PSALMS 34~~ BLESSINGS AND PROTECTION FOR THOSE WHO FEAR HIM
Got my gumbo simmerin'. Thinking it will add a little spice to this otherwise dreary day. Spent some time reading Psalms 34 this morning. (Vs 8)Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Now if that isn't comforting what is? I am truely blessed. I have the means to prepare a big pot of Cajun gumbo and will probably side it with some rice and pototo salad, just the way my husband likes it. I'll sit in my little house that is paid for, warm and dry and maybe organize some clothes in my closet today. (Spring cleaning continues...) One daughter just left to shoot photos at school for the yearbook and the other sits somewhere in Bloomington studying for her final 3 weeks of college. I am blessed. I am healthy. I have employment. I have Christ.
Even though I am blessed, I often need to take refuge in him. There are just days when I feel like an outsider. There are times I wish I was in one of those groups of people gathered around chatting in up after church. I wander around and wonder if it is just that I need to make more effort. But nevertheless, I am a bit of a loner, so I can come home to the comfort of my home and enjoy the quiet. And these moments of quiet are somewhat rare so I will enjoy this one to blog without interruption.
The verse that stood out to me in this passage was 7. "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and he delivers them." Now, I know that I just read in 1 Samuel about David defeating Goliath and several battles that he entered into all given over to him by the Lord. I also know this protection and provision was not just for David. Have you ever been somewhere that you just could feel was lacking the presence of God. Well, where noone wants HIM or obeys HIM he often leaves. (As is witnessed also throught the scriptures we have read lately. Sometimes when his spirit leaves, he replaces it with others (1 Sam. 16:14 Now the spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.) or others come and occupy that space. There have been numerous stories of angels surrounding missionaries in the woods when threatened, or in a field in a warzone. We wouldn't dream of haveing to deal with spiritual battles of this nature, but be warned. Where God is not wanted or feared, he may just do as with Saul or any of the Israelites we have studied up to this point. He may just leave that territory and if he does it is open territory for evil forces. We need to suround ourselves with other believers. When we find ourselves in these spots, we need to turn to God then turn and run...
I'm thankful for God's protection. "I will (Psalm 34:1,3) extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips...Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together!"
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
1 SAMUEL 9-12 MULTIPLE CHANCES
Chapter 12 verse 20: "Do not be afraid," Samuel replied, "you have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart..."
It is human nature to do things our way. It is also human nature to make an excuse for why we left the beaten path and ventured into our own path--sometimes we leave the path so subtly that we aren't even aware we are off--but when we do realize it, what is our response? Just because I am not a murderer, or thief, does not mean I am not a sinner. Pride, lack of confidence and jealousy often sneak into my life. Am I viewing these as sins?
Do I "turn after useless idols?" (oh, I would never have a carved statue or bow to another image, but isn't that what happens to me when I worry about how I am going to get something accomplished tomorrow or freak out because a reservation has been overbooked and I am left without a place for a party?) Life's little happenings often overrule my rationality and become idols in my life with out my acknowledging them at the time as sin. Deby shared with me FOCUS, FAITH, TRUST the other day when I let the cares of the world overcome me. I seem to constantly fight with this, but is this running after "useless idols?" These things can do me no good, nor can they rescue me, because they are useless. It's not that they are in themselves wrong, there are just so many things in our modern lives that pull us away from believing He is faithful, focusing on what is truly a worry, and trusting that what God wants to be accomplished through us will be--only if we continue to reach toward him, are open to his calling and do not turn away from him wandering aimlessly on our own.
In chapter 10, two (jealous) men stir dissension by muttering about Saul. ("How can this fellow save us?") They refuse to bring him gifts (I'm sure that was very insulting in that situation) but Saul kept silent. Do I keep silent when I feel I have been insulted or wronged? Even if I speak no words, do I harbor resentment in my heart?
The people were reminded by Samuel of their repetitive sin and again begged Samuel to bail them out so to speak, to " pray to the Lord your God (why not our God?) because they had added yet more sin on top of their past sins. He humbled himself and prayed for them (even though he must have been so fed up with them!) "Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you." (Am I praying for those who have wronged God? or me?) "And I will teach you the way that is good and right." (On top of praying am I teaching others the way that is good and right? At least my my example?)
I don't want to persist in doing evil. I desire to serve him faithfully with all my heart. This is the journey I am on, thought I know I have and will take wrong turns. I pray I will always consider what great things he has done for me. He has given us multiple chances...because "the LORD was pleased to make you his own." May we live by the words he gave through Samuel..."You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. <3
Chapter 12 verse 20: "Do not be afraid," Samuel replied, "you have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart..."
It is human nature to do things our way. It is also human nature to make an excuse for why we left the beaten path and ventured into our own path--sometimes we leave the path so subtly that we aren't even aware we are off--but when we do realize it, what is our response? Just because I am not a murderer, or thief, does not mean I am not a sinner. Pride, lack of confidence and jealousy often sneak into my life. Am I viewing these as sins?
Do I "turn after useless idols?" (oh, I would never have a carved statue or bow to another image, but isn't that what happens to me when I worry about how I am going to get something accomplished tomorrow or freak out because a reservation has been overbooked and I am left without a place for a party?) Life's little happenings often overrule my rationality and become idols in my life with out my acknowledging them at the time as sin. Deby shared with me FOCUS, FAITH, TRUST the other day when I let the cares of the world overcome me. I seem to constantly fight with this, but is this running after "useless idols?" These things can do me no good, nor can they rescue me, because they are useless. It's not that they are in themselves wrong, there are just so many things in our modern lives that pull us away from believing He is faithful, focusing on what is truly a worry, and trusting that what God wants to be accomplished through us will be--only if we continue to reach toward him, are open to his calling and do not turn away from him wandering aimlessly on our own.
In chapter 10, two (jealous) men stir dissension by muttering about Saul. ("How can this fellow save us?") They refuse to bring him gifts (I'm sure that was very insulting in that situation) but Saul kept silent. Do I keep silent when I feel I have been insulted or wronged? Even if I speak no words, do I harbor resentment in my heart?
The people were reminded by Samuel of their repetitive sin and again begged Samuel to bail them out so to speak, to " pray to the Lord your God (why not our God?) because they had added yet more sin on top of their past sins. He humbled himself and prayed for them (even though he must have been so fed up with them!) "Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you." (Am I praying for those who have wronged God? or me?) "And I will teach you the way that is good and right." (On top of praying am I teaching others the way that is good and right? At least my my example?)
I don't want to persist in doing evil. I desire to serve him faithfully with all my heart. This is the journey I am on, thought I know I have and will take wrong turns. I pray I will always consider what great things he has done for me. He has given us multiple chances...because "the LORD was pleased to make you his own." May we live by the words he gave through Samuel..."You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. <3
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
1 SAMUEL 5-7 NOT JUST ANOTHER USUAL DAY FOR THE PHILISITNES
It's Tuesday, my day off (of my paid job) and as much as I WANT to get my day started reclaiming my house from the week of neglect... I know full well that if I neglect my Bible reading it will tumble to the end of the list, possible under my falling asleep on the couch at 8:30 watching television, and it won't get done...so here I go. (For once obeying :)
I am doing things a little different today--reading and writing as I go. I'm hit with a sense of God's humor as Dagon (a false god) is fallen on it's "face" before the ark of the Lord in the morning. And when his followers put him back in his place (I am seeing them with shocked looks on their faces rushing to set him up!) the next day his head and arms are dismembered and only his body is there--fallen before the ark! Then there is a massive game of Hot Potato as the citizens try to get rid of the ark by bouncing it from city to city. After crafting golden tumors (ewww) and rats to give as a peace offering, they placed the ark on a wagon hitched with cows and watch it return to God's people. (of whom several died just for looking on the ark even though they didn't ask for it to land in their field.)
The judgement of the Lord is fair, yet sometimes although we can understand why the obvious "sinners" are struck down, we can't fathom why the people who seem to be serving God suffer as well (like Eli...I mean he was working in the temple for most his life and even he died {falling back on his chair and breaking his neck} because of the consequences of sin.
Today's reading was interesting. I was most enlightened by God's imagination. But most sobered with the fact that we simply need to obey Him. God is noone to play games with. HE is the ultimate rule maker, HE is the ultimate Judge and HE will be the ultimate winner.We have no business messing with his game plan.~~Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
It's Tuesday, my day off (of my paid job) and as much as I WANT to get my day started reclaiming my house from the week of neglect... I know full well that if I neglect my Bible reading it will tumble to the end of the list, possible under my falling asleep on the couch at 8:30 watching television, and it won't get done...so here I go. (For once obeying :)
I am doing things a little different today--reading and writing as I go. I'm hit with a sense of God's humor as Dagon (a false god) is fallen on it's "face" before the ark of the Lord in the morning. And when his followers put him back in his place (I am seeing them with shocked looks on their faces rushing to set him up!) the next day his head and arms are dismembered and only his body is there--fallen before the ark! Then there is a massive game of Hot Potato as the citizens try to get rid of the ark by bouncing it from city to city. After crafting golden tumors (ewww) and rats to give as a peace offering, they placed the ark on a wagon hitched with cows and watch it return to God's people. (of whom several died just for looking on the ark even though they didn't ask for it to land in their field.)
The judgement of the Lord is fair, yet sometimes although we can understand why the obvious "sinners" are struck down, we can't fathom why the people who seem to be serving God suffer as well (like Eli...I mean he was working in the temple for most his life and even he died {falling back on his chair and breaking his neck} because of the consequences of sin.
Today's reading was interesting. I was most enlightened by God's imagination. But most sobered with the fact that we simply need to obey Him. God is noone to play games with. HE is the ultimate rule maker, HE is the ultimate Judge and HE will be the ultimate winner.We have no business messing with his game plan.~~Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
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