ABC's of the Word

I'm joining Pam at Grey Like Snuffie for ABC's of the Word. Be sure and visit Pam and all the participants of this weekly exploration of the Word of God through use of the alphabet.

This week we're concentrating on the letter:

O

I've chosen verses from Isaiah:

O LORD, You are my God;
I will exalt You and praise Your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
You have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.

You have made the city a heap of rubble,
the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners' stronghold a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.

Therefore strong people will honor You;
cities of ruthless nations will revere You.

You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat.

For the breath of the ruthless
is like a storm
driving against a wall
and like the heat of the desert.

You silence the uproar of foreigners;
as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is stilled.

On this mountain the LORD Almighty
will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine--
the best of meats and the finest of wines.

On this mountain He will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
He will swallow up death forever.

The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
He will remove the disgrace of His people
from all the earth.

The LORD has spoken.

In that day they will say,

"Surely this is our God;
we trusted in Him,
and He saved us.

This is the LORD,
we trusted in Him;
let us rejoice
and be glad
in
His
salvation."

Isaiah 25: 1-9 (NIV)

I have been through some "times" lately--"times" of discord, "times" of wondering what direction I'm headed in, "times" of a lot of change that I don't understand.

But, through it all I know that THIS is my GOD--surely I trust in Him and HIS wondrous plans for me and those surrounding me.

Who should I trust but the LORD--the ONE who holds the entire universe in His control--the plans laid out long ago--for His good and useful purposes?

This is MY God, OUR God--the ONE who sustains us through it all--and I will exalt and praise His Holy Name--

FOR THIS IS OUR GOD

Beth

ABC's of The Word

I'm joining Pam at Grey Like Snuffie for ABC's of the Word. This week we're doing the letter:

Make sure to stop by and visit Pam and all the participants for this fun way to explore the Bible using the alphabet.

The verses I have chosen for today are:

O LORD, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit down and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You know it completely, O LORD.....Psalm 139:1-4

I carry these verses with me--in my heart, in my mind--throughout my day. Sometimes my own feelings are telling me that God is distant and far from me. I may feel frustrated, a little lost and alone.

But, these verses tell me otherwise. God knows me. He is always with me--even when I am lying down and asleep. He knows my heart, my very thoughts even before I think them--my words before I speak them. He is always with me--right there by my side.

He is near. All I need to do is look around me at His creation--He is there. I pray and feel comforted--He is there. I hear a small child's laughter--He is there. I cry--He is there.

I am His daughter, His child. I am uniquely made and created by HIM, for HIM.

These verses are not about me, but about God's wonderful ability to know each of us--inside and out--and love us--a lot of the time in spite of ourselves.

Beth

Miles, Miles?! Where Are You?

Most of you know my kitty Miles--the "he" that was actually a "she"?

Since we have moved, Miles and my other kitty, Scout, have discovered that they love lying outside on the deck, especially when it is sunny.

I, too, am enjoying the deck--taking my morning coffee outside with me and sitting there listening and watching the world wake up.

A few days ago, I went outside with my coffee to enjoy the start of my day. The two cats followed along. I thought nothing of this since it was getting to be their usual behavior.

Scout is a very large cat weighing about 20 pounds. Miles is rather small even though she is full grown.

I'm sitting there--drinking my coffee, listening to the birds. I look around, and Miles is gone!!

She had squeezed herself through the fence posts and into the woods!! It was still dark outside, and I came inside to get a flashlight. The trees are very thick now and there is a great deal of underbrush.

I could hear her walking around, rustling through the leaves. I started to follow the noise of her walking, calling her. The further I followed her, the further away she went from me.

So, I decided to come back up to the driveway and sit and wait. I sat on the step to the shed, calling her softly, "C'mere Miles! C'mon! You need to come back! You're going to get lost in there! You need to come home!"

I waited and waited, and I could hear her walking closer and closer to me. I continued to call her--urging her to come back--to come back home where she would be safe from the road--safe from being lost.

And suddenly, her head popped out between the fence posts, and I brought her back inside.

As I was sitting there calling her, it brought to my mind how patiently God waits for us--calling to us--"Come home where you'll be safe", "Come to Me where you will no longer be lost", "Come to Me, come to Me, come to Me."

Sometimes it takes some of us a little longer than others, so we must be patient and encouraging, just as I was with Miles. But, God is calling--

"COME TO ME AND I WILL KEEP YOU SAFE AND FREE FROM HARM"

Needless to say, this kitty is NOT allowed on the deck without direct supervision--walking the straight and narrow, she is! Just as God is directing our lives, I'm directing Miles' life.

Please be sure to stop by The Power of Your Love for the Weekly Memory Verse, and while you're there make sure to read Super Sunday. I've been away from blogging for a period of time, and this somewhat explains the situation.

Beth

Join Me

Please join me at "The Power of Your Love" for Super Sunday.

Beth