Study from God’s Word… Dr. Smith’s reading of Ecclesiastes in Chronological Order cover the topics of the emptiness of human wisdom, pleasure, achievement, human labor, the human condition, unshared lives [today’s passage], false worship, politics, wealth/materialism/prosperity, defiance, wickedness, injustice, and the emptiness of human strength … Passage for Reflection: Ecclesiastes 4: 11 – 12 … NIV 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
My Journal for Today: Reading through the various passages selected by F. LaGard Smith today to emphasize Solomon’s realization of the meaningless of a life lived for self, one has to be struck with one repeated phrase which keeps being recited over and over again by Solomon as he exposes the elements of life which are lived without God and for self. The repeated sentence is, ”This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” So, as man plays the “Lone Ranger” game of Christian life by seeking meaning through all of the elements documented above, to which Solomon refers in Ecclesiastes, have you not discovered by now that chasing life for self is “chasing after the wind?” BUT, seeking God (primarily through His word) gives a person, or, even better, a married couple, that extra strand to strengthen us when we find ourselves chasing after the wind in meaninglessness.
Today’s highlight verse emphasizes one such aspect of life which provides power, strength, and direction so that we will not be “chasing after the wind.” And Dr. Smith uses the word picture of a wedding ceremony which uses the ceremonial picture of showing the joining of THREE strands together in a “marriage cord,” invoking God as the third strand, to give the marriage so much more strength than it would have if the cord of marriage only was woven by two cords.
You know, my wife and I were married in a church; but neither of us had Christ in our lives. Therefore, our church vows were meaningless in God’s eyes, much like what Solomon brought out in Ecclesiastes. We were joined in life by a marriage contract of two coming together in agreement rather than having the third cord of God in our marriage. So, for the first 18 years of our marriage we tried to make life work together with two cords intertwined. And it didn’t work, almost coming unraveled at one point as we dealt with the winds of distrust and my own personal selfishness. Then we let Christ into our marriage; and our two-corded strand became a three-corded strand; and a marriage which had been chasing, but bucking, the head winds of life, was given that THIRD STRAND of Christ to turn our marriage ship into the wind, and use God’s sail to move us through life, together again, but this time with a three-corded strand.
Oh, how I pray that you’re not trying to go through life alone with only one cord to deal with life. You and God together, if you’re single, can be so much stronger. But if you’re married, and you’ve seen the advantage of a two-corded strand, working together for and with each other, you’ll add so much more strength and purpose to your marriage if it is bound by the covenant relationship of that Third Cord of Christ. And it’s never too late for a husband and wife to go to God and ask Him to become the Holy third strand in the cord of a marriage. And if you’re two-cords become three, you’re going to discover what my wife and I have discovered in the truth of Eccles. 4: 11-12; and I pray that you have God’s extra cord to wrap around your life for strength.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You, as the third cord in our marriage, give us the strength we need and the direction we seek to live our lives TOGETHER for You. Amen
Showing posts with label agreement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label agreement. Show all posts
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
2010 – Day 14. Jan. 14 – A God Who Watches
Study from Genesis 31 – 33; Passage for Reflection: Genesis 31: 49-50 … NIV It [the place where Jacob and Laban made their covenant] was also called Mizpah, [means “watchtower”] because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me."
My Journal for Today: In our western world you might hear kids say, witnessing to something they know to be true, “Cross my heart and hope to die.” Or you may hear adults say, “As God is my witness.” Well, in the chapters I read today, a biblical story illustrates the truth of our God being our ever present witness.
When Jacob and Laban, who had been at odds, came together to mend their ways, they formed a covenant; and they sealed that covenant with a sign, as was the custom them. Their sign was pile of rocks, a symbol of a tower, which Laban labeled, ”Mispah,” which means “watchtower.” Today when we establish modern-day covenants we also use signs of the sealed agreement, such as a wedding ring, a signed contract, or a hand shake, all of which are mutually agreed upon signs that the agreement will be faithfully carried out by both parties. Unfortunately, a hand-shake, a signed contract, or even a wedding ring as a sign of modern-day covenant, does not hold the weight of long-term commitment in our culture that it once did.
Do you have any “mispahs” in your life, signs of the covenant which you have made with God to be your Watchtower? If you’re a Christian, you certainly should have made one; and that is to surrender your life to the Lordship of Christ, acknowledging His shed blood and Your repentance of sin as well as your reception of His saving grace. And now that you’re a part of the NEW COVENANT in Christ, what is your “Mispah?” Do you have some sign which has helped you seal this covenant with the Lord and remember that God is your Watchtower?
Mine is the verse of Scripture God used, Philippians 4: 13 on 4/13/83, when the Holy Spirit broke me to a place where I could see that He was the only way I was ever going to find the spiritual strength I was seeking; and I’m convinced that God used that date … 4 – 13 … as His sign in the covenant. Therefore, the number “13” is ever before me, helping me to remember that God is my “Mizpah,” my watchtower; … that He is ever watchful with His enabling grace. And any time, in moments of weakness, Phil. 4: 13 often comes to my mind to remind me that God’s grace is always mine as long as I humbly receive it, knowing that God is ever my “Watchtower.”
Do you have a sign of your love covenant with God? Do you move in life, ALWAYS remembering that God is your Watchtower? Do you remember that He always sees your choices; and that He’s always there for you, desiring to have a deeper relationship with you (go back and meditate on Rev. 3: 20)? My friend, I hope you have a “mizpah” in your life to help you remember that God is our Watchtower.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, YOU are my Watchtower; and I will ever have the “mizpah” of Phil. 4: 13 to be a light in my life, drawing me ever closer to You. Amen
My Journal for Today: In our western world you might hear kids say, witnessing to something they know to be true, “Cross my heart and hope to die.” Or you may hear adults say, “As God is my witness.” Well, in the chapters I read today, a biblical story illustrates the truth of our God being our ever present witness.
When Jacob and Laban, who had been at odds, came together to mend their ways, they formed a covenant; and they sealed that covenant with a sign, as was the custom them. Their sign was pile of rocks, a symbol of a tower, which Laban labeled, ”Mispah,” which means “watchtower.” Today when we establish modern-day covenants we also use signs of the sealed agreement, such as a wedding ring, a signed contract, or a hand shake, all of which are mutually agreed upon signs that the agreement will be faithfully carried out by both parties. Unfortunately, a hand-shake, a signed contract, or even a wedding ring as a sign of modern-day covenant, does not hold the weight of long-term commitment in our culture that it once did.
Do you have any “mispahs” in your life, signs of the covenant which you have made with God to be your Watchtower? If you’re a Christian, you certainly should have made one; and that is to surrender your life to the Lordship of Christ, acknowledging His shed blood and Your repentance of sin as well as your reception of His saving grace. And now that you’re a part of the NEW COVENANT in Christ, what is your “Mispah?” Do you have some sign which has helped you seal this covenant with the Lord and remember that God is your Watchtower?
Mine is the verse of Scripture God used, Philippians 4: 13 on 4/13/83, when the Holy Spirit broke me to a place where I could see that He was the only way I was ever going to find the spiritual strength I was seeking; and I’m convinced that God used that date … 4 – 13 … as His sign in the covenant. Therefore, the number “13” is ever before me, helping me to remember that God is my “Mizpah,” my watchtower; … that He is ever watchful with His enabling grace. And any time, in moments of weakness, Phil. 4: 13 often comes to my mind to remind me that God’s grace is always mine as long as I humbly receive it, knowing that God is ever my “Watchtower.”
Do you have a sign of your love covenant with God? Do you move in life, ALWAYS remembering that God is your Watchtower? Do you remember that He always sees your choices; and that He’s always there for you, desiring to have a deeper relationship with you (go back and meditate on Rev. 3: 20)? My friend, I hope you have a “mizpah” in your life to help you remember that God is our Watchtower.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, YOU are my Watchtower; and I will ever have the “mizpah” of Phil. 4: 13 to be a light in my life, drawing me ever closer to You. Amen
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