A couple of days ago, a special friend of mine forwarded me an email that I wrote to her in 1998! I can't believe she still had it!!!! What was even more incredible is how the Lord ministered to me through the words he gave me that many years ago. I am amazed at how alive and near the Lord is to our hearts and lives. He truly is a personal and real God who longs to have an intimate place in our lives.
I hope this will encourage and bless you as well.
(Based on Psalm 121) I am convinced that thousands of years ago, when the Lord inspired David to write this psalm, that he saw across the pages of time and saw me. He saw the tears that fell tonight as I laid in bed. He felt the ache that I felt inside. A hurt so deep that only he could know it. He saw my need. And he reached out and met it. God knew all that this evening would hold and he provided the right lullaby that my heart and soul needed. What food these words hold to a hungry and empty soul. What lessons for this stubborn heart to learn. What comfort for these teary eyes to behold. I lift my eyes....where have my eyes been today? Certainly not lifted.No, my eyes have not been lifted up to behold my Savior, my King, my Lord. My eyes have not even lifted their gaze to cry out to him who sees all. My eyes have been on me and the world around me. My eyes have sought out one other than Jesus to hold and comfort me. Another one to be my help. My eyes have searched to find a way to do it myself, to make things right in my own strength. My eyes have laid downcast for days because they have failed to look in the right direction. Where does my help come from? My mind knows where its supposed to come from, but does my heart? Its learning. How awesome that God didn't label the kind of help he provides. This help is for all situations and all times. Oh that my heart would learn this precious truth and really ask where does my help come from. Does help come from man? No, he fails and is weak. He cannot conquer all. He can not even be trusted or counted upon. Does my help come from within? From some inner strength? No, there is no strength in me. I cannot help me. If I could then I would not need help, would I ? My help comes from the only one able to give it. Jesus, my helper. He is able to stand when all else falls. He is able to hold me up when I'm crushed and faltering. He is able and has conquered sin and death. He is able to love forever and unconditionally. He is able to do what none other can do. He is able to be there at any minute day or night with his ears and eyes wide open. And he wants to help. He longs for me to run into his arms and find shelter from the raging storm. He yearns to be able to wrap his arms around me and comfort my aching heart. He is able. How do I know he is able? Because he made the heavens and the earth. If he can do all that with just one word from his mouth then isn't he big enough to take care of me? He's even better than a big brother ....He's the daddy there to protect and nurture his children. ' He will not allow my foot to be moved. Wow! What encouragement. Today I'm struggling. Life seems like one great big mountain and I'm at the bottom. There seems to be no way up and I want to give up before I even start. I feel as though I've walked a million miles. I'm feeling unsteady, ready to fall. Ready to find a new path. But my Lord, my helper, has promised to not let me fall. He has promised to bring me all the way. He has promised to keep me on the path. My foot will not collapse, nor will it wander from the chosen trail. Why? God will hold me fast. He has promised and he keeps his promise. He does not sleep. My God is awake twenty four hours a day. He never goes on break. Tonight this is probably the greatest comfort of all to me. Because tonight my whole world sleeps. And I feel alone. Man tries. They try to stay awake but they are human and tired. Their eyes are heavy. So I cry alone. A hurt inside I don't understand. A burden so heavy to bear on my own and no one to help carry the load. Alone until a small still whisper hits my ears. " I am awake." My Jesus is awake. He is ready to listen and will not fall asleep in the middle of the sentence. He will not nod off as the tears still stream down my face. He will hold me until the pain subsides. He has promised to never sleep. I know no other friend who can make this promise. The Lord is my keeper. He guards my life with tender loving care. Nothing touches me that hasn't already touched him. You see it has to go through his body to get to mine. He feels every pain, he sheds tears along with me, he has been through it all even worse things than I. Why then if he feels and knows all I go through, why does he allow it to touch me? Why does he allow death to shatter my life? Why does he allow pain to break my heart? Why does he allow confusion to enter the scene? Because he sees something I don't. He sees eternity. He sees what all of these things will produce. He knows what I need in order to become more like him. He shall prserve my soul. My Jesus will hold me and keep me until the day he presents me to the Father. No one and nothing can seperate me from him. I will never be lost.... God has promised. He will keep me from wandering. His spirit will always draw me back home. He shall watch over my going out and coming in. Just as he was here tonight, he will be here tomorrow.......
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