Well, with just one month left at CCPSL we are anxiously awaiting what God has for us next. Not knowing where we will end up we are scared, excited and anxious all at the same time. This morning I came across Pslam 31 and planted myself on verses 23 and 24.
23 Love the LORD, all his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.24 Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.
There have obviously been times that you and I have had to walk by faith…perhaps in our youth or prior to having a large number of comittments such as a family. Walking by faith has meant so much more to me when so much is at stake (namely my family). Everytime I look into one of my family members eyes I think about my walk with the Lord and how important it really is. This particular Psalm was impactful because it reminded me that it is all about love…more specifically the Love you and I shower upon the Lord. Preserving the faithful?…that sounds crazy…like we are pickles waiting to be used by God; honestly He knows when we are ready for the next thing He has for us. He is faithful even when you and I are faithless. We don’t know all of His ways…and our faithfulness in Him to complete the work He started shows dedication and hope within our hearts. So you and I can be strong in faith yet uncertain about our future all at the same time because God preserves us….He keeps us. The Greek work for ‘preserve’ is natsar (blueletterbible.com)….it means to preserve, guard from dangers. God keeps us…He guards us from danger and He is faithful to do so. So when we are facing trials we should not only rejoice, but know that God is a firm, unchanging foundation for our hope and He will preserve us.
I never thought of myself as a pickle, Billy….I initially smiled at the thought! And then I realized waiting to be used by God is like that! We stay preserved for however long it takes us to take the next step HE wants us to take…
Thank you for sharing…and I’m thinking a lot about your words here.