Saints One-a-Day Monday 2/25/19

Posted on by February 25, 2019
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A life worthy

As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight (Psalm 16:3).

There are so very many people who are so very much better at the whole God thing than I am.

These are the people I need to look to, to emulate, to spend time with and delight in.

There are also folks out there who are new to the Kingdom, still squinting in the light as they try to make sense of their surroundings.

These are the ones who need a hand…perhaps my hand.

They are all saints, and they are all glorious.

My prayer for this Monday morning is that God would point these folks out to me, and that he would keep my pride from interfering with what I can learn, and what I can share.

Care to join me in that prayer?

Happy Monday, Beloved.

Apart From You One-a-Day Friday 2/22/19

Posted on by February 22, 2019
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A life worthy

I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”(Psalm 16:2)

Today is one of those days where I find myself home alone.  It’s just me and the dog. And things are…different. It’s not so much that I’m doing different things—I still eat, sleep, write, wash the occasional dish.  It’s that, without my family here, it all seems rather…blah. The people for whom I do the things I do aren’t here, so my actions feel a little meaningless, a little empty.

It’s kinda like that in this verse.  Apart from God, I would still have things.  I would still do things.  I would still be things.  But those things would be devoid of meaning.

They would be robbed of their goodness.

With God at the center, all things work together for good (Romans 8:28, if you’re wondering).  Without him at the center, why bother? Whatever I do, or think, or feel…it’s not going to be good.  Because he is what makes it good. In him I live and move and have my being.

So, without him, bupkis.  With him…Woohooo!

Whadday say?  Shall we make today a Woohoo kinda day?

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Refuge One-a-Day Thursday 2/21/19

Posted on by February 21, 2019
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A life worthy

Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge (Psalm 16:1).

Did you know that this psalm is a miktam?

Says so, right here in my study Bible.

Do you know what a miktam is?

Neither do I.

Nor do the editors of my study Bible.

The best they can do–and trust me, it’s better than I could have done–is to point out that the term shows up in the title of psalms occasioned by great danger. So, when David is really stressed, really afraid, he sit down and knocks out a miktam.

Here’s another interesting bit, courtesy of the editors: In this moment of fear, when David cries out to God, he spends exactly five words pouring out the problem and his stress.

Keep me safe, O God

The remaining 197 words of the psalm–yes, I counted–are devoted to the reasons David trusts God to deliver him. That’s 2.4% of the psalm spent on petition, and 97.6% spent on praise.

Now, there’s a life.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

Tell the Story One-a-Day Wednesday 2/20/19

Posted on by February 20, 2019
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A life worthy

My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion (Psalm 71:24).

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,

Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love;

I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true,

It satisfies my longings as nothing else would do.

Refrain:

I love to tell the story,

’Twill be my theme in glory,

To tell the old, old story

Of Jesus and His love.

Thank you, Arabella Hankey!

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

Praise! One-a-Day Tuesday 2/19/19

Posted on by February 19, 2019
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A life worthy

I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you–I whom you have delivered (Psalm 71:22-23).

Is your praise unfettered?

Are you able to throw your hands up, throw your head back, and dance and sing and shout your praise to God with all your heart and absolutely no reservations?

Me neither.

I go to church, and the music starts, and people around me begin to stand up and  I start to stand up too but then I think that maybe I’m only standing because other people are standing and I want to look as spiritual as they are and not like some pagan who doesn’t stand during the happy clappy song and then I see a guy three rows up on the aisle who isn’t standing either and I think “Good! Someone else isn’t standing” but then I realize he’s in a wheelchair so I really can’t count him and now I feel guilty because I was happy about a guy being in a wheelchair and I still feel like a pagan for not standing but I also feel resentful that I’m supposed to stand like somehow you’re not connecting with God if you don’t stand and people are going to see me and think I’m deeply disturbed or thoroughly backslidden because I’m not standing and now it’s the power chorus and people are raising their hands but I’m still sitting and I can’t raise my hands even if I want to because I’m sitting and I might accidentally smack somebody on the bottom and that would be significantly uncool and besides if I raise my hands while I’m sitting people will think I’m having a cardiac incident and waving for help or worse yet that I’m mocking the guy in a wheelchair because he’s raising his hands and finally the song is over and I have the announcements and the say howdy to your neighbor time to get a grip before it starts again…

But One Day, Beloved.  One Glorious Day…

Happy Tuesday.

Comfort Me One-a-Day Monday 2/18/19

Posted on by February 18, 2019
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A life worthy

You will increase my honor and comfort me once more (Psalm 71:21).

It won’t always be so hard.

Sometimes, you look at circumstances and you think, “This is lousy, and it’s always gonna be lousy, and it’s never gonna stop being lousy, and there’s nothing I can do to delouse it.”

But it’s not forever.

It’s just for now.

If you belong to Him, then you have a future that includes honor and comfort and joy and love and peace and contentment and joy and exhilaration and delight and joy and fulfillment and reward and joy.

Did I mention joy?

Maybe today

Maybe tomorrow

Definitely One Day.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

Up From the Depths One-a-Day Friday 2/15/19

Posted on by February 15, 2019
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A life worthy

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. (Psalm 71:20).

Sometimes life is hard.

In case you hadn’t noticed.

I’ve noticed recently that several people in my life are going through brutally difficult times.

And I have a fairly small life.

So much pain.  So much sorrow.  So much fear. Sometimes I’m even afraid to pray for these people because I get caught up in it, swept up in it, and I feel like their pain will pick me up and carry me away.  And I want to help, but I know that there’s nothing I can do because I’m just Michael, and that’s really not so very much.

But then I read this verse.  I think back on yesterday’s verse.  I remember the troubles, many and bitter, that God has brought me through.  I remember that I am restored.

Redeemed.

And I know that, as painful as these times are, they are not eternal.

They may feel eternal…but that is a lie.

What is eternal, Beloved of Christ, is you.

And God.

And you and God.

So remember that you are a child of promise.  And that promise is as strong and sure and certain as the One who made it.

He will lift you up.  Believe it.

If it helps…I’ll believe it with you.

Or for you.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Love One-a-Day Thursday 2/14/19

Posted on by February 14, 2019
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A life worthy

…God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

It’s Valentine’s Day, right?

OK, so let’s talk love.

Forget the hearts and flowers.  Forget the candy.

OK, remember candy.  Candy is good. But set it aside for the moment.

Real love sacrifices.  Real love gives, even when there is no reasonable expectation of a return on the investment.  Real love sees you at your worst, and does not turn away.

While we were still sinners.  While we were totally unworthy and unlovable.  Beyond pot bellies and vanishing hairlines. Beyond bad hair and no makeup.  While we were steeped in darkness, inside and out, Jesus died for us.

For you.

Want him to prove his love?

He did.  We call it the Cross.

When I write these One-a-Days, I often call you “Beloved.”  I’m not putting the moves on you, nor am I trying to be J. Vernon McGee. I’m praying, along with Paul, that you, “May…grasp how high and long and wide and deep is the love of Christ.”

In the Song of Songs, God gives us a picture of the love between a man and a woman.  Beyond that, though, he paints a picture of Christ’s love for his Church.

He calls the Church his Beloved.

He calls you his Beloved.

And so you are.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Beloved.

Name One-a-Day Wednesday 2/13/19

Posted on by February 13, 2019
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A life worthy

Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things.  Who, O God, is like you? (Psalm 71:19).

My name is Michael, in case you didn’t know.

The name Michael means, “Who is like God?”

Yeah, so, when I was a kid I thought the name was a statement, “The one who is like God.”  It did wonders for my ego. When I found out it was actually a question, it took me down a peg or two or twenty.

But really—how cool is that? Every day, all the time, my own name reminds me that there is no one greater, no one stronger, no one with more authority over this universe than the One who loves me.

The One, by the way, who loves you.

Remember that as you head into your Wednesday.

Walk in confidence, Beloved.

Through the Years One-a-Day Tuesday 2/12/19

Posted on by February 12, 2019
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A life worthy

Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.  Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come (Psalm 71:17-18).

A life spent with him.

Do you remember when you first came to Christ?  I was nineteen years old, living all alone in a cabin in the woods.

Seriously

For the first time everything made sense.  I read my Bible cover to cover within the first month of being saved. I felt a freedom and a strength I had never known.  I was off on an adventure, and I was coming home—all at the same time.

Thirty-many years later, I see the power of his love working in and through me.  I’m not yet the man I want to be, but I have learned the wisdom of Popeye—I yam what I yam, and his grace has not been without effect.

The day is coming when the salt will outweigh the pepper.  My body will be old, though I will probably still act like a six-year-old and make my daughter roll her eyes.  I trust that God will hold me tight even then. I will get to look back on a life lived with him, and I will pass the torch to my children and theirs knowing that the One who has been faithful to me will continue to work long after he has taken me home.

Kinda cool, when you think about it.  Sorta gives perspective.

It’s Tuesday, Beloved.

Enjoy the journey.