Daily Devotions - Tuesday 12.18.07

Keeping Things in Perspective

“Have mercy on me, O God,
According to your steadfast love.
Purge me and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
--A song of God’s people (Psalm 51: 1, 7)

Yesterday we focus on keeping things in perspective. As devotional thoughts go, those words could be perceived as a reality we don’t want to deal with in the season of glitter and lights. We don’t want this season to be sad and painful for anyone. If you didn’t like the reality of yesterday’s devotions, maybe today’s words will be more acceptable.

Today, we WILL continue to keep things in perspective.

Paul Tillich, noted theologian and former professor of theology at Chicago Theological Seminary shares:

“Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness.
It strikes us when we walk through the dark valley of meaningless and empty life.
It strikes us when our disgust for our own being,
Our indifference,
Our weakness,
Our hostility,
And our lack of direction and composure has become intolerable to us.
It strikes us when, year after year, the longed-for perfection of life
Does not appear;
When, year after year, despair destroys all joy and courage.
SOMETIMES at that moment, a wave of light breaks into our darkness
And it is as though a voice says, “You are accepted.”

May light break into any darkness you are experiencing today. May you hear the voice of acceptance. May you be blessed with peace.

--Ben Keckler
12.18.07