If I had a dime for every time someone says that the God of the Old Testament is a big old meanie while Jesus in the New Testament is totally different, I’d be rolling in the dough. Possibly you’ve heard such claims, too? Or did you say it yourself? If so, it’s not true. Not at all. No if’s, ands, or but’s about it.

Yes, the Lord Almighty is deeply hurt when His created beings, made in His image, reject Him. Refuse His love and care. Snub their noses His way. Want nothing more to do with Him. Curse His name like it’s no big deal, coupled with belittling what He wants us to know, in the Bible, as prejudiced and unsafe old wives’ tales and myths. And He’s just supposed to sit there in heaven and take it all? Would you? Not me. The whole shootin’ shebang would have been wiped off the face of the earth a long time ago if it were up to me.

He has every right to be upset. And if someone, and there are way too many, wants nothing to do with the Lord for all eternity, then He’ll honor their request, much to their regret.

But even still, His love shines brighter and brighter. And I’m looking in the heart of the Old Testament. In the book of Isaiah. Shouldn’t I be mired there in God’s judgment? Where He gets up on the wrong side of the bed? Grouchy and touchy? That’s the Old Testament deity? I’ve actually read God’s first testament. The Old one, that is. And many times. As in every year. Which is why I get my dander up at those who have no idea what they’re talking about, that God is a colossal meanie all the way from Genesis to Malachi.

Take a good, substantial look at Isaiah 43: 4. Memorize it. Count on it. Hold it front and center in your heart and mind. Here it is–‘Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you…’ (Is. 43:4). Mull over those thoughts for a while. Good medicine for the soul, don’t you think? Spiritual antibiotics that quash the infectious wrong views some hold of our Lord in the Old Testament.

For I need those ‘and’/’and’ promises–of being precious, ‘and’ respected, ‘and’ loved. All by God! The Lord’s affection toward us keeps building. A crescendo of tenderness, warmth, and intimacy. When you imagine that God is out to get you, that He really doesn’t like you very much, then repeat those ‘and’/’and’ promises spoken in Isaiah 43. From the Old Testament, dare I say?

We’re precious to God. Worth a king’s ransom. He’d give His eyeteeth for us. How? That’s all about His Son Jesus and His dying on the cross. His life for ours. Once for all. For all who believe. For those who make a commitment to be His own, even as fallible as we are. All of this is God’s gift to you and me. Forget about earning any of it. Like we could? No way. It’s His gift.

And He respects us. Can you imagine? Makes me blush when I think of how undeserving I am. No doubt about it–I’m not worth God’s respect. But He gives it anyway. Why? What does He want in return? Nothing. Okay, maybe some thanks. Some praise and appreciation. To be His. And mean it. His respect is another gift. Such a meanie God! You think?

And now for the icing on the cake–God loves you and me. He’s crazy about us. His own children. Are you as uncomfortable with His loving you as I am about His loving me? I know myself. I’ve hurt others while being hurt as well. Sometimes I’ve turned my back on my Lord without hesitation. My love for God can do a nasty disappearing act, quicker than Houdini in his prime, and without much thought on my part. Will God’s love dematerialize and do a vanishing act?

You know. That’s why He makes these big ‘and’/’and’ promises, so you can trust what God says. Roll them around in your mind this week. When Satan challenges you, casting your sin smack dab in your face, then throw these ‘and’/’and’ promises right back at him and see him slink away.

I’m precious. And respected. And loved by God Almighty. And all this is front and center in God’s Word. Found where? Right again. In the Old Testament!

Thank you, Father, for all your promises to me. In Jesus’ name. And for His sake. Amen.

We were absolutely over-the-top excited about our visit to the ancient city of Petra in modern-day Jordan. A dream come true! We’d seen pictures of the entrance to this long-abandoned city, what’s called the Treasury building, but we couldn’t believe our eyes at how huge the rest of the metropolis truly was.

We’d been told to pack lots of water. And we did. But we soon discovered that our supply was woefully inadequate. Near the end of our tour, we were parched dry like cardboard. Uncomfortable and grumpy. Isaiah 41:17 resonates–‘When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.’

What saved us that day in Petra? Certainly, it was our Lord, through a German restaurant nestled on the outskirts of Petra, that served us a lovely lunch, along with what seemed like gallons of ice-cold bottled water at each table. Needed every drop. We drank and drank, trying to slake the thirst that grabbed our throats. And eventually it did, thank the Lord, and once again, our German restaurant hosts! Danke!

We may have been Petra-fried that day, but the Lord promises that when we’re poor and needy, when we’ve run out of steam, feel weak and desperate, He has refreshment for us. Hear what’s next in Isaiah 41–‘I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry lands springs of water’ (vs. 18).

God promises–‘I will…I will…’ Is He able to fulfill them? To our specifications? Yes and no. Try not to get ahead of God. His outcomes may not be exactly what we expect. They may seem quite the opposite of all we need and prayed for. But all things being equal, which often they’re not, keep looking up to your Lord. Pour out your heart to Him. No matter what, trust Jesus. Refuse to be knocked off His track. Eyes riveted on your Lord, staying close by Him with all your questions and doubts. Never let go of His hand.

You know that God is more than able. So get behind Him. Be a follower. Let Him lead. As we pray in the Lord’s Prayer–‘…thy will be done.’ You may not need physical water or food at this moment. But spiritual nourishment? We’re all in need of that. Me big time!

A high Bible diet is prescribed by Dr. Jesus. The fiber of faith from His Word. Extra proteins from His promises. Ready to feast? To quench your thirst and hunger for God? Dive in. Eat up. Gulp down deeply. No limits or fattening calories to worry about. Not with the Bible, God’s sustaining Word!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for fulfilling all your promises, in your time and in your way. Also, for your sake. Amen.

As soon as I began serving the Lord at my last church, I started a weekly prayer group. In the beginning, only a few came, but in time it grew to about twenty folk, some from other churches who wanted to be with fellow believers who prayed. One or two would record all our prayer requests and periodically report back on their outcomes. Very exciting and encouraging. God was answering the cries of our hearts. He really was!

However, one day I asked the group to focus only on praising the Lord. Well, things got a tad dicey. I told them not to ask for anything for themselves or anyone else. Seemed like I had stolen their most precious possession! A notable sigh was heard. What were we to pray about? Just sit in silence, contemplating who knows what? No. Focus on thanking God. Praising our Lord. All our prayers are about Him today. And for Him. All of them? Yes, that’s right. Have I lost my mind? No comments, please!

But my instructions remained. Get off yourself, even off others in need, and look up. Only gaze upward. So, how did we do? Follow their pastor’s lead? Are you kidding? After about two feeble praises, we got the show on the road, asking for this and begging for that! Oh well, you can tell what sway I had on that dear church family! Hate to admit it, but I got right behind them asking, seeking, and knocking, putting the bite on the Lord for this, that, and the other almost from the get-go.

Looking at Psalm 147, you can’t miss something that sticks out like a sore thumb. Especially to those of us primarily focused on ourselves. Doesn’t matter what translation you’re using, this psalm begins and ends with ‘Praise the Lord! (which in the Hebrew language is ‘Hallelujah’). In addition, three words are repeated throughout this psalm– ‘He’, ‘His’, and ‘Him’.

Check it out. Add them up. Those three words are painted all over this psalm. Which reminds me of our triune God– Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God, three persons. Now don’t ask me to explain the unexplainable. I can’t. No one can, this side of heaven. But then and there, we’ll know. No ifs, ands, or buts about ‘He’, ‘His’, and ‘Him’–‘For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully…’ (1 Cor. 13: 12).

This week, spend some time in Psalm 147. Note those three prevalent pronouns–‘He’, ‘His’, and ‘Him’. Try as best you can to focus on thanking and praising your God. And don’t worry if you stumble along a bit, not doing such a great job. Even well-meaning pastors flub up! After all, the Lord loves to hear from us with all that’s on our hearts. Shy away from legalism and formality and repeating certain religious-sounding patterns over and over again. Or fearing you won’t use the right words.

Be yourself for a change. And let Jesus know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, how much you love Him…and appreciate Him. That’s not too much to ask, is it?

Lord Jesus, I love you and trust you. Thousands of praises and thanks to you from my heart to your ears. Amen.

In many ways, I had a happy childhood. My parents weren’t high on drugs or booze; they loved each other and provided well for my brother, sister, and me. Our neighborhood had lots of kids to play with. And I did. No major arguments or disputes with parents hating or suing each other. None that I knew of.

Most neighbors were Jewish, as was true of my elementary school. I was the token Christian, even though I knew little about what it meant to be such, except that I wasn’t Jewish. Seventy+ years later, I’m still in contact with some of those ‘kids’ from the South Mountain Elementary School neighborhood of Millburn, New Jersey. And I’m still Johnny to those dear friends!

We played all sorts of outdoor games. Whiffle ball. ‘Not It’. Leap frog. Hide and seek. Stickball on the street pavement outside our homes, where we’d yell ‘car, car, c…a…r’ for oncoming traffic. And then that game, which I thoroughly despised. Dreaded playing every time. Tried to get out of it if I could. And rarely did. What was it? Pin down!

You know the game? Have to pin someone down on the ground, on all fours, making them say ‘Uncle’, with whoever stayed immobilized and trapped losing the game. I lost every time. And so-called neighbor kids must have sensed that I was in panic mode, pinned down and restrained, for they wouldn’t let me up, no matter how many times I yelled ‘Uncle’! Bunch of meanies! I take it all back about that idyllic childhood stuff!

In Psalm 143, King David pleads with the Lord to get him out of a tight spot, where he finds himself confined, weak, and just plain powerless. Like how I felt playing ‘pin down’ except on a much grander scale–‘For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!’ (Ps. 143: 11). It’s that Hebrew word ‘trouble’ that reminds me of ‘pin down’. It means hedged in. Unable to get up and walk. Stuck. Helpless. Possibly how I felt as a two-year-old with paralytic polio? You think so? I do.

When we feel up against the wall with some insurmountable troubles, do what King David does–‘Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness’ (Ps.143: 1). Plead with your God. Lay it all out before Him. At His feet, knowing how good and loving He is.

Like He doesn’t know all about it, anyway? Catches Him offguard? Shocked and speechless? Not quite. Not at all. So, why bother? That’s easy. Because He loves the relationship He has with us. Our Lord cherishes our closeness. That we hang on His every word. Believe Him as if our life depends upon it. And it does. So, like any other relationship, talk it out. Even better, hold nothing back. Know how much God cares.

Then see what your Lord does. Wait on Him, and for once (talking to myself), mean it. Relax, already. When the Lord says to cast our burdens on Him, then, by all means, do it. And stop trying to fish them back. That’s hard for me too. You’re probably much more patient. Or are you?

Isn’t it time to trust Jesus? Why wait a second longer? Any old time will do. How about right now?

Lord Jesus, hold my hand as I lean in closer to you. Thank you. Amen.