Isn't scripture amazing? It's the only thing in the world that can truly calm my fears and give me hope. It's so easy to try and make other people/things/relationships satisfy my desire for words that can calm and heal.
A few weeks ago I was having a rough day, and ended up calling about five people to reassure me, tell me that everything was going to be okay.....ect. When I finished talking, I realized that I was just as upset and empty as before. The Lord spoke so clearly to me and said, "Julie, my words are words of life, no one else can satisfy."
I've held that in my heart since then and repeat it to myself and other often, "His words are words of life, no one else can satisfy."
I told you guys about the study of the gospels that I've been doing lately, but sometimes I need to read other things as well. I hadn't read the Psalms in a while (I was on this kick for a while that the Psalms were for people who couldn't handle the hard stuff in scripture....I'm retarded....they're just as much a part of the Bible as anything else!) Anyway, Psalm 34 really encouraged me. I hope it will speak to you as well.
I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.
Amen.
-Julie
1 comment:
Wow! I am so glad that you have been touched by this psalm. I love this psalm too, especially verses 4 and 5. I understand what you mean about people taking in the Psalms shallowly: many of them are encouraging and can serve as sort of a pat-on-the-back. But these verses really touched me deeply because I had been going through something at the time I was reading them that I was completely keeping from God, not deliberately, but out of fear and shame. After reading and meditating on those verses, I experienced such a freedom in praying and felt Him telling me, "I want you, ALL of you."
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