how apt

Even though regarded as not as indepth by some, the ODB has been a true companion in my QT. During good times, the readings from ODB served as reminders of verses which I'm supposed to have memorised since I was a typical Sunday School-brought up kid. During bad times, they seem to have an uncanny knack of speaking right through my heart.

Not just once or twice, but I remember during my down time when I first came to Tokyo, a series of readings in that particular week felt like it was written just for me. Off and on thereafter, the verses were exactly what I needed for that particular situation.

Just like today. Usually I do my QT after washing up and before I go about my own routine. But today, I decided to journal my first thoughts of the day before I forget, and proceeded to do my QT. And the verses addressed the issues I wrote about, and spoke some assurance to my heart that God still is in control :

Psalms 37 [New International Version]
1 Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.


7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9 For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

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Today my dad called me, to see if I was alright. He said he had been trying to send me an SMS to my phone. No wonder the previous message about my granma didn't get through. I told him that the Japanese are so advanced they bypassed SMS and went straight to e-mails instead. This verse does not just apply to last week, but to past happenings months ago :

Philippians 3 [New International Version]
13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.