Daily Wisdom

 "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Isa 48:10

These words offer us comfort and hope in the faithfulness of our Lord. Like a soft shower diminishing the fury of the flame, let affliction come - God has chosen me. Poverty may stride at my door, but God is in the house already, and He has chosen me. Sickness may intrude, but I have a great Healer ready - God has chosen me. Whatever befalls me, I know that He has "chosen" me.

As the three Hebrew children stood in the fiery furnace (Dan 3), the Lord stood amongst them as a cloak shielding them from the flames. We too must draw from the same hope and promise that we are His chosen/adopted children as well. Our Lord dwelt in the lives and dwellings of the impoverished both physically and spiritually. Be cautious in desiring to improve your conditions out of a desire for comfort, you may end up thinking you don’t have a need for the True and only Comforter (Lam 1:16).

Through flood and flames, where Jesus’ lead, I will follow… HSAY

Daily Wisdom

“I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.” Psa 116:1

While the Psalmist is unknown here their soul is beyond distressed and seeking deliverance from troubles that felt as death.

Yet, the Psalmist records lively expressions of devotion, love and gratitude in his afflictions.

He speaks of his: love (vs 1), rest (vs 7), walk (vs 9), and thanksgiving (vs 17) in the Lord.

For the Psalmist to have such an attitude amongst his afflictions is secured in our verse (vs 1).

He obviously had experienced the Lord’s answered prayers and deliverance before…  (vs 2) ‘he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore I will call upon him as long as I live.”

The writer was willing to stick with a good thing, and even though the sorrows of death compassed him he acknowledges the Lords graciousness, righteousness and mercy (vs 5).

The Lord is never blind to our tears, deaf to our prayers or silent to our pain… He sees, He hears, and He delivers… the sovereignty of the Lord is to be strength to our souls.

Paul and Silas didn’t wait until they were delivered from prison before they began to praise Him.

Those who dive in a sea of affliction can bring up rare pearls if they hold to an attitude of gratitude.

HSAY… Todd  

Daily Wisdom

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Psa 34:18-19

Life is usually defined and revealed by either prosperity or affliction.  But, often affliction leads you to prayer; prosperity seldom. The furnace of affliction can be a good place; your endurance makes you more like Christ, preparing you for heaven.  When it comes, don’t let it sadden you know it brings with it assurance through the promise of God... 2Co 4:17 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” One’s first thought is the desirable release from affliction, but on second thought nothing should be more frightening than to be without such a need of dependence on God. Without affliction we may be prone, in our narcissistic thoughts to think we’ve already achieved paradise. It’s said the testimony of one’s life can never pen a more encouraging, hopeful and promised assurance than when it’s dipped in affliction. Often we are better in affliction than in prosperity, in prosperity we often forget God.

Rejoice in your hope, patient in your affliction and be instant in prayer. Rom 12:12

HSAY … Todd