Saturday, April 11th, 2009

Saturday, April 11th, 2009

Isaiah 33:2
O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.

This morning is another morning of grace, another morning of salvation. No matter how rough life is. Oh, my soul, it does not matter how hard of a year you had, how hard of a week you had, how hard of a morning you have had. No matter what the circumstance is, with the hymn writer, oh my soul, say, "Arise my soul, arise, shake off your guitly fears, the bleeding sacrifice on my behalf appears. Before the throne my surety stands, before the throne my surety stands, my name is written on his hands."

So I say with Isaiah, Lord, be gracious to me in my trouble. No matter how long I am in the valley, I will trust in you, I will wait for you. For you oh God, are my strength every morning. When the weight of life comes upon me, and my enemies are on every side, I need the One who is strong to hold me up and defend my cause. I need the only truly powerful one to watch for me and defend me in my times of trouble.

When I am overcome by the sins in my life, by the world's entrapments and lusts, I need mercy, I need help, I need salvation. Thus, the beauty of this passage for my soul. God is there for me every morning. God is gracious and will always bring salvation to me. God is always waiting for me, always there when I need Him.

My trouble is that I don't rely on Him enough. Every moment of every day should be a moment that I rely upon God. Christ should always be my strength and my salvation, my present help in times of trouble.

Oh, my soul, let me exclaim with the psalmist, and truly believe (Psalm 23):

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Oh God, let me find my satisfaction, my delight, my salvation in you today. Let me stand firm in you, in your strong arm, let me rely on Christ for my salvation in every moment of every day. Amen.