IT was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. AND SO a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead – a nation with so many people that , like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them (Hebrews 11:11-2).

Oh, I’m so glad Sarah is in my cloud of witnesses! I relate to Sarah. I relate to God’s gift of faith helping me through a time when my body would not cooperate with the desires of my heart. A fertility specialist said there was nothing he could do to keep me from miscarrying every pregnancy. Today we celebrate the 12th birthday of the third beautiful baby girl God gave us. Sarah had faith AND SO… Sarah believed God keeps his promises AND SO…

By faith, Isaac blessed the future of his sons, Jacob and Esau. By faith, Jacob blessed the future of his grandsons (Joseph’s sons). By faith Joseph spoke confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt one day. Each of these men could not see into the future of their descendants but they knew the God who keeps His promises would be there watching over them.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race marked out for us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2a).

When Pharoah was killing all the Hebrew baby boys, Moses’ parents did not cower in fear. No, they ran with endurance, hiding their son for three months. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s commands (11:23b).

Moses stripped off every weight that would slow him down and the sin that would so easily trip him up:
It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. HE kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible (11:24-27).

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith(12:2a).

By faith, the people of Israel ran with endurance the race marked out for them – first when they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground and then when they marched around Jericho for seven days causing the walls to fall down. The race marked out for them resulted in victory and triumph over their enemies.

By faith, Rahab walked away from her people who refused to obey God because she had a champion who had initiated and perfected her faith in Him. This same faith can be found in the lives of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. God did great things through them and they received what God had promised. Consider this huge crowd of witnesses to our life of faith.

They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death.

All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us (Hebrews 11:33b-40).

Okay, no more feeling sorry for ourselves. I don’t think any of us have a testimony quite has harsh as this crowd of witnesses. Yet, they ran the race with endurance. We also have something they did not have, the new covenant relationship with God made possible through the cross.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not given your lives in your struggle against sin (12:2-4).

THEREFORE, since we have this incredible crowd of witnesses surrounding us as we live this life of faith, let’s strip off every weight that slows us down (whether it can be called sin or not) and let’s get rid of the sin that so easily causes us to trip. Let’s run this race with passion, with endurance, with faith – knowing that God keeps His promises and keeping our eyes fixed on our Champion who is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne! He has initiated our faith (we did not come up with it on our own) and He daily perfects our faith. Thank you God for these examples, thank you Jesus for enduring the cross for me and thank you for this gift of faith that is growing daily. May it be said of me, “Sherry had faith AND SO…” Amen!

Enoch was known as a person who pleased God. Wow, that is a powerful statement! A person can be known for so many different things, good and bad, but Enoch was known as a person who pleased God and that came from his faith in God.

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

Genesis describes Enoch as living in close fellowship with God for more than 300 years. “Then one day he disappeared, because God took him” (Genesis 5:24). Something incredible…something extraordinary happened in Enoch’s life, simply because God chose to do it. That’s the kind of God we serve – the kind of God that just does because He can.

Enoch remained in close fellowship with God and God spared him death. I could just be done for today because that alone is more powerful than any of the caffeine in my morning coffee! But Enoch is not the only person in the crowd of witnesses we are surrounded by as we live this life of faith. There are more. Right by Enoch stands Noah, a man whose faith in God produced righteousness.

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes from faith (Hebrews11:7).

There had never been a flood; there had never been a boat so big. Yet Noah obeyed God, which required a great deal of faith. But Noah’s faith had grown over the years because he, too, has had remained in close fellowship with God. He lived a life that was pleasing to God and so God considered Noah a righteous man – more righteous than anyone else.

Noah had the faith he needed when the moment of decision came. When faced with the choice to obey God and do something never done before, Noah had a faith strong enough to say “yes”. He did not have to produce this strong faith immediately because his faith had been growing over time as he walked with God. I’m so glad Noah is in my crowd of witnesses as I run the race set before me. His example encourages me.

Standing out in this crowd of witnesses is Abraham:
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith – for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God (Hebrews 11:8-10).

Abraham was looking forward, eyes fixed on God. Where do you want me to go? Okay, I’m on it. Leave home, leave everything I know? Yes, I’ll obey you, God. What do you want me to do? Okay, I’ll do it. Sacrifice my son through whom I expect your promises to be fulfilled? Yes Lord, I’ll do it if that’s what you ask.

Abraham could have looked back from where he came but he continued to look forward to the promise. When looking for a wife for Isaac, he insisted that his servant NOT go back to the land from which they had come to find her. When walking up the mountain to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham did not continually look back and remind God that He had promised Abraham would be the father of many nations. No, he pressed forward, eyes fixed on God, believing that God could do anything – including raising Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19).

This is why the writer of Hebrews pointed out the crowd of witnesses. He knew we would need the reminder of Abraham’s faith when we heard these words:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…(Hebrews 12:1-2a).

Oh, how I needed this today. When I look ahead, I sometimes get overwhelmed. I remind myself of God’s promises and I remind myself of Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”

Sometimes starting a new pregnancy center in Tazewell County feels like building an ark in the middle of a desert. Sometimes raising the funds to buy a mobile medical unit so that we can go where God is leading us feels like walking out of the comfort zone of our homeland into the unknown promised land. Daily I have to lay all God’s promises on the altar and trust Him to provide. Daily I have to remain in close fellowship with my God, from my morning coffee to my bedtime prayers.

The message of faith and endurance that can be found throughout the book of Hebrews hits a climax in the first few verses of chapter 12.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witness to the life of faith…(12:1a).

Let’s stop there before going on. Remember, whenever you see a “therefore”, you need to stop and see what it is there for. Chapter 12 starts with a “therefore” that is referring back to chapter 11. The “cloud of witnesses” in verse 12:1 is referring to the list of the faithful in chapter 11. Let’s look at this chapter full of examples of faith and endurance.

Abel (11:4): Abel offered his VERY BEST to God when he prepared his sacrifice. He did not see it as a waste to gather together the best of what he had and give it to God but He gave in faith – trusting and considering it a privilege to give his best to God.

Abel was the second son born to Adam and Eve, born after his brother Cain. Abel became a shepherd while his brother, Cain, became a farmer. When it was time for the harvest, Cain gathered together some of his crops and gave them to the Lord as a gift. Now, Cain’s labor produced crops – that’s what he did and so that’s what he had to give to God. That wasn’t the problem. The Lord rejected Cain’s gift because Cain did not offer his best to God, which is what God required.

Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest…As you harvest your crops, bring the VERY BEST of the first harvest to the house of the Lord your God (Exodus 23:16,19a).

But Abel, who was a shepherd, gathered together all of his firstborn lambs from his flock. Imagine taking special care to know what sheep have given birth for the very first time and setting these lambs aside in order to recognize them as special. Abel then selected the VERY BEST of his firstborn lambs from his flock and gave his offering to the Lord, who accepted Abel’s gift because it was his VERY BEST.

Cain reacted poorly. In jealousy, he became angry and “looked dejected.” In other words, he was pouting. God saw that Cain was angry and feeling sorry for himself. He gave Cain a very stern warning, a warning that if heeded would have changed the course of Cain’s life forever. Instead, he remained self-serving and angry, bringing a curse upon himself. But he had a choice, just as we do.

“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain.
“Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.” – Genesis 4:6-12

God’s warning is also for us – sin, jealousy, anger, self-pity. Watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and become its master before it becomes yours!

Now let’s go back to Hebrews 12:1 and consider the person of Abel, who was one who made up the cloud of witnesses to the life of faith:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by…

Abel, who “gave evidence that he was a righteous man” by giving his VERY BEST to God, who “showed his approval of his gifts”

…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith… (Hebrews 12:1-2a, 11:4).

Let’s give our VERY BEST to God today, letting go of it all and running this life of faith God has set before us with endurance. When we give our best to God, we are not left holding on to something that keeps our focus. Instead, we can focus on Jesus, who now has the VERY BEST we have to offer. He then takes our VERY BEST and perfects our faith – the faith He himself initiated in us. Praise God for this gift of faith and for the opportunity to give it back to Him – to give Him our VERY BEST.

PRAISE

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. – Psalm 9:1-2

Sing praise to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem.
Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds (9:11).

REPENT

Lord, I pray a prayer of repentance for our nation. Lord, forgive us for our sins of pride and self-reliance. Forgive us for our sins of worshipping anything other than you – the One True God! Lord, I look around and I see a nation in trouble. A nation that declares hateful those who stand by the principles laid out by you; a nation where crowds are bombed, parental rights are at risk and babies are aborted. Lord, we know you are watching everyone closely; that you examine both the righteous and the wicked and that you hate those who love violence. Oh Lord who loves justice, let us see your face! (Psalm 11:4-7).

ASK

I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray (17:6).

The helpless put their trust in you.
You defend the orphans (10:14b).

Lord, we pray this morning for an end to abortion. Mighty God, who knows the hopes of the helpless, hear their cries and comfort them. Bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed. We know that you see the violence done to the helpless and you hear the groans of the poor. Rise up, O God, and rescue them. Your promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. Therefore, we know that you WILL protect the oppressed and preserve them forever from this lying generation (10:17-18; 12:5-8).

YIELD

But I trust in your unfailing love.
I rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me (13:5-6).

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. – Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-8,11

God’s plan is for those of us who are working for Him and showing our love for Him to KEEP ON LOVING others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what we hope for will come true. His plan is that we would not become spiritually dull or indifferent but that we would follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their FAITH and ENDURANCE (6:10-12).

This was a paragraph from yesterday’s morning coffee that prepared our hearts for Hebrews 11 today. The writer of Hebrews is calling us to hold on to our faith and endure through the difficult times, just as those who came before us have done. They set an incredible example for us of what it means to have faith in any circumstance and to endure through the circumstances of life – holding on tight to the God who loves us and never leaves us!

Before we move to Hebrews 11 and its examples, let’s consider the powerful words of the writer of Hebrews in chapter 10. This passage emphasizes the importance of living a holy life as part of our covenant relationship with God – that continuing in sin is the same as trampling on the Son of God who shed His blood for the sake of this new covenant.

By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him…

Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us (Hebrews 10:20-29).

So do not thrown away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised (10:35-36).

How do we do this? How do we continue trusting in the Lord, holding tightly to the hope we have. It requires faith. Faith is not something we can muster up on our own, it is a gift God gives us when we ask Him for it. He will give us the faith we need to persevere, to endure patiently, to step into His presence with sincere hearts fully trusting Him.

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation (11:1-2).

By faith, we believe God created the entire universe simply by commanding their existence.

By faith, Abel…by faith, Enoch…by faith, Noah…by faith, Abraham…by faith, Sarah…
The list goes on and on. Chapter 11 of Hebrews is one of my favorite chapters and I encourage you to take time today to simply soak in the strong examples of faith provided for us. Then consider what story can be told of you. By faith, _____….

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him (11:6).

But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is FAR superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a FAR better covenant with God, based on better promises. – Hebrew 8:6

Wow! That’s exciting! I know this isn’t new information, I’ve read through Hebrews before, but this morning this verse gave my heart a jumpstart. I mean, this is great news! Jesus negotiated a new agreement or a new covenant with God on our behalf – a far better covenant with far better promises.

God keeps His promises so “better promises” does not say He did not keep His original promises. The problem was that the old covenant written on stones was broken by God’s people, not by Him. Now there is a new covenant, written not on stones but in our minds and on our hearts – declaring that we are God’s people, that He is our God (8:7-10). This new covenant was made possible by the blood of Jesus Christ, our High Priest.

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood – not the blood of goats and calves – he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (9:22b).

This new covenant just keeps getting better. The old covenant involved the shedding of animals’ blood and had to be repeated on certain days and at certain ceremonies. Even then, the cleansing from those sacrifices was not perfect, not permanent and not capable of taking away feelings of guilt (10:1-2). Jesus’ blood was SO sufficient that He only had to die once. His blood was so pure and His sacrifice so perfect, that it took care of the need for blood to be shed once and for all!

If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him (9:26-28).

One more point comes out of these chapters of Hebrews – a point that speaks so loudly to me this morning and is consistent with Paul’s teachings.

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time (10:10).

So, if God’s plan is for us to be holy, which is possible because of the blood of Jesus, what happens if we choose to continue in sin rather than walk in holiness? What happens if we continue to give in to the urgings of the sinful nature instead of giving in to the urgings of the Spirit God has given us?

The writer of Hebrews talks about those who have repented of their sins, experienced all of the wonderful things a relationship with God has to offer, including the Holy Spirit, but then reject the Son of God. The writer says, “by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame” (6:6). How heartbreaking! Jesus died for our sins – why would we want to reject this salvation by continuing in sin?!!!

God’s plan is for those of us who are working for Him and showing our love for Him to KEEP ON LOVING others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what we hope for will come true. His plan is that we would not become spiritually dull or indifferent but that we would follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their FAITH and ENDURANCE (6:10-12).

Oh God, we hold tight to the hope that lies before us – the hope given through this new covenant made possible by the death of Your Son. Lord, we desire to let go of our own plans and all this world offers and cling to You and You only. Thank you for this hope that we have in You. It is a trustworthy anchor for our souls, giving us faith and endurance to keep on loving – to keep on serving (6:18-19). Amen.

Jesus is my High Priest. I must admit I don’t think of that description or role very often. I think of him as my Savior and my Lord, my Creator and my Provider. Yet, how wonderful this morning to just stop and soak in how Jesus has become the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him – that He goes to His Father on my behalf. Yes, Jesus is my High Priest!

What is a high priest?

Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs (Hebrews 5:1-3).

How does a person become a high priest?

And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be CALLED BY GOD for this work, just as Aaron was. This is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, HE WAS CHOSEN BY GOD, who said to him,

“You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” – Hebrews 5:4-5

What does Jesus do for us in his role as High Priest?

In this role, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him (5:9).

Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek (6:18b-20).

There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf (7:23-25).

Jesus, my Lord and my Savior, thank you for being my High Priest. Thank you for becoming the sacrifice for my sins and then stepping before me to present me to Your Father. Lord, thank you for dying for me and for interceding for me. To you be all praise and glory forever, Amen!

“…through the Son he created the universe” – Hebrews 1:2b. The writer of Hebrews preaches an incredible sermon in the first four chapters. I love the flow of these four very powerful points he makes.

1. Jesus participated in the creation of the world therefore, He is our Creator.

He also says to the Son,
“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands” (1:10).

But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise that the house itself. For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God (3:3-4).

2. Jesus, who created flesh and blood, became flesh and blood so that He could die for our sins and set us free from death.

Because God’s children are human beings – made of flesh and blood – the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying (2:14-15).

Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people (2:16-17).

3. Because He was human, experiencing suffering and temptations like we do, He is able to understand our weaknesses.

Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested (2:18).

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (4:14-16).

4. Just as He shared in our sufferings, He generously gives us the opportunity to share in everything that belongs to Him – to enter into His rest.

But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ (3:6).

For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ (3:14).

For only we who believe can enter his rest…

“Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” – Hebrew 4:3a,6-7

God’s rest is not something we can earn by our own efforts but is a result of our faith in God and our trust in Him – that we believe He created us, became flesh for us, died for us and rose to life for us.

For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from THEIR labors, just as God did after creating the world (4:10a).

God, we praise you for sending your Son to radiate your own glory and to be an expression of your character (1:3)! Jesus, we thank you for your willingness to become a man for your guilty creation. We do not deserve what you have done for us but, by your grace (2:9), you died for us anyhow. Christ Jesus, you have displayed your love for us and your understanding. You have set an example that we do not have to sin – that we can face temptations and suffering yet win the battle through the same strength of God you used to remain without sin.

God, we thank you for your word we have the privilege of studying this morning. Your words are alive and powerful – sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from you, God. Everything is naked and exposed before your eyes. You, oh God, hold us accountable (4:12-13).

Precious God, we lay it all out before you this morning knowing that you understand our weaknesses and have extended your mercy and grace to help us when we need it the most. Thank you for this kind of love – for this kind of grace! We give today to you – our creator and our savior! Today, we choose to hear your voice and rest in you! Amen.

Have you ever felt ill-equipped to pray? One of my favorite ways to pray is by praying Scripture. I love to take the words of the Psalmist and make them my own – my own praise, my own confession and repentance, my own petitions and my own commitment to totally yielding my life to God.

Will you pray this prayer with me today?

PRAISE

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens (Psalm 8:1).

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars you set in place –
Who am I that you should think of me? Who am I that you should care? – (8:3-4)

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain.
I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me (3:3-5).

Lord, I know that I have been set apart for you. I know with confidence that you will answer me when I call to you (4:3)

I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High (7:17).

REPENT

Lord, look deep within my mind and heart. Show me if I have done wrong or am guilty of injustice, if I have betrayed a friend or plundered my enemy without cause (7:3-4,9).

O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage.
Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.
Heal me, Lord…restore me.
Return, O Lord, and rescue me.
Save me because of your unfailing love (6:1-4).

Lord, have mercy on me (9:13).

Lord, forgive me when I sin by letting anger control me. See the spirit with which I repent this morning and know that I truly am trusting in you to grow me into the holy child of God you created me to be. Let your face smile on me, O Lord. Fill my heart with peace as I lie down and sleep knowing that you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe (4:4-8).

ASK

Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent.
Free me from my troubles.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer (4:1)

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly (5:3).

Lord, watch over my path today as I choose the path of the godly over the path of the wicked (1:6).

Lead me in the right path, O Lord…Make your way plain for me to follow (5:8).

Spread your protection over us that we who love your name may be filled with joy. Surround us with your shield of love (5:11b-12).

YIELD

Lord, I find delight in spending time in our word today. I commit to meditating on your scriptures day and night so that I can remain along your riverbank, nourished by you and equipped by you to bear fruit today (1:2-3).

Lord, I will serve you today in reverent fear, rejoice with trembling, and submit to your Son. I will take refuge in you knowing that in that refuge I will find joy (2:11-12).

Let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever (5:11a).

This morning I read through the prophecies of the prophet Zephaniah. He told of the coming judgment – of the day of the Lord. He spoke of how our jealous God would punish the wicked but how God’s faithful people would enjoy the home He has prepared for them.

“I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” says the Lord…
“I will crush Judah and Jerusalem with my fist and destroy every last trace of their Baal worship.
I will put an end to all the idolatrous priests, so that even the memory of them will disappear.
For they go up to their roofs and bow down to the sun, moon and stars.
They claim to follow the Lord, but then they worship Molech, too.
And I will destroy those who used to worship me but now longer do.
They no longer ask for the Lord’s guidance or seek my blessings.”
Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign Lord, for the awesome day of the Lord’s judgment is near. – Zephaniah 1:2,4-7

This Scripture gets my attention when I think of the way our nation is pulling away from the foundations of faith on which it was built. “In God we Trust” was our motto but now prayer is vanishing from our places of government. There is a pride and self-reliance that has taken the place of yesterday’s humility and calling upon the Lord for strength.

“I will search with lanterns in Jerusalem’s darkest corners to punish those who sit complacent in their sins. They think the Lord will do nothing to them, either good or bad.” – Zephaniah 1:12

What can we do? What would be God’s call to His people today? Perhaps similar to what He called His people to do in the days of the prophet Zephaniah:

Gather together – yes, gather together, you shameless nation.
Gather before judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff.
Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls and the terrible day of the Lord’s anger begins.
Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands.
Seek to do what is right and to live humbly.
Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you – protect you from his anger on the day of destruction (2:1-3).

We can come together and unite our voices in petition and repentance for our nation. We can ask the Lord to remain with us and help us to turn the hearts of our nation back to Him. I found these verses encouraging:

But the Lord is still there in the city…
“Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid!
For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” (3:5a,16-17)

“On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again.” – Zephaniah 3:20a

My heart rejoices and I find myself singing Chris Tomlin’s song “God of This City”:
You’re the God of this City
You’re the King of these people
You’re the Lord of this nation
You are

You’re the Light in this darkness
You’re the Hope to the Hopeless
You’re the Peace to the restless
You are

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here