This is an article we thought people would enjoy reading, and we will resume our normal studies tomorrow.
Rebecca Van Noord
Ezra 9:1–10:44; 1 John 4:7–12; Psalm 107:23–43
As a teenager, I devoured stories about men and women at odds with nature. These man vs. nature struggles always told of a battle of wills. Nature was always at its most magnificent and most frightening: untamed, unwieldy, and heartless. The characters seemed to be living on the edge of human experience—they were not focused and resolute, anticipating the next turn of events like a typical Hollywood action film, but frightened and helpless before an uncaring force.
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If we read Psa 107, we’ll find this genre isn’t unique to contemporary novels. Biblical writers also used the man vs. nature theme to show battling wills. Psalm 107 reads like a riveting short story: “Those who went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the high seas; they saw the works of Yahweh, and his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and raised up a stormy wind, and it whipped up its waves. They rose to the heavens; they plunged to the depths. Their soul melted in their calamity. They reeled and staggered like a drunkard, and they were at their wits’ end” (Psa 107:23–27).
When faced with uncontrollable forces, people make choices that mean life or death. In the stories of my youth, the characters were sometimes able to use their wits to get to safety. But most often, they died trying. The English idiom used in this psalm, “their wits’ end,” is actually a rendering of the Hebrew idiom, “their wisdom was swallowed up.” The men in this psalm weren’t just flustered; they were helpless. Their resources and smarts couldn’t battle this power.
Yet the men didn’t meet only a cold, deadly force when they came to the end of their own strength. “Then they cried out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distresses” (Psa 107:28). Submission in the battle of wills leads to Yahweh’s love and care. He is more than willing to guide us to the safe harbor (Psa 107:30).
When faced with difficult circumstances, do you rely on your own strength, even when it’s insufficient? If you cry out to God, do you believe that He will answer?
This article was originally posted in Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan.
Closing Prayer; Heavenly Father we pray that anyone that reads this article gets knowledge of you and understanding about nature. We pay that they will start looking at nature for signs of you, and stop being so busy the they cannot enjoy it. We thank you lord for showing us about nature and we praise you for it. We hope whoever is riding this will enjoy it as well. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Bible verses to go with the article for those who cannot get to a bible so they know what the verses say. We are providing these verses for your spiritual growth and enjoyment.
Psalm 107:23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
1 John 4:7-12
7
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Ezra 9:1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
Those who wish to become a child of Our Heavenly Father or wish to be stronger in his eyes, please say the following prayer below.
Dear Heavenly Father, I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that you raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord, from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.”
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