THE LORD SPOKE (October 11)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Isaiah 65-66

What makes you tremble? When do you find your “flesh quivering”? What gives you goose bumps and makes your pulse race?

There are a variety of reasons this might happen. It could be fear or anxiety. We tremble when we are afraid of danger or approaching catastrophe. Our nerves are jangled and we quake. It could be extreme danger - our flesh crawls. Or it could be as simple as getting up to speak in front of a group - we get the jitters. Sometimes the trembling doesn’t come until after the danger has passed. Have you ever had to stop the car after a near accident just to let your nerves calm down, stop trembling, and get hold of yourself again? Danger averted may leave us trembling.

Or, we might tremble with expectation. The anticipation of something greatly desired may cause trembling. Do you remember how you felt as a kid during those last few hours before Christmas Day arrived? Or waiting for the mailman when you expected an important piece of mail to be delivered? Or finally tossing your suitcase in the trunk and heading for the airport to embark on a long-awaited trip? Or watching out the window for that loved-one’s car to pull into the driveway? The expectant anticipation left you all ajiggle.

Anger will leave you shaking. Cold will cause you to shiver. Guilt will make you twitch or quake. Defeat will rock you. Victory will give you a rush. Prolonged stress or over-extension will produce fatigue and you’ll begin to quiver. Shear joy or awe will move you and will be evidenced by another kind of trembling.

But when was the last time you trembled while reading God’s Word? If it’s been awhile, get back in the habit! First, you may need to just read it (have you slacked off lately?). Then, you may need to block out all the cares and the busy activities that keep your mind so occupied so you can listen to it. Finally, you have to apply it, make it personal, and do what it says. Come to it humbly, desiring to hear God’s voice to you. Come to it expectantly, wanting to find food for your soul. Come to it with a broken heart, confessing your sin.

Isaiah (66:2b) tells us what God thinks: This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.


Psalms 49-50

Hearses don’t pull U-Hauls. It might even be possible for you to arrange to have all your stuff buried in the hole with you but it still wouldn’t help. The fact remains: you can’t take it with you.

Or, as the psalmist says, “For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others” (Ps. 49:10). The death rate is still one out of one and “the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough” (Ps. 49:7). So, no one should ever think he can avoid it - or even delay it.

We are easily impressed by wealth. It’s a natural enough reaction when we see a beautiful house, nicely situated. Wealth and splendor do catch our attention. But this psalm warns us:

Do not be overawed when a man grows rich,
When the splendor of his house increases;
For he will take nothing with him when he dies,
His splendor will not descend with him. (Ps. 49:16-17)

Riches without understanding leave you no better off than the beasts. Twice that’s repeated (Ps. 49:12,20), just in case you might be tempted to forget it. Rather than trust in yourself or your riches, there is only one proper way to turn. You must look to God to redeem your life (Ps. 49:15). He is the only source of true value.

Back in the ‘50's and ‘60's it was common to see lots of little plaques on the walls of Christian homes. The little painted plaster knickknacks contained pithy statements that served as reminders along the path of life. Coming or going, they’d help us to pause and reflect on some worthwhile thought. One of the most common was:

Only one life, ‘twill soon be past;
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Maybe we need to put up some more of those little plaques so we can be reminded of this truth.