God of Universe is Next to Me

[S] Psalm 34:15-18 --
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17  The righteous cry, and the Lord hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

[O] I see the sensitive caring of our God for each of us here in this world from these verses.  He clearly distinguishes the righteous from the evildoers and his actions towards them are definitely set apart.  When I care for someone I give my eyes and ears to that person (e.g., I'm all ears) and  I can see we got that from His character mentioned in verse 15.  What a comfort to know that as long as I stay righteous in Him, he will watch and hear that all I say (cry out).  This passage closes with one of my favorite verse, again, displaying His wonderful caring towards me whenever I'm am up against the challenges of this world which may break my heart or crush my spirit, because even though I may have been flattened out, He will raise me up again.

[A] Whenever I feel like no one hears (or cares) about what I cry out about, I need to remember that my focus should not be about whether anyone (including God) cares but whether my heart stays righteous towards God or not.  Once this is set right, the rest is history.

[P] Dear loving and caring God, Your words of comfort from this passage covered me today.  Not that my heart is broken or spirit crushed but just knowing such a powerful God caring just for me out of 6.5 billion people is overwhelming.  Your awesomeness brings out the praise in me.  Thank You so much for being such a loving God as I pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Where Can I Go From Your Spirit?

[S] Psalm 139:1-7 (NIV) --

¹ O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

 ² You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

 ³ You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

 ⁴ Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.

 ⁵ You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.

 ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

 ⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

[O] This psalm clearly tells me that I am not just one out of 6 billion people living on earth but a special one whom God takes full (100%) interest and care.  As things happen all around me in and out of my control, God is in full control of my life down to when I sit down or stand up, etc.  This confirmation was just what I needed to be reminded of.  This psalm uplifted me so much that I am so grateful for His Word and His presence in my life.

[A] Where canI go from Your Spirit?  I am fully content being in your presence.  I am learning to be content in You.

[P] Dear God, Your love amazed me once again today.  My heart is overwhelmed and overflowing with Your presence.  Thank You so much for doing that for me.  I am going to life my life in full joy because of that.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Apple of His Eye on Eagle's Wings

[S] Deuteronomy 32:9-12 --

⁹ For the LORD's portion is his people, 
       Jacob his allotted inheritance.

 ¹⁰ In a desert land he found him,
        in a barren and howling waste.
       He shielded him and cared for him;
        he guarded him as the apple of his eye,

 ¹¹ like an eagle that stirs up its nest
       and hovers over its young, 
       that spreads its wings to catch them 
       and carries them on its pinions.

 ¹² The LORD alone led him; 
       no foreign god was with him.

[O] God guarded His people like the apple of His eye, and cared for them as an eagle catching them and carrying them on its pinions.  This picture is really vivid in my mind as I was reading this passage and encourages my soul tremendously.  I see the life I go through like the desert land, barren and howling waste.  I can be all discouraged about it while I tread through it on this earth or put on the mind of being His people whom He thoroughly cares and protects.  I really can do all things as long as I am called His people.  The LORD ALONE LED ME.

[A] When I face a challenge this week, just fall into the wide-spread wings of God instead of worrying about it too much.

[P] Dear Father, Your amazing care and protection blessed me so much today.  I am the apple of Your eye!  Thank You for this encouraging words for me today and may my life reflect that to many others around me.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.