Have you ever noticed that in the Psalms, David (and another unnamed psalmist) spoke to their souls? For example, in Psalm 42 and 43, we read: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? … Put your hope in God.” In Psalm 62:5, David tells his soul to “find rest in God.” And in Psalm 103, David repeatedly tells his soul to “bless the Lord.” And, while you’re at it, Soul, don’t forget all God’s benefits! Our souls, which many…
I’m not a car person—far from it. I can’t tell a timing belt from a wheel bearing (true story, as my amazing husband will confirm!). But one thing I know is that if my car needs gas, I have to go to a gas station. I can think about gas all I want, and I can sit in the driveway in my car and tell that car how great gas is—or even how maybe it can run…
I was recently captured by a song that’s not new but was new to me. The song—Only Jesus—speaks of the One Who alone is worthy, the One Who alone is holy. It’s a song whose only mention of “me” is as it relates to the awesomeness of Jesus. There’s something about lifting up the name of Jesus. Something about standing in awe of His glory and holiness. Something about getting our eyes off of ourselves…
This post draws its inspiration from a meme a friend posted earlier today outlining several promises of God found in Psalm 91. This Psalm is often pointed to when the topic of God’s protection comes up, and, indeed, it provides amazing promises that remind us we can trust in the Lord for our protection! But a closer look at Psalm 91 reveals promises extending far beyond protection. Before we dive in, let’s read through the entire chapter.…
I was studying Psalm 119 not too long ago, and verse 164 popped out at me: “Seven times a day and all day long do I praise You because of Your righteous decrees.” This got me thinking: How would my outlook change if seven times a day, I paused to give God praise? It’s so easy to get distracted during the day by the pressures of the “now.” The tasks that need doing, the commitments that need keeping, the…
In my study time recently, I’ve been doing something different from what I usually do. I’ve been going through Psalms with an eye out for lines or phrases that stand out but that perhaps I’ve never noticed much before or never really isolated for reflection. For each Psalm, I jot down one such line. For example: Psalm 138:7 – “You will revive me” Psalm 116:16 – “You have loosed my bonds” Psalm 37:7 – “Rest in the Lord”…
I was drawn recently to the passage in Luke, in which Jesus, quoting from Isaiah 61, says these words: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19 Sometimes, I think I’ve not paused enough to really reflect on the ministry of Jesus. Yes, He came to seek and save the…
I love dirt trails. Not necessarily the perfectly manicured ones that are clearly the result of recreational master plans. Those are nice, but the ones that really draw me are those that wind through woods and fields simply because someone—(or many “someones”)—has walked the path time and again, carving tracks from repeated use. In Scripture, we’re told to seek the Lord continually. For example, 1 Chronicles 16:11 says, “Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” Psalm 105:4 is similar: “Seek the…
We all know that feeling. Life gets busy! Whether it’s work, kids, school, commitments, ministry, or — more likely than not — some combination of several or all of the above. Life. Gets. Busy. Many are the days when my best-laid plans to start my day in the Word devolve into yielding to the pull of the now, the immediate, the “but such-and-such has to get done!” And while I may pride myself on my resulting productivity,…
We’ve all heard of “flyover states,” right? Those states spanning the middle of the country that are passed over—often without a second thought—as travelers jet from one major-city airport to another. It’s easy to ignore these states as we’re focused on our destination, right? But having had the chance to spend time in these states and see their stunning beauty, I can say that we lose out when we think they’re good only to fly…