aH of smiles and tears: December 2007

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Psalm 77 (New King James Version)

New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Psalm 77

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

1 I cried out to God with my voice—
To God with my voice;
And He gave ear to me.
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing;
My soul refused to be comforted.
3 I remembered God, and was troubled;
I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah

4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I have considered the days of old,
The years of ancient times.
6 I call to remembrance my song in the night;
I meditate within my heart,
And my spirit makes diligent search.

7 Will the Lord cast off forever?
And will He be favorable no more?
8 Has His mercy ceased forever?
Has His promise failed forevermore?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah

10 And I said, “This is my anguish;
But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
11 I will remember the works of the LORD;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will also meditate on all Your work,
And talk of Your deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary;
Who is so great a God as our God?
14 You are the God who does wonders;
You have declared Your strength among the peoples.
15 You have with Your arm redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

16 The waters saw You, O God;
The waters saw You, they were afraid;
The depths also trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
The skies sent out a sound;
Your arrows also flashed about.
18 The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
The lightnings lit up the world;
The earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was in the sea,
Your path in the great waters,
And Your footsteps were not known.
20 You led Your people like a flock
By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

The last two verses really spoke to me this morning.
"wow God! never would I imagine that you would lead me TO the sea! never would i think that your way would be the rough way through the mighty waters!"
i wonder if this is like a common test of faith that God likes to bring us to (and through, of course!).
like the way He brought the Israelites to the Red Sea and beyond our wildest imagination, the waters parted!!

u see, sometimes, indeed, His "footsteps were not known"... that keeps ringing in my head because finally, now I know that this way was and is, His way.

i can't really express how i feel, but i want to share that i am so deeply encouraged, and i hope you are too.
these verses reveal much of God's ways - His way of calling us to faith and I also claim a promise of His guidance and care within! He promises to shepherd us, to lead us, in His tender and loving way, and I believe it also contains His promise to install Godly leadership (authority) over us to show us His direction. Amazing, God!

It's been a while since i wrote to you eh? I apologise.
Please do keep in touch - matthew2.10@gmail.com =)
have a blessed Christmas - you and your family and your loved+loving ones.

I'll be back in Singapore from 5jan-23feb.. can be contacted at +659723...or +659639...
do email me tho? :)

love ^_^

Saturday, December 01, 2007