He Comforts Us Part 2

Psalm 40:1-3

New Living Translation (NLT)

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
3 He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what He has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord.

I have heard this scripture repeated lately, and have learned that when God puts scriptures out there over and over again for us to see, its for a reason.  You might read it once, and then you might see it in a devotional and then again on a Sunday service, it is sang about or quoted again. Has that ever happened to you?

Well recently, I had heard this scripture repeated from three different sources in a short amount of time, and it jumped out at me because I know it well.  I have a history with this scripture.  Sometimes we just need to revisit previous times in our life; not to keep reliving the past, but to remember what God did for us during those times.

In the days that scriptures were written, more specifically the Old Testament, there would be a specific encounter that one would have with God, and they would build an altar there, give thanks to Him and move on.  And when they at times would come back by that place they would revisit that altar and remember what God had done in their life.  They would kneel there and thank Him again for what He had done for them before.

This scripture is one of those altars for me.  I remember as a young adult I struggled.  You see, I grew up in a family of Pastors and Evangelists.  God has blessed me with a Godly heritage that is part of my foundation today, but that didn't keep me from moving away from God and walking a completely different path for a time.  In the early days of marriage to my husband, we came back to the Lord right away.  But because I had walked such a dark path at times, and because I was a Pastor's kid and Pastor's Grandchild, the enemy enjoyed reminding me almost every minute of the day, that I knew better. So, he wanted me to think I had to settle for mediocre Christianity,and that I wasn't going to receive any more from God, because I knew better and I could not take them back or I couldn't make them go away either. (this was the battleground in my mind)

And one day I read this scripture, and held on to it so closely for a long time.  Because I just couldn't believe God could ever forgive me of all people, of everything that I had done or become.  I knew all to well what the pit of despair was like, and never wanted to return there again.  Even though I still did not have a grasp on the fact that I was a child of God and not a step child per say, I knew who rescued me, and everyday I could not be thankful enough.  It was kinda of like I was the prodical son returned without the celebration.  I knew that I had been forgiven, but had not yet reached out for the truth, that I could "celebrate" or live in joy, because I had been rescued.  Believe me when I say, that the day that this mind set turned around, I have never gone back.  I live in the redemptive power of the cross, and I will never go Back!

Now, back to the point.[insert grin]  The scriptures are in place to bring us life, to bring us joy, to bring us comfort.  Not just because of the words, but because HE comforts us and confirms to us through His Word.  I held on to this scripture with a thankful heart that I had been forgiven until one day I got to the point that I could literally turn the page to

Psalms 42: 1 
New King James Version (NKJV)

As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.

There came a day when I could see how much my Heavenly Father loved me, and my past had nothing to do with it.  The enemy had officially lost the battle as my eyes were finally opened to the truth.  My past was gone, as far as the east is from the west, and I am free to live the rest of my life in the joy and peace of His Presence!  This is what He has for us, and this is how He Comforts Us: through the truth of His Word.


Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank you for every soul that reads this entry, and I pray that they find You and all of Your goodness, mercy, love and strength in every verse that they read.  Bring to their remembrance all of the love that You have for them, and also the freedom and purpose that You have already given them.  May we all learn to walk in that today.  It's Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

I pray that each of you not only know how much God loves you, but also to take comfort in His Word.  It's for you.  

Many blessings to you today In Jesus Name.