FIND ME IF YOU CAN

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from

Your presence?

Psalm 139:7

Growing up and still quite young, I had a huge imagination that I know would be hard for anyone who knows me to understand. Most of my adventures were alone. I was big on making “play houses.” Many girls will remember that term. I made mine all over the place. We had a very high front porch and I had a place all cleaned out under there where I could play for hours. I loved our old broken down coal shed. When my Mother couldn't find me, she would go there and would find me chewing on a piece of coal.....I loved the taste of coal. I could find places mostly near our house for my adventures. Once my “house” was ready, I would go get my dolls and there would teach them songs and tell them stories. I feel bad that kids today know nothing of such play times.

For years, I have loved Psalm 139. If smeone reads and absorbs it, taking it to heart, it's a wonderful Psalm that can make a person feel more than important to God. It's a wonderful piece of Scripture to build a healthy self esteem because of God's personal attention.

The questions we know answer themselves. You and I can go absolutely no where but what God is there. In this Psalm we see a couple of instances where it would seem there are those who would try to get away from God. They might even try to escape even being in the presence of God. A few of the following verses give examples of where folks may like to escape to from God. The places mentioned seem to ridiculous to me but are: ascend into heaven, bed in hell, fly on wings, parts of the sea...that person may really feel escape is possible. But then we read in verse 10:

Even there [places mentioned] Your hand shall lead me,

and Your right hand shall hold me.

Sometimes my Mother had to get out of the house to find me. I had my secret places but she always found me. God didn't have to go looking. He knew no matter my secret places, He always knew where I was.....by the way, He still does.

Thank You Father for keeping an eye on me, always knowing where I am and what's going on in my life. I pray I will never desire to hide from You but always be in close and loving fellowship with You. Keep me close. In Jesus' precious name....Amen 

THY WORD

Thy word is a lamp unto my

feet and a light unto

my path.

Psalm 119:105

One Sunday in November of 1949, I accepted Jesus as my Savior. Our church was finishing up a revival week. During that Sunday morning sermon I felt funny {convicted} regarding my need of Jesus in my very young life. I had no family in attendance at the time so rushed home to tell my Mother. She was very dubious to say the least. For some reason, she felt one who was 12 years old and older could be saved. Well, I knew I was saved despite her age regulation.

In this process, my first desire was to have a Bible of my own. Here again, it would seem I needed to be 12 for this to happen. My friend Donna had a nice Bible. A few times I sat beside her in church and she would let me look on the pages with her. I noticed how she marked her favorite verses. I just wanted a Bible whether I marked a verse or not. I did get a Bible when I was 12. My aunt had been told that sending me one would be okay for my birthday. Since those days, my Bible has been such a precious possession. I've worn through some but that's okay. I think of adults in some countries, saved people who would give anything for a Bible or even a few pages from one.

Psalm 119 has been a favorite of mine for years. In every verse except for about 3 there is a synonym, a word that means “Bible” to us. Some of those words are: laws, statutes, judgments, commandments, testimonies, precepts, and word. When I get a new Bible, one of my first exercises is going to Psalm 119, reading it and in that process, circling each of those words. God has provided His Word to us in so many ways that may speak to us from different angles.

What a wonder God's Word is teaching and ministering to us right where we are no matter our times or circumstances. For weeks after Brian's Homegoing, I spent hours daily reading it. At times it was through tears, often hardly knowing what I was reading. However, God's Word will always meet our needs. It is a book of comfort and encouragement in the toughest of times. How can we allow it to just sit on a table or counter, ignoring what the God of all has to say to us? Those precious pages are calling!

Father God, thank You for Your Word and Your desire to show us just some of Who You are through it. Help us to be faithful in spending time in it not just for study but for getting to know You so much better. In Jesus name....Amen 

THE GOLD OF SILENCE

My soul, wait silently for God alone,

for my expectation is from Him.

Psalm 62:5

Silence in our culture is a kind of lost art. No matter where we go, there is noise. Some of that noise isn't necessarily offensive, but we are almost programmed to demand sound of some sort in the background of our lives. Almost every store we go into, we are greeted with background music. While putting gas in one's car, there is often music or news coming from the speakers near the gas pumps.

We are often the ones at fault when it comes to appreciating the need for silence in our lives. We don't see the need to practice being still. The quiet moments in our lives can often be nerve wracking...we don't seem to feel comfortable in our own silence. In our day, if we are to have silent moments where we can think and pray, it will take discipline on our part, and yes, even some work. Many years ago, I recall “older” people saying, “Silence is golden...let's get rich.” It was a nice way of asking for silence in the moment.

In recent days, I read a paragraph regarding silence that left such an impression on me. No author was noted but I loved the thought. The paragraph said, :”Silence is a direct path to God's presence. Silence is the door where God stands waiting to enter.” The statement is simple yet so profound. Only in silence can we REALLY hear what He has to say to us. I also read from another general source that silence allows a connection to God beyond what words can express.

For me, the only background sounds that aren't disrupting for me would be the sounds of God's creative nature. I have a place not too far from our house where I park by the river. I lower the front car windows and hear the gurgle of the river's movement and at times, light breezes passing through the tree tops. Those sounds, the handiwork of God's hands, are not noticeable to the point of being a distraction. I have been addressing this thing of needed silence in my own life. I have counseled myself with the following verse:

Be still and know that

I am God.

Psalm 46:10

Noise to one person may not be noise to another but we all have distractions. Minus those distractions, especially when reading the Word, we'll come to know and love our Father better.

Thank You, Father for listening to us through all the noise and distractions of or our lives. Help us to know the importance of being in Your presence with little if any distractions. Thank You for being so patient with us. We love You. In Jesus' precious name...Amen