Showing posts with label steadfastness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steadfastness. Show all posts

The Hidden King

Psalm 57 has been a passage that I have held on to for many years now. I was sick in 1987 with a mystery illness that none of the many doctors ever figured out. All we know is everyone thought I was going to die and then one day I started slowly getting better, obviously touched by His hand. During that time I discovered Psalm 57:1 - Be merciful unto me O Lord, be merciful unto me for my soul trusts in You, and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until these calamities are past. Well, eventually the calamity passed but in the process I did learn much about trusting Him and hiding in His shelter.

 The other verse in this Psalm that sticks out to me is verse 7. David (hiding in the cave from King Saul) starts out by talking about hiding in the Lord's shelter and in this verse it seems to me that he is making a declaration about his own heart. The hiding king states: my heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast...I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! To me he is declaring that no matter how bleak his outward circumstances are looking he will remain steadfast, trusting in the Lord and he's even gonna sing!

I think it might read more like this if I was penning the psalm I will sing? yes...I will sing. Singing does not seem to match the situation does it? Here is the future king - and he knows it! - hiding from a mad man yet determined to stay hidden in God and to keep his heart steadfast before Him...and even thinking about singing in the cave!

He then encourages himself and tells his soul to wake up! and give thanks. He did not thank God for the cave. He did not thank God for riches, peace or health. He thanked God for the things in his life that remain even while hiding in a cave. Think about it - he certainly did not feel rich, there was no peace in the natural, and he was not too concerned about getting out to the gym that morning or eating a well balanced diet. It was far less than perfect circumstances by our American standards.

 So he began to thank God for some of His constants....His lovingkindness and His truth. Two things that never change or fail in the face of life's circumstances. So maybe we feel hidden in a cave brought about by life's harsh circumstances; let us rejoice today in His truth and His mercy that never fail!

Singing in the Shadow

Psalm 57 has long been a favorite psalm for me. I found the first verse back in 1987 when I was ill. I was taken from doctor to doctor and no one could find anything specific, we were all left wondering why I had no appetite and had shriveled up to nothing. I did not have the energy to walk across the room. I would crawl across the floor, then lay and rest for a moment before being able to continue...lots of questions without any answers.

 That's where I was when I discovered the first verse of this psalm. I didn't have the strength to hold my Bible up but I could usually read one verse before having to lay it back down. I would hold my Bible up and read this verse before strength ran out again. Eventually, I memorized it. It says this:
Be gracious to me. O God
be gracious to me,
for my soul takes refuge in You;
and in the shadow of Your wings I take refuge
until destruction passes by...

The old KJV says until calamities have passed. I have held on to this scripture throughout the years as it became a part of me back then. But the rest of this psalm is so important too. David cries out in verse one asking for God's protection on his soul. Then in verses 2-6 he describes his dismal situation. But then in verse 7 he makes his own personal declaration. He says that His heart is steadfast. (old KJV says fixed) and he says he will sing! 

 Today my declaration is that no matter what I walk through my heart is fixed and I will sing while hiding in the shadow of His wings! Yes it is bad - but He has not removed Himself as our shelter..so we can hide and sing! We can decide to continue to trust Him for another day..singing in His shelter!

God is Working

Yesterday the scripture we discussed allowed us to see God as the giver of encouragement and endurance. Today we'll take a short look at James 1:3. It states that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. I don't know about other caregivers, but lots of times I feel anything but steadfast.

My head swims with tons of questions and whys. My heart weakens as I wonder if the rest of my life will always look like this...and trying to adjust to it...without accepting it as finality. Our emotions can be a real maze to work through some days.

But you know what? Caregivers are amazing...they just keep on going. Of course, if it's called to our attention we will say something like we have no other choice. But you know what - if we take a good hard look at all we do for another and how we don't get a real day off...and we just keep on believing no matter when the medical profession or others have given up on our situations...we have to admit that He really is working out his endurance in us. And as we trudge through the good days and the bad our faith really is fulfilling this scripture in James and He is producing His steadfastness in us.

Caregivers are amazing people! It's okay to get a pat on the back now and then or to give your self a "thumbs up you did a good job" now and then. (sometimes no one else is going to! lol) Enjoy your successes today - it really is okay as He is working His pleasure in us. Start with the fact that you haven't quit yet - or if you are like me - you've actually removed that from your vocabulary! He is at work in us - even where we are. His love knows no bounds and His plans recognizes no settings or setbacks...He's in us at work even today.

The Stare

  Do you ever just find yourself sitting and staring at the wall? It doesn't really happen too often because, quite frankly, who has tim...