In the Day of Trouble I Seek the Lord

     I know when I'm not spending enough time with the LORD.  I get busy with the affairs of the day: get out of bed, shower, brush my teeth, fix my hair, get dressed, turn the news on, fix my lunch, fix the glider's treats for the day, set the table, prepare our breakfasts, eat, wash the dishes, tidy up the glider cage, get the gliders captured and in their pouch.  And all this before we go to work.  Drive to work.  Now we're at work: put the gliders in the sleeping cage, dust and clean the outside of the simulator, straighten up the inside, refill the water jug for the day from Dillard's water fountain . . .  Whew, now I can rest for a few minutes (if we don't get any customers) and start reading my online bible and pray a little. It is now 3 hours since my alarm clock went off.  If we don't have a busy day, I get more reading done or more prayer time.  I'm not complaining, I'm making a point.  Sometimes I feel like GOD is getting leftovers.  But if you have a job, you have to balance GOD, work, family, and whatever else comes along. 

I know people that can get up at 5am or earlier and have their devotional.  Yea! for them.  I get up at 7:30am and get to bed about midnight every day.  I'm tired.  I'm not so young anymore.  When I was younger I could juggle things better than I can now.  I also believe GOD should get my undivided attention.  Not concerned about anything or everything I have do get done or too tired at night to concentrate or think straight.

But I also know this, if I skip talking to the LORD, if I don't talk with Him and stay in His presence, if I don't read His Word, if I get in the habit of not communicating with Him, satan will start making me more tired, question myself, put more things on my plate, I'll get moody, more solitary, more withdrawn, more concerned with my own problems, and on and on into that downward spiral into self and then into that black hole of depression.  It makes you question yourself and just how much GOD loves you.  I may quote a lot of scripture on this website, but it is the Word of GOD.  It is Water for our souls.  It is the Bread of life.  It is the Breath that He beathes into us.  Do you need a pick-me-up?  Read some Psalms.  GOD did not speak His Word to be empty promises!  His Word will never fail.  You can depend on every one of them!  There is absolutely nothing that He doesn't care about.  His mercy never fails and His love is steadfast as the cornerstone and endures forever!

GOD understands all this and He knows my heart.  He meets me here when I am ready and He strengthens me.  He refreshes my soul.  Sometimes He just holds me.  He knows what we need and He meets us just where we are, nothing fancy.  Call on Him right now.

Psalm 77  (ESV)

In the Day of Trouble I Seek the Lord

1)  I cry aloud to GOD, aloud to GOD, and He will hear me.
2)  In the day of my trouble I seek the LORD; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
3)  When I remember GOD, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints.
4)  You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5)  I consider the days of old, the years long ago.
6)  I said, "Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart." Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7)  "Will the LORD spurn forever, and never again be favorable?
8)  Has His steadfast love forever ceased? 
     Are His promises at an end for all time?
9)  Has GOD forgotten to be gracious?   
     Has He in anger shut up his compassion?"
10)  Then I said, "I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High."
11)  I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember Your wonders of old.
12)  I will ponder all Your work, and meditate on Your mighty deeds.
13)  Your way, O GOD, is holy.  What god is great like our GOD?
14)  You are the GOD who works wonders; You have made known Your might among the peoples.
15)  You with Your arm redeemed Your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.
16)  When the waters saw You, O GOD, when the waters saw You, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled.
17)  The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; Your arrows flashed on every side.
18)  The crash of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; Your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
19)  Your way was through the sea, Your path through the great waters; yet Your footprints were unseen.
20)  You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers