Psalm 139
Sunday morning I woke up with the word, "LOVE" on my mind. I know people who believe that God hates them. I know people who have not experienced the love of God. My heart was sad Sunday morning.
I decided to go to church and the first words spoken were from Psalm 139. I'm not sure what translation was used, but it started to cut to the core of my heart. Tears flowed. Here it is in the Passion Translation which brings such depth to the words:
Lord, you know everything there is to know about me.
You perceive every movement of my heart and soul,
and you understand my every thought before it even enters my mind.
You are so intimately aware of me, Lord.
You read my heart like an open book
and you know all the words I’m about to speak
before I even start a sentence!
You know every step I will take before my journey even begins.
You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way,
and in kindness you follow behind me
to spare me from the harm of my past.
You have laid your hand on me!
This is just too wonderful, deep, and incomprehensible!
Your understanding of me brings me wonder and strength.
Where could I go from your Spirit?
Where could I run and hide from your face?
If I go up to heaven, you’re there!
If I go down to the realm of the dead, you’re there too!
If I fly with wings into the shining dawn, you’re there!
If I fly into the radiant sunset, you’re there waiting!
Wherever I go, your hand will guide me;
your strength will empower me.
It’s impossible to disappear from you
or to ask the darkness to hide me,
for your presence is everywhere, bringing light into my night.
There is no such thing as darkness with you.
The night, to you, is as bright as the day;
there’s no difference between the two.
You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside
and my intricate outside,
and wove them all together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex!
Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking.
It simply amazes me to think about it!
How thoroughly you know me, Lord!
You even formed every bone in my body
when you created me in the secret place;
carefully, skillfully you shaped me from nothing to something.
You saw who you created me to be before I became me!
Before I’d ever seen the light of day,
the number of days you planned for me
were already recorded in your book.
Every single moment you are thinking of me!
How precious and wonderful to consider
that you cherish me constantly in your every thought!
O God, your desires toward me are more
than the grains of sand on every shore!
When I awake each morning, you’re still with me.
O God, come and slay these bloodthirsty, murderous men!
For I cry out, “Depart from me, you wicked ones!”
See how they blaspheme your sacred name
and lift up themselves against you, but all in vain!
Lord, can’t you see how I despise those who despise you?
For I grieve when I see them rise up against you.
I have nothing but complete hatred and disgust for them.
Your enemies shall be my enemies!
God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart.
Examine me through and through;
find out everything that may be hidden within me.
Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares.
See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on,
and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting way—
the path that brings me back to you.
The songs we sang were - you guessed it - about love. Reckless Love and Jireh.
Friends, I will tell you today, there are people around you who still do not know about God's love. They haven't been told about it. They haven't experienced it. These people are probably not "lovable" like you would prefer. How will you respond?
Do you KNOW enough about God's love to share it with others? I will be the first to admit that I am still learning about it more every day. And I sometimes, unfortunately, want to put a box around it and limit it. Or, I choose to question it. I'm thankful for the words above to remind me that HE knows me and CARES for me. I can only pray that as I learn I will share more of it with others.
Here is a link to Jireh. May it be a blessing to you today.
Love and blessings,
Rose
Women Empowerment based on Torah and the Bible
