Category Archives: GRATITUDE

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What do you see? #godindailylife, #thebibleindaily life

ANXIETY, ENCOURAGEMENT, GRATITUDE, TRUSTING GOD

 

What do I see? What do you see in this first picture?

I see a tree that has suffered loss, the sliced off ends of branches silent testimony to many major losses happening at the same time.

 

 

 

 

What do you see in this next picture?

I see that the tree is set next to many of its fellows. They are together fulfilling the purpose for which they were planted: to help mark the boundary of a fence line. The tree that lost many branches is indeed smaller but it fulfills its purpose in the original place where it was planted just as the other trees do. I barely notice the scars of the tree’s past.

 

 

 

And how about this last picture. What do you see? I see that there are many of these boundary marking trees spread along the fence. The fence frames a broad and lush pasture, where cows graze. And beyond that one pasture, and that one farm, lies another farm, then another, and still beyond that I see vast stretches of untouched countryside, with trees, brush and the natural undulations of land unmarred by the hand of man, a countryside filled with sounds of birdsong, squirrel chirrups and the rustlings of many common creatures sheltering there.

What do I choose to see? Especially in the Christmas season, unrealistic expectations so often create disappointment and stir up painful memories and hurts. I can easily be tricked into gazing into the past, focusing on all that went before.

Or, I can choose to focus on something greater my own concerns. If I do, I begin to see the purpose God has for my life and how He has used the trials of the past to shape me more into His image (Romans 8:29). And I see that God’s purpose is good and that others have a similar purpose and similar experiences.

I see what I choose to see. Yes, by God’s great grace,  I can choose to take a broad, high view, like that of an eagle. With an eagle’s eye, I see only beauty.

When I see from an eternal perspective—from God’s perspective–I see only God’s purposes being fulfilled in me and in the place of this life where He has planted me. I do not see the scars of my past. Thus, the enemy cannot steal the joy God has lovingly planted along the path of this day especially for me.

11 Light is sown for the [uncompromisingly] righteous and strewn along their pathway, and joy for the upright in heart [the irrepressible joy which comes from consciousness of His favor and protection].  (Psalm 97:11-12, AMPC).

Oh, open the eyes of my heart, Lord! Oh, Lord! Help me get my eyes off of self and all that is past! Help me “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” (Colossians 3:2, NLT) Help me fix my eyes on things above. Help me expect You and look for You, and hope in You! For so shall You change me and give me a new kind of strength and power.

Oh, Lord! Help me soar with You! As a man mounts a horse, so the eagle mounts the wind. An eagle merely spreads its wings and mounts up upon the wind and is effortlessly carried along. So, Lord, by faith I spread wide the wings of my heart. And I soar, Lord, I soar with You. In Your limitless strength I shall indeed “run and not be weary”. I “shall walk and not faint or become tired.” (Isaiah 40:31, AMPC)

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding.

29 He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound].

30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted;

31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. (Isaiah 40:28-31, AMPC, emphasis added).

Dearest Father, grant me a willing heart throughout this special season to keep my eyes on You and on letting You love others through me. Thank You for the settled peace that always brings. Amen.

bald eagle flying under forest during daytimePhoto by Kea Mowat on Unsplash

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

GRATITUDE

white candles on round tablePhoto by LIbby Penner on Unsplash

I can find no better words for this special day than Psalm 100.

1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands!

2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing!

3 Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!

5 For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations. (AMPC)

Dear Father in heaven,
We thank You for all You have done, for us individually and for our nation and our world.  Oh, Lord, help us remember every day and every hour to give  You the worship and praise and gratitude You deserve. Help us love You and serve You with an undivided heart. You are our King and our very great delight. Thank You for loving us! Amen.

 

The message of the hummingbird

ANXIETY, DAILY LIFE, ENCOURAGEMENT, GRATITUDE, HARD TIMES, HOPE, TRUSTING GOD

Unsettled. Plink, plink. The kitty kibble rattled into the bottom of Lilly’s bowl. I scratched the top of her head.

“I love you, Lilly bugs. I’m so glad I have you. You are a gift, you know.”

I walked from bedroom back to front room, ignoring the rumpled throw atop the couch and two days of mail sliding off the toppled stack of books on the end table. Darkness still claimed the edges of the room, covering over other signs of recent neglect. Cup of tea in hand, I moved to sit in the rocker by the window, not clicking on the lamp, preferring the softened edges of darkness.

“Father, I feel so unsettled, so messed up, just lost and hurting, Lord. I just need to sit here with you, Lord, and just talk with You about it all. My feelings and thoughts are such a jumble, and it hurts so bad. I cannot do anything about it, absolutely nothing, but pray. You know what I mean by that, Lord. As a thoroughly human human being, I feel in control, at least a little, when I can do something tangible about a situation. But I also know, by faith and by experience, that prayer is tangible and produces tangible results.

This has moved me to pray like never before, Lord, but I still just want to do something. I want to be there, I want to help, I love. . . “

A long pause. I stare out the window, into the gentle dimness. Tears, tears, and more tears.

“I love him so much, Lord, and I can’t do anything. I can’t do anything!”

Another longer, deeper pause.

“But I will pray, Lord, and You can help. You can do anything (Matthew 19:26). Nothing is too hard for You. . .  (Genesis 18:14)

Then, right where I was looking, at the tip of the rose bush growing up the drain pipe outside my second-floor window, a hummingbird poised, for a quick moment, at the end of the branch–a branch with no blossoms, nothing to attract hummingbirds. Then the finger-sized creature darted away, the first hummingbird I’ve seen in the five years I’ve lived here.

The soft blanket of God’s love enfolded me with comforting weightiness. Fresh tears. As so often before, God put a bird right in front of my eyes to remind me of His presence.

“Oh, Father! Thank You! I know You are right here with me. I know You are with me in this. I know You understand how I feel and You are feeling what I am feeling. That’s what compassion is, isn’t it, feeling with someone?

I think You are telling me You have felt the tears the last few days, and You understand that I have not been able to focus, to think or to pray. It’s been all I could do just to do the minimum . . . but to know that You understand, Lord, that You see me, that You promise to never ever fail me, to always help me.

Silently, the balm of a favorite verse moved through my thoughts.

“. . . and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you) [Assuredly not!]  (Hebrews 13:5b, AMPC)

When it hurts too bad. When something turns your heart inside out, when you cannot think clearly enough to pray or even read the Bible, God understands. And He shares your feelings.

For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. (Hebrews 4:15, AMPC)

God not only shares your feelings, but He earnestly, passionately longs to help you (Isaiah 30:18). That’s one reason He tells us in many Bible passages to pour out our hearts to Him, to cast all our cares on Him, to trust Him and not worry. He knows that just putting sorrow or fear into words, to a trusted, loving person, lightens our emotional burden. So, He says:

Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! (Psalm 62:8, AMPC, emphasis added),

The power of trust. Look again at the verse above. Notice that trusting God includes leaning on Him, relying on Him and having confidence in Him. This thought is repeated in Isaiah 26:3 in the AMPC.

3 You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.

4 So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages]. (Isaiah 26:3, AMPC, emphasis added)

 Trust, according to Webster’s 1828 online dictionary, is:

“Confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person. Includes actively knowing . . . ”

I like that phrase “actively knowing”. That encourages me to keep my mind busy thinking about God’s faithfulness, the endless facets of His goodness, His awesome power, His sovereignty over all that was and is and is to come, His unbounded love for me, and the surety of all His promises. And in hard times, like now, it comforts me to meditate on Romans 8:28, the fact that “ God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (NLT)

Trust and obey. Perhaps you have heard the beloved hymn “Trust and obey” written by John H. Sammis in 1887. Below is the first verse and the refrain.

  1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
    What a glory He sheds on our way!
    While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
    And with all who will trust and obey.
  • Refrain:
    Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
    To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

“Dwell in the land and do good” That beautiful hymn brings to mind Psalm 37:3.

Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed. (AMPC)

This verse has helped me move forward with daily life before when darkness closed in. This verse says God’s faithfulness will feed me. We are the sheep of His pasture and He is the good shepherd. We can trust Him to take good care of us. Didn’t He lay down his life for us because He so loves us?

With those thoughts in mind, I can look for good things to be grateful for, I can go on with the tasks of this day, I can look for ways to help others, I can meditate on the Bible truths I know. I can do what I need to do because it is God Who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13) I can rely on Him, not myself. And, by God’s great grace, I can put into practice Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:4-9.

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9, NIV, emphasis added)

No matter the situation, there is always something in it for which I can give God thanks. That is one of the first things to do when burdens are heavy.

Steps to take when you are troubled:

[1] Be grateful for what you have. Find the good things in the situation and sincerely thank God. That is part of putting Philippians 4:4-9 into practice. And Psalm 100 instructs us to approach God through giving thanks.

[2] Pray about the situation. Include statements, often called proclamations or positive confessions, about the situation and what God is doing. Tell God, “Father, thank You that You never sleep, that You always are watching the entire earth. Thank You that Your mercy never ends. Thank You that I know Your love and mercy extend to everyone and that You are always seeking to draw people to You. . . “

Also, spend time praying in tongues, also called praying in the Spirit. If this is a new concept to you, see the free booklet “The Remedy for Desperation”, beginning at page 14 (available on the Basics of Believing page of this website).

[3]  Release the weight of your worries to God. The well-known verse “Cast all your anxiety upon Him for He cares for you” in I Peter 5:7 is a quotation from Psalm 55:22. Notice how the AMPC verse clarifies that we are to release the weight of the burdens we carry:

“Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).” (AMPC)

Notice also that God promises He will keep the consistently righteous from falling. Consistent means to be regular or steady in doing something. Consistent does not mean perfect.

[4] Trust God, keep doing good, and keep moving forward with your life. Honor God by considering Him your only hope of safety (Isaiah 8:24). Ponder His omnipotence and His unfathomable love. And I say again: keep moving forward with your life. Except for times of sickness, mourning, or other legitimate reasons, withdrawing from daily life is dangerous. Idleness and isolation leave the heart open to attacks from Satan. Keep your hands and your mind busy. And the best thing to busy your mind with is, of course, God’s Word.

[5] Meditate on His Word. Nothing calms the soul like keeping the mind fixed on God. Consider Isaiah 26:3 in the AMPC.

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. (emphasis added)

Be at rest, oh my soul! Hope confidently in the Lord! He has never, no never, no never failed you in any regard and He never, no never, no never will! (Hebrews 13:5)

 

How many roses has God given you?

CHRISTIAN VALUES, DAILY LIFE, ENCOURAGEMENT, GRATITUDE, Uncategorized

His love gifts are everywhere. Predawn coolness filled the room. I closed my eyes, relishing the feel of it on the bare skin of my arms. I pressed my palms around the mug of tea just the right temperature for sipping. Inhaling the cool air deep into my lungs, I put the tea on the window ledge and picked up the pencil, ready to continue my journaling with the Lord. My eyes paused, finally, on the profusion of pink roses swaying just outside my window. That’s when conviction came, that piercing within as you realize you have hurt someone you love most dearly,

“Oh, Father! I am so, so sorry! Forgive me! I remember the thrill of first seeing that this wild rose bush had climbed all the way to my second-floor window, letting me see two roses while sitting in this very chair. That delight lasted for days. Looking at them with gratitude was a thing between us, just You and me, throughout the day. And look at how many more roses You have caused to grow and blossom! Just look at them! Oh, when was the last time I thanked You for these beautiful flowers!”

How often do I take His specially chosen love gifts for granted?  That morning, I counted 22 roses in bloom or in bud. When had I begun taking this precious gift from God for granted? How would a human husband feel if his wife plunked the carefully chosen bouquet of her favorite flowers in a corner and never looked at them again? How many times the past few weeks since the roses began blooming had God nudged me to stop and sit down with Him and just thank Him, to just spend a few minutes specifically thanking Him for those roses?

It is fitting and appropriate to give thanks, to praise and to worship the Lord. The Bible is filled with verses telling us to give our thanks and our praise and our worship to God.  I Thessalonians 5:18 says: “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)

Why? It is appropriate.

 Rejoice in the Lord, O you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you upright in right standing with God]; for praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright [in heart]. (Psalm 33:1, AMPC, emphasis added)

Why is it appropriate? One of many reasons is because “God is good and His love endures forever”!   This fact is so vital for us to keep in mind that God repeats it multiple times in the Word, especially in Psalms. He even included an entire psalm that repeats this teaching. The phrase “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever” appears in each of the 26 verses of Psalm 136. Selah!

God delights in our praise and thanksgiving and worship. It pleases me greatly that praising God, thanking Him, and obeying Him whole-heartedly are gifts I can give to Him, little of course and by no means anywhere near what He deserves. However, when I keep Him first in my heart and love Him with all my heart, I know that gives Him delight

The Lord takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness.  (Psalm 147:11, AMPC)

Being ungrateful is spiritually dangerous. When I complain—about anything—I open a door to the enemy. I am making a way for him to steal, kill and destroy the good things God has prepared for me, including an intimate relationship with Him.

God hates complaining. Read Psalm 78 slowly and prayerfully. Do you see how many times God was merciful and forgave Israel and did not destroy them? But do you see that eventually they got what their actions deserved?

Why do we become ungrateful? We get distracted by many things, our own desires, someone else’s agenda, and the ways of this dark world. This world is filled with “troubles, trials, distress and frustrations.” Just before Calvary, Jesus lovingly told His disciples that they would have “troubles, trials, distress and frustration” in this world. But He also told them “but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] (John 16:33b, AMPC, emphasis added)

God understands and “imprints on His heart” that we are just frail human beings (Psalm 103) so He always, always, always provides a way to escape from temptations. That includes those that come from within our desperately wicked hearts (Jeremiah 17:9)  as well as those that come from living in this world. Paul told us:

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (I Corinthians 10:13, NIV).

Praising and giving thanks protects me. When I consciously, purposefully, tell God “Thank You” for the little things that are right in front of me – a Bible to study, food to eat, a home to live in – I begin feeling gratitude, peace and hope. Expressing thanks to my heavenly Father helps me think about His great love toward me and about Who He is. How can I fear or complain when I am pondering the fact that the One Who holds the world in His loving hands dearly, dearly loves me? Like all His commands, the command to give God thanks is good for us.

Like gifts from a child. One of the first gifts a child gives is the head of a flower plucked from the back yard and lovingly presented in a chubby fist. Like the little drummer boy “I have no gift that’s fit to lay before a King” but I can give Him the very best of my heart. I can give Him my gratitude and my conscious awareness of Him. I can just sit down with Him and say,

“I love You Father! Thank You for those roses! Thank You for teaching me from Your Word. Thank You for leading me to have a closer relationship with You. It is so good to just sit in Your presence, Father. I love the peace I feel when my mind is on You.

Help me remember, please, to stop the busyness of my hands and sit down with You. Thank You that I feel Your love when I do that. Show me how to please You more, Lord.  Show me how You want me to live every hour of every day You give me on this earth. I love You Lord, I just love You. . . “

Why do I need more gratitude??!!

DAILY LIFE, DEVOTIONALS, GRATITUDE, TRUSTING GOD

Frustrations of daily life. I stared out the car window at the intersection twenty feet away. The Texas sun glared off each windshield and every piece of chrome on the cars passing by. Although the air conditioner blew blessedly cool air on my face, I could mentally feel the already blistering heat. Ten forty-five. I had planned to be back home seated at the computer by now.

I had driven by this in-and-out vehicle inspection site, one a half miles from my home, earlier but had passed it by because of the long line. Then I had driven two miles to another shop that the internet said did inspections. However, a sign just above the bays where you drive your car in for an oil change said “Sorry, but we no longer do state vehicle inspections.” I had backed up in a corner in their little parking lot, out of the way and, trying not to be mad, looked up “car inspections near me.”

“Ug!  I hate the internet! I said, my voice loud in the car’s interior.  “Why is it so hard to look up anything anymore!”

The list of inspection sites on my phone showed a phone number and links to a website and directions but without clicking on the directions, there was no way to tell the address. The little map with pins on it did not have the streets labelled.

I could feel my breath getting shorter as the irritation rose. I could also feel a twinge of chest pain. That often happens lately when I start getting upset. I consider it my personal early warning system, an urgent message to calm down NOW and take things slower NOW.

(If you have chest pain, please see a doctor. I pay attention to chest pain but I can, with a fair degree of confidence, modify my behavior and wait for it to ease because I am under the care of a cardiologist who so advised me.)

So, trying to calm down I hit the directions button and followed the voice to the next site. I parked and walked to the door. Another “We no longer do vehicle inspections.” The thin skin over my elbow felt like it was roasting. Back in the car, one more sip of the iced water I carry with me all summer long, one more session with the phone, then one more site and one more sign.

“I give up.” I said and drove back to the original site close to my home.  Thankfully, there were only two cars in each of the two lanes ahead of me. I pulled in line and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, a man came to my window, took my payment, then said as he reached for the handle of the car door, “We’ll take it from here.”

This was one of the speedy inspection stations/speedy oil change places and it looked, from driving by, that you sat in the car while the car was inspected or the oil was changed.  I had come here because I did not want to go to a service shop where you had to sit and sometimes wait an hour. That was hard on my touchy hip.

Stifling another deep sigh—it was not this young man’s fault and I was sure he saw disgruntled faces all day long—I asked “Where am I supposed to wait?”  I realized that sounded sarcastic.

He gestured to two picnic benches resting, barely, in the shade of a little Mexican restaurant, then pointed at the crew of men paving the section of asphalt driveway next to the inspection building.

“They are paving our spot.”

Too upset to immediately hear the sarcasm in my words and apologize for sounding upset, as I normally would have done, I nonetheless was aware I needed to do something.

“Thank you,” I said with a softer tone and an attempt at a smile. “I appreciate it.”

Forgive me, Father. I am listening now. I walked the twenty feet to the two picnic tables, grateful that the corner of one bench was still in a three-foot wide strip of shade before the advancing sun removed that one last bit of shadowed coolness in the entire block. The air was filled with the tantalizing smell of cooking beef.

“Okay, I said, “I’ll start the book I brought with me on do-it-yourself physical therapy for your knees.” But when I looked in my purse, I realized I had left the little book in the car.

Once again, I sighed. “Okay, Father. I realize You are trying to tell me something. I am sorry for getting so upset. I will just sit here and listen for what You want to say.”

I looked again at the intersection next to the inspection site, at the hot glare, the cars whizzing by, going in four directions. People out and about, many of whom would not have the luxury of going back home and staying inside, out of the heat, for the rest of the day.

Route Crew Photo - Getty ImagesThen I looked at the construction crew. Two men were using huge push brooms to smooth out the fresh asphalt. They all had long sleeve shirts and long pants on, a phenomenon I had thought peculiar when I first came to Texas ten years ago from Florida. I had learned since that people wear long sleeves because the Texas sun is more vicious than the Florida sun which passes through softening, highly humid air.

“How hot are they?” I wondered. “And they do this kind of work all day and all year long.”

There was a loud repeated thudding as some machine, just out of my sight, pounded away, breaking up a new section of pavement to be worked on, I presumed.

“And they have to listen to loud machinery all day long, too.’

“Freda, you need to be more grateful and stop complaining! What a wimp you can be! You are acting just like the Israelites complaining about sweet tasting manna.

“Expect trials to multiply.”  Then I thought of the devotional by Charles H. Spurgeon God had brought to my attention through a friend earlier that morning. When I got home, fifteen minutes later, I pulled out my well-worn copy of “Beside Still Waters” and turned to page two. It began:

“God does not put heavy burdens on weak shoulders. God educates and tests our faith by trials that increase in proportion to our faith. God expects us to do adult work and to endure adult afflictions only after we have reached a mature status in Christ Jesus. Therefore, beloved, expect your trials to multiple as you proceed toward heaven.”

Spurgeon expounded on that theme, recalling that, in Abraham’s old age God had tested Abraham (Genesis 22:1).  Spurgeon warned “to never plan on a rest from trials this side of the grave.” He concluded by reminding us that we must stay in the fight and use our armor because we are in a war. We “must watch, pray and fight” and we must expect our “last battle to be the most difficult, for the enemy’s fiercest charge is reserved for the end of the day.”

Finally, deep understanding. This was a theme I had danced around in my solitary ponderings and in conversation with a friend who has also undergone a long string of troubles and trials, as I am sure you have also. But this time, on this pyretic morning in Texas, going about the routine of taking care of the ever-growing mound of small and trifling matters necessary to sustain life in our world, God gave the strength necessary to truly embrace this truth and accept it, rather than run from it as I had before.

Why I need to be more grateful. “Okay, Father. I see this clearly now. And I also see that You have all these last few months, with all these challenges, been equipping me with one of the best shields, that of developing a truly grateful heart.

You know when I first started consciously trying to be grateful, for the everyday little things right in front of me as well as for seemingly big things, it felt like just an exercise. I still had so much complaining going on inside at the same time I was saying ‘Thank You, Father, for this home, this furniture, all the food in my cabinets, the money that pays the bills, the dependable car I drive. . .’

But it has become more sincere and now I really mean it when I express my gratitude to You. You have renewed my heart.  Thank You, Father. I could not do it, no matter how hard I tried but You did.

And this is part of why You wrote Philippians 4:6-8 too, isn’t it, where You told us not to worry, to just ask You for what we need and to keep our minds fixed on good things.

 6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].

This thing about being grateful all day long is part of verse eight, part of the good things we are supposed to be thinking about, isn’t it Lord?

So, Father, I will think about good things today, I will think about all the wonderful things You are doing in my life and the lives of those I know and in this entire world. I will be grateful that I know You are all-powerful and also so very loving and merciful and that You help us in all our weaknesses and always will. I will strive to be more mindful of how great You are and how awesome it is that You take time to be involved in the details of my little life.  I will be grateful. for . .

 

Compassed about with . . .

ANXIETY, DAILY LIFE, DEPRESSION, ENCOURAGEMENT, GRATITUDE, HOPE

For this [forgiveness] let everyone who is godly pray—pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters [of trial] overflow, they shall not reach [the spirit in] him.” (Psalm 32:6, AMPC, emphasis added.)

“Great waters of trial”.  “Father, You said to cast all our cares on You, so that is what I am doing, Lord. thank You for highlighting I Peter 5:6-10 to me last week. Help me have an attitude that pleases You as I try to just talk with You about what is on my heart, as I cast my cares on You. Lord, oh, please let me not complain or murmur! Help me just talk with You, as I would a human friend.”

I rocked slowly, so as not to spill the mug of chamomile, and watched as the horizon separated into bands of cobalt blue and pigeon gray. I snugged my thin house sweater closer around my shoulders.

“Father, I am so sorry but I feel so alone. I know You are right here with me, and in me and all around me. I know You have everything in my life and in this world in Your complete control. I know You will work everything out for my good, that You have only good plans for me. I know You are always working with those I love and pray for.

I am so grateful for the surgery but Lord I am so tired of dealing with recovery and still feeling so bad, without enough energy to write or do things I did just a few months ago. And I am so, so tired of fighting negative feelings!

Thank You that I know we are to resist the enemy at the onset of his attack on us. I know that helps the negative feelings not get a grip. I confess I have given in to his onslaught so many times these past few months.  And I know that is why I feel so bad now. The stress of those emotions has accumulated. Even though I know better, I surely know better, I have fallen into an emotional pit. Again. My foot has been snared and I am not moving forward with You.”

On the horizon, the orange glow expanded from a thin line to a broad band then fingers reaching out and up. I did not want to start this day. I leaned over and stroked Lily’s soft fur, wishing I could just hug her tight. No, actually wishing I could be hugged by someone big and strong, wishing I could just cry on someone’s shoulder. A long time. Wishing I could hear a deep voice murmuring close to my ear, “Everything will be all right. I have you.”

Seasons of trials. This writing is a little slice of life, my life as a frail and flawed follower of Jesus. You likely know, as I do, that seasons of trials, those unending days, weeks, or months when situations test our endurance, come to all of us.  What are we, as followers of Jesus, to do?  Count it all joy and exercise our faith. That leads to perseverance. And perseverance—when its work is finished—leads to maturity. (James 1:1-4) Yes, but our flesh! Ah, our weak full-of-feeling flesh!! Praise God that He earnestly remembers the weaknesses of our flesh (Psalm 103) and He always, always, always makes a way of escape from the world, the flesh, and the devil. (I Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 4:19: Isaiah 41:10; and Isaiah 43:16). And that includes emotional pits and snares that halt our progress on the path of maturity.

So, because by grace I have personal experience with these truths, yesterday morning I kept talking to the Lord as I fixed oatmeal, dressed for the day and put a water bottle and book into my gym bag.

Setting my mind. “Lord, I am going to just keep trying. I don’t want to. I just want to turn off my mind and stay on the couch. But I am setting my mind to keep moving forward with faith, to go on with the usual activities of daily life, my daily life, this day. I know You are faithful and loving and kind and merciful. I know You will deliver me from this trial. I know You will restore me to the joy of being aware of Your presence. I will do the things I know to do, like being purposefully grateful for what is in my hands, thinking how to help others, praying for them, and meditating on Your Word as I walk through this day, this day which I know is a gift from You, a true loving gift.”

I picked up the three sheets of type-written Bible verses lying on the kitchen counter and read them over, once again. Yesterday, I had picked out three of my favorite verses about comfort and typed them all on one piece of paper, trying to keep them in mind all day long even though the dark cloud of emotions lingered still, like a cold, damp unwelcome fog.

“Let Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us in proportion to our waiting and hoping for You.” (Psalm 33:22, AMPC)

“The Lord is my strength and my impenetrable shield; my heart trusts, relies on and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.” (Psalm 28:7, AMPC)

“Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts, relies on and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with lovingkindness.” (Psalm 32:10, AMPC, emphasis added)

Compassed about. “Oh, Father!  Thank You for this promise! That is what I need right now and all day, to be totally surrounded by Your mercy and lovingkindness, in every area of my life, in every moment today. Compassed about means to be completely encircled 360 degrees. It means to be hidden in You, with mercy and lovingkindness forming a shield around me so that the enemy’s arrows cannot touch me. I am trusting in You, Lord, I am relying on you and I lean on You with confidence because You have never, no never, no never failed me in any regard! Please do cover me with mercy and lovingkindness today.”

I stepped out the door into sunshine, down the stairs, along the sidewalk and into the parking lot. As I turned the ignition, the upbeat music filled the car. “Oh, Lord have mercy, have mercy on me!”  I smiled, a tight little smile.

“Thank You, Father. That song playing at just this moment is a pat on the head from You. Thank You!”

I listened to the music as I drove, then made that sharp left onto Jones at the bottom of a hill, smiling as I remembered my youngest grandson singing out “Wheeee!” as we made that turn on our way to the gym. My two grandsons were well into elementary school now, no longer with me during the day. How I missed them! But, as was my habit, I thanked God for every day I had been with them, realizing my great fortune as a grandmother who lived close. I also thanked God that my years of office work were done, no more of that frantic pace of life, always struggling to carve out enough time for prayer and Bible study.

“The evidence of Your goodness . . .” As I drove onto the I-70 entrance ramp, I also thanked God, as I did so often, for all the years of His help raising my daughter. And, as always, love and concern for her and my now-expanded immediate family, surged up from the innermost depths. At just that moment, from the radio came “I see the evidence of your goodness all over my life, all over my life!” Tears immediately spilled over, ran down my cheeks and kept flowing.

Against the backdrop of that song, flowed a kaleidoscopic montage of treasured up and cherished memories,

  • Sharon carrying the Holly Hobby tote bag I made for her crayons and coloring books to use during evening church service (Thank You, Father, that I was saved when she was young so she could learn about You when she was little!);
  • the family with two girls her age at whose house we had attended Friday night Bible study when I was first converted (Thank You for those Christian friends who gave such spiritual and practical help!),
  • countless snapshots of her smiling, laughing face as we did life together—evenings, errands, shared daily routines, inventive special occasions (Thank You, Father, for the friend who advised to “get involved with whatever she does and let other things go.”
  • the anonymous benefactor who paid her tuition at a Christian school for seven years,
  • the two twenties we had found under a box on the closet shelf that time she needed new shoes,
  • the steady merit increases at the civil service job, the pension from which let me retire and relocate to Austin for my grandsons’ preschool years.

So we would know how much God love us. Interwoven with the repeating refrain of “The Evidence of Your Goodness” flowed another song God had so often sent when things were hard. Playing on a parallel track in my mind was “So You Would Know” by Al Hobbs.

“How many times must I prove how much I love you?
How many ways must My love for you I show?
How many times must I rescue you from trouble
for you to know just how much I love you?

Didn’t I wake you up this morning?
Weren’t you clothed in your right mind?
When you walked through that problem
didn’t I step right in on time?
When you got weak along life’s journey
didn’t My angel carry you?
So you would know just how much I love you.

How many days must I be a fence all around you?
How many nights must I wipe your tears away?
How many storms must I bring you safely through
for you to know just how much I love you?

Didn’t I put food on your table?
show up when your bills were due?
When the pains were racking your body
didn’t I send a healing down to you?
When you were lost in sin and sorrow
didn’t I die to set you free
so you would know just how much I love you?
. . . so you would know just how much I love you

 I saw a much younger me standing in worship services, hands raised, tears flowing as the choir sang “How many times must I prove how much I love you?” So many, many years of faithfulness, more than forty now and never once letting me down in any way. The scenes kept playing through my mind as I drove and listened and wept

“Thank You, Father, thank You for all those years, all those times! You took such good care of  our physical needs, on my secretary-level salary. You were such a good father to Sharon and a husband for me. And You still are, Father. Help me embrace this beautiful life You have given, in every detail!”

I sat in the gym parking lot a while before the tears stopped. As I worked out, I remembered having written a blog post (December 2, 2021) on “The Wisdom and Safety of Giving Thanks” And I pondered.

If anyone is truly wise—the lesson of Psalm 105-Psalm 107.  Psalm 105 commanded Israel to thank God, rely on Him, and remember “the wonders He has done.” Psalm 105:8 through Psalm 106:43 recount countless times God’s people complained, forgot to remember what He had done for them and rebelled against Him. Yet God delivered them over and over when they cried to Him in their troubles. Psalm 107 ends with “Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord.” (NIV)

Though I surely knew better, I had behaved just like Israel, and for how long now? Weeks? I had tried to be grateful but deep inside I had still been complaining – in the very face of Divine provision, just like the Israelites complaining about manna! Oh, how our desperately proud heart blinds us to faults we so easily see in others! Through those two songs and bringing Psalm 105-107 to mind, God had given me the same loving message three times in less than 30 minutes: “I have always provided for your every need and will continue because of how much I love you. You have nothing to fear, My child. I am with You this very moment.”

When my stubborn heart finally let go of self-pity, my ears finally heard what I needed to do and what would restore my soul to that blessed awareness of His presence that my complaining and doubt had hidden so many days. And what was that? Simply trust and obey.

Trust, really trust, and do good. Psalm 37:3 sums up the plan of action that, along with heart-deep gratitude, always gets me moving forward with God, even while still on “the dangerous heights of testing and trouble.” (Psalm 18:32-33)

“Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed.” (Psalm 37:3, AMPC)

Recalling God’s goodness and expressing my gratitude to Him always rekindles trust and confidence in the Lord and makes me want to be about the business of living my life for Him. That, in turn, gets my mind off of self and self’s problems and focused on God and others. In more than 40 years, God has never once failed to reward the simplest of such little acts of obedience. Why, oh why had I been unable to do those simple things? True, prolonged illness then surgery and recovery can weaken anyone’s mental, emotional, and spiritual strength but I knew better! God had trained me how to keep my mind safely on Him and to focus on Kingdom work.

Our loving, forgiving, and exceedingly compassionate Father. God taught much through this latest cycle of trials, falling down, and, by grace, getting up again.

[1] I learned to be less critical of myself because I had ample time during this dry spell to contemplate the fact that we each have our own personal weaknesses. Two of mine are worry and, ug, self-pity. I also pondered how forgiving God is and that He really means it when He says He “earnestly imprints on His heart that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14, AMPC)

[2] I also recalled that, while on earth, we will never attain perfection but are always to be pressing on toward maturity (Hebrews 6:1-3).

[3] And, God demonstrated, through my failings, why He said to “put no confidence in the flesh.”  It is a blessing to feel secure and confident that that you can, by grace, guard your heart and keep yourself spiritually and emotionally strong. However, I had, unknowingly, been depending on my ability to guard my thoughts as I reassured myself that I was doing everything God had led me to do. I was leaning on me, not trusting in God. What ugly pride! What danger!

God will let us have no other gods before Him and that includes the toxic idol of confidence in self effort. To the extent that we depend on our own actions to keep us peaceful and moving forward, we will inevitably fail and fall. God will deal with our pride. He loves us too much to let us carry that lit stick of dynamite around!

 One message of Psalm 32. As I ponder Psalm 32, I see the rich blessings of remaining in right standing with God. God instantly forgives when we openly confess our sins and iniquities to Him, including things we deceived ourselves about. If we do that, God keeps our spirit safe, even through great trials. God clearly teaches us how to live if we walk with Him willingly, and He completely encircles us with mercy and loving-kindness. Thus, in every aspect of our lives, His mercy and loving-kindness will be unmistakable.  We will truly be compassed about, completely encircled, with mercy and loving kindness.

“For this [forgiveness] let everyone who is godly pray—pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters [of trial] overflow, they shall not reach [the spirit in] him.” (Psalm 32:6, AMPC, emphasis added)

“Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts, relies on and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with lovingkindness.” (Psalm 32:10, AMPC, emphasis added)

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you who are upright and in right standing with Him]; shout for you, all you upright in heart! (Psalm 32:11 AMPC)

 

 

 

Away in a Manger/Inside My Own Heart

ANXIETY, DAILY LIFE, ENCOURAGEMENT, GRATITUDE, Singable Bible Truth

Inside my own heart, in God’s secret place,
I talk with my Jesus, we talk face to face.
Although I can’t see Him, I know He is real.
He gives me His peace, a peace I can feel.

Dear Reader: The following is a repeat of the December 2021 blog post, only with a different Christmas carol. The message still fits–I am still desperately and diligently studying and meditating on His Word. And my gratitude for His great grace grows each day.

I pray that He draws you closer than ever to Him this Christmas season, in the very midst of the craziness of the world.  He is the One Who “spreads a table before us in the presence of our enemies! (Psalm 23) So come! Feast on His love and His precious presence!

Desperate about His Word. The short poem above, and the three stanzas below, can be sung to the tune of “Away in a Manger” while you go about your daily life this Christmas season. I wrote this poem two years ago [now three years ago], in the Christmas 2019 season. It is one of several poems singable to Christmas carol tunes, which you can find in the booklet entitled “Carols for Consecration” on the Books and More page of this website. They were all written as I was pondering Scripture.

Two years ago, I was learning how to maintain healing from life-controlling depression and fear, a healing God began in March of that year. What brought healing? Diligent, daily meditation on God’s Word. Two years ago, I desperately needed the constant reassurance this poem describes. Fortunately, that desperation led me to meditate on comforting Bible verses hour after hour, all day long, during every free minute, every day, week after week, month after month. God’s Word healed my heart after all else failed.

God has maintained the healing and helped me grow. How? By His grace moving me to continue delighting in His law and diligently meditating “on His law day and night.” (Psalm 1:2, NIV).

Still desperate about His Word. I am still desperate about His Word because I have learned I can do nothing without Him but that “I can do everything through Christ Who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13, NLT) By His grace I can now say to my loving, gracious Father:

“I will keep Your law continually, forever and ever [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it]. And I will walk at liberty and at ease, for I have sought and inquired for [and desperately required] Your precepts. (Psalm 119:45, AMPC)”

I pray this and the other poems in “Carols for Consecration” move you to diligently meditate more and more on His truths, so that you may “have a constant supply of Living Water, that you may bear your fruit in season, that your leaf may not wither, and that all you do will prosper.” (Adapted from Psalm 1:3). To learn more about “Diligent Meditation”, see the booklet by that title on the Books and More page.

Below are the other stanzas of “Away in a Manger/Inside My Own Heart”

[2] He loves me each day, He loves me each night.
And all through the day He makes all things right.
He’s walking beside me, He is my best friend,
He’s with me forever, on Him I depend.

[3] Outside it is dark, outside it is cold
With Jesus inside me I’m strong and I’m bold.
I know He is with me, for I feel His hand.
He’s with me forever. He helps me to stand.

[4] No matter the problem, no matter the fear.
I trust my Lord Jesus. I know He is near.
He’s strong and He’s mighty and He cares for me.
He loves me forever. He simply loves me.

Dedicated with all my love forever, to my two grandsons.
Nana

 

Bouquets from the Lover of your soul

DAILY LIFE, GRATITUDE, HOPE, TRUSTING GOD

I put my cup of chamomile on the side table by the rocker and settled in. Gazing out the window as the light of day advanced, I saw the cluster of crepe myrtle blossoms framed just so, in the patch of sky not encroached upon by the building next door.

As I contemplated the simple beauty of bare branches silhouetted against sky, soft piano and violin intertwined in ethereal complexity, touching my mind, at once as tender as a loving hand on the cheek, as sublime as mountain peaks undulating to the horizon and beyond, and as majestic and unrestrainable as the waves of the sea. A flock of sparrows fluttered into leafy branches, making fuchsia blossoms sway.

“Oh, Father! You could not be more real than if You were human. Thank You for the gift of being aware of Your presence. Oh, help me stay aware, Lord! Please don’t let the busyness of the day separate me from You, Lord. I’ll never understand how You do it but just to know, just to feel, that You are here with me, just to somehow feel Your love, just to know You love me and accept me as I am, failures and weaknesses and all. It’s beyond words.

Oh, Father! I appreciate You so much. Help me be worthy, Lord, of Your love. Help me walk holy. Show me how You want to use me today for Your kingdom, no matter the cost.

But this one thing, my beloved Father, my Treasure, I do ask, yes I beg for it, as David did – don’t take Your presence from me! Your loving kindness is better than life.  At your right hand indeed are pleasures forevermore. 

Dear, dear Father, You Who are love, help me love You better. Show me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness. Be my Rock, my Fortress, hide me in the shelter of Your presence. Unto You and You alone, oh Lord, do I bring my life. Thank You, Father, thank You . . . “

Thoughts to ponder. . .

“The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship of the Lord have they who fear – revere and worship – Him, and He will show them His covenant, and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning. (Psalm 25:14, AMPC)

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after, inquire for and [insistently] require, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord, and to meditate, consider and inquire in His temple.

For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will set me high upon a rock.” (Psalm 27:4-5, AMPC)

“We look for heaven and never realize
God is in the commonplace things all around us.” Anonymous

The wisdom and safety of giving thanks

BIBLE TEACHING & STUDY, CHRISTIAN VALUES, DAILY LIFE, ENCOURAGEMENT, GRATITUDE

Hammering another verse in. “. . . and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord.” I kept my dripping hands over the sink and leaned to the left, where my printed verses lay open, far enough away, hopefully, to prevent their being splashed as I washed the oatmeal bowl, mug and spoon.

“Hmm,” I murmured as I cleaned out the sink, “Lord, You know I want to be diligent in what I do for You and I do want to diligently think about all the merciful and loving and kind things You have done for me and for all Your children.”

I picked up the paper and carried it with me to the bedroom, putting it on the edge of the bathroom sink while squeezing toothpaste.   “So, I see that if I “observe and heed” these things You will count that as diligently considering Your mercy and loving-kindnesses. And I see that it also must be a truly wise thing to do, so I think that would mean especially wise. Oh, Lord! Help me get this verse into my head!”

Why is it wise to be thankful? Sometimes it does indeed feel like I have to hammer verses into my head before they stick – but oh! It is so worth it!  Such truths bubble up inside as I meditate/memorize.  For example, in Psalm 107:43 I hear God saying that it is truly wise to be thankful and to remember all He has done. Psalm 107:43 tells us:

Whoso is wise [if there be any truly wise] will observe and heed these things; and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord. (AMPC)

What are “These things” the truly wise person will observe and heed? “The marvelous deeds He has done, His miracles and wonders, the judgements and sentences which He pronounced upon His enemies, as in Egypt” (Psalm 105:5, AMPC).

Wisdom—and loving warnings: Psalm 105 to 107. I believe Psalm 105, 106 and 107 can be profitably be considered as one message (although Psalm 106 concludes Book IV of the Psalms, and Psalm 107 begins Book V). I see a thread of God’s teaching woven through these three psalms–the wisdom of earnestly, carefully, whole-heartedly, diligently remembering all He has done for us.

Psalm 105 opens with the command “O, give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His doings among the peoples! (verse 1). We are told to “Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; meditate and talk of all His marvelous deeds and devoutly praise them.”  Then we are told to seek Him, to crave Him and His strength and His presence “CONTINUALLY – EVERMORE.” (emphasis added)

Next, Psalm 105:5 through Psalm 106:42 recounts the many times God delivered Israel. Then we read, “but they were rebellious in their counsel, and sank low through their iniquity.” The psalmist is speaking, of course, about Israel’s history of rebelling against God. Yet am I not, in the seemingly small ways I yield to the sinful bent of my human nature, grievously guilty of the same? Time after time, God forgives and graciously delivers me when I repent and cry out to Him, as Israel did. Their doubt, disbelief and idolatry seem so appalling that I might think “I am not as bad as that”.  The piercing truth?  I am that bad. We all are.  Jeremiah 17:9a reminds me: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! “

Nevertheless, God . . . Psalm 106:44 says that, in spite of Israel’s repeated rebellion and wickedness,

“Nevertheless, He regarded their distress when He heard their cry, and He [earnestly] remembered His covenant, and relented their sentence of evil—comforting and easing Himself—according to the abundance of His mercy and loving-kindnesses [when they cried out to Him.] (Psalm 106:44-45, AMPC) (emphasis added)

Notice the detail the Amplified provides here. Earnest means zealous, ardent, eager, or passionate. That is how God thinks about His covenant with us and how He responds to our sincere, repentant cry. Read Psalm 105 to 107 in the AMPC and notice how often “earnestly” appears. God earnestly remembers His covenant with us so we are to earnestly remember what He has done and our covenant with Him.

Notice also, an essential truth about God that is unveiled in the clarifying phrases of the Amplified translation.  Consider the words set off by dashes—comforting and easing Himself”–in the middle of Psalm 106:45 above. That tells us that  it “comforts and eases” God when He keeps His covenant with us and does not give us the consequences our evil actions deserve. Why?  It discomforts Him and troubles Him to cause us pain or suffering.  “For He does not willingly and from His heart afflict or grieve the children of men. (Lamentations 3:33, AMPC) God is reminding us here that “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” (Psalm 103:8, NIV)

Remembering these truths helps get me through trials, whether they arise from Satan, the nature of our fallen world or the nature of my human nature. For the former, I remember the things Jesus told His disciples at the Last Supper and that He said I can have peace because He has “overcome the world and deprived it of power to harm” me.  (John 16:33).  As for the problems that result from my human nature, I bear in mind that God must at times administer corrective discipline–because He loves us and He is a good, good, good Father. I  often ponder Hebrews 12, especially verse 6:

“For the Lord corrects and disciplines every one whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.”

Did you catch the last phrase? God does not just accept us. He welcomes us to His heart and CHERISHES us. He adores us.

Oh, that we would thank and praise God! Next,­­ read Psalm 107 slowly. Psalm 107 opens with a call, a shout, an outburst of joy: “O give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy and lovingkindnesses endure forever! (AMPC) The whole psalm gives examples of His goodness, mercy and lovingkindnesses to Israel. Read Psalm 107 again. Do you see that some verses are nearly identical, specifically verses 8, 15, 21, and 31? After each passage of recalling God’s goodness and mercy, comes another exclamation and outburst of joy:

“Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord His goodness and loving-kindnesses, and His wonderful works to the children of men”

These outbursts are followed by more reasons why we should give God thanks. Clearly, we who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, we “whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary” are to SAY SO! The NLT says it this way: “Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others He has redeemed you from your enemies. (Psalm 107:2) Re-read Psalm 107 one more time. Do you see in these rescue stories parallels of times God rescued you, though you had rebelled against His Words and “spurned the counsel of the Most High”?

A shout, a shriek and a yell. The psalmist obviously feels intensely about what he is saying because the sentence is an exclamation, which can be a shout, a shriek or a yell. This idea is important! O, that we would all be that excited, daily, about what God has done!

“Confess to the Lord” – ?? We are to praise and confess to the Lord “His goodness and loving-kindnesses, and His wonderful works to the children of men!”  Webster’s 1828 online dictionary defines confess as “To own, avow or acknowledge; publicly to declare a belief in and adherence to”. It holds the same meaning as in Matthew 10:32-34: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before me, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

That phrase “Confess to the Lord” means we are to talk to God about His goodness and loving-kindnesses and what He has done. In my praise and worship, public and private, am I really talking to and with God? Is my full attention on Him? Am I mindful the Creator and Sustainer of all that was and is and is to come is eagerly waiting to hear my voice? Have I taken time to quiet my mind and shut out distractions so I can give Him my best? Have I prepared my heart to be with Him as carefully as I would prepare my home for a visit with a dearly loved human friend? Jesus, the impassioned Lover of my soul, deserves nothing less.

Safety in giving thanks — what? If I am deliberately mindful of all God has done—throughout history and throughout my personal history, I will be at peace. And if I voice (or “confess”) my love and appreciation and gratitude to Him, if I respect and reverence Him, if I “notice Him, regard Him, honor Him, prefer Him, venerate and esteem Him, defer to Him, praise Him, and love and admire him exceedingly” (from Ephesians 5:33, AMPC) I will surely be in His presence – safe.

Do you hear Him? Listen. God responds when you express your love for Him to Him. Can you not hear the voice of the turtledove? Does a human beloved not respond when you pour out your love and respect and admiration? How much more does God respond when we pour out our love and respect and honor and reverence upon Him?

Still your soul and listen. Hear the Lover of your soul.  He says:

“Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me. My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” (Song of Solomon 2:13b-14, NIV)

O, that we would all be truly wise and daily praise and give thanks to our ever merciful and kind and loving Father!

God busies Himself with your details

DAILY LIFE, DEVOTIONALS, EFFECTS OF POVERTY, GRATITUDE, HOPE

Little details are BIG. I signed in at the office and walked down the hall, gazing fondly at pages taped to walls, grouped by classroom, thickly-penciled letters sprawling above and below that distinctive blue-lined paper, with red dots splitting each line. The mashed-potatoes-and-baking-bread smell led me to the cafeteria, filled with mostly empty metal folding chairs.

“Whew!” I took a seat on the front row. Waiting for fifteen minutes was a small price to ensure Haskell saw me. I touched the gold-plated spiral pin clipped to the neck of my tank top and tugged my long skort forward to cover more of two pudgy knees. Haskell would think I was gorgeous, that was all that mattered.

I talked with the mom who joined me on the front row, musing that she was about the age of my daughter, who had to work this morning. Then, students filed in, class by class, the principal welcomed everyone to the award ceremony, and called the two kindergarten classes to the stage.

Haskell was the twelfth kindergartner in line. When he turned around, wide eyes searching the audience, I stuck my hand up high and waved. He smiled a tight, close-lipped smile and waved back, lifting his hand just above his waist.

“Had the teacher told them not to wave?” I wondered.

Then Haskell touched his neck, at the spot where I wore the pin and smiled the wide, full-hearted smile I loved. Tears sprang to my eyes as I touched my hand to the clip at my neck, nodded, and gave him two thumbs-up. After he had spotted that clip in Nana’s joo-ree box a few months ago, I had worn it, whenever he asked, which was often, and wherever he wanted, which included the gym and the grocery, and while vacuuming, delighted that he wanted to decorate his Nana.

“Thank You, Lord, that I remembered this little detail. It is huge to him!”

Image result for royalty free clip art of footstepsTeach me gratitude, Lord, for Your daily attention to details of my life. As I drove back home, I reflected on what I remembered of Psalm 37:23, that God busies himself with the steps of the righteous. When I got home, I looked it up:

“The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]. (Psalm 37:23, AMPC)

“Oh, Father” I said. “I was overjoyed when Haskell noticed I had worn our special pin. His smiling face said ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you, Nana!’ Father, help me remember to thank You, with my whole heart and a big smile, for the countless details of everyday life You prepare just for me, like songs on the radio, a text from a friend and smiles from strangers, just when I need them. You truly do arrange every detail of the life we share, don’t You, Lord?”

Teach me gratitude, Lord, for Your new mercies that come every day. “And make me more mindful for the big things You give day after day, like the breath of life, food, a home, a loving family, and most of all the privilege of knowing You. Truly, Father, Your faithfulness is great, just like You show us in Lamentations 3:22-23, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

I paused, seeing the dining table of my childhood, Daddy at the head of the table, orange knotty pine wall behind him, lengthening late afternoon shadows visible through the window, the view partly obscured by drapes embossed with turquoise flowers. Daddy taught us to thank Mother for supper, and my two brothers and I did, in our own words, and, as I recall, using the same words each time – “Thanks Mother. It was good.” “Thank you, Mother. ‘ppreciate it.” and “Thank you, Mother, for a good supper.” She had always smiled and given each of us a sincere “You’re welcome!”

“But how much more would she have appreciated our thanks,” I pondered, “If we had said, ‘The meatloaf was great tonight!’ or ‘Your biscuits and gravy are the best!’ or ‘That fried chicken was sooo good!”

She never got tired of hearing us thank her, and You never get tired of hearing us thank You either, do you Lord? So thank You, Father, again, for my family, thank You that I have a car to drive to Haskell’s school, thank You . . . “

Royalty Free Pic of Open Bible

Teach me gratitude that You are the loving Father who teaches us. I sat at my desk and opened the three Bibles I use most often when I write. I wanted to check my memory. As I read verse 22, I saw it was connected to verse 23. Psalm 37:22-23 said:

  • (New Living) “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.”
  • (New International) “If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD holds him with his hand.”
  • (Amplified Classic) “The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him.” (Psalm 37:23-24, AMPC)

As I compared translations, I marveled again at how Holy Spirit deepens our understanding when we focus and try earnestly to understand God’s Words. As I read and reread the verses, cause and effect linkages emerged:

[1] When we live a godly life, God delights in our way, or our manner of life.

[2] When God delights in how we are living, He busies Himself with every detail of our lives,

[3] Because of [1] and [2], even though we stumble and fall, we will not stay down because the LORD holds our hand and supports, sustains, and strengthens us.

At first glance, the NIV and NLT, which said we would never fall, seemed to disagree with the AMPC, which indicated we would fall.

Image result for Royalty Free Picture of Father And CHILD Walking“Hmmm, Lord? What is the key to understanding this? Well, if I think of a father holding the hand of a little child as they walk together, that child could stumble and fall, but a loving, attentive father, like You are, Lord, would grasp that little hand even more tightly the moment the child began falling so that the child would fall only to his knees and not all the way to the ground, as he would have if the father were not holding his hand and pulling him back up.

Oh, Father! Teach me to always, always, always hold on to Your mighty hand! Let me be grateful You hold my hand. Let me not resist but agree willingly when Your hand tugs me in a specific direction. Keep teaching me to have the same mind as You, to agree with You, so that we can walk together (Amos 3:3). Keep my feet on the paths of righteousness that lead to eternal life. (Proverbs 12:28) What comforting reassurance these verses bring! Thank You, Lord!

Image result for royalty free PICTURE OF SCROLLTeach me to rightly divide Your Word. I closed my eyes and searched for words to express my gratitude. “Thank You, Father, for teaching me to look at more than just one verse. Otherwise, today, I would have missed the connection between verse 22 and verse 23.”

Recently, God had impressed on me the importance of studying out the context of verses I memorized and ones that reappeared in teachings and sermons I heard.

At minimum, I had learned to scan several verses before and after any one verse, checking for connecting words and phrases that indicated cause and effect, words like for, because, therefore, and so that. Ideally, I wanted to know the main message of the book of the Bible the verse was in, the historical, Biblical, and cultural context, a broad outline of the book and a detailed outline of the chapter.

“Well, no, I pondered. “Not just one chapter. I have learned that the original writings were not divided into chapter and verse. I see both missed blessings and danger in letting the thoughts of men, no matter how learned and holy they were, rather than Holy Spirit, determine for me where to “divide” the Truth.

Father, I will study out 2 Timothy 2:15 more but I do believe part of the meaning of “rightly dividing the Word of Truth” is to keep the passages that are all of one piece, as one piece in our thinking, rather than picking one or two verses here or there.

However, I do know that just one or two verses or brief passages can accurately be taught if the pastor or Bible teacher has followed 2 Timothy 2:15 and done the diligent, time-consuming study necessary for proper understanding. That is the spoon-feeding I had lapsed into for so long. Thank You, Father, for using fear and depression to make me desperate enough to study Your Word, diligently, for my personal needs.

Thank You, Father, for busying Yourself with the details of my life today by teaching me how to better study Your Word. It feels like You put truths there just for me, just like I wore that pin so that Haskell would know I was thinking about him, and so he could see that what was important to him was important to me. What a loving Father You are, Lord!

Thank You for Your great grace and Your mercies, which are new every morning, as You say in Lamentations 3:23. . . and I see that verse 22 says, “It is because of the LORD’s great love that we are not consumed because Your compassions never fail. And actually, that whole Chapter Three of Lamentations is so instructive, let’s see . . . let’s start at verse one and recall that the author is probably Jeremiah and that he was writing about. . .

Image result for free ;picture of studying the bible