The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. – Psalm 28:7
Many are familiar with the cartoon strip Peanuts and the characters of Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy, Linus and the others. In creating the cartoons, Charles Schulz, a devoted Christian, often shared his faith. He would subtly create deep conversations between his characters, often including a Bible verse, letting them explore spiritual values. His “Charlie Brown Christmas” includes Linus quoting from the Gospel of Luke. Schulz told an animator who questioned its inclusion, “If we don’t do it, who will?” Later, he explained to a media outlet, “If we’re going to do this, we should talk about what Christmas is all about, not just do a cartoon with no particular point of view.”
Even though his career shared humor with a wide audience, his personal life was far from easy. He had a troubled marriage, had an affair, had to deal with a kidnapping attempt on his wife, and later dealt with cancer and a stroke. Although some biographers have questioned the depth of his faith, many who eulogized him told of its strength. He had learned to trust the Lord.
You may not have the breadth of the influence of a Charles Schulz, but by your actions, you may help strengthen the faith of those around you or lead others to trust the Lord. Just as a “Charlie Brown Christmas” might provide the only exposure some people will have to the Bible story of the birth of the Savior, you could be the only Bible that someone else reads. Pray for believers in government to uncompromisingly identify with and lean on the Savior.
Today’s Verse: Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Romans 8:31-39
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
