1 Kings 15; Colossians 2; Ezekiel 45; Psalm 99 – 101

Why Asa, who did right and had a heart wholly God’s, gave all the treasures that were left in the house of the Lord as well as all the treasures of the king’s house to Ben-hadad king of Syria, is beyond me. Well, I guess if it’s peace you’re after… temporary peace, that is.

He gave away what was left of the treasure… all the tangible glory of the temple of Jerusalem.  gone.

“These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”
Colossians 2:17

He gave away gold and silver shadows. Just shadows.

The substance is in Christ.

Strange those riches we can both see and touch are shadows, and He whom we yet cannot see is the substance…

…the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:27

“I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you… that your hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is

Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures

of wisdom and knowledge.”

God, help us to see, to remember that our treasure is YOU.
As Christ is in us, we lay hold of the only everlasting Treasure of true substance.

amy in peru

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2 Samuel 24; Galatians 4; Ezekiel 31; Psalm 79

How many times do I offer God that which costs me nothing?

the scanty leftovers of my time…

the skimpiest sum I can manage to fumble  inconspicuously out of my pocket…

a begrudging, grumbling obedience…

service IF it is convenient, promisingly fruitful, or is particularly of a nature that others might well see…

O God, You don’t force us to serve you, much less love You…
But now that we have come to know You, or rather to be known by You, through Your Son… We are no longer under law.  How much more then ought our offerings be worth since we are now conscious of grace; grace that’s free and yet so very very costly.

HELP US O GOD of our salvation,
for the glory of Your name;
deliver us, atone for our sins,
for your name’s sake.
Psalm 79:9

God, it hurts to be exposed.
To realize how seldom I realize how great You are.

How many good things I try to keep to myself…
Forgive me.

You are worthy, for You have given extravagantly…

Give me a heart ready to be poured out before you.
To spend myself lavishly to bring You all the glory.

Help me God, to be resolute.
Choosing not the easy route.
Fearing not that I might suffer,
To say with David, “I will not offer
burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”
That you might be my everything.

amy in peru

2 Samuel 10; 2 Corinthians 3; Ezekiel 17; Psalm 60 & 61

Sometimes the whole world seems like it’s upside down, like everything is spinning out of control.
The bad guys win, while the good guys are poor, get sick and even die.
It seems all messed up.
It is.

Then faith steps in to steady the wobbly.
A sure faith is needed to believe that in spite of appearances, all is not out of control.

I read and He whispers, it isn’t over yet.

“And the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.”
Ezekiel 17:24

He whispers, you belong to me, I’m making you ready.

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
2 Corinthians 3:18

He whispers, remember to hope, to call to Me, to wait…

“Hear my cry, O God,
listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I ,
for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.”
Psalm 61:1-2

My God,
Strengthen the eyes of my faith, to see that when things in this world seem out of control,
knowing that You see it too, that You are in fact still in control, and that You are not finished yet.
When the bad guys seem to win, help us to trust that it’s not over yet.
When we sink to the end of ourselves, remind us to call to You and there find refuge.
Lead us to the Rock that is higher than we, from there help us to see You working in the details;
transforming little us to the image of Your Son, ready for glory.

amy in peru

1Samuel 24; 1Corinthians 5; Ezekiel 3; Psalm 39

I am a sojourner with You… a guest.

Hmmm. Often I am tempted to think that each day belongs to me. That I am the master of my moments.

Do you ever feel that way too?

Other times I get caught up dealing primarily with the urgent, and afterward find myself reeling to regain balance in the quiet between storms. Sometimes, when things are difficult, I cope my way through; waking up when they are over, exhausted. Those days…
When I am there, I can’t help feeling the futility of this way of life. I cry out…

“O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!”
Psalm 39:4

Remind me again how all of life is just a breath, a shadow. the turmoil is but for a moment.
Remind me that You have made my days… that You are the Master of them.

I close my mouth. I look to You. I wait.

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You.”

All that I have is Yours.
My time, all that is precious to me, is Yours.
I am a sojourner here. a guest.
Give me strength to hold my peace,
to wait for You, the Giver,
In whom is all my hope.
To please You is my sole desire.
Please, Lord make it so.
My hope is in You.
Amen.

amy in peru

1 Samuel 9; Psalm 22; Jeremiah 46; Romans 7

From deep, deep down when desire nearly drowns in dread
when I am desperate for You…
When I can’t see, and I can’t hear You. ( taken from Ps22:1-2)

“Yet you are holy…” and I choose to remember.

I will remember what YOU have done.

“In you our fathers trusted… and you delivered them.
To you they cried…and you rescued them.” PS.22:4-5

When I am desperate, depressed. When all despise me.
I feel alone, and I can’t find You.
When I am daunted by their doubt… (verses 6-7)

“He trusts in the Lord, let Him deliver him;
let Him rescue him for he delights in Him.” Ps22:8

I will remember what You have done for me.

“Yet YOU are He who took me from the womb;
YOU made me trust YOU at my mother’s breasts,
On YOU was I cast from my birth
and from my mother’s womb YOU have been my God.” Ps22:9-10

Oh Father,
Some days will be dark and dreary.
Deal tenderly with us. We want to see Your face.
Help us remember what You have done.
Be our everlasting delight. For,

“He has not hidden His face from Him, but has heard, when he cried to Him.” Psalm 22:24

Oh how desperately we need You…

amy in peru