Good morning. It is so wonderful to be back in the word here with Wendy and others. I jumped back in at the Lord’s direction a couple of days ago to find that we are in the Psalms-which is Wendy said are full of encouragement and a great place to go when we are hurting and need to know that someone understands a pain. This is exactly where I am in this season.
I loved today’s lesson and I too was drawn this morning to the repetition of two things. The joy verses and also how much praise and rejoicing was mentioned. Psalm 48:10 says “as your name deserves, O God, you will be praised to the ends of the earth“. He Is worthy of all my praise, all my adoration.
Amen. Welcome back Mary. Thank you for sharing!
I just joined back up again too Mary! I appreciate your last point about praising the Lord. I have felt God nudging me to focus on praising Him- I feel like when this is my focus, all the confusion or fear I may be feeling just drops away. I need to keep my heart centered in Him.
Glad you’re back!
Welcome back
I love the imagery in Psalm 84 – “For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.” As Wendy said, “our light and our life, our constant protector.” He is our everything! What reassurance! What joy!
Today I was also drawn to Psalm 87:5-6, where it reminds us that everyone is a citizen of Jerusalem – all nations, all people. Everyone can belong, regardless of your birthplace, your past, or your circumstances. Everyone has a place here. We are all part of God, part of his church family. I guess I had thought of this concept as New Testament teaching. But here it is in Psalm 87 – everyone belongs. Especially in today’s fractured world, it is important for us to remember that we are all “citizens of Jerusalem. “
Amen!
My Takeaways: Lots of Encouraging Words
Something Old: As I read verse 10 in the 84th chapter, “A single day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God then live the good life in the homes the wicked.” I thought how any type of job that God would have me do, would be just fine as long as I could be with God. I don’t care what my mansion in heaven looks like, I just want to be with Jesus. All the splendid living in the world away from God is not worth being away from God.
Something New: After reading 6 beautiful psalms today I got the feeling the psalmists were, in a way, describing the heavenly city. No praises in the 49th Psalm, only instructions on how to ascend to that holy hill. How to inherit the streets of gold. All my wealth can’t buy me a ticket. There is no way for me to earn a place there. I can’t even trade something for it. In the after life I leave everything behind. However, if I have surrendered my life to Christ, and realize that it is not a result of anything that I have acquired and nothing that I have done, but only through the blood of Jesus Christ that my sins have been forgiven then I will be the one to see the City of God. “But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave” (49:15). Only my eternal heritage matters in order for me to see the City of God, Mount Zion, the New Jerusalem. Because of Christ, I have an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade, kept in heaven for me. Praise the Lord that my best days are ahead of me, joining the throngs of other Christ followers in the City of God!
Something To Do: Invest in heaven where it really counts. Place all my faith and trust in God. Utilize all of my resources for His Kingdom. Remember only God can redeem a soul.
Good morning. It is so wonderful to be back in the word here with Wendy and others. I jumped back in at the Lord’s direction a couple of days ago to find that we are in the Psalms-which is Wendy said are full of encouragement and a great place to go when we are hurting and need to know that someone understands a pain. This is exactly where I am in this season.
I loved today’s lesson and I too was drawn this morning to the repetition of two things. The joy verses and also how much praise and rejoicing was mentioned. Psalm 48:10 says “as your name deserves, O God, you will be praised to the ends of the earth“. He Is worthy of all my praise, all my adoration.
Amen. Welcome back Mary. Thank you for sharing!
I just joined back up again too Mary! I appreciate your last point about praising the Lord. I have felt God nudging me to focus on praising Him- I feel like when this is my focus, all the confusion or fear I may be feeling just drops away. I need to keep my heart centered in Him.
Glad you’re back!
Welcome back
I love the imagery in Psalm 84 – “For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.” As Wendy said, “our light and our life, our constant protector.” He is our everything! What reassurance! What joy!
Today I was also drawn to Psalm 87:5-6, where it reminds us that everyone is a citizen of Jerusalem – all nations, all people. Everyone can belong, regardless of your birthplace, your past, or your circumstances. Everyone has a place here. We are all part of God, part of his church family. I guess I had thought of this concept as New Testament teaching. But here it is in Psalm 87 – everyone belongs. Especially in today’s fractured world, it is important for us to remember that we are all “citizens of Jerusalem. “
Amen!
My Takeaways: Lots of Encouraging Words
Something Old: As I read verse 10 in the 84th chapter, “A single day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God then live the good life in the homes the wicked.” I thought how any type of job that God would have me do, would be just fine as long as I could be with God. I don’t care what my mansion in heaven looks like, I just want to be with Jesus. All the splendid living in the world away from God is not worth being away from God.
Something New: After reading 6 beautiful psalms today I got the feeling the psalmists were, in a way, describing the heavenly city. No praises in the 49th Psalm, only instructions on how to ascend to that holy hill. How to inherit the streets of gold. All my wealth can’t buy me a ticket. There is no way for me to earn a place there. I can’t even trade something for it. In the after life I leave everything behind. However, if I have surrendered my life to Christ, and realize that it is not a result of anything that I have acquired and nothing that I have done, but only through the blood of Jesus Christ that my sins have been forgiven then I will be the one to see the City of God. “But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave” (49:15). Only my eternal heritage matters in order for me to see the City of God, Mount Zion, the New Jerusalem. Because of Christ, I have an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade, kept in heaven for me. Praise the Lord that my best days are ahead of me, joining the throngs of other Christ followers in the City of God!
Something To Do: Invest in heaven where it really counts. Place all my faith and trust in God. Utilize all of my resources for His Kingdom. Remember only God can redeem a soul.