Author: David Short

I WILL

Psalms 9:2-3 LXX (9:1-2)

I will give thanks to You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your wondrous things;
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Personal Challenge

With all the chaos that is going in the world around us, it is important for those of us who are followers of Christ to come back to our roots in Him. He is the source of all wondrous things. It is imperative that we give thanks to Him with our whole heart, tell others of His wondrous things, be glad and rejoice in Him, and sing praise to Him. Christian nationalism does none of this. It is Christ and His kingdom that we celebrate. Glory be to God!

HOPE AND REJOICING

Psalms 5:12-13 LXX (5:11-13)

But let all who hope in You be glad;
They will greatly rejoice forever,
For You will dwell in them;
And all who love Your name will boast in You.
For You will bless the righteous;
O Lord, You crowned us with the shield of Your goodwill.

Encouraging Word

As followers of Christ, we put our hope in our Lord Jesus Christ and not in people, institutions, or any other thing in this world. hat hope will make us glad and give us reason to rejoice. Our Lord will dwell within us and we will boast in Him alone. He will bless us and crown us with the shield of His goodwill. Glory be to God!

IN THE MORNING

Psalms 5:4 LXX (5:3)

In the morning You shall hear my voice;
In the morning I will stand before You,
And I will watch.

Encouraging Words

The Psalms have so many encouraging passages. Every day begins with a morning, whether early or late, every day begins. If we start our day with prayer, we know that He hears our voice. What a way to start our day, standing before God and watching for Him. Glory be to God!

Saint of the Week

St. Maria of Paris

HOPE AND PEACE

Psalms 4:9 LXX (4:8)

I will both sleep and rest in peace,
For You alone, O Lord, cause me to dwell in hope.

Encouraging Words

As a follower of Christ, we are able to find true peace in our lives. We can rest in that peace even when the world around us is spinning in chaos. We are also able to have joy in our lives no matter what the circumstances are that with what is happening around us. We do this because our hope is in our Lord and that exceeds all understanding. Glory be to God!

HAVE MERCY ON ME

Psalms 4:2

You heard me when I called, O God of my righteousness.
You strengthened my heart when I was in distress;
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

Encouraging Words

God hears us when we call out. He hears us and strengthens our heart, especially when we are in distress. One of the most repeated prayers in the Orthodox Church is, “Lord, have mercy!” We know that we do not deserve His love or His mercy. This is why we repeatedly ask for Hismercy. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me, the sinner!

SALVATION AND BLESSING

Psalms 3:9 LXX (3:8)

Salvation is of the Lord,
And Your blessing is upon Your people.

Encouraging Words

The salvation of all mankind, even all of creation, is of our Lord. Salvation from what? From death, eternal death. The most critical thing that was released upon mankind and creation when mankind chose to sin was death, or separation from God. Satan, the tempter, was given the keys to the prison of eternal death, separation from God. Jesus, our Lord, became a human being, lived a sinless life as a human, gave His life as an innocent man, and broke down the hold of eternal death by resurecting from His own physical death. By doing this, He bestowed an eternal blessing upon us and put death to death. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Love, have mercy!

BUT YOU, O LORD

Psalms 3:4-7 LXX (3:3-4)

But You, O Lord, are my protector,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill.
(Pause)
I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord will help me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who set themselves against me all around.

Encouraging Words

As David so eloquently states, our Lord is so precious to His followers. We see him as our protector, our glory, the One who lifts up our heads in times of despair. When we cry out to Him, He hears our voice and responds. When we lay down to sleep, we know He is guarding and protecting us. We wake up from our sleep knowing that the Lord will help us. We are not afraid of anything that the world might send our way. Thanks be to God!

BLESSED

Psalms 1:1-3

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the way of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the troublesome;
But his will is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by streams of waters,
That produces its fruit in its season;
And his leaf shall not wither,
And whatever he does shall prosper.

Encouraging Words

In my life, I have been asked why I continue to choose to be a Christian when science and reality disproves it. First, I have never seen anything related to science that does not prove more deeply that what true Christianity believes is irrefutable. Now for all those false beliefs that profess to be Christian, much of what they profess is refutable and even heretical. As for reality, every real day proves to me that God is God and we humans are not. I choose to hold on to orthodox Christian believes, walk in the counsel of the godly, not walk in the way of sinners, and not sit in the seat of the troublesome because I have been the recipient of God’s blessings and will cherish those more than any temporary blessing that may be experiencedby rejecting God. Glory be to Him, and Him alone!

Saint of the Week

St. John of Kanty