In a wood often forgotten by many except the young, who often forget its beauty. There lies a stream. It continues its path downwards into the larger rivers and out to the sea. Junk is discarded abundantly like the spoils of war that have been left by the fleeing soldiers, and rotten walkways line the shape of the valley as it descends to its resting place.
It could be such a wonderful place, such a safe place for children and adults to relax within and experience nature, as God intended it.
Psalm 124
The Lord the Defense of His People
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,”
Let Israel now say—
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have gone over our soul;
Then the swollen waters
Would have gone over our soul.”
Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
The green grass and wild flowers and plants are growing and the Spirit of God I believe is keeping this earth alive, but it will only reveal its true beauty when our Lord and saviour comes to claim his rightful place.
I feel like the junk at the side of the river sometimes, and this junk is slowly etched away with rust and over-run with water and old and moss overtake it and eventually where you once had rubbish you now have beauty. God’s river washes us clean, and it does this over time. Although the rubbish may disappear, or our body may fail us and be shed as a suit of cloths like the apostle Paul said in jail, our souls will be free with Christ if we die, like a bird who has escaped the snare of the fowlers.
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh ismore needful for you.
When sin rises against us and tempts us like the devil tempting Jesus in the wilderness be fast to prayer and be overwhelmed by the Spirits blessing, by the river overflowing from God to cleanse us and make us clean as snow.
For as the last verse says
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
Lord I pray as the busy schedule starts once more that your everlasting stream will flow into our souls and renew our energy so that we can be faithful prayer warriors for your glory. As I start a new week let me gain your approval by following nothing but your will, following your Holy name. I pray that Lord God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, that when I fail that you have mercy as you have had mercy for many years since the creation of this earth and through the blood of your dear Son Jesus Christ you bring me back into your presence as a parent brings their child back into their loving embrace.
Amen
with blessings
Graham
365 Exhortations 