Day 295: Winning

2 Timothy 4; Jeremiah 11-12; Psalm 124

Paul's perspective is incredible. He knows he will die soon and isn't afraid, isn't sad. It's just simply a fact. He talks about how he believes he has lived well, fought the good fight, and been faithful. He has struggled, but still preached the good news. I want to be able to look back on my life and say that I lived well and faithful and that I know God will give me a crown of glory. It almost seems crazy, to be ok with dying and look forward to going "home," but that is what faith is about. That's what trustin g in God is about. It may seem ridiculous, people are going to scoff, but we must trust in the words and promises of The Lord.

God says in these passages in Jeremiah that he is really mad. He just wants to destroy stuff. But at the very end he talks about other nations, not his chosen people. He says that if they say he is the only true God and turn from their evil, he will make them his people. God doesn't seem selective. If you obey God and worship only him--welcome to the family. If you worship other gods and don't pay attention to The Lord--see ya later. God wants obedience from his people. Why? Because he created us to live prosperously and through obedience to him, that's the only way we truly have access to real prosperity. And I'm not talking prosperity like a lot of money, but blessings of peace and love and security.

This psalm starts by saying "The Lord was on our side!" I love thinking of it like this. I'm a competitive person, so having "teams" of sorts makes sense to me. If I have the most awesome player and athlete on my team, I don't need to worry. If I know that we are guaranteed to win because of this person, I have no reason to fear a loss. It's that way with God. In him, through him, because of him, with him, we will have victory--guaranteed.