I Would Have Lost Heart…

 

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strength of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked came against me

To eat up my flesh,

My enemies and foes,

They stumbled and fell.

Though an army may encamp against me,

My heart shall not fear;

Though war may rise against me,

In this I will be confident.

One thing I have desired of the LORD,

That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the LORD,

And to inquire in His temple.

For in the time of trouble

He shall hide me in His pavilion;

In the secret place of His tabernacle

He shall hide me;

He shall set me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;

Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!

Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

When You said, "Seek My face,"

My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."

Do not hide Your face from me;

Do not turn Your servant away in anger;

You have been my help;

Do not leave me nor forsake me,

O God of my salvation.

When my father and my mother forsake me,

Then the LORD will take care of me.

Teach me Your way, O LORD,

And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;

For false witnesses have risen against me,

And such as breathe out violence.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed

That I would see the goodness of the LORD

In the land of the living.

Wait on the LORD;

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the LORD!—Psalm 27

I spent some time yesterday meditating on and praying through Psalm 27.  Each time I opened my Bible and began to read my eyes would fill with tears of gratitude for the Lord’s lovingkindness in giving us His word. Truly, He is my strong refuge, to which I may continually resort.

Sounds good so far, right?  Sadly, just before bed last night, instead of reading Psalm 27, I stupidly clicked on an article that outlined all that the writer felt was wrong in our government and in our world.  Here is the thing…even though the article said nothing new…nothing that I wasn’t already aware of, it didn’t matter.  By the time I finished reading that “barrage of awfulness”, I was just about catatonic with fear.  If ever I needed Psalm 27’s exhortation to trust, it was then.  

Beloved…God is so faithful.  It was at that moment, right when I needed them the most, that the words of Psalm 27 filled my mind and I was able to walk in faith not fear.  My heart took courage as the Spirit of God used David’s song to strengthen my heart.  

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed

That I would see the goodness of the LORD

In the land of the living.

Wait on the LORD;

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the LORD!—Psalm 27:12-14

The rest of the evening was spent watching the the heavens declare the glory of God through the lunar eclipse.  My sleep was sweet. 

With that said, Psalm 27 seems to be broken into three parts. Verses 1-3 speak to David’s complete confidence in his God. Verses 4-6 speak of David’s love and fellowship with Him, and verses 7-12 are dedicated to prayer. The last two verses, which were the ones that God’s Spirit brought to mind last night, seem to be David exhorting himself and his listeners to trust God, despite how things might look in the present moment.  For me it was a reminder of the power and sustaining nature of faith.  A timely prompt from the Spirit of God not to lose heart but to keep on continuously believing. 

Praying today that come what may, I, like David, would honor God with my faith. That God would give me that one desire above all other desires:

One thing I have desired of the LORD,

That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the LORD,

And to inquire in His temple.—Psalm 27:4-5

My soul, wait silently for God alone,

For my expectation is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory;

The rock of my strength,

And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.

Selah—Psalm 62:5-8

His Compassions Fail Not…

 

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.—Lamentations 3:22-23

The Thompson Chain Reference Bible defines mercy this way:

A form of love, especially directed toward the needy or unworthy.

I don’t know about you but that describes me…needy and unworthy. Our God is merciful. He does not give us the punishment we have earned and deserve.  It is through His mercies…His kindness, His favor…that we are not consumed. 

He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,

So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father pities his children,

So the LORD pities those who fear Him.

For He knows our frame;

He remembers that we are dust.—Psalm 103:10-14

His compassions fail not. These are the words my heart has been camping out on over the past few days.  Inside were fears, outside were conflicts but nevertheless my God’s compassions…His tender love, His pity…toward me, fail not.  Even when I am unfaithful, He remains faithful. No matter what my circumstances, God’s steadfast love toward me, His needy and unworthy child, never ceases. Like the waves upon the seashore, His gifts keep on coming.  When hopelessness threatens, the hope that I have in Him does not dim.  It is sure and certain. Nothing can separate me from His love. 

Beloved…take these four words of God and allow them to sink down into the depths of your soul.  When trouble and trial inevitably come, do what Jeremiah did here…Recall them to mind. His compassions fail not.  

Place your hope and your trust in the LORD.  For with the LORD is love without limits and faithfulness that reaches to the sky.  With the Lord, there is mercy and with Him is abundant redemption.  The never-ending supply of God’s grace and compassion caused Jeremiah to cry out in praise of God’s faithfulness. (Vs23) He follows with these words:

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,

"Therefore I hope in Him!"

The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,

To the soul who seeks Him.

It is good that one should hope and wait quietly

For the salvation of the LORD.—Lamentations 24-25

*******

Therefore I will look to the LORD;

I will wait for the God of my salvation;

My God will hear me.—Micah 7:7

My flesh and my heart fail;

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.—Psalm 73:26

Hymn of My Heart…

 

So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.

—Judges 6:6

The answer for every problem, every fear and every heartache in this world is always the Lord.   I confess I can be so stubborn at times...like a young unteachable child really...how many times has He heard my cry and answered.  How many times has He sent His divine protection, His divine deliverance, His divine wisdom, His divine comfort to my heart and yet I still forget.  I go and attempt to face the day in my own strength.  I forget I am weak, insufficient and very flawed!  I FORGET I need Him. Oh Father, forgive me!   So thankful for your forgiving, unchanging, steadfast, faithful love that never leaves me or forsakes me.  Write these verses on my heart, Father, may the words of Psalm 34 become the hymn of my heart!

I will bless the LORD at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;

The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

I sought the LORD, and He heard me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

They looked to Him and were radiant,

And their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!—Psalm 34:1-8

The Mere Edges of His Ways…

 

But Job answered and said:

"How have you helped him who is without power?

How have you saved the arm that has no strength?

How have you counseled one who has no wisdom?

And how have you declared sound advice to many?

To whom have you uttered words?

And whose spirit came from you?—Job 26:1-4

We find Job rebuking Bildad in the first four verses of this chapter for his lack of concern for him, showing that all his friends’ “knowledgeable words” completely missed the point of his need and had been no help. Their words were hurtful rather than encouraging. No matter what their intentions they lacked love and were but clanging cymbals.

Job then goes on to say how no one escapes the eye of God. No matter where you are...God sees. There is nowhere you can flee from His Spirit...earth, sky, waters below or stars above...not even the dead can escape. The final verse of this chapter tells us that we only see the mere edges of His ways....that we hear only a small whisper of Him.

Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,

And how small a whisper we hear of Him!

But the thunder of His power who can understand?"—Job 26:14

Job’s words here in these first four verses pointed me to Jesus.  Even though I may only see the mere edges of His ways what comes through loud and clear in those “edges” is His love for us, His children. These verses from the gospel of Luke came to mind as I read Job’s words.

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."—Luke 4:16-21

Beloved…Read the gospels and see the heart of the Father in Heaven for His people. His desire is to heal. His desire is that none of us should perish, but that all would come to life in His Son. God the Father could have annihilated us, but instead He sent His Son to die for us. Our words and our actions here on earth should reflect the essence and character of our Father in Heaven. His heart of love should be evident to all we meet. Job's “comforters” missed mercy, they missed grace and they missed love.  Don’t be like them. 

Love those around you with the love that the Holy Spirit has shed abroad in your hearts. As you speak to them, remember love. Remember humility. Meet them at their point of need.  God’s love never fails.  

None of us sees the whole picture while we walk the earth. 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 says

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!—Romans 11:33

The Path of Resistance…

 

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.—1 Corinthians 10:13

Beloved…Our God is faithful. He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able.  He ALWAYS provides for us a way of escape that we may be able to endure it. 

Also, if we are being honest, He usually makes the way of escape in the midst of a trial pretty hard to miss.  Our flesh can, however, ignore the path God so graciously provides and instead, take the path of least resistance…of disobedience…the wide, easy path.  

God’s narrow path is the path of resistance…of obedience…and standing in the midst of that right path is Christ. He is our way of escape. Take shelter in Him. Resist temptation by taking His hand and asking Him to lead you out. In a way we are always tempted beyond what “we” are able because without Him “we” can do nothing good. 

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.—John 15:5

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.—2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But the path of the just is like the shining sun,

That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.—Proverbs 4:18

Refiner’s Fire…

 

"Look, I go forward, but He is not there,

And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;

When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.

But He knows the way that I take;

When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

My foot has held fast to His steps;

I have kept His way and not turned aside.

I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;

I have treasured the words of His mouth

More than my necessary food.—Job 23:9-14 (emphasis mine)

To My Daughters,

What wonderful words of faith from Job once again.  Chapter 23 begins with Job wanting to present his case before God.  

Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,  That I might come to His seat!  I would present my case  before Him, And fill my mouth with arguments.

Often I find myself doing the same thing that Job wants to do here. I lay all that is on my heart out before the Lord...I cry out to Him and present my arguments.   He knows them all but oh how wonderful that I can turn my heart upside down before Him...that I can trust Him with it all!  How wonderful it is also that I never win the argument.  But, of course, in losing I WIN!  As I read the word and pray, a beautiful thing occurs  The Spirit of God changes my heart that at the time is full of "me" to one that is aligned with the will of my Father in Heaven.  The word of God is alive...it is living and powerful and the Spirit of God uses it to make us more like God's Son. 

I, like Job, say, Lord...Though I do not understand what you are doing, I know that in the end you will bring me forth as gold.  I trust you to see me through.  With your help I will obey, I will cling to your word and I will endure through these trials that you have allowed in my life...You will be my strength and your word will be my song. 1 Peter 1:6-9 says this:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,  that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,  whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,  receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 

Aaah...faith...the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  It is by faith that we obtain a good testimony. Faith is our access to grace and it is also a gift from Him.  It is nothing of ourselves...it is all Him.  Our job is to cry out in our time of need and let Him do the rest.  

So glad that our God uses our trials when we believe as a refining process.  He takes away the dross and the impurities and brings us forth as gold. Remember what James has to say about Job in chapter 5 of his letter.  HANG ON TO IT...

My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.  Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. 

Faith Like a Child…

 

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.—Mark 10:13-17

Oh my goodness!  I can make things so complicated.  I overthink everything. “I” get involved and humility, trust and dependence on God go out the window.  

God does not want it complicated. He wants it simple, and He makes it simple. Truly, He spells it out right here.  He doesn’t want us to grow up.  He wants us to grow dependent on Him. He wants us to trust Him as a little child trusts his parents in everything and for everything.

Oh Father!  Do this work in me! Thank you for this passage that pictures so perfectly the simple trust I desire to have toward You.  Trying to deal with all this life throws at me is emotionally and physically exhausting.  It is too much for me!  I want to be as a child before You…not knowing even how to go out or come in. 

Oh Lord, may My heart safely trust in You and may You do in my life as seems good to You. May Your mercy be upon me, Father, just as I hope in You.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.—Proverbs 3:5-6

LORD, my heart is not haughty,

Nor my eyes lofty.

Neither do I concern myself with great matters,

Nor with things too profound for me.

Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,

Like a weaned child with his mother;

Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the LORD

From this time forth and forever.—Psalm 131

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."—Matthew 11:28-30