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PSALM 57 REJOICE OVER GOD’S STEADFAST LOVE

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June 29

PSALM 57

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

6 They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down.
  They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!
8 Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

                                                                                        – Psalm 57:5-11

PSALM 57 REJOICE OVER GOD’S STEADFAST LOVE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

To our faithful God who loves with all compassion & tenderness

Let us exalt him and lift up our hearts to sing hymns of praise

No matter how much suffering and adversities we are experiencing

Let us never forget how merciful he is to forgive all our transgressing

Rejoice over God’s steadfast love for it will remind us of his goodness

Be thankful always for his generosity and bounteous love and uprightness.

It is hard to be joyful when we are full of bitterness, disappointments and regrets. When we focus on what we don’t have instead of counting all the blessings that we receive, we will definitely fail to give glory to the Lord. Instead, we will have a complaining attitude and fail to see God’s goodness and favors. I used to be a very negative person but a book changed my life when it gave me a way to combat that tendency to complain. It was to keep a list of things I could be thankful for on a daily basis. So, I began to have a thank you diary where I count all the little and big things that made me focus on the gifts I have received from God rather than whining about what I didn’t have or unmet needs that were never addressed. At first, the list was short. As time passed by, I found myself getting more things in the list. Then my perception changed from negativity to a more content and joyful perspective. I began to see the gifts that the Lord showers me with on a regular basis. It gave me a more grateful attitude rather than being discontented. It’s been almost five decades since I did this thank you diary. When I became a Christian, I realized that the Holy Spirit corrected my ingratitude to gratitude.

In this psalm, we hear David focuses on the steadfast love of God and how he responded to it. If there’s anyone else who could justify complaining, it would be David. He was a king but constantly chased by enemies that he practically hid in caves and moved around lacking all the comforts worthy of a king. In this account, he sings praise and exalts the Lord for all the faithful love he received.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think thanksgiving gives God glory and the best response to his steadfast love?

ISAIAH 54 YOUR MAKER’S LOVE FOR YOU

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June 28

ISAIAH 54

5 For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.
6 For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God.
7 For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.

9 “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah
should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
and will not rebuke you.10 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,

and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”

says the Lord, who has compassion on you. – Isaiah 54:5-10

ISAIAH 54 YOUR MAKER’S LOVE FOR YOU

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord God who created you is truly devoted

Like a husband to his wife, he is totally committed

When he gets angry, it is just momentary

He forgives for he loves you unconditionally

His love endures forever and is full of compassion

Your Maker’s love for you is also a shield of protection.

Have you ever wondered what you truly look like inside? Have you ever dwelt on thinking why your Maker carved you in his own image? We see our faces in the mirror regularly but do we look enough at our hearts to see if we are actually reflecting God’s own image in us. Why did God place his imprint on all humankind? We often feel bad when we do things outside of God’s design and yet he never regretted making us in his likeness. Even when sin entered our lives, he gave a remedy for it so we can trace back the original design he made us from. He never got rid of sinful people like us all but as a great master artist, he redid all that was destroyed by Satan. He brought his own Son Jesus Christ to put each of us to our original make.

Have you noticed how couples who have stayed married for so long usually take on similar facial features? That is because they have stayed in connection and shared with each other all the ups and downs of life. They eat together, talk, make life work and this interdependence towards each other transforms these two people into very similar identities and looks. This is how God wants us to be. As our husband, he wants us all to look like the image he made us to be. He wants for us to receive his plan of salvation for mankind to be fulfilled. It is the ultimate way we can give him glory.

REFLECTION

·       How are you reflecting God’s image in your own character and the way you live? Cite insights.

NEHEMIAH 9 GOD’ ABOUNDING LOVE

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June 27

NEHEMIAH 9

16 “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. 17 They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. 18 Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies, 19 you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. 20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. 21 Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. – Nehemiah 9:16-21

NEHEMIAH 9 GOD’ ABOUNDING LOVE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As you learn more about your heavenly Father

You will discover his grace and abounding favors

He is generous and easily forgives your transgressions

His love is unconditional and he is full of compassion

He provides you with direction through his laws

It is his way of disciplining and protecting your soul

His abounding love never ends, it is everlasting

He is slow to anger and his mercies are never-ending.

According to sources, chapter nine of Nehemiah’s book is the longest and most reflective prayer among the books in the bible. In this prayer, we hear a mixture of praise, confession of sin and remembrance of God’s unwavering love to his unfaithful and oftentimes rebellious people. Have you ever met anyone as patient and as gentle and loving to those who have constantly defied and disobeyed him? When we go against our parents, we often get punished and the punishment is not always fair. Unlike God, we humans do not see the big picture. We are often tunnel-vision and see only parts of a situation or scenario. Therefore, we can be biased or subjective about those parts that we can only perceive. The rest of it, we don’t truly grasp. Unlike God who sees the big picture, we tend to judge and make wrong assumptions or presumptions when we don’t really know what we are talking about. We just love to blurt out opinions that are not truly objective and impartial.

In this prayer, Nehemiah gives us a clear description of the love of God for his people. His patience lasted 40 years to the Israelites who disobeyed, grumbled and complained about their journey to the Promised Land despite the constant provision they had and constant protection and guidance from the Lord God himself. He continually showered them with his abounding love despite their rebellion.

REFLECTION

  •   Share insights as to God’s abounding love for you.

NAHUM 1 GOD’S LOVE TO HIS PEOPLE

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June 24

NAHUM 1

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble;
  he knows those who take refuge in him.

  8 But with an overflowing flood
  he will make a complete end of the adversaries,
  and will pursue his enemies into darkness.
9 What do you plot against the Lord?
    He will make a complete end;
    trouble will not rise up a second time.
10 For they are like entangled thorns,
    like drunkards as they drink;
    they are consumed like stubble fully dried.
11 From you came one who plotted evil against the Lord,
    a worthless counselor. – Nahum 1:7-11

NAHUM 1 GOD’S LOVE TO HIS PEOPLE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord is always good especially to those who love him

He ensures that they are protected from the tactics of the devil

God defends his people completely by ending the enemy’s schemes

Their conspiracies will never rise because God will destroy them

God manifests his love to his people by being a shield and protector

He strengthens them and no weapon formed against them will prosper

The Lord is your shield and defense against all rulers and oppressors

Without God’s love, you won’t overcome foes and be the conquerors.

One of the most important aspects of any form of relationship is the state of being “safe.” Without safety, we become on guard to scan for dangers. A key component to loving someone is to keep them safe and secure in your relationship. With that security comes trust and assurance. So many people in our world today have experienced neglect and abuse which lead to many insecurities and mental health challenges. When a child grows up without being cared, loved and nurtured, that child learns to cope with the deficits in his/her life. She/he learns to mistrust and scan for unsafe people and the environment. They become hyperfocus and always on guard and ready to either fight, flight, freeze or fawn. It is very different for those who love the Lord. If you know God, you are secure in his love and at peace even with the most challenging of circumstances. Because you know that the Lord is your shield and your defender.

In this account, the prophet Nahum pronounces the wrath of God against the Ninevites. In verse 7, the prophet reminds them that those who belong to God need not be afraid, for God will spare them from his wrath over Nineveh. He will defend and ensure that their enemies never triumph over them.

REFLECTION

·       How does God’s love towards you differ from any human love you have experienced?

JOHN 14 IF YOU LOVE GOD

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June 23

JOHN 14

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 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 and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. – John 14:15-24

JOHN 14 IF YOU LOVE GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If you love God, you will obey and follow his commandments

It is a clear sign that you truly love him with your heart, soul and mind

You can’t claim you love God and have a rebellious attitude

If you question his authority, it is impossible to show gratitude

If you love God, you will emulate Jesus in his love for others

You won’t be self-focused but think of your neighbor’s welfare

If you love God, you will hunger for his word and seek counsel

You won’t rely on your own understanding but depend on him.

Has anyone declared their love for you but failed to show it? Many marriages end in failure because one of the spouses failed to follow through with their vow to love each other forever for better or for worse. Once the honeymoon phase dies down, the relationship goes down on a spiral of let downs and disillusionments set in. The “self” wins and tries to claim what they expected from the spouse which sometimes were never even discussed. Many marriages and other relationships were all based on transactional agreement. “I’ll give you something if you also give me what I want from you” is the unspoken mindset from these kinds of relationships. No wonder, they don’t last. They have no clear notion of what true love is.

Jesus gives the disciples true and tested proof that they are his followers. He tells them that those who obey his commandments are those who truly love him. He also mentions the importance of keeping God’s word in their hearts. Without God’s words, we won’t know how to follow his laws and navigate in this corrupt world. Without his truth, we will continue to be deceived and an easy target for the devil to manipulate and tempt. Saying you love God and not obeying his word and laws show that you don’t love God.

REFLECTION

·       Why do you think “obedience” is the requirement of Jesus to prove they love him?

PSALM 143 TRUST IN GOD’S STEADFAST LOVE

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June 20

PSALM 143

7 Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails. Hide not your face from me,
    lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God!
   Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

11 For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
    In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
    and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.

                                                                                        – Psalm 143:7-12

PSALM 143 TRUST IN GOD’S STEADFAST LOVE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you trust in God’s steadfast love, you are a victor

No enemy will be able to hurt or defeat you

Come and worship the Lord who is faithful and steadfast

He is your shield and your refuge in times of trials

In his steadfast love, you will be able to crush your enemies

Your faithful God will ensure your strength, protection and victory

Trust in God’s steadfast love and you will never go down to the pit

You will be delivered from anyone who hurts you; they’ll be defeated.

Have you ever been with someone who is constantly faithful and reliable? There is no one else who could give you assurance as God could provide. Even though you don’t see him, he will make himself present to you especially if you continue to rely and be in communion with him. One of the main manifestations of a true Christian is trust and reliance in God. It is an oxymoron to see a believer who is self-sufficient or independent. In fact, anyone who is self-sufficient would most likely never consult the Lord or run to him in trouble. They will do their best to come up with their own solutions to situations and problems and forget that someone else is much in control of their situations. They are fixers and proud to prove that they can do anything. Unknowingly, they are actually insinuating that they can be on their own. That is exactly the opposite of a believer. A child of God never does anything on his own strength. That person always seeks God’s word where he will get counsel and wisdom to do what is right in his situation.  There is no arrogance but humility to admit that relying on God’s steadfast love will make all the difference with whatever situations or adversities he will face. Man can’t assure but God can because he is steadfast in his love for us.

REFLECTION

  • Share insights as to the difference between man’s way of loving against God’s steadfast love.

ISAIAH 43 GOD’S ASSURING LOVE

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June 19

ISAIAH 43

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;   I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

   and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
  when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,  

  and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,  the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes,   and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,   peoples in exchange for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you;  I will bring your offspring from the east,
    and from the west I will gather you.6 I will say to the north, Give up,
    and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters from the end of the earth,7 everyone who is called by my name,
    whom I created for my glory,  whom I formed and made.”– Isaiah 43:1-7

ISAIAH 43 GOD’S ASSURING LOVE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

There is no other love greater than how God loves us

It is a love that is precious and makes us so secure

It protects the loved one from harm and destruction

It does not condemn nor judge our unintentional actions

God’s love treasures those whom he has chosen

It always thinks of what is best for his beloved people

God’s assuring love will cast all kinds of fear

It strengthens his children & to depend on him.

How do you know if you are truly loved? With human beings, we can never truly know because we are all fallen and sinful in our nature. But God’s love is assuring. We know this when we have peace about our lives despite all that is happening around us. If God has chosen you as one of his own, he will make his love present in your heart. Your mind may not know it but deep inside you will have contentment. God’s love fills you. You won’t feel empty despite all that you are going through. You have a sense that you are not alone because he is always there to protect, guide and provide for you.

This account gives us a glimpse of God’s assuring love for his people. All the “fear nots” promises given in this prophetic book are evidence of how much we are all loved. If only many of us know who God is and how much he has provided and given us, we probably will never complain or whine or be dissatisfied. We will be ecstatic to know that we are precious in God’s eyes and considered his prized possession.

REFLECTION

·       What assurances from God’s love have been clearly manifested in your life as a believer?

LEVITICUS 19 WHAT LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR IS

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June 18

LEVITICUS 19

9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.11 “You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. 12 You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.

13 “You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. 14 You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.15 “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. 17 “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.– Leviticus 19:9-18

LEVITICUS 19 WHAT LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR IS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If you are a child of God, you will love your neighbor

You will think of others’ welfare and help them prosper

You will not take advantage of them or steal from them

You’ll give them what they deserve and never delay your help

To love your neighbor is to never be impartial towards them

You must treat them fairly and do your best to show justice

Never revenge or bear a grudge against one another

God has loved you; so, make sure you pass on this love to others.

Some scholars believe that the book of Leviticus was written by Moses but some claim that it may have been a compilation of ancient laws. If you know the Lord your God, you will probably recognize that this is the voice of God talking through Moses about what his law of loving your neighbor actually means.

By giving detailed examples of how this law looks like if followed, we get a clear picture if we are truly going to follow this law of love. In verses 9-10, Moses talks about leaving some of their harvest for the poor to glean on or gather from. According to sources, in ancient times, gleaning is a mandated agricultural practice of leaving leftover crops in the fields, vineyards or orchards for the widows, the orphans and foreigners to collect.  It only shows their love and concern for those who are unable to provide themselves because of their status in life. Verse 11 mentions stealing and lying and not deal falsely with each other. Verse 12 talks about not taking God’s name in vain. Verse 13 speaks about oppression and verse 14 is not cursing others but fearing the Lord. This account also mentions injustice, slandering, hating and avenging. This is an explanation of the ten commandments of God given to Moses.

REFLECTION

·       What among the prohibitions in this account have the world taken for granted?

PSALM 63 THE STEADFAST LOVE OF THE LORD

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June 17

PSALM 63

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,    beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;  in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,

    and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

6 when I remember you upon my bed,
    and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings,

 I will sing for joy.8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

                                                                                – Psalm 63:1-8

PSALM 63 THE STEADFAST LOVE OF THE LORD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you have been chosen by the Lord to be his child

You will experience his amazing grace and infinite love

The steadfast love of the Lord is much better than life

If you experience it, you will never be the same again

God loves you with a faithful and unwavering love

It is an unfathomable love that overflows with grace

You will hunger and thirst for this love that he gives

It will make you praise him for as long as you live.

If anyone who do not know God reads this psalm of David, that person would maybe liken it to two lovers or a husband and a wife’s relationship. It is undeniable from the tone of the psalm the wonderful love between the two people. There is reciprocity in that ardent and passionate affection and admiration they the two have for each other. Isn’t this why Christ and his bride, the church, is always referred to as a relationship as in a marriage. In Revelation 19:6-9, we hear of the marriage supper of the lamb in which the saints will be clothed in white linen to be married to Christ. This must be the reason why God himself instituted marriage when he made Adam and Eve when the two becomes one.

In this psalm, David gives us a sense of a passionate and ardent love he has for God where he constantly longs and pines for his Lord. He declares his love for God as if he wouldn’t be able to live without his presence. This is what two people get into when they vowed to love one another in marriage. They are no longer two but one. This must be the reason why widows’ and widowers’ losses are considered one of the gravest losses one can ever experience because the oneness becomes dissolved from death. Even divorce between the couple can bear much painful grief because of the breaking of the union.

REFLECTION

·       How does God’s steadfast love lead a believer to worship and praise the Lord?

DEUTERONOMY 7 IF YOU LOVE YOU CAN COMMIT

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June 16

DEUTERONOMY 7

6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, 10 and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. 11 You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statutes and the rules that I command you today.

                                                                                        – Deuteronomy 7:6-11

DEUTERONOMY 7 IF YOU LOVE YOU CAN COMMIT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord God loves you and is committed to stay faithful

Because of that love, he will never abandon you

If you were chosen by him, you will be able to love him back

He is the giver of everything including your ability to love

If you love God, you will commit to serve and obey him

That is the sign that you are renewed to resist sin.

This account written by Moses was about God’s command to the Israelites to conquer the land that he had promised his people. They were instructed by God to completely annihilate the Canaanites and prohibited them from yoking with them so they can be pure and holy as God intended them to be. Do you ever wonder why God didn’t just give them the Promised land that had no inhabitants in it? I think that God has provided everything for them when he freed them out of the land of Egypt and throughout their journey in the wilderness. Since God made a covenant with them, they had a part to play in the relationship. God has equipped all his people with all the abilities to conquer these pagans, so the part that Israel was required to do as part of this agreement was to obey God’s laws and instructions so that they can finally occupy the land that was promised to them. God isn’t an enabler and a spoiler. He had to teach them to depend on him, but the obedience and trust was what was expected of them. But we know how this story went; they disobeyed God and mixed themselves with the pagans. This resulted in their unfaithfulness to God by serving the other pagan gods of those whom they intermarried.

Moses reminds them of the faithful and steadfast love that God has for his people and how God keeps his promises to them. Their obedience and loyalty are what is expected of them.

REFLECTION

·       How do you manifest your commitment as a child of God?