Refresh
yourself in His Word 2-5-18
Not
much feels better to me after a long
couple of weeks of working at Vacation Bible
camps than floating in a fresh water lake.
Even the mist of Burney Falls has its limit of refreshing; as there is
always the trek back up to the car. With a lake you can fully submerse yourself
then just float in its calming freshness.
When my kids were younger we would help at a kids’ camp that spend days
at a lake in Northern California that was one of the most relaxing places yet
full of fun and excitement for the kids and the adult and teen workers!
How
can refreshing one self also be exciting? It is very much like that when we refresh
ourselves in the Word, it is like the Holy Spirit revitalizes us! We have more
scope for imagination, more energy for the day and our minds are restored to
clarity and direction.
Imagine
this; you rise up early in the morning the sun is just beginning to graze the
rooftops of your neighbors and the daylight is gently slivering itself into
view. Rays of light trickling through the branches play against the windows and
the little birds begin to sing.
You
sip your warm tea, or coffee and crack open the pages of the Bible to your
daily reading spot.
“If you turn away your foot
from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
and call the Sabbath a delight.
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways nor finding your own pleasure,
nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
and call the Sabbath a delight.
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways nor finding your own pleasure,
nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14
The
words speak to your heart and mind as you relish in His goodness focusing your
day with Jesus your Lord in the beginning moments. That is how it feels to
submerse yourself in the water; it is a moment to bask in.
It
no longer matters that there are more things on your to do list today what
matters at the moment is that good feeling, that close connection you have with
God.
You speak
out your response to His directed reading, you discuss how you think He wants
you to put it into action in your life and then you sit, sip your beverage and
listen. Just listen. Do you hear it? Peace, refreshing peace.
Your
heart sings out!
Be
exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength!
We will sing and praise Your power. Psalm
21:13
How
can you not feel full of life after basking in His presence? Reading, speaking,
and listening for that still small voice that speaks to your heart and mind in
His Word is refreshment for the soul.
I
will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.[ I
will praise you among your assembled people. Praise the Lord, all
you who fear him!
Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. The poor will eat and be satisfied.
All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. Psalm 22:22-26
Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. The poor will eat and be satisfied.
All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. Psalm 22:22-26
We know He is
with us always; the Word tells us that. We do not how ever remind ourselves
this when the day gets full of meetings, or marketing, or teaching the kids, or
whatever work you do each day; but he is there with you through it all just the
same.
In Psalm 22 Jesus
called out from the cross “why have your forsaken me?” to God the Father, yet
we know that God did not forsake Him it was just not time.
He knows also
that we are not meaning to forget that He is with us through the day, that He
wants us to ask Him for direction in a big meeting, or that He wants us to pray
for the kids we teach. In verse 19 of
Psalm 22 the writer cries out to God as well... “O Lord, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come
quickly to my aid!”
The urgency of the cry follows along with the urgency of the need;
we need refreshing in the midst of the battle of getting it done! We need the
peace that over flows us and brings to us that blessed assurance that says He
has not forgotten us, He is there with us.
That refreshment that can bring a smile on a day of turmoil; the
Holy Spirit refreshing!
Heavenly Father, we praise you, we lift you up today and we thank
you for your goodness. Refresh us with a revitalized body, mind and spirit
today as we continue to live the life and walk the walk with You, in Jesus
name, amen.
Suggested reading Psalm 22:1-31, Psalm 19:1-9, Psalm 27:1-14 and
Psalm 37:1-40.