OUR DAILY BREAD : HEARTS AND BANJOS

[cimi]

December 29
Monday


HEARTS
AND BANJOS

READ:
Psalm 85:1-7
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Will You not revive us
again, that Your people
may rejoice in You?
__Psalm 85:6
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While working my way through graduate school, I taught five-string banjo in a music store. The job provided me with the opportunity to buy a brand-new, professional-quality instrument for nearly half-price.

That was over 30 years ago, and that banjo has accompanied me on ministry efforts around the world. But despite its excellent craftsmanship, eventually it needed to be refurbished. A master repairman pointed out how imperfections had worn into the banjo. He was confident that his repairs would result in the instrument sounding better than new.

I wasn't disappointed. The action on the strings and the clarity of the sound are astonishingly superior to its original condition when I purchased the instrument.

In a way, our lives are like musical instruments intended for "the praise of the glory of [God's ] grace" (Eph. 1:6). But over time, life wears us down. Our hearts cry out for renewal. The psalmist prayed: "Will You not revive us again?" (Ps. 85:6). The Hebrew word for revive means not only "to restore and refresh" but also "to repair."

It's vital that we submit our souls to the Master's restorative touch. Why not set aside some time for spiritual retreat, and ask the Lord to repair your heart? __Dennis Fisher
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``````````````````````````Revive us again__```````````````````
`````````````````````Fill each heart with Thy love;````````````````
`````````````````````May each soul be rekindled`````````````````
```````````````````With fire from above. __Mackay```````````````
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Time in Christ's service requires time out for renewal.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 85:1-7*************

1 LORD, You have been
favorable to Your land; You
have brought back the
captivity of Jacob. 2 You
have forgiven the iniquity
of Your people; You have
covered all their sin.

3 You have taken away all
Your wrath; You have
turned from the fierceness
of Your anger.

4 Restore us, O God of our
salvation, and cause Your
anger toward us to cease.

5 Will You be angry with us
forever? Will You prolong
Your anger to all
generations? 6 Will You not
revive us again, that Your
people may rejoice in You?

7 Show us Your mercy,
LORD, and grant us Your
salvation.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The superscription "A Psalm of the sons of Korah" refers to Levi's
descendants through Kohath (1 Chron. 6:16,22). They were the
gatekeepers and musicians in the temple (6:31-33; 9:19). At the
time of David, their leader was Heman (1. Chron. 6:33; Ps. 88).
Psalm 42--49, 84-85, and 87-88 are ascribed to them. Psalm 85,
probably written after the Babylonian exile (v.1), praises God for the
forgiveness of sin (vv.2-3) and pleads for complete restoration and
deliverance (vv.4-7). __Sim Kay Tee