ritasalomon

Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory! Psalm 50:15

But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path I will reveal to you the salvation of God. Psalm 50:23
One of God’s generous attributes is His willingness to listen to our every need. He doesn’t tire of listening and He is there to help us resolve our troubles. And, what’s more He tells us that he will “rescue” us and that way we can give Him glory! He deserves the glory and when we share with others what He does for us we actually profess our faith and trust in Him. 

This act alone encourages others and blesses others as well. I have found that when I share what the Lord has done for me; I encourage myself as well. It brings assurance to my heart that as long as I trust and share it with Him; ultimately all will be well. It’s like preparation for the next phase of my life.

God sees our thanksgiving as an offering that honors and esteems Him! God definitely loves us and enjoys our relationship with Him. His promises are true and He doesn’t hold them back. He desires our life to reflect Him.

He will direct our path and as we follow it, we will not forget the redemption he has offered us forever.

If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways, the Lord will establish you as his holy people as he said he would do. Then people of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the Lord, and they will stand in awe of you. Deuteronomy 28:9

The above was initially promised to the Israelites and as time progressed the promise was eventually extended to us. For that, I am grateful! Grateful, that I can call my God, “Abba Father”. 

He promised “wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed.” The scriptures also note that God’s commands are fair and just. In retrospect, it is somewhat wearisome to understand how the Israelites had such a difficult time adhering to God’s instructions. I suppose it’s just the human factor of distraction. What was true then is true today.

It is simple to get distracted by all that surrounds us today. The world offers such “short term gains” in lieu of long term life investment. The lures of today’s marketing is an amazing draw from children to adolescents to adults.  

As Christians we must be totally aware of this and remove ourselves from situations that can create major disruption to our Christian walk. The temporal satisfaction the world offers us is truly short lived. Dissatisfaction and boredom creep into our being and we become lost.

God’s faithfulness and unfailing love is “better than life itself.” The Psalmist wrote, “I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast, I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings, I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” Psalm 65:3-7

When I think of all He has done for me, I cannot thank Him enough. His mercies are new every morning. I am secure in His love. What more could I possibly want? Thank you, Father God!
 

You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. Psalm 18:28Life is challenging but it is also a gift. 

As a young person I chose to live for God. It was a choice I made because I know God is real and loves me.

Now that I am older and hopefully wiser I realize that along with what we make of life; it has turning points of darkness.

Some of these points were result of choices I made and others from choices of others within my circle of life. 

These points of darkness, however, were actually inflection points of my life. They forced me to see the real me and thrust me into decision mode and pressed me over and over; challenging my strength.

And, it wasn’t until I would cry out to God, “I yield to you, I surrender, teach me, I’m ready to accept what you want me to learn and remove from my heart!” that I would “see” the lamp that He lit for me!

“Seeing” the light is my saving grace and continues to be. Steadily and unhurriedly, I regain my momentum and “in His strength I can scale any wall!”

God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises are true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? God arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.” Psalm 18:30-32

How can I not but live for God? I cannot do it without His lamp guiding me at all times to light up the darkness that comes my way!

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. Psalm 19:1-4
Isn’t God amazing? He designed this earth and all that surrounds it so that every living creature could benefit from its display. I remember the first time I literally saw the Grand Canyon from the North Rim. It was striking; such that I can still vividly see it when I close my eyes and focus on it. 

I can smell the pines and feel the cool breezes and hear the birds and the voices of people and their audible reaction when they would look over to the canyon below.

I can see the colors; their vitality and force. The shades changing as the sun literally struck the canyon. It was picturesque and richness at its best! Finally, I remember the reflexes of my being and my thoughts! I asked, “how can anyone see this without thinking of the glory and grandeur of God?”

In its Splendor this creative force of God, spoke to me without words. It did not say anything audibly to me, but it did speak with such influence of the greatness and awesomeness of God!

How great is our God? It cannot be measured by far. God is and we see Him everyday through his creativity that envelops us.

God speaks through this grandeur; the skies, the stars, the heavens, the mountains, his innumerable creation speaks and tells us that God was, God is and God will be…there for us!

Thank you, Father God!

It is the Lord who created the stars, the Pleiades and Orion. He turns darkness into morning and day into night. He draws up water from the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land. Amos 5:8
For the Lord is the one who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals his thoughts to mankind. He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth. Amos 5:13

Why? What? When? Where? These are questions that surface often in my life. I have found that many times I don’t and won’t know the answer, sometimes I do know it and most times I wait for the answer.

It is when I look at the stars and see the rising sun and sense the force of the ocean waves and touch the raindrops from overhead that I pause to sense the power of God who governs it all. It is then I am in awe with a keen intuitive of how profoundly reverent God truly is. And, I am crushed to pieces to know that He loves me so. 

I think in my heart, perhaps this is how he reveals his thoughts to me. There is no humanly way possible that I will deeply understand the love of God for me. But, in humility, and with profound gratitude, I accept it and will wait for Him to call me home. In the interim, I will love Him, trust Him, serve Him and be all that I can to others as He would have me do. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

I have loved you my people , with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself…I will lead you home with great care. You will walk beside quiet streams and on smooth paths where you will not stumble. For I have given rest tothe weary and joy to the sorrowing. Jeremiah31:3,9,25

I believe that God literally “feels” our pain and weariness. He understands each one of us through our uniqueness as an individual. The thought that God knows the number of hairs on my head is amazing. Does He really care that much? Of course, He does.

Over and over in the history of the Jewish Nation, His chosen, God has demonstrated his disappointment at their disobedience and their total ignorance of who He is and what He promises. And, yet, He also acknowledged His love for them and willingness to forgive. 

The scriptures record the abundant times He asked them to obey and to repent of their sin and their idolatry.

His new covenant with the people of Israel noted, “I will put my instruction deepwithin them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Jeremiah 31:33

And, in just the same way God loved them, He loves us. What an amazing thought to know that His love is unfailing and everlasting. I am humbled just to think that He loves me so; unworthy as I am. I’m still willing to live for Him regardless

of what comes my way, whether I understand it or not.

This is what the Lord says, Just as the heavens cannot be measured and the foundations of the earth cannot be explored, so I will not consider casting them away for the evil they have done. I, the Lord have spoken! Jeremiah 31:37

I cannot do enough to repay Him for what He continues to do for me. All that I can offer Him, is my life and service to others, in His powerful name! Blessed Be the Name of the Lord!

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. Psalm 9:20
One of my old time favorite games as a child was that of playing “Hide and Seek.” As I grew older we used to play it at night where it was harder to search for the “hiders.” I even remember a time as a high schooler we played with friends and we liked hiding in one place in particular; the vineyard. There was so much space and many vines to hide behind.

It was simple bliss and we would laugh when we would find who we were looking for. It wasn’t costly, we didn’t have to wait in line to play and enjoy and we didn’t have to go far to play.

The “seeker’s” goal was to search and find the “hiders” and as quickly as possible. I remember especially when searching at night to listen and to listen carefully for any movement or noise. And, once I spotted the target I would pounce and yell out “found you!”

Sometimes we couldn’t find one or two that had hidden and hidden well. Their goal was not to be found. So for sake of time and effort we would abandon the search. The search was the challenge of the entire game and the victory was in finding the quarry!

In reflection, the game of life is somewhat hide and seek. The test is seeking and finding. However, for those who know the Name of the Lord and trust Him; we want to be found and not abandoned. And, we do not relinquish the search. Our goal is to search for more of God in our lives.

…when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you, says the Lord. Jeremiah 29:12-13

“How does he know where he’s going, if he’s going the wrong way?” asked my granddaughter. “What do you mean?” I ask her. We were at the school bus stop and a huge tractor was working on the dirt roads, smoothing and clearing them.The size of this heavy equipment tractor was quite large and as I studied it, I understood where my granddaughter saw it as going the wrong way, just by the way it was built.

I noted to her that the operator was going the right way even though it seemed like he wasn’t. I pointed out the difference between the front and back, although they looked quite the same.

“It’s funny nana, he looks like he’s going the wrong way but he’s really going the right way!” she noted after seeing it for what it was.

I took the opportunity to explain that life is like that; people, relationships, places, etc. I shared that we have to be careful when we choose such because sometimes it looks “right” but it’s not.

The focus was on the word, choose. Joshua told the people; “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly…serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

The choice is ours; which way to go- the right way or the wrong way?

My granddaughter is usually very exuberant and even easy going in personality. But, one day as she got in from school, I noted she was unusually quiet. I didn’t say anything immediately. 
Later, after dinner and homework, I asked her how her day at school had been.
“It was okay, I guess.” And, I knew she was upset about something. “Are you being truthful? Or you just don’t want to share?” And, then the tears came. I waited and let her cry and told her I was here to help if I could.
She says, “Nana, I was insulted today!” I thought, “insulted, where did she ever think of that word?” But, I replied, ” what do you mean insulted?” She looks at me and says, ” I got really upset because I got made fun of.” And she continues, and it’s because of you!” “Because of me?”, I asked. 
“Yes, because you do things for us and the kids were saying I’m a big baby because you do!” At this point my mind wanders to what I possibly do that would cause her such hurt.
She continues, ” they say I should make and pack my own lunches and not have you write me little notes and help me with my hair and go over my clothes and check to see that I have breakfast and not help me with my homework when I’m stuck on something. And, they say I’m really a big baby because you pray with us at night before we sleep and tuck us in.”

“So what did you do?” I asked. “Nothing, Nana, I didn’t say or do anything to them, I just kept quiet. Just like you tell us, ‘choose your battles cause not all of them are ours or worth the energy or you know Nana, you tell us some aren’t worth our spit!'”
At this point, I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t and then I thanked the Lord! I just told her, “you did the right thing!” “I know, I know,” she responded, “but it still hurts.”
“Okay,” I told her, ” let me read something to you from the source of our strength.” “What’s that,” she asked. I read the following to her:

God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you…and say all sorts of bad things against you because you are His follower. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great prize waits for you in heaven…Matthew 5:11-12
“Really?” She asked. “Yes, really!” 

She seemed satisfied with that as she skipped out to play.
Acceptance by simple childlike faith…oh how I need more of that!

Later, after dinner and homework, I asked her how her day at school had been.

“It was okay, I guess.” And, I knew she was upset about something. “Are you being truthful? Or you just don’t want to share?” And, then the tears came. I waited and let her cry and told her I was here to help if I could.

She says, “Nana, I was insulted today!” I thought, “insulted, where did she ever think of that word?” But, I replied, ” what do you mean insulted?” She looks at me and says, ” I got really upset because I got made fun of.” And she continues, and it’s because of you!” “Because of me?”, I asked.

“Yes, because you do things for us and the kids were saying I’m a big baby because you do!” At this point my mind wanders to what I possibly do that would cause her such hurt.

She continues, ” they say I should make and pack my own lunches and not have
you write me little notes and help me with my hair and go over my clothes and check to see that I have breakfast and not help me with my homework when I’m stuck on something. And, they say I’m really a big baby because you pray with us at night before we sleep and tuck us in.”

“So what did you do?” I asked. “Nothing, Nana, I didn’t say or do anything to them, I just kept quiet. Just like you tell us, ‘choose your battles cause not all of them are ours or worth the energy or you know Nana, you tell us some aren’t worth our spit!'”

At this point, I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t and then I thanked the Lord! I just told her, “you did the right thing!” “I know, I know,” she responded, “but it still hurts.”

“Okay,” I told her, ” let me read something to you from the source of our strength.” “What’s that,” she asked. I read the following to her:
God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you…and say all sorts of bad things against you because you are His follower. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great prize waits for you in heaven…Matthew 5:11-12

“Really?” She asked. “Yes, really!”
She seemed satisfied with that as she skipped out to play.

Acceptance by simple childlike faith…oh how I need more of that!