11 June: Tuesday Refocus

“The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” - Psalm 25:14

Fear may not seem like a solid foundation for friendship, but Scripture tells us: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 9:10

In the original Hebrew, this text reads, “The secret of the LORD is for those who fear him…” To be friends - to know him deeply, and intimately - is to rightly recognize, to stand in awe of who He is and what He has done. To see that, “Our God is in the heaven; he does all that he pleases.” Psalm 115:3

But this is not a one-way friendship: God makes known His covenant to those who fear Him. He makes known His heart and character, He makes Himself known.

Father, thank you for all the ways you have revealed yourself. May we see and fear you rightly, and walk closely with you, in Christ’s name, amen.

Amen,

AB

May 17: Tuesday Refocus

“Faith is a refusal to panic.” - Martyn Lloyd-Jones

One of my favorite writers has spoken regularly in the last several years about the free-falling anxiety, and fear that we are all experiencing being human these days. And why shouldn’t we panic? We are more aware than ever - some of us for the first time - of our deep vulnerabilities. Our inability to control our lives.

Why should the life of a follower of Jesus look any different? Faith.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).” 

Faith is a gift, that is secure in the one who authors and completes our faith (Ephesians 2:8, Hebrews 12:1-3). It is faith that enables us in peace to lie down and sleep because it is the LORD that makes us dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8). It is faith in Christ that gives consolation to cheer the soul of the heart with many cares (Psalm 94:19). It is faith that we can believe God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do.

Lord, like your apostles, we ask that you increase our faith. And that the natural outworking of our faith is trust and peace as we rest in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Learning,

AB

April 14: Tuesday Refocus

'Consider how many are my foes,

and with what violent hatred they hate me.

Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!

Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You.

May integrity and uprightness preserve me,

for I wait for You.

Redeem Israel, O God,

out of all his troubles.’

Psalm 25:19-22

Let there be no doubt we have an enemy, a schemer, a soul-accuser, who - as the hymn reminds us - takes pleasure in our harm (Eph 6:11, Rev 12:10). But for the follower of Christ, we ‘…do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul (Matt 10:28).’ For we have already died ‘…with Christ, and we know that we will also live with Him (Rom 6:8).’

Two days ago we celebrated in the midst of confusion and chaos that ‘the last enemy to be destroyed is death (1 Cor 15:26).’ We mocked our accuser, and his schemes by declaring that Christ is alive forevermore, and He holds the keys of Death and Hades (Rev 1:18).

Yes, even in the midst of sorrow, suffering, isolation, and death itself, we can find life. At the end of a cul-de-sac on Easter Sunday, I saw neighbors dressed for worship, standing at the edge of driveways singing together. At the edge of driveways and a global pandemic Christ is still building His Church - and the gates of hell shall not prevail (Matt 16:18). He has and will redeem us out of all our troubles.

Take heart,

AB