Wednesday was a better day by far than I have had in a long time. The irony is that I have been sick since Tuesday night. I think it is allergy related and a slightly different means of exposure, but that is not relevant here.
The 4th being Independence Day, we made plans to do stuff with family. At the time that I made the plans, I was feeling fine. Had I known I was going to be dealing with an upset stomach and … um … digestive distress, I would never have made those plans.
Tuesday afternoon I went through my memory verses for the Seeking Him study. We were challenged to have the first five memorized to recite for next time so I wrote them down once. (I don’t care for memorization and writing helps greatly.)
Our current verse is Hebrews 4:16- Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
As I was cleaning up in preparation for company (besides thinking of BC’s blog post … or was it a response to one of mine … in which she suggested that an overly clean home is very nearly an outright insult to guests) I came across a cool passage which related to that verse. I had printed it off in large print for VBS but didn’t use it so it was sitting in a pile of other papers on the table.
Psalm 18:31-33
31 For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
This is from the NIV. I like the other versions which refer to hinds’ feet on high places in verse 33. (Ever read that book?)
That passage goes along with the current verse so well. It sort of reinforces why we need to approach the throne of grace. It struck me like a 2 x 4 upside the head that I need to only lean on God, that He will see to it that things go the way they need to go and that He will give me the energy, the strength and whatever else I need to deal with everything that comes up without trashing His name, even the little “annoyances” that seem to pile up. And He can be trusted to remind me of what the point really is to this life, the meaning of life, as it were.
From the Westminster Shorter Catechism:
What is the chief end of man?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.
1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Psalm 73:25, 26 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Other than feeling just awful, it was a great day. That is testimony to God’s hand, that’s for sure, because I tend to be a terrible sick person and I also tend not to move off the couch when I’m sick. It was definitely God who got me through the day and got me through it peacefully and without losing my mind and/or temper.
Thank You, God!
Ephesians 5:4
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
