gives us? Isn’t today a good day to begin?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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