It’s a glorious day today, Lord: blue sky with just a few wisps of cloud, and sunshine that promises to actually hold some warmth. After the cold of winter, days like this make you feel good. It feels like You are smiling on the world.

Yet I know, Lord, that there are many things going on in the world that You do not smile on at all. Injustice, poverty, sickness, moral decline, idolatry…. the list goes on and on. Then there are the people: the ones who hate You, or who deny You, or who live in flagrant rebellion against You. I know You are not pleased with them. Your Word makes it clear that unless they repent, they will one day face Your judgement.

For now, though, You treat them with kindness. You allow them to enjoy the warmth of spring sunshine, and the reassurance of knowing that the rain will bring new life to the earth.

Far more than that, You extend to them the offer of total forgiveness, reconciliation with You and a new life with You because of Jesus’ death, if only they will repent and turn to You.

Lord, help me also to extend the sunshine of Your love, not only to those I like and who are nice to me, but also to those who despise me, ignore me, or treat me badly.

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This blog is © copyright Lynn Fowler.

There is one God, and one mediator between God and people, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5)in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9)and Whom God the Father has exalted to the highest place, giving Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Lord, I have a picture of the people of the city waiting anxiously for news from the battle front. Has their king and his army been successful in defeating the enemy? Can they return to going about their day-to-day lives in peace and security? Or have they been defeated? Will a marauding horde come swarming over the hill at any moment now, ready to kill, rape, loot and capture?

Then they see the runner. Even from a distance, they can see that he is signaling victory. The enemy has been overcome. Life can go on. With a collective sigh of relief they embrace the runner, the bringer of good news.

Even in today’s wars, Lord, there is that sense of relief and joy when the news of victory comes, even though today the “runner” is more likely to be radio, television or the internet.

So, Lord, how come people don’t react the same way to the “runners” who bring the good news of the greatest victory of all – Your victory over satan, sin and death at Calvary. More often than not, they are treated as if they are bringing bad news rather than good, bondage rather than liberty.

But then, if you’re stuck in the enemy’s camp, I guess it’s hard to recognize that good news is good news. Maybe we better just keep running to bring it anyway, and hope that at least some of those to whom we go will get the message.

Do you like Little Chats With God?

Buy the book at http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback_book/my_little_chats_with_god/6099303.

This blog is © copyright Lynn Fowler.

There is one God, and one mediator between God and people, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5)in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9)and Whom God the Father has exalted to the highest place, giving Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Psalm 42:11

Lord, I love it that Your Word is so honest. It doesn’t pretend that everyone who served You was up all the time. It records the down times, as well.

By the sound of this, the Psalmist was pretty down when he wrote it. He had been cut off from worship in the Temple, and feels as though You have cut him off. What’s more, he had to deal with the taunts of those who saw his predicament as a sign that You didn’t even exist, and that his faith in You was both unfounded and stupid.

All he could do was remember “the good old days”, and how he had delighted in being in Your presence.

I know where he was coming from. Lord, it’s really horrible when You go silent. There are times when Your presence seems to have retreated to the farthest corner of the universe, and my prayers don’t seem to even get as high as the ceiling. I beat myself up, trying to find what sin I have committed that has excluded me from Your presence. I feel forsaken, and I don’t understand why. At those times, I really understand this psalm.

Yet even in the midst of it, the psalmist sees something else. He gives himself this pep talk, reminding himself that You are still his God and Saviour. It’s like he’s saying to himself, “Even if you can see nothing, even if you can feel nothing, even if you can understand nothing, reach out by faith and take hold of the truth you know.”

Lord, my preference would be never to have to go through those dry times. But if I must go through them, help me, like the Psalmist, to continue to put my hope in You.

Do you like Little Chats With God?

Buy the book at

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback_book/my_little_chats_with_god/6099303.

This blog is © copyright Lynn Fowler.

There is one God, and one mediator between God and people, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5)in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9)and Whom God the Father has exalted to the highest place, giving Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)