I've posted about "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" before, but I'm coming back to it; it's one of my favorite hymns.
I'm doing what it says: "ponder[ing] anew / What the Almighty can do,/ If with His love He befriend" me.
I am pondering anew that the fact that can befriend me with His love means He is able to deal with my shortcomings. I suppose I often fail to believe Him, fail to be anxious for nothing, fail to rejoice always, because I am pretty sure that where I have fallen short I have dug myself a pit so deep He can't get me out.
I'm into taking things seriously. I take every kind of failure seriously. I need to ponder His love when I ponder my shortcomings or else I will not have faith that He can "prosper [my] work and defend [me]."
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Everlasting God
I've had this newish praise song called "Everlasting God" that we sang at church in my head:
You are the everlasting God
You do not faint, you won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles.
I looked up the Bible verses it's based on, and it inspired me (Isaiah 40:28-31). They say that God does not grow faint or weary, and that those who wait on Him will not grow faint or weary either. That is awesome.
You are the everlasting God
You do not faint, you won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles.
I looked up the Bible verses it's based on, and it inspired me (Isaiah 40:28-31). They say that God does not grow faint or weary, and that those who wait on Him will not grow faint or weary either. That is awesome.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
I watched the Hallmark TV movie Love Came Softly last night and it made me feel good. It's based on a book by Janette Oke which I read when I was younger - junior high/high school, I think. It's about settlers in the pioneer West, seemingly mid-nineteenth century. If you'd like to see a heartwarming film and you like pioneer stories, check it out from Blockbuster, like I did.
The best part about the film is that it reminded me to be thankful for little things. Everything that Clark and Marty Davis have they prayed for or made with their own hands, including the cabin they live in. It made them thankful for friends, warms fires, and fried chicken. Since there was no minister in that part of the country, Clark set up a bench atop a hill overlooking sloping meadows, and be his own church choir singing "Come Thou Fount." Now, just so you know, Clark didn't want it to be a solo thing; in fact, he doesn't call it "church" until his wife joins him. When she does, that hymn makes her think of all the things the Lord provided for her, and makes her glad.
Watching the movie did the same thing for me. It was a great reminder to be thankful for the simple things. It doesn't take a particular song to make me thankful, but a good song can help. If you'd like to hear this one and read the words, you can go to http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/o/comethou.htm.
Have a good one today - may you remember the Lord's mercies anew!
The best part about the film is that it reminded me to be thankful for little things. Everything that Clark and Marty Davis have they prayed for or made with their own hands, including the cabin they live in. It made them thankful for friends, warms fires, and fried chicken. Since there was no minister in that part of the country, Clark set up a bench atop a hill overlooking sloping meadows, and be his own church choir singing "Come Thou Fount." Now, just so you know, Clark didn't want it to be a solo thing; in fact, he doesn't call it "church" until his wife joins him. When she does, that hymn makes her think of all the things the Lord provided for her, and makes her glad.
Watching the movie did the same thing for me. It was a great reminder to be thankful for the simple things. It doesn't take a particular song to make me thankful, but a good song can help. If you'd like to hear this one and read the words, you can go to http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/o/comethou.htm.
Have a good one today - may you remember the Lord's mercies anew!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
A Besieged City
Monday was "oh, what a beautiful day" in Norman. It was also the day of the V-tech massacre. The violence was almost unthinkable.
Yesterday I couldn't wait for it to be a beautiful day. It turned out to be one of those days that brings in May flowers. In the middle of my first class we were warned that the whole school was on lockdown, which we knew had something to do with Monday's tragedy.
All day long, I couldn't quite shake how I'd been shaken in those thirty locked-down minutes. I knew that just because something happened in Virginia didn't mean it would happen anywhere else, in the same way that the rain could be coming down in one place and the sun shining in another. It turned out to be nothing, and by the afternon people were laughing at the realization that the suspicious individual was toting nothing more dangerous than an umbrella.
How do you get out of this fear, though? I wondered. One can be in bondage without locked doors, because bondage to fear is internal.
I reflected last night on God's goodness to me during the day, and how even during those thirty minutes we were having a class that was helping me do my job as a student. And in the midst of the panic, he was still helping me do my work, and still sovereignly in control of every hour. I borrowed the language of a Psalm, and thanked the Lord, who had made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.
Yesterday I couldn't wait for it to be a beautiful day. It turned out to be one of those days that brings in May flowers. In the middle of my first class we were warned that the whole school was on lockdown, which we knew had something to do with Monday's tragedy.
All day long, I couldn't quite shake how I'd been shaken in those thirty locked-down minutes. I knew that just because something happened in Virginia didn't mean it would happen anywhere else, in the same way that the rain could be coming down in one place and the sun shining in another. It turned out to be nothing, and by the afternon people were laughing at the realization that the suspicious individual was toting nothing more dangerous than an umbrella.
How do you get out of this fear, though? I wondered. One can be in bondage without locked doors, because bondage to fear is internal.
I reflected last night on God's goodness to me during the day, and how even during those thirty minutes we were having a class that was helping me do my job as a student. And in the midst of the panic, he was still helping me do my work, and still sovereignly in control of every hour. I borrowed the language of a Psalm, and thanked the Lord, who had made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Morning has Broken
Morning has not yet broken, but as I sit with my coffee mug in front of my workroom window, I am absolutely sure it will, and I will thank the Lord for it. I woke up with this song in my mind - I absolutely love it, it is one of my favorite hymns. I think I was just anticipating how God would be good, but as I sang the words, I knew that they were not quite true, because, well, I sang them very early (so early I couldn't even sing out loud because my vocal chords were drowsy).
My guided Bible study today was on Romans 13:12-14, which says that the night is almost past, and the day is near. The day referred to is Christ's return. The New Testament writers wrote in several places that His coming was very near, nearer than they originally thought, so near that it should affect our everyday behavior. Well, they wrote that 2000 years ago. Were they mistaken? I can't help relating it to my singing morning songs before the morning has risen. I absolutely know it's coming, and I'm so thrilled about it it affects my behavior. I know I'm no fool to praise God for the sunlight even though it hasn't come yet.
He is so good - the dawn of each morning is just a token of a future glorious dawn. Awake my heart! We'll awaken the dawn!
My guided Bible study today was on Romans 13:12-14, which says that the night is almost past, and the day is near. The day referred to is Christ's return. The New Testament writers wrote in several places that His coming was very near, nearer than they originally thought, so near that it should affect our everyday behavior. Well, they wrote that 2000 years ago. Were they mistaken? I can't help relating it to my singing morning songs before the morning has risen. I absolutely know it's coming, and I'm so thrilled about it it affects my behavior. I know I'm no fool to praise God for the sunlight even though it hasn't come yet.
He is so good - the dawn of each morning is just a token of a future glorious dawn. Awake my heart! We'll awaken the dawn!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
A New Song
It's been a long time since I've posted. I've still been thinking about the words of songs, and in the meantime, God has put a new song in my heart - a song of freedom and trust - a song of courage, deliverance, and strength! It is beauty for ashes, strength for fear, and I know that the Lord is the only one who could bring it out - Glory to God.
I may seem like a ranter for a while. I'm a person who has just found something new and hasn't found the proper or accepted terms in which to speak about it, but I gotta testify! Glory to God!
God is so good, so patient, so timely. The silences are just the hush before the symphony, I think. The contrast to freshen your spiritual palette.
It is cold this day in April. Tax day - maybe some will think its frigidity appropriate, but never mind. I am content with my coffee, my computer, and even with the cold. It brings back Christmassy feelings. This past Christmas was so great that after it I started making plans for this year's Christmas. Hopefully I will have a gift to give friends and family in the form of a new song about Christmas - more on that later!
Happy Sunday!
I may seem like a ranter for a while. I'm a person who has just found something new and hasn't found the proper or accepted terms in which to speak about it, but I gotta testify! Glory to God!
God is so good, so patient, so timely. The silences are just the hush before the symphony, I think. The contrast to freshen your spiritual palette.
It is cold this day in April. Tax day - maybe some will think its frigidity appropriate, but never mind. I am content with my coffee, my computer, and even with the cold. It brings back Christmassy feelings. This past Christmas was so great that after it I started making plans for this year's Christmas. Hopefully I will have a gift to give friends and family in the form of a new song about Christmas - more on that later!
Happy Sunday!
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