What type of day would it be....

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 13. Here is what I learned.

I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms— I’m celebrating your rescue. Psalm 13:5 (MSG)

But I have trusted, leaned on, and been confident in Your mercy and loving-kindness; my heart shall rejoice and be in high spirits in Your salvation. Psalm 13:5 (AMP)

But I trust in Your faithful love; my heart leaps at the thought of imminent deliverance by You. Psalm 13:5 (VOICE)

As I read Psalm 13:5 this morning.. wow what a picture. Throwing myself headlong into the arms of God, leaning on Him, my heart leaps..... kind of reminds me of the pictures we seen when our Military Heroes return from their deployment. The men and women RUN toward their families, and grab hold of each other... never wanting to let go. 

As I think of Psalm 13:5, I’m so thankful first of all, that God’s arms are waiting for me! Secondly, that because of God’s love and mercy I can run to Him at anytime. Thirdly, that He will hold me tight and love me with an ever-lasting love. And lastly, this is great reason to rejoice and be glad! 

Since I can lean on God and throw myself headlong into His arms anytime.... I should do it everyday! Not just when I’m in trouble, or when things around me look bad. God is not just a God for the bad times, He’s a God for the great times too! Yet when things are going well, we often forget about God. Then something tragic happens, such as the bombing in Boston, then we turn to God— and He’s there waiting. 

What type of day would it be

if I’d begin it by “throwing myself headlong into the arms of God”?

What type of day would it be

if I leaned on God throughout the entire day? 

What type of day would it be

if my heart was leaping all the time

because I remembered that God is a loving and merciful God?

What type of day would it be.......

I think it would be a pretty amazing and a most positive day!  

Fear, Panic, and Chaos

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 11. Here is what I learned.

1. In the Lord I take refuge [and put my trust]; how can you say to me, Flee like a bird to your mountain?

2. For see, the wicked are bending the bow; they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they [furtively] in darkness may shoot at the upright in heart.

3. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the [unyieldingly] righteous do, or what has He [the Righteous One] wrought or accomplished?

4. The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes behold; His eyelids test and prove the children of men.

5. The Lord tests and proves the [unyieldingly] righteous, but His soul abhors the wicked and him who loves violence.

6. Upon the wicked He will rain quick burning coals or snares; fire, brimstone, and a [dreadful] scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

7. For the Lord is [rigidly] righteous, He loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold His face, or He beholds the upright.

Psalm 11 (AMP)

In this psalm we have David's struggle with and triumph over a strong temptation to distrust God and betake himself to indirect means for his own safety in a time of danger.

In singing this psalm we must encourage and engage ourselves to trust in God at all times, must depend upon him to protect our innocence and make us happy, must dread his frowns as worse than death and desire his favour as better than life. Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible

Yesterday, at the end of the Boston Marathon, several bombs exploded. Fear. Panic. Chaos. Some ask, where was God then? Why didn’t He stop it? If He is so powerful, why does He allow bad things to happen. 

The first thing that I have to remember, is that God doesn’t owe us any explanation, nor does He owe us any “good thing”. We are sinners. He is a holy God. 

The second thing to remember is that actions of sinners have consequences. Yes, I’m a sinner, saved by God’s grace, and each action I do, has consequences. Some consequences impact more than just a single individual. 

Thirdly, God gave each of us a free will. We choose if we will obey and follow God, or ignore Him and go our own way. God did not create “robots” who will simply do as “programed”. Rather, God wants us to follow and obey Him because of who He is and because we love Him. 

Lastly, bad things do happen to good people, simply because we live in a world of sin. That does not mean that God doesn’t love us. His love is far greater than we can ever imagine. So, even in the midst of chaos, fear, and pain, God continues to love us. Assurance in Him calms our fears and we know that no matter what happens on this earth, because of God’s gift of salvation, we will spend eternity with Him.

To create a positive day, I need to place my trust in God, for He alone can change the fear, panic, and chaos, into courage, peace, and calm.