Day of Praise

Tu, Aug 28 "Day of Praise"

Life is full of surprises.

But, even as life comes at us fast, we need not lose our balance or peace, if we'll yield to the work of the Holy Spirit and place our trust in the word of Lord.

Such was God's promise to Ebed-Melech, whose name means "Servant of the King" and who was an Ethiopian Gentile slave. In other words, Ebed-Melech's name and position in life put him in the ranks of the lowest of the lowest of the lowest of society.

But upon hearing God's word, Ebed-Melech trusted God.

So this is what God says happened in Jeremiah 39:15-18: "While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: 'Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite, "This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be handed over to those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.'"'"

With many men guarding Jeremiah (for God chooses weak things to confound the mighty, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29), God raised up Jeremiah from a pit. Because Ebed-Melech believed God's word through Jeremiah, God had promised Ebed-melech that he too would be saved "because you put your trust in Me."

Similar life difficulties and promises of God are spoken of throughout the Bible, for example, 1 Chronicles 5, both Psalms 23 and 37, and Matthew 10.

And from all this, here's what God wants you to take into this day:

Trust in God generates fearlessness in the face of life's difficulties and brings true safety forever and often even literally, not just spiritually, here on earth.

So as life came at you yesterday and will surely come at you today, keep your eyes on the LORD, who will give you balance and calm that the world cannot take away.

Praise God!



Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson