The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: this is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2, R.V.
From the most terrible peril one night had brought complete deliverance. That vast, helpless throng—bondmen unused to battle, women, children, and cattle, with the sea before them, and the mighty armies of Egypt pressing behind—had seen their path opened through the waters and their enemies overwhelmed in the moment of expected triumph. Jehovah alone had brought them deliverance, and to Him their hearts were turned in gratitude and faith. Their emotion found utterance in songs of praise. The Spirit of God rested upon Moses, and he led the people in a triumphant anthem of thanksgiving, the earliest and one of the most sublime that are known to man….
That song does not belong to the Jewish people alone. It points forward to the destruction of all the foes of righteousness and the final victory of the Israel of God. The prophet of Patmos beholds the white-robed multitude that have “gotten the victory,” standing on the “sea of glass mingled with fire,” having “the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:2, 3)….
In freeing our souls from the bondage of sin, God has wrought for us a deliverance greater than that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea. Like the Hebrew host, we should praise the Lord with heart and soul and voice for His “wonderful works to the children of men.” Those who dwell upon God’s great mercies, and are not unmindful of His lesser gifts, will put on the girdle of gladness and make melody in their hearts to the Lord. The daily blessings that we receive from the hand of God, and above all else the death of Jesus to bring happiness and heaven within our reach, should be a theme for constant gratitude….
All the inhabitants of heaven unite in praising God. Let us learn the song of the angels now, that we may sing it when we join their shining ranks..
Conflict and Courage p. 93
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for grand nephew Breighton and his little boy, they were in a bad auto accident, Breighton is in surgery, has fx right ankle and left hip, surgery is temporary will need more in couple days. Breighton just finished fireman school and had begun his new job. Marlene
—–Please pray for Eileen as she sees the cardiologist today. Pray that all goes well and that she will be able to have surgery on her back on the 15th. Rose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Some years ago, the heavy rain that was falling turned to freezing rain. Everything that it touched was soon coated with ice. The trees soon became burdened with such a thick covering of ice that they began to bend over toward the ground. As I drove to work, I marveled at how different they looked. Those once beautiful trees groaned under their overcoat of ice. Many of them had split in half, others lost limbs large and small until they no longer stood proud and tall but looked just as ugly as when a tornado strikes. Those falling limbs and branches caused misery for many thousands of people in this state, as they pulled down power lines leaving homes and businesses without electricity.
One thing I noticed, however, is that the evergreens, although covered with the same coating of ice, were still as tall and complete as they were when the sun was shining and the temperatures were comfortable. I did not see one branch of theirs fallen upon the ground. Not one of them had a trunk that split. When I brushed against one of those pines, it was still supple. What a contrast there was between the two types of trees.
How often we are like those deciduous trees. The freezing rain of sinful habits and desires have weighed us down to the ground. It is as if we, too, are covered with a thick ice-coat of sin. We feel as if we are at the breaking point ready to split apart in every direction. The iciness of the evil one has overwhelmed us just as thoroughly as the thick coating of ice had all of the deciduous trees. Often we become alarmed and try to do what is right, but we can no more rid ourselves of sin than could the trees rid themselves of that ice that was weighing them down. Soon we are ice-coated again and more sinful than before. Our only hope is the warm love of the Son of Righteousness. Only He can deliver us from the evil one who has burdened us through his many temptations. “Make haste, O God, to deliver me, make haste to help me, O LORD. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha. Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified. But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer, O LORD, make no tarrying.” Psalm 70
Only Jesus can change us into an “evergreen” which stands straight and tall no matter how much “ice” the devil heaps upon us. Only Jesus can preserve us amid the storms of life. We are helpless to do it ourselves. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance.” Eph 6:12-18
May we stay so close to our Dear Saviour, that we will never become coated with the iciness of sin. May we keep our mind constantly focused upon Him and His Great Love. May we hide His Word in our heart that we will not stray from the One Who loves us so is my prayer.
Rose
The Song of Moses and the Lamb