Psalm 107:14
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke apart the bonds that held them.
God didn't create anyone for the dark. He doesn't want us to live under the threat of death but the wages of sin are death anyhow. Jesus was sent, bled, and died so that death would no longer be the end of our story and sin wouldn't seal our fate away from God. When I think about the bonds that God has broken in my life, I think about how I've hindered that. I know its crazy to think but all the insecurities I've held onto and still deal with aren't from God. God is constantly telling me who I am and whose I am and what I'm called to be but I doubt. I don't trust. And I'm most definitely working on that. I often look at my efforts, my failings, and the lies about me that other people tell me and believe them over the very clear voice of God. That's, as my mentor would say, "so 'nuff crazy."
Psalm 107:19
Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivers them out of their distresses.
whose I've never been shy about telling God what bothers me. I know that can sound kind of awful because it makes it seem like I'm always complaining but I'm not. On some level I've always known He's able. Even when I didn't all the way believe He would give me the desires of my heart, I knew He could. I was always sure of His ability even if I wasn't sure He would use it for me. That's, thank God, no longer where I am. I know in the middle of who I am that He delivered me out of many different situations. This doesn't mean it always happens when I want. I talk to God constantly about things that trouble me, and He is by no means an slot machine where you put in your prayer and out comes your request, but He is listening and He is delivering. He is the same God that parted the Red Sea....that's a whole sea y'all. A whole one!
Psalm 107:20
He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction.
His Word. Oh how I love His Word. Even when I haven't been coherent enough... in my right mind enough to read it, I've known its true. I have literally slept hugging my Bible. Yea....its that serious for me. This Bible that sits open next to me right now is MY BIBLE. And the Word is powerful. Sometimes I'm like "God speak to me" and I just open it up and He always does. Clearly, me and the Word get down. Its just as important though, the words He speaks to my heart. He's spoken such life and joy into my spirit. He's literally breathed life into me time and time again. When I tell you he SNATCHED me back from my foolishness? I mean YANKED! I mean whiplash occurred in my spirit. I am His child. God is a snatcher....but I'm so thankful He is with me.
Psalm 107:24
These see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.
Have you ever considered how much you don't know? In this passage they are referring to the ocean as the deep but I'm led right now to talk about this for the perspective of depth. There's so much to know. Every time we discover something new scientifically, its still logical. Its logical from person to organ to tissue to cell to organelle to smaller and smaller. He is deep and profound in His design of the world and His work should speak for the existence of Him alone. I'm so blessed by creation and what it says about my God.
Psalm 107:43
Whoso is wise [if there be any truly wise] will observe and heed these things; and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord.
Wisdom isn't always knowing what to do. For me, its knowing who to go to. God is my first choice and I don't mean I get on my knees about everything. God lives in me and moves through me and sometimes all I have to do is check within me. "Does this align with the God in me?" If it doesn't its a no. I also have some people in my life who's relationships with the Lord I trust and I will seek their counsel as well. Its so important to have community because iron really does sharpen iron. Being around people who are also diligently seeking the Lord blesses my spirit. I'm not wise but I know who is and I know that He's in my fellow believers. Seek Him, seek counsel in those who seek Him, and move in the direction God is calling you! That's my operating practice.
Psalm 108:1
O God, my heart is fixed (steadfast, in the confidence of faith); I will sing, yes, I will sing praises, even with my glory [all the faculties and powers of one created in Your image]!
Its easy to forget that we were created in His image. He is our literal blueprint. Yea....let that settle in your spirit a minute. The thing that stands out for me here though is the part where it says fixed. My heart is fixed. I love the concept of confidence of faith. I'm letting God carry me in the walking out of this faith situation I'm in. Forget walking it out myself. I need Him so desperately that He's carrying me. I'm praying and believing but I know its got to be Him. Its His move to make. Its His will alone that will change anything and I've got to be confident. I've to to know that I know that I knew yesterday and I'll know tomorrow that He can and He will. I'm praising Him so far in advance I sometimes feel crazy but I believe God above all.
Psalm 108:6
That Your beloved [followers] may be delivered, save with Your right hand and answer us!
Oh to be beloved. That phrase is a mainstay in my prayer life. So often I'm floored by the fact that I am God's beloved. Me. Little ol' fragile me. Beloved.
Psalm 108:12-13
Give us help against the adversary, for vain is the help of man.
Through and with God we shall do valiantly, for He it is Who shall tread down our adversaries.
When I think of the adversary, I think doubt. Any time I doubt who God is, what He will do, that His best is what He has for me, that's the adversary for me. Each and every time I come back to the Word or back to my own testimony, I know the adversary is defeated.
God is. God can. God does. God will.
These are the truth. And with God's help, I am always victorious over doubt if I actually seek Him about it. The thing is, I don't always seek Him in doubt. Sometimes I let it fester. Sometimes I don't clean up my junk and actually chase God but each and every time I do, I find victory. Its a muscle I'm exercising. Its getting stronger each and every day.
Psalm 109:5
And they have rewarded and laid upon me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
God is love. Its His very nature. There is no greater love than to die for someone and Jesus did just that for us. The end of this verse speaks directly to me about the way I love the woman I love and how others thing about it. When some misguided and ill-informed factions of Christianity condemn the love I have for her, this is what I think of. You are giving me hatred for love and if God is love then you've got a problem. I have no idea how someone can look at love and see something that isn't Holy but they do and I'm not going to let them tell me about my faith. This is why I think so many of my fellow Christian gays how the Word so well. We have to know it because we can run into people who lie to us about what love is and who God is. I know God. I'm not going to let you lie to me about who I am in Him and who He's called me to be. Period.
Psalm 109:22
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded and stricken within me.
I'm a sensitive soul. I think God did that because He wanted to create in me a depth of feeling that made me sure that I'm sure. I'm easily wounded by those I love but I'm also capable of loving so furiously that I might actually seem crazy. The thing about this is that I'm often wounded. Being this sensitive is beautiful in safe spaces but there aren't that many of those. I'm often hurt but people close to me but God is always my refuge. I can always go to Him. I can literally get on my knees and be transfixed and transformed. I'm so astounded by this relationship I have with Him. I'm so unworthy but He thinks I'm priceless.
Psalm 109:27
That they may know that this is Your hand, that You, Lord, have done it.
Audacious prayers. Big fat prayers. Only possible if God does it prayers. <---This is often my prayer life. Why? because I want to know its Him and be able to tell every single person I know it was. I want things that no one can dispute as being God. I want my life to be a testimony to His faithfulness and His mercy and His love. No one but Jesus. I know that when I stand at the altar, looking up at the woman I've prayed for who is promising to love me forever and chase after God with me.... NOTHING BUT GOD could have gotten us there. That's the kind of prayer life I have. And now I'm crying.....great. But He's going to have to do it because its the only way and the most beautiful one.
Psalm 110:4
The Lord has sworn and will not revoke or change it: You are a priest forever, after the manner and order of Melchizedek.
So I could go all theological with this but I just want to go to the part where the Lord will not revoke or change it. I'm just gonna stop right there and park this train. God doesn't change things He's told you. Your inability to see something is NOT the inability for God to do it. And even when you know He's told you He will do a certain thing and it hasn't happened, that doesn't change what He said. He said what He said and it is coming to pass. God's promises will not fail. and let me tell you, I've been praying and gotten answers from God that haven't come to pass and don't even look possible BUT the Word of God says God isn't a man and doesn't lie and I have to believe that. Sometimes I completely believe it and sometimes I want to believe it. Right now, I'm in a great place because He's preparing me before I find out things and I'm choosing to believe God because He's unchanging.
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