Tim’s Daily Bread Devotional 3.2.22

By March 2, 2022Daily Bread

Good morning!

I hope this day finds you and your family well. I invite you to take a few moments with me to read and reflect upon today’s scripture selection — and to carry these thoughts with you into your day.

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 46:1-7

 God is our refuge and strength,
a help always near in times of great trouble.
That’s why we won’t be afraid when the world falls apart,
when the mountains crumble into the center of the sea,
    when its waters roar and rage,
when the mountains shake because of its surging waves. Selah

There is a river whose streams gladden God’s city,
the holiest dwelling of the Most High.
God is in that city. It will never crumble.
God will help it when morning dawns.
Nations roar; kingdoms crumble.
God utters his voice; the earth melts.
The Lord of heavenly forces is with us!
The God of Jacob is our place of safety. Selah

 

Tim’s Devotional Reflection for Today

We live in a world in which changes occur so rapidly that we can’t begin to keep up with all of them. Change is present in every aspect of our lives, and it is so rapid that we can no longer even speak oxymoronically about “constant change” because the rate of change itself is changing—increasing all the time.

So many things change so fast that we can hardly adjust. Think about the last few decades.  Think of all the changes in every single area of life:  travel, communications, family relationships, the job market, science, space travel, electronics, data storage and processing, education, farming, etc.

Even in the past decade each one of us has experienced a lot of change and the pace of change seems to increase exponentially. Even the rate of change has changed! Every area of life has changed.

The changes in the way we communicate, exchange information, entertain, learn, organize, network, make money, run businesses, vote, take pictures, record video, access knowledge, trade, purchase products, read books, etc. are so sweeping that it is difficult to name one area of life that is still the same.

Even though we’ve been living with this increasing and often bewildering pace of change for a long time, it seems that we hear the word “unprecedented” almost every day.  In the face of so much change and so many “unprecedented” experiences, many people find themselves captivated by fear.

In any time of fear and uncertainty, the words of the 46th Psalm bear reading and reciting often:  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear though the earth should change.” (Psalm 46:1-2)

 

Hymn Suggestion: “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Thomas O. Chisholm (1923).
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
there is no shadow of turning with thee.
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:
Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided.
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. [Refrain]

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! [Refrain]

Thank you for sharing this moment of your day with me, with God, and with these reflections on a portion of scripture.  I hope you will carry these with you throughout your day and night.

Grace and Peace,


Dr. Tim Bruster
Senior Pastor