DRIVEN OUT?

    Do you ever feel like you are being pushed out or driven out?  I am taking a respite from the closing chapters of Jeremiah and resting in Psalm 42 for today and will finish tomorrow.  In this Psalm, King David is being driven out of his kingdom by his son, Absolom, who is very angry and has his heart set on betraying his father. Granted ole Dave will not be awarded "Father of the Year",  yet he was greatly used of God in Israel and was Israel's most successful king. (Thank the Lord that HE can use us in spite of our frailties!)

These are my thoughts on David's transparent and humble prayer to God:
1.  Israel was known for its dry and almost desert-like climate, so to find a stream of water was a real treasure.  David compares the thirst that he has for Elohim to be a lot like the male deer who has finally found a watering hole.  The deer is panting and probably weary, but he still must be cautious because other animals also gather at the watering hole and he can become a prey very easily.  David knows that Elohim like a stream of water, will meet Him and satisfy his thirst.  
2.  David recalls the times that he was able to lead the procession to the house of God to worship and to praise, but now, on the run, he is far from the location of the temple. One can almost hear the grieving tone of his voice. 
3.  Note that he speaks to himself by asking the question, "Soul, why are you downcast?"   The Hebrew for downcast is depressed.  His second question, "Why so disturbed within me?  The Hebrew for disturb is the word, commotion or tumult. Pay attention as to how he answers himself, "Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."  Do you notice that he does NOT move in victim mode, whine, or pity-party, but he speaks truth to himself?
4.  When you are picking your buckshot out of your britches, what do you say to yourself?  
5.  For those of us to talk aloud to ourselves, remember who else is listening, and take the opportunity to encourage your heart and stand firmly.  Isa. 7:9b, "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." 
Oh, Lord God, give me courage to align my beliefs to the truth of Your Word because it is forever settled in the heavens!  (Psalm 119:89)  Cause me, Holy Spirit, to speak Your Word to my heart and mind.  Ever learning!  Still in process!  #IHAVETHREESONS (and I am missing the eldest son!  Thank you for heaven!)

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