God is in the Mix
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Psalm 138
1. I give thee thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing thy praise; 2. I bow down toward thy holy temple and give thanks to thy name for thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness; for thou hast exalted above everything thy name and thy word. 3. On the day I called, thou didst answer me, my strength of soul thou didst increase. 4. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, for they have heard the words of thy mouth; 5. and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. 6. For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he knows from afar. 7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou dost preserve my life; thou dost stretch out thy hand against the wrath of my enemies, and thy right hand delivers me. 8. The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me; thy steadfast love, O Lord, endures for ever. Do not forsake the work of thy hands.
David seems to be almost overwhelmed with relief and awe at God’s faithful, unending love! He can’t keep silent! He declares his joy publicly, and revels in the feeling of being so highly thought of and so completely cared for by His loving God. He acknowledges that He is God’s creation and recognizes that it is impossible for God to
not love the works of his own heart and hands.
God stoops to intervene in the world. He comforts us and answers our prayers—in accordance with His purpose for our lives. There is comfort to me that God has a plan! And He formulated his plan for my life and for yours long before he formed us! He perfectly ordained our purpose at the beginning of time, and waited until just the right time for us to live on this earth. He has gifted us to fulfill His purpose and when we rely on Him for strength and guidance, we are able to fulfill that purpose.
This world spins around so fast! Twenty-four hour a day news cycles put the world a little too “up close and personal” for me! It’s so easy to get drawn in to the doom and gloom that sells advertising. It’s all too easy to believe we’re all alone in the struggle to save the environment and preserve human life on this planet! I find great comfort in knowing that, in fact, God sits in heaven and that events unfold as He has planned—and that even the painful, ugly things of this life are used for our good and for our benefit.
Most days, I’m O.K. I can get through the day, and do what I need to do. I can manage my family and my job and my errands without too much thought, even though I expend a great deal of energy. But some days I need the quiet, calm assurance that God is in the mix. Sometimes I need to know that He has a purpose and plan for me that transcends my job and my errands and my attempts to make a life of meaning. Some days I breathe a tremendous, deep sigh of relief that God is in charge. He gives us the comfort, and the purpose. Our prayer need only be for strength and direction.
I hope today you find comfort in a love so strong it cannot be shaken and in a God so big and so good that He cannot leave us alone.
Mary
