Something Greater

Lord, my heart feels frustrated and resentful towards people and circumstances. Open my mind to consider what you have done, and are doing, and will do in, and around, and through me...even in this difficult time. Make my heart to trust in your strength and wisdom in all things, pleasing or painful. Lead me into trust-filled patience and compassion and genuine love for you and for those you have brought into my life. Thank you, Lord, for your goodness, for your faithful love, even in my distress and fear. You are for me; I will not be afraid. You are my helper; I will not give in to despair or anger. Bring to my mind today a song of praise, a prayer of trust, and a shout of victory. I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what you have done! Do what is best, Lord, as you teach my unruly, ungrateful, disobedient heart and mind to trust and obey your holy Word. Satisfy my heart with the promise and presence and preciousness of Jesus, my Redeemer, Savior and Ki...

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am alone and afflicted. The distresses of my heart increase; bring me out of my sufferings. Fear and trembling grip me. I complain and groan morning, noon, and night. Consider my affliction and trouble, and forgive all my sins. Make your ways known to me, LORD; teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; I wait for you all day long. Remember, LORD, your compassion and your faithful love, for they have existed from the beginning. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with your faithful love, remember me because of your goodness, LORD. A Prayer based upon Psalms 25, 55, 85, 115, 145 // Milt Reynolds Photo by Henock Arega on Unsplash

How long will I store up anxious concerns within me, agony in my mind every day? How long will worries, threats, weakness, and frustration dominate me?  Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for He is our Savior and our God! LORD my God, restore brightness to my eyes. I know that I am always with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel. You have promised me a home with you in glory. I desire nothing on earth but you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but you, my God, are the strength of my heart, my portion forever. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who trust in him only and ever.  In you alone, God my Father, do I place my hope. A Prayer from Today's Psalms // June 13, 2025 // A Prayer from Psalms 13, 43, 73, 103, and 133 // Milt Reynolds // June 13, 2025 // Photo by Photo by Ian Stauffer on Unsplash // https://unsplash.com/photos/man-sitting-on-cliff-uftqFbfWGFY ...

Isaiah 16, Part Two: Compassion and Condemnation What's gone before... Isaiah has urged Israel to offer compassion and support to the refugees from Moab as foreign armies overwhelm the region. Now... The tone of this chapter suddenly shifts from one of compassion to one of condemnation, as if Israel rejects the notion of caring for the Moabite refugees. Isaiah 16:6-7 (ESV) We have heard of the pride of Moab— how proud he is! — of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence; in his idle boasting he is not right. Therefore let Moab wail for Moab, let everyone wail. Mourn, utterly stricken, for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth. Kir-hareseth is literally, "a citadel of brick", the name of a Moabite city. Now, Isaiah replies again with weeping at the sure demise of the Moabite people. Isaiah 16:8-12 (ESV) For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have struck down its branches, which reached to Jazer and strayed t...

Isaiah 16, Part 1: Shelter What's gone before... Isaiah was shown a vision of the impending doom and destruction of Moab, a nation close to Israel in many ways: a shared border, a common ancestor, a frequent enemy and a frequent ally. What's happening now... Now, in the sixteenth chapter, Isaiah continues his prophetic warning against Moab, beginning by urging Israel to be prepared to shelter and comfort the refugees that would be fleeing Moab. Isaiah 16:1-4 (ESV) Send the lamb to the ruler of the land, from Sela, by way of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Zion. Like fleeing birds, like a scattered nest, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon. Give counsel; grant justice; make your shade like night at the height of noon; shelter the outcasts; do not reveal the fugitive; let the outcasts of Moab sojourn among you; be a shelter to them from the destroyer. LAMB: kar "kar" (a ram, as full-grown and fat; a battering-ram, as butt...

Isaiah 15, Part 1: Family What has gone before... Isaiah spoke to four different groups of people, each group given a different message: To Israel, a message of compassion and victory To Babylon, a message of mocking and doom To Assyria, a message of God's sovereignty To Philistia, a message of death Now, in chapter 15... The LORD shows Isaiah the future destruction of Moab, and the vision breaks Isaiah's heart. Who, or what, was Moab? MOAB: mo'ab "mo-awb" (from her father); from 'ab (father) Moab was the son of Lot, the nephew of Abraham (Genesis 19:37). The child was born of the union between Lot and his daughter. Moab became the father of a people group called the Moabites. Now, generations after Lot, Isaiah speaks to the people of Moab, warning them of impending doom and crying out to them in shared pain. Isaiah 15:1-5 (ESV) An oracle concerning Moab. Because Ar of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone; because Kir of Mo...

Isaiah 14, Part Two: Submission in Service The broken nations of Syria, Assyria and Babylon would join themselves with Israel, content to be servants. Isaiah 14:1-2 (ESV) For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the LORD's land as male and female slaves. They will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them. MALE SLAVES: ebed "EH-bed" (a servant); from abad (to work, in any sense; to serve, till or enslave) FEMALE SLAVES: shipha "shif-KHAW" (a female slave, as a member of the household); from a word meaning to spread out, as a family) CAPTIVE: shaba "shaw-BAW" (to transport into captivity; imprisoned or confined) Isaiah later adds more descriptio...