“Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD! You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their gain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety” Psalm 4: 6-8(NASB)
Is your desk and bureau cluttered? You know what they say: “a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind.” If this is true, a peek at my desk - my entire office, really – raises some serious concerns about the state of my mind. I wonder if my brain is truly cluttered as my desk always seems to be. I wonder what all of this cluttered-ness and growing to-do lists says about my life. Am I really this overburdened, hemmed in on every side by pressures that will not relent?
Do you feel so disorganized that you can’t get everything done? Do you make lists so you won’t forget – lists like for groceries, to-do, house-hold chores, taking care of the children and/or grandchildren, taking care of parents, taking care of pets. Do you schedule time for rest, reading, meditating, exercise, relaxation and rejuvenation?
If I am honest with myself, I must admit that sometimes my desk does indeed mirror my life. And whether or not you have a desk, you may feel the same about yourself from time to time. It’s easy to feel trapped or smothered by our high pressure jobs, busy families, aging parents, demanding relationships, along with high expectations for those in school, and necessary project deadlines, that have been put off until ‘it’s got to be done!’ With all this host of life’s stress, it’s easy to feel claustrophobic with traffic jams, never ending noise, seeming endless work and chores to be done with not enough time to do them.
We all need to remember and turn to Psalm 4, the ‘Night-Time Psalm.’ We recently studied this on a Wednesday evening. I mentioned to Pastor Chris Crain, who led our devotional thoughts that night, that if no one else ‘got it,’ I did. It felt like it was meant for me. This Psalm is meant for you too!
I would like to encourage you to meditate on this Psalm in the evenings so that when you lie down and lay your head on your pillow, you can feel at peace with God. You can have that restful sleep that you need – wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to face a new day with a fresh dose of God’s joy, love and peace!
Gracious Lord, give me room when I am in distress and help me to make the most of the freedom that you give. Send Your calming reassuring peace! Amen.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
A Word of Hope - God Cares for you !
A Word of Hope - God Cares for you!
The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147: 2-4 (NASB) How’s life with you? Is your heart heavy? Do you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders? Are there burdens you can hardly bear? When things of this old world cloud up your life, know there is someone who cares and loves you.
Sometimes it is good to take a personal evaluation of our lives and those things that may encumber us. We all need to be reminded from time to time that our strength comes from the Lord, who gives us joy in time of sorrow, faith instead of fear, hope instead of despair, and love instead of hate.
God is always there when things are hurting you most. Take the grievances, the separations, the strained friendships and the broken ties which have caused you hurt and heartbreak in your life, and let God heal them. Allow Him to give you grace in the difficult times of your life. You will wonder at the joy and blessing that will come out of the things that have caused you nothing but regret and pain.
When I was a small boy, I remember singing a hymn in church that touched my heart. May today, this very day, the words to this song touch your heart as it does mine.
Does Jesus Care?
Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?
Refrain:
Oh, yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know my Savior cares.
-Frank E. Graeff
Loving God, Oh yes, You care, I know you care. Thank you for giving us joy in the morning. Thank you for giving us faith, hope and love. Thank you for sending Your Son, to be our Savior. Thank you for binding and healing our wounds. In Your Holy Name. Amen.
With a grateful heart for serving alongside you, I am your friend,
Mark David Jackson
The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147: 2-4 (NASB) How’s life with you? Is your heart heavy? Do you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders? Are there burdens you can hardly bear? When things of this old world cloud up your life, know there is someone who cares and loves you.
Sometimes it is good to take a personal evaluation of our lives and those things that may encumber us. We all need to be reminded from time to time that our strength comes from the Lord, who gives us joy in time of sorrow, faith instead of fear, hope instead of despair, and love instead of hate.
God is always there when things are hurting you most. Take the grievances, the separations, the strained friendships and the broken ties which have caused you hurt and heartbreak in your life, and let God heal them. Allow Him to give you grace in the difficult times of your life. You will wonder at the joy and blessing that will come out of the things that have caused you nothing but regret and pain.
When I was a small boy, I remember singing a hymn in church that touched my heart. May today, this very day, the words to this song touch your heart as it does mine.
Does Jesus Care?
Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?
Refrain:
Oh, yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know my Savior cares.
-Frank E. Graeff
Loving God, Oh yes, You care, I know you care. Thank you for giving us joy in the morning. Thank you for giving us faith, hope and love. Thank you for sending Your Son, to be our Savior. Thank you for binding and healing our wounds. In Your Holy Name. Amen.
With a grateful heart for serving alongside you, I am your friend,
Mark David Jackson
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