He Is At My Right Hand

For a few months I've been meditating on Psalm 16. It speaks of deep dependence on God--His refuge, doing only His assignments, the joy of His counsel and security found in Him alone...All of this so that we might know the true path to LIFE!!!

Even in light of all that, it still seems like I don't know where to "place" God since I can't see Him. I KNOW God is active in my life, but I can be independent minded and feel on my own at times. Recently I was really struck by Psalm 16:8-9

"I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure."

That's it He's at my right hand!! I can picture the back of me with a man in a white robe on my right with his arm around my shoulder and we are walking along a path. This also makes me think of "His yoke is easy and this burden is light"--like I'm yoked to Him in fellowship and with his gentle arm around me, not just some ox with a hard wooden yoke on my shoulders!!

This really helped when I was stirred up with a myriad of decisions I needed to make regarding my children's education. Why is it at night that this all stirs up and robs me of the sleep I so desperately need?? Anyway, as I was stirred up I pictured Jesus with His arm around me. This relieved my burden as I prayed, giving it to Him and telling Him I trusted Him to show me, to lead me and to walk beside me. I think I was stirred about three times that night, but each time I pictured Him with me and gave Him the burden and I was able to roll over and fall asleep.

So if I were to rewrite Ps. 16:8-9 based on this it would read something like this:

When I remember to place the Lord before myself, I am reminded that His arm is around me and we can walk the path together so I don't need to worry. This makes my heart glad (and relieved), may my tongue rejoice and give Him praise...AND I can even sleep at night!!

Transformed Like a Butterfly

I was going through a time where there just seemed to be weight on my heart. No real reason, just weight. I spent some time in prayer...spent some time confessing and also asking God to remove the weight as it was getting oppressive. Its was a sweet time with Him.

That night I had a dream that I was being bent backwards into water at the edge of an ocean by a man in a white robe. As I came up out of the water, I placed my hands palm side up in front of me. The man in the robe placed a monarch butterfly in my cupped hands.

The heaviness is gone...as though something really was washed away and replaced by transformation. A butterfly is transformed from a caterpillar to a lovely, graceful creature that can flutter, soar and rest to drink nectar. This is what I desire in my walk with Jesus--to rest in Him and drink deeply from His life giving Word, the nectar that truly satisfies. I long to flutter and soar with grace and beauty that inspires the world. And with Jesus, any burden is light just like holding that almost weightless butterfly in my hand!

Deer Tracks

This summer I've been trying to live out the saying, "variety is the spice of life." Being middle age I've realized I've gotten into old familiar patterns and life has a way of becoming boring! One weekend away with friends to draw near God, I applied this saying...asking God to expand my natural way of doing things and to Father me throughout the weekend to draw near Him and to add variety.

One afternoon I was drawn to go for a walk in the woods during a gentle rain. Wrapped in a blanket to stay warm, I was enjoying this new experience...I found myself singing "mercies are falling, are falling, are falling...mercies are falling like a sweet spring rain". I was just delighting in the carefree activity, the worship, the warmth of the blanket as though God's arms were wrapped around me.

I asked God for some visual symbol or picture during my walk so that I could have a "momento" of this precious time with Him that would sink deep into my heart to KNOW He is indeed always with me. In a few paces I walked through some mud that was covered with deer tracks. Indeed my soul was yearning for God as a deer pants for water! Also made me think of a favorite book "Hinds Feet on High Places". I asked God if I could see two deer to symbolize Him and me walking through life together...I ventured on hopeful that two deer would be awaiting me around every turn of the trail I was on...desire...expectancy...hope...

I returned to the house I was staying in thrilled at the deer prints and thinking I was being a bit demanding for the two deer. I was just thankful for the intimate time with Him and the deer prints which satisfied my heart..

The next morning I was sitting at the breakfast table with my friends and we were sharing the highlights from the weekend. I looked up and there on a shelf above the window were two statues of deer!!! I burst out laughing. Hinds feet on high places, literally!!

I love how God knows me, sees me, gives good things and has a sense of humor!!