| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Renewed hope” Our Bible verse for today: “The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit. One who is righteous has many adversities, but the Lord rescues him from them all.” Psalm 34:18-19 (CSB) Our thought for today: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted” Psalm 34:18-19 is a great promise that we can all embrace and claim as our own – “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.” But who are the brokenhearted? Well, that’s us, you and me. At different times, in different ways, and for different reasons, we are all brokenhearted in some way. Some are in deep distress, perhaps mourning the death of a loved one. Others may simply have a low-grade sadness that might not be overpowering but which never fully goes away either. And others are somewhere on the sliding scale of sorrow. At any given point, virtually everyone has something going on in his or her life that they wish was not there, and which is causing them some amount of concern and sorrow. Yes, this pertains to all of us. And for that reason, we all need the Lord – all the time. As the Apostle Paul reminds us, He is the God of all comfort. This is what the Psalmist was referring to in Psalm 34:18-19 and we read it again in Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.” However, seldom is the Lord’s comfort an overwhelming sense of immediate relieve. Sometimes it is, but more often it is subtle and less obvious and comes upon us slowly. His comfort and peace sustain us and helps us to keep on keeping on, and sometimes that does happen fast, but usually it comes out of what Pastor Eugene Peterson once referred to as “a long obedience in the same direction.” By that he meant that as faithful disciples of Christ, we continue to place ourselves in a position before Christ whereby the Holy Spirit can quietly and gently minister to our souls. We pray and read the Bible, we listen to worship music and we gather with fellow Christians, we serve in ministry and we do all the things that constitute the basic disciplines of the Christian life. And we do them whether we feel like it or not and even if it doesn’t feel like it’s making a big difference in that moment. Placing ourselves before the Lord like that is simply the right thing to do, always. And so, we do it. It is a long obedience in the same direction. And out of that comes a developing sense of peace and comfort from the Lord. It’s in this way that we come to realize that He is indeed near to the brokenhearted (us). When we are suffering or struggling (in big ways or in small), we want it to be better now. Immediately. Dramatically. Now. But usually, feeling better happens over time. So, take it to the Lord and trust Him to minister to your hurting soul in His way and in His time. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville |
| Copyright © 2024 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571 |
- Comment
- Reblog
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Oak Hill Baptist Church 