“My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.” Psalm 45:1-2
In the daily devotion from Max Lucado yesterday he wrote, “You didn’t sign up for this crash course in single parenting or caring for a disabled spouse, did you? No, God enrolled you. Why? So you can teach others…” As I sat worshipping at Bon Berger in Caredeux the thought of what ‘courses’ these souls had been taking. Family lost to earthquake, children with nothing to eat, no clean water to drink or no job; these were perhaps a few of the courses they had been taking so they can share the real HOPE they do have amidst the trials that confront them daily. And what of you and me, what courses have we been enrolled in today or in our lifetime that we too may share where our real HOPE is found as we have been delivered. There is a Savior for each of these worshippers and you and me and we give thanks and proclaim His works to those along our journey. I am closing with the beautiful words to the hymn ‘Beautiful Savior’ that were written by an unknown author in 1677 and later translated by Joseph A. Seiss in 1873.
“Beautiful Savior, King of Creation, Son of God and Son of Man! Truly I'd love Thee, truly I'd serve Thee, Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown. Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands, robed in flowers of blooming spring; Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer; He makes our sorrowing spirit sing. Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight, bright the sparkling stars on high; Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer, than all the angels in the sky. Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations, Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration, now and forevermore be Thine!”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay