A Peaceful Proposition

We go to church. All our friends are there, we love to sing, the sermons are pretty good and class is, most times, pretty interesting. Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday class, retreats and more…

All in all things are pretty good. We have our jobs, our families, our friends, our toys and all sorts of things.

Deuteronomy 29. Here we find the people of God listening to Moses tell them of the covenant; the promise they are about to make to God, to be his people. VS 18-20, “Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today, whose heart turns away from God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison. When such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself and therefore thinks, ‘I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way.’ This will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry. The Lord will never be willing to forgive him; his wrath and zeal will burn against that man.”

Moses told them in VS 14-15, “I am making this covenant, with its oath, not only with you who are standing here with us today in the presence of the Lord our God, but also with those who are not here today…”

It is so easy for us to forget…to feel safe, that we are where we ought to be.

It is equally hard to keep the relationship with God alive when we have no difficulties, when struggles and hardship have not raised their ugly heads for a long time. It is so easy for Satan to slip in and, simply, leave us alone…let us get the feeling that we’re where God wants us, until gradually, we find we’re doing less. We pray less. We see fewer problems around us that we need to ask for His help…maybe because we tend to view rightness with God as a lack of problems.

Yet, Jesus told us to be ever watchful, for Satan goes about as a hungry lion, seeking those he might devour. But I think sometimes…just sometimes…Satan is gumming us to death. He has removed those sharp teeth and decided that harsh reality is not the ticket…instead…peace is the method of our destruction.

Let us remember that when we put on Jesus we made a covenant with God. Let us not feel safe, but be ever watchful for that evil that slips in silently and painlessly, and leaves us as far from God as if we were actively defying Him.

Because of Him,
Steve Emmons

A Psalm of My Own

Do I know you Father?
My heart longs to know you. To feel your presence inside me.
I search for you in your word. I plead for you in my prayers.
In events of my day, I ask myself…is that you…are you there?

Silence greets my thoughts. No word from on high proclaims your presence.
No miracle sparkles in my sight. And yet…

In the silence of my room; I know that you are there.
When quiet; I feel you watching.

I am not always where I should be. I don’t do all that I could do.
Selfishness crowds you out. Blindness empties me of your peace.
I thrash about in frustration. Lack of knowing you saps my strength.

In my pain and anguish, with tears on my face, I cry out to you.
My chest burns with need.
My throat clenches with words and sorrow that I am ashamed to speak.

For in the depths of my being I know you.
I have known you since I was small, though I know not how.
Yet, there is no place that I would rather be.
No place that I can conceive of, would serve me better.

Of my lack, you have abundant evidence.
Of my failures you have lost count.
My sins are without number.
And yet…

There is nowhere for me to turn. No one who can offer me solace.
No one who would forgive me all that I have done. Except you.
So, in humble appeal I lay myself before you.
I offer no excuse. I make no explanations.

I begin today anew. If your will allows it.
I take a deep breath, and ask your forgiveness
And, in spite of my doubts, I fumble through another day.
Regardless of my feelings, I labor in your service.

My hope…
That one day I may stand before you and hear you say…
I am proud of you….my son.

Steve Emmons

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