Safetypinlove

Originally, God had anointed Saul to become king…but slowly over time Saul abused his power in corrupt & improper practices. So much so that here Samuel is comparing Saul’s disobedience to soothsaying & pagan idol worship. Jesus summed this up in Mark 12:33 when He replied to the Jewish leaders that loving God and others was more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. For when we reject God and His Word in defiance & insubordination, and think we know more than Him, we move away from God in sin.

Timothy was the son of Eunice, a devout Jew, who was won to Jesus Christ when Paul preached in his home town of Lystra. Paul then invited this young, timid convert to accompany him on his many missionary journeys. As a young pastor Timothy ministered in Thessalonica, Corinth, Philippi, and Ephesus…where he received this letter from Paul. Timothy was like a son to Paul, and here Paul is warning him to protect the sound doctrine of the Gospel Message from the false teachers that had infiltrated the Church. Later, in Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he again cautioned Timothy to, “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” (II Timothy 2:16) In other words, stop quarrelling over “words” that are entirely separated from God and His influence…. from people that are “pretending” to know God’s Salvation… and instead commit to being a trustee of God’s invaluable treasured Word…maintaining it undamaged and unmodified for all future generations.

Jonah was at death’s door…and he knew it. But in those few frantic moments Jonah remembered Who was holding his life in His hands. He remembered God’s great acts he had witnessed in the past…he remembered that his God was faithful, and that nothing could separate him from God…even a situation like he found himself in. And so he called out to God for deliverance & mercy, and God met him there. What we can learn from this is to never stop praying for that unsaved loved one and that even a sincere prayer whispered with those last few breaths still counts for eternity. (Romans 8:33-39 & James 5:16)

There is a deeper spiritual reality to being unequally yoked…it’s called compromise. Not only here, but earlier in his first letter to the Church in Corinth, Paul addresses the idea of not being associated with someone thought to be a Christian, but whose life openly contradicts the faith. “You must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler.” (I Corinthians 5:11) The reason being, that when we are paired together but incompatible ethically & morally there will come times when concessions will need to be made…situations where significant control over actions will have to be worked out…with one party yielding to the other. And the decisions made may not be anything the Believer is comfortable with…putting himself, his reputation & integrity in jeopardy and influencing his own moral & spiritual wellbeing.

In I Samuel 13:14, Samuel declared to a rebellious king Saul, “The Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept His commands.” This man was king David, one of Israel’s most famous kings and considered to have been the ideal ruler and prototype of the promised Messiah. God said of David in Acts 13:22 that he was a man after My own heart, or like My own heart…and that he would do everything God wanted him to do. From the start king David was wholly committed to doing God’s Will and purposes for the good of the Jewish people. So using king David as an example of a “good” shepherd that follows God closely, Jeremiah is telling us to be careful of the leaders we follow. Are they faithful to God? Do they have good sense & discernment? Do they use prudence, wisdom, insight, and upright comprehension in all their decisions? Most of all, are they a man after God’s own heart…not full of themselves and all puffed up with pride & arrogance?

Affliction has a way of bringing us back to God when we’ve wandered. He uses distress & suffering in our lives to gently direct us back. (Psalm 31) What we can do during those scary & uncertain times is to – Ask God to show us His perspective …illuminating what He’s doing in the “big picture” of eternity. We need then to center our heart, mind, and soul on His Word, not on our emotions or errant thoughts. Finally, we must remember that God is good and He only does good…no matter what. (psalm 119:68)

Stouthearted…not a word you see used much today. It’s meaning according to the dictionary is being brave, strong, and courageous. The Psalmist knows and has assurance that God not only hears him but answers his prayers…and in doing so he gains confidence & strength to face whatever obstacle is in front of him. Psalm 28:7 affirms this inner faith & security when it says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him…” So be fearless today…for the Lord goes before you…whatever the circumstances.

Paul & Silas could of allowed their surroundings to intimidate them, for the last place you wanted to spend the night was in a dark & dank Roman prison. They could of focused on the unjust way they had been thrown into prison in the first place by the Jewish leaders. Or they could of just sat there contemplating their very uncertain future…but they did none of that. Instead of focusing on the unknown and allowing fear, anxiety, and doubt to creep into their minds…they focused on what they did know. God was with them, He loved & cared for them, and He would never abandon them…and this is why at midnight they were singing praises to God. Psalm 119:62 reminds us of this too, “At midnight I rise to give You thanks…” In other words don’t allow the fear of the unknown to control your mind & heart…rather, focus on the things you do know & praise Him for that.

Trust between two people is built one step at a time, one encounter at a time, one personal experience at a time…and the same goes for our relationship with God. Psalm 22:5 reads, “They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.” We can confidently trust in God without the chance of being disgraced, dismayed, or disillusioned…why? Because He is trustworthy. And the more we place our hope & trust in Him, the more He is shown to be trustworthy, and our confidence grows. Isaiah 12:2 tells us to trust and not be afraid…which is easy to say but hard to do at times, but it’s not because God has moved away…He hasn’t & He won’t, and He never will.

Eleven years ago today Safetypinlove came into existence, and eleven years ago today this Scripture & the devotional to go along with it was the very first one I wrote. So fast forward eleven years and over 3,800 devotionals later, I find this special devotional speaking directly to my soul today. The original devotional back then read like this…”God’s Presence is there in the midst of you right now! This powerful verse should be read with your name inserted within these glorious declarations of God’s love for you. He is with you…He delights in you…and He rejoices over you. Today allow God’s affirmation of His love for you fill you with all hope.” Oh how I needed to hear that! For this Scripture describes perfectly the many blessings of God…His Presence, His Power, His Protection, and His Peace, and is a reminder of a loving God who holds us together in times of crisis…from which the name Safetypinlove came to be. For twenty-seven years ago when I found that little safety pin, it was God’s tangible evidence that He was there with me no matter what…and today, this devotional that I wrote eleven years ago has now become the safety pin to hold me together for the uncertain future ahead.