Hope, Confidence, Splendor

 

Psalm 71: 5-8; 5) “For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. 6) From birth I relied on you; you brought me from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. 7) I have become like a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. 8) My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.”

          How many believers can look and say, “Boy God was watching over me when I did that or when I did this.” And at those times we may not have been walking with God, like we should have. But Christ was there, walking with us. Watching over us. So now as followers of Jesus, we see that. And we lift up our praises to Him for guiding us through those times, and for guiding us now. Our trust in Him, to watch over us and walk with us during our trials, re-enforces on our hearts the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness He has for us. “Blessed are those whose help is in the Lord their God.” Psalm 146:5 (NIV). “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3 (NIV).

          As we mature in our faith and trust in Jesus, we do lift our praises to Him. Our being is dependent on Christ. As we study His word, we become more aware of Him, and how He has brought us to this time in our lives. We praise Christ for having His hand on us, guiding and directing our steps in order to accomplish His will. We now may begin to see how God has guarded us, shielded us, in order for Him to break the chains of sin that has us captive. His plan for our lives trumped the evil, Satan wanted from us. So now we look to the change of life Christ called us to, and our hearts leap with praise and worship to Him. “For He guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.” Proverbs 2:8 (NIV). “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.” Psalm 104:33 (AB).

          So we continue to be obedient and follow Jesus. Our daily devotions, bible reading and prayer, work to strengthen our hearts. We call on the Holy Spirit to help guide our daily walk, knowing that it will call on God to assist us with words that will draw others to Him. Through the power of His word, in our hearts, we develop an overwhelming desire to spread His name. To declare to others what Christ has done for us. How our lives have been refined through the fire of hardship, pain, sorrow or prison. How Jesus took and washed us in His blood in order to take away our sins. Oh, our earthly sinful nature still exists, but the blood Jesus shed on the cross, changed us. We are spotless to Him, whole, with not a blemish. So by sharing that with others, we lift up Jesus to them. We praise our Creator in front of those we share with. Our stories need to plant the seeds of salvation in others. We may not water.  We may not reap. But we will plant. We will show others the Christ that leads us, when we share and praise Jesus, “Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people and praise Him in the company of the elders.” Psalm 107:32 (AB).