Another young widow shared this poem with me today.
I needed to read it today too. Praying it encourages all of you.
PRESSED
Pressed beyond measure; yes, pressed to great length;
Pressed so intensely; beyond my own strength;
Pressed in my body and pressed in my soul,
Pressed in my mind till the dark surges roll.
Pressure from foes and pressure from dear friends.
Pressure upon pressure, till life nearly ends.
Pressed into knowing no helper but God;
Pressed into loving His staff and His rod.
Pressed into liberty where nothing clings;
Pressed into faith for impossible things.
Pressed into living a life for the Lord,
Pressed into living a Christ-life outpoured.
~A.B. Simpson
August 25, 2011
August 19, 2011
Hardness vs. Tenderness
Pain can make a person get hard out of self-protection. It is a temptation for any human on this earth, especially those grieving. Tenderness is the opposite. A wise widow shared these verse from God's word about tenderness:
James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Ps 25:6
Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
Ps 40:11
Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
Ps 51:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Ps 69:16
Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
Ps 77:9
Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
Ps 79:8
O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
Ps 103:4
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Ps 119:77
Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
Ps 119:156
Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.
Ps 145:9
The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
Ps 25:6
Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
Ps 40:11
Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
Ps 51:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Ps 69:16
Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
Ps 77:9
Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
Ps 79:8
O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
Ps 103:4
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Ps 119:77
Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
Ps 119:156
Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.
Ps 145:9
The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
August 06, 2011
Love Me Loudly
Just the other night as I was feeling weary, discouraged, and grieving I simply prayed, "Lord, rebuke me gently and love me loudly."
Moments later as I flip to where I have been reading through my Bible I read these words: The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3
a little bit later I read this.......for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13b
And this in Jeremiah 31:16a Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD....
Then this in Jeremiah 31:17a And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD....
Squeezed in was the gently rebuke Jeremiah 31:22a How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter?....
More words of love Jeremiah 31:25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.
Jeremiah 31:26 Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.
Sleep, exactly what I was avoiding that night......I laughed as I delighted in how the Lord answers prayers and tonight I read this:
Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
Moments later as I flip to where I have been reading through my Bible I read these words: The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3
a little bit later I read this.......for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13b
And this in Jeremiah 31:16a Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD....
Then this in Jeremiah 31:17a And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD....
Squeezed in was the gently rebuke Jeremiah 31:22a How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter?....
More words of love Jeremiah 31:25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.
Jeremiah 31:26 Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.
Sleep, exactly what I was avoiding that night......I laughed as I delighted in how the Lord answers prayers and tonight I read this:
Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
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