Weekend Words

From Our Daily Bread Classic Gems...

Looking for Comfort 

 Read: Psalm 27

"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." - Psalm 27:13

I often quote Psalm 27 to encourage people who are going through a difficult time.  The psalmist was living in very unpleasant circumstances, yet he expected to "see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living" (v.13).  But I now have many friends who are ill or bedridden, with no prospect of getting better.  How can they find comfort in these words?

We could emphasize the truth that our ultimate hope resides not in this present life, but in the world now unseen, our future home in heaven (2 Corinthians 4:18; 5:1-8).  That is true, but here it seems that the psalmist was speaking of an expectation in this present world, "in the land of the living," rather than the next world.  

So let's look more closely at the psalmist's hope.  His expectation was not necessarily deliverance from bad circumstances, but the hope of seeing "the goodness of the LORD."

When my friend Maurice was in hospital after a stroke from which he may never totally recover, he told me: "While flat on my back, I have been thinking about God.  I sense His goodness and greatness as never before."

No matter what your situation, you can find evidence of God's goodness - so keep looking for it with hope.

- Herbert Vander Lugt

Reflect and Pray

As endless as God's blessings are,

So should my praises be

For all His daily goodnesses

that flow unceasingly! - Adams

From Be Still and Know...

"When my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I" (Psalm 61:2).

This Psalm was the cry of David's heart when he was fleeing from his son who was trying to usurp his throne.

His heart heavy with sorrow, he cried to the One who could meet his need.  "Hear my cry. O God" (Psalm 61:1).  Immediately he had an audience with the King of Kings.  He continued, "Attend unto my prayer."

When he was almost overwhelmed, with the waves of trouble rolling over him, he said, "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I" (v.2).

This is the cry from many hearts today.  As the storms of life sweep over us we cry, "Lord hear me: Lord, lead me to the Great Rock of Safety, Jesus Christ Himself."

I recall a day when my life was overwhelmed in the midst of a storm.  I felt myself almost sinking under the fury of it.  I received a card from a friend that day.  She related how she had felt constrained to send me a verse of Scripture.  It arrived on the day I desperately needed it and it was this verse in the Psalms.  God's timing was so perfect.  He used it that day to remind me that He was with me in my storm and that He was allowing it to teach me some new lessons I needed to learn.

He gave me the assurance that He was lifting me above my circumstances to a place of safety and strength in Himself.

When troubles come, we can cry, "Lord, hear me!  Lord, lead me."  Our storms can become a time of victory as we let Him lift us up to the Rock that is above our storms, our Rock of Safety, Christ Jesus.

Is your heart overwhelmed today?  Let Him lift you up to your place of security in that Rock, Christ Jesus.