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Written on October 4, 2010 by emily

More Psalms. My thoughts may not be eloquent…I’m nearing my bedtime, but I’ve already put this off for a few days and don’t want to do it again.

Psalm 12:3, 6 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips. The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

I immediately think and wonder, how many words do I waste each day? Not even just the flattering ones, but the whining ones, the lazy ones, the selfish ones…Does my speech always honor the Lord? I don’t think yelling at my kids counts as honoring Him. I try not to yell, but it happens. In the flurry and tiredness and sheer amount of tasks to do in a day, when the kids aren’t listening, I don’t always have patience as my first response. Help me Jesus. I long for a purity of heart that flows into purity of speech…for an awareness of what each word I say builds or destroys, lest I build and destroy the wrong things in my home. And be convinced…words do either build or destroy. Choose them carefully.

Psalm 16:11 In Your presence is fullness of joy.

Until this very year, I had no concept of what fullness of joy was. I spent years of my life holding up the corners of my mouth with my fingers (or not) because I couldn’t make my cheeks smile on their own. My heart was broken and my spirit was weighed down with mountains of hurt…but no more. Jesus put me in this beautiful white house and He moved in too. It’s not hard to smile anymore. In fact, its hard to stop smiling. And jump and dance and spazz out spontaneously because of the joyfulness bursting within me. I am not kidding. You might laugh imagining it, but my children think it is perfectly normal to burst into silly made-up songs and goofy uncoordinated dancing without warning (and without music). God’s presence is in our home and we’re experiencing the fullness of His joy.

Psalm 18:28-29 For You light my lamp; the Lord my God illumines my darkness. For by You I can run upon a troop; and by my God I can leap over a wall.

I can run and I can leap, but not by myself. For You light my lamp. You energize me. You lift me up and make my legs work even when I feel lame. You launch me over hurdles that look way too big for me, and I sail right over them. Seriously folks…It just isn’t worth it to try and do things your own way without God. Without Him, you’re sure to leap INTO a wall, not over it.

Psalm 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of the Lord is pure, making wise the simple.

And making the wise to live simply? I think so. I’ve been learning about this. The more simple your life before God, the more your heart can be at peace. Complicating things makes for lots of anxiety and trouble. Simplicity at it’s best: Obeying God absolutely.

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the Lord.

YES! WAIT! Be strong and be courageous and BE PATIENT.

Psalm 31:14 As for me, I trust in You O Lord, I say “You are my God” My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies.

You know all the longings of my heart. You know the pressures I feel and the mistakes I’ve made. My times are in Your hand and I do trust that You are not only delivering me from snares, but You are also cultivating wisdom in me and showing me how to prepare my heart and home for Your abundance. If we’re not ready for it, don’t bring it yet. I don’t want to be entangled or wooed by anything but You.

Psalm 34:10, 15, 18 They who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

If you ever wonder if He hears you, He does.

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