"I will not go home."
Psalm 132:3a
Psalm 132:3a
Have you ever said such a thing to the Lord? I will not. These are pretty intense words from the psalmist. The tone of his words is quite intense. He is adamant. I have been that way at least once in my life. The memories of my experience came flooding back to me as I read Psalm 132.
Very dear friends of ours had just announced their separation. She had been in Sunday School that morning sharing her heart with our class. We all sat in disbelief. Weeping with her and for them we prayed, many aloud, all silently.
I wanted to do something. I wanted to fix this. I wanted a verse. If you have read my blog for any length of time or ever heard me speak, you know that I believe there is a verse for every situation. The Word of God is powerful and very relevant to our lives.
Wanting a verse and knowing just where to find one, I came home and opened my Bible to begin the search. The searching went on for quite sometime. I was pacing back and forth through the Word, anxious to find just the right verse to pray over my precious friends. As I searched I prayed, "Lord, give me a verse. I can not go to sleep tonight until I have a verse."
Well, I did go to sleep, with my Bible opened, laying across my chest. I startled as I woke up, unsure if I had been dreaming or if what had happened was real. Quickly, I got my wits about me, realizing it was real I begin searching again. The search ended abruptly when I stumbled across the perfect verse. God had answered my prayer. To this day I can not tell you the verse but what I can tell you is the whole experienced changed me.
The psalmist says:
I will not go home; I will not let myself rest. I will not let my eyes sleep nor close my eyelids in slumber until I find a place to build a house for the LORD.
Psalm 132:3-4
What is your "until?" I am not suggesting that if you give up sleep that God will answer your prayer nor am I suggesting that you give the Lord an ultimatum. What I am saying is to pray with determination, fervently, and without ceasing. Pace through the pages of the Word of God until you have a truth or a promise to tuck in your heart. He is faithful to answer your prayer. After all a dwelling place for the Lord was found, wasn't it?
P.S. My friends? Their marriage was restored. Not by my words but by His.
14 Comments:
Wendy,
Good Reading. Our Pastor once did a series on "Being Desperate/Determined for God" which was on this same point. Sometimes when you have a desperate situation, then you will become determined.
Prayers of Blessings to all of you for each of us in our own small world have a bigger world going on. Jodie and new baby, Karen and your move, Lori, hows you leg? Diane how's it in your world? Joy, how is your Dad?
Wendy, thanks for your Year long commitment to us. That's a big one and one to be praised for. Thanks for the prayers you pray over us each day.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Lynn - OR
Wendy, thank you so much for sharing your experience this morning. You're right, the Bible is filled with golden nuggets; nuggest of wisdom, promises,and love from a might and wonderful God. I sometimes forget that everything I need is right there at my finger tips! I am so thankful that we live in a nation that we can read and share the Word of God.
My heart is heavy for the children in our community. Last week, a mother of two, collapsed from a brain aneurysm; her children found her. This mom recently lost her job and was turning to meth for her answers. Her hope was not in the right place. This mom was not the first in our little community to look in the wrong place for help. Some of you might remember last spring I mentioned a single dad who died leaving 2 boys. It was a smiliar story.
Of course, I really want to "fix" the situation; my heart is breaking for our kids. Yet, I know God has a plan...He'll show me how to pray for them in the meantime.
Thanks and much love,
nancy
I underlined those verse too Wendy. That "I will not" is not a negative, but passion for God's presence. Wondering...have I ever felt such a David-like passion for God's presence? One that would not let me go?
Reminded me of another verse in our reading today, "I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn." Psalm 130:6 Those sentries, or watchmen, who had been awake all night on the alert for any attacks, would be longing for morning knowing that their duty was over and they could rest. Am I longing not for the morning, but the One who owns the morning? Like the sentries expected morning to come, do I seek the Lord anticipating Him to show up?
The verse that stopped me this morning was Psalm 135:6, "The LORD does whatever pleases him..." I need more time to collect my thoughts on that one. After the last couple of days I've had, I'm wishing there were a few things that would "please Him" so I could see His hand. I wish it would please Him to bring my Dad home soon. I wish it would please Him to heal a relationship. I wish it would please Him to perform a miracle for my friend's Mom.
I need to spend more time on this before I write my heart on my blog. I know there is a bigger picture beyond what I can see and I must trust Him.
Lynn, thanks for asking after my Dad. Sorry I haven't been more faithful with updates, but everything is still the same. Dad is still in a locked-in facility a distance away from home. The 'system' tells us he will remain there for at least another eight months. He was assessed a week after arriving there and it was confirmed that he does not need to be there, but until a bed opens up somewhere else, it is where he remains. I don't know if in not writing about it anymore I'm trying to distance myself and pretend I'm still not caught up in all the scheduling, driving, daily visits. I'm longing for life to return to what I had before, but we can't go back. Must move forward and keep trusting. Just harder on some days than others.
I think I did share that my Mom had made a sudden decision to bring Dad home. Thankfully she has eased up now on that rush. At 83 herself, and a very tiny woman, I do not feel she could handle Dad daily on her own. Dad has calmed down in his spirit and I'm thankful for the peace that has surrounded him. Thanks for all your continued love and prayers.
Have a great day ladies,
Hugs,
Joy
Good Morning Reading Sisters,
My "untils" are salvation for my husband and my health issues. Every day I read a devotion magazine by Lifeway called "Journey." Yesterday I did not read it so this morning I caught up and read two. Guess what each one was about? One about health and how God can use the imperfections in our health to sculpt us into a more perfect child of His the other was about being married to an unbeliever and committing to pray for his salvation and living a godly life in front of him. It hit on both my untils and then I come read your post Wendy and it just all came together! My prayer for my health is that God will teach me how to care for MY body, the specific way He made me. It is obvious to me at this point that I can not take care of myself the way a lot of others do and be in health. My diet is going to have to be pretty strict and I am coming to terms with that. I would rather live with energy and vibrancy and not be able to eat certain things than to always live in fatigue and with sinus infections. I have prayed for many years for God to help me eat better and take better care of myself. He is using my sickness and fatigue to answer my prayers.
For my husband I have several verses that I lean on. Two that are right from God are 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." The other is one that God just gave me a few weeks ago through the Beth Moore Esther study. Habakkuk 2:1,3, "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me. For the revelation waits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Thought it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." So I am stationing myself and watching for God's revelation of His perfect timing in John's life. I KNOW it will come and it will not delay! It will be a glorious day!
I thought of John today too when I read our first Psalm of the reading, Psalm 128. It is written to the men and I prayed this for him:
God, may John be joyful and fear You, may he follow Your ways. May He enjoy the fruit of His labor, be joyful and prosperous. May I be fruitful and flourishing in our home. May Will be vigorous and grow up in health and in the ways of the Lord. May Your blessing, Father God, be on our home and on John as He fears You and walks in Your ways.
Hope you all have a wonderful day! Lori, praying your foot is better. Praying for the birth of a healthy baby, for moves and for the struggles you all are going through. I may not post everyday but I try to pop on and read comments as often as I can. May God grant you all a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better (Ephesians 1:17)!
Living for Him,
Brandee, TN
Good Morning Encouragers!
Your words just encourage me so! Wendy,I really liked what you wrote today. "To pray with determination, fervently, and without ceasing!" As I read that verse now it means so much more! Oh, I pray daily that God's Word will be alive and active in me. Just thinking that there is a verse for every situation!
God has been talking to me about something. I'm a book lover. Really, a book lover. I can't tell you how many books we have in our home-I can't count that high!:)
The other day, I was getting ready to buy a book, and I heard Him say, "spend more time in my book." Ewe...that hit me hard. I do read daily, but I know He was telling me, that His Word has all the answers. Sometimes, we get so preoccupied with "stuff," that we forget we have the one book that really does satisfy! He has shown me that my "books" have become idols to me. There are books I know He's led me to read...and books that He wants me reading right now, but, then again, there are books I just buy, to be buying. Oh, like Joy said, "to long for the One who owns the morning!" I want that! Not the "stuff!"
Sunday was an experience for me, to say the least! I'll have to say, that I was able to praise God in my pain. For once, I really felt pain and I could empathize with others' that live with it. I've never had an experience like this (except child birth, but ya know we all forget about this once our eyes fall on the baby!" I had to praise my Father for the health He has given me all these years. It was an experience that allowed me to walk a couple of days in someone else's shoes. The verse that I had memorized earlier in the year kept coming to me, "rejoice before the LORD your God in everything you put your hand to." Throughout the day, my heart just cried for those that live like this. I'm a wimp, really. Blood makes me faint. I'm learning so much that each situation that is placed in front of us is really for a reason. Monday when I woke up all the pain was concentrated in the foot which made it very sensitive. The day before, it had been the entire leg. As the day went on tho, it diminished, and then all at once-in the mid-afternoon, it was gone! Just like that. Vanished. Talk about praising God! I have so much to praise Him for. But, I will say that I empathize so much more now with those that live like this.
Karen, I can't believe what you are getting ready to do! A whole new world! I so hope you will have computer time. Do ya think? I'd love to hear how it is in Basel. Psalm 121-came at just the right time!
Jodie, I think surprises are so much fun! And, you get to think of boy & girl names!!! My parents are divorced and it was not till the "first grand-baby arrived" that they reconnected. Now, they both come to ALL gatherings and they EVEN get along! I have a sheet of "harmony" verses that I try and pray over my family everyday. We have quite the "mix." Believer's, atheists, Christians that are living "in the World." God can allow a baby to do wonders within a family! Begin praying daily for harmony!
Joy, you continue to be in my prayers dear friend. The waiting is very hard! To just know that God knows all the secrets. He knows the overall plan, and His plan is for the best. He made your daddy's heart and He knows what is best for Him. His eyes never leave him and he is right next to him at this very moment. We praise the Lord who "does whatever please him through out all heaven and earth." He knows better than we do. We believe with all of our heart that He has a perfect plan for your daddy!
Ya'll, make it a day full of praise! I'm so looking forward to my prayer walk right now! I had t miss it yesterday and now I can't wait to walk with a skip! Praise you dear Lord for my legs. I love you with all of my heart. Love you all too! Lori - AZ
Wow your postings just lift me so. This is a great place to "oasis" during my day!
I liked how our reading ended today. It couldn't tell us enough to PRAISE THE LORD! Let's do it people...let's praise Him from our head to our toes. Let that excited, happy heart take over and feel Him! Praise him with music, with dance, with words, with random acts of kindness, however, just PRAISE HIM TODAY!!
Amen
Morgen - MN
Wendy,
Once again I am seeing wisdom from God's word through you and the other ladies. I love what you wrote on today, Wendy. It has inspired me to look in the Word to find a specific verse for each and every one of the many differendt "situations" in my life. I have been praying fervently for the Lord to help me to know how to pray His word in the lives of others and in my own life. I love the idea of there being a verse tailor made for each person I am praying for and for his/her specific need.
The verse that caught my eye this morning-which goes along with Wendy's writing of finding comfort and wisdom in his word,is Psalm 130:5," I am counting on the Lord, yes I am counting on Him. I have put my hope in His word." Like Lori, I am an avid reader, and as I recently expressed, I read many books by Christian authors, many which have helped me tremendously. But sometimes I have to stop and remind myself that His word is all I truly need.
Have a blessed day ladies,
Carmen
Amen Morgan!
This is a great group! Thank you Wendy for your posting today and for yesterday where you highlighted that these Psalms are "songs for pilgrims ascending into Jerusalem" . I noted that header this morning.
My verse today was 132:17b-18
"my anointed one will be a light for my people. I will clothe his enemies with shame,but he will be a glorious king.”
This led me to Matthew 5:14-16
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Jesus is the King, the annointed, the Light of the World. He gave us the Spirit who shines in us, transforming us into the light. Today I pray verse 16; Dear Lord, let my light shine before those near me today, that they may see my actions and praise You!
Amen
Thank you everyone for your prayers and your kind words. I will fill you with stories from Basel. Hopefully sometime we can meet and I will share Swiss Chocolate!
Karen
Good Morning! "Until" is a wonderful word in that passage. My until is a complex situation with my daugher's father. I have taken great solice in the words from 2 Chron. when Jehoshaphat had some surrounding people. What did he do?
He feared the Lord.
He gathered the people young & old.
They fasted.
They worshiped the Lord.
They prayed.
They waited.
They worshiped some more.
So, I take that as my cue. Be still. Fear not.
What did God do?
He confused the enemies and turned them against themselves. God told them not to fight the battle themslves...but to be still and see the salvation of the Lord.
And what did the Israelites do? They all worshiped!
Pray! Pushing hard with prayer and not action is tough work. But we pray so that what God already spoke at the foundation of the universe is revealed to us on Earth.
P=pray
U=until
S=Something
H=Happens
God didn't need my imput on how to create this world, and he did it perfectly. God doesn't need my imput on how HE is going to solve my "until" either. And I know he will do it all for HIS glory and fame.
It is hard to stay in this frame of mind...but we put on the helmet of Salvation and carry the sword of truth, the Word of God and go forth. Daily! Minute by minute. Whatever it takes.
Onward Christan Soldiers! God's Princess Warriors!
Kimberly, Isanti MN
GLOOOORRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYY! Oh, Dear Sisters God is so BIG. He just revealed His love to me during my walk and I'm hoping I can relay it to you, too. I was so excited to walk...I'm always like that, but when you "lose" something, you just appreciate it even more when it is "given" back to you. As I was thanking Him this morning over and over again for the experience of really "feeling" what others' live through on a daily basis, He whispered to me, that "everything, every trial we go through, will bring us closer to Him, if we have the "self-control" to allow ourselves to REALLY seek Him in our suffering! I was awed by this thought. I thought of our verses, how He is right next to us. How he surrounds us, How He is always watching over us. He puts us in places at times so that if we seek that "self-control" meaning, we look to see Him in the experience, He will teach us things in a glorious way!
I took a class several years ago by Beth Moore. In this class she had us memorize statements. I finally get it! When we are walking in "self-control," {seeking God in our midst, not allowing ourselves to think of our "self, and our own wants/needs"} then we truly experience the fruit of the Spirit:
Love never fails.
Joy cometh.
Peace rules.
Patience waits.
Kindness tenders.
Goodness does.
Faith fights.
Gentleness bows.
Is this eye-opening or what? I'm blown away, when we memorize something, but really don't know the true meaning...many years later God can reveal it to us! I see now why I was meant to be bit by this scorpion! The suffering was sooooooo worth it! I'm so happy God allowed me to seek Him out. I know He wanted me to feel the pain, so that I could pray more for people who are in pain. The self-control I received from God, allowed me to experience the true fruits during my suffering! Glory. Glory. Glory be to God.
Lord, control me. Control my thoughts. Control my words. Control my actions. Lord, I want You to be apart of everything I do today. Lord, thank you for whispering to me today. You truly want to have a relationship with me and I just love you so very much for seeking me out, for adopting me as your little princess. For writing my name in your Book of Lamb. Lord, that my name would be engraved on your very hand. That you are right next to me this very minute. That awes me like nothing else! Thank you. Amen. Intentionally living, Lori - AZ
That was BEAUTIFUL Ms. Lori! How wonderful to hear the whispers!
I always get the image from the Fruit of the Spirit of a little girl picking berries, like my daugher and I did the other day with such zeal and hunger and delight in the fruit found in the raspberry patch. It is good to have your heart, your hands, your mouth, your mind stained with that fruit!
Hello
I have nothing major to add to today's discussions other than to lift up my voice in prayer for those of you going through challenges today.
Nancy - May the Lord send His angels to lift the burden of sorrow and grief in your community. That He raise His umbrella of protection over all of you and that the Holy Spirit will speak comfort and love into your hearts. I ask that our Father, who loves all His children, reveal His perfect plan - that plan that sees tragedy transformed into mighty miracles.
Joy - our family has also walked with Alzheimer's. My grandfather went through some similar situations (medication errors, placement issues). I pray that God continue to strengthen, refresh and restore you and your family's spirits as you walk this difficult journey. I come boldly to the throne and ask that the Lord work a mighty miracle for your family and seek healing for your father. In the name of Jesus I break off anything coming against you, sickness, discouragement, fatigue, despair. I pray that Holy Spirit shower you in blessings and love today!
Brandee - I believe that God can certainly use our health issues to bring us closer to him. That is how I find myself here today. However, I also believe He can heal us and wants us full of life to glorify him. So I pray that the Lord breath health, wholeness and healing into that body and break off any sickness in the Name of Jesus.
Lori - glad you are feeling better and thanks for your sharing about how it has impacted you.
Karen - I pray for your move and for this new journey you are on. May the Lord pour out his wisdom and counsel as you discern His plan for you in Switzerland and give you courage and boldness!
Carmen - check out yesterday's post - I left you a prayer there :)
Wendy - thank you for inspiring all of us to dig deeper into His Word. Your leadership is such a gift! I pray that God continue rain down His wisdom, counsel and blessings upon you!
AMEN sisters, have a great day!
Jodie
This is my last pop-in, promise, sisters! :)
Nancy, My heart goes out to the children too! So many kids suffering today. Recently, about 5 miles away, a boyfriend walked up to his girlfriends home, knocked on the door, and when she answered it-he shot her!!! Then, shot himself!!!
They were teenagers. So sad!
Kimberly, loved "pray until something happens!"
Whoa, forgot about the swiss chocolate perk, Karen! :)
Brandee just loved what God revealed to you today! Patiently we wait on God to save our husbands! Seeking God to do this in His perfect time and knowing this is part of His glorious plan. We put our faith in God because He knows what He is doing. The thought of our husbands' salvation gives us JOY! Since everything happens for good, we feel peace knowing that God is in control.
Catch my hugs & prayer's! Lori - AZ
Ladies,
I love reading all of your comments. They are so uplifting!I pray for each and everyone of you and the joys and struggles you are experiencing in your lives. I thank God for you all!
Jodie, thank you for the beautiful heartfelt prayer for me and my family. We need it in ways you wouldn't believe right now. What a blessing to have the prayers of another beautiful friend in Christ even if we have never met face to face. Thank You! And by the way I read The Power of the Praying Parent in its entirety years ago and it is still sitting on my night stand to this day. Sometimes I pull it out to help me pray a prayer about a certain situation about one of my children and sometimes I just randomly choose a topic and pray it over my four children (My beautiful daughter -in-law Caitie is one of mine too!). In fact I was thinking about using it to help me find those specific verses that Wendy inspired me to look for in praying for each individual need. I know you will enjoy it as God uses it as a tool in your walk with Him as a parent!
Carmen
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