Todays promise: God comforts those who are persecuted Bearing up to persecution But I know the Lord will surely help those they persecute; he will maintain the rights of the poor. Psalm 140:12 NLT Praising God in suffering Young Charles Simeon had reason to question Psalm 140:12. A recent graduate of Cambridge, he had been installed as rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity in that college town, much to the dismay of the liberal-thinking parishioners, who couldnt abide the evangelical preaching of this Bible-loving cleric. When the old-time members locked their pew doors to keep out other worshippers, Simeon put seats in the aisles. Then members came early and threw out the aisle seats. Nicknamed Sims, Simeon was hooted at when he walked in the town. I was the object of much contempt and derision, he admits. One day he took a walk, asking God to guide him to some text which should sustain me. Opening his New Testament, he read about Simon of Cyrene, who bore the cross of Jesus. Simeon found this to be great encouragement indeed, partly because he thought they might have given Simon of Cyrene the nickname of Sims, too! To have the cross laid upon me that I might bear it after Jesus. What a privilege! Now I would leap and sing joy, as one whom Jesus was honoring with a participation in his sufferings. If youre facing times of persecution and feel that youre misunderstood, learn a lesson from Sims and start praising God. From The One Year® Book of Psalms with devotionals by William J. Petersen and Randy Petersen (Tyndale) entry for November 21
Posted on: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 11:15:44 +0000
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