Psalm 34:7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

By Tommy Bulock

It was like someone tried to pop my balloon after that post went live. It was just a 20 minute thought in the middle of yesterday’s traipsing… but hours later I wondered if my cases had read it and wanted to prove me wrong.

Today, I’m remembering what it means to have my feet planted in future grace. It means God has freed me from anxiety, authored my peace, and anchored me in hope. In faith, I believe this today – that the Son of God will rise with healing in His wings. And I believe my day can look different because of my belief.

The Lord is good and gracious to those who fear Him.

I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?

Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.

Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
(Psalm 34 ESV)

Psalm 34

David was in a strange land among strange men.  He cried out to the LORD, and was rescued.  He sought refuge from the LORD, and was delivered.  The LORD does not promise to keep us from times of trouble.  If we never saw difficulties, we would not know the joy that David knew – the joy of the LORD as a refuge.  We do not need to live in peace when we can have God’s presence to take us through the war.  We do not need to be wealthy when we have a connection with the owner of all things.  We do not need to be in control when we have access to the sovereign God.

LORD, teach us to rely on you.

My husband, who really has cause to feel this way and even worse, continues to be his faithful, calm, peaceful self in the midst of this storm.  He never ceases to amaze me!  Does he have difficult days?  Sure he does, but he is always able to “handle” it with grace and a smile.  He gives me a pat on my shoulder and he somehow instinctively knows when I really need it.  He is an amazing person.  How does he do it?  With a deep, strong faith in God.  I wonder, then, I have a deep faith, why can’t I “handle” this ALS battle as well?  I’m not even the one afflicted?  Then it came to me ~ I may not be afflicted, but I am affected.  Affected in the deepest way because I watch, like an owl in a tree, how ALS is creeping up on him and pecking at him each and every day until he gets weaker and weaker.

This is the storm of my life.  I have no time or compassion for anything else or anyone else right now.  I am trying so hard to keep my boat from capsizing!  The scripture is the only thing that gives me peace.  So I lay in it, roll over in it, pull it up all over me like my security blanket.  Can’t get enough.  Then and there, I realize that my oars are really in my boat after all ~ in the form of my Heavenly Father!

My scripture for today…..Psalm 34:19-20  A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. ¹¹ And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances,

¹² And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. ¹³ So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. ¹⁴ Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? ¹⁵ Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?” ~1 Samuel 21:10-15

It seems that David had believed that Achish, the king of the Philistines, would show him kindness.  When he arrives, however, because Achish’s subjects are severely jealous and insecure about his presence in their house, David begins to fear.  Ironically, the very thing he did to honor and obey God the most were the things he was here hated most for.  It was his righteous deeds which made him a stench to these enemies.  Envy was dripping like sweat off of these men every time David came around.  Therefore, they sang his victory song to remind their king who he was dealing with.  Essentially, they were saying, look, your highness, this is the dude that killed lots of us as well as our hero.  Look whose sword he is sporting.  Don’t trust him lest he kill you and steal your high position, too!

David knew what these jealous and hateful men were saying about him.  He realized that he had placed his trust in man’s deliverance when seeking refuge with King Achish, rather than God’s.  He became afraid and began to pretend he was a mad man in order to protect himself.

Funny thing about pleading insanity…it’s intention is always to get you off the hook.  Who can hold someone responsible if their mind is malfunctioning?  Not only that, why worry about them at all, right?  There’s no advantage in dealing with their kind or taking anything they have too seriously.  David knows how people think and he uses their ungodly, mistaken stereotypes to self-preserve.

Nevertheless, regardless of how David acted behaviorally, spiritually he was flawlessly intact.  Here, as he pretends to be insane, we find him penning psalm 34.

He begins with praise and thanksgiving for God’s deliverance. (Psalm 34:1-4)  He assures the people of God that when we look to God and trust Him alone, we will never be ashamed.

 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.~Psalm 34:5

This is quite a statement from a man who was considered out of his mind by his colleagues and everyone who saw him that day.   David contends that those who look to God and place trust in Him alone are radiant.  No matter what other people’s thoughts of who they are are, if they are in the will of God they are never ashamed.  The light of Christ shines on them and is seen by all.  Consider Stephen.

And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.~Acts 6:15

Who was looking at Stephen?  Why were they staring so intently at him?  It wasn’t because his face was radiant.  In fact, they completely ignored that fact. They sought to falsely accuse him because of their jealousy and guilt.

And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. ¹¹ Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” ¹² And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. ¹³ They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; ¹⁴ for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”~Acts 6:10-14

Stephen’s speech following these accusations proves how he did not violate God’s law – they did- which is why they reacted so violently towards him.  The Pharisees would have caught on to what Stephen was saying very quickly.  He showed them that their hypocrisy was not hidden and he refutes his charges of blasphemy by his reverence, respect and knowledge of God’s Word.

As he begins his speech, Stephen mentions the lands of Chaldea and Haran.  He does so to prove how God spoke in the ages past and is not confined to speak in one place.  God can speak outside our accepted place.  He is making the point that God is universally present.  Jesus himself proves this true by speaking with the Samaritan woman and instructing her that true worship is not dependant upon a place, rather the Spirit and the Truth.  The religious elite were extremely angry and threatened by both Stephen and Jesus’ statements because the temple is where and what gave them their power and identity.

Stephen continuously proves their accusations unfounded .  His ultimate purpose and goal is to show that the temple, the land and every other type and shadow gives way to the person and work of Christ.

Though Stephen died a martyr that day, he did so speaking the truth.  He was not ashamed nor should he be.  Paul puts Stephen’s boldness into words for us in Philippians:

For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰ according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.~Philippians 1:19-21

Back to Psalm 34.  Still speaking of his deliverance, David says this:

This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.~Psalm 34:6-7

Unlike the prideful Pharisees or the kings who thought themselves superior, David regards himself as a poor man; someone whom no one respected or appreciated.  Psalm 102 assures such people that God hears them:

He shall regard the prayer of the destitute,
And shall not despise their prayer. ~Psalm 102:17

Not only does God hear such people, He considers them important enough to guard and protect with his angels.  (Psalm 34:7, Hebrews 1:14)  Should we do differently??

The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
~Psalm 34:10

The able and fierce aren’t always satisfied but the meek shall inherit the earth.  The religious Pharisees thought they had won in killing Stephen and making a mockery of his true words, but whose legacy and soul lives on and whose is a stench to both God and man to this day?

Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.~Psalm 34:11

Another proof that King David was humble and thought lowly of himself is this: he did not think himself above teaching children.  And what does he teach them?  Of all the skillful things David had mastered, he speaks of none but the fear of the Lord.  David understands what is important not only for himself, but for the children whom God had placed before him.

Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
¹³ Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
¹⁴ Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it. ~Psalm 34:12-14

Do you want to live?  See goodness?  Verses 12-14 teach us how.  Everything we say must be sincere.  We must never be double-tongued.  We must never say one thing and do another nor speak kindly to the face and slander behind the back.  “If peace seems to flee from us, we must pursue it.  Follow peace with all men, spare no pains, no expense to preserve and recover peace.” ~Matthew Henry

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸ The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit. ~Psalm 34:17-18

Who is righteous?  The man who has a broken heart.  Many people have much pain, sadness and hurt in their hearts, but they refuse to be broken before the Lord.  A broken heart is what we must come with if we want to see God.  Also, a contrite spirit.  We must have a spirit that thinks of our self as David did; lowly and without confidence in our own merit and works.  Apart from these attributes, we cannot know God.

When we are hated by the authorities in God’s land, our temptation is often to seek refuge in the enemy’s camp.  Unfortunately, when we go there we end up having to pretend we’re someone we’re not.  If we are spiritually healthy, it won’t take us too long to figure out that neither friends nor enemies serve well as saviors.  God himself is our only refuge.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.~Psalm 34:19

God’s providences sometimes seem to run counter to his promises.  But God doesn’t promise health, wealth and prosperity to his people.  There is no amount of positive thinking that will keep us from the many trials Our Sovereign God deems right and necessary for sake of our sanctification and others’ salvation.  When the world is against us let us consider and imitate Stephen, whose legacy of boldness, knowledge, and unashamed adherence to the truth lives on.

You may look at the picture above and see a Teddy Graham on a graham cracker. But when I look at that picture, I see Jesus at work.  This little snack speaks volumes to the little hearts who come through our doors on Sunday mornings because this little snack reminds them that Jesus healed a man who couldn’t walk. He could only be carried from place to place on a mat covered with a blanket. His friends would put him on the blanket and take him to town where he would beg for money because he couldn’t work.

But one day Peter and John came to town and changed all that. (Acts 3) He asked them for money, but they didn’t have any. But they did have something else they could give him. They had the power to meet his needs.  It was easy to see that the man needed to walk, but even more than that, he needed Jesus. This little snack reminds us that Jesus loved him so much, and that Jesus loves us so much, that He came to help us, to meet our needs and to save us. And on this day, He did that through Peter and John.

As our lil HiSKidZ taste and see the goodness of the snack, we are also helping them taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)  That He loved us so much that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, will receive eternal life. (John 3:16)

It’s cool indeed that not only do we help them see how God’s power was at work in Peter and John’s life, but even more, we help them to see how God’s power can be at work in their lives as they grow up to love and follow Him.

And that’s some pretty tasty teaching!

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psm 34:17-18

While the Lord may save us from our troubles, it doesn’t say immediately. Sometimes the struggles are what we need to grow and become what God has planned. The thing to remember is that God is with me and that he won’t let it get to be too much.

 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

- Psalm 23:1

Consumerism, buying things you really don’t need.  Today we are bombarded with things we really don’t need, it is more of luxury than need. Where as we can really just live by having all the basic needs filled.

Do we really even need another gadget?

What is its purpose if we go buy another one? etc.

The more I think about Matthew 6:33 and Psalm 34~10 ;

Where our desires, and needs are provided – as long as we are seeking His kingdom.  I can’t help but think sometimes is does God really provided what we “want”, or did our hearts desire change as we began to understand His greater purpose, did we become align to what He knows is best for us. And so we say “I shall not want.”

Be at peace knowing what God wants for us is the best.

Above:  Christ Pantocrator

Image Source = Edal Anton Lefterov

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jesus-Christ-from-Hagia-Sophia.jpg)

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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning:

Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,

that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,

which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

–The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236

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The Assigned Readings:

Exodus 9:29-10:20

Psalm 34 (Morning)

Psalms 25 and 91 (Evening)

Hebrews 3:1-19

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Some Related Posts:

Hebrews 3:

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/09/18/week-of-1-epiphany-thursday-year-1/

Prayer:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/prayer-for-tuesday-of-passion-weekholy-week/

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It is true that Moses was trustworthy in the household of God, as a servant is, acting as witness to the things which were yet to be revealed, but Christ is trustworthy as a son is, over his household.  And we are his household, as long as we maintain the hope in which we glory.

–Hebrews 3:5-6, The New Jerusalem Bible

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[Aaron and Miriam] came forward; and [the LORD] said, “Hear these My words:  When a prophet of the LORD arises among you, I make Myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream.  Not so with my servant Moses; he is trusted throughout My household.  With him I speak mouth to mouth, plainly and not in riddles, and he beholds the likeness of the LORD.  How then did you not shrink from speaking against My servant Moses?”  Still incensed with them, the LORD departed.

–Numbers 12:5b-9, TANAKH:  The Holy Scriptures

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In Exodus 10 we find a new wrinkle in the narrative:  Courtiers of the Pharaoh criticize him for his obstinancy.  They understood what he ought to do.  Confronting such a monarch was no small risk, and this was no sympathetic king.

Moses, meanwhile, was faithful to God’s instructions.  This is a point the author (probably the Elohist–E) wanted the audience to understand.  It was a point the author of the Letter to the Hebrews grasped.  In Hebrews Jesus was greater than the prophets (1:1-4), the angels (1:5-2:18), and Moses (3:1-6), who was very close to God.  Moses was great, but he was only a servant in the household of faith, a household with Jesus built (3:2, 3, and 5).

We who have read the Bible know the outline of the rest of the story.  Yes, God will liberate the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt.  (The name of the book isExodus!)  But almost immediately afterward the troubles will start.  Grumbling will ensue.  People will express nostalgia for Egypt.  And the next generation will be the one to enter the Promised Land.  The liberated generation will not enter the Promised Land because it will not believe and will not abandon its slave mentality.  It will not enter the Promised Land because it will insist on hardening its collective heart.

Likewise, the author of the Letter to the Hebrews wrote, Christians ought not to harden their hearts.  Our Promised Land is spiritual, not geographical.  And Jesus, whose Hebrews name translated directly into English is Joshua, will lead us there.  The parallels between the Old Testament and the New Testament are beautiful, are they not?

This is a devotion for Tuesday in Holy Week.  This day has meaning only in relation to subsequent days, namely Maundy/Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.  Most of all it derives meaning from its position relative to Easter Sunday, for that Sunday gives us a Resurrected Jesus, not a dead one.  As scholars of the New Testament observe accurately, the point of perspective in the canonical Gospels is a post-Resurrection one.  And that is appropriate.  We Christians follow a Resurrected Lord and Savior, not a dead Messiah.  We follow him, who is superior wo even the greatest figure of the Hebrew Scriptures.  We follow the one of whom St. Paul the Apostle wrote

But what were once my assets I now through Christ Jesus count as losses.  Yes, I will go further:  because of the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I count everything as loss.  For him I have accepted the loss of all other things, and look on them as filth if only I can gain Christ and be given a place in him….

(Sorry for the ellipses, but the text is a run-on sentence in The New Jerusalem Bible.  The citation is Philippians 3:7-9a.)

St. Paul summarized the case well; I cannot do better.  So I encourage you, O reader, to ponder the supremacy of Christ during all weeks, but especially during Holy Week, and to do so while remembering St. Paul’s words from Philippians 3.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

MAY 30, 2012 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA, HISTORIAN AND ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP

THE FEAST OF APOLO KIVEBULAYA, ANGLICAN EVANGELIST

THE FEAST OF JOACHIM NEANDER, GERMAN REFORMED MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER

THE FEAST OF JOSEPHINE BUTLER, WORKER AMONG WOMEN

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Adapted from this post:

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/devotion-for-the-thirty-sixth-day-of-lent-tuesday-in-holy-week-lcms-daily-lectionary/

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Above:  The Burning Bush Logo of The Church of Scotland

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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning:

Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,

that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,

which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

–The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236

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The Assigned Readings:

Exodus 2:23-3:22 (30th Day of Lent)

Exodus 4:1-18 (31st Day of Lent)

Psalm 34 (Morning–30th Day of Lent)

Psalm 5 (Morning–31st Day of Lent)

Psalms 25 and 91 (Evening–30th Day of Lent)

Psalms 27 and 51 (Evening–31st Day of Lent)

Mark 14:53-72 (30th Day of Lent)

Mark 15:1-15 (31st Day of Lent)

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Some Related Posts:

Exodus 2-4:

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/third-sunday-in-lent-year-c/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/week-of-proper-10-wednesday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/12/28/week-of-proper-10-thursday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/proper-17-year-a/

A Prayer by St. Francis of Assisi:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2010/07/25/a-prayer-by-st-francis-of-assisi/

Prayers:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/prayer-for-tuesday-in-the-fifth-week-of-lent/

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/11/prayer-for-wednesday-in-the-fifth-week-of-lent/

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Moses was a fugitive and a murderer with a speech impediment.  Yet God sent him (along with Aaron, his eloquent brother) back to Egypt to help liberate the Hebrews.  The Book of Exodus is quite clear:  God liberated the Hebrews, yet had human agents.

Simon Peter denied Jesus three times while the Sanhedrin condoned perjury and held the flimsiest excuse for a trial of our Lord and Savior.  Yet, a few weeks later, the Apostle became the rock of faith Jesus saw in him.  Peter was still prone to speak when he should have remained silent, but he was a very different man in other ways.

We come to God as we are, complete with virtues, vices, shortcomings, flaws, and fortes.  God knows all of them better than we do.  Yet we can, by grace, become instruments of God, whose image we bear.  Another indicator of grace germane to his one is that strengths can emerge from our flaws and our striving to overcome them.  We make a spiritual pilgrimage in God because we know of our need to do so.  And the journey proves quite rewarding in and of itself.  So, without minimizing or denying the realities of sin and human frailties, I encourage you, O reader, to look within yourself and to recognize them as opportunities for growing spiritually and helping others.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

MAY 29, 2012 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF THE FIRST U.S. PRESBYTERIAN BOOK OF CONFESSIONS, 1967

THE FEAST OF JIRI TRANOVSKY, HYMN WRITER

THE FEAST OF SAINTS LUKE KIRBY, THOMAS COTTAM, WILLIAM FILBY, AND LAURENCE RICHARDSON, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND MARTYRS

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Adapted from this post:

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/devotion-for-the-thirtieth-and-thirty-first-days-of-lent-lcms-daily-lectionary/

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Above:  The Widow’s Mite

Image Sources = Johannes Bockh and Thomas Mirtsch

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BasilikaOttobeurenFresko08.JPG)

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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning:

Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,

that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,

which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

–The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236

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The Assigned Readings:

Genesis 43:1-28 (24th Day of Lent)

Genesis 44:1-18, 32-34 (25th Day of Lent)

Psalm 34 (Morning–24th Day of Lent)

Psalm 5 (Morning–25th Day of Lent)

Psalms 25 and 91 (Evening–24th Day of Lent)

Psalms 27 and 51 (Evening–25th Day of Lent)

Mark 12:13-27 (24th Day of Lent)

Mark 12:28-41 (25th Day of Lent)

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Some Related Posts:

Genesis 44:

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/12/23/week-of-proper-9-thursday-year-1/

Mark 12:

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/week-of-proper-4-tuesday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/week-of-proper-4-wednesday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/week-of-proper-4-thursday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/week-of-proper-4-friday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/week-of-proper-4-saturday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/proper-26-year-b/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/11/10/proper-27-year-b/

Prayers:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/prayer-for-tuesday-in-the-fourth-week-of-lent/

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/prayer-for-wednesday-in-the-fourth-week-of-lent/

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As I read the assigned lessons I arrived at a unifying theme:  sincerity (or the lack thereof).  Joseph’s brothers demonstrated the sincerity of their change of heart by

1. not objecting to preferential treatment for Benjamin, the youngest brother, in Genesis 43:33-34, and
2. defending Benjamin, whom they thought was about to become a slave in Genesis 44:18-34.

They passed the test with flying colors.

In contrast, collaborators tried to trick Jesus into sounding like a rebel in Mark 12:13-17.  There were more Roman soldiers than usual in the city at the time.  But Jesus was no fool.  And the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection of the dead, asked an obvious trick question about levirate marriage and the afterlife.  Yet our Lord did field an honest question–one regarding the greatest commandment–and witnessed a desperately poor widow make an offering.  In the immediately prior passage he had denounced scribes who

devour the property of widows….

–Mark 12:40b, The New Jerusalem Bible

I have covered the widow’s mite in other posts linked to this one, but I choose to write the following here and now:  The widow should have kept her money and spent it on her needs.  But at least she was sincere.

May we refrain from playing destructive games with God and each other.  Instead, may we seek the best for each other and the community, be honest in that, and be sincere in our love.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

MAY 22, 2012 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF RICHARD BIGGS, ACTOR

THE FEAST OF ROTA WAITOA, ANGLICAN PRIEST

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Adapted from this post:

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/devotion-for-the-twenty-fourth-and-twenty-fifth-days-of-lent-lcms-daily-lectionary/

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Above:  Children with Cats

Image Source = Nancy Collins

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nepalese-children-with-cats.jpg)

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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning:

Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,

that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,

which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

–The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236

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The Assigned Readings:

Genesis 35:1-29

Psalm 34 (Morning)

Psalms 25 and 91 (Evening)

Mark 9:33-50

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Some Related Posts:

Genesis 32:

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/12/21/week-of-proper-9-tuesday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/proper-13-year-a/

Mark 9:

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/week-of-7-epiphany-tuesday-year-1/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/week-of-7-epiphany-wednesday-year-1/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/11/03/week-of-7-epiphany-thursday-year-1/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/week-of-7-epiphany-tuesday-year-2/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/week-of-7-epiphany-wednesday-year-2/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/week-of-7-epiphany-thursday-year-2/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/11/13/week-of-proper-2-tuesday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/11/13/week-of-proper-2-wednesday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/11/13/week-of-proper-2-thursday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/week-of-proper-2-tuesday-year-2/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/week-of-proper-2-wednesday-year-2/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/week-of-proper-2-thursday-year-2/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/proper-20-year-b/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/proper-21-year-b/

A Prayer to See Others  as God Sees Them:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/a-prayer-to-see-others-as-god-sees-them/

Prayer:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/02/03/prayer-for-tuesday-in-the-third-week-of-lent/

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Jacob was a trickster, schemer, manipulator, and a swindler.  Yet God gave him a new name:  Israel, literally

God rules.

Take your pick of origin story for this name, O reader; you have two options–the wrestling match in Genesis 32 and the less dramatic account in 35:10.  (The Sources Hypothesis makes more sense the more I read the Hebrew Scriptures.)

God works through a variety of interesting people.  For a few examples we need not look beyond this day’s readings.  We have Jacob/Israel, of course.  And we have the unnamed non-Apostle from Mark 9:38-40.  After all,

Anyone who is not against us is for us.

–Mark 9:40, The New Jerusalem Bible

If that were not enough, the greatest in the Kingdom of God is the

servant of all.

–Mark 9:35, The New Jerusalem Bible

Among the wonderful themes in the Gospel of Mark is this:  If you think that you are an insider, you almost certainly are mistaken.  Almost everybody except the people closest to Jesus in that text knows who he really is, for example. So the teaching that the Kingdom of God functions differently than society fits well with the rest of Mark.  And it meshes well with the story of Jacob.  How else could a man of such dubious character became an agent of God’s plans?

Character matters, of course; it is a person’s destiny.  But my point is that God can make anyone–regardless of character–an effective agent of divine plans.  Yes, I write of the sovereignty of God.  As for character, the most sterling example of it of which I have knowledge is Jesus of Nazareth, whom the Roman Empire executed as a criminal.  So I place limited confidence in official estimates of a person’s character.  As I recall, our Lord socialized with many disreputable people.  He must have recognized much potential in them.  And God must have recognized much potential in Jacob/Israel.

Do we recognize potential in others and in ourselves?  Do we see each other as God sees us?  And how does the manner in which we regard others and ourselves influence our actions?  How do those actions affect others and shape society?  Think about it.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

MAY 22, 2012 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF RICHARD BIGGS, ACTOR

THE FEAST OF ROTA WAITOA, ANGLICAN PRIEST

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Adapted from this post:

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/devotion-for-the-eighteenth-day-of-lent-lcms-daily-lectionary/

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Above:  Christ Rescuing Peter from Drowning

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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning:

Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,

that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,

which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

–The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236

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The Assigned Readings:

Genesis 18:1-15 (11th Day of Lent)

Genesis 21:1-21 (12th Day of Lent)

Psalm 119:73-80 (Morning–11th Day of Lent)

Psalm 34 (Morning–12th Day of Lent)

Psalms 121 and 6 (Evening–11th Day of Lent)

Psalms 25 and 91 (Evening–12th Day of Lent)

Mark 6:14-34 (11th Day of Lent)

Mark 6:35-56 (12th Day of Lent)

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Some Related Posts:

Genesis 18:

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/proper-6-year-a/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/12/14/week-of-proper-7-saturday-year-1/

Genesis 21:

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/proper-6-year-a/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/proper-7-year-a/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/week-of-proper-8-wednesday-year-1/

Mark 6:

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/third-day-of-epiphany/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/fourth-day-of-epiphany/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/week-of-4-epiphany-friday-year-1/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/week-of-4-epiphany-saturday-year-1/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/week-of-5-epiphany-monday-year-1/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/week-of-4-epiphany-friday-year-2/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/proper-9-year-b/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/proper-10-year-b/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/proper-11-year-b/

Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, Martyr (August 29):

http://neatnik2009.wordpress.com/2010/06/13/feast-of-the-beheading-of-st-john-the-baptist-martyr-august-29/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/feast-of-the-beheading-of-st-john-the-baptist-martyr-august-29/

Prayers:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/prayer-for-monday-in-the-second-week-of-lent/

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/prayer-for-tuesday-in-the-second-week-of-lent/

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ALPHA:

The Feeding of the Five Thousand is a story which all four canonical Gospels tell.  Here are the citations:

1. Mark 6:30-44
2. Matthew 14:13-21
3. Luke 9:10-17
4. John 6:1-15

There are five thousand men in Mark.  There is no indication of an estimate, such as “about” or “as many as.”  Neither is there any mention of women and children.

Matthew 14:21 tells us of

about five thousand men…, to say nothing of women and children.  (The New Jerusalem Bible)

Luke 9:14 has

about five thousand men.  (The New Jerusalem Bible)

And John 6:10 mentions

as many as five thousand men.  (The New Jerusalem Bible)

So the women and children occur explicitly in the Matthew reading, although the Johannine version implies them.  (I read the text in several translations quite closely and consulted commentaries.) Such details interest me.

BETA:

Sometimes a lectionary becomes too choppy.  I understand the need to avoid placing too much material on one day.  The Lutheran daily lectionary I am following provides for

two readings of 15-25 verses each….one from the Old Testament, the other from the New Testament.

–Lutheran Service Book (2006), page 299

Yet this system divides the passage describing the Feeding of the Five Thousand (men) in Mark into two readings across as many days.  One of my methods in composing these posts is combining days of material as necessary to maintain a certain degree of textual unity, not that I need to defend myself in this matter.  This is a purely procedural notice.

We read today of wonders coexisting with sad news.  Abraham and Sarah become parents in their old age yet expel Hagar and Ishmael, victims in the narrative.  Our Lord heals people, feeds five thousand men with a small amount of food, and walks on water.  Yet Herod Antipas, the man responsible for the death of John the Baptist, wants to meet Jesus.  The wondrous and the unfortunate rub shoulders with each other.

That is the nature of the world, is it not?  The Second Person of the Trinity became incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth.  His life was at risk before he was born and remained so after his birth.  And the Roman Empire executed him–not for being a nice guy who told people to love their neighbors, by the way.  Authorities perceived him as a thread to their power.  And he was, but not in the way in which zealots would have preferred him to be.

Jealousies and fears arise within us, bringing out the worst of our natures.  Sometimes we project them onto God and convince ourselves that God commands us to expel or execute those who, by their existence, threaten our positions, status, or ego.  May God forgive us, regardless of whether we know what we do.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

MAY 15, 2012 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF THE FIRST U.S. PRESBYTERIAN BOOK OF COMMON WORSHIP, 1906

THE FEAST OF CAROLINE CHISHOLM, HUMANITARIAN

THE FEAST OF PIRIPI TAUMATA-A-KURA, ANGLICAN MISSIONARY

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Adapted from this post:

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/devotion-for-the-eleventh-and-twelfth-days-of-lent-lcms-daily-lectionary/

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Above:  The Subsiding of the Waters of the Deluge, by Thomas Cole

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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning:

Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,

that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,

which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

–The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236

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The Assigned Readings:

Genesis 7:11-8:12

Psalm 34 (Morning)

Psalms 25 and 91 (Evening)

Mark 3:20-35

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Some Related Posts:

Genesis 7-8:

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/week-of-6-epiphany-wednesday-year-1/

Mark 3:

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/week-of-3-epiphany-monday-year-1/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/week-of-3-epiphany-tuesday-year-1/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/proper-5-year-b/

Prayer:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/prayer-for-tuesday-of-the-first-week-of-lent/

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The world of early Genesis mythology was a flat with a dome on top.  There were waters beneath the land and there were waters above the dome.  Thus, in 7:11b (TANAKH:  The Holy Scriptures), we read:

And the fountains of the great deep burst apart,

And the floodgates of the sky broke open.

As Richard Elliott Friedman wrote of the flood on page 38 of his Commentary on the Torah (2001),

It is more than ordinary rain.  It is a cosmic crisis, in which the very structure of the universe is endangered.

Meanwhile,  in Mark 3, some of our Lord’s relatives think that he might be out of his mind.  Parts I and II of this story bracket an allegation by some scribes that Jesus is in league with Satan. This is how the author the the Gospel of Mark presents the material.  So, in Mark, Jesus has to contend with disbelief by scribes and

his mother and his brothers (verse 31, The New Jerusalem Bible)

In the Gospel of Mark our Lord’s true identity is apparent to demons, God, and himself–yet not to his family members and to his Apostles–that is, until his death.  Wilhelm Wrede, in Das Messiasgeheimnis in den Evangelien (1901), called this the Messianic Secret.  (There was much more to his hypothesis, of course, but I will not chase that rabbit here and now.)  In contrast, in the Gospel of John, there is no secret.  In Mark, Jesus tells people he has healed to say nothing.  (They disobey, of course.)  Yet, in John, he never tries to conceal anything.  The Markan premise makes sense to me, for it fits well with human relationships.  We have blind spots regarding people who are very close to us, do we not?  Often a stranger has more insight than does a friend, a relative, or an associate.

Anyhow, on to my main point..

In Genesis the world itself was in danger.  The only protection for the intended survivors came from God.  Certainly the boxy boat was not much compared to the water.  And, in Mark our Lord’s personal world was in turmoil.  Even worse, his life had been at risk since 3:6.

The Pharisees went out and began at once to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.  (The New Jerusalem Bible)

Even the life of the incarnate Son of God was endangered.

Such passages and themes of scripture cause me to wonder how anyone can, with a straight face, defend Prosperity Theology.   Not only does the Book of Job raise questions regarding it, but the life of Christ and those of he Apostles (including Paul) disprove it.  Furthermore, what about almost two thousand years of Christian martyrs?  And there is the matter of the suffering prophets of God.  But Jesus, Paul, and others knew that God was in charge.  So, when one’s world is falling apart, God is still in charge.

That is a lesson worth taking to heart.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

MAY 8, 2012 COMMON ERA

 THE FEAST OF SAINT BENEDICT II, BISHOP OF ROME

 THE FEAST OF DAME JULIAN OF NORWICH, SPIRITUAL WRITER

THE FEAST OF SAINT MAGDALENA OF CANOSSA, FOUNDER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY AND THE SONS OF CHARITY

THE FEAST OF SAINT PETER OF TARENTAISE, ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP

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Adapted from this post:

http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/devotion-for-the-sixth-day-of-lent-lcms-daily-lectionary/

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Answers?! The educator my dad left as a legacy in my DNA, LOVES a good question. I love to ask them and see wheels turning outside a thought life box and I love to have them poised before me like a carrot before the nose of a horse

So, I asked a friend a question. . .”Do you experience grace from me?” (Great vulnerable/authentic question right? I was so proud of myself ) She had the WISDOM TO ANSWER MY QUESTION, WITH A QUESTION! She asked, “Do you feel grace in our communion?” Okay, so now, I’m challenged, appropriately and lovingly challenged. Thank you friend for your Truth spoken in trusted love!

So, we ask many questions in our prayers! I’m sure I’m in God’s stack of “Question Overload, research and get back to her!) JK. Jesus often answered questions with a question. (Wisdom does that sometimes! ) Matthew 15:32-34 (NIV) 33 His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?” 34 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

Explore this link for a really great article on this concept, http://mondaymorningreview.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/jesus-answering-questions-with-questions/

Okay, so let’s talk, heart to heart. . .how does God answer us? Do we miss the answer because it is not what we expected? Do we REALLY EXPECT an answer? What can answers “look like?” Do we let God out of our little box when it comes to answers? Do we believe HIS answer is worth the wait?

Have you noticed, I’m not going to give you an answer? II don’t have your answer. . .. I have my own experiences with answers, and yes they are often well placed, challenging questions. So ask yourself some good solid questions about God and HIS answers. . .Please tell us what you come up with. . .We will all grow from your experiences. . .Let’s make your response easy. . .a fill-in-the-blank. . ..

God’s Answers to me are. . . . Hit the comment button and tell us. . .(it won’t hurt much, I promise )

Surely, you know by now, I am much more interested in your thought/prayer life than my own. I live with me, very boring! But you, now we are talking. . .that’s highly intriguing to myself and the other readers. . .So let’s see how many of you will respond. . .Come on give me a word or two. . .It will be good for you and it will BLESS ME!

If you’re anything like me then you’ll probably love sweets and chocolate. I’m not sure I’ll ever grow out of that! This picture is of a jigsaw I helped to do. It’s of 1980s chocolates and sweets. Do you notice how some wrappers have changed but others are still quite similar today? Do you remember some of these chocolates that are no longer made, or prefer the old names of those with new ones? For me you can say Starburst as much as you like but they’ll always be Opal Fruits!

Those of us who like sweet things like this know that we like them because we’ve tried them. Psalm 34 v. 8 says Taste and see that the Lord is good. As a Christian I can say this is true because I’ve checked Jesus out. Have you ‘tasted’ him? It’s hard to know if he is good if you haven’t…

Am I any different than a non-Christian?

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man who TRUSTS in Him.”
Psalm 34:8

God has provided every time in the past, and I am doing everything that I can on my end to be responsible and make money, but I am still tempted to worry. What if it doesn’t come in and I can’t graduate in May as planned. What if this puts off my wedding and graduate school and…

I thank God that His faithfulness and goodness does not depend upon the strength of my faith. Every time I am in this kind of situation, God showers me with reminders of His provision and encouragement to trust in Him.

Rather than let me flounder around only own, He makes it impossible for me to forget His ability to provide.
An example is two days ago as I was reading from the Gospel of John. I was nearing the end of the books and came across the passage that tells us not to worry about what we will eat or wear because God will take care of us. Beside the passage was a small note that I had written in the last time that I owed a lot of money on my school bill with no way to pay it. Below that note was an update on God’s miraculous provision in that circumstance.

And then today in my progressions through the Psalms, I came across Psalm 77 again (one of my all time favorite Psalms). In it, David begins by crying about God not being around anymore. But then, half way through the chapter, he suddenly changes. Now he states that even though he cannot see God at the moment, he will remember all the times in the past that God has provided. Rather than focusing on what it feels like at the moment, David commits to look at the great things God has done.
But His not so subtle reminders are especially evident in church around these times. Yesterday morning I enjoyed a great Sunday School class taught by Kevin Shepherd. Though this was not the topic of the class, a subjection of the lesson was especially vivid.
The theme of the class was “it’s not fair.”

At one point we looked at Psalm 46:10,

“be still and know that I am God.”

Then he made the statement that when we become worried or upset about our circumstance, we need to remember that our circumstances are not about us, but about God and bringing Him glory.

It’s not about you, but about how He receives glory.

Like when Job, who suffered all kinds of terrible things and demanded that God give him a reason for it all. Finally got his answer from God. He learned very emphatically that what had happened was not about him. It was all about God.

With this in mind, I can face this looming crisis with peace knowing that God is in control. And whatever happens, whether I am able to go back to college or I have to stay back and work for a while, it is all about Him and His glory. And when it is put like that, I can be content no matter what happens.

All I have to do is be still and know that He is God.

*This brilliant group of people had more talent than most small nations. It’s not always like those nor does it have to be, but I really love this song and these folks – long live Matchy-Matchy and the great Ben Hall.

LYRICS: You have delivered me with your strong right hand
You have set me upon the rock and made me strong

He sets me on a high place and makes my way blameless
He sets me on a high place and makes me blameless in my ways

The Lord is my strength, I will rejoice
The Lord is my strength

WRITERS: Lauren Taylor, Anthony Ashley , Jessica Smith, Danny Churchill, Ben Hall, Matt Axelson, Julie Presley, Abbie Troyanek

*Ben and his team have since written a good number of songs together – it’s been fun to see folks get the hang of it, start worshipping with songs born out of their own prayers and experiences.

LYRICS:
G-C-Em-C
I will not hide your righteousness
I won’t conceal your truth
I will not seal my lips, I won’t shut down

I won’t close off, I won’t hold back
I won’t withhold the love you’ve shown
I won’t be shy or still, I won’t shut down

Em-C-G-D/F# (C-D at the break, 2nd time just C)
I was out of control, off on my own
You gathered me up, gave me a home
You lifted me, out of the pit
Cannot be still, I cannot sit

D-C
Blessed are those whose heart is full of praise (3x)
C-D-Em-D C
So fill us up (3x), don’t delay

WRITERS: Jason Storm, Julie Briley, Ben Biggerstaff, Chris Foster, Michael Gill, Melanie Foster, Aaron Strumpel

*We worshipped with this song the night we wrote it and it was awesome. We combined it with one of our favorites by the United Pursuit Band, “Nothing I Hold Onto” and were thrilled with it – it’s the second soundcloud song below.  AND, one of the song-writers in that session was none other than Asher Seevinck from Loud Harp. Good Times!

Chords: G-Em-C-G
LYRICS: Am I yours
Am I really yours God
Have you forgotten me
Am I yours

Too troubled to speak
Too tired to dream
I groaned, I mused
Refused to be comforted

Am I yours
Am I really yours God
Have you forgotten me
Am I yours

To this I’ll appeal
To this I will hold
You were with me
In the darkest of storms

Waters writhed, the depths convulsed
The clouds poured down
You called them forth
I’ll remember you (2x)
Lightning crashed, thunder shook
Mountains fell
Right under foot
I’ll remember you (2x)

I am yours
I am really yours God
You have remembered me
I am yours

WRITERS: Tate McCallum-Law, Lawrence Camfield, Dave White, Asher Seevinck, Aaron Strumpel

*This one and Shovel Song #6 both came from the same session, using the same chorus. It was cool to see the team write different verses to frame the chorus in different ways!

capo v: C-G-Am-F
LYRICS: ch. Among the gods theres none like you
Deep compassion thru and thru
There’s none like you

v.1 You stand by me on the riverside
Skipping stones, singing poems when I cry
You comfort me, you comfort me

v.2 You sing to me by and by
Making melodies sweet friend of mine
You comfort me, you comfort me

v.3 You’ll walk with me through my last days
Fulfilling dreams, renewing strength
You comfort me, you comfort me

WRITERS: Justin Rogers, Micah Hammond, Nate Weller, James and Robin Acree, Mal Stewman, John Reeves, Sky Street, Aaron Strumpel