July 7 (from Jon Lanuza)

SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012

Is 33:2-24

"O Lord, be gracious to us;

We long for you.

Be our strength every morning,

Our salvation in time of distress."

How I wish this were consistently true. I get up in the morning, and the worries and concerns and must-dos of the day crowd God out of my thoughts. Where is that longing for God that overwhelms all other concerns, the recognition of His rightful place in my life and my day?

I know where it is - hidden away, overshadowed by the comfort I have found in treaties with others, in the presence of witnesses, in the use of well travelled roads, believing in the strength of earthly numbers. And because I have taken my security from these earthly things, I find myself increasingly adherent to the rules these earthly things, these earthly people live by...rules that find things like extortion, murder and bribes fair game, rules that think noting of contemplating evil.

Praise God that He destroys these sources of false security, that He breaks the treaties and eradicates the credibility of witnesses, He empties the highways and makes them fearful, desolate places...that He takes away the false idols and reminds us He alone is God.

When He does that, I pray for the wisdom to acknowledge Him and His power, to live in relationship with Him such that I despise the earthly things and earthly rules. Then I will not need to rig my sails for work - I will not have to go and do what I think I should...instead, I will know, and do, what He wants. And when I obey Him, He will provide an abundance of spoils that even the lame will have plunder to carry.

Jon Lanuza

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