Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Lamentations 3:22-23

Reflections:

Lamentations 3 opens with a torrent of nasty events
the author has suffered, for which God is to blame.
God has seemingly ignored cries for help and brought about
bitterness of loss of happiness. Then a sudden turn in verse 21
leads us to today's passage as the author recalls, "The
steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,His mercies never come
to end" (v,22)

Sometimes life feels like that torrent of nasty events. Several years
ago our family suffered the loss of one family member after another
to cancer, three in three years, topped off with a house fire. We
hardly had time to recover from one tragedy before the next one struck.
In these circumstances, it is easy to become bitter, blame God, and
cry out, "Where are you?"

But when the torrents diminished and the carnage is assessed, a song
comes the mine about weaving the hope of a new tomorrow. And
suddenly we recall that, yes, God's love is steadfast and His mercies
never end.

Prayer:

God, thank you for remaining faithful even when life seems impossible
and you feel far away. Amen

(From Covenant Home Altar, dated July 2, 2012)

Scripture:

Psalm 130

"Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord,
hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the
voice of my supplications!" (Versus 1-2)

Reflections:

The psalmist is desperate for forgiveness and waiting
on God for relief. I don't know about you, but crying
to God for forgiveness and waiting for relief have not been
my regular habits-that is until recently.

I was in a relationship that ended badly and, boy, did I
feel mistreated. As I cried out to God for relief and for
justice, something in a Sunday sermon grabbed me:
extending forgiveness to another would bring healing to me.
Really? The psalmist points out that if the Lord marks
all our iniquities, who can stand? Forgiveness is extended freely
to us, so shouldn't we extend it to others? So I prayed and
waited.

Even though the relationship remains unchanged, I feel
healthier. Meanwhile, like the psalmist, my soul is waiting
for the Lord and I am watching for the morning.

Prayer:

Oh Lord help us extend others the forgiveness you extend us.
Amen.

(From Covenant Home Altar, dated July 1, 2012)

"Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide:
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow-
Blessings all minds with ten thousand beside"

Without pardon from our sin and guilt, there
cannot be any enduring peace. Without pardon
for sins, none of us could experience God's
personal presence to lighten our hearts and to
guide us through this fallen world. The message
of Great is Thy Faithfulness is of such depth
and promise it is difficult to describe in mere
words. To understand it, you've got to experience
it. The following witness of our own Esther
Windmiller tells it best.

In 1967 the nightmare of the Vietnam War was
raging all around us. In that year Esther's husband
Bernie Windmiller, an Army Chaplain was sent
to Vietnam assigned to the 4th Battalion,
47th Infantry, leaving Esther home with four
children ages 3 to 8.

She and the children had moved to a small
town where she knew no one. In her first
night alone, as the wind blew against the window
casting shadows from the swaying tree, and
the house creaking with strange sounds she
was overwhelmed with fear thinking, "I cannot
do this."

Next to her bed and on her knees crying, praying,
she found hope and strength from Psalm 27:14
in her opened Bible.

"Trust in the Lord, have faith, do not despair.
Trust in the Lord." (The Good
News Bible)

Rising from her knees and slipping back into
bed she found true peace and trust from claiming
God's promise in that verse and journeyed the
following days in confidence.

Daily letters from Bernie kept her informed about
him and his men, but due to interruptions in the
Postal Service from Vietnam, at times there was
no mail. On those empty days, she held onto
and remain faithful to God's word. On the radio
on July 19, 1967 Esther heard that Bernie's unit
had been wiped out by the enemy. Even on that
day she had no fear, but a deep peace.

Esther's faith and abiding trust in God's promises
supported her as she continued to care for her
children and help encourage other wives, waiting
further word. Within days, the chain of letters continued,
Esther's personal peace endured as promised.

God gives his children a great faithfulness not found
in anything or anyone we know. In addition to His
assurance of pardon for our sins, enduring peace.
His own presence, to encourage and guide us,
strength for each day and bright hope for tomorrow.
HE ADDS THOUSANDS OF BLESSINGS
BESIDES.