Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me. Job 29:2

Memories of the past can bring comfort and strength to help in turbulent and troubling times. Like the brightness of the sun which appears from behind the storm clouds and rain, pleasant memories of the past appear out of the darkness to overshine the clouds of gloom, dreariness, and despair. Present dissatisfactions can drive our minds to look back on the sunshine and sweetness of days past, yearning for the warm comfort of friends, fellowship, and family and brightened by the glories of past successes. We find in this scripture passage the comfort of God’s faithfulness and His presence in troubled times. Awakened to the pleasurable memories when His presence was near, and when His peace filled our hearts, we can hear the cry of our heart say, “Oh that I were as in the months past.” Dreary and dampened by the desire for new things, we have drifted, and the evidence of His presence is so distance. Pressed for more popular conversation and communion for present things, prayer is neglected, and the closet is closed. Affections are stirred and occupied with other things, more than God, rather than things in heaven. In these times, the child of God is reminded of “the days when God preserved me” and like the prodigal “when he came to himself…I will arise and go to my father” (Lk 15:18). We too can return to our Father to enjoy the peace of His presence, the forgiveness of His fellowship, and the pleasure of His present hope. My friend, do you know the goodness of God? Have you yet to know the love God has for you through His Son Jesus? He loved the world and gain His only Son for you that you may have eternal life with Him and not perish in your sin. God is faithful and faithfully loves you unconditionally. There may be times when you will drift, or spiritually decline, but my friend, be reminded by the pleasant memories of His fellowship and faithfulness. God hasn’t gone from you. He will “never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb 13:5). Ask His grace and strength to help you to walk more closely with Him.

“One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Eph 4:4

It is hard to image all things. To give consideration for what all things are, what all things have been, what all things will be, both seen and unseen, our mind and imagination is overwhelmed. It is impossible for one who is part of something to consider the whole. We are part of the “all” and we are therefore incomplete. Our scripture passage declares to us the wholeness of God. He is greater than all and all things consist by and for Him (Col 1:17). He is the “one God and Father of all” and there no other like Him, none can compare with Him, and He is complete of Himself. He is the great “I AM” (Ex 3:14). God “who is above all” stepped out of glory and became part of the “all.” He came to all the world that all might be saved, because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). He came “in the likeness of man and…He humbled Himself” (Phil 2:7-8) in obedience to the will of the Father, to make full payment for the penalty for sin to all who would believe. The One righteous became unrighteous for all, that all who believe “might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21). Jesus died for all, and He is “in you all” who accept and receive Him as Savior. My friend, what a marvelous thing it is to have all your sin forgiven and be cleansed in the blood of Jesus. Let us sing with the song writer who pinned the words “All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give. I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.” Jesus is my all. Jesus is my everything. I will rejoice and be glad in Him. Father, thank You for all You are, all You have done, and all Your going do. I praise You and bless Your holy Name. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. Ex 3:2

Everyday things occur that go unnoticed. Then something unusual or miraculous happens that captures our attention, we may pause, take notice, and wonder “how did this happen?” Yet, for so many, we pass off these occurrences without a moment of thought or real consideration. Prior plans and priorities command our attention and keep our focus, so the moment is pushed aside, and we press on. Our scripture passage demonstrates how God used a common thing to get the attention of a strong-willed man who needed to be broken. Moses had seen lots of fire, but never had he seen a “bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” Fires are common in the heat of the desert. They come and ago. But something about this fire captured the attention of Moses and he turned aside to investigate. The Bible is not clear on how long the fire burned before Moses took notice, but the Bible is clear that when he ceased his plans and the “flame of fire out of the midst of a bush” became his priority, that “God called unto him” (Ex 3:4). The Father often uses unusual circumstances to gain our attention and to get us to turn our eyes and hearts to Him. God desires to be involved in every area of our life to reveal His presence and His will for us. He may disrupt a job that consumes us, disturb the pleasures of good health, derail our confidence in financial stability, or deem the surprise of an unexpected emergency that causes us to look outside of ourselves. God is always working (Jn 5:16) and He “is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor 4:17). My friend, God is always present in our circumstance, silently awaiting until we turn aside from the pressures, our plans, and our priorities to Him and hear Him say “be still and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10). God will appear and His holy presence will be known to our hearts that we humbly say as Moses did, “Here am I” (Ex 3:4). Father, help me to see You working in all circumstances of my life and join with You in Your work. Strengthen me to turn aside to You and “lead me in the way of everlasting” (Ps 139:24). In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.