Shadow of His Wings

My heart aches for our country.  I am still trying to wrap my mind around what happened in Dallas and how it has impacted all of us.  I cry out to the only One (Jesus), who can bring me comfort and peace.  I open my Bible to the Psalms.  They are a balm to my troubled soul.

David wrote many of the Psalms as he was hiding in the caves to escape the wrath of King Saul.  The king wanted him dead.

I may not be hiding in a physical cave.  But in my mind I am trapped by anxiety and fear over the uncertainties of life.  Worry could easily become my constant companion as I watch the news and I my thoughts could numb my heart with dread.

I begin to turn to some of my favorites but before I get to them…I discover Psalm 57.  I am sure I have read it before but the WORD captures my attention.  The broken places in my heart begin to fill with the peace that surpasses all human understanding. 

God in his mercy does not leave us alone in our despair.  We can find refuge in Him.  In the shadow of his wings he keeps us safe as the storm of destruction passes by.  Notice it doesn’t say the storms will not come, they will come but we never face them alone.  A mother bird gathers her chicks close to her under her wings to keep them safe during a storm…God does the same for us.

In verse 7: My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast.  In Hebrew steadfast is similar to the word fixed.  My heart is fixed on you, O God.  What does that mean?  When trouble comes my dependence fully relies on God.  I trust Him above all things

Lord, have mercy upon all of us.  Show us how to build bridges and not walls.  Show us how to love each other.  Lord, have mercy as we rest in the shadow of your love and your grace.

1Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.
2I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

4My soul is in the midst of lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

6They set a net for my steps;
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8 Awake, my glory!^b
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
9I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.

11Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

Peace through Reflection

 In my last post I shared my struggle of watching Jacob drive.  And truthfully, Jacob is an amazing driver and so it really isn’t about his driving skills.  As I really thought about it and began to reflect upon my emotions which felt like they were in a negative downward spiral.  I think the moment represents how he has one foot in the nest and one foot out of the nest, and I am not ready to let go.  It was only yesterday, I gazed upon his sweet face for the first time as I marveled over how God had taken part of Troy and part of me and created this beautiful miracle. 

I wrestle with my emotions and feelings on how am I going to let my son go?  Part of me wants to hold on and drive him around until he is at least 30J!   I know he is not a boy anymore but a young man.  I have to let him go and in the process my heart breaks a little.  In the brokenness, Jesus sheds the light of His love and the truth fills my heart and mends it back together.

Jacob is carved into the hands of the One who created the universe and flung the stars into place.  I will continue to muddle through this process and as I do I will rest in the promises of the ONE who loves Jacob more than I can possibly imagine.   I will continue to hold onto my favorite bible verse, ‘My soul find rest in God alone.  Psalm 62:1

How do you deal with struggles?  I would love to hear your thoughts. 

Just Breathe and pray!

Have you ever noticed how fast 65 mph feels when you are in the back seat of seat of a car, as your 14 year old son is getting ready to drive onto the interstate for the first time?   Your mind starts to race in a million different directions.  Fear and anxiety begin to wrap their tentacles around your heart and your mind and they begin to choke out all reasonable thoughts.  If you have watched the movie Inside Out, you can imagine my emotions have reached a DEFCON threat level.

I took a deep breath and I knew I needed to pray to calm my mind.  Help me Jesus, is all I could manage to say silently to myself.  I didn’t want my husband or sons to know I am on the verge of a mental breakdown.  I also did not want my son to think for one minute he could not handle driving on the interstate.   The issue was all in my mind.

Jesus came and quieted my thoughts with one of my favorite passages of scripture.   “I will never forget you, I have engraved you on the Palm of my hand. “ Isaiah 49: 15b-16a   I needed the picture in my mind of God holding Jacob and the car in the palm of his hand.  It filled me with peace.

Jacob is an excellent driver and ready to drive in challenging situations.  I am thankful and grateful to know he will never travel alone, even when we are not in the car with him.

As a Mom have you gone through this already?  What helped you?  If you haven’t please know you have a tribe of women praying for you.  

The love this song, it is based on Isaiah.  It is beautiful and reflective. 

Abide

I can vividly remember singing this song as a little girl at the close of our Lenten services.  The church would grow dim but there would be a light that would illuminate the cross at the front of the church.  I didn't understand all of the words and what they meant but I knew it was important.  I did understand what the word Abide meant.  It meant that Jesus would remain with me all through my life.  I didn't need to be afraid because He was there beside me.  

As an adult whenever I sing this song, I remember the girl that I was once was.  I am so thankful for the faith that was instilled upon my heart so many years ago.  The little girl did not know or understand all the heartache and sorrow that life can bring at times.  She didn't know that life could change in a blink of an eye, but that lesson did come.  Her beloved Grandpa died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack.  I will never forget the phone call and the dread that filled my heart as I heard my Mom's voice.  I knew something bad had happened but I didn't want to wrap my mind around it.  How could Grandpa be gone?  I had just seen him the day before.  He had kissed me and told me that he loved me and that everything was going to be okay.  

I will never forget the night of the visitation.  My Dad's voice thick with tears as he told us that tonight we would see the shell/body of who Grandpa once was...but that the Grandpa that we knew and loved was now in heaven with Jesus.  I am so thankful that my Dad took the time to prepare us and to remind us of where Grandpa had gone and where he would be waiting for us. I remember thinking he looked so peaceful and asleep.  I was hoping and praying it was all a bad dream.  We had so many things that we still needed to do.  So many more talks to have about life and Jesus.  So many more fishing adventures to go on.  I know my Grandpa would have loved Troy and my boys.  Death does not have the final say.  Jesus never left my side during those days..He was all around bringing us comfort through family and friends.  Through His Word and through beautiful church hymns. 

I honestly am not sure how I could have faced the death of my Grandpa without knowing Jesus.  I am not sure how I could have been comforted, the loss felt so great to me that it was overwhelming.  Since that time...I have faced tragedies and the loss of loved ones.  It is never easy to say goodbye to a loved one but Jesus has walked with me through each moment. I know Jesus will abide with me through all the days of my life.  

Do you know Jesus?  Not just know who He is?  But do you  know Him as your Lord, Savior, and friend?  My prayer is that you do.  But if you do not, I know He wants to know you and to abide with you too.  

He is there waiting and longing to talk to you and to spend time with you.  He loves you more than you can possibly imagine.  Please do not think for one minute that you are not good enough to talk to him,...He already knows all about you and loves you just as you are.  If you have never spent time with Him, I would invite you to talk to him just as you would a friend.  He doesn't want or need elaborate or beautiful prayers...He only wants you...just you.  The Bible is His love letter to you.  I would recommend starting with the book of John.  And if you feel the need to have words to pray...look at the Psalms they are beautiful prayers to meditate on and to open your conversations with God.

     

Be Still and Know....

I have been thinking about this Bible verse the last several days. "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

The phrase, "he will quiet you by his love" has play over and over in my mind.  I have read this verse hundreds of times but for some reason, those words have caught my attention.

Have you ever had times in your life when your mind is racing so fast but at the same time it stuck on the same thoughts over and over again.  Anxiety and worry have taken root inside your brain and you feel trapped in your thoughts.  
I can vividly recall times in my life where I have been afraid; and yet I could feel God's peace, it was a calmness that washed over my heart, mind, and soul.  It truly is the peace that surpasses all human understanding.  From a human perspective it doesn't make sense.  But as I look at this scripture verse and it tells me that God will quiet it me with His love, I began to understand all the moments when His peace has calmed my troubled heart and wearied mind.

I will never forget when we did not know if our Dad was going to live or die.  There is nothing that can prepare you for those moments... in your mind you can rationalize that your parents are getting older and that they will not live forever.  But when you stand face to face with the reality of death, it can strike terror in your heart and your mind can began to race with all the thoughts of what if.....  I have to tell you during those days when we did not know what was going to happen with our Dad, anxiety was not my constant companion, instead God's peace flowed all around me.  As I look back at that time I am amazed by how God quieted us with His love.

My Dad survived and he is still with us.  I am so thankful.  He doesn't remember much about that time in the hospital.  But the one thing he does remember is that he felt a presence in the room with him, it was near him and it brought to him a feeling of peace that words cannot begin to describe.


I had wondered if my Dad felt scared and I find out that God was right here sitting next to him, quieting him with His love.


This reminds me of a beautiful prayer a friend of mine gave me when I was going through some major health issues and stressful situations.  He said to say each line of the prayer and to focus on the what the words mean.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I  am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.     Psalm 46:10

I added this to the prayer.  Be in the presence of the One who loves you more than you can possibly imagine.  The hands that formed the earth and placed the stars, the hands that were nailed to the tree and won the victory over sin, death, and the devil....are the very same hands that hold you close to His heart and will never let you go.

Sin has messed up so many relationships and caused so many problems in our world. But I know the One who has won the victory over sin, so I will find comfort in my Savior, who quiets me with His love.

Where does your strength come from?

If I were to poll different people on this question, I know I would receive many different answers.  Here are some you might hear: I come from a long line of strong and independent people.  I am self-made, I am strong from all of the hard-knocks I have received in life.  I choose to be strong, I made up my mind that I would be, and so I am.

And I would agree that in those statements there is some truth, if you solely looked at it from a human standpoint and took God out of the equation.  And if you put God into the equation, you could still say those things but they might sound a bit different if you could hear the whole story.

You see, I could say a lot of those things but I would like to share with you the rest of the story.  I am proud of my heritage and my parents and grandparents and great grandparents they have amazing stories, they were/are some of the strongest people I know.

I could also tell you I have faced a lot of hard and challenging things in life.  I could gather you in and tell you stories of heart ache and heart break.  I could also tell you that I chose to rise up and face the obstacles that could have turned me into a bitter and angry person.  That I chose to be thankful and grateful and to focus on blessings instead of curses.  Again, all of those are part of the truth but not an accurate view of my history, or I will say His(Story).

You see, on September 9, 1967, my story became God's story when my parents brought me to the waters of Baptism.  I became God's child and my life changed forever.  I cannot separate who I am from God because I belong to Him.
My parents taught me from a young age to trust Jesus with all things.  I can tell you from my 48 plus years of experience there were times I wondered what was going on...could I really trust Him to work things out.  And time after time God has amazed me with what He has done and how He has worked things out.

During those time of waiting and wondering...I remembered the stories of my Grandparents and my parents of how they trusted God above all things.  I read the Word and the stories of how God took the impossible and made it possible.

Most of all, I remembered and took comfort in the fact that God took the biggest problem the world has ever faced, SIN.  And how Jesus conquered that problem on the cross for you (even if you don't believe it) and for me.  I have been given the gift of eternal life because of what He did for me.  Sin still causes problems in this world but I know the ONE (Jesus) who took care of it.  And so while I wait for all of the challenges of life to sort themselves out, I will continue to trust Jesus.

I love this song.  These two young children have incredible voices.  But as I listen to this song, it is like a modern day Psalm in which I am singing to the One who has raised me up and given me the strength to face all things, Jesus my Lord and Savior.

Good Friday

Today we remember that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Sometimes I think we say that phrase without remembering what it really means. The word crucifixion comes from the word “excruciating.” To be crucified is the most horrific and painful death a person can suffer. We can only begin to imagine the physical pain that Jesus suffered. Jesus also suffered spiritually and emotionally in a way that we never will. When He cried out, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” it was because at that moment, Jesus was separated from God. Now how could Jesus, who is also God, be separated from God? That has always been a great mystery – even to the greatest of theologians... He, who was without sin, became sin for us all and suffered separation from God. That is the only way we could be saved. Jesus knew what would happen and yet the night before He told His Father, “Not my will, but your will.” Our sins nailed Him to the cross, but His amazing love for you and for me held Him there.

If we would have been standing there that day we would have also heard Jesus say, “It is finished.” Jesus did not only say this, He shouted it out. “It is finished,” is three words in English; but in Greek it is one “Tetelestai” as it would be in Aramaic. And “Tetelestai” is the victor’s shout; it is the cry of a person who has won through the struggle; it is the cry of a person who has come out of the dark into the glory of light, and who has grasped the crown. So, then, Jesus died a victor with a shout of triumph on His lips.

“Here is the precious thing. Jesus passed through the uttermost abyss, and then the light broke. If we, too, cling to God even there seems to be no God, desperately and invincibly clutching the remnants of our faith, quite certainly the dawn will break and we will win through. The victor is the person who refuses to believe that God has forgotten them, even when every fiber of their being feels they are forsaken. The victor is the person who will never lot go of their faith, even when they feel that its last grounds are gone. The victor is the person who has been beaten to the depths and still hold on to God, for that is what Jesus did.” (William Barclay)

Like a Girl

I am sure many of you have seen this youtube clip already #LikeAGirl, I encourage you to watch it if you have not.  And if you are like me, you have watched it several times.

I know so many girls and women who are amazing athletes, and there would be boys and men who would have a hard time keeping up with them.

My favorite line is when the girl says, I am going to run like myself.  We all need to look at our gifts and abilities and realize that we are enough...just they way we are.  Now, I do not mean we should strive to always do our best.  But be the best you.

We are created in the image of God.  We are His masterpieces.  We are all different.  We each have our own gifts and abilities.  It is time to stop comparing and to enjoy who you are.  And also to remember who you are....a child of God.

A Glimpse of the Boy, and a Glimpse of the Man.

I caught a glimpse of the young man my Dad once was when he was 14 years old.  It was a treasure to see and one I will forever cherish in my heart.  We were able to take a pontoon boat out on Lake of the Woods to go on an excursion that included the Island where my Dad owned and operated a minnow business and a place for fisherman to stock up on supplies needed for a day of fishing on Lake of the Woods. 

My Dad was a guide on Lake of Woods for one of the resorts when he was 14 years old.  He would take the fisherman out on the launches and guide them to best fishing spots and take care of all their needs while in his care.  He worked hard. 

My Dad drove the pontoon boat, and as I looked at him in his element, I saw the years melt away, and I saw the spirit of adventure he had.  His love for the Lake and the Land showed through and you could see the memories as he retold stories from years ago.

We were shown the spot where my Dad proposed to my Mom so many years ago.  The love between my parents is a gift that has grown over the years, and it was a blessing to us to see where it all began.

I love my Dad.  He is one of the hardest workers I have ever known.  His sense of duty to his family over the years is amazing.  He went without so that he could provide for his wife and his children.  I do not ever remember my Dad feeling sorry for himself as he sacrificed for us, he just did it.  Most importantly, my Dad along with my Mom taught us to always love and trust in Jesus in all things.  The lessons I have learned from my Dad cannot be learned from a book or a Professor at a prestigious university.  They were learned by watching my Dad love and care for us.  Watching Dad trust the Lord in times of joy as well as times of sorrow.  It was in the everyday activities of life.

My Dad had and still has a love for adventure.  He was planning on going to Alaska before he met my Mom.  He never went to Alaska.  I have told my Dad many times how thankful I am for all that he did for us.  One time stands out vividly in my mind.  As I told my Dad how much I loved him, and I thanked him, he looked at me and told me he would do it all over again. 

I also had the opportunity to watch Jacob drive the pontoon boat under the guidance of my Dad.  What a thrill to handle a boat on such a vast body of water, it was amazing.  As I watched my son, I saw a glimpse of the man he will become someday.  My heart was overwhelmed with words that are difficult to express.

Jacob has the best qualities of both of his Grandfathers and his Dad.  I am filled with wonder as I watch my son grow into the man God has created him to be.  I am thankful for this moment in time.  I have struggled with how quickly time seems to pass and the knowledge that Jacob will be all grown up before I know it.  I found hope and joy in watching him with his Dad and his Grandpa, knowing he will be a fine young man because he has had wonderful examples.

In closing, I would like to share my Dad’s favorite scripture passage.  I am also going to include his favorite hymn but I am going to use the version that is sung in Cherokee.  My Dad’s Great Grandmother was a Cree Indian.  My Dad loves to be outdoors enjoying the beautiful creation our loving God created for us.

^“28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
²⁹ He gives power to the faint,
    and to him who has no might he increases strength.
³⁰ Even youths shall faint and be weary,
    and young men shall fall exhausted;
³¹ but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.”  Isaiah 40: 28-31

Footnotes:

1. Isaiah 40:2 Or hardship
2. Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one crying
3. Isaiah 40:6 Revocalization based on Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Vulgate; Masoretic Text And someone says
4. Isaiah 40:6 Or all its constancy
5. Isaiah 40:9 Or O herald of good news to Zion
6. Isaiah 40:9 Or O herald of good news to Jerusalem
7. Isaiah 40:13 Or has directed
8. Isaiah 40:20 Or He chooses valuable wood

Cross references:

1. Isaiah 40:1 : ch. 51:12; [Luke 2:25]
2. Isaiah 40:2 : Hos. 2:14
3. Isaiah 40:2 : [2 Chr. 36:22; Jer. 25:12]
4. Isaiah 40:3 : Cited Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23
5. Isaiah 40:3 : Mal. 3:1; [ch. 57:14]
6. Isaiah 40:3 : Ps. 68:4
7. Isaiah 40:4 : Cited Luke 3:5; [ch. 49:11]
8. Isaiah 40:5 : [Luke 3:6]
9. Isaiah 40:5 : ch. 1:20
10. Isaiah 40:6 : Cited 1 Pet. 1:24, 25; [Job 14:2; Ps. 102:11; 103:15; James 1:10]
11. Isaiah 40:8 : Cited James 1:11
12. Isaiah 40:9 : ch. 52:7
13. Isaiah 40:10 : ch. 59:16, 17; [Luke 11:22]
14. Isaiah 40:10 : ch. 62:11; [Rev. 22:12]
15. Isaiah 40:11 : Ezek. 34:23; Zech. 11:7; [John 10:11; 21:15; Acts 20:28]
16. Isaiah 40:11 : [Matt. 18:12; Luke 15:5]
17. Isaiah 40:11 : [Num. 11:12]
18. Isaiah 40:12 : [Prov. 30:4]
19. Isaiah 40:13 : Cited Rom. 11:34; [1 Cor. 2:16]
20. Isaiah 40:14 : Job 21:22
21. Isaiah 40:15 : ch. 29:5
22. Isaiah 40:15 : ch. 41:1
23. Isaiah 40:16 : [Ps. 50:10]
24. Isaiah 40:17 : Ps. 62:9; Dan. 4:35; [ch. 41:12]
25. Isaiah 40:18 : ver. 25; ch. 46:5; Acts 17:29
26. Isaiah 40:18 : [Hos. 13:2]
27. Isaiah 40:19 : [See ver. 18 above]; [Hos. 13:2]
28. Isaiah 40:20 : ch. 46:6; Jer. 10:3-5; See ch. 44:9-15
29. Isaiah 40:21 : ver. 28; [Acts 14:17; Rom. 1:19, 20]
30. Isaiah 40:22 : [Num. 13:33]
31. Isaiah 40:22 : Job 9:8; Ps. 104:2
32. Isaiah 40:23 : Job 12:21; Ps. 107:40
33. Isaiah 40:24 : ch. 41:2; [Ps. 83:13]
34. Isaiah 40:25 : ver. 18
35. Isaiah 40:26 : Ps. 147:4
36. Isaiah 40:27 : [ch. 49:14]
37. Isaiah 40:27 : [ch. 49:4]
38. Isaiah 40:28 : [Ps. 121:4]
39. Isaiah 40:28 : Ps. 147:5
40. Isaiah 40:31 : Ps. 103:5
41. Isaiah 40:31 : [Ex. 19:4]

  

Hope

What do you place your hope in?  Hope is defined as a person or thing in which expectations are centered.

I have met many people over the years and what they place their hope in defines how they live their lives. 

The following examples are based upon numerous people and stories mixed together. 

 A young woman based her worth on her intellect.   She attended the best schools and received the highest grades and achievements she was labeled a genius.  She landed her dream job and pulled in a six figure income before she turned 30 years old.  One day while, at work, she suffered a dizzy spell and passed out.  Sadly, it was discovered she had a brain tumor and after the surgery she was never the same.  She could not remember anything and to follow a simple recipe was even a challenge.  All of her years of hard work and study were gone.   Her hopes and dreams had dissipated overnight and her life would never again be measured by her intelligence.

A young woman found peace and comfort from always being around her friends.  She did not know how to be on her own.  She needed people and constant contact.  She was put into a situation where she was on her own far away from family and friends.  A tragedy left her far away from family and friends.  Fear and loneliness knocked at her door in the middle of the night, and she had no one to talk too.

Fame and riches belonged to a young man.  Money and power belonged to him.  The stock markets crashed, and he lost it all.  All of his friends and his wife left him; they disappeared almost as fast as his fortune.

I would like to share with you a few real life stories of hope.  These are people who taught me a lot about faith and hope.  I will share them over my next few writings.

The first story I would like to share is in honor and memory of my Grandma Katherine.  She went to be with Jesus almost 10 years ago, and I will always miss her. 

My Grandma was a young mom with two children when her husband left her for another woman.   Pain, shame, poverty, broken hearts, and dreams are all my Grandfather left his family.  My Grandma did not sit and feel sorry for herself; she had two young children who needed food and shelter.  She went to work and provided for them the best she could.  It was difficult and a struggle.  My Grandfather was also an alcoholic, and so it made a heartbreaking situation even worse at times.

My Grandmother never held it against my Grandfather.  In fact growing up they would both be present at family gatherings, and she was always kind and pleasant towards him.  She did not dwell in bitterness.  I do not understand from my own human perspective how my Grandma could have forgiven my Grandpa.  But I do know , God was with her and He carried her and helped to go on. 

My Grandma did not have a lot of earthly treasures.  Grandma was one of the most generous people I have even known.  She was always helping someone in need, and she loved to give to people. 

Grandma found her hope in God.  She prayed Psalm 91 every day for all of her family.  She put her trust in Jesus. 

My Grandma was not perfect, and I am not trying to make her out to be a saint.  She would have a fit, if she thought  I was making her sound perfect.  Grandma was a poor miserable sinner just like me and you.  But she put her faith, hope, and trust in the One who was perfect, Jesus.  And now my Grandma has perfect peace in the arms of Jesus.

“5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ² Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”  Romans 5: 1-5

My Refuge and My Fortress

91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

³ For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge—
¹⁰ no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
¹² On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

¹⁴ “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he knows my name.
¹⁵ When he calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

 

Father Forgive Us

Have you ever been betrayed by a friend or a loved one?  The hurt and the disbelief go so deep it takes your breath away and you forget to live your life for a while.  Oh, there are days and weeks that go by and you think maybe the pain has gone away, but it comes back again trying to steal your joy like a thief in the night.

Yesterday, the bible study I am in had us focus on Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  In this verse Jesus is hanging on the cross, we cannot even imagine the agony he was feeling at this point.  The word crucifixion comes from the word excruciating.  We are unable to comprehend the physical, spiritual, and emotional pain Jesus endured for us.  The soldiers were casting lots for His clothes, while Jesus the Son of God suffered on our behalf.  I could easily stand in judgment of the soldiers, but I cannot because I am no different. 

I would like to share the two main thoughts I had about this verse.   Jesus is speaking on our behalf.  Pleading with God to forgive us because we do not know what we are doing.  They knew; I know...what I am doing when I sin....at least I think I do.  But I do not always realize the enormity of my sin.  How much it hurts God and others.  How destructive it is.  God used their sin, to accomplish his purpose for us in Jesus.  It boggles my mind.  The love Jesus has for us even in our wretchedness is hard to fathom because we do not think that way.  That leads to my second thought.  When I feel someone has wronged me, I often get stuck in my pain over it.  I need Jesus to help me say Father forgive them for they know not what they do.  We (both parties) get stuck in sin and are unaware of what we have done.  I am not able to fix myself or them.  When we forgive we our giving it over to God.  It doesn't mean that my actions were okay or the actions of the other people were okay; it is only letting it go.  And more times than not, I need God to pry it from my hands, because I am not willing to let go of the hurt or the anger.

I do not know your life circumstances or the events that may have caused you pain.  God gives us peace and comfort in His Word.  Jesus tells us Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me all who are 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.

 God can take your battered and confused heart and fill it with the joy that can only be found in Him.