Day 2 - Anchor yourself in God's word




This morning I was back out on the lakefront listening to worship music and enjoying the morning. On the second day of my reflections on how best to use this time of trial I have been thinking about anchoring ourselves in the word of God. As I walked along the lakefront I was just thinking about various promises in scripture.  Paul says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).” I have been meditating on the fact, that even though I am grieving the fear we are all experiencing, those who are sick right now, and the loss of so many lives, I realize that God is using this time to humble us. There are things that are happening in our souls that are eternally important. We are thinking about our values and priorities. We are thinking about things in our lives from a new perspective.

We typically wake up tired and complain about the morning commute and the weather. We may be frustrated with what is going on in our lives, but this is giving us a chance to stop and reflect on everything that is truly valuable. God wants to use this time in our lives to refine us.  I think about how Peter says that our faith is like gold, and it is being refined by the fire (I Peter 1:6-7). I think of what James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).”

I have also been thinking about how the church is being refined.  So often we can be focus on programs and church services, and yet the church is the people of God. The scriptures say, “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land (II Chronicles 7:13-14). God wants to refine out of our lives so many of these things so that our hearts are devoted to him.  My hope also is that others would reflect on their lives and faith and that God will use this time to bring many to Himself.

Let me encourage you to anchor yourself in the word of God, to remember his promises, whether that is meditating on a verse a day or whether that is reading scripture for extended periods of time. Take time out to listen to God's word and meditate on it, and let it change your perspective today.


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