843 Acres - The Park Forum

September 18, 2024September 16, 2024

Counting Waves — Readers’ Choice

Scripture Focus: Psalm 3.5
5 I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

Psalm 4.8
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.

Originally published on September 20, 2023, based on readings from Psalms 3.5, and 4.8.

Readers’ Choice is here: There’s still time to tell us about your favorite, most meaningful posts of the year. If you shared it with someone, or it helped you, let us know via email, direct message, or filling out the linked form.

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:
Marisa, AZ — I really love this. I read this right after waking from a rough night of sleep. Thank you for this reminder and the peace it brings.

Reflection: Counting Waves — Readers’ Choice
By Erin Newton

As a child prone to nightmares, I learned that a sleepful night was a dreamless night. As an adult, those sleepful nights were interrupted by crying babies or nagging thoughts about the day.

Restful sleep is a luxury. In our fast-paced world, our tragedy-filled world, our stress-inducing world—sleep is often minimal, fitful, or both. When was the last time I laid down in peace and slept?

Psalm 3 is a call for deliverance. Pleading for God to arise and deliver, the psalmist recounts the number of enemies and their mocking voices. Psalm 4 asks God for deliverance from distress. Calling for relief and mercy, the psalmist seeks the ear and attention of God. The world around them is not at peace.

I lie down and sleep.

In peace, I will lie down and sleep.

It is not the circumstances of life that lead the psalmist to close his eyes without fear or anxiety. God is a shield for his people. God is an open receiver for his people. God is the sustainer of his people. These two psalms can boast of a good night’s rest because God stands ready amidst their turbulent lives.

Turbulence usually keeps us awake. We toss and turn, thinking about how we will pay our next mortgage, how we will tell our kids about cancer, how lonely we are, how much we have messed up—and more. We fret well; we don’t sleep well.

One day, many centuries ago, Jesus got in a boat with his friends. The group set sail upon the winds of the Galilean Sea. The journey was underway, the day had been long, and Jesus laid down in peace to sleep. Suddenly, the winds shifted, and the waves tossed. A storm came over the sea; the boat was swamped with waves. But Jesus remained asleep within the boat.

The disciples urged Jesus to awake, their voices strained with fear. “Teacher, do you not care if we drown?” Their world was not at peace. Their hearts were not at peace.

But Jesus did care. He stood ready amidst the turbulent waves. And the waves were still. Jesus knew that God protects, God hears, and God sustains.

As we lay down, may our minds drift to thoughts of our Lord speaking over the waves—speaking over the lie that he doesn’t care if we drown: Hush, hush, be still.

He cares.

From John: The Divine Hours prayers will return in October. This month we will pray one scripture passage or verse each week.

Prayer:
Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man. — Nehemiah 1.11

Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 44 (Listen 6:10)
2 Corinthians 4 (Listen 3:02)

Read more about State of Our Souls
Reflecting on the work of Christ in our lives is something we must repeat…an anchor in these storm-tossed waves of life.

State of Our Souls

Read more about Bearing Cursing
Rather than lashing out, may we seek consolation in God and humbly endure insults in the name of Jesus.

Bearing Cursing

September 17, 2024September 18, 2024

A Broken Rebel’s Prayer — Readers’ Choice

Scripture Focus: Psalm 90
A prayer of Moses the man of God.
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
4 A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
6 In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
10 Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
12 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Relent, Lord! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.
17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

Originally published on June 3, 2024, based on readings from Psalm 90.

Readers’ Choice is here: There’s still time to tell us about your favorite, most meaningful posts of the year. If you shared it with someone, or it helped you, let us know via email, direct message, or filling out the linked form.

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:
Casey, LA — So beautiful. So encouraging.

Brian, DC — Thanks for the gift of this reflection…I sent it to my brother. He is going through a hard time. This reflection will help him endure.

Reflection: A Broken Rebel’s Prayer — Readers’ Choice
By John Tillman

Psalm 90, the prayer of Moses, is the prayer of a broken rebel, humbled and wise, relying on God.

Moses was a rebel from the beginning. Born illegally, the state condemned him to death from birth. Secreted into the wicked king’s palace as a child, he grew up like a sleeper agent. His family did this for his safety but also must have hoped that their little rebel, like a well-slung stone, might take down the oppressive giant.

Instead, he fails miserably. Commits murder. Gets caught. Flees for his life. Marries foreigners. Has uncircumcised children. He stutters. He hesitates. He hides. Yet, God speaks directly to him and does wonders before his eyes. But, despite the burning bush and the voice of God and all those miracles, Moses still says, “Please send someone else.”

Who better to emulate in prayer than a man this broken, purposeless, ashamed, and fearful? Through prayer, Moses became a different kind of man. He became a man used for God’s purposes, breaking the might of a national superpower. He became a man of humility instead of shame. He became a man who stood his ground in faith rather than fleeing in fear.

A Broken Rebel’s Prayer
Lord, whether in a precariously floating basket, a gleaming palace, or a desert lit by burning bushes, you are the source of our life.

All our strivings are pointless before you.
You are the better dwelling place we long for.
Everything we hope for is in you.
We dwell enslaved to our brokenness, our shame, and our fear.
We return to the dust with you as our only hope.

Lord, you see thousands of years like a day and our lives like a blink of an eye.
Help us live our brief lives wisely, with your righteous wrath and merciful love before our eyes.

Have compassion on us, Lord, weak as we are.
Help us praise you with our faltering voices,
Raise our unworthy hands to see you win what our rebellions never could.

Let us pursue your power for your purposes.
Let us release our shame and stand before you in humility.
Let us stand our ground defending the weak with faith that seas will part and armies will fall without striking a blow against us.

Establish your work through our hands and speak your words through our voices.

From John: The Divine Hours prayers will return in October. This month we will pray one scripture passage or verse each week.

Prayer:
Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man. — Nehemiah 1.11

Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 43 (Listen 2:34)
2 Corinthians 3 (Listen 2:25)

Read more about Outward-Focused Rhythms
Instead of focusing mostly on activities that are forms of self-investment, practicing daily rhythms that are rooted in Christ can take us beyond ourselves.

Outward-Focused Rhythms

Read more about Offal Leaders
God smeared their faces with offal, but some keep trying to wipe it off and pretend nothing is wrong.

Offal Leaders

September 16, 2024September 14, 2024

The Prayer of a Man Named “Pain” — Readers’ Choice

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 4.9-10
9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

Originally published on November 14, 2023, based on readings from 1 Chronicles 4.9-10.

Readers’ Choice is here: There’s still time to tell us about your favorite, most meaningful posts of the year. If you shared it with someone, or it helped you, let us know via email, direct message, or filling out the linked form.

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:
Alisha, OK — This devotional is so timely for me…because of the constant pain I am living in. God is good and has given me peace, but I sometimes doubt if I should pray for relief or surrender to the pain. I’ve never thought…that “Lives defined by pain can find solace, salvation, and supply in God when we cry out to him.” I find my peace and provision and protection in God’s presence and there is a very great deal of relief knowing it’s ok to pray this prayer in the middle of the pain! God bless you for the timeliness of this! I love how He works and speaks right when we need it.

Barbara, TN — Alleluia! What a redemptive and more fleshed out devotion from a prayer that has been a bit distorted. Thank you! Pain Can bring great joy and deliverance as you beautifully say.

Reflection: The Prayer of a Man Named “Pain” — Readers’ Choice
By John Tillman

Jabez was born from pain and named for pain. This man called “Pain” cried out to God to avoid experiencing or causing pain. We should never sneer or be surprised when people in pain pray for relief.

Jabez prayed for God’s provision, presence, power, and protection.

Praying for God’s provision includes praying for “things” but goes beyond that to pray for God’s providential will. Praying for provision means requesting what we need in order to do what God would have us do.

Praying for God’s hand means longing to walk in God’s presence. God is omnipresent and with us at all times and places, but when we pray for his hand on us, we mean a greater experience of his presence.

Praying for God’s powerful hand means trusting God’s arm is not too short to save nor too weak to work in and through us according to his will. God’s power is for his purposes. His power will not go with us if we stray from his purpose.

Prayer for God’s protection confesses humility. We acknowledge our lack of control and that we cannot protect ourselves from spiritual or physical dangers. Sin and death hunger to devour us, and we, like Cain, fail to master them. Therefore, we need God’s protection.

The chronicler inserts Jabez’s story in the genealogical record of Judah but does not list Jabez as anyone’s father or son. It is a little bubble of narrative bursting out of a chart of records. Why is this story here?

The Bible only mentions Jabez one other time. 1 Chronicles 2.55 notes a town of scribes presumably named for Jabez. Many of the texts we hold dear today were copied and cared for by scribes such as the ones who lived at Jabez.

Perhaps the chronicler knew of Jabez before the exile or even lived there? Whether or not this is true, Jabez’s prayer must be one the chronicler longed to see come true in his life and the lives of other exiles.

When hurting, cry for healing. When exiled or outcast, cry for rescue and inclusion. When called a cursed name, cry for blessing and fruitfulness. When suffering pain in this world and homesick for our true home, cry for relief. Lives defined by pain can find solace, salvation, and supply in God when we cry out to him.

Pray for relief and blessing from pain.

From John: The Divine Hours prayers will return in October. This month we will pray one scripture passage or verse each week.

Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 42 (Listen 3:44)
2 Corinthians 2 (Listen 2:13)

Read more about Ask and Keep Asking
Lord, help us to ask and keep asking…grant us greater wisdom, enlightenment, hope, and power.

Ask and Keep Asking

Read more about Beyond Second Chances
God goes beyond giving second chances. Scripture is full of second chances, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh chances, and beyond.

Beyond Second Chances

September 13, 2024September 12, 2024

The Impression That We Give — Readers’ Choice

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 38.15-19
15 But what can I say?
He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.
I will walk humbly all my years
because of this anguish of my soul.
16 Lord, by such things people live;
and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
and let me live.
17 Surely it was for my benefit
that I suffered such anguish.
In your love you kept me
from the pit of destruction;
you have put all my sins
behind your back.
18 For the grave cannot praise you,
death cannot sing your praise;
those who go down to the pit
cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living—they praise you,
as I am doing today;
parents tell their children
about your faithfulness.

Originally published on July 9, 2024, based on readings from Isaiah 38.15-19.

Readers’ Choice is here: There’s still time to tell us about your favorite, most meaningful posts of the year. If you shared it with someone, or it helped you, let us know via email, direct message, or filling out the linked form.

Music Week: Many choices from readers were ones having to do with music. Some were inspired by a song or hymn, some simply included music as part of the reflection experience. This week, we pray the Holy Spirit’s tune echoes in your heart and that he guides you into Truth as you listen again to these earthly tunes.

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:
Barbara, TN — ♥️

Reflection: The Impression That We Give — Readers’ Choice
By John Tillman

Have you ever been close to tragedy or been close to folks who have?

If you are humming a tune right now, you probably recognize the question above as the opening line of a popular song from 1997. “The Impression That I Get” doesn’t give the first impression of a song with deep meaning. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones bouncy, ska-infused beat sounds like a perfect summer party jam for the beach or pool, with a chorus people love to scream-sing along with. But the lyrics are deeper than a party pool or the shallow swim area at the beach. The song discusses seeing someone’s tragedy up close and doubting if you would have the faith, the strength, or the courage to face it.

“I’m not a coward, I’ve just never been tested
I’d like to think that if I was I would pass
Look at the tested and think “There but for the grace go I”
Might be a coward, I’m afraid of what I might find out”

We find out a lot about Hezekiah’s faith when he faces a deadly illness. Hezekiah described a painful time of emotional anguish as being crushed by the jaws of a devouring lion. Yet in prayer, weeping, and lament, Hezekiah reached out to God and was miraculously healed.

In Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, he found that the survivors of Nazi death camps had in common a transcendent source of meaning outside of career, family, or possessions. The greatest sources of inner hope and meaning are not self-created but discovered in God.

With purpose, we suffer on. With hope for something better, even if we’ll never experience it, we endure the present. Meaning and hope discovered in God create and sustain courage and cannot be taken away in suffering, even if everything, including your life, is.

What we discover in God, we must help guide others to discover. Hezekiah’s psalm isn’t a party jam but it is a freedom song, a testament of faith and hope not fear and panic. The next generation has plenty of panic and fear. They need the hope and purpose we discover in the gospel. Pain is not purposeless and God’s grace is sufficient for us. (2 Corinthians 12.9)

What stories of suffering have you been telling and what songs of hope have you been singing?
What impression of God’s faithfulness do we give?

From John: The Divine Hours prayers will return in October. This month we will pray one scripture passage or verse each week.

Prayer:
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.
— Psalm 95.1-3

Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 39 (Listen 3:11)
1 Corinthians 15 (Listen 8:06)

This Weekend’s Readings
Jeremiah 40 (Listen 3:50), 1 Corinthians 16 (Listen 2:54)
Jeremiah 41 (Listen 3:36), 2 Corinthians 1 (Listen 2:52)

Read more about From the Crucible of Suffering
Deep richness comes to people who face suffering biblically…joy and contentment difficult experiences cannot steal.

From the Crucible of Suffering

Read more about Worthy of Suffering
Every time the work was hindered, the apostles persevered. They had to…no, they got to continue preaching through many dangers.

Worthy of Suffering

September 12, 2024September 10, 2024

Tortured Prophets Department — Readers’ Choice

Scripture Focus: Amos 7.10-11
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. 11 For this is what Amos is saying:
“ ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,
and Israel will surely go into exile,
away from their native land.’ ”
12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”
14 Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

Originally published on April 23, 2024, based on readings from Amos 7.10-11.

Readers’ Choice is here: There’s still time to tell us about your favorite, most meaningful posts of the year. If you shared it with someone, or it helped you, let us know via email, direct message, or filling out the linked form.

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:
Brian, DC — Thanks for this word…Evil takes aim at the storytellers and prophets, whose words call us back to God, to honor truth, justice, mercy and grace…So much to chew on here.

Reflection: Tortured Prophets Department — Readers’ Choice
By John Tillman

Over the weekend, many who speak out against abuses in the church, both abuses of power and sexual abuse, found the track “Cassandra,” from Taylor Swift’s new album, devastatingly relatable.

The mythological Cassandra received the gift of prophecy from Apollo but refused him sexual favors in return. As punishment, Apollo cursed her so that no one would believe her warnings. When she prophesied impending tragedies, she was imprisoned and treated as insane and an enemy.

Swift is almost certainly writing about fictional characters or her own personal experiences, not abuses of power or the sexual abuse crisis in churches. But “Cassandra” is skillfully written to be relatable to anyone who has suffered harm for speaking the truth.

Lyrics such as, “So they killed Cassandra first, cause she feared the worst and tried to warn the town…” and “They knew, they knew, they knew, they knew the whole time…” and “a mourning warning no one heard,” speak to the experiences of those who try to bring correction to the powerful and warn the church of abuses. Even the harsh language Swift uses was used word-for-word against women who testified to their abuse.

Taylor Swift is not a prophet, but neither was Amos. Amos was a fig picker, and Taylor picks a guitar. Amos was a rude, aggressive, and outspoken outsider, yet he cared deeply for Israel. This chapter begins with him begging God for mercy.

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, confronts and threatens Amos. (Are there any poets more tortured than biblical prophets?)

Amaziah accuses Amos of disloyalty and conspiracy. Amaziah defends the institution, “the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom,” not the truth or the people. He doesn’t care about the injustice reported, he just wants to preserve the status quo. Amaziah assumes a financial motivation. He accuses Amos of being out to make a buck.

Conspiracy, disloyalty, and financial gain are common accusations used today to discredit whistleblowers and victims. Amaziah is alive and well.

Why do we torture the poets, prophets, preachers, and protestors? Why do we allow position and power to blind us from the truth? We don’t have to be Taylor fans, but can we please avoid becoming Amaziah?

Complaints and accusations are true or false based on facts, not on who makes them. Amos proves truth can come from unexpected places. When it does, we should listen. Let’s test prophets, not torture them.

From John: The Divine Hours prayers will return in October. This month we will pray one scripture passage or verse each week.

Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 38 (Listen 5:18)
1 Corinthians 14 (Listen 5:40)

Read more about In Amaziah’s Shoes
Messages from God may come from outside our theological circle or from a political enemy.

In Amaziah’s Shoes

Readers’ Choice is here!
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