At the time of Last Supper Jesus announced: The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born. Matthew 26:24
Judas walked with Jesus. He talked with Jesus. He witnessed the miracles of Jesus. He was chosen by Jesus. Yet he betrayed Jesus and ran off in shame. In trying to undo what he had done, he turned away from God’s grace in Jesus and punished himself.
Peter walked with Jesus. He talked with Jesus, He witnessed miracles by Jesus He was chosen by Jesus. Yet he betrayed Jesus 3 times and ran off in shame. In time, Peter humbly turned from his failure to receive God’s grace in Jesus.
The difference between them is Peter chose to humble himself, and Judas chose to punish himself.
Woe to those who refuse to admit their need. Ignoring the cross, where Christ did bleed. Bemoaning their failure, counting their dross. Too proud to bow before the cross. This eulogy of the forlorn… Better off to had never been born.
There is something more terrible than all your shame, and that is trying to live with it.
When life gets lumpy it is good for the soul and mind to meditate on God’s unfailing love. The following are some verses to help in your meditation:
In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. Ex 15:13
Turn, LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. Psalm 6:4
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:5
For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken. Psalm 21:7
Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Psalm 31:16
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Psalm 32:10
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, Psalm 33:18
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:22
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7
Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love. Psalm 44:26
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Psalm 48:9
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1
But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. Psalm 52:8
Show us your unfailing love, LORD, and grant us your salvation. Psalm 85:7
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14
Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. Psalm 130:7
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Psalm 143:8
In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant. Psalm 143:12
the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalm 147:11
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. Lamentations 3:32
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14
Waiting is very hard for me. In fact it borders on the impossible. But in Psalm 18:35 it says that God stoops down to make me great. Now that changes things and to my surprise, waiting becomes an encounter with God.
My day is as good as the amount I let God into it.
There were times that the fog became so thick you could barely see the road, let alone knowing which way to go.
We have all had times when we wished we had taken a different direction. Looking back we can see how a right choice would have been so much better, but we just could not see far enough ahead.
Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. Psalm 119:1-3
God is all about helping us choose the right direction. We just have to ask.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:13
What we receive is not only help in making the right choices going forward, but forgiveness for all our past wrong choices.
Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law. Proverbs 29:18
When I have no clear vision of God then my thoughts begin to drift.
Worries about what the future holds draw me further away.
In my fear I hoard and build embattlements.
I imagine everyone is coming to take what’s mine.
Then I see this flower and am reminded,
If God clothes the grass like this, how much more will he care for me.
I release my anxious thoughts and grab hold of my makers hand.
Something beautiful happens as I walk with Jesus,
I begin to see his goodness blossom in me.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6:25-30
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
When I praise God, I begin to review all he has done for me.
He has forgiven me, and removed my shame.
He has redeemed my life from sorrow and death.
He satisfies all my desires.
He leads me into goodness and guards me on the way.
His love for me knows no bounds, and he will not let anything come between us.
He shares himself with me, and gives me his name that I should call upon him.
Even the flowers of the field praise the Lord.
What a blessing it is to praise God
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
This scene only came to my attention when I stopped…and sat…and waited. Initially I was bored and saw nothing. Finally, I asked God to open my eyes and allow me to see. Slowly I began to sense the deeper rhythms of the stream. I heard the churning of the water against the rocks, then the call of birds overhead, followed by a chattering squirrel upset by my presence. Breathing in I noticed the fragrance of cedar boughs, and finally became entranced by the branches playing in the fast moving water perpetually dancing before the Lord. The joy in that moment returns even now, looking upon this scene I give thanks.
Prayer is like that. It is only when I stop and wait that I begin to perceive what God has for me. To read and meditate upon the Bible letting the Holy Spirit slowly direct my thoughts. It becomes wonderful dance of me with my creator. Unfortunately, as the day progresses my mind gets sidetracked, fretting about so many things. I must restart the process again, waiting on the Lord trying to catch His rhythm. Thankfully God never tires of waiting for me.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. Psalm 37:7-9
Wildflowers along the Wonderland Trail, Mt. Rainier NP
The smallest trouble is like a tiny blister on your foot,
With walking it will soon grow to unbearable proportions.
But I can put up with the most difficult circumstance if I have hope.
For hope is like wildflowers along the trail, they take my mind and heart to heavenly places.
Remember Your word to Your servant, for You have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. Psalm 119:49-50
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3
Each snow flake is a unique wonder of God’s creation, no two are alike. Yet, often when we see them float down it starts us thinking about having to shovel snow, or worry about icy roads. Life is like that, we receive many blessings each day, yet our minds are preoccupied by problems and struggles. It is not to say we should not think about difficult issues, it’s just we should not let them be all we think about. For when we fail to praise God for His “snowflakes,” we miss the beauty and wonder in each day.
Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! Psalm 147:1
He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. Psalm 147:4-5
If you like me have difficulty getting past the troubles of each day, then let Psalm 145 through Psalm 150 guide you in praise.
My hope is that it speaks to your heart of God’s glory. That you hear echoes of His love for us. That it reminds you of God’s perfection that He wants to share with us.
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world…. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19
Stephen L Hufman 