November 30 ~ Psalm 145:14-21
14 God gives a hand to those down on their luck,
gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.
15 All eyes are on you, expectant;
you give them their meals on time.
16 Generous to a fault,
you lavish your favor on all creatures.
17 Everything God does is right—
the trademark on all his works is love.
18 God's there, listening for all who pray,
for all who pray and mean it.
19 He does what's best for those who fear him—
hears them call out, and saves them.
20 God sticks by all who love him,
but it's all over for those who don't.
21 My mouth is filled with God's praise.
Let everything living bless him,
bless his holy name from now to eternity!
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Here we are at the end of November. Many of us have already put Thanksgiving behind us and looked ahead toward Christmas! But let’s take one more day to focus on how blessed we are. Oh, sure… we have problems – and maybe things look pretty bleak for you at the moment. But read this passage again. God gives a hand to those down on their luck and a fresh start to those ready to quit! God gives us meals on time, He hears us when we pray, and He always does what is best for us. More than that… God sticks by us… He hears us call out and saves us.
Do you get it? No matter how bad things may seem right now, God can help – and He will if you call on Him and mean it! You have to mean it, and you have to believe that He will answer. He will do the rest.
So stop what you are doing and thank God for loving you so well. Thank Him for what He has done – and what He is going to do in your life. Praise Him for blessings given that you don’t deserve and never, ever doubt His love for you. Keep the faith, keep praising and thanking God… and then watch Him work in your life. It’s gonna be amazing, I just know it! To God be all the glory… amen!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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November 29 ~ Psalm 145:8-13
8 God is all mercy and grace—
not quick to anger, is rich in love.
9 God is good to one and all;
everything he does is suffused with grace.
10-11 Creation and creatures applaud you, God;
your holy people bless you.
They talk about the glories of your rule,
they exclaim over your splendor,
12 Letting the world know of your power for good,
the lavish splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal;
you never get voted out of office.
God always does what he says,
and is gracious in everything he does.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
We hear a lot about God’s grace, but do we fully understand it? I know I really had no clue about the grace of God until a few years ago. Until I experienced the Walk to Emmaus and heard several people speak about God’s grace and how it plays out daily in their lives, I didn’t even begin to understand what it entails. At Emmaus I learned about prevenient grace… the grace of God that allows us the opportunity to get to know Him. We’ve talked in recent Psalms about how God knew us even before we were formed in our mother’s womb. Now I understand that long before I was born, He was gracious toward me in planning for my future and giving me opportunities to get to know Him.
I also learned about God’s justifying grace. God sent His only Son to die on the cross for my sins so that I might be able to spend eternity in heaven with Him. Now THAT’s grace – and I certainly did not deserve it, but then, that’s why it’s called “grace!” And then I learned about sanctifying grace. Once we surrender to Christ and begin to follow Him, we still need God’s grace to help us stay on the right path. We need His grace and mercy as we face down the devil each and every day – and He generously grants it!
God lavishes grace on us – all kinds of grace, according to what we need at the time. He isn’t fickle – He doesn’t love us one day and desert us the next. He never takes a vacation. His wallet is never empty and He never runs out of time for His children. God’s grace is abundant, always available, and always enough. To Him be the glory for loving us so well.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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November 28 ~ Psalm 145:1-7
1 I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! and I'll bless your name into eternity.
2 I'll bless you every day,
and keep it up from now to eternity.
3 God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough.
There are no boundaries to his greatness.
4 Generation after generation stands in awe of your work;
each one tells stories of your mighty acts.
5 Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking;
I compose songs on your wonders.
6 Your marvelous doings are headline news;
I could write a book full of the details of your greatness.
7 The fame of your goodness spreads across the country;
your righteousness is on everyone's lips.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
All you have to do is check out at the grocery store, and you are bombarded with the magazines and tabloid newspapers that give us all sorts of useless drivel that passes for “news.” We know so much about so little… and our appetite for it seems unending.
With all of the technology we have today, spreading news worldwide can happen in what seems like a nanosecond. In the psalmist’s day, it took a little longer. Spreading the fame of God’s goodness across the country may not seem so daunting to us… but even with all of our capabilities to do so, are we really speaking of God as often as we should? Are we praising Him every day and recognizing His goodness? Are we passing to future generations the message of how God has worked in our own lives and that of our families and friends?
Do we really realize how magnificent God is – and is the news of His marvelous doings “headline news” in our vernacular? It should be! It should be the most important topic of conversation… the thought we dwell on each day. Praising God and recognizing His blessings in our life should be the first words out of our mouths. We can talk for days and weeks about our favorite football and basketball teams, politics, the environment and the economy… but when it comes to talking about God and His mighty works, we clam up and have very little to contribute. And it can be that way… but we have to take the first step and change our mindset – and our focus. We may have to work at it at first, but over time, it will come more easily.
The more you focus on God… the more you talk about Him… the more you share how He has blessed your life with others… the more it will become second nature to you… and sharing God’s righteousness will be ever on the tip of your tongue. God is more than worthy of our praise… let’s give Him His due!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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November 27 ~ Psalm 143:10-12
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing.
11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.
Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.
12 In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies
and destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I did not specifically pick this passage for today, but I don’t think it could be more appropriate. Wouldn’t this make a wonderful start to our Thanksgiving prayers today? On a day when we pause to be thankful for all of God’s blessings, wouldn’t it be great to humble ourselves before Him as His servants? This is the perfect day to ask God to teach us to do His will, to silence our enemies and put us on a firm forward footing in our efforts to glorify His name! I pray that your Thanksgiving Day is a blessed one – that the food is satisfying, the fellowship with others gives you joy, and that God is glorified and praised all day long.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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November 26 ~ Psalm 143:7-9
7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me,
for my depression deepens.
Don’t turn away from me,
or I will die.
8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
for I give myself to you.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
I run to you to hide me.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I don’t have a clue what your circumstances are today. I don’t know who among you feels like this passage was written just for you and describes your situation to a “T”. But I do know that the last three sentences apply to all of us. God will show us where to walk if we give ourselves over to Him. He will rescue us from our enemies. If we run to God, He will hide us from Satan and protect us.
My prayer for you today is that you would call on God to come quickly and answer your needs. Run to God. Trust Him, and hide in the shelter of His loving arms. He will show you where to walk. He will answer your prayers and rescue you. His love truly is unfailing, and for that we can all be truly thankful!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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November 25 ~ Psalm 143:1-6
1-2 Listen to this prayer of mine, God; pay attention to what I'm asking.
Answer me—you're famous for your answers!
Do what's right for me.
But don't, please don't, haul me into court;
not a person alive would be acquitted there.
3-6 The enemy hunted me down;
he kicked me and stomped me within an inch of my life.
He put me in a black hole,
buried me like a corpse in that dungeon.
I sat there in despair, my spirit draining away,
my heart heavy, like lead.
I remembered the old days,
went over all you've done, pondered the ways you've worked,
Stretched out my hands to you,
as thirsty for you as a desert thirsty for rain.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I know this seems like a weird scripture passage for a few days before Thanksgiving, but let’s look at it again. The psalmist is in deep despair. He says the enemy has hunted him down and stomped him within an inch of his life! Do you ever feel that way? Maybe this describes how you are feeling now… you are facing finals, a money squeeze, and a holiday weekend with far-flung family members! Maybe you are trying to figure out how you will bake everything in the oven on time and where you will park Aunt Martha while she visits! Maybe you are headed home from college and you know your grades are not as great as hoped, and you still have to get through a barrage of questions from Mom and Dad and the relatives about “how is school going?” – not to mention finals when you get back to school. Maybe, like some among us, you are approaching the holidays minus a loved one who has passed recently – or someone you love is sick and/or hospitalized. Maybe you are alone, and you are dreading this weekend and the constant reminders at every turn of family and “togetherness.”
The GOOD NEWS is that, while not a single one of us is exempt from the fallout of dealing with the enemy (sin), we CAN stretch out our hands to God and expect an answer. Notice I didn’t say that we will get the answer we want – but we WILL get an answer. No matter what your situation, no matter how heavy your heart, how drained your spirit, remember the mighty works of God… how His goodness, grace and mercy wash over us. Call on God in prayer – humbly approach Him and lay out your troubles and the concerns of your heart before Him. He wants to hear from you – He is listening – He WILL answer!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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November 24 ~ Psalm 139:23-24
23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I'm about;
See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I love a good courtroom drama. I am always intrigued by the deliveries of the opposing counsels… the cleverness of some of their questions… the summaries and closing arguments. I guess that’s why I collect John Grisham’s books. Many of them include a trial at some point, or some legalese… and it is always so well-conceived and brilliantly presented. In real life, the word “trial” sends shivers down our spines… none of us ever hopes to end up in court for any reason. Even jury duty is enough to make some of us squirm! The thought of being investigated, tested, and cross-examined makes us uneasy at best, and for some, this could be disastrous. I heard Governor Mike Huckabee interviewing actor Kelsey Grammer on television, and he asked Grammer if he would ever run for office. Grammer’s reply was, “I have far too many skeletons in my closet for that!”
Imagine if we were afraid to get close to God because of the skeletons in OUR closets… our sins. Imagine if the thought of being thoroughly investigated and cross-examined by God made us squirm. Maybe it does! But honestly, we should be completely comfortable with an examination by God. If He finds anything wrong, we should hope He would reveal it to us and show us how to correct the problem. We should want His guidance and thorough study of our lives, so that we are pointed in the right direction toward eternity with Him!
Don’t be afraid to ask God to examine your life. Be an “open book” for Him, and listen for His “report.” Stay closely attuned to God and listening for His evaluation, then be ready to put His recommendations for improvement into effect!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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November 23 ~ Psalm 139:17-22
17-22 Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
God, I'll never comprehend them!
I couldn't even begin to count them—
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!
And please, God, do away with wickedness for good!
And you murderers—out of here!—
all the men and women who belittle you, God,
infatuated with cheap god-imitations.
See how I hate those who hate you, God,
see how I loathe all this godless arrogance;
I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred.
Your enemies are my enemies!
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Have you ever sat on a beach and run your fingers and toes through the sand, watching the endless grains sift back into the water or onto the ground? The activity is at once relaxing, awe-inspiring, and mesmerizing! To think of all of those tiny grains of sand, and yet God knows each one and placed it right there – in that spot – at that particular time… and to realize that He cares about US with just as much attention to detail is beyond comprehension!
At first glance, this seems like a really harsh passage… all that talk of hating enemies and godless arrogance. But really, it’s a passage of love… love for God – and loyalty. In other words, the psalmist is saying that he will not pay any attention to those who belittle God or worship other “gods.” He is saying that they don’t even register on his radar screen. He is not wishing ill on them… but rather he is choosing not to recognize them in favor of the God whose creativity and power is more vast than the grains of sand.
I had never really thought about GOD’s thoughts as being rare and beautiful… but when you stop to consider that there is none other who can begin to have thoughts anywhere near the same level as His, these words truly do fit! When you consider the amazing, rare, beautiful vastness of God’s thoughts – about us and each of His creatures, wanting to rise and live with Him is pretty much a no-brainer, isn’t it? Loving God totally inevitably equals loathing those who would choose otherwise – not with a sinful sense of hate, but in the context of “I’m not going there!” Free will keeps God from doing away with others’ choice, but how will you choose? I hope you will choose to love God completely. Truly “don’t go there.” Choose loving God and walking with Him - and enjoy all of His blessings each and every day.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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