The Psalm That Will Not Let Me Go

       In church this past Sunday, we read Psalm 121, and my heart was captured by these words of comfort.  It is a Psalm that will not let me go.  I find myself meditating on it and reading it over and over.  There is so much assurance in the words, and in our fast paced world, we get little encouragement.  Instead, we are often bombarded by tragedies brought to our homes in living color via T.V. or internet.  Then there are unkind words, rude individuals, and daily temptations so that by the end of the week, we feel worn out and stressed.  This is where God's Word comes in.  It is our foundation and the voice of truth in a world of lies.
     As we look at this Psalm, we need to understand that it is called a Psalm of Ascent.  It was sung by pilgrims on their way to Mount Zion in Jerusalem to worship the One true God.  In the same way, we are modern day pilgrims on our journey through this life as we seek to reach our heavenly home.  Read this Psalm:
    " I lift up my eyes to the hills.
     From where does my help come?
     My help comes from the Lord
      who made heaven and earth.
     He will not let your foot be moved;
       he who keeps you will not slumber,
     Behold He who keeps Israel
       will neither slumber nor sleep.
     The Lord is your keeper;
       the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
      The sun shall not strike you by day,
        nor the moon by night.
      The Lord will keep you from all evil;
        He will keep your life.
      The Lord will keep
         your going out and your coming in
         from this time forth and forevermore."
     In this short Psalm, there are three great truths we can learn.  First, when we are walking along life's path day to day, we can rest assured that God is our help.  He tells us so in verse 1-2.  The very Creator of the Universe has made known to us that He will provide what we need along the road.  Secondly, God is a provider of safety and rest.  Life has slippery slopes and we cannot always keep our footing, but God can.  He also does not sleep or slumber so that we can rest in peace at night.  We have no need to worry, fret or be afraid at night because God is our protection.  Finally, God lets us know that He is our keeper who will deliver us from evil and protect our lives.  It is a promise that goes on forevermore.  This whole Psalm is like a love letter from the Lord and a comfort to anxious souls.
     When I was a little girl, I was certain there were monsters under my bed or in my closet that would come out at night and steal me away.  My older sister used to play into my fears and assure me that this would happen.  However, our wise and faithful mother would come into my room, gently stroke my face, and remind me that God would stand guard all night because He never sleeps.  I could not understand why God did not need to sleep but I trusted the words of my mother that He would watch over me and He has.  He will do the same for all who call upon His name through the blood of Jesus Christ.
     Maybe you need a little roadside rest stop along your journey today.  If so, meditate on this Psalm and it will bring you encouragement, peace and rest.  Remember God keeps His promises; therefore, we can lean on Him when the way seems hard.  Selah!

A Time Tested Remedy

 

Branson and Beckett enjoying a good nap on a boat!
Sleep does wonders!

 We read in magazines and hear constantly about how damaging stress is to our physical bodies.  Yet, I am not certain how we can live in this world and not experience it.  Over the years, I have laughed out loud whenever doctors have suggested that I go home and rest more.  How do you do that when you are working every day or caring for small children or both?  However, it is important that we consider ways to reduce stress in our life because it can lead to depression, physical ailments and general fatigue.
     God always has wonderful answers for us if we will be diligent to seek His face.  Doctors have confirmed this important remedy too:  sleep!  That's right.  Sleep....a good 8 hours of sleep is really what we all need to reduce the effects of stress on our bodies.  Those of us with chronic pain or other ailments are aware that a good night of rest can really be a big help.  So lets look at a good example of God's remedy in action.
     Read I Kings 19:1-18.  In this chapter, we see a triumphant but utterly fatigued Elijah who has just wiped out a large number of the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.  Queen Jezebel sent a messenger to let Elijah know that he was as good as dead.  In verse 3-4, we can see the result of this message:  "and when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba which belongs to Judah, and left his servant.  But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree.  And he prayed that he might die, and said, 'It is enough!  Now, Lord take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!'"
     On top of being tired from his preaching on Mount Carmel, he adds to that a fear of losing his life and a desperate, lengthy run into the wilderness.  We can see as we read his words that he was depressed.  Who would not be?  Yet God provides the solution.
     Twice in this passage God gives Elijah sleep and food.  While Elijah in his depression has decided that he is the only faithful one left in Israel, God is busy giving him what he needs...rest.
     At the end of this passage and after Elijah has had a chance to recuperate from his exhaustion, the Lord gives him new instructions and tells him that he is not alone in his faith.  After rest, Elijah can hear the Lord.  Before, he could only hear his own depression, fatigue and despair talking.
     What a lesson for each of us.  We need adequate rest and nourishment if we are to be able to carry on for our God.  I can personally relate to this whole story.  Most of my life I have pushed myself to the max even beyond fatigue at times to complete some project.  This is when the world looks black to me just as it did for Elijah.  I cannot think clearly nor do I have joy in my life.
     Sleep does not totally eradicate stress in our lives, but it certainly helps to reduce the effects in every aspect of our being:  mentally, physically and spiritually.  Elijah couldn't hear God when he was exhausted and neither can we.  We are not capable of really being all that God has called us to be when we do not take care of this temple of our body.
     Psalm 4:8 reads:  "I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."  Knowing that our Lord is bigger and greater than all our needs or worries should free us to rest and take care of ourselves.  When we do, we will be able to serve the King of Kings with all our heart, soul and strength.  Selah!


Please make certain you visit the blog    www.theologyforgirls.com tomorrow to read another story from Women in Scripture.  You will be blessed and you can enter the book give away as well.
   

Keep the Focus on Him

Aiden kept his focus and caught
a fish!

     Multitasking is the art of doing several things well at the same time or at least that is the theory.  Mothers and front desk/receptionist/appointment makers come to mind as examples of this ability.  I have served in both capacities.  Unfortunately, the downside to trying to handle several things at once is that it is easy to lose your train of thought.  This can be risky especially if you become distracted and forget your dinner cooking in the oven or if while in the office, you forget you left someone on hold several minutes ago.  In either case, the outcome is not always pleasant.
     When it comes to our spiritual life, the Bible calls us to be single minded in our pursuit of holiness and living for Christ.  The writer of Hebrews characterizes it in this manner:  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross; despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrew 12:1-2).  Here we see a word picture of focusing on our Lord to the exclusion of all else around us.  After all, if we are busy looking around at everything, we are going to go off on a bunny trail instead of sticking to the race we are running.  No good runner can afford to worry about everyone around him.  He has to remain intent on moving ahead towards the finish line.
     As I thought about this scripture, I was reminded of my grandfather's race horses he trained.  His standard bred harness horses often competed in local county fairs.  He had both trotters and pacers he  entered in different races.  When riding in a sulky behind the horse on a race course, the last thing he wanted to have happen was for the horse to become spooked or jumpy.  If this happened, the horse could break stride disqualifying him or even worse, causing a wreck with another horse.  Therefore, my grandfather would, at times, use blinders attached to the halter.  These blinders kept the horse from looking to the side.  This was a sure remedy for skittish horses and kept them focused straight ahead.  There is much we can learn from this illustration.  In our Christian walk, we need this kind of single-minded attention in order to stay the course which God has laid out for our lives.
     Our world is filled with distractions and this is true even in the church.  We are so good at multitasking that we forget the "one" thing which is most essential - our growth in sanctification. We get busy just like Martha doing things, reaching out to others, complaining that no one is helping us and Jesus reminds us as He did Martha: "....Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.  Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her" (to read the whole story read Luke 10:38-42).  When it comes to the many choices we can make, the most important one is to spend time with the Lord through His Word, in fellowship with other believers and in prayer.  This is what will give us the strength to run the race all the way to the end.
     In our study of the book "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, our Sunday school class discussed discipline in the Christian life.  This involves body, mind and spirit.  Our dress, our manner of speaking, our prayer life, our alms giving and relationships all should reflect the change of heart brought about by Christ's redeeming work.  Our tendency is to measure ourselves by others or to look at our circumstances rather than keeping our focus on God.  Looking at the life of Christ, we know that He came for a purpose, and nothing kept Him from fulfilling God's plan of redemption.  His single-mindedness kept His feet on the path to the cross and from there to resurrection for the sake of the joy set before Him.  He trusted the Father and His sovereignty and taught this to His disciples.  As modern day followers of Jesus Christ, we must also bring every thought captive to Christ and remember the joy set before us.   Dr. Lloyd-Jones states it this way:  "Our Lord's principle is always this:  'Forget other people altogether'.......Forget your face, forget yourself, forget other people altogether.  It is this interest in the opinions of other people that is so wrong.  Don't worry about the impression you are making; just forget yourself and give yourself entirely to God.  Be concerned only about God and about pleasing Him.  Be concerned only about His honour and glory" (pg. 319-320).
        What we all need to learn as we run the race is that if we are focused on God alone, we will not get caught up in worldliness or worry about what our brother is doing or not doing.  It is a struggle with the old flesh I admit.  However, we cannot change our community, our church or another person in our own power.  Only God can change them.  However, if we strive to know, honor, and glorify the Lord, others will see this change in us.  That is what often leads them to want that same growth in their own lives.  Always, we must trust in God's sovereignty over all things and trust ourselves to Him as Jesus did.  Where is our Lord and Savior now?  He is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, and we, through His blood, are co-heirs of His grace.  Therefore, we need to stop the multitasking which leads to distraction and become single minded in this race keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus the "author and perfecter of our faith".  May we be found faithful when the Lord returns!  Selah!




Do not forget to go to the blog www.theologyforgirls.com tomorrow for another story of a Woman in Scripture.  You will be blessed!