This morning when I got out of bed, I got down on my knees. It’s something I’ve been doing recently through a Beth Moore Bible study on the Psalms of Ascent. But today, I felt particularly drawn DOWN. I began my prayers with thanksgiving for another day and for another breath. Sometimes it’s the more unaware things that are the most important. Because today, in a world that will be laden with a lot of noise – news stories, the latest breaking news angle, “the day after” reports, the suppositions, the arrogance of some, the defeat of others, the unknown and unseen victims of our time, the heavy-hearted – I needed to be down before I could look up.
Before I began uttering a word to cry out to the Lord, a complete wave of grace and peace washed over my back. I hope I am not alone in sharing this that I get all tingly sometimes when I pray. And I mean that in a literal sense. It’s like the Holy Spirit is hovering over me and I feel Him in a goose-bump way. Deeply in my heart, I know, He is much more than a moment of goose bumps, but today, I felt His presence over my life and my world. And my prayer is that you have that same awareness.
No matter what struggles you are battling today: an angry co-worker, the loss of a loved one, the inability to conceive for the umpteenth time, your preferred candidate not winning, financial mountains, broken dreams, illness… no matter what – the God of all of that is our God of comfort and righteousness. He is in control of it all.
As I got up off the floor from my bedside in the darkness, I began to think of scriptures and this is the one that has been placed upon my heart today. It’s one we all know and learned from the time we could recite things in Sunday School. It’s one we read at funerals. It’s one that David wrote in joyful trust in the Lord as his King.
So take heart, my friends… the Lord is still on His throne and He is the one in control of all things.
Psalm 23 (NIV)
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of rightousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows,
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
So there you have it. From the man after God’s own heart, David scribes a beautiful song for this moment in time, for this generation, for whatever hurts are blinding AND binding us.
Take heart. Take comfort. The goose bumps feel so good sometimes.
Peace and grace to you today.
To Walk on Fertile Ground 