Over the past couple of years, the Lord has fairly consistently used this Psalm to minister to me. I remember the first time, it was through the Hymn "As the Deer", which based on Psalm 42. My friend Julie was playing it for me and I just broke.
This morning, it happened again. I decided to re-listen to a message by C.J. Mahaney titled "The Troubled Soul". It was from the last New Attitude conference and his text was Psalm 42. Near the end of the message, he encouraged us to do as the Psalmist and pray God's promises back to Him and say "You have promised this, now do as you have promised." This led me to think of times when God did just that...made good on His promise. It led me to think of times when, suddenly, the impossible happened...when He made a way where there was none...when He changed what I thought was unchangeable. I thought of my first New Attitude. I went, weighed down by my desire for a particular relationship. I had resigned myself that it would never be...and that I would just have to deal with the disappointment and hurt and feelings of rejection that were sure to be with me for a very long time. Then, on the way home God just said "It's done." And it was. It really was.
Later that year, God also did something I thought was, up until that point impossible. He changed my eating habits over night. My entire life, practically speaking, I'd been a glutton and years of this sinful practice led to my being morbidly obese. I thought my weight was an insurmountable obstacle. I thought my eating habits were unbreakable. But God...
One day, I was eating half a pan of peach cobbler and the next I had no desire for sweets or nachos and was eating like a "normal" person. I lost about 100lbs in a little over 1 year.
Then I fell off the wagon...and it has been a slow, painful, discouraging road trying to catch up and hop back on.
But this morning, listening to yet another reminder of Psalm 42, feeling that panting and thirsting after God rise up within me again, I have hope. Change is going to come. God is going to move. He has promised to restore, to revive, to make whole, to heal all my diseases, and cleanse me of all my sins. He will do what He has promised...again!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Still on Psalm 42
Over the past couple of years, the Lord has fairly consistently used this Psalm to minister to me. I remember the first time, it was through the Hymn "As the Deer", which based on Psalm 42. My friend Julie was playing it for me and I just broke.
This morning, it happened again. I decided to re-listen to a message by C.J. Mahaney titled "The Troubled Soul". It was from the last New Attitude conference and his text was Psalm 42. Near the end of the message, he encouraged us to do as the Psalmist and pray God's promises back to Him and say "You have promised this, now do as you have promised." This led me to think of times when God did just that...made good on His promise. It led me to think of times when, suddenly, the impossible happened...when He made a way where there was none...when He changed what I thought was unchangeable. I thought of my first New Attitude. I went, weighed down by my desire for a particular relationship. I had resigned myself that it would never be...and that I would just have to deal with the disappointment and hurt and feelings of rejection that were sure to be with me for a very long time. Then, on the way home God just said "It's done." And it was. It really was.
Later that year, God also did something I thought was, up until that point impossible. He changed my eating habits over night. My entire life, practically speaking, I'd been a glutton and years of this sinful practice led to my being morbidly obese. I thought my weight was an insurmountable obstacle. I thought my eating habits were unbreakable. But God...
One day, I was eating half a pan of peach cobbler and the next I had no desire for sweets or nachos and was eating like a "normal" person. I lost about 100lbs in a little over 1 year.
Then I fell off the wagon...and it has been a slow, painful, discouraging road trying to catch up and hop back on.
But this morning, listening to yet another reminder of Psalm 42, feeling that panting and thirsting after God rise up within me again, I have hope. Change is going to come. God is going to move. He has promised to restore, to revive, to make whole, to heal all my diseases, and cleanse me of all my sins. He will do what He has promised...again!
This morning, it happened again. I decided to re-listen to a message by C.J. Mahaney titled "The Troubled Soul". It was from the last New Attitude conference and his text was Psalm 42. Near the end of the message, he encouraged us to do as the Psalmist and pray God's promises back to Him and say "You have promised this, now do as you have promised." This led me to think of times when God did just that...made good on His promise. It led me to think of times when, suddenly, the impossible happened...when He made a way where there was none...when He changed what I thought was unchangeable. I thought of my first New Attitude. I went, weighed down by my desire for a particular relationship. I had resigned myself that it would never be...and that I would just have to deal with the disappointment and hurt and feelings of rejection that were sure to be with me for a very long time. Then, on the way home God just said "It's done." And it was. It really was.
Later that year, God also did something I thought was, up until that point impossible. He changed my eating habits over night. My entire life, practically speaking, I'd been a glutton and years of this sinful practice led to my being morbidly obese. I thought my weight was an insurmountable obstacle. I thought my eating habits were unbreakable. But God...
One day, I was eating half a pan of peach cobbler and the next I had no desire for sweets or nachos and was eating like a "normal" person. I lost about 100lbs in a little over 1 year.
Then I fell off the wagon...and it has been a slow, painful, discouraging road trying to catch up and hop back on.
But this morning, listening to yet another reminder of Psalm 42, feeling that panting and thirsting after God rise up within me again, I have hope. Change is going to come. God is going to move. He has promised to restore, to revive, to make whole, to heal all my diseases, and cleanse me of all my sins. He will do what He has promised...again!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Vision...maybe?...sorta?
I've never really ever had a vision. There have been a handful of moments where a strong mental picture effected me profoundly. If you choose to call that a "vision"...I'm ok with that. Suffice it to say, though, I use the term "vision" pretty loosely and guardedly.
This morning, my alarm went off and I hit snooze because that is what you do when you aren't sure you really want to wake up. Then, I fell asleep again. Five minutes later, the alarm went off again and I, instinctively, reached for the snooze button. In that moment, I saw myself...only myself about 3 years ago. I was wearing my favorite "thinner me" outfit, and my sassy, flippy hairdo...I looked really cute. But that is immaterial. So, I saw "thinner me" and she held out her arms like to hug me and said "What are you doing?"
Even now...I'm so choked up, I can't speak and if I were to really dwell on that question, I would likely start sobbing.
"What are you doing?"
What I am doing is about the opposite of what "thinner me" was doing three years ago.
That is the opposite of good.
But...though there is grief that comes with that provocative question, there's also hope.
Hope for change. For a second chance. And for a future...one "thinner me" thought we'd be living in right now.
It is my prayer that, whenever we get there, she...and the Lord...will be pleased.
This morning, my alarm went off and I hit snooze because that is what you do when you aren't sure you really want to wake up. Then, I fell asleep again. Five minutes later, the alarm went off again and I, instinctively, reached for the snooze button. In that moment, I saw myself...only myself about 3 years ago. I was wearing my favorite "thinner me" outfit, and my sassy, flippy hairdo...I looked really cute. But that is immaterial. So, I saw "thinner me" and she held out her arms like to hug me and said "What are you doing?"
Even now...I'm so choked up, I can't speak and if I were to really dwell on that question, I would likely start sobbing.
"What are you doing?"
What I am doing is about the opposite of what "thinner me" was doing three years ago.
That is the opposite of good.
But...though there is grief that comes with that provocative question, there's also hope.
Hope for change. For a second chance. And for a future...one "thinner me" thought we'd be living in right now.
It is my prayer that, whenever we get there, she...and the Lord...will be pleased.
Vision...maybe?...sorta?
I've never really ever had a vision. There have been a handful of moments where a strong mental picture effected me profoundly. If you choose to call that a "vision"...I'm ok with that. Suffice it to say, though, I use the term "vision" pretty loosely and guardedly.
This morning, my alarm went off and I hit snooze because that is what you do when you aren't sure you really want to wake up. Then, I fell asleep again. Five minutes later, the alarm went off again and I, instinctively, reached for the snooze button. In that moment, I saw myself...only myself about 3 years ago. I was wearing my favorite "thinner me" outfit, and my sassy, flippy hairdo...I looked really cute. But that is immaterial. So, I saw "thinner me" and she held out her arms like to hug me and said "What are you doing?"
Even now...I'm so choked up, I can't speak and if I were to really dwell on that question, I would likely start sobbing.
"What are you doing?"
What I am doing is about the opposite of what "thinner me" was doing three years ago.
That is the opposite of good.
But...though there is grief that comes with that provocative question, there's also hope.
Hope for change. For a second chance. And for a future...one "thinner me" thought we'd be living in right now.
It is my prayer that, whenever we get there, she...and the Lord...will be pleased.
This morning, my alarm went off and I hit snooze because that is what you do when you aren't sure you really want to wake up. Then, I fell asleep again. Five minutes later, the alarm went off again and I, instinctively, reached for the snooze button. In that moment, I saw myself...only myself about 3 years ago. I was wearing my favorite "thinner me" outfit, and my sassy, flippy hairdo...I looked really cute. But that is immaterial. So, I saw "thinner me" and she held out her arms like to hug me and said "What are you doing?"
Even now...I'm so choked up, I can't speak and if I were to really dwell on that question, I would likely start sobbing.
"What are you doing?"
What I am doing is about the opposite of what "thinner me" was doing three years ago.
That is the opposite of good.
But...though there is grief that comes with that provocative question, there's also hope.
Hope for change. For a second chance. And for a future...one "thinner me" thought we'd be living in right now.
It is my prayer that, whenever we get there, she...and the Lord...will be pleased.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Quote
No matter how dark the sky, how discouraging the circumstances, how desperate the situation, God is there--a God who is too good to forgetand too great to fail. God is there, his mighty arm ruling this universefor him, redeeming all who will let him, and reinforcing any who respondto him in faith and obedience! -- Leo Green
Quote
No matter how dark the sky, how discouraging the circumstances, how desperate the situation, God is there--a God who is too good to forgetand too great to fail. God is there, his mighty arm ruling this universefor him, redeeming all who will let him, and reinforcing any who respondto him in faith and obedience! -- Leo Green
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)