Daily Power-up: Philipians: 2:1-5
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.
Personal Reflection: Martha
Martha, sister of Lazarus, gets a bad rap sometimes. But if someone doesn’t take the initiative to get the food on the table, then people will go hungry. In my growing up years, I would liken my mother to Martha—she didn’t know the meaning of relax or “let someone else worry about that.” Consequently, she was all about “doing” and not so much “being.”
As some of you know, when we lived in Gresham, I had to swoop in and “rescue” Mom at the age of 87 because Dad was still being physically abusive. She was finally able to say she would come away with me as her physical body was giving out. At first, we tried to have her live with us. She was starting to fall when she got up at night, so I gave her a bell to ring if she needed anything. The ringing of that bell began to take a toll on all of us. Then, it became dangerous to take her upstairs for a shower. Friends asked me how long I could keep this up, and I had to concede she would be safer in assisted living. I went to see her almost every day, but that didn’t seem to be enough to keep her happy.
While there, she had a really bad fall, hitting her head, and the next day she had a stroke and could no longer walk. Needing more full-time care, I found an adult foster home owned by a lovely Romanian couple who were nurses. Mom had her own room and a button to call them when she needed something. Again, I went almost every day and it began to affect my health. The lady caregiver must have noticed because she told me one day, “Patty, you don’t need to come every day. Sure, she would love that, but you need to take some time for yourself, too. We’ll keep her company.” I could have hugged her.
Over time, I could tell the caregivers told Mom that I needed days off because Mom would even comment that I needed to take care of myself. This was really the first time I’d ever heard her say such a thing. I began to realize the caregivers were showing her love and gentleness daily that she hadn’t received for a very long time. Sure, she got it from me, but somehow, they got it across to her that patience and compassion were loving gestures. Thus, my relationship with Mom for her last six months was wonderful. Her ability to love and care about another person was renewed. She was a joy to be around. She lived to be 90, passing a month later.
We are all sponges, soaking up whatever our environment puts in our life. If it is a negative environment, we probably give out negative words and actions to those around us. But, if we are lucky enough to soak up love and grace, we can more freely give love and grace. I cherish those six months with Mom. Her smile is forever seared into my memory. I’m so glad her last days were happy ones. Love is definitely a healing salve.
Patty Knittel
and her husband, Monty, retired to Redmond, OR in 2018. They were members of Hood View from 1987-2007. Patty wrote Red Coats and Scimitars which is available at the ABC or on Amazon. They are enjoying being grandparents to Indigo, son of Jason. Ashley also lives in Redmond.
Bible in a Year: Psalms 32, 51, 86, 122
This Bible reading plan explores The Word based on the chronological order in which it was written, and is unrelated to the daily character devotions.
The Word of Promise audio Bible is used by permission. For more information and to purchase the complete audio Bible go to https://www.wordofpromiseapp.com/.
Psalm 32
The Joy of Forgiveness
A Psalm of David. A Contemplation.
1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
7 You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Psalm 51
A Prayer of Repentance
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
Psalm 86
Prayer for Mercy, with Meditation on the Excellencies of the Lord
A Prayer of David.
1 Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me;
For I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am holy;
You are my God;
Save Your servant who trusts in You!
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
For I cry to You all day long.
4 Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
And attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For You will answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
Nor are there any works like Your works.
9 All nations whom You have made
Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And shall glorify Your name.
10 For You are great, and do wondrous things;
You alone are God.
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
13 For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
14 O God, the proud have risen against me,
And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
And have not set You before them.
15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
16 Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me!
Give Your strength to Your servant,
And save the son of Your maidservant.
17 Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Psalm 122
The Joy of Going to the House of the Lord
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
2 Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3 Jerusalem is built
As a city that is compact together,
4 Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the Lord,
To the Testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”
8 For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
9 Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek your good.