Kansas City, Missouri, United States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “God, Save Us from Ourselves” – Wednesday, 23 April 2014 - Scripture: Psalm 44: 20-26

Kansas City, Missouri, United States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “God, Save Us from Ourselves” – Wednesday, 23 April 2014 - Scripture: Psalm 44: 20 If we have forgotten the name of our God,

    or spread out our hands to a strange god;

21     won’t God search this out?

    For he knows the secrets of the heart.

22 Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long.

    We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.

23 Wake up!

    Why do you sleep, Lord?[a]

Arise!

    Don’t reject us forever.

24 Why do you hide your face,

    and forget our affliction and our oppression?

25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust.

    Our body clings to the earth.

26 Rise up to help us.

    Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 44:23 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”

“God, Save Us from Ourselves” by Duane C. Brush

God’s faithfulness is greater than our failure. His love and grace are greater than our sin and lack of trust in His promises.

Late in his reign King Jehoshaphat made an agreement with Ahaziah, the wicked king of Israel (2 Chronicles 20:31-37). Their economic recovery plan involved building a fleet of trading ships. Unlike during the earlier threatened invasion, we don’t read where Jehoshaphat sought God’s direction about this venture. It could be that he thought, “This is just business.” After all, there was no invading army. Maybe he thought he only needed to seek God’s help in the “big things.” He was wrong!

The ships were destroyed, not because God was against foreign trade, but to prevent an alliance with an apostate king. God faithfully prevented His people from becoming embroiled in an unholy alliance, even when they failed to seek Him.

No detail is too great or too small to bring to God. God’s will must be done in all things. His guidance is necessary in fair days as well as foul. God wants to do His will with us, but He is prepared to do it without us, if we fail to seek Him.

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Hymn for Today:

“I Am Thine, O Lord” by Fanny J. Crosby

1.  I am thine, O Lord, I have heard thy voice,

    and it told thy love to me;

    but I long to rise in the arms of faith

    and be closer drawn to thee.

Refrain:

    Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

    to the cross where thou hast died.

    Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

    to thy precious, bleeding side.

2.  Consecrate me now to thy service, Lord,

    by the power of grace divine;

    let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,

    and my will be lost in thine.

Refrain:

    Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

    to the cross where thou hast died.

    Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

    to thy precious, bleeding side.

3.  O the pure delight of a single hour

    that before thy throne I spend,

    when I kneel in prayer, and with thee, my God,

    I commune as friend with friend!

Refrain:

    Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

    to the cross where thou hast died.

    Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

    to thy precious, bleeding side.

4.  There are depths of love that I cannot know

    till I cross the narrow sea;

    there are heights of joy that I may not reach

    till I rest in peace with thee.

Refrain:

    Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

    to the cross where thou hast died.

    Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

    to thy precious, bleeding side.

Thought for Today:

“God will always be God. He is the one constant in the world” (Jim Edlin and Janelle MacKay).

Prayer Needs:

Many people in Bolivia will come to know Jesus the Christ (Yeshua the Messiah) and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

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