Verse of the Day 8/30

 

Psalm 116:1-2   I love the Lord because he hears my voice
    and my prayer for mercy.
² Because he bends down to listen,
    I will pray as long as I have breath!   New Living Translation (NLT)

 

My wife Jean  and I recently attended a wedding.  The setting was beautiful, the bridal party was beautiful as well and  all things looked  like a wedding should be.  Then came the ceremony.  It was officiated by someone  who had received a one day certificate.  There was no mention  of  God, no scripture and we were totally surprised when there was no exchange of vows; simply an exchange of rings after which time the bride and groom  were pronounced man and wife.

 

As I read today's verses they made me think, and realize that God was there, but there was no call for His voice, no vow to each other let  alone to God, no prayer for His blessing  let alone a prayer for His  mercies day by day throughout  the rest of their lives. 

 

The psalmist realized that  God  was there, bending  down to  listen to His prayers.  He recalls  how  God  had heard his  prayers  in the past and  had been  merciful , had  blessed him and  in  return  he vowed to pray,  to  communicate with  God "as long as he had breath".

 

We need God's "help", His  guidance and direction all  the days of our lives.  At some point in  our lives we will face trials when we will be "at the  end  of our  rope" (The  Message), where we'll especially need Him, but  if we have ignored Him will we even call on Him then?

 

How much better  is it to  go  through life  knowing  that He  is there, acknowledging it by communicating with  Him  through His  Word  and  prayer and during those times when we feel we're at the end of  our  rope that He will still "bend  down to listen" and show us mercy.

 

God, our Father, once again I bow my head to pray
You are my Father and my Friend, and You hear every word I say
A prayer for forgiveness, a desperate cry for help
Or praise flowing from a thankful heart
Like each time before, I come knowing You're still listening

I will never understand how the words of mortal man
Can reach the ears of One so pure
And touch His heart, but they do I'm sure
For God is great, and God is good and He is love  (Steven Curtis Chapman – Still  Listening)

 

Blessings,

 

Mike

 

Psalm 116:1-6The Message (MSG)

116 ^1-6 I love God because he listened to me,
    listened as I begged for mercy.
He listened so intently
    as I laid out my case before him.
Death stared me in the face,
    hell was hard on my heels.
Up against it, I didn't know which way to turn;
    then I called out to God for help:
"Please, God!" I cried out.
    "Save my life!"
God is gracious—it is he who makes things right,
    our most compassionate God.
God takes the side of the helpless;
    when I was at the end of my rope, he saved me.

 

 

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