SHEAF OF PRAYER ARROWS

Image result for clip art of a sheaf of arrows     I borrowed the title from Alexander Maclaron who was a Biblical commentator.  I thought of Emails of Prayers or Tweets of Prayers, but for Warrior, Shepherd, King David, I thought the arrows would be more appropriate as I work through Psalm 86 for today.  I can see in my mind's eye, David shooting these prayer arrows to God. Our 911 prayers which pierce darkness, straits, cares, desperation, or sinful attitudes, and personal attacks. 

Today, it is with sadness and celebration for the death and life of my eldest son whose birthday is today.  A very ole hymn fragment comes to mind, "Where could I go, oh where could I go seeking a refuge for my soul?  Needing a friend to help me to the end, where could I go but to the Lord? Please visit Psalm 86 with me.

This is a song, a prayer of  David.  What if our prayers were recorded for all posterity to see, to hear, or to get encouragement?  In his depths of despair, or heights of joy and exaltation, or his prayers for deliverance of the straits he has endured or is enduring, the reader can identify at some point. This psalm is an emotional reminder that I flee to HIM.   Note his emotions, his pleas, and his precious transparency.  In this psalm, David uses several names for the Lord God: Jehovah (Eternal, Timeless, Self-Sufficient One), Lord, Adonai (Authority, Dominion and Power),  and Elohim (Majestic, Peerless, Sustainer). David well understood who God IS, Was, and Forever Will Be.  Note also that he has an understanding of who he is of himself:  poor and needy, words which portray being destitute, bankrupt, and a beggar. Perhaps one may say, "What a poor self-concept he has!"  The real truth seems to be that he is humble, understands who he is, and has a GREAT GREAT desperation for God's mercy and His grace to be on him.   At this point, David is stressed and pressed.  You and I have been there and have tee shirts, I am sure! Only the Lord, can be the solace for today's press, stress, heartache, or joy.  It is always imperative that when I come before the Lord with whatever is going on in my life that I enter His presence with HUMILITY.  I am mindful that the Lord knows the proud from afar!

In verses 11-13, David has two requests: Teach me YOUR way and Give me an undivided heart.  The Holy Spirit is the One who teaches us, illumines the Word of God to us, and gives us understanding of God's Word.  The next course of action, on my part, is to allow the Holy Spirit to empower me for obedience to what has been instructed.  Like our Mother, Eve, we hear the Word, but our divided heart moves into rationalization and analyzing what has been spoken or read.  Clarification is sometimes necessary, but arguing and debate move the will and heart into massive confusion.  

David concludes the psalm with praises to Adonai and Elohim stating that HE is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, and faithfulness.  This would be time to simply make a list of how God has shown these attributes to you and me.   In the very last verse, he asks for a sign of His goodness so that his enemies would be put to shame and he again gives praise to Jehovah for helping and comforting him.  I LOVE the thought that our enemies (not flesh and blood, but the evil one and his minions) were put to shame and their weapons were removed at Calvary and the empty tomb...Colossians 2:15. So for today, Lord God, according to Lamentations 3:22-23 "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  May my grief , in my loss,  be fruitful for the sake of the Lord Jesus and His kingdom!  Ever learning!  In process, still!  #IHAVETHREESONS 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THOSE SEEING CAN BECOME BLIND

Image
John 9 is the story of the healing of the blind beggar.  Not only is it a marvelous story of the miraculous healing of the man as he is given his sight, but a sad story of the religious of whom Jesus said, "For judgment, I have come into this world, so that the blind will see, and those who see will become blind ." The religious have seen the miracle, even though it has taken place on a Sabbath, and they interview the man and his parents for their stories and understanding. I find it so thrilling that the healed man speaks so articulately and logically with the religious in their "interview" with him.  His statement, " Now that is remarkable!  You don't know where HE comes from, yet HE opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners.  He listens to the godly man who does His will.  Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." What truth he has spoken to the religious wh
Read more

REHEARSALS

Image
  I wonder how much time do I give to rehearsing God's goodness and how He has intervened in my life to "save" me from myself?  How alike the Israelites I can be, complaining about what goes wrong, how it affects me, and what I lack.  As a Christ follower, I have the Indwelling Holy Spirit to give me remembrance NOT of my complaining and grumbling, but of a recall of God's faithfulness to me.  It is recorded in Psalms 78 and 106 that " They forgot what He had done, the wonder He had shown them", "They did not remember His power--the day He redeemed them from the oppressor...", "They did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.", "But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.", and "They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt...". Contrast with me, God's remembrance: Ps. 106:44-46, "But He took note of their distress
Read more

ORDER AND DESIGN

Image
    I do not have OCD, but I do confess that I like order in my home.  Now that I am retired, I am not so much into spotless, but "picked up" and "kinda" clean. (Do not open drawers and closets!) I might go to more trouble when I know I am having company, but otherwise, I remove the clutter that seems to reproduce on its own.   When I began the reading in Genesis in January, I was again taken with the with the orderliness and design of God in creation, and have seen Him use Moses and Aaron to ORDERLY marshal the Israelites to move out of Egypt. How do you move some 600+ males and that is not even wives and children? Animals also?  They have been one year+ out of Egypt, and have been camped at Mt. Sinai where God has given them laws for their spiritual and physical welfare.  God gives Moses the design of the Tabernacle and Moses is able to bring together the workers to complete the Tabernacle.   The clip art at the top is the positioning of the 12 Tribes and the
Read more