God never ceases to amaze me In August of 2006, one month after X moved out, I was listening to my favorite pastor on christian radio and he quoted a verse that I abolutely needed to hear at that time. It registered so deeply with me that I got my bible, marked the verse with the date, higlighted it and wrote the pastor's name:
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Fast forward to today. We have been going through the bible chapter by chapter on Wednesday nights in the book of Isaiah and today was the day we covered chapters 25 and 26 including the above verse. As I saw the highlight and then looked at what I wrote, marvelled at what God has done in my life in only 22 months. Yep, amazing!
I am actually heading over to the graduation party in a few minutes but my men's group told me to meditate on the word of God before going. To pray, to exude the love of God while I am there.
Psalm 34 Thursday night I dropped off my son after the Laker loss and again, the bitterness wants to stir as I see X open the door, let my son in the house and close the door.
I get home starting to feel a black cloud rise over me when a brother who is struggling with alcohol calls. We talk, we pray, I basically give him a slap accross the face over the phone for shock value and then we pray some more and end the call on a very positive note.
Afterwards I call my best friend who was having a funky day and he happened to be reading Psalm 34. We read it together and again, were edified, strengthened and encouraged. We took captive the thoughts that were seeping in. The thoughts were natural BUT not thoughts God wants us to dwell on. Thoughts of anger resentment or even hatred.
I hung up from that conversation and slept like a baby. On my dirve time the next morning, I prayed and listened to some POWEREFUL messages from my pastor who is on the radio at that time. THEN I called my brother and we were both fired up. I had a GREAT day at work and posted the midday post about being joyful, even when there are things in your life you don't like.
The Word of God takes me from dispair to victory.
There is soooo much more that happened on that Friday and then I topped it off with an evening with my son watching An evening with Scully and Wooden which was a local event, like the actor's studio but with L.A. icon, Vin Scully, voice of the dodgers for over 50 years, someone I grew up with as a kid. ALSO, national treasure, John Wooden (97), was on the stage with Scully as a moderator asked questions. Wooden was as sharp as ever and delighful, a man to be admired and to be used as a roll model.
My son will one day remember he saw them together (on TV, the tickets were too costly as it was a fund raiser for the Children's Hospital), something never before done and never to be repeated.
Again, it all started with a call from a struggling brother which led to Psalm 34 which led to....
Quote:
1 A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. 4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. 6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel F27 of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. 8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 9 Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. 11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. 16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. 20 He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. 22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
I love my God, I love my life!
Now off to the party!
Committed2Him- "C2H" All Things (Back from Spain!)...18
