From EDIFIED!, written in 2009
“Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.”
Psalm 119:24
I feel somewhat restless, disturbed, unsettled today; I am not sure why. But in the midst of this, the rock-solid, unshakable Truth is: Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy, Period!
Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, that you are unchanging, faithful, trustable, reliable, always good and always there. And when things are right with you, they are right, however I may feel. Whatever troubles we have will be dealt with in your time and power and can be released to you. You are enough; in you I am complete. Praise you that you are the King and I am your child.
Thank you for your promises, that you will always “preserve my life according to your word.” “…strengthen me according to your word.” “…be gracious to me through your law” (quotes here and below from Ps. 119:20-32).
Your Word is the clear measure of what you will do. Because you and your Word are good, I can trust you with all my heart, and I can appeal to you according to your Word: “I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame.” You will always come through just as you have promised.
“I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.” Your way is the only way for me. With your strength I can trust and obey.
“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” Free to follow, free to obey, free to say “no” to what is contrary to your Word, free to let go of what is temporal and hold on to what is eternal, free to rise above the everyday events of life, to live in the truth of your Sovereignty, of your goodness, of your protection.
As I am, at the moment, trying to buy a ticket to the conference I will attend in November, and keep getting rejected by the system, it is a certainty that you are doing something here, directing me away from what is not good, leading me towards something better.
Therefore, knowing this, instead of frustration, there arises a sense of excitement, of adventure as you beckon me to follow you on a trip whose destination is not yet clear. You are the One who will decide, and I can say, “Yes!” to following without knowing the outcome.
In the meantime, I praise your holy and trustable Name, I exalt your faithful and fruitful character, I magnify your powerful and protective being, I glorify your wise and wonderful heart.
Today is in your hand, therefore whatever comes will be good, whatever happens I can praise for, because you are only good, only great, only glorious, only gracious.
Epilogue: The Lord prevented me from buying my plane tickets from the first website, and led me in finding a better schedule and lower price on a different website. It is good to trust Him!
Prayer: “Lord, I praise you for what will come today. I trust you to bring what is good. Help me to rest in you when things don’t go my way, to remember that you, the Sovereign God, will work what is best for me, whether I can see it or not, understand it or not. To you be glory. Amen.”
