Present Comfort
September 6, 2019 
Psalm 6:1-10 ESV – To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
1 O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. 2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled. 3 My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD–how long? 4 Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love.5 For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise? 6 I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. 7 My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes. 8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer. 10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.
How grateful I am for God’s Word! Today I am languishing (Heb. umlal — a poetic word that generates the word picture of a drooping plant, without energy) and God has mercifully provided the perfect counsel and comfort for my soul.
It’s now been a month since my appointments at the Cleveland clinic, and the new treatment plan is still “in process.” New medication, cardiac rehab, has not only left me exhausted, but has also resulted in the return of difficult symptoms. Nausea and dizziness, shortness of breath, are near-constant companions, only adding to the physical weariness. There are no “end dates” to mark on a calendar. I would like to know “how long,” but my Sovereign Father, who is gracious and full of steadfast love, calls me to trust Him with today.
Even though the psalmist is “weary with [his] moaning” (v.6) this psalm is still so rich with hope. The Lord hears the sound of my weeping. He hears my prayers for strength and endurance. He hears, He acknowledges, He answers — all according to His mercy and His steadfast love.
Today I “called out” to the Lord, and He reminded me of Psalm 6. Through tears of humility and gratitude I know that God is good, and He does good (Psalm 119:68); His testimonies truly are my delight and my counselors (Psalm 119:24).
Job 23:10-14 ESV – 10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. 11 My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. 12 I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. 13 But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does. 14 For he will complete what he appoints for me, and many such things are in his mind.
Isn’t that amazing and wonderful comfort — that God will complete what He appoints for me, because He is unchangeable, and all powerful!! (see Psalm 57:2; Philippians 1:6). If I never get the “how long” or “how much” answers while in this life, it’s only because my Father knows that I don’t need the answers in order to obey Him. I need only trust Him.
How are you trusting God in a difficult circumstance, when there just are no clear answers? Go to His Word, dear ones. Find your answer in “I Am”
Looking Forward to 2019
Yes, it’s that time of year. The Christmas “recycling” has been put out, most of the cookies and other goodies are gone; TV, news and media is full of “best and worst and what happened” in 2018 . . . .
Looking back is good and healthy (there is a reason why the Facebook “you have memories for today” app is so popular) but looking forward, making plans (notice I did not say resolutions), thinking ahead has merit.
Would you join me in reading through the Bible in 2019?
This is not a self-serving “announcement” so you will think ________of me. This is actually an admission — as my health continues to deteriorate, I must deliberately fight the tendency to isolate. I know that as long as God has me here on earth, He has purpose for me. That purpose involves people.
Hebrews 10:23-25 CSB – 23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.
Maybe you have an established plan that you have used for years;
Maybe you have “tried and failed” so many times that you just don’t even think about it anymore;
Maybe “I don’t have time” is the first thought in your head;
Maybe you have not thought about doing such a “normal and basic” activity in community . . .
This year I am going to read through the Bible using the “blended plan” which can be found on Blue Letter Bible
Note: if you decide to “subscribe” you must do so on January 1 so that the readings will start on January 1. If you just download and/or print out the .pdf, it is easy to fold into a bookmark and tuck into your Bible.
Then, “how” you read is up to you and your schedule. There are audio options. You choose the translation. You choose the time of day, or if you will break up the reading into several times per day.
Each Friday I will post here on the blog, with some of my thoughts from the past week’s reading — what I have learned about God and His ways; how God has provided Scripture to be my “way of escape” from sin’s temptation; how the Spirit has encouraged me through His Word; a lie that is exposed so I can replace it with God’s truth; (you get the idea) . . .
There will be space for you to comment, and I would love for you to do so! Did you “miss” a day or two? Please don’t give up. Jump back in on the current day, and comment on what you have read. If Friday is “not a good day” for you . . .there are 7 days in a week, after all . . .
This is how Jesus prayed for his disciples, just before he died on the cross for our sins . . .
John 17:14-18 CSB – 14 “I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 “I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 “As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. (emphasis mine)
God gave us a tremendous, life-changing gift. Let’s dig in and share it together! I look forward to hearing from you next week, as we discuss days 1-3.
