Rumination Journal

But from there you shall seek the LORD your God, and you will find him when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. — Deuteronomy 4:29 We know that our truly seeing God is reserved for the future (1 John 3:2; Revelation 22:4). Even so, we can still see much of God now. Consider David, the shepherd boy whom God anointed king of Israel. While David had his failings, Samuel described David as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). Why? Could part of the answer lie in the fact that David both sought God and saw God in everything and everyone around him? The songs of David suggest that, when David wasn’t seeking God, he was seeing God. David sought God as he fled from his son, Absalom (Psalm 3). David sought God in his evening prayers (Psalm 4). David sought God in his morning prayers (Psalm 5). David sought God’s mercy (Psalm 6). David saw God as he carefully considered the nighttime sky (Psalm 8). David saw God as his deli...

On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together. A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay.” So she persuaded us. — Acts 16:13-15 WEB* On his second missionary trip, Paul visited the Roman colony of Philippi (FILL-uh-pie) along with Silas, Luke and Timothy. Philippi was on the famous Egnatian Road—a trade route from Asia to Rome. The city was important during the New Testament due to its agriculture, location, functioning gold mines, and Roman status. Lydia was a businessworman whose name may have come from the Hellenistic district where the town of Thyatira (thigh-uh-TIE-r...

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did. In those days, she became sick, and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. He stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon. — Acts 9...

It is of   the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are   new every morning: great   is  T hy faithfulness. The LORD   is   my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. -- Lamentations 3:22-24 KJVB The Book of Lamentations tells of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, which took place over 587 and 586 BC when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar overran the city. The surviving inhabitants either fled to other countries, were carried away to Babylon as slaves or remained under the brutal rule of an occupying force. Lamentations is a collection of five poems. It does not name its author, but it is generally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah. For many years, Jeremiah had warned the people and their leaders about their unfaithfulness to God. Jeremiah knew that being chosen by God did not translate to a free pass. He knew that actions had consequences. If God's people were not faithf...

O sing unto the LORD a new song; for He hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory. The LORD hath made known His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. -- Psalm 98:1-3 KJVB This passage is an excerpt of one of the Royal Psalms (Psalms 93 through 99), which God is praised as the King of His people. In this song of praise, “victory” and “salvation” allude to the same thing. The word translated as “victory” in verse one is the Hebrew word transliterated as “yasha” and meaning “to save” or “to deliver.” The word “salvation” in verses two and three are the Hebrew word transliterated as “yeshuah” and meaning “salvation” or “deliverance.” And so the passage is a song of salvation. For the Christian, the work of God’s redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ is...