“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1
This is my go to verse whenever I get anxious about life. I paint it on every memory. I repeat it over all my tomorrows. I breathe it for every breath. Then with thanksgiving I praise God for coming and dying for me that I might say it with confidence.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. (Hebrews 12:1)
Heavenly Cheers
Those looking down are cheering the race.
Applauding the runners not their pace.
Pulling out front does not make them roar.
But trusting in God brings shouting for more.
So ignore the distractions that so easily trick.
keep your eyes upon Jesus through thin and through thick.
When the day comes that you finish the race.
You’ll hear well done, but for now rest in God’s grace.
Psalm 103:2
Praise the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits—
The Lord turns my darkness into light. (2 Sam. 22:29)
He forgives all my sins.
He heals all my diseases. (Psalm 103:3)
He redeems my life from the pit
and crowns me with love and compassion. (Psalm 103:4)
He fills my life with good things (Psalm 103:5)
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect (2 Sam. 22:33)
You give me Your shield of victory; You stoop down to make me great. (2 Sam.22:36)
Yes, praise the Lord, O my soul for He treats me with loving kindness. Not as I deserve.
(Psalm 103:10)
I can describe music,
but it is nothing without the hearing.
I can explain a beautiful mountain scene
but it is not the same as hiking to the top and being there.
I can read about the great banquet,
but knowledge falls far short of sitting at God’s table and tasting.
I can talk about joy,
but only by putting my hope in Jesus does it take wing.
We fool ourselves into being satisfied with hollow words,
instead of plunging into God’s love and living in Him.
Come, all who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Isaiah 55:1-2
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and believes in Me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35
I can hear about “Living Water,” and the “Bread of life, but until you drink from God’s well of salvation it remains merely words.
So, how does one drink and eat?
Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” John 4:10
So ask, and believe,
by faith you receive.
His forgiveness extends beyond forever,
I’m in awe of His grace for me.
His loves endures forever,
I’m in awe of His compassion given to me.
Jesus is right and just in all His ways,
I’m in awe of His plans for me.
He is my Savior, Shepherd, and King.
In awe I’m brought to His banquet hall,
Where His banner over me is love,
and I am in awe of all He has done for me.
He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the East is from the West, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; Psalm 103:10-13
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Psalm 89:14
He has brought me to His banquet hall, And his banner over me is love. Song of Solomon 2:4
Night swoops in, I cannot see,
Its darkness fills my mind.
Fear creeping up to devour me.
With dread I glance behind.
Voices recount my past disgust.
The shadows laughing at my plight.
In desperation I cry out to God.
Lord, hold me by Your might.
God makes my feet bound like a deer,
to stand upon the height,
and anoints me with my tears
to greet His mourning light.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. Psalm 18:33
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
Each morning and through out the day it is good for me to rejoice in the Lord. I need it to put life in my living. Otherwise I am overcome by the trials and tribulations of this world.
So… REJOICE and give thanks.
Longing for Yesterday’s Goodness
Yesterday we had so much fun,
the joy that children bring.
To have the laughter never end,
In songs we love to sing.
Days cut short, I wanted longer;
So much joy yet to sow.
Sadly time consumes the love we share—
I turn older as they grow.
At the end of day I can’t keep up,
My strength a fading sorrow.
But my hope is in Jesus Christ.
Who makes yesterday a foretaste of tomorrow.
In Jesus we have a sure hope that our tomorrows will be even better than our yesterdays.
We put our hope in the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
for our hope is in you alone. Psalm 33:20-22
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9
Give thanks to the LORD for He is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1
His goodness plots the course of the sun and clouds to create beautiful scenes. Though the beauty of the moment is fleeting His goodness and love are everlasting.
Clouds in constant movement.
Dancing to the wind.
Gossamer of golden sunshine,
touches creation with goodness.
Choreographed by God, for our joy.
Stephen L Hufman 