When I think about wisdom, one of the first things which comes to mind is the book of Proverbs. It was written by Solomon, who was known for his great wisdom. According to 1 Kings 4:29-30, "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore." Having been to Florida, California and Hawaii, I've seen a lot of sand, and can understand why the word "measureless" was used to describe it. Equating this to Solomon's wisdom, I'm guessing the book of Proverbs is only a sampling of what he knew.
A good passage to remember from Proverbs is found in chapter 9, verses 9 and 10: Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the wisest, how would you rate yourself on a wisdom scale? In this modern day of technology, we have the advantage of search tools on our computers, phones and other devices. If we question a fact, it takes only a few keystrokes to bring up an answer. Then again, anyone can post anything on the Internet, so one also has to use wisdom in deciding which answers to believe.
Today, I was reminded there are times we neglect to use some of the wisdom stored away in the corners of our brains. For example, when using a tool to dig out dandelions, it would be wise to wear gloves. Not doing so results in a big blister on the palm of your hand. Let's see if I can remember this for next time. . .after my blister heals!
Another piece of wisdom turned up missing today, as well. It's called remembering to look at the calendar each morning to see what is scheduled for the day. Because of this, a scheduled appointment was missed. It wouldn't have been so bad, except this seems to be a recurring problem for me in retirement.
Thankfully, one thing I haven't forgotten is how much God loves me. His Word, as recorded in the Bible, is the greatest source of wisdom. It remains true and constant even through the times my earthly wisdom fails me. There is comfort in this thought!
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Tuesday Triumphs
Interestingly, the word "triumph" can be both a noun and a verb. Used as a noun, it means a victory or achievement. Changing to a verb, it becomes the act of achieving a victory or being successful. As I look back on the past week, do I see any triumphs?
Last Friday I was successful at getting a garden planted. Over the last two evenings I completed planting the flowers purchased to brighten my yard over the summer. God even rewarded my efforts by sending a good rain to give everything a good watering. [Please do not mention this to any of the farmers in the area. They are not a big fan of rain until after the crops are planted!]
Perhaps the best achievement by far, however, was taking the time to read a book. Since I was a little girl, I have always loved to read. My house has an overwhelming amount of possibilities on hand, should I ever get an inkling to read. One would think retirement would be a time when lots of books would be read, but instead I find myself delegating it to the end of my "to do" list and rarely take the time. That is, until this last week.
It all started with a stop at the meat market in Beulah, ND last Thursday. We had purchased part of a beef and this was the place it was cut and wrapped. A bonus surprise was finding the owners also maintained a small selection of items for sale, including books and gift items. It was like a miniature Bible Book Store, and I found myself browsing while Bert helped load our coolers.
As I turned the display rack to check out the books, one in particular caught my eye. "The Harbinger" by Jonathan Cahn. My brain reminded me of a time when this title had been mentioned while visiting with a friend. Picking the book off the rack, I proceeded to read the rest of the cover.
A subtitle indicated the book was about "the ancient mystery that holds the secret of America's future". Reviews included words such as "extraordinary", "stunning" and "mind blowing". It was a New York Times best seller, and over 1,000,000 copies had been sold. Turning to the back of the cover, I learned this mystery is behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy.
Making a quick decision, I made the purchase and proceeded to start reading while we made our way home, approximately a three hour drive. It proved to be one of those books you didn't want to put down, with each chapter revealing more interesting facts comparing the history of the United States to a pattern of events played out in Biblical times in the history of Israel.
Both countries were started with a Godly foundation, and both turned away from God as time went on. Eventually, God removed His hedge of protection, leaving them vulnerable to attack. The similarities between historical events are, as the review so aptly stated, "mind blowing".
It is a book I feel every American should read. It certainly was an eye opener to me about the events surrounding the 9/11 attacks in New York City, and the things which have taken place since then. It closes with a challenge to everyone who reads the book, showing the need to recommit our nation to God.
And so, as one of my triumphs for the week, I add to my list of books read one entitled "The Harbinger". If you are interested in learning more about the book, check out this link to an interview Pat Robinson had with the author on his television show, "The 700 Club". www.cbn.com/tv/1471942971001 If you don't want to purchase the book, check with your local library and see if they have it available. You won't be disappointed!
Last Friday I was successful at getting a garden planted. Over the last two evenings I completed planting the flowers purchased to brighten my yard over the summer. God even rewarded my efforts by sending a good rain to give everything a good watering. [Please do not mention this to any of the farmers in the area. They are not a big fan of rain until after the crops are planted!]
Perhaps the best achievement by far, however, was taking the time to read a book. Since I was a little girl, I have always loved to read. My house has an overwhelming amount of possibilities on hand, should I ever get an inkling to read. One would think retirement would be a time when lots of books would be read, but instead I find myself delegating it to the end of my "to do" list and rarely take the time. That is, until this last week.
It all started with a stop at the meat market in Beulah, ND last Thursday. We had purchased part of a beef and this was the place it was cut and wrapped. A bonus surprise was finding the owners also maintained a small selection of items for sale, including books and gift items. It was like a miniature Bible Book Store, and I found myself browsing while Bert helped load our coolers.
As I turned the display rack to check out the books, one in particular caught my eye. "The Harbinger" by Jonathan Cahn. My brain reminded me of a time when this title had been mentioned while visiting with a friend. Picking the book off the rack, I proceeded to read the rest of the cover.
A subtitle indicated the book was about "the ancient mystery that holds the secret of America's future". Reviews included words such as "extraordinary", "stunning" and "mind blowing". It was a New York Times best seller, and over 1,000,000 copies had been sold. Turning to the back of the cover, I learned this mystery is behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy.
Making a quick decision, I made the purchase and proceeded to start reading while we made our way home, approximately a three hour drive. It proved to be one of those books you didn't want to put down, with each chapter revealing more interesting facts comparing the history of the United States to a pattern of events played out in Biblical times in the history of Israel.
Both countries were started with a Godly foundation, and both turned away from God as time went on. Eventually, God removed His hedge of protection, leaving them vulnerable to attack. The similarities between historical events are, as the review so aptly stated, "mind blowing".
It is a book I feel every American should read. It certainly was an eye opener to me about the events surrounding the 9/11 attacks in New York City, and the things which have taken place since then. It closes with a challenge to everyone who reads the book, showing the need to recommit our nation to God.
And so, as one of my triumphs for the week, I add to my list of books read one entitled "The Harbinger". If you are interested in learning more about the book, check out this link to an interview Pat Robinson had with the author on his television show, "The 700 Club". www.cbn.com/tv/1471942971001 If you don't want to purchase the book, check with your local library and see if they have it available. You won't be disappointed!
Monday, June 2, 2014
Monday Moments
A typical Monday in my world starts with a 9:00am "Women on Weights" exercise class at the "Lighten Up Wellness Center". But today was not a typical Monday. Instead, shortly after 8:00am I found myself driving down the road to Minot in someone else's car. The call came last evening from Bert's aunt, Arlene. She had a funeral to attend, and no one in her family was available to drive her. . .and they didn't want her to drive herself. Would I be available to assist?
This, I'm finding, is one of the blessings of retirement. No longer is the schedule set in stone and I have the freedom to change my plans "at the drop of a hat", if need be. And so it was, Arlene and I had an enjoyable ride to and from Minot. While she attended the funeral, I was able to walk around the mall and even found some bargains.
The special moment came when Arlene mentioned tomorrow would have been her husband Fred's 80th birthday. He was taken from this life when he was but 42 years old, leaving Arlene to raise their 7 children by herself. Their youngest was only 2 years old at the time of his death. It certainly didn't seem fair when cancer took his life.
As we visited, I found myself asking how they met, and learned it was at a church banquet. Their second outing together was to a "fellowship meeting" of church people in a different community. It was shortly after this he had to return to his army post, and they kept in touch through letters. It was said they had to hire another postal worker to handle all the mail!
Sharing this time with Arlene made me miss my mother, who was taken from us 22 years ago at the age of 68. Why was it I never took the time to ask her these same questions about how she met my dad and where they had their first date? I reasoned it was because the first 20 years of my life were very self-focused. The next 20 years were devoted to my own marriage and raising 2 children. By the time I realized I should have asked the questions, she was gone.
The older I get, the more I find myself wanting to hear other people's stories. God has given each of us a journey in life, with no two being alike. Psalm 139 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. It is all about how well God knows us. He knows every detail of our life, right down to the very thoughts we think. The chapter goes on to say there is no where we can go to escape God. Verse 16 is perhaps my favorite. . ."Your [God's] eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. Nothing is a surprise to God. Not the loss of a husband when he was only 42 years old, or the loss of a mother at the age of 68.
What is my point in all this? Take the time. Take the time to ask the questions before it's too late. Cherish precious moments with those you love, and while you're at it, thank God for providing them!
This, I'm finding, is one of the blessings of retirement. No longer is the schedule set in stone and I have the freedom to change my plans "at the drop of a hat", if need be. And so it was, Arlene and I had an enjoyable ride to and from Minot. While she attended the funeral, I was able to walk around the mall and even found some bargains.
The special moment came when Arlene mentioned tomorrow would have been her husband Fred's 80th birthday. He was taken from this life when he was but 42 years old, leaving Arlene to raise their 7 children by herself. Their youngest was only 2 years old at the time of his death. It certainly didn't seem fair when cancer took his life.
As we visited, I found myself asking how they met, and learned it was at a church banquet. Their second outing together was to a "fellowship meeting" of church people in a different community. It was shortly after this he had to return to his army post, and they kept in touch through letters. It was said they had to hire another postal worker to handle all the mail!
Sharing this time with Arlene made me miss my mother, who was taken from us 22 years ago at the age of 68. Why was it I never took the time to ask her these same questions about how she met my dad and where they had their first date? I reasoned it was because the first 20 years of my life were very self-focused. The next 20 years were devoted to my own marriage and raising 2 children. By the time I realized I should have asked the questions, she was gone.
The older I get, the more I find myself wanting to hear other people's stories. God has given each of us a journey in life, with no two being alike. Psalm 139 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. It is all about how well God knows us. He knows every detail of our life, right down to the very thoughts we think. The chapter goes on to say there is no where we can go to escape God. Verse 16 is perhaps my favorite. . ."Your [God's] eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. Nothing is a surprise to God. Not the loss of a husband when he was only 42 years old, or the loss of a mother at the age of 68.
What is my point in all this? Take the time. Take the time to ask the questions before it's too late. Cherish precious moments with those you love, and while you're at it, thank God for providing them!
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Let's Try This Again!
There seems to be a problem when it comes to me maintaining a blog. After a few entries, interest wanes and things once again move to "the back burner". It has been nearly a year since my last entry, and lately I've been sensing I should try again. . . .and be more disciplined. Will it work? Let's just say I won't make any promises, but will give it another go.
Several ideas have been going through my head. One is to have a theme for each day of the week. For example, categories such as:
SUNDAY SONGS (sharing words to a song which has spoken to my heart during the week)
MONDAY MOMENTS (sharing some small event in my week that has been a blessing)
TUESDAY TRIUMPHS (sharing some small victory in my life)
WEDNESDAY WISDOM (random bits of knowledge)
THURSDAY THOUGHTS (something to ponder)
FRIDAY FRUIT (evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit at work)
SATURDAY SEEKING (new writings or sharing from the past of God in my everyday world)
What better time to start than on the first of the month falling on the first day of the week? So, for starters, I will share the words to an old hymn which came up at our Bible Study tonight. We are taking in a teaching entitled "FREE" by Andy Stanley (son of television preacher Charles Stanley). We have watched three of the four videos, and tonight were challenged to by three "D's": DECLARE "Sin is not my master", DECIDE not to let sin rule in your life and DEVOTE every part of your body to living for Christ.
The song which came to mind was "Take My Life and Let It Be" with words by Frances R. Havergal (1836-1879) and music by H. A. Cesar Malan (1787--1864) The words as listed in our church's hymnbook are as follows:
Always, only for my King.
Always, only for my King.
Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
It shall be Thy royal throne.
In checking with lyric listings on the Internet, I find the arrangement of the words in the verses are not always the same, as well as additional wording for two more verses:
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Life, hands, feet, voice, wealth, moments, will, heart, lips, intellect and love. . .take it all, Lord & use it as You will!
Several ideas have been going through my head. One is to have a theme for each day of the week. For example, categories such as:
SUNDAY SONGS (sharing words to a song which has spoken to my heart during the week)
MONDAY MOMENTS (sharing some small event in my week that has been a blessing)
TUESDAY TRIUMPHS (sharing some small victory in my life)
WEDNESDAY WISDOM (random bits of knowledge)
THURSDAY THOUGHTS (something to ponder)
FRIDAY FRUIT (evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit at work)
SATURDAY SEEKING (new writings or sharing from the past of God in my everyday world)
What better time to start than on the first of the month falling on the first day of the week? So, for starters, I will share the words to an old hymn which came up at our Bible Study tonight. We are taking in a teaching entitled "FREE" by Andy Stanley (son of television preacher Charles Stanley). We have watched three of the four videos, and tonight were challenged to by three "D's": DECLARE "Sin is not my master", DECIDE not to let sin rule in your life and DEVOTE every part of your body to living for Christ.
The song which came to mind was "Take My Life and Let It Be" with words by Frances R. Havergal (1836-1879) and music by H. A. Cesar Malan (1787--1864) The words as listed in our church's hymnbook are as follows:
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice and let me sing,Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Always, only for my King.
Always, only for my King.
Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
It shall be Thy royal throne.
In checking with lyric listings on the Internet, I find the arrangement of the words in the verses are not always the same, as well as additional wording for two more verses:
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Life, hands, feet, voice, wealth, moments, will, heart, lips, intellect and love. . .take it all, Lord & use it as You will!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
A Hymn for Him
On my list for the day was tackling a long neglected project. For weeks (or perhaps even months) there has been a pile of song sheets on the floor of my computer room. These song sheets are used to create folders for the musicians to use during our Sunday morning worship services. For each song, there are four copies, one each for the piano player, keyboard player, song leader and back-up singer. My plan has been to create file folders for each song. It seemed like a relatively easy task, but for some reason I kept putting it off. . .until today.
As I typed the song titles into the computer to be printed on labels, I found myself singing the first line or so of each song. What wonderful messages made their way into my mind as my project continued:
I KNOW GOD'S PROMISE IS TRUE
I KNOW WHO HOLDS TOMORROW
ISN'T THE LOVE OF JESUS SOMETHING WONDERFUL?
Then I reached "IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL" and couldn't help thinking of my husband. It was one of the songs sung at his grandfather's funeral, and has always been among his favorites. With him on my mind, my thoughts wandered to the doctor appointment he faces tomorrow. Having discovered a lesion on the back of his throat earlier this spring, our local clinic referred him to a specialist in Bismarck. According to the dictionary, a lesion is "any abnormal or harmful change in the structure of an organ or tissue". In this day and age, any mention of abnormality in the human body can lead to lots of speculation as to why it is there and what should be done about it. My first response was to bring it before The Lord (who, according to Psalm 139, already knows all about it!). I know the Bible says not to worry, but the human part of me was tempted to do so. . .until I kept on with the song list:
JESUS WILL WALK WITH ME
LORD, I BELIEVE
MIGHTY IS OUR GOD
SAVIOR, LIKE A SHEPHERD LEAD US
STANDING ON THE PROMISES
TRUSTING JESUS
TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS
VICTORY AHEAD
WHERE HE LEADS I'LL FOLLOW
Suddenly I knew why it had taken so long for me to tackle this project. Somehow, God knew I would need the reassurance hidden in these hymn titles to comfort me on the day before the doctor appointment. Tonight I will rest easy, knowing God has every detail under His control.
Friday, June 7, 2013
What "To Do"?
Since retiring four months ago, I've found the best way to be productive is to give myself a "to do" list. For the first few weeks I kept it simple. My goal was to be awake and showered by noon. In time, there was a need to accomplish a bit more, and occasionally I would even make up a list the night before to give myself extra incentive to get out of bed. Mostly, however, I'm enjoying the fact I don't have to do a thing, if I don't want to. I can be as busy or idle as I want to be, but mostly I find myself busier than when I was working full time. But a different kind of busy. There are so many things I'd like to do in this second calling phase of life. Often much time is wasted as I ponder which of the possibilities I might tackle for any given day.
And so it was I started this week with an official "to do" list. After the first day, I had succeeded in crossing off half of the items. [There is something so gratifying about doing so. . .and one line drawn through is never enough. I really want to reinforce the fact it is done, so several lines are required to solidify the fact the item has really been completed!] With the second day, I was able to cross off the rest of the items. At one point, I realized I had completed a task not on the list, and decided to add it to the list, just so I could cross it off!
Today I was thinking. . .if we let God write our "to do" list for the day, would there be a difference in what we would accomplish? Would His priorities for the day be different than ours? Lately, God has been reminding me repeatedly of a three part "to do" list give in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:
"BE JOYFUL ALWAYS. PRAY CONTINUALLY. GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR THIS IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS?"
How did I do today? It's a challenging list, and most days I can't truthfully cross off all three items. We are also admonished to take all Scripture in context. If we look at the verses immediately before and after these three, we find more to add to the "to do" list:
RESPECT THOSE WHO WORK HARD AMONG YOU
LIVE IN PEACE
WARN THOSE WHO ARE IDLE
ENCOURAGE THE TIMID
HELP THE WEAK
BE PATIENT WITH EVERYONE.
MAKE SURE NOBODY PAYS BACK WRONG FOR WRONG
BE KIND TO EACH OTHER
TEST EVERYTHING
HOLD ON TO THE GOOD
AVOID EVERY KIND OF EVIL
Ever think about what the world would be like if we ALL made a habit of using this list on a daily
basis? I keep trying, and hope you will join me!
And so it was I started this week with an official "to do" list. After the first day, I had succeeded in crossing off half of the items. [There is something so gratifying about doing so. . .and one line drawn through is never enough. I really want to reinforce the fact it is done, so several lines are required to solidify the fact the item has really been completed!] With the second day, I was able to cross off the rest of the items. At one point, I realized I had completed a task not on the list, and decided to add it to the list, just so I could cross it off!
Today I was thinking. . .if we let God write our "to do" list for the day, would there be a difference in what we would accomplish? Would His priorities for the day be different than ours? Lately, God has been reminding me repeatedly of a three part "to do" list give in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:
"BE JOYFUL ALWAYS. PRAY CONTINUALLY. GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR THIS IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS?"
How did I do today? It's a challenging list, and most days I can't truthfully cross off all three items. We are also admonished to take all Scripture in context. If we look at the verses immediately before and after these three, we find more to add to the "to do" list:
RESPECT THOSE WHO WORK HARD AMONG YOU
LIVE IN PEACE
WARN THOSE WHO ARE IDLE
ENCOURAGE THE TIMID
HELP THE WEAK
BE PATIENT WITH EVERYONE.
MAKE SURE NOBODY PAYS BACK WRONG FOR WRONG
BE KIND TO EACH OTHER
TEST EVERYTHING
HOLD ON TO THE GOOD
AVOID EVERY KIND OF EVIL
Ever think about what the world would be like if we ALL made a habit of using this list on a daily
basis? I keep trying, and hope you will join me!
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Psalm 139
Has it really been two years? Almost to the day. . .and as I read over my last post, there has only been one major change. No more job! Since February 1, 2013 my life has been free from the bonds of working outside the home. It was a rewarding career of 32 years, yet something told me it was time. Time to move on to other things. . .more exciting things. . .things geared toward utilizing the special giftings God embedded in my life, even before I was born. Psalm 139 comes to mind. In my Bible you will find it marked in pencil as "Geudy's Lesson 6/6/04". Geudy was a school teacher who lived in our hometown for a short space of time. He and his wife, along with their three daughters, attended our church and shared their lives with us until God moved them to Florida to be closer to family. Originally from Haiti, he was willing to share his life story with us one Sunday, and his passage of choice was Psalm 139.
What is so special about Psalm 139? To me, it holds the key to who I am as a person. It assures me God knows all about me. Whether I sit or rise, He perceives my thoughts. He knows all my comings and goings and even the words I will speak before they hit my tongue. David, who authored the Psalm, recognized there was no no escaping from God's Spirit nor was there any darkness to hide in, because even darkness is as light to God.
Verses 13-15 are the ones which assure me of my beginnings. They speak of my inmost being, knit together by God, coming together inside my mother's womb. They assure me God's eyes were on me even then, when my body was yet unformed. My comfort during all situations is found in verse 16, "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be". Nothing is a surprise to God. Everything has its purpose in my life. Never is there a need to worry. God knows all, understands all, and will see me through, no matter what the situation.
The next few verses talk about God's thoughts. . .precious and vast, they are. If they could be counted, they would outnumber the grains of sand. Having vacationed in California and Hawaii this winter, I can vouch for the fact this number would be very large!
After a few choice words about the wicked, and David's desire to be rid of them, he ends the chapter with a request. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." Seems like a good way for me to end tonight, too. A song from my past comes to mind:
LEAD ON, O KING ETERNAL
Lead on, O King Eternal, The day of march has come;
Henceforth in fields of conquest Thy tents shall be our home.
Thro' days of preparation Thy grace has made us strong,
And now, O King Eternal, We lift our battle song.
Lead on, O King Eternal, Till sin's fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper The sweet Amen of peace;
For not with swords loud clashing Nor roll of stirring drums;
With deeds of love and mercy, The heavenly kingdom comes.
Lead on, O King Eternal, We follow, not with fears;
For gladness breaks like morning Where'er Thy face appears;
Thy cross is lifted o'er us; We journey in its light:
The crown awaits the conquest; Lead on, O God of might.
Words by Ernest W. Shurtleff, 1862-1917 Music by Henry Smart, 1813-1879
What is so special about Psalm 139? To me, it holds the key to who I am as a person. It assures me God knows all about me. Whether I sit or rise, He perceives my thoughts. He knows all my comings and goings and even the words I will speak before they hit my tongue. David, who authored the Psalm, recognized there was no no escaping from God's Spirit nor was there any darkness to hide in, because even darkness is as light to God.
Verses 13-15 are the ones which assure me of my beginnings. They speak of my inmost being, knit together by God, coming together inside my mother's womb. They assure me God's eyes were on me even then, when my body was yet unformed. My comfort during all situations is found in verse 16, "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be". Nothing is a surprise to God. Everything has its purpose in my life. Never is there a need to worry. God knows all, understands all, and will see me through, no matter what the situation.
The next few verses talk about God's thoughts. . .precious and vast, they are. If they could be counted, they would outnumber the grains of sand. Having vacationed in California and Hawaii this winter, I can vouch for the fact this number would be very large!
After a few choice words about the wicked, and David's desire to be rid of them, he ends the chapter with a request. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." Seems like a good way for me to end tonight, too. A song from my past comes to mind:
LEAD ON, O KING ETERNAL
Lead on, O King Eternal, The day of march has come;
Henceforth in fields of conquest Thy tents shall be our home.
Thro' days of preparation Thy grace has made us strong,
And now, O King Eternal, We lift our battle song.
Lead on, O King Eternal, Till sin's fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper The sweet Amen of peace;
For not with swords loud clashing Nor roll of stirring drums;
With deeds of love and mercy, The heavenly kingdom comes.
Lead on, O King Eternal, We follow, not with fears;
For gladness breaks like morning Where'er Thy face appears;
Thy cross is lifted o'er us; We journey in its light:
The crown awaits the conquest; Lead on, O God of might.
Words by Ernest W. Shurtleff, 1862-1917 Music by Henry Smart, 1813-1879
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