January 2

Psalm 2
Yesterday I installed an antenna on my HD TV. For the first time in over 4 years, I have broadcast TV. I haven’t missed a whole lot. Although, it is nice to have access to news and weather. I have to admit, it will be nice to be able to see OSU play football once or twice a year, especially today’s game. We watched an episode of George Lopez. George’s son’s dog was dying of a malignant tumor. His son manipulated George into praying for the dog’s healing. In his prayer George made a deal with God that if he would heal the dog, he would crawl on his knees for a mile at a cathedral in Mexico. The dog was miraculously healed. George was annoyed. He never really believed that his prayer would be answered. He was forced by his son and his conscience to keep his promise, which he tried every way not to keep. In one instance he quipped to his wife, “If God expected us to keep every promise, and we did not, then the world would be filled with wars and poverty.” Hmmm. . .
Are we like the kings of the earth who wrangle for power and wealth? We make promises and don’t keep them. If they even acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being, they seem to think that the Lord will do nothing to stop them. Our world is filled with men seeking to gain preeminence over other men and nations. They are in total disregard of the Sovereignty of God. Yet are we any different? Maybe what we wrangle over are the same kind of things but upon a much smaller scale, like keeping promises. Am I trying to break the bonds of the purpose for which the Lord has created me? Have I identified who I am in His sight so that I may fulfill His plan?
If I really grasped that He does sit in heaven and scoffs at my plans of mutiny against His purpose, would I still follow the daily and moment by moment course that I follow? If I was really convinced that He will one day return to secure His throne as King of the nations, would my interests still lie in the same area in which they presently lie? Would I be more careful in making promises and more consistent in keeping them? Do I really understand how my life fits into His purpose and how my living that daily purpose fits into bringing Him back as King of kings and Lord of lords? Lord Jesus, let me embrace Your discipline and instruction so that I may fully live my life as one which fully trusts in Your plan for Me, those around me and the nations. Perform Your plan in me! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john