OUR DAILY BREAD: REACH FOR...

[cimi]

June 25
Monday

REACH FOR...

READ:
Psalm 55:1-7,22
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Oh, that I had wings
like a dove! I would fly
away and be at rest.
___Psalm 55:6
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A television commercial asks, "What do you reach for when you're stressed?" Then it suggests, "Reach for [our product]."

The number of ways people try to deal with serious stresses in life are as numerous as there are people. Having a drink. Blaming God. Stuffing ourselves with food. Keeping our feelings inside. Blaming others. These responses might calm us, but they're just a temporay means of escaping our problems. No product we reach for can take them away.

In Psalm 55, King David described his desire to escape from his difficulties: "My heart is severely pained within me...Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest" (vv.4,6). After the betrayal of his friend and counselor Ahithophel, who had gone to help his enemy, David wanted to get away (vv.12-13; see 2 Sam. 15). In this psalm he tells us that he reached out to God in his pain (vv.4-5,16).

What do we reach for? Author Susan Lenzkes suggests that we reach out to the Lord and pour out our heart to Him. She writes, "It's all right__questions, pain, and stabbing anger can be poured out to the Infinite One and He will not be damaged...For we beat on His chest from within the circle of His arms." __Anne Cetas
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~~~~~~~~~Christian, when your way seems darkest,~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~When your eyes with tears are dim,~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~Straight to God your Father hastening.~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~Tell your toubles all to Him. __Anon.~~~~~~~~~~~~
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When we put our cares into God's hands
He puts His peace into our hearts.

*************Today's Bible Reading__Psalm 55:1-7,22**************

1 Give ear to my prayer,
O God, and do not
hide Yourself from my
supplication. 2 Attend to
me, and hear me; I am
restless in my complaint,
and moan noisily, 3 because
of the voice of the enemy,
because of the oppression
of the wicked; for they
bring down trouble upon
me, and in wrath they
hate me.

4 My heart is severely
pained within me, and the
terrors of death have fallen
upon me. 5 Fearfulness
and trembling have come
upon me, and horror has
overwhelmed me. 6 So I
said, "Oh, that I had wings
like a dove! I would fly
away and be at rest.

7 Indeed, I would wander
far off, and remain in the
wilderness."...

22 Cast you bruden on the
LORD, and He shall sustain
you; He shall never permit
the righteous to be moved.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Betrayal is a weapon found only in the hands of a friend, for an
enemy has no such privilege. At first, David wishes he had the wings
of a dove so that he could fly from the painful treachery. The dove
is a melancholic picture of David's desire for peace and quietness.
David eventually found rest in the Lord: "Cast your burden on the
LORD, and He shall sustain you" (Ps. 55:22; see 1 Peter 5:7). Some
scholars believe that this psalm alludes to Ahithophel's betrayal
of David. Although it has not been applied directly to Christ,
Ahithophel's traitorous actions may be a foreshadowing of Judas
Iscariot's betrayal. Intriguingly, both men hanged themselves (2 Sam.
17:23;Matt. 27:5). __SKT