Wednesday, November 17, 2010

I want to look over the bridge!

Just this past week the Lord mercifully dealt with me to be sure and begin my day spending quality time in His presence. It doesn't take a very long time to meet Him. I start with some words of worship, maybe a song, prayer, and a little study of His word. As Beth Moore says in her study "Stepping Up", "God's first priority is relationship, not just emergency response." Our first priority should be the same! In Psalm 91 (Amp) we see closeness to God is not only for intimacy, but for protection from ourselves and our enemy. It starts with: he who remains in the presence of Him Whose power no foe can withstand will: 1.) be delivered from traps; 2.) delivered from plagues, fear , destruction, and evil; 3.) and no will evil come near your home. Instead, we will be preserved, never forsaken by God, He will answer when we call, and we will live a long life. Sounds like sticking close to Him is the KEY to life! I remember a true story my mother-in-law used to tell my girls when they were small and rambunctious. While on a tour in Italy, they were crossing a bridge with a group of people and a lady was having a hard time with her little boy. He was struggling to free himself from her grasp to look over the edge of the bridge. He was finally successful, ran to the edge, lost his balance and fell over to his death. I pray that we will always hold tightly to the Lord's hand, knowing that His wisdom and correction express His love for His children. Here is an overview of Ps 94:12-18 (please read the whole thing): Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline O Lord...That You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity...He will not abandon His people...Unless the Lord had been my help, I would have dwelt in the land where there is silence...When I said my foot is slipping, Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord held me up."