You know my way!

And you know the way I should go.

This is the way, walk ye in it,

        The Psalms speak to so many of our struggles and our dramatic moments. God knows what to do and He tells us. So we must take time to listen!

When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! Psalm 142:3 ESV

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. Psalm 142:3 KJV

        “The bravest spirit is sometimes sorely put to it. A heavy fog settles down upon the mind, and the man seems drowned and smothered in it; covered with a cloud, crushed with a load, confused with difficulties, conquered by impossibilities. David was a hero, and yet his spirit sank: he could smite a giant down, but he could not keep himself up. He did not know his own path, nor feel able to bear his own burden. Observe his comfort: he looked away from his own condition to the ever-observant, all-knowing God; and solaced himself with the fact that all was known to his heavenly Friend. Truly it is well for us to know that God knows what we do not know. We lose our heads, but God never closes his eyes: our judgments lose their balance, but the eternal mind is always clear.”   --Charles Spurgeon, 1834-1892, Treasury of David, III, 324

      And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21 KJV

        “He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:19-21 ESV

     The Psalmist feels painfully alone: “there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.” Psalm 142:4 ESV

He feels all alone. He feels painfully alone—but he's not! “ I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” 142:5 ESV

      And in the next Psalm it becomes even clearer:

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah 143:5-6

      And again he asks for God's guidance: “Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. . . . O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge! Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! . . . for I am your servant.” 143:8-12

Strength for the New Year

       The years pass quickly so I'm writing this especially for my old friends and for my young friends who realize that living the Christian life brings an awareness of our absolute dependence upon the Lord for life, breath, strength, and all good graces from Him. Even our trials teach us that: “. . . But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” 2 Cor. 1:8-9 NIV

     How wonderful it is to rely on Him and see His faithfulness of old. He's always there and He's always there with strength. The very word com -passion means “with strength.” We go from strength to strength in the Lord. And we're blessed as God supplies His strength to us: ^“Blessed are those whose strength is in you. . . . They go from strength to strength.” Psalm 84:5-7

       And supply it He does—with a promise: ^“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

       Of course the Psalm for the New Year is Psalm 90, “A prayer of Moses, the man of God,” written 3500 years ago and blessing the lives of countless millions. “O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Psalm 90:14 He did bring me to Himself “early”—at the age of 6 in 1940—and I have rejoiced and am glad in Him all my days. There has been a LOT of sorrow, but we are “sorrowful and yet always rejoicing.” 2 Cor. 6:10

       That Psalm speaks of strength, too: ^“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” 90:10 Reminds me of Moses' blessing of Israel, “as thy days, so shall thy strength be.” Deut. 33:25 because “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. . . .” Deut. 33:27

        We desperately need physical strength, especially as we enter our 80^th year and God does supply it—day by day, but we need spiritual strength even more. “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Cor. 4:16 It is God who is at work in us and it is God who energizes and motivates us and gives us strength so that we can “rejoice and be glad all our days.” I watched Minnie's strength slip away from her, little by little as the pancreatic cancer destroyed her body. She was almost totally helpless at the end, but her spirit was not diminished! What an example she gave for me and Jeannine and all of us who were with her from time to time. Her testimony every day was the same, “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

“Day by day and with each passing moment,

strength I find to meet my trials here.

Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,

I've no cause for worry or for fear.

He whose heart is kind beyond all measure gives unto

each day what He deems best—lovingly,

its part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest.”

     So our prayer for the New Year is Psalm 19:14 ^“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.“