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| October 13, 2001 |
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| Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; they judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings." Psalm 36:5-7 If God withdrew from the universe, all life would come to an end, and nothing would be able to function. The world would not be able to exist! God's power governs, directs, and sustains all He has made! All created things function according to the powers and properties that He has implanted in them. God is actively preserving everything that exists today. Our next heartbeat, our very next breath, depends on God. The smallest seed sprouts and grows because of His wonderful power. The sun rises and sets according to His ordinance. Everything God does, He does through His creation. We are dependent on Him for everything ~ especially for our salvation ~ for by His grace He had made us spiritually alive in Christ Jesus through our Baptism and forgave us all our sins. As we recognize that all our help comes from the Lord, we thank and praise Him as the source of all good. We also remember Moses' caution that if the children of Israel enjoyed many good things and flourished, they should not claim the credit! Rather, they should acknowledge that everything, both good and maybe not so good, comes from the hand of God. We also should acknowledge: "Oh LORD, thou preservest both man and beast." Application: In contrast to evil people and their wicked plots that end in failure, God is faithful righteous, and just. His love is as vast as the heavens; His faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds; His righteousness is as solid as mighty mountains; and His judgments are as full of wisdom as the oceans are with water. We need not fear, because we know God loves us and will care for us throughout eternity. May God bless you with a truly wonderful day as you remain totally dependent on the Lord for safe-keeping in all your endeavors. Love in Christ, Sandy |