Down an Unfamiliar Road

HAVE FAITH IN YOUR FAITH –

Asaph’s positive way of responding to a crisis with faith is repeated here by his descendants. This time it was the Syrian King Sennacherib’s army that invaded Judah. Although things looked bleak, the composers of this psalm wanted God’s people to know that no matter what ideas their enemy entertained in order to defeat His children so they could gain control of everything for their benefit, He had other plans (Read 2 Kings 19:32-37). They were encouraged to hold onto their faith, because their Creator would not relinquish control to those who did not worship Him and were not “the called” according to His purpose. God may allow the wicked to do their work, but He will never call on them to do His work.

“O One True God we offer You praise after praise after praise! For when our ancestors told us about all the plans You have for us, Your presence became even more real. You once said, ‘When the right time comes I will do what’s right; even if there’s rioting and chaos I will put things back in order.’ So to fools and radicals we say, ‘Be careful! Don’t be conceited! Don’t go around bragging about yourself in a stuck-up and insulting manner! You can’t get ahead no matter how many friends you claim to have in high places. It’s the One True God, not man, who decides who triumphs. The LORD Eternal has established the rules by which He measures success; and like it or not sinners must do things His way. Here’s my status: I’m already praising the One True God that Jacob served for victory; for the plans of evil-minded people are already headed for failure; and His plans that bring victory to the right-minded are already in place and ready to go.” Psalm 75:1-10

Reflection: Bette Nesmith Graham, a single mom raising a son while working as a bank secretary in Dallas, Texas was looking for a better way to correct the errors she made while typing. As an amateur artist she knew how to paint over mistakes on canvas, so why not find a way to paint over mistakes on typing paper! So she mixed some water based paint to match the color of stationary, put it in a little bottle and took it to work. She started using it to correct typing errors; it was so good her boss never noticed the typos. Soon another secretary begged her for it. So she filled a little bottle and wrote: “Mistake Out” on it and gave it to her. Before long the word spread and all the secretaries in the building were asking for some. She ended up using her blender at home to mix batch after batch. It became so popular she started selling it on her own. Then she contacted various marketing agencies and companies like IBM, but they all turned her down. Bette was smart enough to get a patent and began her own enterprise that earned her $3.5 million annually. Soon she found a buyer and sold her idea for $47.5 million. Her product then became known as “White Out.” The Psalmist exhibits the same attitude we see in Bette; not giving up just because no one around believes in the method she used to solve a dilemma. The company that failed to see the genius in Bette’s invention was forced to watch a rival firm take the idea and make billions of dollars. So from both the Psalmist and Bette we can learn a lesson on how God can direct our lives. After all, He knows the future better than we do. The question is, do we trust Him enough to go against our doubters and become what God wants us to be, by doing things His way, not their way?

DON’T LET FEAR HOLD YOU HOSTAGE –

The Temple musician Asaph continues his lament about what happened to God’s people since King Solomon died and the religious downward spiral that increased under his son Rehoboam’s reign. This spiritual weakness led to the treachery of Jeroboam, the man King Solomon once appointed to help rebuild Jerusalem; who fled to Egypt as a fugitive and there conspired with King Shoshenk to invade Judah and install him as King of Israel. When Shoshenk and Jeroboam arrived to carry out their planned overthrow it caused Asaph to panic and cry out to God for deliverance. How could anyone who had been given so much, turn around and try to destroy it out of pride and envy. But He knew that God had the answer, even though it looked hopeless at the time.

“O One True God, it looks like You have abandoned us? But why would You do that? Why would You be mad at those You chose to take care of? Don’t forget, You were the one who claimed us believers as Your own a long time ago; the special people for whom You paid a ransom, and gave us the mountain where the sanctuary in which You dwell sits. You’ve got to do something to put an end to the outrageous way those who oppose us are desecrating Your sanctuary. How they rushed into Your sanctuary, cheering all the way as they waved their flags as an insult. Then like wild men swinging axes in the forest, they knocked all the symbols of our faith off the walls, and then they set fire to Your sanctuary and profaned the very place where Your presence dwells. They were yelling, ‘Let’s tear every one of these places down!’ They then took off to put the torch to every House of God throughout the country. Now there are no signs and wonders anymore; no more anointed preachers; and nobody seems to know when this will all end. So how much longer will You let them run wild like this; taunting us and blaspheming Your name over and over again? It looks like You just put Your hands in your pockets; pull them out and do something now! After all, You are our One True God, our Eternal King; You are supposed to provide religious freedom for Your people all over the earth. After all, You are in full control day and night; You’re the one who put the sun in place, who established earth’s seasons; summer and winter are Your idea. Never forget, our enemy has blasphemed You, O LORD Eternal; yes, these mindless fools have tried to ruin Your reputation. So don’t surrender Your darling to these monsters! Remember, You made a promise. So don’t let these things cause those being persecuted to become disappointed and backslide; make it possible for those who are down and out to celebrate You for who You are. O One True God, it’s time for You to send an awakening to support Your own cause.” Psalm 74:1-12, 16-19a, 20a, 21-22a

Reflection: Some years ago therapists did a study to determine what brought on people’s greatest fears and anxieties. They discovered that 40% of an average person’s worries come from things that will never happen—building bridges for rivers they will never cross; 30% came from things in the past that cannot be changed—constantly wishing for things the way they should be instead of the way they are; 12% from what they considered criticism by others—feeling inferior for no reason; 10% from concerns over health problems that didn’t exist—family history of certain diseases they may have inherited; but only 8% came from real problems they actually faced but had not yet decided how to cope with. Asaph had plenty to be upset about, and was in danger of letting his anxiety bog him down and diminish his importance to God so that he ended up wallowing in a mud puddle of hurt feelings. But he decided to trust the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to give His people back their sense of dignity, and allow them to worship Him without fear of the consequences. Experience tells us that God’s people triumph when they keep their fears from haunting them. We see this clearly in the lives of the three Hebrew children in Babylon; those who lived through the torture of Nazism and Communism. And even though the picture Asaph painted of the circumstances in his day is being repainted in the minds of many believers today as they see where our country and other countries in the world seem to be headed; we too can control our anxiety by allowing God to calm our fears. We must believe that nothing happens to us without His knowledge; without His permission; and without it serving His purpose for our lives. You can chose to trust this truth or allow fear to hold you hostage.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle was so fascinated as to how things came into being and then remained and continued to flourish, that after using rigorous logic and theorizing he finally concluded that there had to be someone or something behind everything in existence. But Aristotle was so convinced that it could not be postulated that the One who brought all of this to be, could then become part of what was created without also becoming contaminated and thereby diminishing Itself. So he adopted the term “Unmoved Mover,” or Prime Mover as some translate it, to describe the One who initiated everything in existence. The Prime Mover to Aristotle is the first of all substances, the necessary first sources of movement which is itself unmoved. It is a being with everlasting life. In “Metaphysics” Aristotle calls this being ‘God’ (Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book XI). In the O.T., we find this immovable God described, in that He is from eternity to eternity (Malachi 3:6). However, He is involved with that which He created. This led Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides to conclude that God can share all of man’s senses except Taste and Touch. Apparently, Maimonides did not know that in Isaiah 53:5, the Messiah, who is God, was being referred to, “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.” When it comes to taste, Maimonides did not accept Jesus as being the Messiah, so he would not be knowledgeable that Jesus drank and ate both before His death and after His resurrection. Here we see how limited even great human intelligence can be at times, but how far reaching faith in the simplest of minds can progress. So whatever limitations man believed held God back from empathizing with His creation, God sent His only Son to complete the connection. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

I’m often amused at the reaction I see in others when someone who has not been very vocal suddenly speaks out. It reminds me of the teaching of that great Jewish Philosopher, Moses Maimonides, who once wrote: “Every man possesses a certain amount of courage, otherwise he would not stir to remove anything that might injure him. This psychical force seems to me analogous to the physical force of repulsion. Energy varies like all other forces, being great in one case and small in another. There are, therefore, people who attack a lion, whilst others run away at the sight of a mouse. One attacks a whole army and fights, another is frightened and terrified by the threat of a woman. This courage requires that there be in a man’s constitution a certain disposition for it. If man, in accordance with a certain view, employs it more frequently, it develops and increases, but, on the other hand, if it is employed, in accordance with the opposite view, more rarely, it will diminish.” Maimonides believes the same is true with our intuitive faculties. We all possess it, but in varying degrees. Says, Maimonides, “Man’s intuitive power is especially strong in things which he has well comprehended, and in which his mind is much engaged. Thus you may yourself guess correctly that a certain person will say or do a certain thing in a certain matter. Some persons are so strong and sound in their imagination and intuitive faculty that, when they assume a thing to be in existence, the reality either entirely or partly confirms their assumption. Although the causes of this assumption are numerous, and include many preceding, succeeding, and present circumstances, by means of the intuitive faculty the intellect can pass over all these causes, and draw inferences from them very quickly, almost instantaneously.” This is all caused, says Maimonides, by what he calls “the Active Intellect.” Without this, prophets such as Moses, Ezekiel, Jeremiah and others could have never been motivated to speak their minds and say what they believed. Thus we may deduce that if you are not prone to speak out and express your thoughts without fear of what others may say, then you do not possess an active intellect. We can never learn anything from closed books or nonattendance at sessions of education where the status quo of our thinking is challenged. Some people go through life with the mute button on. So that after years of living, they know nothing new and say nothing unique. Don’t mimic the three Japanese monkeys seen in the carving over a door of the famous Tōshō-gū shrine in Nikkō, Japan: see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing. It is certainly permissible for anyone to choose not to express their opinion when it comes to politics, performance or personality, but when it comes to one’s faith in God, His Son, His Spirit and His Word, that should never be met with silence.

YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES –

After David had the Ark of the Covenant brought into Jerusalem with great fanfare and celebration, and placed it under the tent he ordered erected to provide a holy sanctuary where the people could gather and worship God; he appointed a young man named Asaph to lead the music ministry. Asaph continued to serve in the same position under Solomon. But when Solomon’s son Rehoboam took over, Asaph saw a tragic decline in the importance of the temple Solomon built to replace David’s tent, because Rehoboam became unfaithful to the LORD. It broke Asaph’s heart, so he expressed his frustration and feelings as one of those caught up in Rehoboam’s folly, hoping that those who would hear this hymn would see themselves. By this psalm being placed at the beginning of Book III of the Psalter, it sets the tone for what follows.

“Truly, our One True God is gracious to believers with sincere hearts. But I took a wrong turn and almost backslid. I envied these carefree sinners; how contented they seemed to be. They showed no signs of worrying about dying because they were so fit and healthy. They didn’t struggle with the same problems we did; they considered themselves as exceptions to the rule. Their pride drove them to dress like arrogant, assertive snobs. They couldn’t wait to be part of an orgy and enjoyed describing their fantasies. They love to finds ways of intimidating others by speaking to them with condescending rudeness. They have no time for anything spiritual because they are so caught up in carnal pleasures. Unfortunately, some of Your people went along with them until they were squeezed dry of their possessions. Then they turned around and taunted them with insults like, “Didn’t your God know what you were doing? Isn’t your God Most High aware of what’s going on?” This made me so upset and bitter; I was an emotional wreck. I acted like an empty-headed fool toward You; I looked like a stupid animal. Yet I could not give up my faith in You, and You reached out and grabbed my hand. You will never give up guiding me with Your counsel until You complete what You started in me. You’re the only One I have above, and no one compares to You here below. I may fail You in the flesh, but You are the joy of my heart, and all I’ll ever want. Those who stray from You will be lost. But as for me, I want only to stay near You. And I tell everyone proudly: You are the one who saved me!” Psalm 73:1-11, 21-28

Reflection: In the 1835 a young American lawyer suffered such deep depression that his friends did everything possible to keep razors and knives away from him. He once wrote, “I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall be better, I cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not.” Also, one of the greatest preachers of the 19^th century experienced periods of severe depression. Times came when he felt so depressed he refused to leave the parsonage and go to church. On more than one occasion his deacons came and physically carried him to the pulpit. Add to this a great British statesman during WWII saying, “Depression followed me around like a black dog all my life.” Nevertheless, that young lawyer became the 16^th President of the United States; his name—Abraham Lincoln. That great preacher became an icon of evangelistic preaching and his books are still read today; his name—Charles H. Spurgeon. And that British politician is still acclaimed as the one man who helped England weather the onslaught of Nazi Germany’s bombardments and lead them to victory; his name—Winston Churchill. Asaph went through similar valleys of despair as he went from experiencing the elation and joy of seeing the Ark of the Covenant come to rest on Mt. Zion, and observe the transformation it brought; the lives that it changed; and the praise and honor it bestowed on the God of Israel. But depression set in as he watched, heartbroken and in horror as people began to stray and return to their old habits. To make matters worse, they prospered while the faithful struggled to make ends meet. But in the end God helped him understand that although a person may possess little else in this world other than faith, they had everything they needed to bring them through. It still works today, but only if we choose to believe it, accept it, and act on it.

BEING REAL IS REAL –

There’s an old saying that all’s well that ends well. But what goes on in between may not look well at times, and begin to cause doubt that things will turn out for the good after all. But lack of action or no action may cause a reaction that spoils the whole thing. When David’s eldest son, Adonijah, schemed to usurp the throne from Solomon, the intended heir, the prophet Nathan went to Bathsheba and advised her on how to put a stop to this treacherous act. So Bathsheba ran to David and pleaded with him not to let Adonijah succeed because it would cost Solomon his life. Once David brought Adonijah’s plot to an end, he decided to make Solomon’s ascendance to the throne official, and prepared this Psalm to be read before the elders at the coronation.

“O, One True God, anoint this king with Your wisdom, yes, endow my royal son with Your principles of justice. May he judge people honestly with fairness. May the nation become prosperous as the hills and valleys produce generous crops to reward their hard work. May he defend the poor, give relief to the needy and keep them from being exploited. May he be revered as long as the sun shines and moon glows, generation after generation. May he rule from sea to shining sea. May everyone everywhere, from kings to commoners bow down before him to honor his reign. May his memory be honored forever and ever; may nations be blessed because of his sovereignty; and may he be looked up to as one of our greatest leaders.” Psalm 72:1-5, 8-9, 17

Reflection: According to an ancient Chinese story, a childless Emperor needed to choose his successor. So he devised a unique way of doing so by calling a large group of boys together and giving each of them a seed to plant. After doing so he ordered them to return in a year and show him what they grew. One young lad, named Ling, let his mother help him plant his seed in a large clay pot. He tended to it and watered it with great dedication. But while the seeds the other boys planted grew and produced trees and plants, Ling’s laid dormant beneath the soil. When the young boys were ordered back to show the Emperor the results, Ling arrived with his clay pot’s soil bare of any vegetation. The Emperor looked over the other pots and saw many plants, and those with the tallest had the biggest smiles. After surveying the situation, the Emperor suddenly called Ling to come stand in front of him. Ling’s heart sank; he felt panicky inside thinking the Emperor might punish him for being a failure. After asking Ling for his name, the Emperor turned and announced, “Behold, your new Emperor, Ling!” Everyone was stunned until the Emperor explained. One year ago I gave every one of you a boiled seed incapable of growing. All of you, except Ling, substituted another seed just to impress me. But because Ling did not try to cheat, and showed courage and honesty by bringing his barren pot, he is your new Emperor. David wanted to be replaced by a king whose reign would be based on integrity and honesty. Such longing should resonate in the heart of any citizen for this kind of leader. Although Ling’s story may be one of fiction, his character and virtues represent what David desired in the one who succeed him. Even Jesus said that on judgment day there will be many who will show up and try to pass off wonders and miracles they performed using His name, but will be exposed as frauds and impersonators. God loves honesty, integrity, honor, decency and trustworthiness. May we all pray for a special anointing of these virtues on our leaders today.

IT DOES MAKE SENSE –

David continues expressing his faith in God’s ability to keep him going as he copes with the backlash that came after his insistence on an unlawful census; one that brought death and destruction to his people, including members of his own family. It weakened him politically; depleted his health, and made him so vulnerable that his eldest son, Adonijah, tried to take the throne away from Solomon, David’s intended heir. But through it all David vowed to rely on God for the answer. He knew that the important things God placed in his life would be protected by His heavenly Father. He believed that God did not chose his destiny without the commitment of helping him make it there.

“It was I who came running to you, O LORD Eternal; so don’t let me end up regretting my choice. And since You are so renown for being fair-minded, please advise me and help me find a way out of this mess; You’re the only one who can do what’s needed to rescue me. Also provide a safe sanctuary for me in a place where the enemy cannot reach me; proving that You are my lofty rock and high fortress for safety. O my One True God, all I want is to get beyond the reach of those who want to harm me because they are evil-minded, unjust and cruel in their intentions. From my youngest days You have been my sure and blessed hope, O my Lord Divine, my LORD God; yes, from infancy You had Your hand on me. And because You are the reason I was born, I will always lift You up in praise. And because You chose me, I have become an example to others as they see how much I trust in You. That’s why I can’t stop praising You for being so marvelous and wonderful. So now that I’m old, don’t throw me away and walk off and leave me because I’m of no further use to You. For I know that although You’ve allowed me to go through many difficult times, You’ll get me back on my feet once I’m out of this mess. I’ll still have a good reputation because You stood with me. Then I’ll worship You with music to tell how dependable You are, O One True God, yes, I’ll praise You loudly in song, O Holy One of Israel, because You restored me. Everyone will hear me constantly testify about how you were so caring and forgiving; and how You caused those who opposed me to be humiliated and lose their sarcastic grins.” Psalm 71:1-9, 20-24

Reflection: Someyears ago a patient undergoing chemotherapy for cancer anonymously wrote these words about their struggle against this killer disease: “Cancer is so limited…It cannot cripple love. It cannot shatter hope. It cannot corrode faith. It cannot destroy peace. It cannot kill friendship. It cannot suppress memories. It cannot silence courage. It cannot invade the soul. It cannot steal eternal life. It cannot conquer the spirit.” This statement now hangs on the walls of many hospitals, hospices, clinics, and lodges where cancer patients stay while undergoing treatment. It serves as an expression of encouragement for people to continue battling this monster; not to simply give in and let it win without a fight. David saw his struggle in much the same way. He refused to lie down and let these ingrates do as they pleased just because of a momentary failure. David knew he did not walk alone; his God walked with him, through every valley and over each mountain; through every river and over every fiery coal. God simply refused to let David suffer alone. As long as you hold on to His unchanging love He will do the same for you. People and circumstances may deny you many things, but there is nothing in this world that can separate you from God’s undying love.

GOD SAYS YOU’RE WORTH SAVING –

This Psalm is a repeat of Psalm 40:13-17. But the compilers of the Psalter felt it necessary to include it again at this point because it follows the theme of this section. In this location, it emphasizes David’s desire to be reconciled with God after his sinful act of adultery with Bathsheba. Although devastated by his fall and buried beneath a mountain of guilt, David knew his only way back was through the grace and mercy of God. He decided that no matter what was taken away from him because of disobedience, he would rather die than lose his faith in a gracious and forgiving God. For David, living without God in his life was unthinkable, so he humbled himself and poured out his heart on the mercy seat of his Heavenly Father.

“O LORD Eternal, I need Your grace now more than ever; please, O LORD Eternal, act quickly before it’s too late. And do something about those whose intent is to ruin my life; let them know what it feels like to be humiliated and disgraced; yes, let those who seek to make my life miserable be ashamed of themselves. And let those who come around taunting me saying, “Aha! Aha!” experience what it means to be dejected, especially when they don’t succeed in making me give up. On the other hand, let everyone who seeks You be given a reason to rejoice because they know You; yes, may all those who eagerly turn to You for deliverance by able to say, ‘Magnify the LORD Eternal with me!’ Even though I feel worthless and see no reason to go on, I know my Divine Master wants me to keep going. That’s why I look to You as my Savior and believe You came to save me. O One True God, please do something soon.” Psalm 70:1-5

Reflection: After praise and worship the pastor introduced a visiting minister. He told the congregation this was one of his dearest friends since childhood. The elderly gentleman he introduced walked to the pulpit began to tell this story: “A father, his son, and his son’s friend were sailing off the Pacific Coast, when a fast approaching storm prevented any attempt of their getting back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor he could not keep the boat upright, and the three were thrown into the ocean as the boat capsized. Grabbing the only rescue line the father had, he was forced to make an excruciating decision: to which boy he would throw the lifeline. He had only seconds to make up his mind. This father’s son was already a believer, but his son’s friend was not. With great agony the father yelled, ‘I love you, son!’, as he threw the lifeline to his son’s friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered.” As the old gentleman was speaking, he spotted two teenagers sitting up straight in their pew anxiously waiting for what happened next. The visiting minister continued: “The father knew his son would go into eternity with Jesus, but he could not bear letting his son’s friend step into an eternity without a Savior. Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son’s friend.” The guest minister then asked, “How great is the love of God that He would do the same for us.” After the service the two teenagers shook hands with the visiting speaker. “That was a nice story,” said one of the boys, “but isn’t it unrealistic to think that a father would give up his only son’s life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian?” “Well, you’ve got a point there,” the elderly minister replied. “But let me tell you, I understand more than most people the pain God must have felt when He gave up His only Son for lost sinners. For you see, I’m the man who lost his son to the ocean that day, and my son’s friend is now your pastor.” If God will love us that much while we were yet sinners, don’t you think He will still love us even if we go astray. So don’t let your doubt be a substitute for God’s faithfulness. Hold on to your faith in Him, even if you have little faith in yourself. He did not give up His only begotten Son just to save others, He loved you too and wants you to always be His child.

GOD IS ALWAYS ON-CALL –

David experienced what many believers often encounter; no matter how much he trusted God and wanted to do God’s will, there were times when he took matters in his own hands because he couldn’t wait for God to act. Abraham’s example with Hagar and Ismael was well known; as well as King Saul’s fall from grace when he offered sacrifices instead of waiting for the prophet Samuel to come. David found himself alienated from his people and being punished by God because of his insistence on taking a census of the people when it was strictly forbidden by the Almighty. After being confronted with reality, David realized that the One who judged him was now the only One who could save him.

“O One True God, I’m in deep trouble up to my neck and I need Your help desperately; and as I sink lower and lower in this swamp, I can’t find anything to stand on; I’m about to go under and be swept away by the current. I’m so exhausted from yelling that my throat has become hoarse and my eyes are bloodshot from the stress of waiting for my One True God to answer. All because the number people who despise me and are trying to get rid of me have increased so tremendously that I can’t count them anymore. O my One True God, I know You are fully aware of my foolishness because I cannot conceal from You what I did wrong. Yet, even though I feel depressed because I’m in such misery, O One True God, I still want Your encouragement to give me hope. Then I can sing songs in celebration, O One True God, for who You are, and give You all the thanks You deserve. That will please You more than if I try to impress You with multiple pledges and offerings. I want those who are down and out, and those who look to You for help to see how this works; how You respond and refuse to ignore those who really need You.” Psalm 69:1-5, 29-33

Reflection: While serving as chaplain on-call one night at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, my beeper woke me up around 2 AM. I called the number and a nurse in the trauma center asked me to come quickly; a patient brought in after a terrible traffic accident wanted to see a chaplain. I rushed through the emergency section and found a young man with doctors huddled around him lying mangled and bloody on the operating room table. When the doctors saw me they drew back to let me get near him. With fear and pain showing in his eyes he struggled to tell me how he once went to church and lived a good life as a Christian, but after becoming a truck driver he drifted away from what he believed and fell into a very sinful life-style. He planned to repent one day but kept putting it off. So he believed that God used this accident as a way of getting his attention, and he wanted desperately to make things right with God. I asked him if he saw the impact coming and he nodded “Yes.” So then I asked what his thoughts were at that particular moment. With fear filling his eyes as he replied, “I yelled, ‘O God, save me!’” I bent over to be nearer to him, and while holding his hand I brushed blood-soaked hair away from his forehead. Then with all the tenderness and compassion God poured into my heart I said to him, “I can tell you, God heard your prayer.” Then together we prayed for reconciliation and God’s assurance of acceptance. As I stepped back to let the doctors try and save him; with tears streaming down his cheeks he looked up at me and with a peaceful smile on his face whispered, “Thank you Chaplain….” For David, his dilemma was not caused by an accident, but by disobedience. So in his moment of despair he called out to God for understanding and mercy. We don’t know if prophets or priests were on-call in those days, but we do know that God sent an angel to David, letting him know that He did indeed hear his prayer. I’m certain that God doesn’t respond to His children out of pity or because of moral pressure, but out of a compassionate, loving, and caring heart. Since God was willing to listen to David’s plea and the prayer of that young man in the trauma center, I’m sure He’ll hear your prayer as well. Just remember, God went to great expense to save you, and He’s not about to lose you without a fight. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

While looking at the Fruit of the Spirit as listed by Paul in Galatians 5:22-23, a thought came to me inspired by what I read in the work of Rabbi Moses Maimonides. He told that Onkelos, a Roman Prince who left the royal palace in Rome for Jerusalem, and there converted to Judaism, was contemplating Exodus 33:23 where God responded to Moses’ request that he be able to see Him said, “I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.” Onkelos concluded that there are higher things of such superiority that their true nature cannot be perceived by man’s intellect. In looking at the Fruit of the Spirit I asked myself: is there any painter or artist in the world that can paint a portrait of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as fruit? What form would they take? What would they look like? I concluded, like Onkelos, God has made some things so superior to our knowledge that we cannot perceive them without using the objects we already possess in our understanding. For instance, to paint a picture of love, an artist may show a mother holding her infant in her arms, looking down at him or her with tender eyes and a look of sweet serenity on her face. But that’s not the essence of love, only the evidence. The same goes for joy, peace, etc. That’s because all these fruit are abstract terms that can only be turned into concrete understanding through action. Thus Moses, who wanted to see God face to face, had to settle for something that would display an attribute of God, but not God Himself. But oh what joy to read in 1 John 3:2, “Dear friends, we are God’s children now. But it has not yet been shown to us what we are going to be. We know that when He comes again, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He [really] is.” – Dr. Robert R Seyda