God’s Word: timeless comfort

Our pastor taught on Psalm 27 this past weekend.

I was deeply touched by the way God has used His Word in other people’s lives as well as my own.

My Bible has writing in it, which isn’t scripture.

Because my Bible was once my husband’s his notes or underlines are part of the thing that makes it special.

How did I get my husband’s Bible?

He gave it to me.

Although he loved it, he was using a smaller Bible more, it’s smaller size made it easier to take with him.

My own Bible, which had also been a gift from my husband, our first Christmas, was falling apart.

When he saw the condition of my Bible, he offered me his.

I gladly accepted and have used it for many years.

So as I listened to our pastor expound the verses of Psalm 27, my heart was instructed all over again.

But it was the story he told of living in Africa as a missionary and the extreme danger his wife got in when he had left and told her not to allow anyone into their compound.

God had used Psalm 27 to calm his wife’s fears.

He also told the story of when his father was extremely sick and had to be in an iron lung, his mother had three small children and God used this psalm to calm her fears.

Then, I noticed my own Bible.

I have many notes in the margins around this chapter, but the one that really touched me deeply was on verse 14.

“Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” Psalm 27:14

The note says:

“Strengthened me when ill at 3:05 am, 6/7/11”

I almost died in the summer of 2011.

I was literally bleeding to death and we couldn’t figure out why.

God preserved my life and left me this memorial in my Bible.

As I enjoy, yet another healing from God (I’m still able to speak) my heart couldn’t contain the awesome power and grace of our Lord Jesus.

Not only did He use this verse to comfort me and get me through that extremely trying time, He has used it many times since.

So, I thought I would share it with you.

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!
Psalms 27:1‭-‬14 NKJV

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word! Thank You for Your wonderful ways and all the love You bestow upon us. Lord, when I think about how these words were put down for an encouragement and a blessing for generations of people to glean the comfort and wisdom from, I am overwhelmed by Your goodness. Lord, when I think about how far You went just to save us, I am so full of gratitude and joy. Lord, I do not deserve Your love nor Your care nor Your salvation, but I am so thankful for it all and I am so blessed to know that nothing can take away the security I have in You. I love You, Jesus. Amen.

“…and comfort them.”

17 Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. 18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them. Psalms 10:17‭-‬18 NLT

The cries of the helpless are not missed by God.

The Lord speaks clearly in His Word about His care, especially those who are in extreme need.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
Psalms 146:8‭-‬9 NKJV

We too can find comfort in God through Jesus Christ.

His salvation brings even the most desperate hope.

Luke 4:18-19 KJV — The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Jesus was reading from the book of Isaiah and pronounced that He was the one who Isaiah was writing about.

Luke 4:21 NKJV — And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Sadly, those listening didn’t understand and were greatly angered by Jesus’s claim, but His life bore witness to Who He was and His resurrection bares witness to what He said.

For those who accept the truth of Jesus and the hope in salvation, there’s no greater comfort.

He made it clear, His comfort is to be shared.

Matthew 28:19 NKJV — “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NKJV — Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

His gift of hope is a comfort to all who put their trust in Him.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You so much for Your salvation. Thank You for the truth of Your Word and the hope we have through Your sacrifice. Lord, we easily become distracted by the cares of this world, the expectations of others, the lusts of the flesh. Please help us to remain steadfast upon Your truth, Your love, and to live in obedience to Your commands. Lord, in Your Word is life. Please help us to both find peace and rest, comfort for our souls in You, as well as pass on that comfort to others. I praise Your holy name, Jesus! Amen.

A scary moment

We had a moment a few nights back.

It was dark and we’d been in bed for a while.

A firetruck pulled up in front of the neighbor’s house.

Our neighbor is a military wife with three little ones, whose husband is away serving our country.

They’ve not been here long, so I’ve not felt like we’ve been able to build a solid relationship yet.

None of this mattered when we saw the truck.

We went over to see if we could help.

It was the carbon monoxide alarm and understandably the children were cold and frightened.

As the fireman questioned my neighbor, she held her youngest and tried to calmly answer everything.

I stood near the car with the two other children.

I’d grabbed some blankets and so had another neighbor, to keep them warm.

The oldest girl was crying.

“This is so scary! I don’t like it! I don’t want any more scary stuff like this!”

For a moment I was unsure about how to comfort her.

For a child who knows me, I’d just hug them, but she didn’t know me that well.

She continued.

“I don’t know what to do! I don’t want anything else scary to happen!”

Then the Lord reminded me to speak truth.

I got closer, so she could hear me over the fire truck and said, “We don’t need to worry, because Jesus has you in His hands.”

Her sister caught my words first, and her little face broke into a smile.

She nodded.

I spoke again and gently patted the oldest on her hand.

“Jesus has you in His hands and we can trust Him. He has kept you safe tonight, and we can trust Him.”

She calmed down and when her mother returned, she was no longer crying.

I was so honored to be used by the Lord to bless our neighbors.

Especially, the children as they are very precious indeed.

Mark 10:14-16 NKJV — 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.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You so much for keeping our neighbors safe. Thank You for the firemen who came to make sure our neighbors were protected. Lord, thank You for comforting them. Thank You that You are our refuge and strength. Lord, thank You for all the ways You bless us. May we find comfort in Your truth and security in Your salvation. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Encouragement

Psalm 119:165 NKJV — Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble.

God’s Word is full to overflowing of encouragement.

It should be the first place we look for comfort and refuge.

Psalm 9:9 KJV — The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

Psalm 57:1 NKJV — To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave. Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by.

The Lord is not absent, He knows our struggles and trials.

Psalm 142:3a NKJV — When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path…

The Lord Jesus is our soul’s safety and God’s Word brings us life, direction, and shines the light of the way.

Psalm 119:105 KJV — NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

His Word is where we find strength.

Revelation 3:8 NKJV — “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”

God is faithful and His Word is true.

1 Corinthians 1:9 NKJV — God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

His love is what sustains through the days of difficulty.

1 Peter 4:19 NKJV — Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

For He truly has all things in His hands and all our needs He knows.

For our very life is His creation and His gifts are continually around us.

James 1:17 NKJV — Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

And what joy we have in sharing those things He gives!

1 Peter 4:10 NKJV — As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

God is good and greatly to be praised!

Psalm 118:29 NKJV — Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You so much for all the encouragement and blessing we can find in Your Word. Lord, I am so often overwhelmed by the intricate understanding of my emotions and circumstances which lead me to scriptures which pour in comfort and healing to my soul. My very atoms are held together by Your design, I know I can trust You for the details of my day. Lord, for those who are hurting, struggling, grieving, I humbly request that You fill them with Your Word, that they might find all they need in You. Thank You for always being all I have ever needed. I praise Your holy name, Jesus. Amen.

November 22

Today’s prayer:

Because you have made the Lord , who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
Psalms 91:9‭-‬10 NKJV

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You for salvation! Thank You for keeping my soul safe. Lord, I know it is only through You that I can be saved. It is only in Your ways that I can find anything good or wholesome or true. Lord Jesus, thank You that no matter the circumstances here on Earth, my dwelling with You in heaven is free from all sin, death, disease, and pain. In Your presence is fullness of joy! Lord Jesus, how I want others to find safety and security in You! How I long to share the peace and comfort and love I have in You! I know You want that even more than I do. Thank You for being such a loving God. Thank You for giving us life and truth in Your Word. Thank You for being so faithful in all things. Lord, I can look backwards and see those times I felt lost and alone You were there. Those moments of pain and trial and grief, You were there. You have never left me nor forsaken me. Thank You! May Your name be praised! May the whole Earth be filled with Your glory! Amen.

My Refuge and Comfort

What do you do when awake in middle of the night, unable to sleep?

At times, fear lurks, tangling my thoughts with needless worry.

Yet, I’ve learned the most important thing to do is pray.

Psalm 46:1b NKJV — God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

To hold out my heart before God and seek refuge in His love.

Psalm 62:8 KJV — Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

To relinquish my ideas and plans into the Almighty’s care and enjoy quiet with Him alone.

Often, He brings others to mind and I stand before Him in prayer on their behalf.

In my times of deepest anguish, in those moments of despair, in the times of desperation, He has been my constant Refuge.

His comfort was encompassing when my father died in a tragic accident.

His presence was my constant companion when my body was so wrecked by pain I could neither eat nor sleep.

He’s been my ever faithful, loving, help in these long days of illness.

His Word is true.

He is my Refuge and Strength, a very present help in times of trouble.

And although I have no idea how He is working this all out for my good, I know I can trust Him to do it.

What an incredible God, He is!

Psalm 9:9 KJV — The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

Amen!

Not what I wanted to hear…

I’ve never made one before,
but I had extra time on my hands
and yarn.

The time came from an appointment.

It caught me by surprise.

I didn’t want to hear,

“How about you take the rest of the week off. Tomorrow is Thursday. Have a nice long weekend and rest up.”

My doctor was looking at me with a frown.

Of course he was right.

I needed to take some time to rest.

I took the next day off.

Then I had to take the following week off.

Too ill to get out of bed means too ill to work.

But the rest and “do nothing” paid off and I felt better.

I even went back to work this week.

“I’m not 100%, but I’m getting slowly better.”

My response to inquiries.

So when I went in for my follow-up appointment for bronchial pneumonia yesterday I had an expectation.

Unfortunately,
my cough
wasn’t what they wanted to hear.

“We are going to run more tests…”

That wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

So instead of taking myself home,
I went to the lab.

“The doctor doesn’t
have any other openings,
it has to be a morning appointment.”

Which means missing work again.

Also,
what I didn’t want to hear.

As I drove home I realized my news to more tests wouldn’t be welcome news to my kids.

With this reflection,

I began
to
sing.

Praise the Lord!
For He is GOOD!

No matter what things,
I don’t want to hear
He is near.

I have no idea what today holds.

I have no power,
even over my own body,
save to choose to follow Jesus
no matter what.

I have nothing
to be upset over,
Jesus will teach me through this.

Don’t misunderstand.

I’m not excited about any of this.

I’m not feeling good and I want to.

But

I’m not going to be alone.

Whatever tomorrow brings,
He’s walking with me.

Whether I’m sick or healthy
I belong to Him.

And I can praise and thank Him
for all these things.

Because the longer I live the more I realize my life isn’t valuable for what I do.

My life is valuable because of Who He is.

He values me.

And His value isn’t based on my activities or experiences.

It’s based on His love.

And I’m fuller,
more alive,
when I focus on Him
and our relationship.

To hear His voice in the Word.

To feel the peace of thankfulness enfold me.

To know that He has never left me,
ever.

That is what I want to hear
and it washes the things I do not want
until even the worst of all is pure.

Crying

I have a friend,

who once related the fact that she struggles with being able to cry

without guilt.

As a child she was very emotional and often felt insecure.

In those moments she would cry and be in trouble.

“I can’t remember a time I haven’t been in trouble for crying. From childhood on–even my husband doesn’t understand that me crying isn’t a power play, I just sometimes feel better after letting out my emotions. Why doesn’t anyone understand? Am I weird?!”

Sigh–

What words of comfort I could grasp I tried to convey.

Honey,
God made tears, and since even Jesus cried I don’t feel it is a sin.

The problem is that people can and have used tears to manipulate.

(Be certain when you need to cry it’s not to get your own way.)

Some people feel that showing tears is a sign of weakness, which should be overcome at all costs.

(Maybe your parents were trying to help you be tough and learn to overcome fear?)

I know your husband loves you, possibly he sees your tears as a result of his failure and he is trying to make amends. You should ask him why he doesn’t like to have you cry.

But dear, God is not offended by your tears.

When you feel you are in need of a good cry take it to Jesus and pray. Let your tears flow with your prayers.

He’s ready to comfort the hurting.
To restore the broken.
To help you to see areas of sin that need to be dealt with.
To replace the fear with trust.

You might want to keep a journal handy, just in case you have something you want to remember.

And until then read the Gospels again. Take note of how Jesus handles those who are emotional.
……………………………
With a smile
I pray my words
are a blessing.

And I think.

Lord, there is such a thing as a good cry.

“Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. Then the Jews said,  ‘See how He loved him!'”
John 11:33-36

Trials

Like a rose with thorns, this life’s beauty can often be riddled with pain.
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. “ James 1:2

 
What is to be done when trials come?
How is tragedy to be handled?
When discouragement whispers louder each day and seems to be more truth than fiction–
Maybe I am the only one who lays awake,
Stripped down to the bone and gristle of emotion
Numb from the pain,
Trying to sort out what to do next.
But I doubt it.
I know others who have shared their pain with me,
Their moments of doubt,
Their tragedies,
And I hold them in my heart wondering how best to act, how to help shoulder the load.
For that is my heart cry:
To help
Encourage
Bless.
But what do we do with trials?
How do we guard from discouragement?
Where do we turn when the terrible strikes?
I have a dear friend,
Who I have heard say that James 1:2 means, for them, to be joyful not because the trial is fun, or that they like the trial,
(For it stinks!) They add.
But because they can have joy in the Lord.
I agree.
In the shadow I have struggled finding it.
In the moments of naked darkness,
When joy seemed a distant memory–
A hand has reached into mine and held me up.
The times when all seemed desolate
My Lord Jesus has been there,
Comforting
Solid
Tender
For me I can have joy in the trial,
Peace in the shadow,
Comfort in the broken.
And patience has grown.
I no longer despair as I have in the past that the night shall never end,
The tunnel never break into sunshine,
Instead I slip my fingers around my Savior’s hand,
and
hold on.