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Witness: Before I went to bed this morning, I had folded my wash, finished loading the dishwasher, and vacuumed all the carpet in the house. I said to myself, now that I have got all that out of the way, I now will have time to fix some things in the house and research recipes to make for dinners that would last for several days, thus saving me money. However, I did not sleep well and woke up tired at 12 noon. Yet I woke up with a song in my heart, excited about the day. It was going to be a productive day. However, I soon realized that my right leg which has been giving some problems on and off was really hurting today. The pain was quite acute. It has lasted all day in spite of taking pain relievers. Pain and weariness took its toll on me as I went out to do some errands. I never researched the recipes and spent too much time at the store looking around for things. By the time I got home it was getting dark and It was time to make dinner. I watched the news as I ate (that’s depressing in itself). I then fell asleep and woke up after 9 pm. Weary and depressed, I began my journaling time by reading from Nov. 28, which was like “déjàvew all over again”. It was about a rainy, dreary day and how providential it was that the entry I had read on that day, which was from October was also about a rainy dreary day. Let me share again a portion of that entry:
What a great God we serve. How mighty and glorious are his ways towards His people. He is sovereign over the universe…This is the God, the only true God, whom I serve. I see His sovereign hand in my life even when all seems chaotic. He encourages me and strengthens me daily in the storm and in the flood. It has been raining for two days now - cold dreary rain. Yet tears of joy came to my eyes as I read my entry from October 30,2015. This is my practice, I did not search this day out, but God sought me out by providentially lining that day up with today to read.
I then shared the Witness portion from the parallel day in October. Here is a portion of it from that day:
It’s a rainy, cool day. It is a welcomed break from the hot days that we have been experiencing and a time of refreshing for the earth. Sometimes dreary days are necessary to bring needed nourishment and renewal. We can mope and complain about the rain, or wait patiently for the sunshine and the refreshment brought by those rainy dreary days. We also can mope and complain because the rain the Lord has brought into our lives, or wait patiently for the clouds to part and rejoice in blessings and refreshing that come from the dreary storm filled times in our lives. In fact, if we believe in the God of the flood and the rainbow, we can rejoice in the rain as well, expectantly waiting for what is to follow. I understand for some the rains are brief and for others, they are a monsoon. I will not be flippant or dismissive concerning long periods of rain in our life, but this I know, our great shepherd goes through them with us and leads us out of them. If we remain faithful and focused on Him, we will get through it. If we balk or stray, we may end up devoured by the enemy or fall off the edge of a cliff into the abyss.
Well, it’s not raining today, but it is cold. When I woke up at noon it was sunny, but only 29 degrees outside. It’s 11:34 pm right now and it is 28 degrees. Pain is sometimes the “rain” in one’s life. It could be sunny all around, but the pain – physical or emotional, can have the same effect on one’s spiritual and emotional state. The pain wears you out. That’s where I am right now, worn out, and the enemy has attacked my mind, telling me that today has been just a complete waste and I should be stressed, frustrated, and ashamed.
That’s where the blessing of these former days proved helpful. Recognizing God’s sovereignty in all this, that He is in control of my days and even my pain. Some will deny that God brings pain in a believer’s life on purpose, He just uses them when they do. Some say it’s the enemy that brings it. I don’t have the space to get into an extensive discussion on theodicy issues. I would just ask you to consider the lives of God’s people found in scripture, that they were not immune to pain and suffering. The Psalms are replete with the experiencing of pain. I do not believe for one minute that pain and suffering are out of God’s purview and plan, but always come with a purpose. Below are some helpful links to get you thinking on the matter more deeply.
Also helpful was the song I sang for worship today. Weary with the pain of the day and lack of sleep, I remembered the line from a hymn, Turn Your Eyes On Jesus: “O soul are you weary and troubled?”, so I looked for the song on YouTube. It was then that I discovered this wonderful new take on the song by Nicole Nordeman.
Oh weary mind, oh troubled soul
All the broken pieces that You hold
Turn them over, give them up
And then watch what Jesus does
All the broken pieces that You hold
Turn them over, give them up
And then watch what Jesus does
Blessed view!
Oh heavy heart, oh heavy load
Lay it down and let it go
Leave your broken yesterdays
In the open arms of grace
Lay it down and let it go
Leave your broken yesterdays
In the open arms of grace
Blessed relief!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And watch the world grow dim
Standing next to Him
In the light of His glory and grace
Look full in His wonderful face
And watch the world grow dim
Standing next to Him
In the light of His glory and grace
Blessed light!
Oh frozen hope, oh broken dreams
Just like a boat tossed on the raging seas
You will walk on waves again
When you have set your gaze on Him
Just like a boat tossed on the raging seas
You will walk on waves again
When you have set your gaze on Him
Blessed restoration!
So look up, look up
This is a song about the morning
After a long night
So look up, look up
This is a song about believing
This is a song about the morning
After a long night
So look up, look up
This is a song about believing
It’s gonna be alright, when you
Blessed exhortation
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
I want to grow dim
Standing next to Him
In the light of His glory and grace
Look full in His wonderful face
I want to grow dim
Standing next to Him
In the light of His glory and grace
Blessed exaltation!
So look up, look up
So look up, look up
So look up, look up
WORD:
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Ps 24:1-6
24 The earth is the LORD 's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters
.
3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob.b
SELAH
NIV
|
Ps 24:1-6
The King of Glory
A Psalm of David.
24 The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Selah
ESV
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One of the questions I asked a couple days ago, was whether this verse spoke of “blessings” and “vindication” or was the blessing found in the vindication? Looking at the verse that precede this verse as well as the one which follows, it would seem that the psalmist is using a form of parallelism in each verse. I believe he was stating something at the beginning of each verse followed by a further clarification or specific example. Thus, one could translate these verses in this way.
Who may ascend the hill of the LORD, and once there, stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, even he who does not lift his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.
He will receive blessing from the LORD, even vindication from God his savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him, even those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
There are more important issues to discuss, but my eyes close shut as I try to read from the commentaries, It is best then That I stop here. I was quite long in my witness portion and you are probably tired of reading too if you made it this far. :)
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