Numbering My Days

Tag: jesus

  • Psalm 75

    “When I choose a time,
    I will judge fairly.”

    God reminds us of two things (at least) in this one brief verse.

    1. He is on His own timetable. God does His work according to the schedule, the plan, that He has. He doesn’t change His plan, His mind, His timing for any reason. When He decides the time is right, He will act.
    2. He will judge – fairly. He is coming to judge the wicked and the righteous. To separate those who do evil from those who follow Him and seek to do His will.

    Of course, this means all of us are judged, and fairly so; for all of us have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. We can’t stand in the judgment. None of us.

    But, praise God! He has provided salvation for His day of judgment. For those who believe in Him, Jesus Christ stands in our place. Holy, Righteous, Perfect.

    And He claims us as His own.

    To God be the glory!

    (The image above, illustrating verse 8 of this Psalm, is one I’ve struggled with almost more than any other so far in this project. It’s a representation of a metaphor – easy for me to imagine, difficult for me to illustrate. It is an image that represents God pouring out judgment on the world. It flows from His hand to be drunk by the wicked in this world. It’s not intended to be a pleasant image. Instead, it evokes the immediacy and universality of God’s reach into this world with His hand of judgment.)

  • Psalm 72

    For he will rescue the poor
    who cry out
    and the afflicted who have
    no helper.
    He will have pity on the poor
    and helpless
    and save the lives of the poor.
    He will redeem them
    from oppression and violence,
    for their lives are precious
    in his sight.

    The righteous King: sees the plight of the most vulnerable in his kingdom. And though they can do nothing for him, they can’t bring him gold, power, or fame like others do, he has pity on them.

    He redeems them from oppression.

    The King extends his own resources to buy back the lives of the poor and needy in his kingdom.

    Solomon was such a king – but just a glimpse of Jesus – THE Righteous King.

    Jesus redeems us, poor and pitiable as we are; in bondage to sin of our own making.

    He sees us.

    We are precious in His sight.

    He redeems us.

    He HAS redeemed me.

    Praise Jesus!

    (A start on one version of this illustration, but I already know I don’t like it – it’s not what I see.)

  • Psalm 71

    Even while I am old and gray,
    God, do not abandon me,
    while I proclaim your power
    to another generation,
    your strength to all who are
    to come.

    Even as I age I can be, I will be, a witness for the powerful work of God!

    The next generation: Nancy, Chris, Lilli, Nathanael, Emmy – they all need to hear me proclaim your power, Lord.

    • You are God almighty!
    • Source of life.
    • Sustainer of all I am and the giver of joy and purpose.
    • You have done great things!

    Have I experienced trouble? Yes. But, Lord God, you are the One who restores me, protects me, revives me, works on my behalf because of your faithful love.

    Lord God, may all know, through the words of my mouth, the glory of your name, the wonder of your love.

    Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

    (A sketch toward the illustration for Psalm 75 – this one took several attempts and iterations – I’ll try to show the journey along the way. There were even earlier attempts than this – it was a tough one!)

  • Psalm 70

    God, hurry to rescue me.

    This is the cry of the soul who recognizes his sin, his need of a savior.

    Too often I rely on my own strength, my own devices to try to wriggle out from under the destructive forces of sin – of the enemy who pursues me to destroy me.

    I need to open my eyes and see that I have no resource on my own to defeat this enemy. He knows me so well because I have so often given myself to his devices.

    So, Lord, I call to you. Same desperation as David. Hurry to help me! This evil one, with his crafty ways, is closing me in.

    I know you, Lord Jesus, are the victorious King who has already won this war.

    Defeat the enemy in my battle, today!

    That I may “rejoice and be glad in you!”

    Lord Jesus, come quickly.

  • Psalm 69

    But as for me, LORD,
    My prayer to you is for a time of favor.
    In your abundant, faithful love, God,
    Answer me with your sure salvation.

    David called out to God for salvation – aware of his own sin. Sin that led him into the miry pit. There he recognized that only merciful, gracious, loving God could save him

    So, he called out.

    And even prayed for the favor of God on his life.

    He also foretells Christ’s experience on the cross, suffering for my sins: Jesus endured insults, injury, thirst, death on my behalf – that I might come to experience the grace and favor of God.

    Lord, indeed you hear the cry of the needy.

    In my life, Lord, you have heard and responded in grace to me. I will praise you for your constant love and compassion, because, like David, I walk myself into the pit of sin.

    Rescue me Lord, not because of my life, but because of your abundant compassion.

  • Psalm 66

    Come and listen, all who fear God,
    and I will tell what he has done for me.

    This psalm is all about worship and praise of God almighty. And in the midst of praise to God, there is the chance, the moment for personal testimony, for the worshipper to let everyone know what God has done for them.

    Lord, you have been my source, my strength, my solace, my joy.

    You have held me up.

    Held me close.

    Lord you win the victory for me when I am too weak to go another step.

    Lord, you provide, sustain, give lavishly to me.

    You are the Lord of my life!

    I worship you.

    Listen, if I can’t tell you anything else, know this: God almighty loves you, has provided for you, has made a way for you – through Jesus Christ our risen Lord.

    Praise Him!

    Honor Him!

    Love Him!

    He rules!

    Amen.

    (WIP – along the way to Ps 65)

  • Psalm 65

    (Closer to the image in my mind than the earlier version.)

    You visit the earth
    and water it abundantly,
    enriching it greatly.
    God’s stream is filled with water,
    for you prepare the earth in this way,
    providing people with grain.

    My devotional reading today is fascinating. Two other passages I’ve read, plus this one, all use water from God as a promise of His blessings and provisions – AND it is raining outside my window, for the first time in quite a while.

    The Word of the Lord:

    • He provides. His blessings and provisions flow to me like rain, causing all that is around me to flourish in the goodness He gives.
    • I can be a source of His blessing to others. Because I receive blessings beyond measure from a gracious God, I can be a conduit, source, vessel that He uses to bless others.

    Lord, for those who will be blessed BY YOU – may I be your servant to them; a channel of your living water.

    Through Jesus Christ our Lord!

  • Psalm 64

    The righteous one rejoices in the LORD
    and takes refuge in him;
    All those who are upright in heart
    will offer praise.

    There are people who are aligned with God – who desire to be righteous before Him, to be upright in heart; they desire that their motives and actions will honor and bring praise to the Lord.

    David longed for that.

    But he also realized that there are people whose very existence is centered on the destruction of those seeking to follow the Lord. They lay traps for them, scheme against them.

    I believe that is true today. The enemy, Satan, is still scheming, longing to entrap those who would follow Christ, seek to know Him, desire His righteousness.

    Satan longs to destroy that.

    But my Lord is a refuge when I am threatened, a protector when I am pursued.

    Praise God for His righteousness.

    This week’s image is from Psalm 65. This is NOT the final illustration, but an early version that I wasn’t too pleased with – but it gave me direction for the final (we’ll share that tomorrow.)

  • Psalm 62

    I am at rest in God alone;
    my salvation comes from Him.

    We (I) should return to this Psalm often. It is so clearly true and plainly understood.

    There is only one source of security, rest, blessing, and well-being in life. God almighty.

    • Rock
    • Fortress
    • Stronghold
    • My salvation!

    My hope comes only from Him. My salvation depends on Him. (Thank God it doesn’t depend on me or anyone other than Jesus, my Lord!)

    All of life is nothing but vapor – an illusion – and even wealth cannot be depended on.

    I will, I do, place my trust, my hope, my future, my security in Him alone.

    He is my rock and my salvation.

  • Psalm 56

    This I know: God is for me.

    What a powerful affirmation!

    In this day of affirmations, centered on human traits, strengths, characteristics: “I am brave; I am beautiful; I am bold; I am successful; . . . whatever.”

    I will defer to David’s affirmation:

    God is for me. . .

    When I am tempted . . . God is for me.

    When I am sick . . . God is for me.

    When I am defeated . . . God is for me.

    When I am mocked . . . God is for me.

    When I am afraid . . . God is for me.

    When I am lonely . . . God is for me.

    When I am uncertain . . . God is for me.

    When I am _________ . . . God is for me!

    In God I trust. Not anyone else. Not self; not stuff; not power;

    God!

    This I know: God is for me.

    Through Jesus Christ my Lord.

    One last view of this sunset/sunrise!