Finding Truth & Comfort after Orlando

Walking in Comforting Truths

Today's Devotional Thoughts

What to make of the massacre in Orlando . . . What to make of the aftermath, the fallout . . . I blogged earlier this week about my disappointment at how even while the murdering was continuing, people & groups were busy politicizing the event . . . busy pointing fingers . . . busy looking to find villains & affix blame.

But that's human nature, isn't it? Pointing the finger at everybody else whose pointing fingers? That's human nature, too, isn't it? * And if a person is looking for meaning . . . striving for deep meaning . . . desperate to make sense of it all . . . events like this are not only very disturbing . . . They are prone to make a person cynical . . . depressed . . . maybe even make a person throw up his or her hands & say, "I give up!"
* Note to self: This is called self-righteousness.

And the Bible's answer? Well, that would be sin, wouldn't it? I know, I know . . . Too simple, right? There must be something more complex at the root of this kind of evil . . . 

Maybe this is why "deep thinkers" [Did you assume that I claim this mantle? I assure you that I do not.] dismiss the Bible . . . They shouldn't . . . We shouldn't.

The focus of my devotional this morning, however, is not on the topic of "sin," as found in Scripture. I want to focus on what Scripture has to say about comfort & wisdom, as found in Scripture.

Today's Scriptural Truths

"Take my instruction instead of silver, & knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, & all that you may desire cannot compare with her. 'I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, & I find knowledge & discretion. The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride & arrogance & the way of evil & perverted speech I hate. I have counsel & sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.'" (Provers 8:12-14)

"And Jesus cried out & said, 'Whoever believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And whoever sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness.'"  (John 12:44-46)

"And now, O sons, listen to Me; blessed are those who keep My ways. Hear instruction & be wise, & do not neglect it. Blessed is the one who listens to Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting beside My doors." (Proverbs 8:32-34)

"The Lord is near to the broken-hearted & saves the crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18)

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, & the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." (Proverbs 9:10)

"(Jesus said), 'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:  just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.'" (John 13:34-35)

"Jesus said to (Thomas), 'I am the way, & the truth, & the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me . . . If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, & He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you & will be with you.'" (John 14:6, 15-17)

More Devotional Thoughts

It's uncanny how often the scripture & devotional readings found in my daily "quiet times" seem to speak directly to the events most troubling to me at the time. The scriptural truths found above are all taken from "Treasury of Daily Prayer," * the main devotional resource I've been using for some time now. Remember . . . these are scriptural truths, not Paul Leckband's truths . . . 
* Concordia Publishing House, 2001.

Here are my devotional thoughts . . . 

• In the Old Testament Book of Proverbs, "wisdom" is the personification of Jesus. That's not coming from me; it's coming from Biblical scholars. It has helped my reading of Proverbs to substitute Jesus' name whenever the word "wisdom" is employed.
• The first passage from Proverbs is fundamental to our/my understanding that Godly wisdom is found in a Godly source . . . that would be Holy Scripture.
• Some have claimed that Jesus was certainly a great moral teacher . . . also certainly not the Son of God . . . The first passage from John's Gospel uses Jesus' own words to dispel that.
• Proverbs 8:32-34, teaches that blessings come to us when we listen & hear Jesus' instruction daily . . . Where would that come from? His Holy Word in the Bible [Daily "quiet time.] & weekly worship [in church, alongside fellow believers.]
• The passage from Psalms reminds us that while we may look for comfort from many sources . . . it's the Lord who ultimately provides true comfort for the "broken-hearted & crushed in spirit." [Once again, words found in Scripture . . . also words spoken by fellow believers.]
• The "fear of the Lord" mentioned in Proverbs 9:10, doesn't necessarily have to be thought of as abject fright . . . although bringing to mind the picture of God the Father Almighty, make of heaven & earth, shouldn't necessarily eliminate a certain degree of fright. Rather, for me it's helpful to think in terms of fearing the Lord by acknowledging the absolute & total sovereignty of the Lord . . . the absolute & total Truth & Power of His Word.
• "A new commandment . . . " It's one thing to love others as myself. Loving myself is usually not an issue. [Another name for that might be . . . selfishness?!] Loving another as Jesus loves me? Jesus loved us so much that He laid down His life for us . . . That's a tall order . . . and it implies . . . no, MORE than implies that we are to love & pray for those of a different sexual orientation than our own . . . those who worship a different god other than the True Way, Truth, & Life . . . those who feel the need to murder on behalf of their false gods . . . those who point the finger of hate . . . 
• Finally, a reminder . . . found in one of my favorite passages from Scripture . . . one that I have included in my devotionals many, many times before . . . found in John 14 . . . Jesus is the Way . . . the only Way to forgiveness & salvation . . . Believers, who are blessed with saving faith by God's grace--His undeserved love--receive the gift of the Holy Spirit . . . This unimaginable gift enables us to believe . . . & enables us to accomplish what Jesus intends for us to do . . . 
• And that includes loving others . . . not just as ourselves . . . but as Christ has loved us . . . 
• If nothing else, to me that translates into . . . at the very least {1) praying for those outside the Kingdom of God that they, too, may come to know Jesus as the Way, the Truth, & the Life; {2) looking for opportunities to witness about the love of Christ in my life; {3} acknowledging my sin, repenting, praying that--by my life--others may know the love of Christ that lives in me.

Today's Prayer Thoughts...Starters...Suggestions

1. How are you doing with your daily "quiet time?" How could it become more meaningful for you?
2. In what ways is Jesus more than just a great moral teacher in your life?
3. What about those in the circle of great friends--in the circle of your family--who may not yet Jesus as their Lord & Savior?
4. How can you fashion a short, simple, testimony about the love of Jesus & the difference it's made in your life?