All in Identity in Christ
The Yorkie terrier mix was two-and-a-half years old when we rescued him from the pet adoption center. His previous owners had surrendered him a week earlier due to neglect. The reason given was that they did not have time for him. The Center caretaker confirmed this by observing the long, matted fur coat and his insecure behaviors. He carried the dog like a twelve-pound infant child and referred to the pup as “Shiloh.”
Eugene Peterson’s expression of Psalm 13 in The Message is dramatic, and I often rely on it for encouragement and personal renewal. When I am discouraged, the words instruct me to keep on wrestling in an all-familiar battle initiated by the enemy of this world.
A few years ago, I attended a seminar on helping foster children recover from abuse. The speaker talked about a technique where children draw self portraits throughout the therapy process. As he flipped through the pictures, my eyes filled with tears.
The demands and distractions of life can quickly dull our spirit. Just by missing a few Sundays of fellowship and worship, too much focus on daily demands and the ordinary pressures of life can lead us quickly down the path to mediocrity.
The Apostle Paul’s closing prayer to his friends reminds me of a time I experienced God’s pure grace and nothing but grace.
It was when I was excited about having lots of summertime fun for two-weeks with my grandchildren in their city! But just when I had adjusted to the hustle and bustle of their busy days, I got sick.
Eugene Peterson’s expression of Psalm 13 in The Message is dramatic, and I often rely on it for encouragement and personal renewal. When I am discouraged, the words instruct me to keep on wrestling in an all-familiar battle initiated by the enemy of this world.
