Right now we are having an extra adventure here in Germany. Yesterday we got to the Frankfurt airport, only to be turned away from boarding the plane to Turkey. There has been a change in the visa rules, although they do not apply to us because we already have our visas in hand, and in our passports. However the airline personnel did not understand that nuance and would not let us on.
We now have in hand the email of an official writing that says we are exempt and will attempt to get on a 7:45 am flight tomorrow morning. Please pray with us that this will work out ok and that we can get back in time for the Thanksgiving celebration in the evening in Ankara! If we don’t, then we will run out of all of Barbara’s meds, with no chance of getting more here! Pray also for Barbara as such jolts are hard for her while in her depression.
Whatever happens we will praise God, for He has it all in hand. I am waiting to see what He plans to do with this unexpected adventure. The following entry in EDIFIED is very appropriate for this situation.
“Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight.”
Psalm 119:143
I praise you this morning, Heavenly Father, for you are the Sovereign One, controlling all that goes on, all that comes to me. You hold back the tide of evil, allowing Satan only so much rope, and you use the fury of his attacks to advance your Kingdom.
Suffering is an unavoidable part of life in this sin-warped world; you are the One who allows what suffering comes to us, regulating it according to what we need to grow and give you glory, as well as what we can bear with your grace. In the suffering that comes, you have reasons, you have goals, you have growth, you have privileges for us. And we have the responsibility to flee to you, to turn to your Word, to take up and use your grace, to praise, to rest in you, to embrace what comes as opportunity to bring you glory.
I praise you:
• for your wisdom, which is far above our understanding;
• for your grace, which is more than enough;
• for your compassion, which provides all we need;
• for your love, which you pour out on us every moment.
I praise you this morning, Heavenly Father, for you are the Sovereign One, controlling all that goes on, all that comes to me. You hold back the tide of evil, allowing Satan only so much rope, and you use the fury of his attacks to advance your Kingdom.
“Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight.” I make your commands my delight, Lord, not being comfortable or having freedom from stress, and in the midst of difficulty your Word is sweeter still.
We so easily confuse comfort and convenience with good; but you so carefully teach us that weakness, hardships, insults, persecutions and difficulties are also things to delight in—when we have your perspective, think your thoughts and see with your eyes (2 Cor. 12:9,10).
Praise you that with your Word you work to give us the big picture, to help us understand what you are doing. You draw us up above the snares and rebellious thoughts of the world, the flesh and the devil.
Thank you for the shield of faith that we can raise with praise to ward off the fiery darts of self-pity, anger, frustration, impatience, self-centeredness and hurt as well as short-term thinking and feeling.
• Praise raises the barrier of protection.
• Praise heals the wounds.
• Praise opens our eyes.
• Praise produces perspective.
Praise brings freedom.
May Your commands be our delight no matter what we may experience.
Prayer: “Praise you for your great wisdom, love, grace and goodness. We bow before you in worship, we lift up your name, we exalt you in your perfection and we surrender our hearts to your love. We rise up now to obey you through the day as part of our worship. May you be glorified in our lives today. Amen.”
