June 27, 2026 – Justice
Streams – Psalm 68:28 – “Summon your power, O God; show us your strength.” Cowman offers these thoughts about how God sustains us throughout our lives, “The Lord imparts to me the underlying strength of character that gives me the necessary energy and decision-making ability to live my life. He strengthens me ‘with power through his Spirit in [my] inner being’ (Eph. 3:16). And the strength He gives is continuous, for He is a source of power I cannot exhaust. ‘Your strength will equal your days’ (Deut 33:25) – my strength of will, affection, judgment, ideals, and achievement will last a lifetime.” This makes me think of my father’s last months and days. Despite his infirmities and lack of ability to get around on his own, his character was still strong.
At the end of one of the last hospital stays, as we were waiting for the ambulance to transport him back home, he kept insisting that I put him in the car to go see Don playing in the big band downtown. Would that I could! Near the end he was still planning his 100th birthday celebration just over two months away in which there would be lobster; and, if he got his way, a wedding to his long time devoted friend. He was planning to surprise all of the guests with the wedding like Don and I did at the party we had for his 60th birthday. She put him off through the years; but, after he died, she said she should’ve said yes. We don’t always know what we’ve got ’til it’s gone. On the last day that he was cognitively with us, he was laughing with visitors and reviewing his 9th book that had recently been printed. There was always more to do and say and share and solve…. and God fueled that strength of character ’til the end.
Utmost – Jeremiah 1:8 – “I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.” Chambers adds his thoughts about how God leads and provides for us, “God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally – ‘Thy life will I give unto thee for a prey.’ That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives.” I remember the first time I heard my father tell about when, after being a Christian most of his 20 something years, he learned about a personal relationship with Christ while stationed in Japan. Each time I heard him tell it throughout the rest of his life, he teared up thinking about how God had been with him in so many battle situations which also choked him up as he thought of the many men who went with him into these battles and didn’t make it. It always choked me up too.
Chambers continues, “Our personal property and possessions are a matter of indifference, we have to sit loosely to all these things; if we do not, there will be panic and heartbreak and distress. That is the inwardness of the overshadowing of personal deliverance. The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on Jesus Christ’s errands, there is no time to stand up for ourselves. Jesus says, in effect, ‘Do not be bothered with whether you are being justly dealt with or not.’ To look for justice is a sign of deflection from devotion to Him. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will begin to grouse and to indulge in the discontent of self-pity – ‘Why should I be treated like this?’ …Jesus says, ‘Go steadily on with what I have told you to do and I will guard your life. If you try to guard it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance.’ “
His next thoughts are poignant to those of us trying to understand loved ones who have stepped away from their faith, “The most devout among us become atheistic in this connection; we do not believe God, we enthrone common sense and tack the name of God on to it. We do lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting God with all our hearts.”
JC – “Rest with Me a while. You have journeyed up a steep, rugged path….Look neither behind you nor before you. Instead, focus your attention on Me, your constant Companion. Trust that I will equip you fully for whatever awaits you on your journey. I designed time to be a protection for you.” See Psalm 143:8 and Genesis 28:15.
Power – Genesis 18:14 – “Is anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord? t the appointed time, when the season [for her delivery] comes around, I will return to you and Sarah shall have borne a son.” Joyce shares her thoughts about God’s timing as she reminds us about Abraham wanting a son. “What he had asked for was impossible in the natural due to his wife’s old age…. God delights in us when we come to Him with our requests, and nothing is too hard for Him…. God often waits on things and we don’t understand why, but we can and should continue to trust Him and His timing in our lives.”
[I don’t think this post is finished, but I have to leave for the day. God willing, I will be back later to see what else He wants to share through me.]
