Season of Thanks, Day Twenty-three

I was very tempted to stay home from church this morning. This has been a very difficult few weeks. I have found the memories that fill this period of time hard to deal with. This morning, I wakened early, more than an hour before the alarm, in tears and continued crying for the three hours until time to leave. I was tempted to stay home, as I said. But God said, "Go on to church, My child." So, crying all the way, I went. When I arrived, I repaired my face as much as possible in the car and went in to worship where I wept through the entire song service filled with songs of praise and gratitude. I was tempted to leave. But God said, "Stay!" So I did. 

Then, Pastor Wayne Griffin began speaking. He talked to us about being grateful in all circumstances - for we have much for which to be grateful! Even if our lives are filled with sorrow! Even when things go wrong! Psalm 103 was his text. 

 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

 

The Lord gives righteousness
and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

He revealed his character to Moses
and his deeds to the people of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.
But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
of those who are faithful to his covenant,
of those who obey his commandments!

The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
from there he rules over everything.

Praise the Lord, you angels,
you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
listening for each of his commands.
Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
who serve him and do his will!
Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

After church, I was again tempted to leave. But the Lord said, "Go to Sunday School." So I went to my car, repaired the tear damage as much as possible and went to Sunday School. Phyllis talked about Mary and her reaction to the news that she, an unmarried woman, would soon bear a child, the Saviour of the world. Mary should have been mightily upset - in that day and age, in a best case scenario, she had been given a sentence of a lifetime of shame and rejection, at worst, a death sentence. But she wasn't upset. Instead she praised God. 

Mary responded,                                                                              

                                                                              

"Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”

                                                    ~~ Luke 1:46-55 ~~

I needed to hear these two people speak today! I needed to be reminded that my circumstances are not my joy! Having a mate is not my joy! Jesus is my joy! And nothing, no one, can steal that!

Tonight, I am grateful for a Bible believing, Bible teaching church. And I am grateful that God meets us at our point of need, speaks to us through His Word and His servants to provide comfort, light in the darkness!