“Enduring Hope in Times of Trouble.”

Over the past seven weeks I have taken a break from my sermon series through the Gospel of Matthew to preach a series entitled “Enduring Hope in Times of Trouble.”

In a number of the passages we have looked at I have suggested that there is, among others, a very important word that jumps off the page at me:

“The Lord is my shepherd.”
“I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
“God, the Lord is my strength.“

Today as I am immersed in Psalm 16 I read:

“I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord.’”
“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup.”

Each of these passages is rich and complex in teaching the beauty of the gospel. But I would just like to point out to you one special word that is in each of them. It is the word: “my.“

It is personal, isn’t it?

I hope you have come to the place in your life where are you say to the Lord, “You are my Lord.”

Because, you know, it’s personal with Him. He tells you in Isaiah 43:
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

So, if the Lord can say to you “You are mine,“ then do you not think you can say back to him, “You are my Lord, my shepherd, my chosen portion, my cup, my strength, the God of my salvation?“

I hope you do. Then I pray you will live out the joyful reality of that relationship.

Have a great day.

Musings from Pastor John, May 24