An excerpt from Edified! written in 2011 while we were living in Germany
“I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:1,2
What a challenge this weather is here in Germany: cold, cloudy and continual rain for weeks—although the calendar says it August, it’s more like November! It would be easy to complain and gripe, as most here do, but when we have Sonshine inside, it is not so important to have sunshine outside.
The more we are tied to Jesus, the more healthily independent we are of the weather, of circumstances, of our surroundings—for we then live in the unseen, which is higher, more real and more powerful than what we can see and touch.
Praise you, Lord Jesus, for your reality, for your strong true presence in our lives. Praise you that we have the assurance of your protection, your purpose, your power at work before us, in us, around us, over us, through us.
You are the Rock in our lives, never shifting, never changing, never shaking. You are our Salvation: from sin, from ourselves, from harm, from evil, from fears, from frivolity, from negatives, from human thinking, from complaining, from idol worship, from laziness, overwork, burn out, selfishness, pride, manipulation and greed–to name a few.
You are the mighty Tower: strong and sure, standing high over the dangers and demons of this world. You are our ever-effective Refuge and Redeemer. As our high Tower, it is as if you lift us up, set us on your shoulder, make us safe, give us a wider view, bring us understanding, hold us near your heart, and give us wisdom and advice.
When we look to you and truly see you in your beauty and glory, your greatness and goodness, we are dizzy with delight, for you are beyond what we could possibly have thought up in our limited imaginations.
We tend to think of you in human terms, which are far below what you really are. Where we imagined tinsel, you are like titanium; where we imagined plastic you are like the pure power of steel; where we imagined smallness you are immense; where we imagined earning righteousness, you give grace; where we imagined ourselves somewhat good, only you are perfectly pure; where we imagined you like us, you are completely other: holy, sinless, entirely good, perfectly balanced, immensely powerful, totally independent, full of contra-conditional love, ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all who call upon you. You are a wonder, you are wonderful, you are fully worthy of our worship.
Prayer: “Glory be to you, Lord Jesus, my God and King, for you are worthy of all my wonder and worship! Help me to follow you into the freedom you have prepared for your children. Amen.”
