THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Lord, did the “T” stand for Trouble when the writer of the psalms, David T. Psalmist, wrote his songs? He wrote about his enemies trying to kill him because he put his faith in you. Other instances found them chasing him because he did something boneheaded, and they wanted revenge. Regardless of the reasons why his enemies pursued him, he ran to one safeguard in all his troubles. You, Lord God, were his God, his shelter, his refuge, his hiding place.

“Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you live.” — Psalm 43:3 (NLT)

Before trouble comes, Lord, may we set you as our default. It’s not enough that we desire increased knowledge of who you are, but also give us clearer understanding of the truths of your Word—the depths of your love, your mercy, your sovereignty. The psalmist saw the bottomless cavern of your love, mercy, and grace and dove headfirst into all you prepared for him. May we do the same.

When the psalmist kept your precepts, you led him into the safety of your presence. You became his fortress against his enemies, relief from his troubles, and rest for his weary soul. The same truth that the psalmist lived 3000 years ago still strengthens us today: nothing refreshes our spirits like reclining in your presence.

“There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy …”— Psalm 43:4 (NLT)

The joy of your presence, Lord, is our strength. Only You can change our “T” from Trouble to “Tranquility.”

Amen, Jesus.

Chatting with Jesus

Monday, July 31, 2023

Lord, Scripture honors many saints for their faith, but one unnamed servant’s faith is given hardly a second thought. If faced with a similar situation, I hope to obey in faith as he did.

In John 2, we read about the wedding that your mom, you, and your disciples attended. Back then, weddings lasted seven days, so it’s not surprising they ran out of wine. This shortage would have publicly humiliated the family.

As has proven true throughout the centuries, leave it to mom to take care of problems. This was no exception. Mom informed you they were out of wine and gave you that “do-something-now” look. And like all good sons, you obeyed your momma. Mom told the head waiter to do whatever you say.

Nearby were six nearly empty, twenty-five-gallon water jars used for ceremonial washing during the wedding week. You told the waiter to fill them to the brim with water. Knowing me, if I were the head waiter, I’d have smarted off, like, “Hey, Jesus, we don’t have a water problem, we have a wine problem.” But without questioning, the waiter obeyed and filled the jars.

Lord, you really know how to test someone’s faith. “Draw some out and take it to the headmaster.” 

Did the waiter think, “say what?” What did the waiter have in his pitcher? Water. As he neared the table, and the headmaster held out his cup, his pitcher still contained water. But in faith, when the waiter tilted his pitcher to pour, he poured wine. Not the Trader Joe’s™ cheap wine, but the good stuff. When he quickly turned and looked at you, wide-eyed and mouth open, did you just grin and give him a wink? Bet you did. That is so like you.

Oh, that I might obey as he did, even when I don’t understand what you are doing.

Amen, Jesus.

Chatting with Jesus

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Lord, after you rescued the psalmist from his “pit of despair,” he refused to stop talking about your goodness. His self-efforts to escape this dark and gloomy pit always fell short. But you are the God of hope the psalmist needed. He wrote in his inspiring essay:

“Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord … O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us … If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them”—Psalm 40:4, 5 (NLT)

Centuries later, you explained how the psalmist could write such magnificent praise glorifying God. You taught your followers “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” —Matthew 5:8.

There is no God like you, Lord. Because the psalmist repented and renewed his faith, you made his heart pure, as if he never wandered from you. You opened his spiritual eyes to see your hand in everything. His activities of life, every action, every choice, every preference, he saw your blessings everywhere. If he were to count 24/7, he could never count them all.

Lord, forgive me when I complain. I want to keep my heart pure before you so my eyes will see your blessings around me. Jesus, your salvation and redemption from sin is our greatest blessings and affects everything we do.

May I be like the psalmist. You have been so good to me. I will try, but there are not enough blank Word documents in the world that can record all your wonderful deeds.

Amen, Jesus.

Chatting with Jesus

Friday, July 28, 2023

Lord, how frightening to look in the bathroom mirror every morning. Someone posted a meme on the mirror: “Remember, you are God’s masterpiece.” Lord, are you kidding? I gotta chuckle. My just waking up “masterpiece” is anything but! I’ll spare you the description. My “just awaken” picture will not be found in the dictionary under “masterpiece.”

I’m so thankful, Lord, you do not turn away after seeing me in such a mess. My spouse will vouch that it takes massive amounts of work to make me presentable to the public. Thank you for teaching me years ago not to say the same about her.

Did the Apostle Paul envision the same “after awakening revelation” and shake his head laughing? “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago”—Ephesians 2:10 (NLT).

Lord, you see straight through me throughout the day—the good as well as the bad. You see how prone I am to being a mess, nonetheless you are more interested in the inner me than the outer me. You examine my heart and know everything about me. You know my motives, my deepest thoughts, my fears—everything—yet you still call me your masterpiece. My heart is your biggest concern. If my heart is right with you, then I will desire to do the good things you planned for me long ago.

As Christ followers, despite our flaws and our carnal nature toward disobedience, you still claim us as your own. In the heavenly realms, it doesn’t matter how we see ourselves. Help us see ourselves as you see us: your masterpiece, created in your image in so many unmistakable ways.

Amen, Jesus.

Chatting with Jesus

Monday, July 24, 2023

Lord, I still hear them asking, “What happened to you? You aint the same.” I’ll let Scripture explain.

“He [God] lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along”— Psalm 40:2 (NLT)

We know from personal experience, when you give us a new lease on life, you set us on a new, solid foundation. We’re never abandon to figure out life on our own. As with the psalmist, and all who place their faith in you, when we begin our newness-of-life, you protect us. Your hand firmly holds ours, so we do not fall back into the same pit or one of the numerous traps the devil has laid. The only way we fail is to remove our hand from yours and do our own thing. Why would we want to do such a foolish thing? We remember the darkness and gloom of that trap from which you freed us.

“He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord” — Psalm 40:3 (NLT).

We are even amazed at our new life. We find our old lifestyle repulsive. The pleasures we chased now seem so empty. But now an unexplainable joy replaces the despondency that always hung around. Hope sets up shop in our heart. And for the first time in a long time, we have a song in our heart.

Thank you for rescuing us, Jesus. Amen.

Chatting with Jesus

Friday, July 21, 2023

Lord, in Psalm 40, the psalmist depicts his struggles with life issues. Throughout the centuries, his story has resonated with those who face similar battles. The psalmist describes a low point in his life, and how only you could bring him back to fullness of life.

“He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and mire.” — Psalm 40:2a (NLT)

Lord, even believers get depressed. The psalmist called his condition a “pit of despair.” This begs the question: how does a believer fall into a pit of despair? How does one who follows you find themselve knee-deep in the spiritual mud and mire of this dark and gloomy place? Escape seems impossible. The harder we try to pull ourselves out, the deeper we sink into the mire.

Jesus, you said you came to give us life, and life in its fullness (John 10:10), so how did we end up in this pit?

Even as believers, we are spiritually and emotionally broken from time to time. Many battle the horrors of destructive addictions. Maybe in our insistence to do life our way, we willingly ignored your precepts only to find our ways lead to disappointments. Could a spirit of unforgiveness have us in its powerful grip? Or through apathy, has the impact of our salvation waned until one day we wake up in the pit? And we certainly cannot rule out a chemical imbalance in the brain that causes depression.

Keep us close to you, Jesus. Only you can lift us from the pit of despair and heal whatever brokenness put us there in the first place.

Amen, Jesus.

Chatting with Jesus

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Lord, this isn’t the first time you have been asked this ancient question: Why don’t you answer our prayers right away?

Jesus. you know what we need. In your Sermon on the Mount you taught that our heavenly Father knows our needs before we even know our needs (Matthew 6:8). The psalmist wrote of praying for an urgent need, and then … silence. But he kept praying … again, more crickets. How many have heard this sound of silence? I raise my hand.

The psalmist begins, “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me …” (Psalm 40:1 NLT)

The psalmist didn’t indicate how long he waited. A week? Month(s)? Year(s)? He claims to have waited patiently for the Lord. We all have our waiting limits. Surely, at some point, he must have been a little antsy, waiting on you. Can you hear me up there in Heaven?

Did the psalmist question if he prayed incorrectly, with wrong motives? Was your silence an indication you were displeased with him? Is it possible unforgiveness harbored in his heart blocked your answer? Or perhaps you designed this delay to test the psalmist’s faith. Regardless, you were his shelter and he trusted you would do what you said you would do.

Do you allow this waiting period for our benefit, to reassure our faith that you answer our prayers, but in your timing, not ours.

The psalmist continued: “… and he turned to me and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1b NLT).

Finally! God answered. If I were the psalmist, acting on my impatience, my first question would have been, “What took you so long?”

Forgive me, Lord, My questions should be, “What do you want to show me?” “What is your higher purpose in this situation?” “How can this waiting period increase my faith and bring you honor?”

Lord, calm our restlessness with your peace. If you have to, teach us patience through our impatience. Increase our faith while we wait patiently for you to answer our prayer, in your timing, of course. Amen, Jesus.

Chatting with Jesus
Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Lord, does my viewpoint on life match the psalmist?
Reality can be brutal. Life smacked the psalmist upside his head when he caught his reflection in the mirror. “Where did the time go?”

It seems like yesterday, as a youth, I watched my father’s sheep. While still a kid, Samuel anointed me as king of Israel. (1 Samuel 16) My once ruddy complexion now is wrinkled like a prune. The skin around my neck sags like a turkey gullet. A cane steadies my gait as I stroll through the palace. I need a shawl to keep me warm, even in summer. My children are arguing over who will succeed me as king. And how I hate fiber is a staple of my diet.

Is this when the psalmist penned his famous words about the brevity of life? In his weakened condition, did he foresee his time on Earth coming to an end.

”LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.”—Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT)

These Scriptures can be unsettling to some people who discover their priorities in this life are misplaced. Some spend their lives chasing fame, wealth, or pleasure only to find these hold no eternal value.

Through your grace, Lord, you reveal to your followers what’s important. Life is too short. May we not waste time pursuing things that do not matter. Teach us what holds eternal value— our faith, family, and friends.

Lord, with you our lives are not in vain. You give meaning. You give purpose. May we echo the psalmist’s wisdom: “And so. Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.”—Psalm 39:7 (NLT)

Amen, Jesus.

Chatting with Jesus

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Lord, despite your assurance to the psalmist that you will deal with the wicked your way, in his humanity, he still tended to fret. You told him to just back off, focus on you and your goodness, and watch you release your righteous judgment on the wicked. You would let him know if you needed him to intervene. Finally, he got the picture and recorded his revelation for the generations to come.

O Lord, that I may get the picture and consistently live by these truths.

“Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.”—Psalm 37:1, 2 (NLT)

Lord, you see our righteous indignation when the wicked “prosper” in their evil ways, but then you prove the psalmist’s words are true. Over thousands of years you have dealt with the wicked your way to bring them to ruin.

They might prosper financially, but we have a peace they want but cannot buy. We have seen it time and again. You may allow the wicked to thrive in the spotlight for a while, but they fade away and their memory forgotten until we read their obituary.

“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.”—Psalm 37: 3, 4 (NLT)

Lord, help us stay focused. How easily we get tangled up fretting over the corruption of the wicked. You teach us to be different.

*Trust you amid all this wickedness.

*Live by your values

*Practice your precepts.

*Do good to all.

*Live by these truths to love our neighbors as ourselves.

When we do life your way, Lord, we will live sheltered by your grace and “prosper” in your ways.

Amen, Jesus.

Chatting with Jesus

Monday, July 17, 2023

Lord, the psalmist sounded fed up. Surely the corruption of the psalmist’s society troubled his soul. Did apathy toward the things of God allow wickedness to creep into every level of society? Possibly. However, by focusing on evil, worry began to stalk him, playing the “what if” mind game. He fretted over the wicked getting away with their lies and dishonesty and would likely never be brought to account for their wrongdoing. Frustrated, he listed his grievances. And in case you didn’t know, Lord, he reminded you how the wicked mocked you and had no regard for you nor the things you declare holy. I read his complaints:

“Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all. In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are.”—Psalm 36:1–2 (NLT)

The rest of the psalm lists more complaints. Lies. Dishonesty. Deceitful hearts. Ranting and raving against everything good and holy. The elites degrade anyone who believes you, Lord. Everyone is on the take. Bribes. Lawlessness. Worst of all, they have no fear of you or of your judgment.

Lord, are you sure the psalmist wrote Psalm 36 over 2500 years ago? This psalm is like reading today’s headlines. We, too, are fed up. Aren’t you gonna do something about this wickedness, God? Can’t you send locusts or something to destroy them?

Your answer to the psalmist is as relevant today as then. Stop fretting about evil. Focus on me and my goodness and grace.

We can trust you to deal with the wicked as you did in the psalmist’s day. You brought down the wicked and they never recovered. You broke the devil’s power behind the wicked.

So today I will focus on your goodness and rely on your righteous judgment to take care of the wicked.

In your righteousness, Jesus. Amen.