Engulfed in the Psalms

Am I the only one that wakes up sometimes and just feels alone in the world?  I am in a much better place now, but there were times in the not so distant past that I felt completely alone, unloved and honestly, unlovable.  Not because God had stopped loving me, but because I had forgotten about God and His great love for me.

Once again, I find myself engulfed in the Psalms … as they usually do; they surround, protect and comfort me.  God’s glorious presence, with the love, mercy and grace of Jesus swallow me up today.  I am led to Psalm 122, but I can’t seem to stop reading the inspiring and motivating words that King David penned so many years ago.  The words jump from the page as I read all the way to the 128^th Psalm before I am able to stop myself to catch my breath.  Listen as God, through David, speaks these words, “Peace be with you” (Psalm 122), and “have mercy on us O Lord” (Psalm 123).  This begins the process of motivating me, not because of anything I can do, or can even think of doing, but just because God is God.    

As I read on I find, “our help is in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 124), “the Lord surrounds His people” (Psalm 125) and “the Lord has done great things for us, we are glad” (Psalm 126).  God is always there … He provides all the great things for us, surrounds us and helps us. 

Psalm 28:7-8, “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.  ⁸ The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.”  We are These Psalms remind us that God provides all these for us, “trust, peace, mercy, help, blessings, strength and saving refuge”.  This has absolutely nothing to do with you or me and all to do with God and what he chose to do through the love, mercy and grace of Jesus.  I seem to always find comfort in the Psalms, maybe you will too.

God Bless!

Ruthless Trust

The Spirit knew exactly where to lead me for my devotion today…  isn’t it “funny” when that just happens like that?  Well I don’t believe for one second that things just happen by random chance, do you?  God is God for a reason, and just when you think God isn’t, GOD IS!  I am in one of David’s Psalms this morning for a reason, because God knew I needed to be there. Psalm 25 is one a plea and prayer from the mouth of David, the man after God’s own heart.  How amazing it is that you and I can share, too, in this amazing Psalm.  Sometimes Trust can be an issue for me in life, any Amen’s on that?  I don’t have the lack of trust in the fact that Jesus has saved and claimed me, but on “day to day” things, well let’s just say I am not quite as trusting in God.  Let’s listen for a moment at some of the word David used.  “Remember your mercy, o Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from old” (v. 6).  I must trust in the Lord’s plans for my life… even when I can’t quite see how they will work out.  There are many days that I just can’t see what those plans are or how this could ever be a part of God’s plans for my life, but I must trust.  I must recall Jeremiah’s words from Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” You see God sees the end from the beginning.  He has told me “that for those who love God all things work together for good”.  I just MUST add that trust to my spiritual armor.  David goes on, “O God, in You I trust” (v. 2). There is a quote by David Lane that this passage and the topic of trust bring to mind.  “If God is for us, Jesus is with us and the Holy Spirit is in us, then why do we let the things around us to overcome us?”  There are so many days, I think, that you and I forget what great power we as Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, have.  There are those days when we can’t see what those plans “exactly are, but I always know the direction The Spirit is leading me.  I just need to remember that He is waiting on me at the end of my times of temporary uncertainty or trial.  If I just look … If we will just look we will see God at the end of that tunnel.  God sees the end from the beginning, and we must have ruthless trust, as Brennan Manning so aptly puts it.  My uncertainties and trials in this life may be God’s blessings in disguise.  Laura Story, a contemporary Christian musical artist, expresses so well in her song, “Blessings”.  We must all remember through uncertainty, or trial, that God hears and God Cares.  “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you.” (2 Kings 20:5).  We must remember “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began” (2 Timothy 1:9). 

My prayer is for ruthless trust.  I hope it is yours as well!

God Bless!