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Psalm 139

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Psalm 139 is a beautiful passage illustrating the personal nature of God.  God knows about each of us personally and cares for us deeply - He is omniscient.  There is no place that we can go where God is not present because He is omnipresent.  And as the Creator and Designer of each human individual, God is omnipotent - all powerful.  But most importantly, God is loving and just, our Good Father.  Keep that thought as we read the passage:

"You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.  You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"  even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

If only you, God, would slay the wicked!  Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!  They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.  Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?  I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.  Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

May our prayer be like that of the writer of this Psalm.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  Your will be done!

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Psalm 121

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Psalm 121 will sound familar to many because of verse 1.  "Where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."  God is the Creator and our sustainer.  God watches over each of us day and night.  He watches over each of us forevermore.  Read this short passage and experience the rich theology it embodies:

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;  indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand;  the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.  The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;  the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

The C&MA ascribes to a four-fold gospel message centered on Jesus.  Jesus is our Savior, our Sanctifier, our Healer, and our coming King.  Psalm 121 assures us that God is our Creator and Sustainer, that He cares for us eternally - the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end.  And everything in between!

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