Tag: A chapter a day

“A party gives laughter, wine gives happiness, and money gives everything!”

External, temporary things. What about the inner life? Everlasting life?

The Trade

The Lord gave me beauty for ashes,
And for sorrow He gave to me joy;
I was sad and oppressed,
He exchanged it for rest,
And a peace that the world can’t destroy.

I was poor and had nothing worth having,
Disappointment had saddened my life;
Now I’m rich as can be,
Since He traded with me,
Abundance of peace for my strife.

I was restless, but God made me quiet,
When I fully surrendered my all,
He gave me comfort for my fear,
Gave me smiles for my tears,
As He lovingly heard when I called.

Had He charged me the difference in trading,
Then His grace I could never afford;
But He cancelled my debt,
And I have no regret,
Tho it looks like I cheated my Lord.

Chorus
I traded my sins for salvation,
I traded my load for relief;
I got peace for my condemnation,
And the joy of my Lord for my grief.
I traded my life that was wasted,
A temple to dwell in God made;
I got so much more than I had before,
That I’m sure I got the best of the trade.

“I am my lover’s, and my lover is mine.”

This verse reminds me of one of my favorite hymns, “I Am His And He Is Mine”, written by George Robinson in 1876. It may have inspired him to pen these words:

His forever, only His;
Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heaven and earth may fade and flee,
Firstborn light in gloom decline,
But while God and I shall be,I am His and He is mine.

“My heart sank. I searched for him but could not find him anywhere. I called to him, but there was no reply.”

How lost we would be if God had not chosen to reveal Himself to us. There would be no way for us to find Him.

The wonderful reality is that He has indeed chosen to reveal Himself to us—through creation, through the Scriptures, through Jesus Christ. He has taken the initiative. All we have to do is respond, and respond with all our heart.

“You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes, with a single jewel of your necklace.”

We treasure what we love, who we love. True love is an investment that is its own return.

“Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and wild deer, not to awaken love until the time is right.”

The intimacy shared by a husband and wife is a wonderful thing, a God-honoring thing. It is sacred— to be reserved for marriage alone. Then, and only then, is the “right” time.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.”
Amen.

“Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.”

This verse somehow brings to mind the words of an old folk song, “Run on For a Long Time”:

Go tell that long-tongue liar,
Go tell that midnight rider.
Tell the rambler, gambler, backbiter—
Tell ’em God Almighty’s gonna cut ’em down.

“People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.”

God is rich in mercy, ready to forgive. But He can only forgive those who genuinely want His forgiveness.

“Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out..”

An (eternal) future hope is of infinitely more value than anything we look forward to here on this earth.

Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.”

Be zealous. Be determined. Make it a priority. Remember who He is, and how much He loves you.