Psalm 92 and God’s Providence (and a Needed Break)

I’ve oft marveled at how God knows what you are going to read or hear from the Bible, and he knows what you are going through, and he knows how to bring the two together to speak to you very personally. (I have to give a hat tip to Tommy Nelson of Denton Bible Church from whom I first heard this taught.  But I’ve experienced it virtually my whole life as a Christian.)

I experienced this again last night.  I was very angry off and on during the day due to the impeachment.  But during Ember Wednesday Evening Prayer at my church, the Psalm was Psalm 92.  It was the perfect scripture for me to hear. (Yes, God can use the Lectionary, too!) It reminded me that part of God’s infinite goodness is his justice even in the midst of great injustice. And his justice will prevail.  Yes, I read the imprecatory parts with some extra vigor. And it calmed me.  I needed that.

Still my anger during the day was unhealthy to say the least.  So early in the evening I decided to add to my Advent discipline that I am pulling back from politics until after Christmas Day.  That includes no politics on this blog at least until then.

I do apologize ahead of time that I think I must later blog on politics relevant to us Anglicans for reasons stated before.  But for now I need a break, and I suspect many of you all do, too.

May you have a blessed last week of Advent and a happy Christmas.

“What are Ember Days?”

This past Ember Wednesday, a young boy asked me, “What are Ember Days?”

I hemmed and hawed a bit in my answer, saying I once studied the subject but forgot a lot, but that ordinations to the ministry are an emphasis of Ember Days.

His commendable patience being tried by my efforts, he replied, “It’s okay to say you don’t know.”

I suspect I am not the only one who doesn’t know.  So to be helpful I point my inquisitive readers to a fine essay I came across last night but written a few years ago, “The Glow of Ember Days” by Michael P. Foley.  Another essay by Frank Weathers may be also be helpful.

I will say that there is still some scholarly dispute about the origin of Ember Days.  So the counsel of the boy was wise.

May you have a Blessed Ember Friday and Saturday.

A Personal Note on Ember Days and St. Matthias’ Day

Tomorrow Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday are the Ember Days for the season of Lent.  For helpful information on these, one may go to the discontinued (Alas!) Low Churchman’s Guide to the Solemn High Mass.

You are very welcome.

On an even more serious note, I have two intentions for these Ember Days and would appreciate your joining me in prayer concerning them:

1. I am seeking discernment as to how to further my education.

2. More short term, I am seeking discernment as to how to best promote my novel Pilot Point.

If Pilot Point never becomes a best seller (SNORT!), I am okay with that.  But I do want to be diligent in promoting it without getting obnoxious or out of proportion about it.

I am and will be praying for guidance in these two areas with the modest realization that one of the lessons of today, the Feast of St. Matthias, is that the Lord’s plans for us are often quite different than what we imagine!

Again, prayers for discernment in these two areas are coveted.