Psalm 27 is such an inspiring song of praise to God! That's where I'm listening for the thoughts God wants to place on my heart today. It's so packed with profound and encouraging thoughts, I am having a hard time focusing on just one! What is God impressing on you?
The LORD is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid? (v. 1)
God is saying there is no room for fear where there is faith! Instead of feeling afraid I can feel confident, because God is with me and he is the one that gives me my sense of security. Who or what should make me fear when God is for me? There is nothing that will ever come my way that he can't bring me through. When everything else feels precarious, God is the fortress that I can run to. Within his care and love and direction nothing can ultimately harm me, not even death! Today, I lay down any fear and replace it with faith!
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (v. 13-14)
A year ago when my wife, Cathy, died, it was hard to conceive that life could ever be good again. The most precious person in the world to me was gone, torn from my life. The pain was overwhelming. The black clouds settled in, pressing down on me for a long time. God seemed distant and baffling. It was hard to believe the words of these verses then, yet I clung to them.
And God has proved true. While nothing can replace Cathy or what was suffered in losing her, God has shown me his goodness again. He pierced that heavy blanket of clouds with the rays of the sun and broke it up. He has brought new and wonderful blessings my way, including an exciting new relationship. He has brought love and happiness into my life again! No matter how dark things may be for you now, hold onto this promise from God: you will experience his goodness again. Believe it!
There are yet many uncertainties ahead and some imposing obstacles in the way of realizing my dreams. Sometimes I flat out get discouraged and wonder if things will work out. And God speaks to me here and says, "Wait for me. Be strong and take heart, and wait for me. I haven't forgotten you and I will come through. You will find that my plans are better than yours, and I will indeed work them out. So just be patient! It will be worth the wait!"
To share what God impressed on you through this psalm, first log in (top right corner of the page). Then type your comments below. Alternatively, you can select Anonymous from the "Comment as" field.
What a powerful personal testimony you have given us today, Chris! Wow! Because God is your "hero" you are definitely one of mine too. Thanks brother, and never, never give up. Your life is a big help to me.
ReplyDeleteChris, this is such an encouraging psalm and your entry just adds to the excitement of what God has in store for our lives. When we have God, there is nothing to fear! Nothing or no one can take away the security that only comes from knowing and trusting God. God is for us, he is our protector our refuge and our strength.
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the Lord.....this is something I've learned is absolutely a must! That certainly doesn't mean we should do nothing, but we should only do as God directs us....when he directs us. David waited several years to become king after being anointed! I'm sure that wasn't easy for him either. There are things I've had to wait for and I'm glad I endured the wait. Life would not be the same had I not! There is always something to learn during those times. Worth the wait......you betcha!!
I love how you ended this entry, Chris. It all comes down to trusting that God has not forgotten us and it will be well worth the wait!! It's exciting to see what God's plans are because they are most definitely better than ours!
Michele