Psalm 4:4
“Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.”
It had been a tiring September day preparing for another season of Tea Workshops that were conducted in our home every Fall. After climbing into bed I opened my Daily Light* and soon realized I had missed the morning reading. The very first words at the top of the page were, “Sit still, my daughter.” Pulling the covers up a little tighter, the next verses I read had my undivided attention: “Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted.” “Be still and know that I am God.” “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” “The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low: the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.” “Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.” God’s Word got my full attention that night, not just with those verses but the ones on the next page as well, this one in particular, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you…” I sat still, meditated on the words I had read and prayed.
Seven days later, on the morning of September 11, 2001, those verses came back to my memory as I sat watching the horrific events unfold on the television. Our youngest daughter and her husband worked in New York City—she on the 29th floor of a building at Rockefeller Center, her husband near the Empire State Building. Cell phone connections were spotty but I managed to get through to both right before they were evacuated and then late that night after they finally staggered into their home, exhausted from the day. My husband was out of town, unable to fly home, so much of my time that day was spent taking calls from friends and family asking how our family was doing. It was clear that God had prepared, in advance, my heart and my response, which was to share the extraordinary peace and hope that He had provided from His Word. The Lord is always in the business of preparing our teachable hearts so that when trouble or sorrows come, our response if one of trust. How are you preparing?
Heavenly Father, You say that Your Word is a “lamp to our feet and a light to our path.” May we meditate on it night and day, in our going out and coming in. Prepare our hearts, O God, to respond in faith to life’s circumstances because we trust in You and You alone. Amen.
*For those unfamiliar with the construction of Daily Light, each page has a series of verses, separated by a symbol, with each verse fitting into a particular theme for the day.
Thank you so very much for these Daily Devotions. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate reading them, and how much my life needs this at this point. I feel I am slowly returning from the abyss I have been teetering on since the fire took the lives of Granddaughter Raven, Grandson Shylock, and Great-granddaughter Zoiey. Since the devasting cancer diagnosis from two dear friends and the un-expected death of a spouse by two others, I have felt God was really trying to get my attention and tell me time for grieving and my wallowing in self-pity was DONE. It was time to put aside the anger and sorrow and turn to him. Your Daily Devotions lift me up and are another aide in my “recovery”. Thank you dear friend!
Oh, dear Brenda, how I have prayed for you! No matter how deep the pit we allow ourselves to wallow in, His love is deeper still. Continue to keep your eyes on Him. You are loved!