The Word still speaks

I was at church the other night, just soaking in His Presence, and He lead me directly to this passage. I believe it is my new favorite chapter! It speaks so loudly to my testimony. So for the next few blog posts, it will be looking over Psalm 31 and talking about what it means to me, and what it can mean to you.

Look through the entire passage, and then we can get started.

Psalm 31 (NLT)

1O Lord, I have come to you for protection;
    don’t let me be disgraced.
    Save me, for you do what is right.
2 Turn your ear to listen to me;
    rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
    a fortress where I will be safe.
3 You are my rock and my fortress.
    For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.
4 Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me,
    for I find protection in you alone.
5 I entrust my spirit into your hand.
    Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God.

6 I hate those who worship worthless idols.
    I trust in the Lord.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love,
    for you have seen my troubles,
    and you care about the anguish of my soul.
8 You have not handed me over to my enemies
    but have set me in a safe place.

9 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress.
    Tears blur my eyes.
    My body and soul are withering away.
10 I am dying from grief;
    my years are shortened by sadness.
Sin has drained my strength;
    I am wasting away from within.
11 I am scorned by all my enemies
    and despised by my neighbors—
    even my friends are afraid to come near me.
When they see me on the street,
    they run the other way.
12 I am ignored as if I were dead,
    as if I were a broken pot.
13 I have heard the many rumors about me,
    and I am surrounded by terror.
My enemies conspire against me,
    plotting to take my life.

14 But I am trusting you, O Lord,
    saying, “You are my God!”
15 My future is in your hands.
    Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.
16 Let your favor shine on your servant.
    In your unfailing love, rescue me.
17 Don’t let me be disgraced, O Lord,
    for I call out to you for help.
Let the wicked be disgraced;
    let them lie silent in the grave.[a]
18 Silence their lying lips—
    those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly.

19 How great is the goodness
    you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
    blessing them before the watching world.
20 You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
    safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
    far from accusing tongues.

21 Praise the Lord,     for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.

    He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
22 In panic I cried out,
    “I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
    and answered my call for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you godly ones!
    For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
    but he harshly punishes the arrogant.
24 So be strong and courageous,
    all you who put your hope in the Lord!

The first place that jumps out to me is in that first section (verses 1-5)....

I have come to you for protection, I run into HIS arms....are you going to the right place for your shelter? I know in the beginning I didn't. Dear sisters, learn from my mistakes please, don't take so long to go to the source of your protection. For me, I felt like the man the I trusted, that supposedly loved me had taken advantage of the trust I had given him. He was supposed to protect me, not be a source of pain to me. So I felt like I had to be my own protection for a change. That didn't work out so well. I had to come around and put my trust in GOD to be my sole source of reprieve. God wanted to be my safe place, my resting spot, my strong tower.  We sing those things at church all the time, but do we really believe it or just sing it because it sounds good? (as an aside challenge, this week at Sunday service whenever you go...make it a point to not "just sing" but to truly mean the words from your heart to a beyond worthy God!) 

Look at verse 3...for YOUR honor, lead me out of this danger.  So when He saved you from whatever it was you were doing, after you begged Him to get you out of it....did you take even a minute to say thank you? I honestly try to keep my focus there when I am telling my testimony or writing this blog. I could not have done it on my own.  I would still be a mess if He hadn't continually pursued me. It is by HIS mercy alone that I made it out on the other side and into His loving arms. His grace for me still blows my mind, I do not deserve Him. But He still freely offered it then, and continues today to do the same.

I try to relish in the little words when it comes to reading in my bible, and there is one that jumped off the page to me in verse 5....entrust. To me that is stronger than just trusting someone with something. If you entrust them with it, you are giving it over completely to them without concern of how it will return to you. Dictionary.com says it means to commit something in trust. Do I really entrust my heart to God? Do I entrust my life to Him? My children? My marriage? For me, I like to be in control of things (no giggling Dean), I like to have it in my hands so that I know its done. It's hard for me to release things even to God. I feel like He gave me knowledge, and strength, and abilities, so that I could do things for myself....but the problem is when I think I have to do it all by myself. If I can entrust Him to direct my path, and then agree to follow Him...it would be so much easier. During a prayer session the other night at church, a wonderful lady told me that I needed to just walk with Jesus step by step. To know that He won't take me further than I need to go, or faster than I should go.  For me, it's not being afraid to go, it is slowing down enough to walk side by side with Jesus, and not run ahead to what's next. I am learning still every day how to entrust Him with my whole self...heart, body, mind, and soul.

And finally for today....RESCUE me Lord. What a beautiful plea that is. Isn't it? When you think about a rescue, that is when you finally realized that you just can't do it on your own. You have to let go, and see that you need someone else to come find you, and save you. The picture I see in my head, is of someone caught in river being pulled out on a stretcher by a rescue helicopter. Get the picture I am talking about. God can just reach down and scoop you right up! And the awesomest part....God will always rescue you when you call out His name. He is waiting for you to say, dear Lord, please, I need you, save me from myself. 

One last time, look at verse 5....but in a couple of different versions....

The Message... "I've put my life in your hands. You won't drop me, you'll never let me down."

NIV... "Into Your hands I commit my spirit, deliver me, Lord, my faithful God."

Amplified... "Into your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth and faithfulness."

Good News Bible... "I place myself in your care. You will save me, Lord; you are a faithful God."