Cling to God

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives.

Friday, June 12, 2009
Devotions: Ps 69, 73; Sir 46:1-10; 2 Cor 12:11-21; Lk 19:41-48

YHWH, save me! I’m in deep trouble, with myriads of enemies. And I’m a sinner and a fool; please don’t let good people suffer because of me. I bear reproach for Your sake, and I confess my iniquities to You. Zeal for Your kingdom has consumed me, Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, bless me with Your love and abundance. Rescue me from sinking into the mire; You are my Salvation, Lord. I eat poison and drink vinegar; my days are a reproach—largely deserved; but God will help me! Let Your indignation scald my enemies; deliver us from persecution; let those come who will repent, but let the self-righteous perish. Let all that know God sing praise; let all creation sing the glory of our Creator and Master! Those who love His name shall dwell in His house forever. God is good to the upright and pure in heart; as for me, I need help every day to stay on His path; I am easily tempted, distracted or discouraged. These pangs don’t trouble the wicked; their pride is their raiment, violence is their daily bread; they luxuriate in worldly wealth and power. But God will requite everyone—the righteous with vindication, the wicked with eternal loss. Lord, there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You; God is my Strength and my Portion for ever! It is good to be near God.

Joshua son of Nun was mighty in war, and Moses’ successor as prophet in Israel, a great savior of God’s elect, as his name signifies. He waged the wars of YHWH, and none could withstand him. He destroyed those who resisted; he wholly obeyed the Mighty One. On their first approach to the Land, Joshua and Caleb alone affirmed that God would give Israel the land of Canaan; and these alone were preserved among 600,000 people. Only Joshua and Caleb left Egypt and entered Canaan—even Moses died along the way! Aging Caleb claimed his inheritance with youthful vigor, so that all the sons of Israel might see that it is good to follow the Lord!

Paul admits his folly in boasting to the Corinthians; but ‘I am not at all inferior to these “superlative apostles,” though I am nothing. The signs of true apostleship are patience, signs and wonders and mighty works—these I have evidenced among you. I love you and show my love by paying my own way; the same is true of all who come to you from me. I speak out, not to defend myself to you, but to build you up in love. I don’t want, when I visit, to find you fallen away from God; I don’t want to see quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit and disorder among you! I don’t want God to humble me with your unrepented sins of impurity, immorality and licentiousness!’

When Jesus came to Jerusalem, He wept over the city: ‘Would that even today you might know what would bring you peace! But you don’t see these things. Days will come when enemies will build up siege walls against you, hem you in, and dash you and your children to the ground. They won’t leave one stone upon another in you—all because you fail to recognize Me as God visiting you.’ Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those doing commerce, saying to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be a house of prayer”, but you have made it a den of brigands!’ And He taught at the temple each day, though the Jewish authorities continued seeking to destroy Him. They could not find means, for all the people hung upon His very words.