Today’s readings.. Leviticus 11, Psalm 110,111&112, 2 Corinthians 3&4

           Do you ever lose heart? Does life sometimes seem to be full of too many difficulties, too many frustrations? When we feel like this we should read these verses in Paul’s 2nd letter to Corinth.  So many times Paul was confronted with very difficult situations that would have threatened to daunt the strongest personality. 

            Remember, for example, when he was unjustly thrown into prison at Philippi (Acts 16 v.22-24).  He and Silas were sitting in the darkness in the inner prison with their feet fastened in the stocks. They were “praying and singing hymns to God” [v.25] and these hymns were almost certainly Psalms.  

So what do we read today that Paul wrote to encourage others? “For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more … so we do not lose heart.  Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.  For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen  but to the things that are unseen… the things that that are unseen are eternal” [2 Cor.4 v.16-18]

       It could well have been that the Psalms today were some of the hymns that Paul and Silas were singing.  “Blessed is the man (or woman) who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments … Light dawns in the darkness for the upright … For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.  He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm trusting in the LORD. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid.” [112 v.1,4,6-8]

            May this become our outlook on life – as we are surrounded by more and more godlessness but anticipating we will soon see God fulfilling the words we also read today, “The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.  He will execute judgement among the nations …” [Psalm 110 v.5,6]   Let us read God’s word every day and build up our faith so that “we do not lose heart.”