DayBreaks for 4/16/15 – Why, Lord?

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DayBreaks for 4/16/15: Why, Lord?

I hate Satan.  I hate what he entices people to do in this world with is lies and deceit.  I cannot wait until he is crushed forever beneath the heel of the glorified Lord.  It cannot happen soon enough.

Last week I learned that a good friend and co-worker in Africa was deeply affected by the recent massacre that took place at the college in Kenya.  This person had worked with those students on many occasions.  So, when I heard that 22 of those this person had worked with were shot and killed in that terrorist event, I was stunned.   Then, more recently, I heard from another co-worker and friend that their niece was in the attack and was “missing”…and they feared the worst.  This morning I received an email that said their worst fears had been confirmed: her remains had been identified by fingerprint.  You see, the terrorists had shot her (and others) in such a way that their faces were destroyed.   I cannot imagine the grief and pain.  I cannot imagine the anger and the desire for revenge.  And while I know that God hates what happened, I also know that Jesus said:

God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers…Mt. 5:11 (NLT)

But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! [45] In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.  Mt. 5:44 (NLT)

How are we to do that, Lord?  How is that humanly possible?  Perhaps it isn’t.  Perhaps it is only the indwelling Spirit that can enable humans to live up to Jesus’ statements.

I know that I should pray for the conversion of those who have done this.  But, right now, I can’t.  All I want to think of right now is that God also said: Vengeance is Mine, I shall repay…  And I find comfort in that, even as I know that I deserve nothing more from God than do these brutal murderers…apart from His grace.

Will you pray for my friends?  And for Christ’s return?  Thank you.

PRAYER: Father, be with my friends and give them the comfort that only comes from You, and protect them, I pray, In Jesus’ name, Amen.

© 2015, Galen C. Dalrymple.

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DayBreaks for 01/11/12 – Trust in the Third Millennium, Trust #15

DayBreaks for 01/11/12 – Trust in the Third Millennium, Trust #15

Modern times/weapons make it difficult to hold onto hope, and trust...

From November 2001:

This is a time like no other in history.  Never before has a millennium (or for that matter, a century) started in which mankind had the power of destroying the world’s living things through nuclear, biological or chemical warfare.  That power exists today, and there are those that would use it if they can find a way to do so.  Some would do it because they are motivated by hatred.  Others would do it in the name of their god.  How, as Christians, are we to live in such a world?  We find ourselves faced with a dawning awareness that if we had ever put our trust in the goodness of our fellow man, that perhaps we were wrong.  And if we can’t trust one another, what is there that we can trust?  A God that none of us have ever seen?

“As we enter the third millennium, ruthless trust is the courageous confidence that despite suffering and evil, terrorism and domestic conflict, God’s plan in Jesus Christ cannot fail…the day will dawn when the lion will lie down with the lamb…”. (Brennan Manning, Ruthless Trust)

Sometimes it is a bit hard to believe that the lion will lie down with the lamb when we go to bed at night wondering if we’ll awaken to another terrorist strike or deadly water in the shower.  But ruthless trust, the kind of trust that takes no prisoners, hears those words from the mouth of God and against all reason and logic, believes in them and believes that whether we live to see that day in our time or not is irrelevant because sooner or later, that day will certainly come.

Some would say that we’re crazy as Christians to feel that way, that we’re out of our minds and just deluded dreamers.  “We are neither boozy dreamers, hopeless idealists nor cockeyed optimists.  We are not playing ‘the religion game’…Search your heart for the Isaac in your life – name it and then place it on the altar as an offering to the Lord – and you will know the meaning of Abrahamic trust.”

What is the “Isaac” in your life that God has been asking you to relinquish, to sacrifice to Him – in trust?  Is it your family?  Is it your job?  Is it your finances?  Is it your fear about the future?  Is it your doubts about His existence, or His goodness?  Stop fighting against Him and let it go.  Put it all on the altar.  If you live with ruthless trust in Him, your past failures will haunt you no longer, your insecurity be swallowed up by the security He offers, your fear of anthrax, botulism, smallpox or plague will disappear in the knowledge that NO MATTER WHAT happens to you in this world, you have nothing to fear – only heaven awaiting you on the other side.

PRAYER: I know, Lord, that we are not to fear what other humans can do to us, but we do fear such things.  We fear the unknown future and conjure all sorts of demons in the darkness of our minds and imaginations.  Remind us that we have nothing to fear, for your will WILL be done and the day when the lion lies down with the lamb will surely come!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Copyright 2012 by Galen C. Dalrymple.

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