I had a busy day yesterday at a baby shower then shopping (of course, JoAnn’s was one of them! 
), so I’m posting my Saturday Psalm and Praise a bit late!
I hope you’re not tired of hearing me tell you that The Heart of the King , by Ron Auch, is an excellent book and worth every penny!
I had planned to write something else for today, then during my quiet time this morning, I read another selection from this book. If you haven’t read my blog before, this book is a devotional of sorts based on the 176 verses of Psalm 119. Believe me, you can find a lot of meat in each and every page! It is available from Amazon (click here), and you can see some of the pages to get an idea of the rich treasure found in this book! If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m very focused on relationships! And this book focuses on our relationship with God.
The verse that I was reading this morning was verse 83: "For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget Thy statutes." (He uses the NIV in the book, so it reads, "Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Your decrees.")
"Years ago in the eastern countries bottles (pouches) were made of skin. In order to have a hot drink, people would hang the pouch (bottle) in the smoke of a fire. With time the outer skin became parched and shriveled. In this verse, David likened the exhausted state of his body and mind to a wineskin in the smoke. David had such a pure heart that he said in essence, ‘Even though my body and mind are completely exhausted, I won’t forget Your decrees.’
"David did not have a martyr complex. Like any of us, he did not relish his suffering. He wanted deliverance! However, in the midst of his suffering, he learned a great lesson–never give up on God. What hope is there if we become bitter against God? I have heard some say, ‘God didn’t answer my prayer, so I gave up on Him.’ Do they think their prayer will be answered sooner by giving up on God? David did not forget God’s decrees or decisions. He walked as God directed him, even in the midst of suffering. Even in a time where everything seemed to be going wrong, he walked with his God.
"The prophet Habakkuk gave us some good advice. ‘Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, thought the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls [you can insert your own dilemma here], YET WILL I REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL BE JOYFUL IN GOD MY SAVIOR’ (Hab. 3:17-18). The prophet in essence said, ‘Even though everything on God’s green earth is going wrong, I will still rejoice in the Lord.’ Habakkuk knew you never give up on God. We would be wise to follow the apostle Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:4, ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!’
"As you meditate on this verse, ask God to help you rejoice in Him even in the midst of trouble."
(I might add that the short thoughts at the end of the past two verses talked of having a heart fixed on His Word, and to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus! Both of those are necessary to be able to rejoice in Him even in trouble!)
This certainly spoke to me…..I have been fighting being bitter at the circumstances I am in by no choice of my own. I wanted to have another baby. My family was soooo looking forward to another little one! Disappointment is hard!
But yes, what good does it do to be bitter and angry at God? It’s like biting the hand that feeds you!
And yet God, in His ever merciful love, tenderly cares for us and gently leads us back to Him. Another thought from this book, a few pages back: "How many times have we cut out the very heart of God through our own disobedience to Him, and yet found that His greater concern was for our well-being?"
Reading the selection for the verse today really spoke to me. It is a choice–my choice! I WILL rejoice! No matter how wrong everything looks, no matter how bleak, how impossible, how unfair, how WHATEVER……I WILL REJOICE IN GOD MY SAVIOR! Psalm 35:9 "And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in His salvation."
If there is NO other reason to rejoice–I can just rejoice in HIM and His salvation He purchased for me!
Anything else is just icing on the cake!
Psalm 13:6 "I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me." And Psalm 116:7 "Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for He hath dealt bountifully with thee."
Yes, return to my rest– in His arms of love! Isaiah 30:15 "In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not."
So I come, Lord. YES, I come! I return, I will rest, I will trust. Then shall I be saved from bitterness. Then will my heart be quiet and trusting in you, and in You is my strength!
May You not say to me, "Trisch, I held out My hands of love and mercy to you, but you chose to turn away." ("…and ye would not.")
Father, I’m Home.
"Ye shall have a song, as in the night…and gladness of heart….and the Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard." (Isaiah 30:29-30)
There’s within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
"Fear not, I am with thee, peace be still,"
In all of life’s ebb and flow.
All my life was wrecked by sin and strife,
Discord filled my heart with pain;
Jesus swept across the broken strings,
Stirred the slumbering chords again.
Feasting on the riches of His grace,
Resting ‘neath His sheltering wing,
Always looking on His smiling face–
That is why I shout and sing.
Though sometimes He leads through waters deep,
Trials fall across the way,
Though sometimes the path seems rough and steep,
See His footprints all the way.
Soon He’s coming back to welcome me
Far beyond the starry sky;
I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown,
I shall reign with Him on high.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus–
Sweetest name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
I pray you have a song in your heart–a song of praise that no matter what is going on around you, even inside you, HE can bring peace, quietness, rest…..if you only return to Him and choose to rejoice in Him!
Hello, Am always remembering you in prayer. I can understand a bit of how you feel, we were so looking forward as well! The Lord allows these things for a reason, and He knows best. I can always remember my parents telling me that something was for my good, we didn't always understand as children. God is a perfect parent though, so we can be confident always in His providential leadings.
Blessings to you and your dear family this coming week.
Jenny
You can post your SP&P anytime you get to it. It is your praise of God! [but, thank you for sharing it with the rest of us!] : )
How precious is our LORD. How precious is our sweet fellowship with Him. A place where we can laugh and cry and be us with Him, knowing He knows it all anyway.
Praise God He gives us our sweet families and our friends, but what a merciful and loving Father He truly is that He does open up that place we can go to and sit on His lap and learn and listen and rest and be refreshed.
May we stop and seek that peace with Him. Get into the silence and come out refreshed.
You know we are not in the same turmoil and unanswered place you are right now, but God is still that same God in all of those circumstances, and I am greatly comforted by Him in "this present distress". When all the hopes and dreams are dashed, and things continue to not go as you wish they would… when peace eludes you… it is a difficult place to be in, but our God knows and stands by us [even in our own mistakes, I am thankful to add!].
Thank you sweet friend. What a blessing this is to me.
blessings,
~J
My song… as is my usual one, a fave of all our Littles, as they know every word: Amazing Grace