THE LORD SPOKE (August 24)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Psalm 102-104

We know by experience that thinking God’s thoughts can be pleasing to us but did you ever realize that He’s interested in your thoughts (Ps. 104:34)? What goes through your head can be pleasing to Him? One thought that pleases Him every time is our delight in His creation. How easy is that! We marvel at the things He has made. Take a look as some of creation’s glories that the psalmist admired:

Ps. 104:2 - “light...stretch[ed] out [in] the heavens”

God’s magnificent handiwork observed in a sunset is a marvelous display that leads us to declare, “My Father is so fantastic - He painted that.”

Ps. 104:3-7 - “clouds...winds...thunder”

God’s awesome power exposed in a storm can be a frightening experience that leads us to whisper, “My Father is not afraid - He made that.”

Ps. 104:6-10 - “the deep...the waters”

God’s gracious provision of the earth’s water supply seen in the ocean’s depths can be a humbling thought that leads us to remember, “My Father is so wonderful - His love for me is deeper than that.”

Ps. 104:11-12, 17-21 - “beasts...donkeys...birds...the stork...goats...coneys...lions”

God’s infinite variety of creatures found in nature is a captivating thrill that leads us to proclaim, “My Father is so incredible - He invented all of them.”

Ps. 104:14 - “grass...wine...oil...bread”

Ps. 104:16-17 - “trees...cedars...pine trees”

Ps. 104:19-20 - “moon...sun...darkness”

Ps. 104:23 - “man”

(Have you ever considered the intricacies of the human hand - the muscles, joints, fingernails in the right place, protective and restorative skin? What a useful tool the Father has given us there! Imagine how much one would cost at Home Depot.)

If you dig, you’ll find much more in this psalm. In fact, if you pursue it in Creation, you’ll never exhaust the possibilities.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Meditate on God’s creation and rejoice in the Lord today. In the process, your thoughts will put a smile on His face!


New Testament: II John

This is love; that we walk in obedience to his commands. (II Jn. 6)

John has been saying this “from the beginning” (see, for example, Jn. 14:15 and I Jn. 2:3,7). It is a mark of the believer to do the Father’s will. When we love someone, there is an immediate and long-lasting desire to do what pleases him or her. In fact, if our love for God doesn’t produce a changed life-style and a new set of activities, there’s good reason to doubt that love. How real can it be if it doesn’t produce the outward evidence of a changed life?

There are those who “run ahead” in these matters (II Jn. 9). In John’s day he was dealing with Gnostics who believed they had surpassed the teaching of the apostles. They had a “higher knowledge” but it amounted to a denial of Scripture. In our day, we have some who have added to the Scriptures in other ways, making unbiblical requirements of people. They have added personal preferences to the commands of the Bible and have saddled others with a legalistic code of obedience. But it’s no longer “obedience to His commands”.

Sometimes we tolerate such people but we should take care. In doing so, we might be guilty of just what John is warning us about. By accepting them, we become participants in their error (II Jn. 11). We’re told to not welcome them into our circles. We may and should be congenial but we must not aid and abet. Our foremost concern must always be that our lives and doctrine match up with Scripture perfectly.

Let us concern ourselves with knowing God’s Word thoroughly and let us be careful to distinguish our personal preferences from what the Bible teaches. Personal preferences are fine, so long as they are not contrary to Scripture, but let us recognize them as such - personal preferences.