The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in Him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with His hand.
of the one who delights in Him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with His hand.
Psalm 37:23-24
This is another key verse for Summit 2, The Journey: Every Step is Praise.
Sometimes it's hard to read a verse like this when you're in the midst of a crisis situation and actually believe what it says. So many times when troubles come we feel abandoned by God. What does God expect from us in times when we feel like we're far from being upheld with God's hand? I think He expects raw honesty.
So often in the book of Psalms, we read David's honest words as in Psalm 69:1-3
So often in the book of Psalms, we read David's honest words as in Psalm 69:1-3
"Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God."
Or my personal favorite Psalm of desperation, Psalm 35:22-23
"You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!"
Think about what David's saying in this Psalm! He's accusing God of being asleep! The Message Bible states it this way:
"Don't you see what they're doing, God? You're not going to let them Get by with it, are you? Not going to walk off without doing something, are you? Please get up - wake up! Tend to my case. My God, my Lord - my life is on the line."
David is saying, "Wake UP God!!! Where are You when I need You the most? Don't You understand what's going on???"
David is known as a "man after God's own heart" and yet he's questioning God vehemently in these and lots of other passages in the book of Psalms. Here's the key- God's not offended by our questions, but He wants us to trust Him for the answers. When we're going through a rough time, God has not fallen asleep on the job, He still possesses His omniscient, omnipresent powers, and He knows what's going on. What's difficult for our finite minds to comprehend is that He works infinitely on our behalf. A crisis situation today may be the moment we look back on in the future and recall as a Spiritual turning point. The point is that WE DON'T KNOW what's going on completely. But God does.
So bring on Your questions. He's big enough to handle them. Keep trudging ahead on the path, even if it seems hopeless. God surely has something amazing for you as you climb upward toward His help and His glorious presence and intervention in your life.
Another Psalm to keep close to your heart when things are not going well is my all-time favorite: Psalm 121- A Song of Ascents. Songs (or Psalms) of Ascents are thought to be psalms that were sung by the people on the ascents (or going up) to Jerusalem to attend the three pilgrim festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16) or by the kohanim (priests) as they ascended the fifteen steps to minister at the Temple in Jerusalem. (Source: Easton's Bible Dictionary) Ascent...Summit...I think I see a connection here :)
I'm praying that as you read Psalm 121 the peace of God will invade your life. That you will truly believe that each step of Your journey towards His heart is worth the effort. And that even when the steps take you through painful places, you still choose to praise Him.
"Don't you see what they're doing, God? You're not going to let them Get by with it, are you? Not going to walk off without doing something, are you? Please get up - wake up! Tend to my case. My God, my Lord - my life is on the line."
David is saying, "Wake UP God!!! Where are You when I need You the most? Don't You understand what's going on???"
David is known as a "man after God's own heart" and yet he's questioning God vehemently in these and lots of other passages in the book of Psalms. Here's the key- God's not offended by our questions, but He wants us to trust Him for the answers. When we're going through a rough time, God has not fallen asleep on the job, He still possesses His omniscient, omnipresent powers, and He knows what's going on. What's difficult for our finite minds to comprehend is that He works infinitely on our behalf. A crisis situation today may be the moment we look back on in the future and recall as a Spiritual turning point. The point is that WE DON'T KNOW what's going on completely. But God does.
So bring on Your questions. He's big enough to handle them. Keep trudging ahead on the path, even if it seems hopeless. God surely has something amazing for you as you climb upward toward His help and His glorious presence and intervention in your life.
Another Psalm to keep close to your heart when things are not going well is my all-time favorite: Psalm 121- A Song of Ascents. Songs (or Psalms) of Ascents are thought to be psalms that were sung by the people on the ascents (or going up) to Jerusalem to attend the three pilgrim festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16) or by the kohanim (priests) as they ascended the fifteen steps to minister at the Temple in Jerusalem. (Source: Easton's Bible Dictionary) Ascent...Summit...I think I see a connection here :)
I'm praying that as you read Psalm 121 the peace of God will invade your life. That you will truly believe that each step of Your journey towards His heart is worth the effort. And that even when the steps take you through painful places, you still choose to praise Him.
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
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