"I look to the moutains-does my help come from there?
Psalm 121:2
I have been waiting for our arrival to these beautiful pieces of poetry. Psalm 120-134 are referred to as Psalms of the Ascent. It is believed these Psalms were sung on the pilgramage to Jerusalem for the annual festivals. Jerusalem was the "city on the hill" therefore the journey to the festivals was an ascent no matter what direction you traveled from. Singing these songs helped prepare the travelers for the festivals by reminding them of the power and provision of God. Can you hear them singing now? Thousnds upon thousands of voices singing to our God. Oh, it gives me holy goose bumps.
There were so many points that could be made from today's reading. Psalm 126 is one of my most favorite of the Psalms of the Ascent. "Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy" makes me know that my suffering will send in joy and the tears I cry are not in vain. My fortunes will be restored and when the mourning is over and my victory is complete others will look at me and say, "Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us [her]!"
The second verse of 121 always stops me. Where does my help come from the psalmist asks? He answers himself. He knows it does not come from the mountains but from the Lord. He knows on top of the mountains was the worship of and sacrifice to false gods. The god of the sun (sun will not harm you) and the god of the moon (nor moon at night). There was a also a god of sleep-"Indeed He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps." Aren't we so thankful He watches over us day and night?
This makes me examine myself by asking, "Wendy, where does your help come from? Does it come from the false god of friends or family? More times than I want to admit I turn to family and friends when crisis or even a perceived crisis arises. I run to complain, vent, or ask for help. Is is wrong to turn to these who love us in time of trouble? No. But our first response should be to the Lord. He will direct our paths. He understands us. He knows sometimes we need a "Jesus with skin" and will lead us to the person He wants us to talk to about the situation. I have learned, it isn't always our BF but it always the right person, for the right
P.S. We had a very welcome and much loved but unexpected visit from family member by Saturday night so we postponed our movie night to Sunday. We watched Daddy Daycare.
P.S. We had a very welcome and much loved but unexpected visit from family member by Saturday night so we postponed our movie night to Sunday. We watched Daddy Daycare.
9 Comments:
Wendy this is so true, and a constant struggle for me. I too run to a friend first most often, when I KNOW I should be voicing whatever it is to my Heavenly Father first. In fact, the gal who I depend on the most is away this week on vacation...without her computer...and I was joking before she left about what was I going to do? I was making fun, but there was an element of truth. How I need to remember to make my initial emergency 911 call to the Lord first.
There was no doubt which verse I would write about today: "The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121:8 (NIV)
I'll never forget the morning of March 18th, 2008. After a sleepless night, I reached for my Bible and journal, desperately needing to hear from God. Events that transpired over the previous twelve hours had shaken my world and I needed confirmation from the Lord. On my knees, in tears, I begged God to speak to me. Longing to hear, yet uncertain how He would answer, I opened my journal. The verse above was written on the top of the page. My answer had come.
For those of you who don't now this story, God miraculously opened doors for me last year to attend the "She Speaks" conference, but my fear of flying was keeping me from registering. I’m nervous of heights. I don’t understand the scientific reasons or how a huge plane filled with passengers can defy gravity and stay up in the air. I just couldn’t get past my fear of flying. I knew of no-one headed down to the conference with whom I could travel and in my heart of hearts I knew God was calling me to fly and to go alone. Although God had already intervened in ways beyond my wildest dreams, I had to have the assurance of His presence if I was to step one foot on that plane.
He will watch over my coming and going both now and forevermore.
God wasn’t guaranteeing me a smooth trip or even necessarily a safe trip, but He was promising me and reminding me of His presence.
Not only did I experience Him as my Provider and Travelling Companion, He supplied in an unbelievable way!!!! I tell the story on my blog today. (Too much to include here...I've already passed my quota of words...as always...hahaha!)
Have a great day all. Rest in KNOWING He is with you today.
Hugs,
Joy
Good Morning my Sisters,
Seems I don't have much time to comment lately, but I do continue to pray for you all.
Wendy - Movie nights are so special. We actually took our grand babies to the movie theater this weekend. It was great to see the awe in their faces as they watched.
Diane, I loved your Cinderella comment, :)!
Have a Blessed Day Everyone!
Lynn
A New Week! Here we come!
Joy, just finished reading your story. What a God Moment, that you will live to retell, time and time again! Love those stories!
Loving these Psalms dear sisters!
Psalm 120...all about Seeking the Lord! I can just hear them singing as they journeyed to Jerusalem to attend the sacred feasts-worshipping together! Today, we pray in our hearts for help for our needs, protection, and from our enemies...and we continue to give joyful praise to God! "so the LORD surrounds his people, both now and forever." 125:2 "He will not let [me] stumble;...[he] watches over me...The LORD stands beside [me]"
Sounds like to me He's got me covered. Seriously,
*He does not sleep
*He surrounds me
*He watches over me
*He even is beside me!
Why, then do I phone a friend, worry, or let anxious thoughts consume my innermost being?!
Lord, Help me to be confidently trust You all of the time. You care for me! You made my heart. Praise You for your great love and for the wonderful things you have done for me! You are Glorious! Thank you so much for drawing me to You and leading me on your narrow path.
Intentionally living,
Lori - AZ
Again thank you all for your wonderful insights. The two verses which really spoke to me this morning were the same ones that spoke to several of you.
First of all, Psalm 121 has a special meaning to me, because I have spent most of my Christian life looking for answers from other Christian women or from Christian authors or websites. I know that God sometimes uses these people and things as tools to help me through a siution, but I have to remind myself that He is my ultimate source. Since I have really gotten into studying His word(through this study) I have (through His grace!) done alot better in this area.
Secondly, I too, loved verse 126:5.
Our Sunday School class is going through the series "That the World May Know" and we had a lesson a couple of weeks ago about the accounts of Jesus weeping in the Bible and how, because he was also human, He cries when his children cry and grieves when they grieve. I had never thought about that before, but it is so comforting to know that My Lord and Savior loves me so much that when I hurt he hurts. And I am so thankful to know that all of the tears that I shed will some day end in shouts of joy!
Joy I am looking forward to reading your story. I don't think that I told you this, but each day that Wendy was gone, God used you to speak directly to my situation at the time. Thank you.
Carmen
Thank you all for today! Thank you Lori for the list;
*He does not sleep
*He surrounds me
*He watches over me
*He even is beside me!
I am bitter-sweet this week. My last day at this job is Friday and I leave for Basel on August 1. The transition to full-time life in Switzerland will take 3-4 months and my husband I and I have a lot to do between now and then.
I am filled with all of these; anticipation, a little sadness, and fear of the unknown. I will miss my friends and family, but I am confident that my job duties will have me back in the US fairly frequently. I am looking forward to this time with my husband, starting over, exploring together, sharing an experience that I never thought we would have. I am also looking forward to what God has planned for me. He is a "lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105-106). I am praying Psalm 121 this whole week, and I think I have found my verse(s) for July 15!
I will continue to follow our readings and this blog when I go. You all are my support. While God is my rock and my salvation, you have been a "shelf" for me this year. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Okay, enough. Have a wonderful week!
Karen, CA (for now)
Good morning girls,
Joy I love the idea of God being our 911 call! My family life is VERY complicated and we have been living in brokeness since I was about 12 years old (I am now 32). For a time, I believed God had abandonned me and in turn, I abandonned Him. But just like the poem "Footprints" I see now that He was carrying me and I am grateful He did not give up on me and called me back to Him.
The verse that spoke to me was one Wendy pointed out Psalm 126:6 "Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy." It is a comfort to know that all these prayers for reconciliation and unity, planted in tears, will one day end in laughter. How I pray that God will bring about these changes before my baby is born, before another wedding excludes my mother, before I have to plan 3 gatherings so that I can see my family!
But I also know Lord, that Your timing is the perfect timing and I thank you for your "protective shade." For keeping watch over me, as I come and go; both now and forever.
Lord I lift up our sisters planning to facilitate or attend "she speaks" and agree with everyone's prayers for success.
Have a wonderful day ladies,
Jodie
ps For those interested - we aren't finding out the sex. Whatever blessing God has placed in our lives is eh ok with me :)Just so happy to be having a baby!
Jodi,
We have 3 wonderful children ages 20, 15, and 7. (Yes they all three are the biological children of my husband and me- you wouldn't believe how many people ask!) and we didn't find out the sex of any of them- that's part of the fun! We also didn't have any of the testing done that the doctors wanted us to with Sam (our youngest) because of my age. We are very blessed to have such a special child (he has Down Syndrome) and we wouldn't take away one chromosome to have him any other way!
Anyway enough about me- I just wanted to let you know that I am praying for God's blessings in your life and in your family and a special blessing on your little girl or boy. I know that God wants for this precious little one (as well as for you)to have a family heritage filled with His healing and surrounded by His joy, spirit, and love.(And I think its great your not finding out!)
Carmen
Thank you Karen and everyone else who is praying for me and my baby...between you, me and the grandparents, this baby is going to be blessed out of its socks! A friend of mine just gave me Stormie Omartian's book "The power of a praying parent" - looking forward to using it soon.
Lori - I also meant to ask, how's that leg doing? I ask our Divine Physician, that He pour out His healing anointing over you. That He breathe back health and wholness into that leg! Amen.
Take care,
Jodie
Ha - must be pregnancy brain! I meant to thank you Carmen for your kind words. I am a teacher too (supply teaching right now), I love kindergarten!
Carmen - I pray that our Father gives you direction as you face this transition in your life. I ask that He pour out His counsel and wisdom as you try to discern His plan for you and your family. I pray that He fills you with courage, boldness and peace with whatever plan He sets before you. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come to pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jerimiah 29:11-13 Lord, I ask that You reveal Your divine plan for Carmen and her family. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen!
Jodie
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