Verse of the Day 2/16

Verse of the Day 2/16

Psalm 52:8-9  But I am like a flourishing olive tree

in the house of God;
I trust in God's faithful love forever and ever.
⁹ I will praise You forever for what You have done.
In the presence of Your faithful people,
I will put my hope in Your name, for it is good.    Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

I had read today's verses this past weekend and they have stayed on my mind and were brought to mind again from experiences of the past few days.  The picture of the flourishing "green"  (ESV) olive tree in the temple is one of a vibrant tree.  In season the olive oil will flow and it is this olive oil that is used to light the lamps in the temple.  It is as if the tree were rejoicing in God's use of the fruit of the tree.

The Message below, states "And I'll stay right here,  your good name my hope"..  Yesterday I shared my son's Jeff's statement that "hope is my favorite thing to have".  Church is one of his favorite places and he is not shy about sounding off praise and rejoicing in his Savior.  His disabilities do not get in the way.  He is content, at peace, joyful and  hopeful when he is in the Lord's house and it rubs off.

My wife Jean received a note the other day from a friend who had attended a study at church the night before about "heart matters".   Her day had not gone well and she  had been frustrated.  She arrived late to the study and ended up sitting at the back of the room at a makeshift table which "made her bad mood worse". She wrote,"  .. That was until I glanced over and saw that the next table over was your son Jeff! Anytime the name Jesus was mentioned he would shout with excitement, anytime anything was said that would excite him he let it be known. I could not help but smile,and smile BIG!! Your son brought me joy that night, he put my bad mood at ease.. right there I thought Gosh I wanna be just like Jeff!!! I want to shout with praise when Jesus is mentioned, I want people to hear me get excited about the message being preached. I left feeling ashamed of myself for letting my bad mood get a hold of me all day. But I also left in amazement.. I was running late and was not sitting somewhere i would have chosen to, But God knew what he was doing, He had planned on me sitting at the table next to Jeff, He wanted me to hear and feel what its like to be excited about Jesus."

Jeff was and is that "flourishing", "green olive" tree in the house of God.  He trusts in "God's faithful love" and will forever and ever.  He will praise God for who He is and what He's done, and puts his hope in what He will do.  Jeff can do this because he has "learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am."

Philippians 4:11Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

That should be our goal too, to find contentment, to put aside the things of the day and week,  look beyond our circumstances, to be that green olive tree producing fruit which will light up God's temple.

Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Keep me burning till the break of day

Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the Servant King
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna, let us sing

Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising
Give me joy in my heart, I pray
Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising
Keep me praising till the break of day

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Psalm 52:8-9The Message (MSG)

⁸ And I'm an olive tree,
    growing green in God's house.
I trusted in the generous mercy
    of God then and now.

⁹ I thank you always
    that you went into action.
And I'll stay right here,
    your good name my hope,
    in company with your faithful friends.