God of Sorrow and Joy
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Psalm 4
1. Answer me when I call, O God of my right! Thou hast given me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer. 2. O men, how long shall my honor suffer shame? How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? [Selah] 3. But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. 4. Be angry, but sin not; commune with your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. [Selah] 5. Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. 6. There are many who say, "O that we might see some good! Lift up the light of thy countenance upon us, O Lord!" 7. Thou hast put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. 8. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for thou alone, O Lord, makest me dwell in safety.
Psalm 31:1-5
1. In thee, O Lord, do I seek refuge; let me never be put to shame; in thy righteousness deliver me! 2. Incline thy ear to me, rescue me speedily! Be thou a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! 3. Yea, thou art my rock and my fortress; for thy name's sake lead me and guide me, 4. take me out of the net which is hidden for me, for thou art my refuge. 5. Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
Psalm 145:8-13
8. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. 10. All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O Lord, and all thy saints shall bless thee! 11. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and tell of thy power, 12. to make known to the sons of men thy mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of thy kingdom. 13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.
I’m having one of those mornings where I can’t quite figure out what scripture I am to share. On one hand, I was drawn to scripture that was appropriate on a personal level for a dear, dear friend and a tragedy she’s experienced in her family. On another level, my personal life, my work life, my spiritual life, are in a place of abundance, growth, renewal and joy. And of course, I always want to offer a word on God’s majesty, might, love and his unfathomable grace. So where does that leave me this morning? In Psalms!
I guess the message is that our God is a God of every part of our lives; every experience in our lives; every thought and action; every word and deed. He sent His son to show us--in no uncertain terms--that He really does understand our pain; he really cares about our grief; he really celebrates the joy and sighs when we find peace. Everything and everyone on this earth will fade away. But God is ever over us all. He is Alpha and Omega. He was there before the beginning of time, and will remain after everything else in the universe is passed away.
Believing that is both a comfort and a cause for celebration.
I pray today you find all your needs met by the God who created every emotion, sees into every heart and offers eternal life for those who believe. And that whatever you experience today, you will feel God’s presence through it all.
Mary
